Chapter 110 - I will Kneel and Beg for Forgiveness

The guard ran to his companions and left Vaughn kneeling in front of the gate. Vaughn was already too exhausted and thirsty as he tried to maintain his kneeling position. He could not allow himself to fall at a crucial moment. He remembered his reply to his grandfather.

"What an absurd custom, I'm the Crown Prince of Tissuria! I can tell her I'm sorry, but I will never kneel and beg for forgiveness even if it's Zenia Anisen. I may accommodate her whims and requests and provide her with everything, but I will never beg and kneel before her. The most I can do is to give her and her family a form of compensation."

It was laughable when he thought about it. When he thought that he would lose her, he wanted to beg for mercy right then and there. He did not care about his status. All he thought about was that Zenia was his wife, and he was her husband. He wanted to walk side by side with her on equal footing.

"Brothers, I better hurry to my wife's maternal home. I think I can still win her back. I know now what to do." The guard was beaming as he told that to his companions.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Kneel in front of her maternal home and beg for forgiveness."

"Will that work?"

"See that man, over there? He told me that we had that kind of tradition in Ishelon. He must be the husband of the Young Miss. Maybe that tradition is already old that we no longer practice it, but he did his research."

"If that man is the Young Miss' husband, wouldn't he be the Crown Prince of Tissuria? Where are his aides and guards?"

"Do you think that our Young Miss married two men? Of course, he's the Crown Prince! The Commander must be punishing him, so let him kneel there for a while."

"So, brothers, I'm off now. Please tell the Commander that I have a life and death situation to take care of. When I succeed, I will let all of you know the outcome."

Vaughn could vaguely hear what the men were discussing as he tried hard not to fall asleep. His vision was getting blurry, and his throat was drying up quickly.

* * * * *

"So Crown Princess, what do you intend to do today?" Ruvin asked Zekiah, who was reading when there were only the two of them in the room.

He followed Vaughn's instruction that he should sleep together with the Crown Princess in the same room during the night. Zekiah told him to sleep on the couch. Ruvin could do nothing since the true Crown Princess ordered him.

Ruvin had no idea that Zekiah was posing as Zenia. Zekiah knew that Ruvin was only a Crown Prince stand-in. He did not ask where the real Crown Prince went, but he had a good guess. Among the Anisen siblings, Zekiah was the one who inherited Renaria's foresight. 

Zekiah also guessed that Zenia already knew it. He was starting to worry that Zenia may have confronted Vaughn already and just hoped that both of them were fine. He feared that Zenia might have accidentally killed the Crown Prince of Tissuria due to her sudden burst of anger.

"Just do your part and don't bother me." Zekiah resumed his reading and did not bother with Ruvin anymore.

Ruvin tried to suppress his anger. He was just trying to have a normal conversation with the Crown Princess, but she was being difficult. He would be willing to be stepped on if she was a beauty, but she was not. Ruvin could not understand where the Crown Princess got her confidence to act that way.

In the end, Ruvin decided to check the ongoing renovations. He asked Harnen secretly about any news regarding Vaughn and his new guard. Harnen was surprised but did not tell Ruvin anything. He knew that the Crown Prince must've intentionally concealed the truth from Ruvin about the Crown Princess. Redivo may have also thought that Ruvin might only pester him more if he divulged some information about Zenia.

Through the years, Harnen was able to develop the art of sealing his mouth and telling a lie to other people when necessary. He could never win against the Crown Prince and Princess when it involved telling a lie. The Crown Prince or Princess could easily detect that he was faking it.

"How about the spies here, did they send any report to the Ninth Prince?"

"They are lazing around and reported that everything is normal. They did not suspect anything at all."

"It's a good thing that the spies that the Ninth Prince put here are not so smart."

* * * * *

Zander and Ovid received a report that Vaughn was kneeling at the front gates of the Anisen Manor, and the guards did not notify Renaria or Zenia.

"Let him kneel there."

"Is it a custom in Tissuria?" Ovid asked Zander out of curiosity.

"I'm not sure. It's the first time I heard of it."

"Commander, Ilya wanted us to tell you that he has a life and death situation and will try one of our old customs. He would try to beg his wife for forgiveness and will kneel in front of her maternal home."

Ovid and Zander looked at each other. They were not aware that Ishelon had such a custom of begging the wife for forgiveness. They both shrugged their shoulders. The revival of the old custom could be a good thing for all of them.

The sky began to turn dark, and Vaughn was still kneeling outside. He did not complain even once. His silver steed was grazing earlier and had his fill. 

Renaria went out at an earlier time than usual to instruct the servants to light up the gates and the path to the Anisen Manor for Ovid and Zander's return. She noticed that someone was kneeling at the front gates. The man looked so tired and totally drained, but he kept kneeling there.

"Who is that man? What is he doing in front of our manor?"

"Reporting to Madam, it's the husband of the Young Miss."

"Husband?" Renaria's eyes widened and instructed a maid to fetch Zenia quickly.

The maid did not waste time and tugged on Zenia's sleeve the moment she found her.

"What is it, mother?" Zenia came running because the maid told her that it was urgent.

"Look over there" Renaria pointed at Vaughn's direction.

Zenia saw that her husband was almost lifeless.

"Quickly help him up and bring him to a room." Zenia's loud voice reverberated and the guards and servants panicked.

They rarely heard their Young Miss use that tone. They quickly helped Vaughn up and carried him inside the Anisen Manor. 

"Zenzen…" Vaughn's voice was faint, but Zenia heard it.

"You will be okay, you can rest now." 

"Hmm," Vaughn closed his eyes when he heard Zenia's voice.

The servants were quick on their feet as they prepared a room and helped Vaughn to rest. Zenia prepared a comfortable shirt and pants for Vaughn. She got those from Zander's closet. She told the steward to attend to Vaughn.

Zenia went outside to interrogate the guards.

"Why did no one report anything to us? Who told you to let him kneel outside?"

"Young Miss, he told us that he would kneel outside until you forgive him and the Commander said just let him."

Zenia's face darkened.

'So it's Big Brother who meddled.'

"Get back to your posts."

Zenia marched back into the manor and reported everything to her mother.

"So it's Zander who said to let him kneel outside?"

"Yes, mother."

"What about your father? I'm sure he gave his consent." Renaria snorted, and Zenia feared that there might be a bloodbath later.