Chapter Forty-One

WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND BESIDES ALL OF THIS IS WHY did the Emperor tell my dad, right when he asked for the archer, that the Crown Prince would gladly help him with it? No matter how many times I think about it, it doesn't make any sense to me. From what I've known of him, he would never maliciously mock my dad, like his 3rd son and his wife.

He loves my dad like a brother. And I know that they are only friends today because he was always after my dad when he was younger. Although, because of some unknown reason, our families aren't so close, which I'm thankful for. Well, except for Octavian and Dalilah, of course. Because my older brother is best friends with the 3rd Prince, and my twin is protected by the Empress, who's not only Dalilah's Godmother but his too.

Yes, that's right. The Empress and the Emperor are their Godparents. While the Emperor and Queen Zara are Val's Godparents. And I'm okay with that because the 2nd Imperial mistress is a good and gentle person, also against the Aristocratic Faction, opposite to whom she shares the Emperor.

But that doesn't mean I like that Val has those two as his Godparents because I do not. If I don't want to get close to anyone in House Caspien, I don't desire Val to be close to them either. At least he isn't close to any of the 6 kids.

I want Val to have friends, but not any of them.

Now, my Godparents aren't from House Caspien, thankfully. My dad agreed to let me choose who I wanted as my Godparents because no one in House Caspien offered that to me. So, he pitied me for it. And although he didn't enjoy who I chose as my Godfather, he agreed to it because he had already promised to accept my choices.

And like he said, a Nicholai doesn't break their promises.

So, my Godmother is Grand Duchess Mariella Larsson, because she's a cute old woman, strong, powerful, and she always enjoyed my company when almost no one did. And my Godfather is uncle Martin White-Wood. I chose him because he was one of the few people who treated me kindly, cared for me, and because since I was a kid, I believed he would become powerful. Oh, and because he isn't from the Caspien Empire.

But that isn't the point right now.

The Emperor would never do something that could potentially degrade my dad's image, while his firstborn sure would. So, why would he act like that? As if he was waiting for my dad to ask something like that. It's so strange.

This situation is awful because I cannot voice those thoughts to my dad. Knowing him as I do, he would never hear something like this related to his best friend. It's the same as trying to tell him something my mother did. He becomes blind.

"But, Tasha," he spoke after we stayed in a very long silence. "It can't be something unpleasant!" What is he saying?

"Of course, it can, dad," he insisted, disagreeing with his head.

"Hendri told me that Joshua would gladly help me with this. He wouldn't say that if he knew his son would try something malicious towards us," fuck. See why it wouldn't matter if I told him what I was thinking?

Even though I don't think his best friend would do something like this, we don't really know anyone until the end. I also never thought Dalilah would harm me, and look at where we are. And Val never thought I would kill him either.

He might seem like a good guy, but if no one knows what he actually looks like, do you really think we would know what goes inside his mind? The same goes for the Archduke, our dear next Emperor. But at least we still see the Emperor, but that can't be said about his firstborn.

"Maybe his son is hiding it from him, dad," I tried.

"I don't think that's the case, Tasha," you are wrong and being controlled by the feelings you have for your best friend. Your opinion cannot be considered seriously at this moment because it would be unreasonable, dad!

Well, it's not like I'm going to say that to him loudly anyways.

"Okay, dad. You think whatever you want. I'll handle this matter with my own two hands." My voice was firm; that way, dad would know that there was nothing he could say to change my mind.

He rolled his eyes and looked away, probably calling me crazy and stubborn in his mind. "Okay, do what you want. But when you see how right was about this, don't say you're sorry!"

"Now you are overestimating yourself, dad," I laughed, mocking him.

"I prefer to overestimate my opinions about all of my loved ones than to be a paranoid and crazy person who is suspicious of everybody," now I see whom I took my acidity from.

Smirking, I stopped Moondust and stared at his eyes, "If you had gone through everything I did, father. I'm 100% certain that you would be even more crazy, paranoid, and suspicious than I am!" I knew how uncomfortable he would become if I said that, but I said it anyway.

After a very satisfying silence (for me, of course), he spoke again, changing the subject back to what he talked about with his beloved best friend.

"Well, as I was saying... before you took this matter to a bad side," ha... now it's my fault. "The boy, Leonard Brantley, is said to be a prodigy and the best archer of the Caspien Empire," that I already know. I didn't take his place here yet, so he's still the best. "He's Asher's age," 18. "Has a strong aura," that coming from my dad is something else. "I think he'll indeed be the best to teach you archery. If my schedule weren't so closed and full as it is, I would do it myself. But, unfortunately, I can't."

"Don't worry, dad. I never expected you to do that. I'm very conscious of how busy you are!" He seemed relieved that I said that.

Maybe he thought I wouldn't understand it. And I would never consider him for this because he's way too sharp. The moment he saw me using the bow with arrows for the first time, he would know on the spot that it was not my first time using it. I cannot take such a risk.

"At least you and Lerian understand this," of course, we do. We aren't attention seekers because we have each other. The same can't be said about our siblings. "There's another thing I have to tell you."

"I'm all ears. What is it?"

When he bit his bottom lip, I knew I wouldn't like what dad was about to say. "Sir Leonard Brantley will come today. Your first class is after lunch," Mikla's above. Already? "We agree like this because you told me you wanted to start as soon as possible."

Damn it, I can't say anything about it because he's right. "Nothing I can do, now. I'll try to make the best out of his classes."

"And will have to call him 'Master'!"

That made me giggle loudly. I swore my dad was joking. But when our eyes met, he was as serious as a rock. "You're kidding, right?" And all the traces of the smile disappeared from my face like dust in the air. "Please, tell me you're kidding."

"Nope," what the-

"Who decided that?" I questioned incredulously.