Crowns of Heritage

Chapter 9- Revealed

(Rosemary p.o.v)

The blood dripped down my cheek while I stood there stunned. My shirt and shorts were covered in blood. Brent's body laid lifeless on the ground in front of me. I felt like I was going to pass out again, but I remained standing. I looked at Sage who was leaning over vomiting from the site.

Peyton tapped the man on his shoulder and he stood back, letting her get past him. She quickly went to comfort Sage.

Sage slapped Peyton hand and pushed her off, and Peyton stepped back holding her hands up.

“Don't touch me,” Sage shouted out.

Peyton continued holding her hands up, with a sad expression. She looked hurt at Sage's action.

“I understand," Peyton said, stepping away from Sage. “ Please, just know it was for your own good," she stated.

Sage backed up and turned towards the wall, getting ready to hit it.

I could tell her temper was about to explode it was just as bad as mines. I felt kind of bad for the wall.

Peyton walked towards the man and he left and walked towards the bathroom. He came back with two towels and reached it to me.

“Why did you kill him?” I asked, while wiping off the blood.

The man didn't answer and looked at Peyton instead.

“Because'' Peyton answered. “ We didn't want you to learn that your paternal grandfather is the one trying to kill you” she stated.

“Too late for that,” Sage said, still holding onto her stomach and smacking the wall in anger. “Tell us what's going on, no more secrets,” she shouted. And turned to Peyton who was a couple of meters away.

Peyton leaned her head back and sighed. She gestured her hand toward the couch, and started walking towards it.

“Sit down”, she said, “It's a long story”, she continued on saying. She pointed to the man and then to the door.

Sage and I followed her and sat back down on the couch. The man nodded his head and turned to walk out of the room.

“Who is he?” I asked her.

“One of the bodyguards Tia loaned to me, after she contacted me about Brent.

“He put a freaking collar around my neck.”, sage shouted.

Peyton made an awkward expression. “I'll definitely get him to apologize, he had to act in order to be close to yall and relate the information back to me.” she stated.

Sage still wasn't happy about it.

“I think Tia's dead” I said, feeling sad after hearing he was one of Tia's men.

Peyton held her head down for a minute, and then sighed.

“Yes she is” she replied in a sad tone. “But she tried her best to keep you two hidden”, we have no clue Brent would pose as one of her men”. She stated

Sage seemed like she was having a hard time processing her thoughts. She sat there opening and closing her fist.

“Can you tell us about our biological parents? She asked after a moment of silence.

Peyton lifted her head up and nodded.

“Your birth mother's name is Natalie Henrico. She is the daughter of Chief Masiro Henrico, a well known and respected mercenary. The Henrico Clan specializes in assassinations and war. Your mother was the Captain of a special force within the clan,” She stated.

Sage and I gasped and looked at eachother then back at Peyton.

“Your father, the former crown prince of Vanuatu. He was framed for murder of one of the queens. He was exiled from the kingdom.” She stated. “ Your grandfather is King Lincoln Mashah Vanuatu, he's a ruthless king who hates commoners, unfortunately he has no choice but to tolerate them. He wanted you two killed after finding out your mother was pregnant, and her being a commoner made him livid”, she continued on.

“I fled the kingdom with you two after your father was arrested and exiled for murdering a member of the royal family.”

We sat there speechless once again. Sage stood up and started pacing back and forth.

“Is that why you were trying to erase information about us?” She asked, after calming down.

Peyton nodded her head.

“I've been receiving information from inside the kingdom for the past few years, and been trying to keep you two hidden by splitting you up between Nathan and I” she explained to us.

“ But Sarah said my dad is dead,” I said, trying to hold back tears.

She grabbed my hand and rubbed it while trying to comfort me.

“I don't know if it's true or not, I lost contact with him after we both went our separate ways trying to distract the trackers,” she said.

“Trackers?”, I asked.

“Yes, 6 months ago, Nathan and I found out that the king had potentially found you two while his advisor was traveling in Katou, the free nation for diplomatic reasons. I believe he found you in the sports paper, you know your archery championship competition.” she said looking at Sage.

Sage looked puzzled and then tried to remember.

“Remember you took pictures and did that interview?” Peyton asked.

Sage nodded her head.

“Well you look exactly like your father, while Rosemary looks exactly like your mother which is why it was easier to raise you two as friends, since you two look completely opposite of each other. I'm sure he realized it and reported it” she stated.

