Chapter 13. I didn't want him to be happy
****
Meanwhile, Henderson couldn't understand why Helena had been punished for spreading such rumors.
The Helena he knew was not the kind of person who would do something foolish.
He and Helena met years ago, at an academy in the Remzi Empire.
He had a crush on Helena because she was nice to him when he had nothing, but it didn't develop into love.
After graduating from the academy, they saw each other
occasionally, but he was still not thrilled with her.
He and Helena were still good friends.
He wondered what happened to her, she was so smart........
Of course, he didn't disagree with Helena's punishment.
She deserved to be punished for what she did.
The only person who bothered him more than Helena was Riley.
He felt like he was having recurring dreams about her because he hadn't gone looking for Riley.
So he decided it was time to stop waiting for her to find him first.
"I'll have to go see her myself.”
As he thought about it, Henderson's face began to contort.
He remembered the rumors about her.
From the sounds of it, Riley was going to marry another man soon.
Henderson didn't like the news of her marriage.
He wanted to meet Riley before she became another man's woman.
The thought moved Henderson, who rarely left the Duke's office.
His destination was the imperial palace.
***
Once my relationship with Henderson got better, I planned to go on a picnic with Eddie.
If we could survive the coming winter, and spring would bring new life.
I wanted to put Eddie between Henderson and me, and walk side by side, holding his little hand in mine.
I waited for time to pass, dreaming of such a happy future.
I foolishly believed that time would fix my deteriorating relationship with Henderson.
Relationships weren’t always good.
I realized that even in the best of relationships, there were times when we drift apart.
But while I made no effort, just letting time pass and hoping he would look at me again, my child died.
I was devastated that it didn't work.
‘If I'd known you were going to die in vain, I wouldn't have stayed quiet.’
Now that I was back in the past, I didn't want to create any more regrets.
Instead of hesitating and regretting my decision, I decided to take the initiative and act. To take control, to keep him.
I looked up at Matilda, thinking of Eddie, whom I missed.
"Tell Duke Graham I won't see him. No, I think it's better to say I went out."
I couldn't face Henderson, the man who had driven his son to his death.
Even if it meant I'd never see him again.
"Yes, Princess.”
Matilda left the room without asking for any reason. She knew what not to ask.
As soon as I was alone, a dry sigh escaped me.
I had heard the name Henderson, the name that would never be mine again.
He may have grown to love another woman and moved on, but that didn't diminish the beautiful memories I had with him.
The memories of my once fiery love lingered in my mind, not forgotten, but beautified.
My head knew I shouldn't see him, but my heart hoped for a reunion.
It was not that I loved Henderson, of course.
My feelings for him had been growing cold since I wrote each letter.
Perhaps there were some facts that I was never quite sure of, and that left me with some regrets.
I did not know whether Henderson had had any part in Helena and my father's murder of Eddie.
The only thing I was sure of was that Helena and Henderson were in love.
When I returned to the past, the thought of saving Eddie's life was the only thing on my mind.
'But no matter how much I think about it, I don't think Henderson would have killed Eddie.’
It was most likely Helena and my father's doing.
The Shaman didn't mention Henderson either.
"Shaman......."
I pushed myself up to stop thinking about Henderson.
Pulled from a nearby drawer was a reply from the Backstreet Guild from a few days ago.
The document contained the results of an investigation that had taken quite a while.
-I am sorry to say, but I have not been able to locate any Shamans residing in the Lopez Empire; however, Shamans are known to live in greater numbers in the Remzi Empire.
Below that was a list of stories involving shamans, and the last line read.
-...............Some nobles in the Lopez Empire even travel to the shamans of the Remzi Empire to ask for help.
It seemed that even the Backstreet Guild, which had helped me so much, couldn’t help the Shaman.
However, it was not without income.
'Some nobles from the Lopez Empire travel directly to the Remzi Empire to meet with shamans.’
As I stared at this section and thought about it, I remembered Helena cursing my child.
When Helena was working as Eddie's tutor, I had heard that she traveled to the Remzi Empire during her vacations.
I wonder if Helena arranged for a shaman to kill Eddie there and then.
As fate would have it, I was also traveling to the Remzi Empire.
‘I wonder if I can find both of them there, the one who cursed my child and the one who helped me.’
I don't know why, but I wanted to meet the shaman again.
The shaman who spoke so intimidatingly and helped me without any strings attached.
If I ever saw him again, I would thank him.
And what if I also found the shaman who cursed my child?
Could I keep him alive, like Helena? If I killed him, I would earn the hatred of others, and Eddie would die again.
Thinking so much made my head hurt a little and I leaned back on the couch.
I lowered my heavy eyelids and a deep silence enveloped me.
———
It was not until late at night that I heard that Henderson, who had waited so long for me, had returned to the ducal residence.
***
Henderson came to the palace for a few days, and of course I didn't meet with him.
I even avoided him completely, lest I run into him by chance.
Henderson waited for me until late at night each time, even though the only answer he received was that I was absent.
His stubbornness was rumored not only in the palace, but eventually in society.
'The Duke of Graham has fallen in love with Princess Riley, who is to marry Prince Gran of the Remzi Empire.'
Fortunately, no one knew that he and I had spent the night together.
What did Henderson want to check with me?
Did he finally realize that I was the woman he had been with the night we made Eddie?
Why did I disappear that night?
I could not punish Henderson, who visited and waited for me every day.
I still felt betrayed by him, but I couldn't be harsh on Henderson because he hadn't cheated on me.
So, I decided to just ignore him.
Of course, I didn’t want Henderson to be happy.
I wanted Henderson to be hurt as much as he had hurt me.
Maybe waiting for me for days on end was hurting him.
Matilda interrupted my long musings.
"......Duke Graham left earlier today. Perhaps he hasn't stayed long because the Princess's wedding is tomorrow. "
I nodded toward Matilda, who had come into my room and filled me in on Henderson's whereabouts.
"Yes. "
"Prince Gran is expected to arrive in the Lopez Empire at dawn tomorrow. "
Tomorrow was finally Gran and my wedding. I suddenly wondered what Gran's face would be like when he realized that his bride had run away. I wonder if he would resent me?
But he would be better off with another woman than with me, with Henderson's child. I regretted that I hadn't been able to provide any useful information.
I looked out the window and saw the sky near the horizon turning red, as if the sun was about to set.
'It will be the last time I watch the sunset from here.’
It was time to put into action what I had been planning.
****
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Write a comment
Lula (Thursday, 16 May 2024 03:21)
I don't understand why she should marry prince gran. Why wouldn't she just run away?