Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 338: The last letter

By the arrival of dusk, she was left with two letters in her hand.

Esme stared at them blankly, unsure of what she wanted to do with them.

When she had opened the first letter, she was unprepared for the revelations that were waiting for her and now she was petrified to know about the truth that the remaining letters held.

Anastasia was not alive and Esme had more or less accepted the truth being presented to her but knowing why her mother was not with her all these years... would it do her any good? Is that what she wanted? Maybe not.

She wanted to get up and leave, never to look back at the letters lying in front of her.

But curiosity was a beast. It did not matter what she wanted. She knew she could not abandon things, not at the juncture she was in.

Esme inhaled a deep breath and picked up the next letter.

’Rezeph,

It has been months since we last met. I know you are upset about my decision to spend a few more months in Nevesray. But the kingdom needs me right now. I have sacrificed most of my youth for this peace that resides in Nevesray. My brothers are growing up, partaking in the court affairs. It won’t be long before the throne will go back to its true heir and I will come to you with our daughter. Stop behaving like a child and respond to my letters. I will come find you where you are.

Anastasia.’

Esme placed the letter down and without wasting another moment, she picked the last letter up.

But she was taken aback the moment she glanced at the letter in her hand.

Because the handwriting was different, even foreign to her and the person who wrote it was not her mother, but her father.

’My Love,

The day I purposefully stop responding to your letters will be the day I breath my last. I have not been writing back to you because I have found myself a little trouble, a child who needs my guidance. I am aware of the circumstances that have snared you there and I have all my life to wait for you. Do not, ever once, think that I will get tired of waiting for you and our child. The throne of Defire will always await it’s Queen and little Princess. Stay safe on your journey. I will arrange my aides to escort you here.

Rezeph.’

As Esme finished reading it, she looked at it blankly.

The sound of footsteps made her tilt her head as the doors to the King’s chamber opened.

’’That should be the last one,’’ Rezeph’s gaze wandered off to the letter in Esme’s hand. The expression on her face told him that she was bewildered, ’’The day I was able to read all the letters that your mother wrote, I inked that letter for her, despite knowing that she must be on her way to Defire. I asked Elder Hall to take a few people and wait for her at the borders to escort her to me.’’

’’What happened then?’’ Esme’s voice trembled.

’’Before Elder Hall and the rest of them could leave the court, several mers stepped inside to inform me of an intruder whom they tortured to death,’’ Rezeph’s face did not give away a single expression but the loneliness in his eyes made Esme’s heart sink.

’’Why would you give me these letters? You could have talked to me after finishing your duties.’’

’’Duties? You remind me of your mother when I see you believing that I would ever consider anything else more important over you both.’’

Esme’s eyes widened, ’’But they told me...’’

’’They told you that I am being held up by the court affairs. That is because I was unsure how I was going to face you and what should I tell you when we talk.’’

Esme felt a warm palm on the top of her head, "I...’’ her eyes reddened.

Rezeph sighed and stroked her head, ’’The day when I was able to read your mother’s letters and write to her was the day she lost her life after being tortured by my people.’’

A spider weaving it’s web and hopelessly dying getting snared in it. That was how Rezeph had felt.

The only happiness of his life was gone and he was the one who had lent the sword that contributed to her demise.

He had made all those rules to protect the mers from intruders but those were the very same rules that snatched the meaning of his life, ending it forever. And he could not even protect her. When he finally found her, her beautiful face was beyond recognizable and the warmth in her skin was long gone. She was cold, bloodied and for the first time in his life, unresponsive to him.

Never once had Rezeph hated himself more.

A small teardrop fell on Esme’s hands and as she looked at droplet, it did not turn into a pearl, making her realize that those were not her tears.

Esme glanced at Rezeph, and the sight of him broke her heart.

Ever since she met the man, there has never been a day where he had seemed this broken, this vulnerable.

Rezeph closed his eyes. The memories he had buried in some small corner of his heart came rushing to him all of a sudden, assaulting him with emotions that tormented him to the core.

When he felt like he was being suffocated, warmth spread to his body as two soft arms wrapped around him.

Rezeph lowered his gaze and glanced at Esme only to find her holding him tightly. One of her small palms patted his back occasionally as if she was trying her best to comfort him.

Rezeph still remembered the day he went to Nevesray to see Esme. He had stood at a distance and watched her playing with her friends. She smiled and laughed with them and he had found himself smiling along with her until he saw those children leaving and little Esme waved at them till she they were out of her sight.

Once they were gone, she went to sit in front of a pond, looking ay her reflection in a daze. It was almost as if the happiness on her face earlier was just an illusion.

Rezeph could not understand what made her so sad all of a sudden. And the more he looked at her desolate face, the more he had found himself feeling uneasy.

Just as he had taken a step towards her, he heard her whisper.