💞THE KNIGHT’S BRIDE 💕
{ Fated to love }
CHAPTER 49 & 50
BY; Chioma Melody.
Subtitle: Lost hope
°°°°
★★★★
Ian took in a deep swallow after hearing what the king had said.
He had heard rumors about the death of the Queen and the son for years, but why would the wrapper pop out of nowhere and meet him at his place.
He moved from his spot and began to leave the palace quickly.
He stopped by at the field but unluckily, he couldn’t find hani there so he returned back to his camp.
****
<
Xander leaned away from the window and began to walk into his room restlessly.
” The guards have already hid their corpse and have bury them there” He said to Lisa who stood up from the sofa, still in tears.
” That can’t solve our issue, Xander. You know the king would definitely ask of them” Lisa said, while sobbing inbetween.
” We could just make up a lie that they had eaten a poisoned food. we could probably blame the cooks.” Xander shrugged.
Lisa held her head as headache began to kick in.
” You are not getting matters any better, Xander. Let’s just accept the fact that they are dead and you killed them!”
” I am not going to let the king know I killed them cos I know there are consequences behind my actions!!” He grudge out.
” So what next?. Do you expect me to carry your cross on my head. Hell No!. You can do what you know best!. I’m out of here and I have no hand in this anymore!” She yelled and Xander immediately stood in front of her with a glare.
He grabbed her neck and pulled her to the wall.
” You dare not leave me in this mess or you’ll be the next to die, Trust me!” He scoffed.
” Just kill me xander!. Kill me I wanna die, I regret ever being alive to birth you. I made a mistake. I was lost trying to fulfill your desires of being king but you’ve thrown me into your pit too. Just kill me xander. Kill me so I know I don’t have to know the end of all this!” She cried.
Xander slowly let go of her neck and sighed, turning his backs at her.
” I’m sorry” He said.
” You are not sorry until you fix this whole mess!. Go to the king now and settle this indifference!” She said.
” Can’t you see that this is the end of it. I’m confused, I don’t know what to do next. It’s finished, Mom. It’s finished. The king would definitely kill us at this stage. There’s no apology that can fix this” Xander sighed.
Lisa slumped back on the sofa in tears and Xander leaned on the wall, staring at the roof blankly.
‘ It’s finished now. It’s all over’ He thought silently.
****
<
Ian stopped in front of the gate to the stream and met Vivian there, knitting a dress.
” Good morning mom” He said, giving a bow immediately he got to her.
” My handsome is finally awake” She smiled and Ian returned a sweet smile at her. ” What do you want?. The females are in the stream taking their bath” She said.
” The king wants everyone at the palace Immediately”
” Huh?. Why?” She asked with wide eyes.
” I showed him a royal wrapping that I found in field last night and he ordered that everyone be at the palace at dawn. Everyone is gathered at the palace except the maidens, so I’d like them to end their bath and report to the palace” He said.
” Oh no” Vivian gasped, covering her lips.
” Is there anything?” He asked and many thought ran through her mind before she looked at him.
” Nothing actually. I’ll go call the girls now” She said with a nod before walking away.
She walked into the stream and told the girls to round up. Soon, the girls all started to step out quickly, carrying up their robes along.
Hani held her robe to her chest as she stepped out with her wet hair, merging with her cheeks cutely.
She walked out and saw Ian there and she immediately tugged his robe.
” Ian!” She called and he turned his head to face her and a smile flashed through his face.
” Hani” He said.
” Good morning Ian!” She bowed respectfully, and kept smiling at him as he adjusted the hair that had merged to her cheeks.
He pocketed his hands and looked at her carefully.
” How was your night?” He asked.
” It was so good but I wished we stayed up together” She said, pressing her lip tightly.
” Perhaps tonight again?” He asked, leaning his head to a side to look at her sexily.
” Really?”
” Yea, At the field?”
” Sure!. I’ll be there early enough!!” She replied with so much enthusiasm.
” Be there before you” He winked and her heart skipped.
He roughed her wet hair and kissed the tip of her nose before turning and walking away.
” New kiss spot unlocked. I’ll forever love my nose tip” She giggled, poking her nose softly.
***
<
The king was walking out of his chamber hastily with Erica and Lisa following suite.
” Where’s Xora?” He suddenly asked and Lisa’s eye dilated.
” I’ve wanted to ask as well. I’ve not seen her since yesterday” Erica said and faced Lisa. ” Have you seen her?”
” N…No. Not even her shadows.” Lisa stuttered.
Shaman and Xander were stepping out from the other end and the king stopped, looking at each of them.
