Chapter 47: A Deeper Grave

It was one of the darkest days in the East Castle. I could smell the sorrow in the air and hear the sadness in the hallways. I didn't know how they handled the times when I was captured by the pirates. But this day was definitely one of the saddest.

My mother refused to leave her room. She wouldn't talk to anyone, not even me. She just cried in her bed and slept without touching her food. She was a complete mess and I wished I could do just that. Wallowing was easier than braving the day and seeing my father in his coffin, looking so peaceful while being surrounded with fresh flowers and scented candles. My chest tightened as I remembered the times I spent with him – when I was under his protection and he would do anything to keep me safe. I regretted the times when we had misunderstandings and I had to be hard-headed just to get what I wanted. I felt sorry for the times that we weren't together.

Tarnus never left my side the day we received the news. He just stayed with me continuously asking if I was alright which I would assure that I was just fine. But we both knew that we couldn't stay that way for a longer time. My heart was mourning; filled with pain and regrets but I couldn't cry. Not yet. The East Castle needed supervision and Tarnus handled the security of the East Land. Later that day, I wore the long, black dress that was immediately prepared for me by the servants and received the visitors by the entrance. I also made sure that guest rooms were arranged for the council members of the East Land and relatives who would be staying in the castle to help us manage the funeral wake.

General Amir Kaveera and his family arrived and expressed their condolences. I remembered him as one of those people who welcomed me back to the Mainland when the marines of the West Land saved me from the pirates.

"I would make sure that the South Land would help in finding the men behind the assassination of your father," he promised.

I thanked him politely. We probably didn't have a good first meeting but I knew that he's capable of what he was promising. After all, we needed all the help we could get at the moment.

One of the council members saw him and they immediately engaged in a conversation I was not interested in. I continued receiving the visitors until I had to take a break and drink a cup of tea in one of the empty rooms. It was one of those places where I used to study painting; where my father would find me and criticize my works. He would suggest weird stuff and that I should get a better subject. And then we would laugh together as he sat on a stool and pretend that he was a still model. That was when I was fourteen. If I had known that I would lose him six years later, I would have stayed longer by his side. I would have painted him on hundreds of canvasses and hanged them on the walls of the castle so that I wouldn't forget him – so I wouldn't feel that he wasn't there anymore.

I looked around the room taking in the paints, brushes and canvasses that were placed neatly in their corners waiting to be touched again. It was once full of burning passion, conversation, and laughter. But now, it felt so sad and empty. It was like the whole castle had its own soul and was mourning over the death of its owner.

Soft knocks on the door caught my attention and I turned to see a servant bringing my tea and setting it on a table near the window.

"My lady, the Frost Family from the North Land has arrived," the servant announced.

"I'll see them in a moment," I answered.

"Would you mind if you see me now?" a familiar voice said from the door. I glanced towards it and saw Lord Boris Frost standing in his immaculate beauty by the door way. He certainly looked like a prince of snow because of the white coat he was wearing and the platinum blonde hair that seemed to glow from the light of the room.

"Lord Boris," I acknowledged him.

I motioned for the servant to leave us after she set the tea pot and the cups. I invited him to sit with me for a cup of tea in which he immediately obliged. He stared at me with scrutiny as if he was just seeing me for the first time. I cleared my throat and looked at him pointedly.

"I'm sure you're aware that staring is rude."

He didn't seem to be caught off-guard with my accusation. He still wore his serious and confident expression as he examined me.

"And I'm pretty sure that this is the exact time where people show emotions and express their agony through tears. For if they don't and just keep it all in, they will explode in an unexpected places, in the most uncomfortable situation. And I don't want you to undergo the same thing."

I hated the truth in his words. I hated the sudden need to throw myself against him and cry in his arms. And I hated that I just couldn't do the exact thing at the moment. I couldn't let my guards down. Not when my family was in a fragile state.

"I have a lot of things to deal with at the moment. I'm too busy that I need to put aside my emotions for another time."

I felt like a lamb surrounded by wolves. If I let my guard down, the people who wanted me dead would devour me. They would eat me whole until nothing was left in me. They took my father first; I was scared of what they would be taking next.

Lord Boris showed support and kindness towards me. He didn't express any bad intention ever since we met. And that was what scared me. I could only see him in bright lights. What could he be in the darkness?

