236 The Round Table Tribe (Part 3)
The view of the surrounding area couldn’t even entice Anne at the moment. The four of them are looking at each other inside the carriage, especially King Edward, whose eyes were transfixed on Brom. He was amazed when he looks at Brom.
“You know, you’re such a unique man. People just couldn’t see it by themselves.” Said king Edward to Brom.
Brom, looking at him, asked the king with a tilted head because of curiosity. “What is it, his majesty? I mean, I consider myself a normal people.”
Justice knew that it wasn’t the case for this young man. He remembered Vale’s words when they were in the middle of searching for the late Javier. There’s something weird about Brom’s power and his father knew something about it.
“Alright, let us forget about it just for now.” Said king Edward while raising his hand to Brom. “Let us discuss your connection, so I’ve heard from Chief Amaris about the connection between all of you. I do wonder about this. Can you tell me about your dream?”
“It was not exactly a dream, it was a nightmare, I mean almost in all the dreams, she kind of chased me down, whether looking angrily at me, screaming at me, or even just glaring at me.” Brom was trying so hard not to look nervous by looking out the window. “When Anne told me about her, of how she kept creeping into her, giving her vile suggestions and just disappearing into a thin air, that’s when I realized that my dream is connected with her being ghosted by the witch of the mountain.”
“What happened next?” Asked king Edward again.
Anne and Brom took glanced at each other before he answered the king’s questions. “We… actually writing a share note. Anne wrote the first entry and then gave me the note, and so on.”
King Edward suddenly begin more interested than before. “Fascinating. Where’s the note now?”
.....
“I have it, here.” Said Anne to him, she open her medicine bag and took out a book that become their share note.
Carefully, King Edward asked permission to read the content of the book. Anne gave it to him after Brom gave his permission. Justice, who’s never seen the content, took a peek at the content of the book, and together with his father, they read the first entry of the note.
‘Entry number one, Date xx Month xx Year xxxxx
She came and told me to go back to the capital; she keep telling me to go back to my beloved. I don’t want it. I said to her that they were better off without me. I cried because it is hurt, and she keeps enticing me to go back. She finally disappears after I keep yelling at her.
Ps: Because of her, now the innkeeper kicks me out of the inn. Please go to the western cave of the town. I’ll be there until I get some cheap and more permanent solution.’
Justice’s heart skip a beat. He never expected Anne to have a harsher life after she go away from the four of them, two years ago. “You need to sleep inside a cave?” His voice became hoarse. He wanted to hug her and tell her that everything will be alright from now on. “I never knew…”
Instead of thinking about how hard her life was, Anne gave him the biggest smile and hold his hand. “Don’t worry, I slept in that cave for two days only. Darla came with Brom and they helped me to find a more permanent hut. I even stayed in the town for two months.”
King Edward, waiting for Justice to read the note, shakes his head. “I think I have enough. Just tell me if you get valuable information.” He refused to read more about how Anne was suffering back then. He was also aware of the reduction payment that she got from Chief Carla, but never thought of the cost of living that she needs to endure. “I… I was so gullible, I never knew how the commoner need to think carefully about their expenses.”
“That’s what happened if you just thought about the journey but never bothered to look into the other side, your majesty.” Brom gave his opinion blatantly, even King Edward took glanced at him, but only a slight chuckle came from the king himself.
“He was right, Justice. You’re so out of touch with reality sometimes.” King Edward agreed with Brom. “I know that you’re the most frugal prince among the others, but the coins that you have been carried around are actually heavier than Miss Anne’s one-year salary.”
No words are coming from Justice. He feels ashamed of himself, and he always thinks that him going outside of the capital is his devotion to the people’s crown prince. Brags about the commoner’s inn and that he prefers to sleep over his lengthy journey, or maybe just sleep in the jungle, with the simple but most efficient tent. He could never imagine that Anne need to sleep inside rock hard ground, and only her familiar to protect her from any attacker.
“I hate myself, right now.” Said Justice while he shake his head and chuckling. “Here I am, thinking that I was the wiser crown prince, but I was just like the rest of them.”
Anne could feel the guilt coming from Justice, took his hand, and then pinched the skin. He screamed, making the King and Brom quite the surprised.
“What are you doing?!” Justice glare at her while blowing into his reddened hand.
“I need to pinch you so you stop giving me a pity look!” Said Anne and with a scary glare at Justice as well. She huffed her breath and put the crown prince’s hands into her face. “Look here, your majesty, I am fine! Nothing was missing and also it makes me have more experience as a healer.”
“Anne… I… I am sorry.” He got flustered and once again admired how positive her attitude is nowadays. A genuine smile came onto his face, and he touched her lips and gave her warm kisses. Even when King Edward and Brom are present. “You just don’t know how much love that I have for you, River Anne.”
They look at each other, and Anne knew this was the love that she clamored for from her old world, and thinking that how lucky she is, to have four of them just for her.
King Edward suddenly cleared his throat, and the two of them were back to reality, where Brom even raised his eyebrows, looking at them. “So, finally have the attention of the two of you.” Teased King Edward while he handed Justice the note. “Read this entry. Don’t you think it was strange?”
Justice read the entry and his eyes widen, he looks at Brom and then Anne. “This entry… was it real?!”