” Where’s your sister?” He asked them.
” I’ve not seen her” Shaman replied and faced Xander.
” Don’t ask me. I don’t look like her private watchman” Xander hissed.
The king turned to the other wives.
” You haven’t seen Xora too?”
” Yes, Your highness” They replied as well. He shook his head before taking the next turn towards the Palace chamber.
A large crowd has been waiting for him there and so, he climbed up to his throne and sat there.
Ian walked up to him with the wrapping clothes and he collected it from him, raising it in the air.
” Everyone Here. Look up at this!” He ordered and the atmosphere got calm as every eye turned to the object in his hand.
They all recognised it immediately.
” Who’s responsible for this!. Answer me or get taunted for the rest of your life!!” He ordered.
Vivian respectfully stepped out from the crowd and Ian brow rose in confusion.
” I’m responsible, Your highness!” She said, lowering her face from him.
” Where did you find this?” The king asked.
” It has been with me for eighteen years your majesty” She replied sincerely.
” Guards. Seize her!!” He ordered and guards from left and right held her quickly, making her frail.
” I’m innocent, Your majesty. I have no hand in this but I can explain. I..I..had no intention to hurt the Queen and the baby. The Queen handed the baby to me before she died, she told me to keep it a secret. Lisa had effortlessly tried to kill her and the baby in the past and that’s why she told me to hide the child from everyone. For 2 years, I nursed the child away from the palace and later brought him back cos he was the true heir and he deserves the throne” She said.
The king wasn’t bothered about the whole story.
” Does that mean my child is still alive?” He asked.
” Yes, Your highness. He is in our midst!!” She said aloud and loud gasp envelope the air.
🗣 Is this really true?
🗣 Who could be the child?
” Silence!!!” The king ordered and everyone spontaneously muted. ” Please bring him out, woman” The king ordered.
” He’s right behind you, Your highness!” Vivian said and Everyone eyes went to Ian who was just standing two feet away from him.
Ian even had to turn to see if someone was next to him or behind him.
” The person who presented the cloth is your dear lost son!” Vivian said and Ian brows went high in realisation.
The king turned to Ian and looked at him carefully. There was lots of murmuring, but the king wasn’t bothered anymore.
He walked up to him .
” Take off your robe, Ian” He said.
” B..but…
” Do it, Ian”
Ian slowly pulled off his robe halfway and everyone vividly saw the birthmark.
🗣 Oh my, It’s him!
🗣 He has the royal birthmark
🗣 He could be the gifted!
He tied up his robe back and the king mentally finalised him to be his son.
He gave him a tight heartwarming hug that got the crowd in silence.
Ian was so confused but he just followed suit in the emotion.
” So it was you all along. I can’t believe I had such a well groomed son like you” He cried bitterly, soaking up his cloth. ” Fate has been so harsh on us!” He continued sobbing.
Ian slowly closed up his eyes, wrapping his arms around his body.
However, Xander finally stood up after he could not take the shit happening and Lisa immediately grabbed him back.
” Don’t cause more havoc and just accept the fact this is happening!” She said.
” I can’t accept the fact that this drama is playing up here!!. Isn’t this too sudden?” He yelled.
Lisa slapped him hard and Xander slapped her back and she fell off her feet.
” Xander!” She yelled.
” You can do well by calling out my name again but this reunion is not happening!” He scoffed.
However, The king left hold of him and was about to say something when a guard approached them quickly.
” Your highness. We wanted to inform you about the corpse that Xander asked us to hide from you.” He said.
” Corpse?. What corpse?”
” He strangled Xora, Your third wife and her daughter and he also said that he didn’t want you to find out about their deepest secret that’s why he killed them!” He said and the King’s mind dropped to nothing.
His jubilation and happy moments immediately got interrupted.
” Xander?!. Lisa!!” He shouted and Lisa quickly fell on her kneels, holding his robe.
” I can explain!” She said.
” Commence quickly!”
” First of all, Xander is not your real son. I got pregnant by one of the monarch and….and I wanted to keep it a secret from everyone!”
🗣 WOOOH
” And Yes, Vivian was right. I had tortured the previous Queen till she entirely lost her life. I’m solely responsible for everything. I laid a curse on her that she’d never be able to bear her child alive, Yes, I’m still the one!. I was jealous cos she was the first queen and my child would never get to be the next heir and I didn’t want that to happen”
” Guards. Seize them!” The king ordered without a second thought.
They were both seized immediately.
” Hang them by the coconut tree there and beat them to death!. That’s my order, they’ve done enough!” He ordered.
Lisa eyes widened, as well as Xander.