Sage and I looked at eachother, not knowing what to do or say.

“I still felt helpless not knowing whether or not my dad Nathan was dead or not. I still was angry with that bitch Sarah”, I said.

Peyton grabbed my hand again trying to comfort me.

(Sage's p.o.v)

I couldn't believe what Peyton was saying. Did we really live a sheltered life not knowing anything about ourselves, I questioned myself.

Peyton reached for my hand while she was still rubbing Rosie's hand.

“What do we do now, and where are our parents?” I asked.

She looked regretful.

“I know that your father is in a secret location and one of the other Knights who was casted out with him, keeps me informed of his condition,” she stated.

“His condition?” I mumbled. “Is he okay?” I asked, I don't know why I was so concerned for someone I never knew or met.

“He's been in a coma for the last 10 years, he was ambushed after being found by one of the other prince's assassins.” She stated.

“What the..” I thought to myself, “ So what do we do now?” I asked her.

She looked at the window as it was starting to become daylight. She looked at her phone and started pressing buttons.

“Hello, How far are we from our destination?” she asked someone on the phone.

She listened to them and then hung up the phone.

“We're almost to Torress, the country your maternal grandfather is from, I'm going to try to get in contact with Masiro.'' she stated.

I was very confused when I learned about my family history. I found out I have two grandfather's. One hates us and the other probably doesn't even know we exist.

Peyton stood up and rubbed my and Rosie's head and gave us a small kiss on our forehead.

“We still have a few hours until our destination gets some rest,” she said.

I nodded. But Rosie wasn't having it.

“I can't sleep in a room that asshole died in.” she shouted.

Peyton looked down at the floor and it looked like she totally forgot about Brent's body.

She pulled out her phone and called someone else.

“Hey, do we have another suite ready?” she asked.

“Yes ma'am on the 3rd floor,” I heard the man's voice.

She gestured her head and turned towards the door and Rosie and I got up and followed behind.

The door opened and the smaller man from earlier walks standing next to the door.

“Massey clean that up” she said pointing toward Brent's body.

We walked down the hallway and up another flight of stairs. We arrived on the 3rd floor and to suite with a much bigger door.

“Stay here until I come back to get you” she said, and walked off with the man who's name was Massey.

We opened the door and the room was bright with creamish walls and red trimming going around the frame of the wall. Rosie and I ran to the bed and flopped down on it. We were exhausted.

(Peyton’s s.o.v)

I was glad, I found the girls in time before Brent took them back to the kingdom of Vanuatu. I tried my best to keep them hidden and I'm still trying to find out how he learned about them.

“Boss, what should we do about the rest of the guys on the ship." Massey asked me

I sighed. I have to find out a plan, and not let them find out Brent is dead. I pretended to be a maid on the ship while one of the men Tia sent to me took over the command room that controls the ship.

I needed to get closer to the girls. When I found out their location, I studied the vent and every possible passageway to get into the room. I found a ventilation passage that my medium frame could fit in.

Thank goodness it led right to the suite's bathroom.

“Any news about Masiro Henrico?”, I asked Massey.

Massey looked at his phone and read a message and then brought the phone up to my face.

He showed me a picture of a man, tall muscular older looking man with gray hair and scars on his face.

“I believe this is him, I heard he's planning something big." He said, after he looked at the phone again.

I sighed. I wondered how I could get in contact with him. If he learned about his granddaughters maybe he could keep them safe from the king.

“We will arrive in the port of Torress in 2 hours, let's find him, '' I said.

Massey hesitated for a moment.

“Are you going to tell the girls about their mother?”

I was caught off guard, I was still planning on how to tell them.

“I don't know, but if they ask again, I'll tell them”. I replied back to him.

I know the trust between Sage, Rosie, and I is on a thin line right now, I thought to myself, I can't keep lying forever, I sighed.

We walked down the hall and headed toward the command room.

“I feel bad for those girls”, Massey said, rubbing his neck.

“Me too”, I responded in an exhausted tone.

I have loved them ever since they were born, I sacrificed my life for them, because of my oath to their father. I promised him I would give them a good life until he was able to be with them again and let them have no part of the royal social system, and give them a normal life outside the hierarchy.

I received emails weekly from the other knight that's guarding him, to inform me on his condition from time to time. I prayed he would wake up soon so I could reunite him with his daughters. Their mother on the other hand is a different story.

I sighed.

How can I tell them that their grandfather King Lincoln has her locked up in a dungeon.