40 Truth can change...

The voice startled him and he froze. It was coming from his back, he was so close to doing it not until this...

He and cosmos turned to the sound of the voice to see Sebastian's right hand man.

He looked smug and weary, cosmos smiled at him, and greeted him, Sebastian said nothing. He was still holding the knife, getting over his confusion.

When cosmos left, he faced the man imposingly.

"What do you want? "

"I was looking everywhere for you then I asked the men over there and they said you were here. "

"That didn't answer my question, did it?"

"You are still angry with me right? I am actually here to apologize. "

Apologize? Sebastian muttered, Of course he had not seen what happened.

Yesterday, I said some awful things to you, which I needed to apologize for, he told Sebastian with the most sorry look he ever did.

Really? Sebastian chuckled, I didn't remember any of that but I do remember that you have been a nuisance lately, so when are you going to apologize for that also.

I didn't know I was such a pest to you, All I have done is...

Look enough of this, Now you do know that I don't appreciate your cynical remarks. "Are you going to apologize and promise me that it would be the last time you will do it or you won't, so I can properly make you my enemy. "

Sebastian, you are going to far, what do you mean? I have been on your side all these time and I will continue to pay loyalty to you, he toned.

Are you going to and promise me yesterday would be the last time you ever try such? He asked him without baiting an eyelid.

OK fine, I am sorry and I promise I will be of good behavior from now henceforth even if I don't know what exactly I am..., Sebastian caught him short.

That is enough and as a lenient person that I am, I will forgive you but if you go against what you have just said now, I will treat you accordingly, he said leaving the bewildered man.

He hoped he had succeeded in scaring him, Of course he wanted that, a leader like him must always rule with fears on his inferior and subordinate to avoid rebellion.

He didn't want to end of like his father.

..... ..... .... ..... .... ...

So what is the plan? Gerald asked her, on their way. Even when the sun was high up the sky, the air was cool and the wind blew across the plains time after time. They had a strategic mission to do yet they were so calm.

I have thought about this thoroughly and I have concluded that there is no plan, she chiseled.

You must be joking right? We are going to see the king of this kingdom and you have no plans? He asked her with his eyes wide open.

"Yes, I am just going to go to him tell him about Sebastian and all that, if he doesn't agree, I go to the other lands. "

"And if there also do not agree with you, what are you going to do. "

"Go home."

And give up,he muttered,chuckling.

No, that is not giving up, at least I did try and...

What? you think what we all need is something ordinary, something plain. We all need something spectacular at this point, Sebastian had done his worst.

What are we going to do?

Natalie nodded her head, so you think I am not doing enough?

"What? No, this is not about you, I mean that is not what I meant, I am sorry if you misunderstood me, we are... "

Gerald, how long will it take to get there, she asked looking away from him, deep in thoughts.

Get where? Oh, the palace is just one mile up,he stammered not expecting her question.

"OK then, we must move fast, you know, we have other places to visit too. "

"Of course. "

They we're welcomed graciously into the palace, after she introduced herself as the queen of milerus.

The king came to them after they we're settled. He was surprised to see them there.

Quern of milerus, I am surprised to see you, I didn't come to your husband's coronation but I sent my representative, I hope everything is fine.

She knew he didn't come as a matter of fact most of the rulers of the neighboring kingdoms didn't and she knew why. She sighed, this was going to be hard.

She glanced at Gerald, who nudged her to go on.

"King Joel the first, ruler of Gilda, I am very privileged to be in your presence but I am here in distress, I am here concerning a very grave issue that requires your listening ears. "

He nodded and urged her to go on.

You may have heard of a man named Sebastian and you may think positive about him but I want to inform you that he is nothing like that. He is very different from what he portrays and only want destruction, the words running out from her mouth like water from the sky.

He listened patiently and when she was done, he stayed quiet for some minutes, digesting what he was just told.

You are right, I know this Sebastian and I also know he killed the late king of milerus.

He did? She asked herself, remembering that she was the one who did but what could she do, protest? That was out of questions. Even if she knew he didn't, it was better everyone thinks he did.

And, I know he was just fighting for his freedom and also his people too. So... Is that a problem. You are telling me now that he is actually a tyrant and want to do otherwise, the king said.

Yes he is, he wants to attack milerus and...