"I understand if you don't trust me at the moment. We only met for the first time when you decided to attend a conference in the North Castle. And the day after that, I gave you a proposition in which you declined. I just want you to know that I have nothing to gain from all of these if you think that I'm one of your enemies. I don't even feel romantic feelings towards you. But certainly, I don't hate you. I get rid of my emotions when it comes to making decisions. That's how I keep things right. And right now, I think that it is only right to help you. And maybe, taking your side also means that the bond between our lands will be strengthened."

"Only for the sake of our lands..." It was a conclusion of what could possibly be his purpose of helping me.

"I call it an investment. A risky one if I may say," he answered.

I wanted to laugh at how he was saying his words in a serious tone; like he didn't feel anything at all – like everything he did was only a result of his critical thinking. But instead, I smiled at him ruefully and touched his smooth, porcelain hand that was resting on the table wondering if I could get a part of his strength by doing it.

"If what you're saying is true, then I am grateful. But I've been in difficult situations when I was with the pirates. I witnessed a sea tainted of blood and dead people. You might see me as a fragile one, but I believe that I'm tougher than what I appear to be. I won't be sitting in the castle weakly waiting for my enemy's attacks."

There was a glint of surprise in his eyes which was also gone in a flash. He looked at me like I had just said something ridiculous.

"Oh, you don't understand, Lady Primrose. I don't see you as a weak little thing. On the contrary, I'm seeing you as a powerful woman who is capable of doing great things."

I probed the truth in his words by looking in his eyes. And even though it was mostly void with emotions, I could still see a hint of sincerity in those orbs.

"I – I am lost for words," I stuttered.

He let out a smile when he saw the light shade of pink that tinted my cheeks. I could feel my face started to heat at the attention he was giving me.

"However, I believe that whatever strength you have will not give you enough time for what's coming. The death of the head of the Crimson family is just the beginning."

The blush on my cheeks slowly faded and was replaced by confusion. I never really thought of the huge effect of my father's death to my family and the East Land. I have to know what's coming to me.

"What do you mean by my father's death as just the beginning?" I asked, still sounding confused.

"Now that Lord Caleb Crimson is dead, the East Land becomes fragile. There will be imbalance in the distribution of power between the four lands. The Crimsons will lose the trust of the people to properly govern the East Land. And aside from that, I don't think you made a good impression to the other rulers by inviting the pirates to your grounds. Such act made them doubtful of your future decisions."

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of what he was saying. However, I was also aware of the possibility to all the things I've heard. My mind immediately thought of all the measures I had to take to counter any attacks on my family. Now that my father's dead and my mother was on a fragile state, I had to protect the Crimson. I had to defend the East Land.

"Well, it seems like I'm going on a subtle war wherein I must dodge indirect attacks."

I tried to remain calm in front of Lord Boris. I must not show my weakness in front of anyone specifically in this situation. After all, showing one's weakness is fatal.

"I'm afraid that is exactly what is going to happen. But Lady Primrose, I want you to know that I'm on your side in this one."

Lord Boris' clear announcement of taking my side warmed me. If I wasn't mistaken, his father, Lord Emmanuel Frost, didn't completely approve of my decision about the pirates. I also rejected his proposal to marry him for the sake of our lands. It made me wonder about his real intention.

I looked at him questioningly and sceptically. He just shrugged his shoulders and said, "You can say that there's too much coldness in me brought by the North Land that I'm craving for a little warmth. I'll always side with you, little fire."

I had to admit that his words made my heart skipped a beat. It made me think of a possibility for the two of us. But ofcourse, I didn't tell him about it. I just gave him a grateful smile as we both sipped on our teas.

The moment we put our cups on the table was also the exact time the door to the room opened. We both turned to it as a servant revealed herself.

"I apologize for the interruption my lady, my lord, but the Weston Family has a arrived."

I wanted to roll my eyes by the way the family of the West made their entrance. But I had to hide it as such act may show childishness and might make Lord Boris withdraw his support on me. I couldn't ruin it now, can I?"

We rose to our feet deciding to greet the new visitors. I had to remain civil as a respect to my late father. However, the servant spoke again as if her announcement was too important to set aside.

"The rulers of the Mainland are in the meeting room already, my lady. They are requesting for your and Lord Boris' presence."

I gritted my teeth in anger as I realized what was about to happen. Lord Boris was right; it was just the beginning. They didn't waste time making actions about my father's death. I felt Lord Boris' hand on my shoulder patted me gently; assuring that he would be with me. I relaxed a little and tried to compose myself. I nodded to the servant and we followed her to the halls of the castle.