” My husband!” She tugged his cloth.
” I have found what I am looking for. You are more or less, useless to me!!” He spat and kicked her away.
She was roughly pulled away in tears. Xander didn’t have to struggle as he patiently walked out on his own.
The crowds parted ways as they were pushed outside, and some overlookers followed them out to watch the horrible scenery.
****
<< IAN'S ROOM>>
Vivian held Ian’s hand as she forced a smile.
” I’m sorry for not telling you the truth on time. At least, the bad people are gone now and there’s room for positive vibes. Here, I have a portrait of your mom” She said and gave it to him.
Ian looked at it for a moment before caressing it gently.
” She’s beautiful” He chuckled.
” And she looks so much like you too” She said chuckling.
Ian sighed and looked away.
” I can’t accept this. I still want you to be my mom in her absence” He said and Vivian turned emotional.
” But W..why?. I’m not even your real mom”
” I know that. But, I grew up to know you as one. I’ve lived my whole life calling you my mother. I just can’t let go at this point” He said.
” Can you….Can you still take me as your mom even after everything?”
” Of course. You’re the first kind woman I have ever grew up to know. Please be my mom, Vivian” He said desperately and she felt her eyes stream down tears.
She immediately hugged him tight, crying in his arms and Ian began consoling her slowly.
” It’s okay, mom”
” You don’t know what you’ve done to make me feel this way. You’ve made my prayers come to reality” She cried bitterly.
Ian pulled away and looked at her red, swollen face and she continued further.
” My husband divorced me cos I was barren. I thought I’d never get to have a child of my own. You’ve accepted me, Ian and i feel much at ease now to have you. I’m so grateful. I love you so much son” She said and hugged him back.
” I love you too mom. I’m ready to be the best for you” He said and Vivian had this urge to crush him with happiness.
Soon, A guard walked in through the opened door.
” Your highnesses. The King is sick in bed”
” Again?” Ian asked, standing on his feet.
” His drug has ran out and his fever is getting pretty worse” The guard explained.
” I’ll go check on him. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it” Vivian told Ian before walking out.
Ian checked the window and saw it was already dark. He remembered he had to meet hani that night so he left his room quickly.
***
NIGHT<
Salome stood up from the floor and went to throw up in the grass.
She sat down and grumbled to herself silently.
” Xander is gone now!. Who’s going to claim me!!. who’s gonna claim my kid?!” She cried bitterly, rubbing her teary nose.
Hani stepped out of the house and met her.
” Are you okay, Salome?”She politely asked.
” Just get Lost, okay. I don’t wanna see your face cos it’s worse than the problem I’m facing!” She spat.
“Oh… Fine. Make sure you sort out the problems before it kill you cos I smell death” Hani spat before walking away.
She tightened her fist in anger but her stomach rumbled again, hitting her to the core.
” Ughh!” She threw herself to the floor and spooned herself helplessly.
***
≈FIELD≈
Hani walked into the field, and unluckily, Ian was there before her.
He was laying on his favourite mattress with book with him. He lost focus the moment he saw her coming.
” I told you I’ll come before you” He said, keeping his book away.
Hani palmed her face for a while before sitting next to him.
” Well I was busy planning some fun activities we could do tonight.” She said.
Ian leaned on his palm as he looked at her.
” So what did you find?” He spoke gently.
” I couldn’t think of anything.” She sighed, forming a pout on her lip.
A rain drop fell and Ian looked at the sky, seeing something fall on his face.
” F*ck. It’s about to pour” He said and an idea immediately struck hani’s little head.
” Let’s stay here a little longer” She said, holding his hand.
” But it’s about to rain”
” Yes, I’m aware”
” You’re gonna get a cold”
” It doesn’t matter. I’ll be fine”
And soon, the rain began to pour down heavily and hani jumped to her feet with excitement.
” Finally!” She smiled, spinning around playfully.
Ian stood up, watching her patiently. He hadn’t seen a girl so full of life.
She went to him and held his hand.
” Let’s make memories, Ian” She said enthusiastically.
” Memories, huh?”
” Mn?” She nodded quickly, unable to determine what was on his mind.
He looked at the rain for a moment and slowly faced her, grabbing her cheeks in his palm.
” We can make a lasting memory this way” He said with a little smirk and hani felt her chest jump out of her.
He leaned closer and hani eye’s was focused on his lip the whole time as her breathing escalated, not until she felt a coat on her head.
She looked up and saw Ian had covered her up with his robe and now she was inside him.
” Let’s stay here like this till the rain stops” He winked and hani lips formed a pout disappointingly.
Tbc