Chapter 18 - Knight

"Okay let's do this for Ash!" I said as I entered father's office, mother and father both were looking at some documents and for some reason, the surrounding felt very tense between them. Maybe it's about our other relatives....to think that we have to fight with our blood...

"Father mother Are you busy?" I asked as I came inside.

" Not at all...but why are you here?" Mother asked as she put the documents inside the shelf.

"Well, I wanted to talk with both of you," I said.

"Talk??" Father asked.

"Yeah...umm..actually it's about Ash," I said as I scratched the back of my neck.

"Ash, what's wrong with him?" Mother asked in a worried tone.

"There isn't anything wrong with him but there is something he wants to do..." I said as I smiled towards them.

"And what is that?"Father asked.

"He...He wants to become a knight!" I said with all the courage left in my body.

"Knight!!??" Both of them said in a surprised tone.

And both of them looked at each other with a confused expression but soon they became serious,

"This can't happen," Father said.

"Yes, I can't agree with it too." Mother said.

"But why?? Ash is really serious about it!" I said.

"Irene is just a kid his dreams will change with the upcoming years." Mother said.

"Furthermore his health won't allow him to do it either, so it would be better to not dream of things that can't happen, "Father said in a serious tone.

"How can both of you say it like that!"I said with disappointment.

"Irene you must understand it better than your brother...so why instead of opposing it why are you appreciating him," Mother asked as she raised her eyebrows.

"I opposed it too.... but you didn't the shine he had in his eyes when he talked about being a knight, I never saw that shine in his eyes before even though we have been together since birth that was the first time when he was passionate and so determined about something....so how could I say no to him and destroy his dream. Even though he may not be able to reach it but at least he won't regret it later in his life and I feel that's the most important.

Furthermore..... Ash wants to follow Grandfather's footsteps, he wants people to remember the one's war hero who was from the winter family. He wants to become like grandfather so I don't see anything wrong in it." I explained to them, and once again there was silence in the room.

"Who told you about Father?" Father asked.

"Uncle Leal did, he told us about our family history so now we know it all....except the incident that happened before the succession ceremony. Since it's something daddy must tell us yourself." I said as I rose up from my seat and went towards the door.

"And Daddy even though both of you taught us to 'listen to everyone but trust no one' we never applied that on you," I said as I went outside the room banging the door.

I hope they understand now and spill the beans soon....no matter what the truth is I want to know it as fast as possible!

Meanwhile in the office,

"Ha...looks like our kids have grown up now," Raymond said

"Yeah you are right, there is nothing that we can hide from them," Melissa said as she opened the shelf and took out the document she kept in after Irene came.

"So Are you sure that we can do this now?" Melissa said as she handed out the file to Raymond.

"Yes, it was fine as long as it was me but now even my children's are getting involved in it. Now I can't stay quiet anymore." Raymond said as he thought about Irene and Ash and their colourless faces when they heard about his talk with Lilith.

"Then let's do this! But before that shouldn't you tell the truth to the children...I bet they are going through a lot during this time."Melissa said as she held Raymond's hand.

"I guess...you are right!" Raymond said as he smiled towards her.

Back to Irene,

I went back to my room after giving all that speech to my parents...Ha it's all for Ash but somewhere in my heart I wanted to tell them that I have faith in them....and that is why I wanted Father to give us an explanation...but I guess his silence was his way of protecting us.

*sigh* but it is still such an irony that the winter family got destroyed because of their own family members....but now that I have found out about the reason for the downfall of the winter family all that is left to do is somehow prevent it from happening but how...I don't even know the full story so how?

"Ha...I don't know anymore...." I said as I lay down on my bed.

"But if I save my family from the downfall won't my role from this novel end too....because the main reason Irene got involved in this novel was because of her families downfall and Ash's health so if both of the problems got to sort out then won't this be the end of her character....then...I will be free...right...That's a good thing...but why does thinking about it makes me feel so empty..." I murmured as I looked at the ceiling it had a painting of a group of people dancing together. Which reminded me of the summer carnival, and the crown prince smile and his words 'You must do what you like too'.

"I must be sick..." I said before covering myself with the blanket as I could feel my cheeks getting warmer. Irene comes back to your senses he is just 11 whereas you are 26 mentally, I thought as I tossed around my bed.

Now that I think about it, that night he said he would take care of the Lady Gray I wonder what he meant by that??

Meanwhile in the palace,

"Did you do what I said?" Crown Prince asked in a cold voice as he welded his wooden sword.

"Yes, according to your Highness command Gray's family was ripped off their noble title and banished to the northern kingdom." A knight with purple hair covering his left eye said as he bowed towards him.

"Good job, people who use the empire money in harming others and who can't control their mouths can regret in the death-like cold northern kingdom for the rest of their life." The crown prince said as he wiped off his sweat.

"I agree your highness but girls don't like boys who are hot-tempered." The knight said straightforwardly.

"What...What are you talking about!!" The crown prince said as his cheeks got redder.

"Well think of that as a advice." The knight said as he looked at him with black eyes. ( only the right one)

"Ha...Ethan can I ever win against you.." Crown Prince said as he signed.

"You have to become stronger and sharper for that." The knight said with a poker face.

"OH, you mean like this." The crown prince said as he brought his wooden sword near Ethan's neck.. Ethan flinched for a second and with a slight curve in his lips, he said "Yes just like this."