Chapter 963: Return To Ashland
Initially, Rowena had hoped that eting her mother's side of the family would give her the love and family she was longing for. However, she was quick to realize that it might not be the case. They actually saw her as a stranger.
The only other family she had was her father, but being with him was suffocating.
Maybe it was better to just live alone. Rowena clenched the hem of her dress and murmured, "Uncle, I want to go ho."
"Ho? Where? THIS is your ho," Prince Jadeith said in surprise.
Rowena didn't know where was ho. She had co to realize that ho was not a place, but a person, and none of the people who were dear to her were there anymore. She was alone and lonely and didn't have a ho.
Where should she go?
Tears slowly started rolling down her cheeks. Rowena wiped her tears roughly and pursed her lips. She stubbornly said, "Please take back to my hut. That's my ho. That's where Julian and I build our ho."
"Julian?" Prince Jadeith raised his brows, trying to rember sothing. "Your friend Julian?"
Rowena nodded. "Yeah."
"I just rember that your father is waiting for you to co to him for Julian."
Rowena furrowed her brows at the ntion of her dear friend.
"Why would I co to him?" she asked her uncle. "Julian is in Verona."
"No, he isn't." Prince Jadeith looked at Rowena deeply.
"I thought Julian was already buried," Rowena whispered underneath her breath as she looked up at her uncle, horrified. "I… there was supposed to be a place for Queen Gabrielle and Julian would–"
"Your father, King Draco took the opportunity to take the body away from Verona and back to Ashland." Prince Jadeith explained. "After the ss that occurred all over in that country, your father thought it wise to take it himself and wait for you."
"What? Wait for …? What for?"
"I believed he said that you would like to see Julian one last ti, and that is why he located an ice cave for him to dwell in." Prince Jadeith admitted.
"Why didn't you tell sooner?" Rowena looked up at her uncle, feeling hurt. "I know that you wanted to be here in the elven realm to et my family, but Julian is…"
"My apologies, I did not think that you were ready for it yet and thought that bringing you here first would make you happy," Prince Jadeith said. "Whether you co back after a couple of months or even years–your friend will remain the sa. If anything, it is your father that you need to visit as well."
"Fine, I need to talk with him anyway," Rowena said. "Take back to Ashland, uncle."
"Do you really wish to return?" &
nbsp;
"Yes." Rowena had seen her family in the elven kingdom and they didn't feel any attachnt to them. She wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"Well, maybe after a couple of months—" Prince Jadeith tried to bargain, but Rowena was more stubborn.
"I an now. I wish to return back to Ashland now so I could speak with my father."
Prince Jadeith's eyes widened. "You've barely stayed here for so long–"
"I know, uncle," Rowena said earnestly. "I know that you and perhaps my grandparents are eager to get to know , to see if I'm just like your sister or their daughter. However, I need to go back to my real ho."
Gosh... what did her father do to Julian? Why couldn't he let him rest in peace? Rowena felt like she wanted to kill Draco Roseland.
Prince Jadeith looked at his niece. He rembered the interactions earlier, realized how unhappy she was, and then he slowly nodded.
"Very well, I will take you back — as long as you try to make ti to visit us again… well at least if you are ready," Prince Jadeith smiled briefly.
"Thank you."
***
A portal opened up in the Ashland royal palace while King Draco was dealing with nobility from his land. The sudden appearance of magic stirred the noblen from their discussion, but even more so, of who ca out.
Rowena Roseland stepped out of the portal and bade her uncle goodbye. After three long years of not being in Ashland, she was finally back.
Rowena's gaze lifted up to et her father, she curtsied down among the nobility and cleared her throat to apologize for her intrusion—
"You're finally back, at last, my child." A smile ford on King Draco's face.
It was an expression that surprised many, especially because they've known that he grew temperantal when Rowena left. However, it was Rowena who was most surprised.
"Father… I ca here to talk about Julian–"
King Draco stepped down from his throne and walked over to her. He gently clasped a hand over her face and looked her in the eye.
"Hush now, young one, it's been so long and you've finally returned. You must be exhausted–so I will let you go to your room. Once you are well-rested, then we shall celebrate your return… and then discuss whatever it is that is on your mind."
The way that King Draco kindly addressed Rowena stunned her, it was pretty effective and absolute that she couldn't help but follow his orders and made her way out.
Rowena was going to speak with him later, but as she went out of the throne hall, she was t with familiar faces. Seeing them suddenly brought back so many mories in Rowena's heart.
Knight Jarvis s
tood by the entrance, accompanied by several other guards who took watch over the eting. A smile curled on Rowena's lips, and slight happiness stirred within her.
This man was distant and aloof toward Rowena when he was still working as her bodyguard, but it was much better for Rowena to see a familiar face. This was the man who protected her when she was a child and also turned a blind eye when they found her in one of the port cities of Ashland.
Without Knight Jarvis, Julian and Rowena may not have experienced their adventure. It was why Rowena was happy to see him. However, she noticed sothing amiss. Contrary to the other guards, there was a woman who was with Knight Jarvis.
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