So this is what, this is all about, he wants to attack your kingdom, that is why you are throwing a these tantrums. i don't see anything bad in revenging, after all the late king did the same to him and others.

She already expected this but it did still hurt her, it was more painful hearing it in her face than her imagining it. It pained her to see that they would rather believe Sebastian than Williams and it wasn't fair.

She calmed down and still held up her chin up high, I see you would not want to trust us but I assure you that I am saying the truth, Sebastian doesn't just want to capture milerus but all the other lands surrounding it, Just like the late king.

But your husband, is the son of the late king? The king queried her. It was obvious he didn't want to believe her. So what? She wanted to scream with all her might, why would they treat him like this because of his father.

"He is not like his father, he is different, he wants to make peace reign and he has also granted freedom to the other kingdoms which was captured by his father "

I see, so what about you, I heard you we're captured by his father too and you went ahead to marry him, for your freedom too right, the king snapped.

What? She asked him frowning.

"You are calling Sebastian am opportunist while you are also it too, tell me if you had not married him would he have freed you also. "

Gerald watched the exchange if words and the king cruel statements angered him, this was worse than he thought.

My king, you are mistaken. He said to him, keeping his temper down.

And who are you? The king asked facing him.

Forget about him,she told the king then she turned to Gerald and whispered " I got this".

"I can't believe you will insult me in the course of this, I won't force you to listen to me but I know I cleared my conscience in yelling you come to think of it, we are not the only one in trouble, if you give Sebastian a chance, we will all suffer. "

The king chuckled, he stood up from his throne and announced to them, i know you are here because you are in trouble and made this all up to make it look like it affects others too because you are too proud to ask for help, well I am not helping either ways so you shouldn't waste your strength in begging.

Natalie stood up too, she was angry and frustrated.

"You don't want to give me a listening ear because of the past brawl you had with the late king isn't that not right.

Maybe because, that past brawl was too severe to overlook or siding with you all could make me vulnerable once again to let you all in and maybe this time you all might succeed, he blunted out.

I think we should go, Gerald told her.

So soon, why don't you wait for refreshments or you have had that already, the king teased.

Natalie closed her eyes, her heart was beating faster and adrenaline rushed through her forehead. This was the highest disrespect, they were not welcomed here and she doubted they would be anywhere else.

She headed towards the door with Gerald and the king looking at them in disgust.

Then she remembered Gerald words, we need something spectacular...

Something spectacular?, it rang through her brains.

She turned around, going back to the king. Amidst Gerald shocked face and the king deepening his facial expression.

You are right, it is hard for you to trust us after everything that had happened but this is another case. Very different than what what had happened as am matter of fact, Sebastian doesn't care if we both are in loggerheads or not, he see us as the same thing, something to discard.

"So, I want to suggest something, we sign a peace treaty, something that is going to stop us from attacking each other. "

"What? "

If you agree, you send us a message if you don't, forget about it, you can also forget that I even came here today, have a nice day, she said walking out of the palace without waiting to hear his response.

Soon they were out of there and Gerald had already recovered from the shock of what just happened.

Peace treaty? That was brilliant, he smiled at her.

You think so? I was pathetic in there, you know.

"I didn't notice, the king was just more sentimental than logical and transferring his withheld anger he had been holding for a long time to you. "

"Not like I expected him to trust us just like that but at least give us he chance... "

"It is not your fault, you really tried to convince him and I think he won't ignore the peace treaty you had mentioned. "

Natalie, he called her, she looked pale and he noticed.

"This is not just about his refusal to believe you, is it? Don't tell me you took all those things he said about you to heart. "

Did he lie? She looked away, not staring at him.

"Natalie! "

Yes, did he? I am just the same as Sebastian, an opportunist. I am faking this whole marriage and he is too, faking his personality. What is the difference?

"I can't believe you are saying this, how can you compare you and him, you are doing all these for a right course. "

I can't even come clean to them because I am even afraid of doing so to myself, I guess the truth hurts more than I thought it should.

I am sorry, it shouldn't hurt like this, at least not you, you have done nothing but try to help, he winked at her, showing in the sadness in his lips.

"Maybe, I need to help myself first. "

Before you do that, I think you should eat first?

"What? "

well, you don't need to worry, I think someone already did that for us, he said pointing to the open doors in the house.

"What is he doing here? "