14 Love is love. Hate is hate.

Tessa left the villa without Em and Victoria knowing that she was the one who ordered and arranged for Lord Maxim’s death by ambushing the royal car. She hired a driver and gun men to ambush the royal envoy along with Maxim and Vitoria who was the head of security that time. Lieutenant general Pio was so grieved when she thought she didn’t protect Maxim from the plot to kill him. Victoria never saw Maxim’s body when she woke up in the hospital with bandages on the head and left shoulder that was shot during the gun fight. Rodolfo came in to the picture when he advised Victoria to not worry about Maxim and took over in protecting him. Then, she never heard of Maxim and whether he survived and all. When she woke up in the hospital one morning she watched the news that Lord Maxim, the future heir to the throne was killed and will be cremated right away. Victoria thought she would die too since she was already 6 months pregnant with Maria then. She was happy because she wanted to tell him about their baby, but not able to have the chance because he died suddenly and in his prime. Tessa knew she did the right thing to protect the crown, but all of this is King Cronos fault. She hated the king for he made her family suffer and all throughout her days as the Ladys’ maid she remained faithful until one time her mother was ill and needed help. She didn’t have any money to send her to the hospital so she asked for the king to lend her money for her mom’s hospitalization. And Tessa requested to stay with her for her to care for her. But the king refused. Lady Beatrice need her services and she didn’t have any choice but to cry all day and night long then heard the news from her father that her mother died in vain, looking for her. Tessa grew more and more angry towards the royal family. She took care of Leopold and Leonardo as his own but why did the king and the queen refused to help her just once, when she gave up her whole life to serve them?. Tessa asked her self that and Rodolfo knew all of her sufferings thus advised her to be patient and plead to our gods for mercy. Yet Tessa refused to believe in gods. She either act now and avenger her mother’s death or regret everything that she has vowed to protect the people of Tunisia. She joined one faction after another and then built her own who she called REVO for Revolution of the Ego. REVO was feared. For many years this group has killed rich business men, merchants and royalties all through-out the world. Tunisia was it’s target but since Tessa was from the country, she never wanted to hurt the twin princes but only the king. However, things got out of hand, they drugged or used some magical potion to make King Cronos and Lady Beatrice more evil than before. This made them greedier and selfish until they were overthrown by the masses. The twin Leopold and Leonardo was rescued from the mess and Rodolfo took them in his care. Gisel who was adopted by the crown was raped by the king and left the kingdom to live outside of Tunisia where she married the richest business man in Polynesia where she came to live and gave birth to Victoria. Victoria and Maria came back to Tunisia for an official business which is to uphold tradition. Since Maria is the rightful girl to be the wife of the future king of the Montfort Line. She will either be married to Leopold or Leonardo. All was part of the plan to overthrow the royal family forever. But Rodolfo knew this all along and advised Tessa to stop itand let the Montfort family go. But she refused and still continued with everything as planned.

You monsters, I will kill all of you even if the last thing I’d do, ha…ha….hahahahaahahahaha!, Tessa shouted on top of the terrace of an old abandoned mansion which was used by Lady Beatrice as a second home when she was still alive and stood as the Twins play home before. It is located on the west side of the Montfort castle, near the Villa. I will avenge my family’s death and you will all pay for your arrogance and cruelty among your citizens, she added. A man with a red band on his ledt arm came along with another 20 of them to talk with her. Madam Tessa, here are some of the men to accompany us on our quest to avenge your family’s death, the scary an with the red band on the left arm has a scar on his face, but since wearing a ceramic mask on his face, it can’t be seen. This man is Waldo, the masked killer who have taken several lives during the Montfort kingdom’s killings and ambushes. He is the dark villain who you wouldn’t want to have in your stories, for he kills the fun out of your life for his fun is to kill a person as his past time. Though he has a family of his own he’s just doing this out of compassion towards those who have lost their lives because of the greed and cruelty of the Montfort line. King Cronos wasn’t that much loved by the people but Cronan was. Cronan was executed by the king when he was caught in the bed with Lady Beatrice thus, Maxim was born. King Cronos accepted Maximillian since he is still a Montfort though Cronan isn’t a real Montfort because he was adopted by Maximillian Senior, The former king who was married to a Lady Alexandria. The couple weren’t much of a talker and unpopular but they both lived and loved the people of Tunisia always. The couple served their country and kingdom with great respect and equality that the citizens of St Paul Vill and Tunisia loved them. Maxim was the rightful heir to the throne but due to the chaotic and confiusing relationships that that the royal line birthed. Maxim Jr. seemed lost and didn’t really want to accept his destiny as the future king of the Montforts.

