126: Fulfulling an old promise

Fulfulling an old promise

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Hours passed, and Anastasia remained transfixed, staring at the wall before her in silence, lost in her own thoughts. When it was time for dinner, she anxiously made her way to the dining room. But upon entering, she found the head of the table to be empty, and with a sigh, she took her place at the table's edge. 

Soon, the Mother Queen stepped inside the room, her staff gently clicking against the floor as she walked. With a gentle smile, she stated, "The best part of the day is when you gather around with your family all together for a meal. What do you think?" 

"You are right, Grandmother," Aiden agreed with her.

The Mother Queen walked around the table and took a seat next to Anastasia. 

Once the food was served, everyone began to eat, engrossed in their own matters as they conversed with each other. Anastasia couldn't help but wonder where Dante was and whether he was still in the dungeon. As she had made her way to the dining room, she passed by the dungeon and felt a sense of relief at the absence of any tortured screams. 

"Is the food not to your liking, Anna?" inquired the Mother Queen, who was seated to her left. 

Anastasia snapped out of her reverie and shook her head, "No, it is delicious. More delicious than anything I had the chance to eat in the last eight years."

"Then may I ask why you haven't touched your food yet?" the Mother Queen asked in a hushed tone, as the others at the table engaged in their own conversations. 

Anastasia's eyes shifted from the older woman to the head of the table, and the Mother Queen's eyes followed her gaze before returning to her. With a calm demeanour, the Mother Queen said, 

"Dante is taking some time to cool his mind, and he will rejoin us for breakfast tomorrow. By then, he will have found it in his heart to forgive you."

Anastasia's grip on the spoon grew firmer, and she asserted, "I haven't done anything that requires forgiveness." Her words were slightly raised, causing everyone around the table to pause what they were doing and shift their attention towards her. 

A grim expression clouded the Mother Queen's face as she responded, "Anastasia, are you implying that you did not embrace a man? Dante caught you both, and it is only because he cares about you that the gardener is still breathing."

"There was a misinterpretation of what occurred," Anastasia attempted to clear the air of misunderstandings surrounding her. She continued, "I know most people believe me to be in the wrong, expecting me to seek forgiveness… for something beyond my control. Gabriel shouldn't have done that, but we were summoned by the guards—"

"I am already bored of this," Niyasa sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. She said, "You should have known, given that you are his concubine now, that it couldn't have been the king. Not knowing that he was absent from the palace, nor when he'll summon you suggests you are only making up stories to escape accountability for the mistake you committed. No matter how you found yourselves there, the fact remains that you hugged each other." 

"Can you not stay quiet for once, Niyasa?" Emily asked her sister, who appeared to hold no compassion or regard for another's feelings. 

"Yes, we hugged," Anastasia accepted, and Niyasa raised her hands to indicate to everyone that this was precisely her point. "However, must every hug have to imply romance or intimacy? Can't a friend hug you? Can't a brother and sister share a hug? Would you interpret that as romantic as well?" she challenged Niyasa, her hands shaking as she held the spoon tighter than before. 

"You do not share blood ties with him, Anastasia." The Mother Queen's tone carried a degree of leniency towards the young woman, but her tolerance didn't extend to witnessing her grandson's woman being embraced by another man who had only arrived at the palace a mere month ago. "You said someone set you up. What if he is the one who is behind it?"

However, Anastasia couldn't find a reason for Gabriel to deceive her, especially considering that he could have conveyed his message through Theresa, which would have been the safest choice. 

"He might be the closest blood relation I share among anyone here," Anastasia responded, causing the Mother Queen to raise her eyebrows. "I would like to be excused and return to my room." 

"Anna..." Aiden felt terrible for her. 

"Let her go. She needs to understand that she broke an important rule and cannot act frivolously," Lady Sophia stated. "We all follow the rules of the palace, and she must do the same."

At his mother's words, Aiden's gaze shifted towards his grandmother, who, sensing his gaze, turned to look at him with a quizzical expression. 

Offering a polite bow, Anastasia pivoted to leave the room. She had barely set her foot beyond the dining room's threshold when her stomach sank upon seeing Dante standing a mere two steps away. 

Anastasia felt her heartbeat increase its rhythm as their eyes locked, and she noticed his eyes were much calmer than the last time she had seen him. How long had he been standing there, listening to them speak? She wondered if he would walk past her and join his family for dinner, but contrary to her expectations, he addressed her instead, saying, 

"Come to the king's study."

