Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 85 – A Constant Blame (2) 

But soon, self consciousness sinked in and she was well aware that could be only an excuse. Max however, could not say a word and she felt her face grow white by the second.

“I-I didn’t know he was going to take me to the castle,” Max whispered as if it was an afterthought.

“The knights who went to the Castle Croix to take you were treated badly.” Ruth told her in his still dull tone, as she uttered in a faint voice.

“I-I haven’t h-heard.”

“Didn’t you think that you would come to Anatol with the knights of Croix?” Ruth asked her, the intensity of his voice making her flinch.

She couldn’t say that there were no one to accompany her on that journey, nor could she deny that her father would not allow for her to travel a long way there. Max could not even argue with him that even the idea of visiting her husband was impossible for her.

In the end, she couldn’t find anything to say that would seem reasonable to him, and something he would accept,  so, she shook her head instead. Ruth shrugged beside her as if the issue was of no consequence.

“There’s no point in looking back on what’s already gone. No matter how the knights treated you, the fact that you are the wife of Lord Calypse remains unchanged. Don’t mind what they do or say unless they become too rude,” Ruth told her and Max meekly nodded.

Whether it was an act meant to provide Max comfort or to further irate her, the wizard had already stood up from his seat and said his parting words.

“Then, I believe you’ll come to the library to help me soon.” He told her, and Max responded by nodding feebly at his indifferent attitude.

With that, the wizard paid his respects and went out of the great hall while stretching his shoulders. Max remained behind, as slowly the others began to file out of the room, soon leaving her alone in the room.

By now her soup had already gone cold and unappetizing but Max still stirred it aimlessly, round and round the bowl in an unending circle. She felt like she was in a very lonely and anxious situation with no way out.

Maybe other people were feeling the same way as she was. Perhaps her reputation as the wife, who had pushed promising knights to their deaths and caused faithful allies to turn away from her husband, was what she will forever be known as, and now, Max thought that they might be thinking of her only as a pampered mistress now that she was showered with Riftan’s riches.

Her mind then went back to the time wherein she was blatantly ridiculed by the man named Rob Midahas in front of the gate, and in front of her own people… this memory still served to break even the slightest confidence she has managed to build up over the past few weeks. Everything had faltered badly in one instance.

Would Anatol’s residents be proud of their hostess who showed such a pathetic face?

She couldn’t stand the melancholy feelings inside her heart any longer and Max finally gave up and stopped eating her food. She turned to leave and went out of the restaurant in silence.

“Madam!” Max turned around to look at the source of the voice. Perhaps her precarious mood was too much that Rodrigo was able to spot her walking across the hall. His polite voice came to greet her from behind, and so she stopped walking and waited for the older man to come close to her.

Rodrigo was walking through the gate with a large box in his arms.

“The Lord has commanded me to ask you that you go to him,” he then told her while shifting the box in his hands.

Max looked at him in surprise. “I-I heard he went to the north gate.”

“He just came back and is now in the garde-” Rodrigo responded.

Max started to run out of the door before his words were over. As she passed the pavilion and stood in front of the stairs, she saw the servants busily carrying luggage in the spacious garden. Her eyes suddenly widened at the sight: there was a huge cart led by five horses, and the servants were constantly taking out small boxes off of it and were carrying them into the castle in delicate movements.

Max passed by them and went down the stairs gingerly. In front of the wagon, Riftan stood talking with two men who seemed to be merchants from the South Continent. He turned his head towards Max when he spotted her.

“Maxi.” He greeted her and Max tried to give him her best smile in reply.

She then quickly hurried towards him, like a puppy called by its master. Riftan smiled faintly and took the horse rein from the merchant and slightly pulled it forward. The mare, so breathtaking that it enchanted the people around, began to walk forward, slowly but gracefully. Finally, Riftan and Max met halfway.

“Here.” Riftan told Max as he gently patted the long, graceful neck of the horse and proffered its rein. Max’s eyes were blankly staring at the creature, unable to read his proposal.

“Don’t you like it?” He asked her again in a slight teasing tone.

“E-Excuse me?” Max replied as she didn’t understand what he meant. He instead, grabbed her hand and forcibly let her hold the rein.

“I said I’ll buy a gift for you when I come back, didn’t I?” Riftan reminded her.

Max glanced at his calm face and then at the meek horse. He pulled her out of her dazed look and led her to touch the horse’s face. She timidly stroked the golden mane with a trembling hand and in response to her touch, the mare gently rubbed her nose in her palm.

“All of my horses are big and ferocious, so I don’t think they’ll suit you. This mare is still young but well trained. So it won’t be hard to handle her.” Riftan told her as he noticed Max warming up to the horse.

“S-so pretty..…” Max breathed, and Riftan smiled contentedly at her reaction.

“Now it’s yours.” Riftan declared.

“I-I’ve never s-seen…. such a wo-wonderful g-gift.” Max told him.

The mare rubbed its face in the palm of her hand with a charming pout. Max mildly stroked its mouth and nose and gazed at the wonderful gift he had given to her once again. The long slender legs and waist, rich golden mane, and clever black eyes were the picturesque mare. The balanced body shape and glossy fur show that it is of an excellent breed.

“C-can I take it…? Really?” Max excitedly asked.

“I said it’s yours.” Riftan assured her and he replied with a slight frown. “No one but you can ride on such a fine fellow.” He added.

The horse squirted its breath vigorously as if it had understood their exchange. Max laughed and stroked its ears.

“Do you like it?” Riftan asked, tilting his head and looking down at her.

“I l-love it.” Max replied. But to be honest she had more than a mere liking towards the horse and so Max decided to give her answer carefully.

“I re-really a-appreciate it… I-I really do.” Max exclaimed after clearing her trembling voice that was filled with emotions, she had wanted to speak more confidently about how much she appreciated the gift.