I would know, King Cronos and Lady Beatrice were bad leaders. He maybe realized that it is indeed a shame to be called a Montfort to have evil Uncle and Aunt like that of the late King and Queen of our motherland, Waldo said as if exaggerating but in fact true to his every word and true tale of the Royal Line.

I wonder if Maxim came back because he wanted to change what was, and make a difference since Em is here and all is about to pick up because of the engagement between her and Leopold. The wedding is just a week away. What do you think?, Tessa asked in curiosity.

In my honest opinion, Maxim is a good natured lad when he was younger. I know he can make a difference and he can stand up to all the evil leaders we had before. We just need to have faith and help him do what needs to be done, Waldo said in conviction and honesty. But, does Em and Victoria know about our plan and about the wedding?, he added.

I think Em knows a little bit about the reason why she needs to marry Leopold but I’m not sure with Victoria. Yet we need to make sure the wedding resumes and they need to be protected. Maxim needs to be protected too. I know I hated his Uncle but I loved his father so much. He was very dear to me. Lady Beatrice used her black magic to lure Cronan to make love to her but we were supposed to elope since I was pregnant with his child that time. I lost our baby when Lady Beatrice knew about it and since she can’t have her own child that time she loathed me. She made me drink a sort of liquid milk but I didn’t know it’s cursed and in a few days I excreted fluids and blood and my baby died. Lady Beatrice was also pregnant which she later knew who is now Maxim in flesh and blood from Cronan. And all these secrets of love and hate were never written in the history books. I only told you everything because for all these years the weight of the burden keeping them is too much to bear. So now I can rest from hiding and running away from all the things that happened before, Tessa explained with sincerity and exhaled as if it’s her last.

Your secret is safe with me. But you should be telling all this to Maxim, he has the right to know, Madam, he is the future king of the royal line, Waldo added a bit worried.

I was asked to swear on my life about the dark secrets of the Montfort line, and Cronan told me to hold on to it until I die, because he kept it all too in his heart. He believed that the new king will change everything. The darkness that enveloped the kingdom for so long will be lifted up and the light will soon come in to take over the land, and cleanse the evil deeds of the past. Blood will never spill anymore but love, goodness and mercy. I think we are finally experiencing that now. Leopold has changed from a bitter and angry young man to a responsible and supportive prince and lover to Em. Victoria has totally forgotten about Lady Gisel’s bad experiences in the castle and Maxim came back to shed light in everything we thought that the cause is lost and we can’t find the peace and success in it. We have found the answer and it is the wedding. We need to send wedding promotions through-out all neighboring nations and to all the citizens of Tunisia. We must make it real to them that Montfort line is here and still alive. But we will hold a private and solemn wedding for the couple, since the love making ceremony will happen after 12 days of their marriage to ensure the birth or future heir of the Montfort and it is believed to be sacred. Get ready and do all the necessary preparations for the wedding. Waldo, I’m counting on you now, Tessa said proudly and confidently. I hated the people in the royal family but not the Crown. I still intend to protect the future king of the Montfort line.

I never imagined that Tessa would go that far, Rodolfo said thinking about what Tessa revealed to Waldo. Both men are in the wine cellar of the Montfort Castle. But what did you do when she asked you about the wedding preparations and all?, Rodolfo asked curiously when Waldo came in to disclose everything she told him about the Montfort Royal line. Sir, Madam Tessa means no harm and I believe she is sincerely accepting the changes in the Crown. Why the sudden change of heart Waldo, are you getting soft now?, Rodolfo said laughing at Waldo for appearing weak in front of him at the moment. No, I …I have forgiven myself for the awful things I have done before and I think the gods has forgiven me then. Now I need to make things happen and have been called to protect the new king, the marriage and the future of the Montfort family. I swore to protect the Crown. I was a traitor but found peace and honour in racing the flag of Tunisia and will bravely give my life to protect the Crown.

