Chapter 9.5 - Two Lovers Met

On that night of the banquet, everyone was surprised, even some frightened by the sudden blackout. Wondering what just happened, it couldn't be just a mere cut power as it was the Azalia kingdom after all; there must be something wrong, especially happening on the night of the queen.

The people halted in their position, and the king and queen, Anasthasia, she too wondered what just happened. Indeed Dulcan would check everything that nothing would go wrong before the banquet started, but he called his second-hand knight, Robert, in the dark.

While Anasthasia checked everyone and told them that the knights would take care of it, she was about to go to her daughter to check if she was alright, but something caught her attention outside the ballroom halls that led to the palace garden; a figure of a tall man standing.

Anasthasia checked if her eyes were not mistaken, but as he was standing there, dust-blond hair slowly swaying to the cold breeze and sapphirine eyes that reminded her so much of her daughter, staring at her.

She knew then from his unique eyes that she was not mistaken that it was her first love. The man's shadow lost in her eyesight; she hurriedly steps outside the ballroom and into the halls that lead to the garden, following his figure.

As she stepped outside, the chilly wind that night greeted her; the breeze was firm, making her dress dance with the wind along with her platinum white hair while she ran to the palace garden.

Anasthasia halted in the middle of the field, breathing hard, trying to find the man she was looking for; as she stepped back while looking through the shadows, the footsteps of her heels glowed into pale blue, and she noticed the gleaming light.

As the leaves daringly swayed with the breeze, the glowing light turned into a vast azure magical circle that surrounded her gown, burned into blue flames that looked like they were touring around the edges, burning to pieces, making her dress glow amid the darkness. She smiled as she remembered the last time she felt this magic.

It glowed from the bottom to the top; she spun around, closing her eyes with the breeze following her, making her hair lose its style, leaving the curly locks down to her waist. The flame slowly disappeared, leaving a wonderous divergent sparkling blue gown; she stopped spinning around and admired how her dress turned.

This is the third time her dress astonishingly changes its style. She's enchanted by it, mesmerizing by the glowing effect of her dress. Anasthasia felt like she was in her younger self again, "Consider it my last present for you," She paused in her position as she heard that very familiar cold husky voice of his behind her along with the chill wind on her neck.

She looked in front, hesitant to look behind; she was afraid of what she will see; his expression. Anasthasia tried to fight the urge to cry; she held the pendant on her chest tightly before slowly turning around.

There as she gazes at the man standing meters away from her, the man who filled her thoughts every day, the man she longs for, her first mate, her savior, and her first love, "H-Henry," her voice broke as she called his name for the first time in years.

Anasthasia scanned the man in front of her with his built figure wearing a captain's cloth of a pirate and the traces of his face structure, thinking how fast the years went by. He changed a lot, his more manly than the last time he saw him, his dust-blond hair growing a bit that his bangs almost touch the tips of his nose, and his sapphirine gaze that she surely misses every time she looks at her daughter's eyes, just like her father.

She saw how the man had this despised look on his face as he saw her; she couldn't be more hurt than this, watching your love look at you with that loathed expression. Henry has a hint of pain in his sapphire eyes without her knowing, "You've changed a lot, Henry," She said under her breath, almost like a whisper.

Anasthasia nearly couldn't recognize the man in front of her, she almost couldn't, but no matter how much he changed, her heart will never forget and never forget. She slightly smiled; she couldn't be more proud. Estimated of his attire, she guesses he became a pirate captain of a crew he owns after all.

Their relationship was the reason that almost broke Henry's dream of what he is now; becoming a captain. Back then, Anasthasia wanted to give up their feelings just for the sake of Henry, for his status to be stable as a pirate. Pirates' sworn enemies are the royalties, but he dated one and did everything in his power to get that title of a pirate.

Henry couldn't live because Anasthasia was away from him when he reached his dreams, they made a promise, but Anasthasia broke his heart by leaving him on that seaport. He left devastated, "Tsk," She heard him cuss.

After years of longing and pain, they finally meet and face each other's weakness, and both still feel suffered and hurt after seeing together again, "Henry, I-" Anasthasia was about to say a word when Henry cut her off.

"I see that you look delightedly happy," He sarcastically chuckled and looked away, biting his lips. He promised himself before that the memories of Anasthasia would fade eventually after this; he just needed that pendant. She will disappear from his memory forever, just like he wanted.

Anasthasia clenched the pendant around her neck. She can't hold her tears anymore as a single one drops to her cheek, "I," She looks down, afraid to say something unwanted, she wants to say sorry after all these years, but somehow words won't form out from her mouth.

Then Henry spoke, "That was your surprise, ha?" Anasthasia looked up to see what he meant, and like that, she saw how he stared inside the ballroom through the glass windows arch and looked at Henriethasia wandering around her head with her royal blue dress; he didn't clearly see her face as it was dim inside because of the blackout.

