57: Promise With Grandpa

Promise With Grandpa

Meanwhile, Drayce and Arlan were talking near the refreshments table, enjoying wine while Seren was dancing with her brother.0

Arlan gestured in the direction of Seren and Cian. "I don't see you getting jealous now."

"Let her have some good time with her brother," Drayce dryly replied. 

Arlan shrugged before putting down the empty wine glass on a passing attendant's tray. He then took the chance to observe the other guests and chuckled lightly. 

"Eh, as expected, you are still the crowd's favorite even though you are already married. Don't be surprised if any of the ladies approach you, pretending to have tripped or something, to get your attention."

"Only my wife has my attention," Drayce replied. "In fact, you better be worried about yourself. Can't you see the noblewomen flocking your mother along with their pretty daughters? I won't be surprised to hear Queen Julien handing you a new list of potential wives and concubines. Maybe you will be married even before you find your Queen."

"Queen? She will be resting in her grave the day she becomes my Queen," Arlan said, and an evil smile graced his lips at the thought of his missing betrothed. "And don't worry about those bothersome noble families. I know how to take care of them."

"Threatening them with something important to them is fine, as long as you don't kill them. Those noble families can come handy at times."

"Do you still have to teach me this stuff? I know more than you how effective it is to make their families withdraw their proposal the moment I grab their weakness. No matter how sneaky they hide their misdeeds, I am able to get my hands on them."

After the festivities were over, the newlyweds as well as the Griven royals prepared to return to their kingdom. 

This time, Arlan returned with his family, unaware something unexpected was waiting for him in the capital. 

—--

Back in the nameless village within the Wimark Territory, a certain black-clothed herbalist was also preparing to leave for the capital of Griven, the city of Karlin. She had arranged everything but one— that was to tell her grandfather of her impending trip. 

She prepared a nice meal for Old Phil and sat with him to eat. 

'I do not wish to lie, but I sure cannot tell Grandpa that I am going to the capital. In the past, when I asked him to, he got angry.'

She remembered the incident when she was around twelve year old. 

"Grandpa, you remember my friend Wendy? Her parents are servants of the baron, and they brought her with them when they visited the capital. She said it's so big and beautiful! There is this big castle and she even saw this big parade. 

"Wendy said it was the King and Queen going out, or so she overheard from the adults, but she said their carriage was covered in gold! Gold! I have never even seen a gold coin, but their carriage is covered in gold! I wish I could have seen it too—"

Her grandfather, who was sharpening an ax, did not answer her. 

"Grandpa, can we go to the capital one day too?"

"We cannot," the old man answered, his expression serious, but the young girl failed to see it.

"Why not, Grandpa? I want to see it. I want to go there. Can't we move to the capital and find work there? I also want to see the castle  and golden carriage of the King and Queen—"

"Oriana!" Her grandpa raised his voice at her. 

Little Oriana was shocked. She had never seen Phil this angry before.

"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"

"We are never going to the capital. Never ever talk about going there."

Her eyes turned teary. "W-Why?"

"It is a bad place for commoners like us. We are never going there. If you want to go there, you will have to wait for me to die first."

"G-Grandpa…"

"Do you want me to die?"

"No, Grandpa.. Why do you—"

"Promise me that you will never go to the capital. If you go, you will lose your grandpa."

"I promise! I will never go to the capital!"

"What are you thinking about, Ori?" Phil asked  his dazed granddaughter. He noticed she was not touching her food.

It pulled her back from those old memories. "Nothing, Grandpa."

"Then why are you not eating?"

Oriana resumed eating, and after a while, finally opened her mouth to talk, "Grandpa, I have to leave the village for a few days."

The old man looked at her. "Again?"

"Yes, Grandpa. This trip will probably be longer. It might take two or more weeks."

"Where are you going?"

"I heard there is a good apothecary roaming around, teaching commoners for free about the art of healing. I wish to see him and work with him so I will increase my knowledge about herbs. If I follow him around, I can learn enough to treat you."

"I am beyond the situation of being treated. Do not bother yourself with my health."

"No, Grandpa, we can still continue to treat you. We cannot give up. I cannot give up. I need to do this."

"Ori…"

"Grandpa, this is not just you, but also for my future. I may be a mere herbalist now, but if I learn well, I can be a real apothecary. I can save more lives in the future."

Deep brown eyes stared at her hazel ones.

"When I am gone, you can indeed live a more comfortable life as an apothecary instead of running into the forest to collect herbs." The old man paused for a while before sighing in agreement. "Alright, you can go."

Oriana almost jumped in happiness. "Thank you, Grandpa!"

The old man simply smiled at the excited girl and heard her continue, "I will leave tomorrow morning—"

"So soon?"

"It is because this apothecary might leave elsewhere. I might lose his whereabouts if I delay."

"Fine." 

She pressed her lips in thin line as the she felt the guilt of lying to her Grandpa. 

'I am sorry, Grandpa that I am lying to you and I am going to break the promise I made back then. It's because I can't lose you. If that promise stops me from saving you, then I don't value that promise. You are important to me more than any kind of promise.'

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