The coldness and silence in the wide meeting room of the East Castle added to the heavy atmosphere of the place. I had a hard time breathing the moment I entered the room. Lord Boris' gentle hand on my back encouraged me to move forward and face the rulers. They all looked at me as the only ruler of the East Land present at the meeting. They looked at me like I was a fragile little thing; easy to scare and step on.

They all stood from their seats to greet us. I nodded and regarded them formally as we all took our places at the long table.

"Welcome to the East Castle, ladies and gentlemen. You may all take your seats."

I gave them a short casual smile as they all sat on their chairs. I remained standing, waiting to have all the attention back at me.

"I want to believe that the purpose of your visit is to pay respect to the dead ruler of the East Land. However, the way we are eyeing each other shows me otherwise."

My clear statement caused discomfort to the people in the meeting room. They weren't expecting that I would be the one to light the fire and start burning them. They flinched and squirmed on their seats waiting for someone to answer me.

It was Lord Magnus Weston of the West Land who spoke first. He seemed to not be affected at all by my accusation. He regarded me with the same confidence and authority he always had. He had his way of making people feel small compared to him. But I remained my straight posture and refused to be intimidated. Whether he disliked the reaction he got from me, he didn't show it. He was like a wolf observing a lone prey before attacking.

"We are deeply saddened by what happened to Lord Caleb. I promise you that we will get those people behind this crime," he said in a casual tone.

I knew he would say that. And maybe, he was sincere about it. After all, our families had shared lots of occasions together. We could almost see them as family friends. However, I knew that power and influence in the Mainland are great forces that could break relationships between families, friends, or even between lands. It could probably bend even the strongest human. And I was certain that the relationship our families had built was not strong enough to withstand such immense force. The tie was vulnerable, breakable; I could sense it by the way Lord Magnus was looking at me.

"If this meeting is your way of showing your regrets over my father's death, then you have the most compassionate way of showing it," I answered, words laced with sarcasm.

Lord Magnus realized that I was not in the mood to take any crap. He straightened from his seat and his expression turned serious. He now meant business.

"Lady Primrose, you must understand that your father's death caused a rippling effect in the Mainland. Ruling families are threatened, concerned that the lack of order in the East Land would be the weakness of the Mainland. We don't want those people who plot your father's assassination to think that they can now easily take each one of us since they got one down. We can't allow it to happen again," he formally stated.

He was now regarding me as his equal when it comes to power and authority and not just a hard-headed child who took the place of her father.

"We are trying our hardest to keep the East Land in order despite the head of the Crimson's death. We will not be the weakness of the Mainland. I'll make sure of it," I said pointedly. Regardless of my aversion for this meeting, I still have to convince them to be on my side.

"And how are you going to keep this land in order? By keeping pirates in your territory?" asked Lord Emmanuel Frost. He was still against my decision about the captive pirates. I should have known that these would bite me back soon. The look the other rulers gave me showed their disapproval of the outcome of the conference in the North Castle. They must have heard what happened from their representatives and regretted that they weren't there to stop me.

Lord Boris cleared his throat to get their attention. "I understand that most of us criticize the transferral of the pirates' custody to the East Land. But I don't think we can logically conclude at the moment whether her decision was just a mistake or not. After all, we never really heard of the pirates creating troubles, have we?" he interfered in which he received a glare from Lord Emmanuel.

Aside from his father, Lord Chester Weston also showed his disapproval. "What? Are you playing his knight in shining armour now?" he asked.

Lord Boris didn't take the lame insult seriously. He just crossed his arms and glanced around the room casually, encouraging more sensible arguments than Lord Chester's.

"I've known about the pirates and even though we are against it, we have come to accept it and see where everything goes. Now, can we move on and tackle the purpose of this meeting? I thought we're here in the East castle to pay respect to Lord Caleb. Lord Magnus? Lord Emmanuel? Why did you summon us here?" Lord Kairo Kaveera, the head of the Kaveera family of the South Land, seemed to be impatient beside Genreal Amir Kaveera. He must have disliked the sudden call for this meeting.

Lord Magnus faked a cough as he seeks everyone's attention. All eyes turned in his direction and I couldn't but notice the power and authority emitting from him.

