Kitanna
Chapter 205: FAMILY = TRUST

Chapter 205: FAMILY = TRUST

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: SCARS LEAVE BEAUTIFUL TRACE ~ CAR, THE GARDEN]

By the time Nix and Kitanna got back to the palace after sending the little girl safely back home, it was already late at night, but everyone stayed awake, waiting for the King and Queen, while also praying for their safety.

"They are back!" Chantal exclaimed, calling everybody’s attention to the palace entrance.

"Welcome home," Hieron hugged his grandson before shifting to hold Kitanna’s hand.

"Thank you," Kitanna muttered with a warm smile on her lips.

Everyone was eager to hear what happened at the well and if Man-uel was really the one committing all those heinous crimes. Everyone, including Mubera, who was awake, followed them inside the palace to hear the details of what transpired with them and the killer.

Now seated at the head of the table, Nix started, "We found the killer, and it was indeed Man-uel. It seems that somehow he didn’t really die the day of the execution, but his wound was a fatal one which he didn’t treat properly, so he was already as good as dead before now. He was just trying to take more souls with him." The king narrated, his eyes on Kitanna during the whole discussion.

Hieron sighed, "So was he really trying to bring Almaria back to life?" The old man asked.

Nix nodded, "He was; he got his hands on the book, and I don’t know how possible it was for him to move freely inside the shrine without being caught; the smell from his body is a noticeable one." He turned to look at Mubera.

Mubera panicked, being that she had once been working for Almaria. It wouldn’t be a surprise if she was suspected as an accomplice. She started explaining, "I allow commoners to pray there once in a full moon. To bring heaven closer to everyone, and during that time, everyone is accepted without discrimination. That is, beggars are allowed inside because excess food brought by the people is shared."

"So the goodness of the kingdom was used for evil; little wonder so many persons refuse to even do good because of the world we live in." Lady Hash hummed thoughtfully.

Lord Hieron cleared his throat, moving closer to sit beside Lady Hash. "Don’t worry yourself; your goodness to me will always be paid back with more good."

Lady Hash scowled, rolling her eyes internally at the elder white Lord beside her. Though she was amused, she still kept a straight face.

"The book? What about the book? Did you get it from him?" Mubera asked, worriedly because if the book is out there, it still meant that someone else might try to get their hands on it.

Kitanna shook her head, "Man-uel was not with it when we arrived; we would go and check tomorrow morning." She replied.

"And Man-uel?" Larel, who had been sitting silently all along, asked in a small voice.

"Under the bridge; he’s dead." Kitanna said to the woman.

Lady Hash sucked her teeth, "Ended so quickly; thought he was going to go coco for some tim-" she stopped talking when she felt the numerous eyes on her.

"Haha, I’m joking. Death was certainly awaiting him. Like the King said, he was as good as dead." She completed, keeping her mouth shut for the rest of the conversation before her dark humor gets people to misunderstand her.

Everyone in the room sighed, sitting quietly in the room. It had been a hectic day and week.

"And Deonisia?" Nix asked his grandfather.

"Resting in her new abode with her little underling." Hieron replied, "You can rest well today; I had enough guards stationed there, and you don’t need to worry." He assured them.

"We should let the King and Queen rest tonight." Clephas chimed from the side he was standing. Worried about his little princess especially now that she was pregnant.

Others agreed to this, and soon everyone dispersed to their various rooms. Before Lady Hash retired to her room, she fished out the letter she forgot to give to Kitanna earlier during the day.

"Bright flower sends her warmest regards." Lady Hash said before giving the letter to Kitanna. With the assistance of a maid, she was escorted to her room.

Kitanna held the letter closely; when she turned, she noticed that Nix had already gone back to their chamber. He had been avoiding her since they were at the bridge, but his eyes had been on her. Kitanna padded her feet softly to their room.

Nix stood close to the balcony, with a cup filled with alcohol in his hand. His eyes looked distant as he gazed upon the calm village that now looked small in size because of the elevated height of the palace. Deep down the image brought him peace, but it didn’t remove the fear that he would cause the demise of the very woman he loved.

Nix took another sip from his alcohol, his thoughts running deep, making him oblivious of his surroundings. That he didn’t notice when Kitanna entered the room until she hugged him from behind.

"I wish I’m the reason you’re so deep in thought." Kitanna whispered.

Nix turned to face Kitanna, dropping the cup on the wooden table placed at the balcony he held Kitanna’s waist.

"You look very beautiful tonight, my Queen," Nix said in a low voice, moving closer he dropped a kiss on Kitanna’s forehead with his eyes closed.

Kitanna closed her eyes as she basked in the wonderful feeling of being held by the man she loved so much. She listened to his steady heartbeat that sounded like a sweet ballad that comforts her soul.

"What worries you?" Kitanna asked still holding Nix in a hug. She heard the difference in his heartbeat rhythm.

Nix closed his eyes for a second; he couldn’t keep the secret from Kitanna for too long. But telling her meant he was accepting their fate to be an ill one, and he didn’t want that.

"How would you feel if you know I’ve been hiding something very crucial from you?" Nix finally asked, holding Kitanna back to stare into her doe brown eyes.

Kitanna hummed, "If is because you want to protect me, then I won’t be so angry about it, but if I ask you and you deny it, then it’ll make me sad." She replied, locking her eyes with the blue oceanic lens of Nix.

Nix brushed Kitanna’s hair with a large palm, "I wouldn’t deny if you ever ask." He smiled, knowing well enough that Kitanna was smart enough to choose her questions right.

Kitanna gave it a thought for some time then she asked, "That night at the well you wanted to say something to me."

Nix was somewhere between surprised and relieved with the question Kitanna picked to ask him. Surprised because he had expected her to ask what Man-uel meant at the bridge, relieved because Kitanna would never believe any words from others if not the ones he told her. And this made him happy.

"I married the smartest woman on earth." Nix brushed his forehead on that of Kitanna’s. He took a little time before he started, "It’s not that I didn’t want a child with you; in fact, I always wished for a very big family. It’s the curse that runs in our blood that scares me." He said looking at Kitanna’s expression.

"Immune to poison? I don’t think it’s a curse. It’ll make me feel happy that my children wouldn’t fear being poisoned while they’re outside playing. Nix, it’s not a curse," Kitanna assured her husband with a smile.

Nix exhaled softly; he was glad Kitanna gave him all her trust. "The curse is something else."

"Something else?" Kitanna tilted her head to a side, and for some reason, she was now feeling uneasy.

Nix nodded, "The women who carry the seed of Zeno do not survive; the blood eats them up from inside." He broke the news to Kitanna. The night became unusually cold as the night wind blew their hair in the dark.

Kitanna couldn’t control her heartbeat; the news was something she had never expected. Does that mean she would have to die for her child to live? She brought down her hands to touch her stomach; this was the reason Nix had been avoiding for them to have a child? So her happiness would be her curse. Kitanna felt the side of her eyes prickle, tears attempting to escape from her eyes.

"T-that is surprising.." she finally said in a low shaky voice.

Nix held her tightly, hugging her like his life depended on it. "We can choose not to have children for the rest of our lives. I will still love you the same way; I don’t want to be separated from you." He said calmly.

Kitanna hugged Nix back, "Let’s sleep today; let’s not let such myths weigh us. I am Kitanna; I am unkillable, remember?" She said in a small voice filled with confidence.

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