The Thread Of Fate

Chapter 6

I was in the kitchen, helping Henry prepare my favourite sweet dish.

"Henry! The milk is going to boil over!" I told him. He was so absent minded at times.

"I'm not going to ruin your birthday Sera." He laughed, "You can relax!"

He shook his head and took the pot off. I put the fire out and checked to see how much wood was left. I was irritated at his carelessness but his booming laughter was so contagious that I couldn't keep it up. Soon, we were both laughing.

"Do you think mum and dad are watching?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"They are always watching over you." He gave a kind smile, "and someday, they'll help you find a Prince that will sweep you off your feet and take you away to his castle! You can order the maids to make rice pudding then and spare me the trouble ."

"I'm not going without you." I informed, rolling my eyes.

"Am I interrupting?"

We turned around to find Nish and a few soldiers. I wasn't sure why the king was in our house, neither did I know how they'd snuck in.

"Your majesty." I curtsied. Besides me, Henry bowed. He had a scary expression on his face. I'd never seen him so angry. I was suddenly very nervous. Something was wrong.

"You defied me, soldier."

"I did not, your highness." Henry answered calmly. I gasped. No one talked to the king that way.

"You dare lie to me!" Nish yelled. I cringed and hid myself behind Henry.

"I'm not lying, my king."

"I see her face! You think I don't recognise her? Do you take me for a fool?"

"Coincidence, your highness."

"You were her father's best friend were you not? You both grew up in Ralia isn't it ? Would it be so strange that you saved his daughter? I always wondered Henry, how is it that a man who has no family suddenly had a niece to take care of ?" Nish smiled, "coincidence? I think not."

My mind whirled. My parents had died in an accident by the river. It made no sense that the king knew so much about their deaths.

"What do you want with her?" Henry reached for the kitchen knife.

"Henry? What's going on?" I whispered.

"I came here to kill her but now that I've seen her I'm a little bit confused." Nish sighed, "Maybe I'll keep her as a pet. She is pretty, very pretty. Just like her mother."

"You will never touch her." Henry growled.

"Then I'll have to kill you just like I killed her parents."

I gasped.

"You ki-killed my parents?" tears flowed down my cheeks. My parents had been murdered.

"Oh this is priceless! You didn't tell her!" Nish laughed, clutching his belly, "Excellent! Yes, you stupid girl. I killed your parents. Do you know why? It is because your mother refused to marry me. She chose your father over me. I waited for the right moment and then killed her. Your father cried like a little girl when I-"