Chapter 308 - I Can Tell You My Wish Now

Odette was still grateful that she still had someone to shelter her after she lost her grandfather. She wondered about how Damien was doing. He was still, after all, the biological son of King Tarendino. She was certain that the most severe punishment that the King of Tissuria would bestow to Damien was banishment. Unlike her, who would surely share the same fate as her grandfather if she was caught by the soldiers of Tissuria or Ishelon back then.

"Bring me a piece of paper and a pen. I would like to write a reply to the King's letter."

Odette was already used to ordering the servants in her villa on the first day that she met them. They were no different than the servants that she had in Tissuria, although they were more hostile toward her than the servants she had in Tissuria. She had one or two loyal servants from Tissuria, but she did not regret leaving them behind. If they were smart, they should've escaped.

She gritted her teeth when she thought of Vaughn and Zenia spending their time together. Her mood turned from bad to worse when she recalled how Vaughn looked at Zenia with deep affection.

When the paper and pen arrived, Odette began writing a letter to King Odhran.

[Your Majesty,

There is only one wish on my mind and that is to be together with the man I love. Can you bring him to me? You must know that he's already married, but I still want him nonetheless. With your power, I'm sure that you can do something about it.

I don't care whatever you decided to do with his wife. You can torture her and have her killed. She caused my suffering, and she deserves to die a gruesome death. She bewitched my beloved and left me with nothing.

If you can grant me this wish, I will be forever grateful to you. I will treat those years of neglect as if they never happened. Think everything carefully, Your Majesty. This is my only wish – I want Vaughn Pernell, the Crown Prince of Tissuria, and no one else.]

Odette read her letter once more. She was satisfied with what she had written and folded the letter. She put it in an envelope and sealed it. She handed the letter to the maid standing next to her.

"Have this delivered to His Majesty and make sure that he receives it. I don't want any of those concubines to get hold of this letter. I will hold you responsible if anyone else learned the content of this letter, especially the First Concubine. I will make sure that none of your family members and relatives will be spared from my wrath."

The maid was trembling when she answered, "Yes, Your Highness. I will personally deliver this letter to His Majesty."

The maid knew that the First Concubine would surely do something once she learned the content of the letter. Even if the maid could open the envelope, she did not know how to read. Odette knew that the servants in her villa could not read and write. King Odhran would not let anyone who knew how to read or write to work as a servant. 

"Go!"

Odette shouted when the maid still stayed rooted in her spot. She was waiting for Odette's other errands. The maid left immediately when Odette told her to go.

Odette smirked. She knew that the maid she sent to deliver her letter was one of First Concubine's spies. She also knew that the First Concubine had three of her spies work as Odette's servants. She saw the maid behind the First Concubine when she visited Odette's villa under the pretense that she was checking the living condition of the King's niece. At the time, she only had two servants with her.

King Odhran wanted to hide the fact that he was keeping someone in one of his secret villas, but it leaked somehow. He had no other choice but to tell his concubines that Odette was his niece who lost her mother, and she came from a faraway kingdom. 

It was easy for the King of Prazia to just deny the leaked information, but he also knew that his concubines would surely keep bothering his daughter unless she had a proper title. He gave her the title of State Princess, the highest rank among the princesses in Prazia. 

The concubines with high ranks expressed their discontent with the King's decision in a subtle way. King Odhran reasoned that he owed Odette's mother so much, and he failed to pay his debt of gratitude to her when she was still alive. It was only right to bestow the highest honor that he was allowed to give to her daughter Odette. It was also King Odhran's way of telling his concubines and children to accept that kind of explanation and not to bother Odette.

The concubines knew that the King was still being lenient, but they should not touch his bottom line. They knew when to retreat and did not bother Odette anymore, except the First Concubine. Odette would often receive a message that the First Concubine would be coming over to visit. It was the First Concubine who suggested adding more servants to her villa so that she could plant her spies. Odette just let the First Concubine do as she pleased. After all, Odette regarded the First Concubine as the enemy that she should watch out for. She must learn as much as she could about the enemy, and the best way to do it was to observe the enemy's demeanor and study her body language.

The First Concubine thought that Odette was beginning to warm up to her. Odette already had a hunch regarding the First Concubine's thoughts. She grinned at the foolishness of the First Concubine. 

Compared to the years of experience dealing with different people, the First Concubine was way ahead of Odette. But, the First Concubine would never match Odette's skill in drafting an evil scheme. She learned a lot from her grandfather the Left Minister.

"Now, Your Majesty, I'm waiting for your favorable reply."

She stood up and went to get her jewelry box. She opened it and picked up the Blood Diamond that Damien had given her. She closed her eyes and smiled. She knew that she would soon see the awakening of the Blood Diamond with the First Concubine as its new owner. 

* * * * *

King Odhran was in his study when Odette's maid reached the Palace of the King. She made sure to avoid the First Concubine and her people. She did not want them to know that she was delivering Odettte's letter without reporting it first to her true master, the First Concubine. 

"Greetings, Your Majesty," the maid uttered when she reached the table of King Odhran.

The guards at the study room's door let the maid in when they saw the seal on the letter. They knew right away that the First Princess was the one who sent the letter. The guards knew that Odette was the first-born child of King Odhran. Their lips were sealed, and no one in the Kingdom of Prazia knew that Princess Odette was not the niece of King Odhran, but his biological daughter.

The maid put the envelope on the table and stood straight while waiting for King Odhran's instruction. She assumed that she should wait for a reply. King Odhran would dismiss her immediately if he would not give any reply.

King Odhran opened the letter and read it. His eyes widened when he read the name of the man that his daughter wanted to marry. He also knew that Vaughn's wife was Ovid Anisen's daughter. He already heard that Zenia Anisen was not ugly and good-for-nothing. The fact that she was Ovid Anisen's daughter was already too much for King Odhran to handle. Ovid Ansien would not let his daughter experience something unpleasant.

He could do something about separating Vaughn from his wife if only he did not marry someone like Zenia Anisen. Her father Ovid Anisen was the War God and that title currently belonged to her older brother Zander Anisen. 

King Odhran felt that his headache was getting worse. He wanted to grant his daughter's wish but how could he? 

"Go back now and tell the State Princess that I will give her a reply in a week. There are a lot of things that I need to take care of first. These things can help me fulfill her wish. I hope she can wait patiently for my reply."

"As you wish, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave now."

King Odhran dismissed the maid, who left the palace in a hurry. She could not tell what might happen when the First Concubine had learned that she was there. She was also curious about the content of the letter, but she was certain that it was Odette's wish. 

The maid boarded the carriage, which she told the coachman to hide somewhere that no one would easily notice. She hoped that no one among the First Concubine's people saw her enter and leave the palace.

* * * * *

Vaughn and Zenia ate their dinner and walked for a bit before they decided to retire for the night. They talked about a lot of things, but they did not touch any topic involving Chief Elder or Master Mardox. 

When they went inside their room, Zenia noticed a doc.u.ment on the table. It was the one inside the envelope that she did not open before. 

"Why is your doc.u.ment on the table? Are you still going to work on it?"

"No, it's already finished. I want to show it to you and ask for your opinion."

Vaughn held Zenia's hand, and they walked together to the table. Vaughn pulled out a chair and made Zenia sit. He gave her the doc.u.ment, and he pulled out another chair to sit next to her.

Zenia began reading the doc.u.ment, and her eyes widened. It contained a detailed analysis of possible strategy or plan of action that the Dark Magic Lord and King Odhran were currently brewing.