FIVE YEARS AFTER MOMBANA’S WAR.
Anarieveta entered her bed chambers, and her eyes darted to the fire pit, which produced heated light into the bedroom, and felt satisfied that the fire hadn’t burned out in her absence.
A small figure occupied her king-size bed, moving her body to glance at the door when she entered. Anarieveta smiled at the little girl walking towards the bed, and she lowered herself on it.
“I’ve seen Aiden off. Your father will be here very soon to take you home, okay?” she reassured the little girl.
The sad lines on Merrily Raskin’s small oval face disappeared immediately after her teacher appeared at her doorway. She wasn’t feeling so good, but her good teacher told her that everything would be alright. So everything would be alright.
“Alright, Miss Ana,” she whispered, her brown eyes staring trustingly at Anarieveta.
Anarieveta couldn’t stop herself from patting the four-year-old’s spiral-shaped curly blond mass. “It might take a little while before Aiden arrives at your place with Teacher Kany. So your papa might not be here for a while.”
“I don’t mind, Miss Ana. I like staying here with you,” she whispered, flashing cute dimples at the older woman.
“I like having you here too,” Anarieveta spoke the truth softly to the little girl who didn’t only brighten up her chambers but also her lonely life.
Since the first day Merrily Raskin and her seven-year-old big brother, Aiden Raskin, was brought to her school two years ago, the little girl stole her heart when she ran up to her at the hall and offered her candy with a radiant smile on her beautiful cherubic face. She’d taken the candy and thanked Merrily. But that day, she acquired two sidekicks who practically followed her around anywhere. That was Merrily and Aiden. They brightened her world. She enjoyed their company so much, it didn’t take much for them to steal her heart completely.
It was a shock two years ago when she realized who their father was. Gedoni Raskin.
She’d been shocked to see the powerful nobleman again for the first time in fourteen years. At forty-two years old, he hadn’t changed much. Still the same tall, lithe, and masculine man. Still as handsome as the very devil. The only difference were his features looked more mature, with a few strands of gray hair in his once jet-black hair, and she doubted if he’d still have that boyish smile he had when he was twenty-three years old.
How come he is the father of these children? She’d asked herself that in shock. Gedony’s wife, Yeaha Raskin, died, and he had no child from that marriage. She knew this much because she was Yeaha’s killer.
King Cone ordered. She killed.
Pushing the age-old pain and guilt away, she focused on Merrily Raskin. The girl was playing with her fingers. Sick brown eyes met hers. “You have very beautiful fingers, Miss Ana.”
“Thank you, Merrily. I think you have beautiful fingers, too,” she returned with a smile.
“You think so? My papa says me’s beautiful and Aiden’s handsome.” Her cheeks dimpled again.
“I’m beautiful, not me’s beautiful, sweetling,” she correctly softly. “And yes, your father is right. You’re very beautiful, and Aiden is very handsome.”
“Thank you, Miss Ana. You’re beautiful too. And my papa says so too.”
Against her better judgment, her eyes perked up. “He does?”
Merrily nodded her head repeatedly. “Papa asks me about you all the time, Miss Ana. Papa asks Aiden too.” She lowered her voice as if she was about to reveal a big secret. “I think my Papa likes you, Miss Ana.”
Anarieveta’s heart fluttered. As always, it freaked her out.
The heart she thought would never move or beat for any other man that’s not King Lucien had turned weird since Gedony Raskin came back to her life. It troubles her greatly, making her question herself.
Was it because her heart once beat for him? But it had been so long. That was almost twenty-five years ago.
It didn’t matter that she fell for him when she was barely seven and loved him until she was fifteen. It also didn’t matter that he was the man that took her virginity.
It had been twenty-four years, and in that duration, she’d fallen heads over heels for another man.
Now, at thirty-nine years old, and after all she had been through in life, she has resigned to her life as it is.
So, where were these feelings for Gedony Raskin coming from? It had been two years since she first saw him in her school, and yet, she still didn’t have the answer to this question.
Very baffling. Very troubling.
“Why are you frowning so hard, Miss Ana? You thinking ‘bout something?” Merrily’s little voice interrupted her.
“Nothing at all, Merrily.”
“You like my Papa too, Miss Ana?” she asked hopefully.
“Uhm...of course, dearling. You are my student, and he is your father. I like him just fine.”
“‘Kay. Will let Papa know you said that.”
“No, Merrily, you can’t—”
“I want to pee, Miss Ana,” she interrupted in that cute tiny voice of hers.