What a brave man you are, Waldo!, I wonder if your family knows that?, Rodolfo added annoyingly. Ah, I ..what do you mean sir?, Waldo asked now confused. I want you to kill Maxim when he appears at Maria and Leopold’s wedding. I want you to create havoc at the peaceful ceremony and let Tessa’s hope fall and ruin the Montfort family’s reputation again until they totally fall down to their knees and beg….Rodolfo said with so much hate.

Why???, Waldo now totally lost with how Rodolfo is acting. I lost my love and my family protecting the Montfort royal family. I have lost everything and still what do I get from them, nothing. They ….Rodolfo started crying. He then stopped when Waldo is trying to figure out his sincerity. Okay sir, I will go now!, I need to fix all the preparations for the wedding and I have all the men and hand I need for this. You maybe need to rest and I’m sure you’re head will be clear when you wake up tomorrow. Rodolfo nodded. He felt sad and old but he seemed powerless now that Maxim is back and he feels he is no longer needed in the castle after all these years.

Rrrrrrng!!!, Yes hello, your highness!, Waldo answered courteously. He ran outside of the cellar right away when he heard of the call.

Yes, I will meet with you right away. Waldo said secretly.

I heard that Waldo Gomez was a traitor to the Crown and the killer who ambushed most of the nobles in the country and most of the world. He was a popular hired killer then. But I talked with him and befriended his likes. I know he has some good in him and I believed he has his reasons why he did what he did during the darkest times in the Montfort royal family especially the Crown. He told me about how my Uncle the king killed his father and imprisoned his family. I took care of the prisoners and gave him compensation for the wrong things and pains our family caused him and his love ones. That’s why I hired him as a faithful confidant and spy to check up on Rodolfo and Theresa. Now I know they too have held grudges toward my family and I need to correct the mistakes we have done against these faithful servants of ours to protect my kingdom and my family’s future too.

Waldo told me everything I needed to know about Rodolfo and Tessa. I ordered him to send them gifts, gold and titles of mansions as gratitude for their years of service in the kingdom. Rodolfo cried when he received the money and the lease on a farmland he always wanted for his father and it’s just near the Villa Em and Leopold are staying…So you can always keep an eye of the couple, sincerely Maxim. The letter that was sent to him along with the gifts thanking him of hos years of service in the family.

Tessa was preparing Em and Leopold’s breakfast when a package arrived in front of the Villa. She opened it and saw gold bars about 10 of them and a title, the mansion she was standing on yesterday. Maxim will have it rebuild and give it to me as a present for all the years I’ve served the castle and the family. He was apologising for the things his father has done against her family. He hopes to make it up to her and hope that the gifts would compensate even a little for the trouble his family caused her and her family while she was serving the Crown. Tessa cried like she never sobbed before and thanked the gods for the blessing. She now really believe that they answered her prayers and that there really is “hope” with Maxim being alive and all. She then thought of what she did, the plot of killing Maxim caused her to cry again beating her chest with her hand asking for forgiveness for what she did to him a long time ago. Maxim knew but he never held hate, he wanted to but he realized that we were just blinded by hate and the past grudges that we shouldn’t have done after all. He loved her and her family that he never wanted her to be imprisoned even if she plotted that ambush to kill him. He forgave her and it is the truth. The gifts told everything and she can still stay to be with the family or she can travel the places she wanted to go to ever since she was a little girl. She now remembered she told Leopold about her dream of travelling the world. Leopold is very close to Maxim and told him about her silly dream. Maxim added to tell her that that dream isn’t silly. What’s silly is staying with the Montfort family when all we did is give you pain thus you have lost a lot serving the Crown. Tessa smiled though tears are falling from her eyes. She thanked Maxim with her whole heart and kissed the title of the mansion. While laughing aloud the idea just suddenly sunk in that there’s no stopping to her dream to travel the world. She stood up and danced with her own tune while Em and Leopold smilingly saw her in the middle of her cooking doing that. What happened?, Em asked while Leopold just held his shoulders up without any idea why Tessa is doing what she’s doing now.

Maxim felt so happy and at peace. The peace was so real as if he can breathe lightly without any burden or heavy weight, maybe the heavy weight of regret, fear and sin from the past and his family’s wrong doings against many during my Uncle Cronos’ time. He made sure all the families were well compensated and taken cared of this time.