Henry's gaze went back to Anasthasia, catching her off guard. This time, Anasthasia couldn't recognize the emotionless expression on his face as he stared at her with nothing more than his twinkle jewel eyes, "You had a child from another man," He stated, gritting his teeth. Seeing the anger rising from his emotionless face, he was more hurt than mad.

Then suddenly, the lights went back inside the ballroom, illuminating the rage look on his blue sapphirine eyes. Anasthasia hesitantly stepped forward to him, "N-No, it's not like that, Henry," Anasthasia stuttered and cried.

"Then what?!" Henry shouted. She flinched; no one would hear his voice as the loud music inside the ballroom came back. It was the first time Henry exclaimed at her as he was very gentle towards her back then; she couldn't help but feel pain in her heart, "What is it all about, Ana?"

"You left me for another man, and you expect me to believe what?!" As the wind starts to move unwillingly, he exclaims. It was not ordinary; Anasthasia knew he was angry as the wind hushed wildly through her, "What is there to believe, Ana? Is there more that I didn't know about?"

The tears that Anasthasia held were all flowing down her cheek, the wind harshly blowing her hair away and dress roughly swaying. She couldn't respond to what Henry said, "You left me on the port waiting for you, but you never came, Ana." His husky voice broke, and a tear fell from his eyes that broke his emotionless face.

"I waited for you. I waited, Ana; where were you?" he whispered as he watched Anasthasia's breakdown crying on the ground. All she ever said was sorry, nothing more. 'I'm sorry, Henry, I'm really sorry. It's for her own safety,' with teary eyes, Anasthasia glanced at her daughter inside the ballroom, wandering her sapphirine eyes around the ballroom as the light returned. 

Henry noticed the jewel figure around Anasthasia's neck and recognized that it was the pendant he was looking for. He then looked at Anasthasia's face full of tears; he hated seeing her cry, hurting her, but she put much pain in him more, and all he felt at that moment was anger. He scoffed, which made Anasthasia look at him, "How ironic, isn't it?" She was confused about what he meant; he pointed to the pendant, which glowed and flowed. 

Anasthasia darted down at the pendant she was wearing as it illuminated her pink eyes. She quickly grabbed it then it stopped glowing; Henry slowly approached and kneeled down before meeting her eyes with his sapphire eyes. "I see that your daughter gifted you the pendant, ha." Anasthasia looked away; she couldn't take his longing eyes; it hurt so bad to look at how much hatred he felt towards her.

Henry's hand made its way to Anasthasia's chin, making her look at him; she felt the warm fingers on her chin, and she tightened the hold of the pendant; Henry noticed this and smirked, "I came here to take the necklace back but looks like you won't give it to me. I want it back, Ana." He demanded, but still, she refused, "Well then," he let go of her, "I had no choice."

He stands up and looks down at her with nothing in his eyes but darkness, "I shall kill your precious daughter," He says with such a cold expression. Then, suddenly, the wind rustles. For a moment, Anasthasia almost forgot that Henry was the cold-blooded pirate. Nevertheless, now a captain, he won't hesitate to kill anyone to get what he wants. But he won't kill his own daughter certainly if he saw those sapphirine eyes of hers. 

Anasthasia can't help but worry. Henry is the kind of person to extinguish someone, even if it's his own mere blood, "No, please," she speaks, which makes Henry look at her again, "You can't do that," She met his darkened eyes, "If you want the necklace, you can have it but in one condition," Anasthasia slowly stand up still clutching the necklace on her chest, she faced the-now more likely calm and interested Henry. The wind slowly returned to its pace; she wiped her tears away as she said the last words, "Meet my daughter."

Henry looks at her rage.  He was mad that Anasthasia could think such a thing. Him meeting her daughter from another man? Henry looks madly furious at her. He would rather kill the latter than meet her. Then, as if Anasthasia knew what he was thinking, she said, "Believe me you won't like to kill her." This makes Henry confused about her words but perks his interest in her daughter. He tries to calm down; Anasthasia is the kind of lady making a deal of something.

Henry looks at her determined face. She really wanted him to meet her daughter. Why? Henry was full of thoughts in his head. Isn't it enough to have another man for her to pain him? But to meet her daughter at that? He hesitated, but he didn't have a choice but deal with her; knowing Anasthasia; she was stubborn until she got what she wanted. Why does she want him to meet her daughter so badly? 

Suddenly, they heard the commotion of royal guards looking for the Queen. They exchanged looks, and Henry slowly stepped backward from her and smirked, "Nice meeting you again, Mi Darlin," He said and bowed. "Happy Birthday," he said as he slowly disappeared into the garden's darkness. Shortly after, Anasthasia felt her legs giving up and made her fall to the ground, and she heard King Dulcan call for her, "Anasthasia!" She didn't hear anything; instead cried so hard.

Anasthasia couldn't take the feeling of seeing her one true love again, and it made her cry so bad, she wanted to hug him, she tried to explain and feel sorry, but she was still so weak of that. So finally, she smiled and whispered, "Until we meet again, Mi darlin'," she wiped her tears before Dulcan could see her crying. When Dulcan arrived, she smiled as if nothing had happened. 

To be continued...