Chapter Fifty-Four

What happened to my love? Scarlet asked Alless when she noticed the change in him a few minutes after their beautiful time in bed. 

She thought she had been able to drive away the worries with the attention she had given him, but it seems as if whatever was worrying him was not going to just go away. 

"It's okay, my love; I have just been informed that we are needed by both our fathers right away. In fact, that was why I came to the nursery to let you know earlier, before the distraction. You know what I am talking about." Alless laughed as he trailed his sentence off, giving Scarlet's pet nose a tweak. Scarlet smiled. "But it was a good distraction, wasn't it?"

"Yes, of course, my wife. You are the best distraction any man could ever ask for, and I am grateful for it." Bending, he kissed Scarlet's upturned mouth passionately, already getting in the mood. 

"Oh no, you don't, Scarlet said, ending the kiss. We can't keep the fathers waiting. Let's go see what's cooking."  Scarlet stood, dragging Alless with her, and they both padded barefoot and naked to their adjoining bathroom for a quick wash.

In the conclave, there was absolute silence. At both ends of the oval table, there were the two kings, flanked by their guardians. Diego, the chief guard for the Red Moon Clan, stood by Leonardo's right hand, while Edwardo stood close to Antonio, King of the Blue Moon Clan. In the center of the table, there was a prisoner kneeling in chains, guarded by two guardians looking very ferocious—more beasts than humans.

The door to the conclave opened. Alless and Scarlet were ushered in by two guardians, who showed them their assigned seats and left them with a bow.

Alless saw his cousin bound in chains and stopped halfway to his seat. Some unknown emotion flashed in my blue eyes. He felt bad that it had to come to this. He could not believe his cousin, whose brother he grew up with, tried to kill him. How could he? 

He could understand and forgive his jealousy over the inheritance, but his coveting his wife was something he couldn't forgive. His eyes hardened, and some flames began to dance in his eyes. Anyone who tries to take away his wife from him will die, not even if it were his brother.

Scarlet could feel Alless' emotions; she held his hand and squeezed gently, letting him understand that he was still here."Be seated, Prince and Princess; it's time." One guardian, who seemed to be a judge, called for order. From what looked like a television screen on the wall, the man waved his hand, and a video began to play. 

Everything that happened that day in the restaurant was replayed. From when Alless and Edwardo entered the building to the time Antonio and the guardians arrived to save Alless. 

Everything. 

The filthy words that had come out of Lorenzo's mouth about taking over Scarlet and how he had promised to kill him. Lorenzo, at the sound of his voice, looked up, shocked at the damning evidence. 

How had they gotten hold of the evidence, the CCTV? But he had taken care of everything. He began to fidget, looking left and right. He knew he had bitten more than he could chew, but would his uncle really kill him? That damn magician had been so confident that he could get rid of Alless. Where is he now? Here, he was alone. Regret tinged his pale blue eyes, so like Alless’.

"So now, Lorenzo, is everything on the recording true or false?" He was asked by the judge, who remained standing while the video was playing. Lorenzo kept quiet, stubbornly. 

"Answer the question now," Antonio said, infuriated beyond words at the audacity of this nephew he had raised as a son. His eyes blazed with fury and sadness. 

Oh Lucas, I have failed the task you entrusted to me. Forgive me. But I tried, oh, how I tried. I raised them exactly the same way; how did he turn out this way? Antonio wondered in dismay. 

Lorenzo still refused to answer the question until the guardians did something to him, and suddenly, Lorenzo shouted out his answer.  Yes, everything is true. Everything, I did it.' 

At his confirmation, the guardians stopped whatever torture they were giving him, and he suddenly fell down in a helpless heap. Alless and Scarlet looked at Lorenzo, feeling mixed emotions.

Leonardo had been silent all this time. Clearing his throat, he looked at everyone seated.  "Now that Lorenzo has confessed to his crime, I would like to know who the magician is. Where did you find him and who told you about  him?". 

Lorenzo, however, had fallen unconscious, maybe due to fatigue and the torture he had undergone for the past two days. There were no physical injuries to his body. It looked like only his mind had suffered. The guardians had ancient means of torturing a prisoner without even touching him. Antonio and Lorenzo looked at each other and sighed.

"Where is Marilo, Diego? Is she here yet?"

"Yes, my king, I was just informed she was outside, waiting for your summons." Diego responded with a deep bow. Leonardo laughed a hearty laugh. "When had she ever been summoned? Tell her to come in as usual."

Alless and Scarlet were getting uncomfortable. They didn't know what was coming. The last time they heard that name was on their wedding day, and they have not forgotten it. 

Marilo was asked to come in by Diego through telepathy. He just stood where he was without moving a muscle, and just like that, Marilo appeared without the door opening or closing.

As usual, Marilo was dressed in a quaint way, with multiple colors and staff that jingled as she walked. Looking as beautiful as ever, no one would believe that this was the ancient shaman of both clans.

Marilo looked around at the father and bowed. Everyone bowed back, as they had the utmost respect for this little woman whose word was law . "My kings, we meet again after such a long time."

"Ah, Prince and Princess, so happy to see you guys. You look happy. The gods are truly wise. Marriage becomes you." She praised the couple, who looked on with trepidation.

They had no idea what was going to happen in the next few minutes.

"So, King Leonardo, what have you summoned me to? Make it quick. I was playing a very sweet game with my girls when your urgent message came. Marilo asked, looking straight at Leonardo. 

"Quit the nonsense, Marilo. You know why I called you. You always know. Who is this magician, and what do both clans have to do with him? Why is he helping Lorenzo? What revenge is he talking about?" Leonardo asked anyway.

"You really don't remember? Leonardo,Antonio? How can you forget such a thing?" Antonio, Leonardo, and everyone else looked at each other and shook their heads. "I never heard of him before." 

"Of course you wouldn't remember; he was just a little boy when you both were kings,"  Marilo told them. Antonio and Leonardo looked at each other more confused than ever.

"This matter has to do with Prince Alexander and Princess Helena. When you decided to run away long ago, you broke the hearts of many, and the brother of your fiancee, Alexander, swore revenge on all the clans because they refused to honor the agreement. 

"This ultimately led to the death of poor Avery, who pinned for you after your death until she died too tragically. She made her brother James swear on her dead bed to seek revenge on all the generations of the royal clans for generations to come." Marilo concluded.

Everyone in the hall was shocked at the revelation, especially Alless and Scarlet, who looked at each other suddenly, afraid for their children. What will this hatred do to them? Will it never end? 

Scarlet and Alless held each other's hands, holding their breaths, waiting for more revelations. What next?