163: Gabriel's return

Gabriel's return

Anastasia noticed the surprise in Gabriel's expression before he greeted her with a smile, but no such gesture was extended to Dante. It did make things awkward, especially considering that Dante had decided to send Gabriel back home on the same ship as her, a decision he probably would not have made if it wasn't for her. She overheard one of the village men remark,  1

"It is only Gabriel, not the pirates! We can get back to the village."

Most of the men took turns conversing with Gabriel, and after a while, they walked ahead, leaving him with his father. Mr. Flores then addressed him, saying, 

"I am sorry to hear about Stella, Gabriel. Anna told me." 

"Yeah, she was the one to inform me as well," Gabriel responded to Mr. Flores and then asked, "When did they arrive?" 

"Five days ago." Dante was the one to reply, and Gabriel quietly glared at him without uttering a word. 

Mr. Flores, perceiving the tension, inquired, "Is there bad blood between you and Dante? You both appear to be giving each other quite the glare."

"Hoho, that's how young men are." Carlos laughed before adding, "It must have something to do with Anna. Are you two fighting for her attention and love? But it looks like you've arrived a bit too late, son." He placed a comforting hand on his son's back. 

Anastasia and Dante, who were walking behind them, caught Gabriel's father's question very clearly. Her face turned slightly red, and she questioned, "Why would you jump to that conclusion? There's nothing like that between us."

"Anna is right. We don't have that kind of relationship," Gabriel replied to his father, dispelling any misconceptions. He said, "She has always been like a little sister to me, and anyone who thinks otherwise is narrow-minded," throwing a subtle jab at the demon behind him. 

"Pardon me, Gabe." Carlos smiled, not taking his son's words to heart. He remarked, "Anna has grown into a beautiful swan, and I doubt there's anyone who can rival her beauty. Remember, Hugh, the time when she once sat under a tree, crying?" 

Mr. Flores turned his gaze towards his now grown-up daughter, whose eyes met his, and he observed the green hue in them, something others were yet to notice. He smiled before looking ahead of him. There was a time when he used to worry about his daughters' complexions. Marianne was fair, which made him concerned about the possibility of her being taken away from him. In contrast, when it came to Anastasia, he had worried no man would choose her as his wife due to her brown skin. 

"What was this about the pirates Benson spoke about?" Gabriel asked, his concern evident. "Did they abduct anyone yesterday? If so—"

"Everything is fine now," Mr. Flores reassured him. "They were promptly taken care of."

"That's right! Dante fought and defeated every pirate who was there, along with our assistance. Although I still don't know what happened to that pirate leader. He just blew up… It was really strange." The village elder's words trailed off into a whisper as he recalled the events of the previous day. 

"He grabbed my neck so fast, I feared I was done for, and I would be reunited with your mother and sister," he exclaimed, shaking his head. 

Gabriel's eyes widened because, even though his father didn't know what had happened, he did. He had heard from the servants how Dante had effortlessly killed men with a mere snap of his fingers, and he was not at all human to possess such abilities. 

"A few of the pirates have decided to join the village and assist in guarding the borders. You see them there." Mr. Flores pointed at the men. "They have decided to turn a new leaf and are working to atone for their past misdeeds rather than continuing to lead such treacherous lives."

"I am surprised at how quickly they've had a change of heart," Carlos remarked, turning to Anastasia to say, "They seem to listen to your words, Anna. I wonder if there's a particular reason for it; perhaps you remind them of someone. Or is it that they had no female touch until now?"

Dante's eyes narrowed at the man's words, and he corrected the village elder, saying, "A woman's presence is important for guidance." 

"Right, right." Carlos nodded in agreement. 

As the others continued walking, Dante fell behind to speak to his men, who discreetly greeted him. One of the men inquired, 

"King Dante, did you use another ship to arrive here?"

"I used another mode of transportation," Dante replied, and he said, "Make sure not to mention a word about my identity. Only a select few are aware of it."

"Of course, Your Highness," the men acknowledged. One of them asked, "Will you be joining us on the ship when we depart?" 

"Probably not, but the voyage back will need to wait, as there are a few passengers from the village who will be boarding the ship later this week," Dante responded, turning to look in the direction Anastasia and the others were walking. "You can rest here until then."

When Anastasia's father moved to his right to converse with the village elder, it created an opening on the side, allowing Gabriel to fall back for two seconds to walk alongside her. He remarked, 

"I am still wrapping my head around how you arrived before me when I left you at the dock in Versailles."

"It was an unforeseen and unannounced journey organised by someone from the underworld," Anastasia answered him, her voice lowering into a whisper. "The Devil."

Upon hearing this, Gabriel sighed, finding it challenging to formulate a response. Nevertheless, he eventually said, "I am relieved to see that you are doing well, and your mood seems much better compared to the time you spent on the ship."

Anastasia sheepishly smiled in response to his words. When they entered the village, she noticed how most houses were built similarly. She expressed, "Thank you, Gabriel. I was in such a hurry back then that I didn't get the chance to properly thank you for what you did for me."

"I had my reservations about whether you would sink, but you managed to stay alive." Gabriel smiled at her and inquired, "Is he treating you well?" He turned to glance behind him, catching Dante looking their way. 

"Very much," Anastasia replied, feeling her chest filling with emotion. "Dante and I found out that we are each other's soulmates." She pulled her collar to the side, and Gabriel's eyebrows rose on seeing the vines adorning the side of her neck. She fixed her collar and heard him say, 

"Fated through lifetimes," after which he fell silent. 

As the hours passed and noon arrived, Gabriel settled down in his home, and he now sat in his room. Perched on a chair, he gazed at the portrait of his sister that had been gifted to him. His eyes watered and he covered it with his hand. The door of the room swung open, and his father walked in. 

Gabriel's father placed his hand on his son's shoulder, and Gabriel rested his hand on top of it. "You did the best you could, Gabriel and your sister would be very proud to have a reliable brother such as yourself."

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