My Liege And I

Duty

Happy Holidays! I had gone on vacation so was not able to edit the chapter. 

Anyone from Namibia, your country is beautiful! Had so much fun there. The dunes, sea, desert... so wow.

Anyway, enjoy! 

Chapter 61

Oren
The Grand Palace

"At the Borderlands, all I knew was that I was teaching you to grow up to be a magnificent, virtuous, and elegant lady. King Tobba never communicated to me specifically that he had intentions to send you to Furia as a spy. He lied to me by stating it was a marriage of alliance that was taking place between Huticah and Nevoria," Queen Elora explained. "But over a period of time did I realise I was being lied to, and by that time it was too late."

Oren knew Elora for a short period of time, so never had he seen his daughter's eyes filled with indignancy and anger.

"That does not excuse the fact that you failed to present yourself so I would get to know you."

"I did present myself to you."

"As my mistress, yes, but you did not want me to be aware that you were my mother."

"It was easier that way."

"How?" Elora's brows frowned as she was getting agitated. "Nothing was easy. You ruined my life. I was raised by a man who hated me, so I was basically the same as orphaned." Her next words were aggressively sneered. "Do you know how much Huticah hated me? They would call me names and I would get shamed at the first opportunity they got. You left me to leave a life of survival!"

Oren tensed, absolutely heartbroken that his child lived such a gruesome life. If only he had known of her existence, he would give up his life to ensure she grew up loved, safe and protected. He could not help but feel mistreated on behalf of Elora.

"You are entitled to feel that way. I would feel the same as well. However, only after you have sat on the throne and taken difficult decisions, felt the weight of the crown, would you understand why some things did I do them that way."

"I will never sit on that throne, so do not expect my forgiveness to ever come because I will never understand you and do I wish to understand."

Oren felt the atmosphere become chillier. Queen Elora was displeased.

"There is no one to become the next queen but you. It is duty, and you cannot refuse duty."

"Duty to a nation that did not raise me? If anything, Huticah is the only nation I would owe."

"Elora!" Queen Elora rebuked.

Elora's eyes flared at her mother daringly. "You thought you would not need me when you abandoned me, since you had another daughter. Isn't it? Now that the tables have turned, you are grappling for my forgiveness and selling the painting of a 'happy family' to me. I will not fall for it!"

Oren could not help smirking through the tense situation. Elora was indeed her mother's daughter. They were a match. No one would dare stand up to her like that.

Elora turned her cold stare to him, which had his spine straightening. "When did you find out you were my father?"

He cleared his throat. "When you were ill at the Blacksword Academy."

"Why did you not tell me, then?"

"We thought it would be wise to do it together, I and your mother."

Elora's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Were you not angry at her for keeping it from you?"