Kitanna
Chapter 225: HOME SWEET HOME

Chapter 225: HOME SWEET HOME

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: FALLING BLOSSOMS ~ MIN KYUNG HOON & KIM HEECHUL]

"They are back! Axilla is back!" Kayla shouted when she saw Axilla and Cortez step down from the carriage. She couldn’t hold back her excitement, running to where Axilla was and pulling her into a hug.

"Kayla, how are you doing?" Axilla asked, holding her friend tightly. She couldn’t deny missing Morado, especially the palace. Everywhere seemed to have changed, but that homely feeling remained.

Kayla, still smiling excitedly, finally let go of Axilla, then remembered her chief was also there. "Welcome back Chief Cortez," the girl bowed.

Cortez nodded, "I feel the love. Make sure you ask Axilla for your wages, as you work for her from now on." He remarked, walking inside the palace.

Kayla was shocked, "Axilla...did I just lose my work?" She asked.

Axilla smiled while looking at Cortez’s back. He was always like that, saying things seriously to make others worried, whereas he was only teasing them. "Don’t worry, Kayla. Let’s go inside, so you can tell me everything that’s been happening around here."

Kayla nodded as they all entered the main palace. It was then Larel stepped out of her room and met them at the door.

"Lady Larel!" Axilla shouted, running to hug the woman tightly, almost pushing her down when she noticed little Labre holding his mother’s dress tightly.

Axilla got on her knees and pulled him into a hug, "Labre!! You’re all grown now; you were just a little mugbean yesterday, and now look at you." She hugged the boy tightly again, almost crying.

"Is that Bright Flower?" Kitanna, now walking towards them, asked with a small smile on her face.

Axilla got on her feet when she heard Kitanna’s voice, she bowed her head in respect. When she raised her face, her eyes zeroed in on Kitanna’s baby bump. She held her hands close to her mouth. "You...ah!! I’ve missed a lot!" She ran to hug Kitanna, making sure not to hold her too tightly.

Axilla then put her ears close to Kitanna’s stomach, "Your aunt Axilla is back, and always remember me. Your mother calls me Bright Flower." She said, touching the baby bump happily.

"Welcome home, Axilla, and thank you, Cortez, for taking care of her until now," Kitanna said with her words directed to Cortez, who was watching the family reunion from the side.

"Thank you for trusting her in my care," Cortez bowed to the queen, then he said. "I will let you ladies have your reunion while I go rest my head." Saying this, he stepped out of the place, leaving them behind.

Axilla’s eyes followed Cortez; she wanted to know which room he was going to, so she could go and see him later. But everyone noticed how her eyes didn’t leave him for a moment.

"Axilla! Is Cortez the man you spoke of in the letter? And the one you asked me about?" Kitanna nudged the girl, noticing how she wouldn’t stop looking at him.

Axilla blushed, touching her warm cheeks. "No, I was just..." She trailed off.

"Don’t tell me Axilla has feelings for my brother," Larel chimed, causing others to laugh.

Kayla nodded, "Yes! They even kissed." She shouted for others to hear.

"Kayla!" Axilla closed her eyes shyly as she played with her fingers. "It’s not what you think." She tried to defend herself.

Kitanna held her chest as if she was surprised. "Our Bright Flower has now grown into a woman; pray tell me, if it’s not what we think, then why were you staring at him like that?"

"Like how?" Axilla asked, trying to keep her blush at bay, but it was impossible with the way the women kept teasing her.

After they finally had enough laugh, Axilla asked, "What about King Nix and Lord Hieron?"

"Oh, Nix stepped out, but he will be back soon, and Lord Hieron has been spending most of his time with Lady Hash," Kitanna informed, shaking her head when she remembered the sweet love her grandfather in-law and the woman now enjoyed like they were still young.

Axilla nodded her head, "Lady Hash is still here? I didn’t know about that? And how come she got close to Lord Hieron? To me, they looked like oil and water."

Kitanna waved her hand, "A lot happened, but we can’t say it all here. Go and get changed and join for lunch later. Kayla should help you settle in, okay?"

Axilla nodded as she and Kayla giggled while going to their room.

Kitanna, about to go back to her room, noticed that Larel had been quiet since and a little out of space. She asked, "Everything okay, Larel?"

Larel, now snapping out of her daze, nodded, "Oh yes, I’m fine. It seems I didn’t get enough sleep."

"Go and rest then, before we get ready for lunch," Kitanna advised.

Larel nodded her head with a smile, but when Kitanna turned her face, the smile on Larel’s face fell like it was never there. Then she looked at a particular room before walking away from there.

Currently, Axilla was now in her room, telling Kayla everything that happened during the wedding.

"The crown princess did that? Wow! I’m glad I’m not a noblewoman; I don’t have to marry a man I don’t know," Kayla remarked, shaking her head at the thought.

And Axilla agreed with her, then she asked, "How have you been in the palace? Did you meet with the king’s personal guard?"

Kayla used her finger to poke Axilla, then she blushed, "I was lucky not to have met with the king’s personal guard first. But I met with someone else, a gentleman like an angel, he’s also a guard."

Axilla pressed her lips together; she didn’t know there was someone like that among the guards. Maybe it was because she was always beside Kitanna and Larel, so she didn’t have time to mingle with others. Either way, she was happy Kayla’s stay was a comfortable one.

"That’s great! I’m happy you’ve enjoyed your stay so far. I got you something you might like; check the bag over there," Axilla pointed, and quickly Kayla rushed to check it out.

When it was finally time for lunch, everyone arrived at the table except Nix, who was not yet back. Axilla went to where Lady Hash was sitting and bowed to her.

"How have you been Lady Hash?" Axilla asked cheerfully.

Lady Hash smiled, "Is that Axilla dear? I am doing very fine, how are things going with Cortez now? You were so confused about your feelings then; it’s good to know you are sure it’s him." The woman blurted, for others to laugh at her comment.

Axilla blushed, "Lady Hash...I’m here with Cortez," she whispered, trying to hide her face in the woman’s neck.

"Oh, Cortez...you do not want to receive my blessings?" Lady Hash called out.

Cortez grinned, "The ones you give to Axilla would be transferred to me later." He replied, eating the sauce from the lamb cuts.

Everyone at the table was shocked at the response from Cortez; then, they started laughing.

"Cortez son, I will come meet you later to teach me how to be smooth with words. My grandson seems to be so busy these days." Lord Hieron added to the discussion.

The table was filled with light laughter as everyone enjoyed their lunch happily.