THE Knight's Hidden Princess-Chapter 215: The Real Truth

The look in Celeste’s gaze was one that I couldn’t quite shake. This one wasn’t like the usual look of jealousy that she always had in her blue eyes when she stared at me. This one was laced with a curious and almost pitying look but then there was also something sharper and it was one I recognized.

Determination!

I assessed Celeste slowly, she must be up to one of her antics again. "I’m not sure what is that you are getting at but what I’m sure of is that I definitely want to marry Reagan."

"Even if those secrets changes the way you see about him and threaten everything you’ve built?"

Ivana decided to speak up at that moment. "Okay I think we’ve all had enough of this."

"Actually Celeste_" I spoke up and walked closer to her, "Everyone has secrets I’m sure but it’s what we choose to do with them that defines us and if Reagan doesn’t feel comfortable sharing it with me yet, then it must be for good reason."

"But what if he is comfortable sharing it with other people except his own wife, someone like me or even those you call your friends?" Celeste asked, the corner of her lips lifting up into a smile.

My gaze rose up to meet with Ivana who looked tensed and when I turned to look Heather she looked she was halfway into being sucked into something she wanted no part of. Her hands fiddled around some ribbons she had been busy packing, her eyes avoiding mine. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

I ignoring the way my heart thudded in my chest, I glared at Celeste. "Whatever is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh darling, have you ever decided to ask yourself why Reagan decided to marry you?"

"Because he loves her, we already established_"

"Oh shut up Ivana, I’m talking about the real reason, the one we all know." Celeste dismissed Ivana and I could feel a knot in my stomach. "The real reason Reagan agreed to marry you and why he hated you so much?"

The knot in my stomach tightened as Celeste stood waiting for my response. The truth was I had asked myself this question but I had just chalked it up into being my father’s daughter. Reagan may be loyal to my father but there was no denying that he hated him.

I didn’t know the exact reason though. Not like anyone needed that much of a reason to hate him. Hells, I’m his daughter and I hate him too.

"The whole Hawthorne hates you. Marina can’t seem to stand your presence, Miguel hates the very ground you walk on and Adrianna only tolerates you but deep down have you ever asked yourself why?" Celeste asked with a slight tilt of her head, "After all, your father’s sins are not your own, are they?"

Heather stepped forward. "My lady please..."

I realized she was begging Celeste and not me, even Ivana had stood up from where she as sitting, glaring at Celeste as if she might throw a shoe at her if she said any more word.

Now that made me curious.

"And you seem to know this reason?" I asked her.

"Oh, not just me." Celeste nodded at Ivana and Heather, "They all know too."

Based on the way Ivana and Heather avoided my gaze I was going to assume that what Celeste was saying has to be nothing but the truth.

"Know what?" I demanded.

"Celeste that’s enough!" Ivana suddenly spoke loud enough and there was undeniable rage in her eyes.

Celeste brows arched up showing she wasn’t in the slightest intimidated. "Reagan’s father once worked as a knight for your father. He was the best and he conquered many kingdoms, he was also a close friend of your father."

Now, that surprised me. The thought of my father being friends with someone? Celeste said it in a way that seems so genuine and it was surprising because my father never have friends. Loyal subjects and people who kiss his ass out of fear of getting beheaded, yes, but never friends.

"The people loved Sir Orion, Reagan’s father. He was their savior and he was the only one your father listens to because of their relationship. That made the people seek him out and tender their problems to him with the hope that he could be their mouthpiece." Celeste continued, "Seeing this the king began to worry that Sir Orion will have the people’s heart and that made him start to have trust issues. Then one day, the king decided to send Sir Orion to the border but he declined, Marina had just given birth to Adeline at the time so he wanted to stay with her because she had a complicated child birth." She said looking up at me and I felt a bit of pity towards Marina but I didn’t say anything choosing to allow Celeste continue her story.

"The king granted him permission, they were friends after all and Sir Orion thanked him for his understanding but unknown to him, the king had gathered members of his court and accused Sir Orion of treason. That very night, he guards were sent to Sir Orion’s house to slaughter him and his family."

I already knew where this story was going, my whole heart knew where it was going but there was still some part that wished it wasn’t true.

"Sir Orion fought them off of course and he won, he was brave just like Reagan." Celeste said with a small smile, "Thinking the king’s guards were planning an attack on the king next, Sir Orion grabbed his family and they headed to the palace. He demanded an audience with the king to explain the situation but immediately he stepped inside the throne room, he met the blade of the king instead. He died in the hands of his friends and guess who was there to witness it?"

I felt wetness coat my cheeks and I did not realize that I have been crying till I felt the salty taste hit my lips. Glancing up at Celeste who looked like she was enjoying every single moment.

"Reagan." I whispered already knowing the answer but the smile on Celeste’s face was enough to confirm it.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Ivana roared at Celeste already approaching her with clenched hands.

My hand shot out to grasp her wrist before she could move any further. Ivana whirled around to look at me, her eyes softening immediately they met the pain in mine.

"Dahlia..." Ivana breathed out.

The way she stared at me with a look of pity in her eyes confirmed what I wanted to know. She knows what Celeste was talking about. My gaze darted to Heather who now had tears streaming down her face, unable to look at me.

It was all true! I thought, my hand falling away from Ivana as I gazed up at Celeste urging her to continue and she did.

"He was just five years old when he witnessed the brutal murder. Luckily, the king didn’t see him so he was able to escape and a child that young had the sense to quietly lead his mother and siblings out of the palace while carrying the weight of being witness to his father’s death." Celeste said, "That boy grew up with so much hatred for the royal family in his heart but his uncle convinced him to take that hate and focus it somewhere else and that was how he became known as the..."

"Hell hound." I finished for her.

Celeste looked impressed as she paced the room. "Exactly and when the king saw that, he decided to take strong Reagan under his wings having no clue about who he is because Sir Orion never introduced his family to the king. Reagan agreed and when the king proposed that you be married to him, he didn’t like the idea but he went ahead with it anyway."

I already knew what was coming and how the story ends but I was helpless to it and listened anyway.

"You see." Celeste continued a smug look on her face, "The king thinks that your marriage to Reagan makes it so that he is on a tight leash but the truth is that you are the one on a leash because Reagan won’t rest until he wipes every single one of you Westward Scum....Ooomfh!"

Celeste grunted just as Ivana threw a punch at her.

"You bitch!" Celeste roared holding her nose that was now bleeding.

"I told you to keep your fucking mouth shut!" Ivana yelled back.

"My lady?"

Heather called and I turned to look at her. She had a look on her face, one that was filled with pity, sadness and worse, resignation.

"You knew all of these?" I asked her instead.

Heather stepped forward, hands stretched forth. "My lady, how about we..." She paused when I moved backwards away from her hands.

There was a look of hurt in Heather’s gaze but I didn’t care what I cared about was the truth.

Ivana stepped forward again, "Dahlia please...You can’t listen to Celeste."

"So it’s all true then?" I asked with a wry smile on my face and I didn’t need to see anything else.

I turned around and walked out the door, eyes brimming with tears.