Kitanna
Chapter 31: DINNER AND A SHOW

Chapter 31: DINNER AND A SHOW

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: TALLY/ SHUT DOWN ~ BLACKPINK]

Kitanna sat in her old room with Clephas. She looked around her room, and everything was still just the way she left it, as if someone had been cleaning it regularly to remove dust. And Kitanna knew exactly who had been doing it, the man sitting in front of her, Clephas.

"Clephas, how have you been?" She asked with a smile that had no teasing in it.

Clephas could not stop looking at the princess. When the rumor started flying inside the palace that the princess had become a vengeful spirit, he did not pay heed to it. But during the ritual, he was in the store mourning the princess like every other day, until Axilla came to give him the news.

At first, he thought it was a prank, but he decided to check it out. When he saw the princess in front of the courtroom and up until now, he felt like his mind was playing games with him.

When the princess asked him a question, he opened his lips to talk but was unable to say anything.

Kitanna sighed and then moved closer to where Clephas was sitting. "Clephas, it is me. Your Kitanna. I thought you would be the happiest to see me alive. Maybe I guessed wrong, I should go back to the spirit world," she teased, pouting her lips.

"Tch! That foul mouth of yours! Refrain from speaking such words. Do you think the land of the dead is somewhere to be taken lightly... You..." Clephas stopped talking when he noticed an evil grin spread on the girl’s lips. She was just teasing him.

"I know all that. I am glad I’m alive. I wanted to reach out to you as soon as possible, but I had to recover first," Kitanna said to him, her voice calmer than usual.

"I really missed you. I never believed for one day that you had gone to the world beyond," the eunuch said in a sad voice.

"You don’t need to tell me. I know you missed me. My room looks like I never left it."

"What happened to your hand?" Kitanna’s eyes trailed to the scar on his hand, and then moved to look at the man properly. He aged twenty times faster, his eyes looked dull and weak, even his posture was tired. The gray hair on his head increased making him look twice his age. It was no doubt that the man had it the toughest in her absence.

Clephas laughed nervously when the princess asked about the scar, he moved his hand behind him, trying to hide it with his garment. "It was just a work accident. I am better now," he finally answered.

"Did she do this to you? I heard you were assigned to work in the kitchen after I left," Kitanna inquired, her blood raging with anger. She knew very well that the queen dowager will be up to no good in her absence. And she will try to treat the people close to her with contempt.

"Did she?" The princess repeated her question.

"No, she did not. I was lost in thought for a moment... Hold on... I heard you lost your memory," Clephas widened his eyes in realization of the situation. The princess had just fooled the entire kingdom.

"I’m holding on, Clephas," The evil grin that cause people to be squirmish around her spread on Kitanna’s pale face. The wildness in her eyes showed clearly under the bright light.

"Clephas dear, we have to get ready for dinner, don’t we? Let us make it a moment the queen dowager will never forget," she suggested as she moved to her closet to pick her best outfit.

Clephas was left standing speechless, he turned to check around if someone heard them. Old habits really die hard. Unconsciously he smiled, that was his princess, Kitanna always made his heart race with her uncivil actions and words.

After cleaning herself up, Kitanna walked to the dining room, where Khelan and Larel were already seated.

Larel smiled when she caught sight of the princess, she was among the few people who was truly happy for the return of the princess. She stood up and gently bowed at the princess.

"Larel, please do not do that. You forget you are the queen...hm?" Kitanna smiled before sitting comfortably on the head table which was meant for the queen dowager.

Khelan was taken aback by Kitanna’s actions but did not want to make his sister, who just returned uncomfortable. He let it be.

"My princess, honor they say is given to whom honor is due. You deserve my respect. Your reputation precedes you," Larel smiled, looking at Kitanna.

Kitanna threw her head back, her whole body shaking with laughter. "I hope my reputation is a good one, which precedes me," she said, picking up a grape and popping it into her small lips.

While Larel and Kitanna were having their conversation, Almaria walked into the dining room, with Nix following her. The first sight she saw nearly drove her to the edge but she kept her cool and walked to the table.

"Princess Kitanna, why are you sitting in the position that belongs to the queen dowager? I know you lost your memory, but you should accord respect. Or do you need to be trained again?" Almaria asked in a stern voice, her eyes looking at Khelan, before falling on Larel, who was entertaining the princess.

Kitanna looked directly at where her mother was standing, but she was only looking at Nix. A small smile flashed on her lips before she spoke, "Umm....no, I think there is a misunderstanding somewhere. I remember where everyone sits, just that I felt things changed in my absence when I saw my beloved mother sit on the queen’s throne during the court meeting. I felt anyone can sit where they wanted. Or was my guess wrong?" She asked innocently, blinking her eyes like an abandoned puppy.

Nix for the first time nearly let a laugh slip from his lips, he cleared his throat and continued to look at the princess without any expression.

Almaria gritted her teeth, "I guess that was a mistake on my side. Things have not changed, I was stressed so I had to sit the moment we arrived the courtroom. I will let this slide because I did not act better, next time do not assume. Ask questions" The queen dowager clenched her fist as she walked with the highest embarrassment to sit on a regular chair.

The dinner continued quietly, until Almaria decided to get back at Kitanna for the shame she had caused her earlier.

She remembered how much Kitanna despised the presence of Nix, she decided to use it against her. Instead of the announcement she wanted to make the next day, she moved to make it earlier.

"Princess, due to your safety I want to assign my personal guard to you... He is my most trusted guard." Almaria spoke looking at the princess with a smile on her face.

Kitanna could not help but cough, she felt like something got stuck in her throat, but that was not the case. She almost started laughing so she used the cough to hold back the laughter. She continued to cough until her face turned red.

Larel rushed to hand water to the Princess.

Almaria let out a subtle smile at the girl’s plight. It was really true she disliked Nix. She dabbed her lips with the table cloth.

When Kitanna drank water and finally calmed down, she looked at her mother with so much innocence, "Mother, if you give me your most trusted guard who will protect you then?"

Nix who was sitting at the table, raised his blue eyes to look at the princess and at the same time her brown eyes locked with his.

Almaria who did not notice this exchange assumed that Kitanna wanted to avoid Nix. She looked at Khelan for support.

"Kitanna, Mother is right. You can use her guards. The wahels will be bringing new recruits, so I can pick someone better for Mother," Khelan said with a note of finality.

Kitanna looked directly at where her mother was sitting, but her eyes were locked on Nix. A small smile flashed on her lips, and Nix’s eyes met hers.

Surprisingly, Kitanna didn’t object anymore. She continued to eat her food like a good princess.