Dante turned around and began to walk away, and Anastasia followed him, albeit with a four-second delay. Her legs shook slightly as she grappled with being unable to read his expression or mood. On their way, Anastasia noticed the growing gap between them, and she placed her hand on her chest to steady her racing heart. 

Upon reaching his study, Dante was the first to step inside, followed by Anastasia, and the door softly clicked shut behind her. Not a second later, he turned to meet her eyes. 

Anastasia stared back at him without shying away from his intense gaze. She was relieved that he wanted to talk to her, rather than avoid eye contact like earlier this noon. Her heart didn't stop beating loudly at the uncertainty of what he would say next. But before he could utter a word, she interjected, saying, 

"You replaced Theresa with another maid."

"Did it worry you?" Dante questioned her, his face calmer than she had anticipated, and somewhere within her, it worried her. "The possibility that I killed her?" 

Anastasia's lips pursed, not knowing if she was allowed to bring up Gabriel's name, and she cautiously said, "After what happened this afternoon, I was worried. Why did you replace my maid? I never asked you to."

"Sometimes, we never ask for things to occur, but they happen anyway," Dante's words were cold while his eyes remained locked onto her. "I have been privy to the fact that Theresa and Gabriel have been talking, away from prying eyes. I believe I don't need to inquire about the nature of their secretive discussions."

"Will you let me explain?" Anastasia inquired, her eyebrows knitting together. 

"You were summoned by a guard, which led to both of you ending up there. I have grasped that part. Currently, an investigation is underway to find out who orchestrated it." Dante's eyes subtly narrowed, "But you know what bothered me the most, don't you, Anastasia? I explicitly instructed you not to allow any man to touch you."

"I didn't initiate the hug, nor did I welcome it… I did give him a pat on the back, but it was to signal him to pull away," Anastasia explained. When Dante emitted a thoughtful hum, her heart sank, and she whispered, "You doubt me…"

"I don't. I was just thinking." Dante took a deep breath before continuing, "Something similar happened when I was an earthling, and I dismissed it as a friendly gesture. That decision ended in blood."

Was that why he was blinded by rage? Because the resurgence of that bitter, unpleasant memory overtook his senses? Anastasia began, 

"I am not—"

"I know," Dante responded, his gaze fixed on the woman he had purposely avoided since noon so that he could gather his thoughts and put some things into perspective. "I know you aren't in love with him. I apologise for my actions towards you, as it seems like I have been thoughtless and acted without proper consideration."

Anastasia's eyes subtly widened at his apology. She could still feel the chilly manner in which he had pushed her away this noon, but hearing him apologise and acknowledge his misunderstanding made her internally happy. 

"Is there a reason why the gardener is familiar with you, while seemingly oblivious to your status as the king's companion?" Dante questioned her.

"Gabriel… He is also from Hawkshead," Anastasia disclosed the truth, as she didn't want Gabriel suffering more than he already had, or Dante to snap his fingers at him. She continued, "He arrived here in search of his sister. Her name was Stella… but she's no longer alive. King Maxwell was familiar with her; her portraits are in the art room. That is all. Will you let Gabriel out of—"

"No," Dante's reply was swift, and his jaw clenched before he relaxed it. He said, "My forgiveness is reserved only for you, not for him."

Anastasia pressed her lips together, seeing the flicker of a glare that passed through his eyes. And though he apologised, she could still sense things hadn't fully returned to the way they were before. 

"Was I not supposed to ask the question...?" she frowned. 

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't ask," Dante remarked. He raised his hand to run it through his thick locks of black hair. It had taken him hours before he finally came to his decision. He continued, 

"It appears that I have a tendency to behave recklessly and may continue to do so in the future when it comes to women. Towards you. And this could lead to me hurting you. The scars of my past weigh heavily on the present, and before my demon self takes over, there are some things that need to be settled. I have been thinking about it, and despite it being a difficult decision, I have decided to grant you what you have wished for."

"Wish?" Anastasia whispered, uncertain about his meaning but feeling a twinge of hope in her chest at his words nonetheless. 

"The register documenting your status as my concubine arrived early this evening, but you don't have to sign it." The demon's heart hardened before he continued, "I once gave you my word that when Aiden ascended to the throne, I would see to it. As I have the power now, I am granting your wish to you. You're free to return to your home. To Hawkshead."

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