CHAPTER 11

When he entered his mother’s palace all the palace maids were dismissed. He stood there and watched her as she stood from her seat. She looked relieved, happy and sad at the same time. He saw tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to let words out but failing to.

“You are alive! My poor child, I can’t believe that you are…” she said as she stopped right in front of him and touched his cheeks.

One of his questions got answered. She didn’t know that he was alive and thought that he was really dead. He touched her hand and he found his tears coming out too.

“I’m alive and well mother,” he told her.

His mother fell to the ground and began to cry. He followed her and hugged her closely as they both cried.

“I’m glad that you didn’t leave me. All these years I mourned you, I can’t believe that you are alive. What happened?”

He began to narrate to her exactly what had happened back then and watched as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

“I’m okay now, the Saintess took me in and gave me a new life,” he told her.

“She is a good person. She did to you exactly what she did to me. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here, I will have to show my gratitude to her,” his mother said.

“She would love that.”

“So, are you here to stay?”

“I came to reveal the truth, everything will be revealed,” he told her.

“I would be happy to have that. Will you be okay?”

“I am much stronger now, don’t worry about me,” he said.

“I wish I could show you your siblings but you must see your father first,” she said.

“I will do that, I have to wait for the Saintess first,” he said.

At that moment his mother’s chief maid came in.

“Your highness, a messenger had been sent for the young lord to go to the Dragon palace and seek audience with the Emperor,” she said.

Xavier looked at her and then his mother.

“I will come and see you when everything is sorted,” he said.

Xavier left his mother’s palace and was escorted to the dragon palace where his father was.

When he arrived, he bowed before the Emperor and showed his respect to the Saintess.

“Come here,” the Emperor said and he looked at the Saintess who nodded her head.

With her approval, Xavier walked towards his royal father he hadn’t seen for a decade. He stopped and looked at him.

“Come even much closer,” he instructed and he went forward again.

He stopped right in front of him and the old man stood up and reached his hand towards him. His father was a ruthless man, a man who was cold as ice and yet he swore he saw his tears.

“You are alive!” he said and hugged him closely.

Ever since he was a child, he had never received a hug from his father. He rarely saw the man since they were many but he always knew his father loves him. Receiving this kind of affection from him, was so touching and loving.

“I’m sorry, I disappointed you, royal father,” he said crying.

“Don’t ever say that again son. You survived a tragedy and that’s a great achievement. I’m very happy and proud of you,” his father said.

“It’s good to see you again,” he told him.

“You may take a seat,” his father said and he went down the stairs and sat opposite the Saintess.

“I have heard everything from the Saintess and since everything had been made clear, I will go ahead with her plan and root out these devious people once and for all,” the Emperor said.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I will call a meeting with the officials and tell them the good news that you are alive and well but because we have to verify a few things, you will be staying at the inn until everything is settled,” the Emperor explained.

“Are you planning on making those that tried to kill me back then appear again?”

“Yes, it will be better to catch them red handed than to accuse them of something that they did a long time ago.”

That made a lot of sense, there was probably no evidence from the assassination attempt of back then but if they tried to repeat it again then they would get a chance.

“I will follow your plan and hope to catch them and make them see justice,” Xavier said.

“I will write a royal decree and summon you officially to the palace when this is all over,’ his father said and he looked at the Saintess who was busy drinking her wine as if she wasn’t there.

“I will obey,” he replied in return.

“I have appointments to keep, may you be blessed,” the Saintess said as she stood up and he knew it was time for them to leave.

“I will take my leave, royal father,” he said and followed the Saintess out of the palace.

The Saintess didn’t say a word and he wasn’t sure what was really happening. Her face didn’t have much energy as it was before.