Side Chapter Three: Last wish

I poured myself a glass of whiskey in my usual glass. Its faint blue glow illuminated the amber color of whiskey. How many years ago did my wife give me this cup? I can't even remember now, but I do know she was always fascinated by the energy crystal's blue glow. Maybe because it always reminded her of better times. Where the Bluerose house was full of power and untouchable by the corruption in the capital, or perhaps it was because its blue glow reminded her of the luminance of blue roses when they fully bloom at night.

I took a sip, and I let out an audible cough as it burned my lips and throat. "Oh, taking up drinking, are we?" I look up from my desk to see Annabelle standing in the doorway. She was wearing her usual black and white servant uniform. Her uniform was always spotless, as if she hardly ever worked. Her gray hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her face had a slight amount of makeup on it. Despite her age, Annabelle was still very beautiful. However, her annoying and twisted personality remained ever-present.

"What, cat's got you tongue, my lord. Or maybe a beastkin got it." She let out a small chuckle, then walked over and sat on my desk. "What do you want, Annabelle?" She grabbed the bottle of whiskey and started drinking directly from it. "What, I can't have a little chat with my former brother-in-law?" There she goes again. I guess the trauma from her past has still made her unwilling to open up. She will never openly speak her mind, but I have been around her enough to know what she wants to talk about.

I let out a deep sigh. "Let me guess, you want to know why I'm letting Lenka do whatever she wants, even though it will have dire consequences, that not only will affect us, but you, precious daughter." She looked at me with somber eyes, then quickly turned away and took another sip from the bottle. "You know I always hated that about you."

She was undoubtedly annoyed because I am one of the few people left in the world who can truly understand her, despite her constant efforts to hide her emotions and motives. "Well, you know, your sister always loved that about me." She let out a laugh. "Yeah, well, she always did have a bad taste for men as well as sentimental knick-knacks," Annabelle said as she grabbed my faintly glowing blue glass and poured more whiskey into it.

"Oh, and you don't, Annabelle. I'm aware that you still have all of those letters with you. In fact, I know you always keep one of his letters with you at all times." She looked at me, shocked, but then quickly turned around to hide it. "As annoying as ever. Let's just get back to the reason why I'm here." "That's a shame, I was always curious about what was in those letters that you hold so..." "Drop it already! I'm never going to tell you."

I guess I will never find out who her real lover was, but I can only assume that he was killed after... "Do you not understand what will happen if Lenka continues down this path?" Annabelle said in an annoyed tone. "I'm aware." "Then why?" Her voice turned from annoyed to worried. I'm aware that Annabelle cares about her daughter more than anything in this world, and right now I'm putting her in a very dangerous spot. "I have my reasons."

"And those are!" Annable said as she slammed her hand on the desk and turned to look me in the eyes. Her eyes were filled with anger but also worry. "You know what the other nobles are capable of! Blackmailing that stupid puppet king is one thing, but all of this building and convincing other nobles' citizens to come here is another thing! And then there's Kate, do you understand what will happen if the emperor finds out that we have a kin of the sovereign mother!"

She stared at me, waiting for my answer. "I know, Annabelle," I said calmly. She took a deep breath, then looked away from me. "Then why? Why put us in danger?" I took another sip and stared at the blue glass my wife adored so much. "Your sister made me swear never to tell you, but at this point, I think you're already aware of it. Lenka is one of those so-called chosen ones." She tightened her grasp on the edge of the desk, then grabbed the bottle and chugged some more.

"I never believed her, or that dumb golden age tale, but once I saw how Lenka changed, then I couldn't deny it. My wife truly believed that Lenka would one day change the world. Her last wish was for me to make sure she had the chance to do so. So who am I to deny my wife or the god who blessed Lenka?"

"You don't know what the chosen ones are capable of. My sister didn't know or didn't tell you the full story of the chosen ones." She turned and looked at me again. Her face was red, and her eyes were starting to tear up. "The chosen ones aren't blessed to save this world; they are here to destroy it. The golden age fell because of their actions. Their simple existence has already started destroying this world." Annabelle turned around and was clearly trying to hold back tears.

"I understand your concern, Annabelle, but do you truly believe Lenka is trying to destroy this world? Lenka's actions may have been motivated by the wrong intentions and without understanding the political fallout, but I do believe that deep down, she is trying to make this city a better place." "But how can you be sure?" "I'm not sure, but there's something about the way she sees the world, and her emotionless gaze, that makes me think that she's seen unimaginable pain and sorrow. And I believe that someone who knows that much pain and sorrow will endeavor not to let others go through that."

"You would risk all of our lives for something so simple as a belief?" "No, Annabelle. I'm risking our lives on the belief that there is hope for this world. Without hope, this world is already doomed to be destroyed." "But..." "Annabelle, your sister helped you, even when everyone turned on you, even when you were exiled and damned, because she believed in you. She believed that even though your have pain and sorrow, you could still shine as bright as you always had, and I have hope that Lenka's the same way. That's why I took Kate in and allowed Leon to get close to her, because it's people like them that will ground her to this world."

Annabelle looked at me with tears dripping down her face. "Look, Annabelle, I understand the risks we are taking, but if things don't change, then we won't have a future. They will eventually come for you and Mary. That's why I'm going to put my trust in Lenka, because if anyone could protect this city and Mary, it would be her. We have only seen a small glimmer of her cunning, and I can only imagine what her future can bring if we fully support her."

"I see..." Annabelle wiped her eyes, then slowly left the room. Annabelle left not out of anger or frustration, but because she knew I was right. Her pride would never allow her to admit it, so her leaving was her way of approving of what I said. I drank the last bit of whisky in my cup, then placed it back into the cabinet. Its faint glow lightly illuminated the other glasses. I should probably get some rest. The whisky was starting to get to me.

I left the office and was about to head into my room. Maybe I should check on Annabelle. I turned towards the stairway, but I noticed a furry tail sticking out from the doorway to the study. Walking towards the study, I saw the tail disappear behind it. I walked into the study and looked around the corner. Kate stood there, shocked, her tail and ears spiked up.

"Kate, it's not good to eavesdrop on people." She started panicking as her ears started to twitch and her eyes darted back and forth. "I'm... sorry. I wanted to ask Annabelle something... and..." I kneeled down to be at her eye level. "I'm not going to punish you, Kate. But I do need to ask you a favor." Her face quickly turned from panic to surprise. "Kate, no matter what happens, I need you to promise me that you will look after Lenka. She may be smart and strong, but deep down, she is just as fragile as the rest of us. I need you to support her so that she doesn't fall down the wrong path."

Kate stared at me for a moment, then her face lit up with a giant smile. "I promise, no, I swear I will help her no matter what!" She said it with such enthusiasm that even I couldn't help but smile. "Kate, it's late, you should get some rest." "Of course, my lord." She bowed to me, then started to leave the room, but stopped at the doorway. "Have a good night, my lord." She bowed one more time and then left. What a good kid. I let out a sigh. If only I still had mine.