Chapter 109 - You have a Fault too, Zenzen

Zenia had been staying in the Anisen manor for a day now. Renaria, Ovid, and Zander did not ask her anything. They just lived together like they used to. The father and son were itching to ask Zenia, but Renaria forbade them. They could not go against Renaria.

Zenia remained quiet and only answered when someone asked her. She did not go to the military camp and just stayed home to cook their meals. Zander and Ovid were almost teary-eyed when savoring Zenia's cooking. It seemed like decades when she last cooked for them. It was so good that they could not forget the flavor. But, Zenia wanted to wield swords instead of cooking in the kitchen.

Renaria could not deny that her daughter already surpassed her in terms of cooking. The father and son duo intended to keep her in the Anisen Manor forever. They knew that Vaughn would soon appear. Zander already received a report that they spotted a silver steed in the direction of the Anisen Manor. The silver steed was still slower than Thunderbolt.

Zander also received a report from Johan that they met Zenia the night before, and she gave them a task to retrieve a doc.u.ment from the Ninth Prince's private quarters in Luna Inn. Zander also knew about the cliff and had a hunch that Zenia made Thunderbolt jumped off from the cliff. He smirked when he thought of it. The brat may have been scared to death when he saw it. What he did not know was Thunderbolt and Zenia were able to jump farther than that. It was easy for Thunderbolt and Zenia to clear that distance.

"Mother, can I talk to you?" Zenia asked Renaria who was doing her embroidery.

Renaria stopped what she was doing and put her work on the table. 

"Come here and sit, what do you want to ask?"

Zenia walked to her mother and took her seat. 

"What will you do if Father keeps lying to you even though you have given him lots of time and even gave him hints that he should talk already while you are being good?"

Renaria looked at her daughter and sighed.

"Zenzen, not all people are like you and me or anyone in our household who's straightforward with what we feel. I know you have been patient with him and waited for him to tell you everything, but he still did not. It is possible that he finds it difficult to begin because he does not know how."

Zenia gave her mother a puzzled look.

"Mother, I have seen him do so many things flawlessly. He was so capable and possesses a sharp mind. How could he not get what I'm hinting at?"

"Intelligent people are sometimes slow in understanding basic human emotions and body language. They don't always get what you are trying to say when it does not require exhausting their intelligence. He must've missed what you are hinting at not because he did not want to but because he was confused. Try to understand him more. The Royal Family is not the best one in the world, and you must've seen that already."

"What should I do now, mother? Should I go back?"

"You only need to wait a while and learn to be patient. Besides, didn't you lie to him first?"

"You know that he is Big Brother Vaughn?"

"I just guessed it." Renaria would never ever tell her daughter that she already knew it from the day they met her Big Brother Vaughn in person.

"It was a prank, and I was still a very young girl then. You should not count that." Zenia turned crimson while saying her piece.

"But, you can also regard it as your fault to offset the wrongdoing that he committed. Think of it as you're even. When you love someone, you have to love him unconditionally. Don't love him because of his status, fame, face, name, and other attributes that look attractive or promising. All of these are going to fade in due time. Does it mean your love for that person must fade too? When you love someone, learn to love his flaws and find the beauty in his imperfections. However, it is different when he becomes abusive. When that time comes, regard meeting him as fate, which ran out when you have decided to part ways. You need to part with him to give yourself a new lease on life and move on."

"But it's too painful. He could lie like that, what if he does that again and again and again?"

"Talk to him and tell him the things that are worrying you. Try to work things out. My son-in-law is a good person. I know he will understand if you want him to understand."

Zenia hugged her mother tightly. She was no longer crying, but Renaria knew that her heart was still aching.

Zander already received a report that Vaughn was almost at the Anisen Manor. He instructed his guards not to let him in the manor and not to tell his mother and sister about it. He also instructed all the servants, including Somita and Jena, to keep mum about it. He also told his guards to inform Vaughn that Zenia had nothing to do with Tissuria anymore.

Vaughn was too exhausted for riding almost non-stop. They only rested once and resumed their journey. His eyes renewed their glow when he saw the gates of the Anisen Manor.

A guard immediately went forward to stop him. They had explicit instructions from Zander that Zenia and Renaria must not know that Vaughn had arrived.

"STOP!!"

Vaughn stopped Quicksilver on time.

"Identify yourself."

"I am Vaughn Pernell from Tissuria. I am here to speak with Zenia Anisen."

"Why do you need to speak with our Young Miss. She has nothing to do with Tissuria anymore."

Vaughn's face darkened, but he was also helpless. He remembered what his grandfather told him.

"When worse comes to worst, you need to kneel and beg for forgiveness. They have this custom in Ishelon that a husband should beg his wife to forgive him and to kneel outside her maternal home for days until she forgives him."

He got off his horse and kneeled at the gate.

"I know it is your tradition in Ishelon that a husband should kneel and beg for his wife's forgiveness outside her maternal home. I will kneel here until she forgives me."

The guard was lost for words. He did not know that they had such a tradition in Ishelon.

'Was that the reason why my wife did not forgive me? It's because I did not kneel outside her maternal home and begged for forgiveness? Is it too late if I do that now?'