Chapter 19 - The Truth

It has been 2 days since I talked with my parents about Ash's wish to become a Knight and today they have called both of us in the drawing-room.

"Sister, do you think they are calling us to announce their decision?" Ash asked as he looked at me.

"Maybe," I said. "I am nervous what if they do not permit me the permission to become a knight!" Ash said as he ruffled his hair. It reminded me of my past life in that time too every time he felt stressed or nervous he would ruffle his hair just like that.

"I don't know about that but just don't you dare blame me if they reject your request. It took me a lot of courage to speak with them, so from my side, I have already done my best, now it all depends on mother and father."I said as I glared at him.

"Okay Okay, I know!" He said with a cheesy smile.

We came near the drawing-room and the doors were closed with no servants nearby, this doesn't look like a simple talk, it's more like a top-secret meeting. I thought as I opened the door.

And there I saw mom and dad sitting on the sofa, and uncle Leal on the chair located on the opposite side.

Both Ash and I looked at each other, uncle noticed our presence and smiled towards us.

"We welcome uncle Leal to our winter residence." both of us bowed towards him.

"Both of you are getting better and better as the days pass by," Uncle said, he seems to be in a good mood today. I thought as I looked at him with confused eyes.

"Ahem, ahem, both of you take a seat!" Father said.

Ash and I did as he said and sat on the small sofa located on the right-hand side of the table.

"Father, why did you call us for?" I asked as I looked at him.

"I thought we need to have a serious talk which is why I called both of you here," Father said in a serious tone.

Serious talk? Is he talking about that...

"Father is it about the request Sister put forward for me the other day," Ash said.

"Yeah, it is.." Father said.

"But before that Ash tell me do you wish to be a knight? You know being a knight means staying away from home, doing hard training, going to wars and unknowns lands." Mother said as she looked at Ash.

"I know all that...I even know that being a knight means killing or being killed but still I want to become a knight!" Ash said with the same eyes as he talked to me. Everyone in the room including me was shocked by his words, No matter how mature a kid is isn't this a bit too much. I thought as I looked at Ash.

"Ash you....why do you suddenly want to become a knight?" Father asked.

"I don't know why but since the day I saw Grandfather's sword on uncle Leal house and heard the stories of his bravery.....I started to feel as if that sword is calling me and it made my heart rush, and since then I made my mind up to become a knight. Furthermore, I don't want to be the one who gets protected always I want to be someone who can protect others. I wish to be reliable." Ash said with determination in his eyes.

There was a pin-drop silence in the room which was broken by my uncle leal, who clapped at Ash speech.

"Ha...looks like you have really made up your mind. Since it's like this I cannot do anything about it, so from tomorrow take training from leal until I get an official tutor for you." Father said.

"Yes...YES, I will thank you a lot, Father." Ash said as he jumped up from his seat with happiness.

I looked at him as I laughed at his silly actions.

"Both of you are so stubborn...but remember if you ever feel like giving up, you can always come back home, so Don't be too hard on yourself. I am saying this to both of you, understand Irene and Ash." Mother said.

"Yes, Mom!!" Both of us said with a smile.

"And Now let's move on to the next topic," Father said and the atmosphere suddenly became more serious.

More or less I already saw this coming but now that it is here I feel nervous, right then Ash held my hand. I guess he is feeling the same as that of me. Now it's the time to hear the truth for once and all.

"I did...not kill your late uncle," Father said as he closed his eyes. Hearing that Ash and I let go of a deep breath. But just hearing that much isn't enough for me, I need to know the whole story.

"Then Father what's the reason behind your silence in this matter? Why are you letting grandaunt and the others blackmail you? And what happened to the late uncle? How did he die?" I asked father in a single breath?

Mother and father looked at me and uncle Leal laughed, "I told you these kids here aren't simple!" uncle Leal said.

"I guess so, well to answer all your questions let me start from the main root...your uncle death. The time we were chosen as the head candidate both of us were quite young around the age of 15 or 16, so we didn't think much about this head position.

One day we went to play in the nearby jungle where we had to cross a bridge to reach the end of the jungle.

The bridge was just made of bamboo sticks and it was rainy season so it was a bit slippery but still, we wanted to take the risk, so without any fear, we walked on that bridge but suddenly he lost his balance and was about to fall but, I somehow held him with all my strength but it was of no use....in the end he let go of my hand with a smile in his face, I still remember his last words to me 'You were a great brother' is what he said." Father explained as he looked at the photo inside his locket, one was of father in his younger days and I guess the other one who looked a bit like father but had different eye colours must have been his brother.

"Then Father till now did you kept silence because you thought yourself as guilty for his death..." I asked as I looked at him.

"Yes...I guess...And I was even more afraid of the fact that my own children might become afraid of me... "He said as he smiled weakly towards us.

My heartfelt stuffy...Father how much painful it must have been for him, seeing your own brother die infront of your eyes.....I don't even want to think about it.....I didn't even think of his pain instead I made him remember memories he must have wanted to forget. Ha, what kind of daughter Am I...I thought as I started to shake and tears rolled down my chin...I feel ashamed of myself.

"Irene, why are you crying?" Father asked as he was startled by my sudden cry.

"Father it must have been painful for you and yet I made you remember all those memories again," I said as I wept.

Ash tighten his grip, I looked at him and he was on the verge of crying too. I guess both of us thought too badly of our only father. We are really bad children.

"Both of you stop crying. The villain here isn't you two." Uncle Leal said as he looked at us.

"Leal is right, stop crying both of you!" Mother said.

"Then who is the villain?" Both Ash and I asked.

"It's Lilith, your grandaunt," Father said with an irritated look on his face.

"Her!!" Ash said.

"Yes, it's her, the day that incident happened She saw it and during that time I was young so she easily manipulated me saying if not for me he would still be alive, she told me that I was his killer. And I believed her and listened to every order she said without questioning her.

But as I grew up I knew that that wasn't the truth so I left her side and started building my own business and family. And now that she has nothing left she wants to blackmail me and take all I have for herself." Father explained.

"Now it all makes sense," I said and Ash nodded.

"But is there any way to stop her?" Ash asked.

"Yes, there is!" Father said as he brought out the documents I saw before in his office.

"This is the file of the lawsuit against them I am sending today," Father said.

"Lawsuit!!" Both Ash and I said as we rose from our seats.. And three of them smiled.