SHATTERED REALM: FORGOTTEN ECHOES-Chapter 199: You should never mee thim again. II

"You met Aramith," Henndar confirmed.

Lia nodded.

All traces of his smile disappeared.

He didn’t say another word, waiting for Lia to speak.

Meeting Aramith was not a part of his calculations.

He wasn’t supposed to be there, and that was that.

What’s that Lynnor up to?

"Father..." Lia spoke softly, not rushing her words or thoughts.

"Mozrael was with him too," she tried to sound calm, but his voice was tinged with unmistakable pain.

Kesha’s eye softened. She’d come to share that pain with Lia and knew it very well.

Henndar still said nothing.

"Can’t we let them come back?" Lia forced herself to ask, though she knew the answer too well.

"Lia...the world is cruel. We either choose to survive or get crushed by it. Aramith insulted the authority of me, as King. He—"

Lia suddenly clenched her fists tightly and looked defiantly at Henndar.

"Are you his father or king?"

Henndar frowned, recalling how Aramith had said something similar back then.

This was the first time she’d spoken to him in such a manner.

What’s gotten into you?

"Lia..." Kesha tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but retracted her hand, unsure.

"If we bring him back, everything can go back to normal. I don’t want this..." For the first time in a while, tears streamed down her face.

Her voice trembled.

"You’re not heartless...I know that you’re not..."

"We can call him back...explain everything...Mozrael too...then we—"

"Get your head out of the clouds!"

Henndar’s voice was not too loud as he berated her, but the sudden act silenced Lia. She stared at him, shocked.

Get my...head out of the clouds...?

Her lips trembled. "Wh...what are you saying...?"

Henndar exhaled, looking up, as if he could see the skies above.

"Lia, did he even recognize you? Did Mozrael recognize you?"

Lia’s heart stung. She remembered how protective Aramith was over Mozrael when they met, and how Mozrael looked on in confusion, unable to recognize them. At least Aramith remembered her, but from what Henndar was saying, he expected that...

A bad feeling rose in her heart. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

He didn’t do that. He didn’t try erasing their memories.

Her silence answered his question.

Lia, they won’t even recognize you. And even if they did, do you think Aramith will come back that easily?"

"I..." Nothing came out even when she tried.

Henndar continued. "He left here, accepting his fate. For what he did, death was the punishment he was to receive. If I didn’t banish him..." His voice trailed off, allowing her to continue the thought.

She knew everything he was saying, but a benevolent father like Henndar could at least do something to accept his son. That was his hope.

"He can’t return. Everyone knows he’s not welcome here. Not anymore. And if he tries to, he will be attacked before we even hear of it.

If I force him back, my authority will be questioned."

Lia slumped in her chair, defeated, eyes reddening with the tears that flowed silently.

But Kesha frowned.

She knew how authority as a ruler worked much better than Lia.

Henndar wasn’t lying, but there was something she disagreed with.

With Henndar’s authority alone, no one would question it if he decided to take Aramith back.

He could even say Aramith has learned his lesson after being out for so long.

No ruler could get rid of their only son like that. Her gaze drifted to Hordin.

Even that useless kid hadn’t been rid of by his kingdom, just for the sole reason that he was the only son.

Henndar appeared as a very loving and fun father when he was with them, and she thought he was the type of father to fight the world for his children, yet he easily banished two of them at the smallest chance.

She couldn’t help but wonder if he would do the same to Lia.

It just didn’t make sense.

"....my authority would be questioned."

What did he mean by that?

All the delegates that were present that day were way beneath his notice. They wouldn’t dare defy him, yet he used that as an excuse, contradicting himself.

Her eyes widened slightly.

The contradictions...the excuses...

Then it suddenly clicked.

The word someone used to describe Henndar that day.

Deceiver.

Henndar noticed her gaze but didn’t mind.

"Lia, when a bird learns to fly, it looks for food in the trees. The fact that you saw him at the tournament means he’s found somewhere he can call home. For your own good, you should never meet him again."

Lia’s mind stopped at the last thing he mentioned to see.

What a cruel thing.

Only Kesha knew she couldn’t see.

I wish I’d seen their faces...

She choked on the thought, wiping away the tears, yet they didn’t stop flowing.

She was now bawling her eyes out, a scene that tugged at the heartstrings of all present.

"I... I don’t want this...I hate it...why is it like this...?"

Henndar leaned closer, raising his hand to her face, but Kesha stopped his hand.

"She doesn’t want your pity."

Henndar’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Hordin, now standing at a far corner, found it hard to breathe.

Henndar raised his hand towards Kesha, but then—

Pah!

The sharp sound echoed.

"Don’t touch her!"

Henndar looked incredulously at his hand that had been slapped away by Lia.

She glared furiously at him.

Henndar was stunned for a moment.

"She... sniff...she’s more family to me... sniff...than you! Don’t you dare touch her!"

Lia’s sudden outburst was like cold water poured on Henndar.

Even Kesha was shocked as well. She couldn’t describe the feelings that stirred up within her.

She cherished Lia and knew Lia cherished her as well, but this was way above what she could ever imagine.

To tell her own father that he was not as close or important to her as he was, Kesha didn’t know how to feel about it.

Henndar looked at Kesha, who had only come to stay with them because she was infatuated with Aramith and couldn’t believe that she’d grown to be so important in Lia’s life.

So much so that even he was pushed far aside.

"I don’t like it here, let’s go. I hate that place."

She’d made up her mind. She’ll one day meet Aramith again, whether Henndar liked it or not.

Aramith pushed her away when they met in Yumaris, but she knew very well that he only did that to protect himself and Mozrael, even Lia, too.

And now, listening to Henndar, she agreed with him entirely.

She recalled what Aramith had said about Henndar using them as pawns. Her body trembled slightly.

Kesha hesitated a moment before quickly helping Lia out of the place.

She glanced back one time just before they left, and caught what looked like the faintest trace of a smile on Henndar’s face.

She frowned, not looking away

Deceiver.