Chapter twenty three

Father Nicholas

She pulled away. I could feel the devil just from her stare.

She had a gift just like her sister. This spelled doom for the Kingdom.

"Are you ok?"

She did answer but her looks told a different story. I briefly glanced at Eric. I noticed he wasn't comfortable with me talking to her.

"It's nice meeting you Your Majesty," I said.

"Please don't call me that." She retorted.

How could I blame her? She was being used and what was the use of a title that wouldn't stay on her.

"I understand how sad you are your Ma... Maisy but if I could change Eric I would."

"I don't need help from anyone to fight my battles." She stated and walked out on us.

Rude!

Now alone with the boys, I could really speak my mind.

"We need to talk Eric."

"Sure. Let's head to the study."

Eric led the way and Anthony tagged along but I stopped him.

"Sorry Anthony but just him."

He nodded despite looking hurt, A dogged fighter.

  "Why are we here?" Eric demanded when we got to the study.

I took a seat on one of the armchairs, examining the splendor of the room as I spoke.

"It's about Maisy. She isn't human is she?"

His silence confirmed my suspicion.

"Eric, You know what happened to Tatia and your father right?"

"I do." He muttered solemnly, knowing very well what I was getting at.

"Your father died trying to save Tatia but that didn't save her. I'm concerned about you."

Eric diverted his attention to the bookshelf, picking the book of hunts and placing it on the white oak table before me.

"You don't need to. I can protect myself."

I scrolled through the opened book. He was reading on Chimeras. The same monster that ended King Richard and Tatia alike.

"You think your readings can help you defeat the famed beast that remained undefeated for years."

"I know." He cut in, "But I also read from the Royal scrolls that it was bound before. If it was done, We can do it again."

"Enough!" I slammed my fist into the table, sending the book mid-air.

I stopped seeing how uncomfortable it was to lose my temper.

"I'm sorry but tell me, Eric, Why do want her to stay?"

Eric paced around, unwilling to give me a direct answer.

"Because it's safe here. She has her family and my protection." He answered.

"Really?" I got up and approached him, "You are an incredibly selfish human being my boy. You want to risk your kingdom's safety for this petty thing called love. I didn't offer  to  be your Godfather if you're going to just be stupid."

"What are you saying?" He quizzed, resisting my words of wisdom, "I don't get your games, Father. One minute you are against my marriage of convenience and now you want her out of the Kingdom. Why?"

"I am a man of God, My prince but I'm also human. I give faith but we have to be smart here. Men in power have to make compromises. You'll always make them and when you do, You have to be strong. Maisy is a beautiful and brave woman but what is inside her compromises your future together."

I placed my hands on his shoulder to make my point known more. His expression told me he was taking it all in.

"Now you have to be the King your father wanted you to be."

***

Spencer

  I felt inflated walking in a building that brought so many memories.

The Quinn estate used to be a sight to behold but time had performed irreversible deeds upon the once proud and mighty mansion. The steeple that once could be seen from anywhere in the village owing to its polished glean no longer shined, a rusty relic of ages gone by. Bricks and cement had been eroded away, washing the colors from the once beautiful building. But from within, the magic lived on. Great halls of chandeliers and tables lay stagnant, dusty, yet held the weight of many parties, songs, dances. The floors lay expectant, as if wishing for one last pair of boots to walk by.

"You made it." Mr Quinn paddled towards me unaided.

"It's nice to meet you," I said trying to create a conversation. It was difficult doing something like that remembering some of the things he did to me. I grew up in this house being the child of his housekeeper. He uses to treat me like.his own son until I took an interest in his daughter.

"Does this place remind you of her?" He whizzed, seeing how withdrawn I had become.

"It... Yes..." I stammered.

"I'm sorry." He pleaded, placing his hands on mine reassuringly.

It was a difficult job for me to give him a smile but I did, He needed it. No hate would ever make me forget that.

Lucy came with a tray of tea. She dropped it on the table and left us. The odd glow in her eyes made me wary. For a second, I believed we were being poisoned.

That's how paranoid I could be.

I took my cup and spoke,

"You called me here for a reason I suppose."

"Yes." He replied, taking a sip of the tongue scalding liquid, " It's about the inheritance I plan to leave on to Maisy."

This was good. Now I could mention Maisy's dumb idea.

"Yes... About that..." I began unsure of how I was going to tell him that Maisy didn't want the inheritance. In her words, she would rather be trapped with him than pay for her freedom.

"Oh please, Don't tell me you don't need the money."

"I'm sorry but..."

"I know you can't forgive me, Spencer. I've caused you a lot of pain but trust me I want to make amends. If I don't have enough time to make up for my stupid mistakes. The least I can do is let her leave a good life."

He then dropped the cup of steaming tea and took my hands,

"So I'm begging you, Spencer. Don't take this away from me."

I wasn't the emotional time but he was on the brink of tears. He truly wanted to make amends but this wasn't what I wanted, It was what Maisy wanted. It just hurt that it had to be coming from me.

"I understand Mr Quinn..."

"Don't call me that." He pleaded, "I understand it doesn't sit well with you but if you're okay with it. I'd like it very much if you call me father."

My face wrinkled just hearing him spew those powerful words like they were just a title. That title meant a lot and I would abuse that word. I didn't disagree, I just kept mute when he said when needed to be said.

"I just wanted to say. As much as I admire your will to try and make amends. You have to understand that Maisy believes she can't handle that much— privilege."

It was a tongue twister but I think I nailed it. That way, he wouldn't think Maisy wanted nothing to do with him.

"Oh! I thought so. The estate is quite huge to be managed alone so I thought I'd split it between Maisy and her cousin."

"I'm sorry, What!" I blurted.

Like on cue, Lucy returned with bread in her hands this time and that fake smile plastered to her face. I had a feeling she had a hand on this, I wasn't against her but she was just an Indentured daughter. Her freedom was more than any gift in this world.

She looked and acted a lot like her conniving father, Katherine's adopted brother. The schemer that once wanted the Quinn estate for himself. It wasn't like me to judge people based on how their parents were but I was in Nodith and here the apples don't fall far from the tree.