"We are concerned about the East Land and the Crimson family's condition to govern to the territory. Lord Caleb is gone and Lady Adeline is clearly not well at the moment to lead the East Land. We are afraid that the destruction of the Mainland will start on its weakest point. We must fix the imbalance within the four grounds because apparently, that is how we keep the peace in the Mainland," he stated confidently, earning nods from the people in the meeting room.

"We need someone to assist in leading the East Land. If only Lord William is not in critical condition, we can trust him to do the job," Lord Emmanuel seconded.

This ignited the anger I was controlling inside me. I clenched my fists on my side as I regarded them with fury in my eyes.

"Are you implying that I don't have the ability to lead the East Land?" The coldness in my tone showed that I didn't like where the meeting was going.

No one dared to answer me at first. They seemed to weigh the next words they were going to say as I gave them a glimpse of my temper that was trying to escape from the cage inside me.

Lord Magnus seemed to be the only one who was not affected at all. "I always believe in you, my dear Lady Primrose. You are almost a daughter to me. However, we are dealing with our beloved Mainland. And your affiliation with the pirates and the decision you made in the North Castle lessened our confidence in you. I'm afraid that we are all cautious about the judgments you're going to make in the future. We are concerned that you might not prioritize the best for the Mainland."

I shook my head in disbelief. They are mocking my ability as a ruler. They are disrespecting my name in my own castle.

"How dare you insult a Crimson in her own land!" I bellowed as I stood and finally lost my temper. There were only few people who could calm me in this kind of situation and those are my father and Uncle William. But apparently, they weren't in the room to stop me at the moment. "I am Primrose Crimson and I have the blood of a ruler. You can't just summon me in my own castle and disrespect me!"

Surprise and shock from my outburst were painted on their faces. They probably didn't expect that calm and a woman of class like me would show her fangs to everyone in the room. I faltered as I realized my actions. It might not help me with this case. I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and I turned to realize that Lord Boris had stood and came beside me. I let out a deep breath and calm myself before letting my body fall on my chair. I have to clear my head. I wouldn't be able to think efficiently if my mind was clouded with rage.

"This is exactly what we are worried about. You've changed ever since those pirates captured you. I don't think we can trust you!" Lord Emmanuel exclaimed.

"Nonsense!" General Amir Kaveera interrupted. "She is a Crimson and a resident of the Mainland. We can trust her because she is our own." He sighed loudly and looked at me. "However, I don't think you can lead the East Land at your current state. You must be stressed and confused, and your father's death is too much to take in at the moment. You have been into unfortunate tragedies and I have to agree that someone needs to rule the East Land. Temporarily, that is."

I wanted to cry and scream in frustration. They were taking everything away from me. Now that the three lands had agreed to a decision, it would be easy for the council members to discuss and approve it. I couldn't help but feel that I disappointed my father. I lost one of the things that were important to him.

"And what will happen to me and my mother? You can't just throw us away from the East Castle." I gritted my teeth as I imagined us leaving the place we called home for most of our lives.

"No. They can't do that," Lord Boris assured me. "The East Castle was built and founded by your great-grandfather during the war against the rebels. It belongs to your family."

Lord Emmanuel frowned at him. He seemed to disapprove of Lord Boris taking my side.

"The council members will vote for the young rulers who will lead the East Land temporarily. It will serve as a training ground for them to become better rulers for the Mainland. It will be until the Crimson stands and proves itself worthy of the title."

I flinched as they belittled the Crimson. I wonder how my father would react if he was watching all of this. I sighed in defeat as a single tear fell from my eyes. I brushed it off immediately as the rulers started to stand and leave me alone to process what just happened.

It was Lord Magnus who stood lastly from his seat and when the door closed, he stopped beside me and said, "You can still become a ruler and lead the East Land proudly, just like what your father would want you to do. After all, I still believe in your abilities."

I looked up at him questioningly. His calmness upon the situation was gone and all I could see was his coldness. The clever glint in his eyes caused me to be wary of his ulterior motive.

"What? How?" I asked despite of my distrust.

"Marry Lord Chester and you will have your hands in the East Land. Marrying the son of another ruler might prove your loyalty to the Mainland."

No words left me as I stare at him. I was in complete shock. I couldn't believe how the ruler of the West Land could be this manipulative to the point that he would ask for the destruction of another to get to his goal. He surely knew how to turn situations into his favour.

"Tell me your decision tomorrow. You have all night to think about it. Remember that your choices will be the ones you'll make for the East Land," he said and sauntered out of the meeting room leaving me speechless and confused.