“Oh, okay. Come on. I’ll take you.” Anarieveta rose. Automatically, the little girl spread her arms wide open, and she lifted her into her arms.
When she took the girl to the bathroom and positioned her, she waited patiently for Merrily to ease herself, even as her head was whirling on the thoughts of Gedoni Raskin.
No. No, there is no way she’d do this to herself again, Anarieveta thought with resolve.
Finally, she had control of her life.
Her life was good and beautiful the way it was. Even if it was a little lonely, it was nothing compared to how disastrous it was before.
There was no way she would let Gedony Raskin disrupt her life.
In the early evening, Gedoni Raskin stood inside her living room with his daughter plastered to his body, his broad shoulder cushioning her head, her small arms wrapped around him.
“Why are you sick, Pumpkin? Don’t be sick; you know Papa doesn’t like that,” he said tenderly.
“I know, Papa. You get sad when we get sick,” Merrily mumbled against his shoulder, her eyes closed.
“Yeah. Papa loves you two so much. He gets sad when you’re not happy.”
“I am happy, Papa. Miss Ana gave me food and bitter herbs and sang to me. I don’t feel so bad anymore.”
“Oh, guess we have Miss Ana to thank for that.” His eyes found hers across the living room and held.
“Yes, Papa. Miss Ana likes me, and I like Miss Ana. Miss Ana likes Aiden too and you too.”
His brows arched. “And me, huh?”
Anarieveta’s hands tightened on her tunic. She averted her eyes.
“Yes. Miss Ana said so.”
Just then, Mrs. Oraine, the Raskin’s housekeeper, walked through the house. She strode towards Gedony and took Merrily from him. “Time to go home and rest your little head, angel.”
“‘Kay, Mrs. Oraine.” She clung to the woman.
“Call the medicine man. Have him take a look at her, will you?” Gedony directed towards the older woman.
“Will do, my Lord.” With Merrily secured in her arms, the older woman walked out of the house, leaving Anarieveta alone with Gedony Raskin.
Silence descended. Having avoided any private moments alone with the man for the past two years, Anarieveta was uncomfortable.
“Finally, I get you alone,” his deep voice rumbled, his eyes watching her calculatingly. Leaning against the wall, his presence dominated the living room, suddenly making her spacious compartment look so small.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she lied.
“Really now?” Pushing away from the wall, he started towards her. “For the past two years, I’ve been trying to have a proper talk with you, but all I get is a few words from you in a public area before getting redirected to speak with that gray-haired old dunk.”
“Mr. Odin is my assistant, and he does a pretty good job at handling the parents, Mr. Raskin.”
“Once upon a time, you addressed me as your master.” He was close to her now. And he hasn’t stopped moving.
“I belonged to your family. But your father sold me to the royal family, so you’re no longer my master,” she responded politely, doing her best not to notice the way he was walking close to her.
“You’re not a slave anymore. Instead, you’re the owner of the most sought-after school in the kingdom of Avalon. You’re not only free but a successful woman. I’m so glad for you.”
“I am glad for myself too, Mr. Raskin.” Anarieveta couldn’t sit still anymore, so she rose from the chair but didn’t step away from him. Couldn’t give him the impression that she was running from him, even when she wanted to do just that.
He circled her. Slowly. Steadily. Like a predator. “I never liked it when you called me master. I don’t like it now that you call me Mr. Raskin.” His breath fanned her neck, and he whispered in her ear. “You called me, Gedony. Once.”
Her breath hitched.
“You remember...right?”
“That was a long time ago,” she whispered then. “A moment of madness.”
He paused. “You were right. I should never have given in. I wanted you too much; you were barely a woman. I carried the guilt for years.”
“No, don’t. I don’t regret it. Not then, not today.” She turned and faced him. For the first time, she allowed herself to really look at him. “Your father was going to give me to the royal family. You always protected me in your household but in the palace...I knew it was only a matter of time before the guards...” pausing, she cleared her throat. “...started taking advantage of me. I needed that good memory. Needed someone I c-cared for to be my first.”
“You didn’t only care for me then, you loved me,” he said gruffly.
“Yes.” There was no point denying it.
“When my household came back from vacation and heard about the attack on our kingdom by King Cone, I was a mess. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. What had happened to you. What was happening to you.”
“That is all in the past. Please, I don’t want to think of it,” she whispered truthfully.
He paused.
Gave it a thought.
Nodded.
“You’re right. So let’s talk about the present.” His arms wrapped around her back, successfully caging her in his arms so she wouldn’t escape. “Why have you been avoiding me?”
.
.
.