10 Chapter 10: Dinner Interruption

Chapter 10: Dinner Interruption

I swallowed a lump inside my throat when he said that. “Listen, General, about the engagement—

The assistant who restrained the thief back at the mall barged in. We almost jumped in our seats. The General straightened up.

“General, I have something to tell you,” the assistant said. He’d been panting. When he noticed that I’m present, his pupils dilated. “Oh, Young Lady…it’s you…”

I greeted with an awkward grin. “Greetings to you, sir. Thank you for helping us restrain the thief back at the mall.”

“Good evening, Young Lady Natalia. I am Deputy Shan, Deputy Commander to General Randall,” he greeted.

He turned back to the General. “Please forgive my intrusion to your dinner with the Young Lady, General. But I’m afraid that this matter needs an urgent action.”

The General nodded. “Please excuse us, Natalia.”

I nodded at them. The General and Deputy Shan walked outside of the hall.

I could hear indistinct murmurs from the outside. I also heard the General gasp a little. I wanted to know what they were talking about, but I believe that he will send me back to my room if I eavesdrop. I wondered what could be taking them so long or what could be a serious military matter that needed tending at this hour?

I’m used to my father missing dinners due to state affairs, so I am not completely surprised with Deputy Shan’s interruption a while ago.

But it’s just that I wish that the General and I could’ve talked longer alone. I wanted to know who really is. It could be that he must not be as bad as how Marcial saw him especially that he saved me from slipping back at the mall. Although locking me in is just another turn-off for me.

I drank a glass of water as I stare at my soup. I thought of asking the General if he is wholeheartedly agreeing to this marriage just so to protect the President’s daughter. And I wonder if he is in love with someone else instead. I mean, I don’t really want our engagement to trap him. Being with someoen you don’t love is one of the greatest tortures that humankind invented.

I wanted to negotiate how we could try to postpone the wedding and eventually convince my father to forget about this arrangement. Because just like my mother who married my father for love, I would also want to marry the man that I would fall in love with and who will love me back.

Runi was right. Maybe I’m still harboring high hopes to meet the one who saved me from the fire. I don’t know if it’s his strong arms or the outlines of his face that made me love him from the beginning, but I do know that I must meet him before marrying the General.

But I don’t know where to start. I cannot just go it as I please. I am not just any citizen who has the privilege of freedom to go around without a target behind their backs. But of course, I must be grateful for the privilege of being the President’s daughter but then of course it also comes with tradeoffs such as being heavily guarded.

I wanted to know why he saved me. And I wanted to know if he has anything to do with the fire that killed my mother. I wanted to know if the fire was merely an accident or if it’s the members of the Gionite Tribe who orchestrated it.

Why should I marry the General without knowing all these things first? I have so many things that I want to do first before marriage. It feels just too unfair that I am subjected to this arranged marriage when I know I could just protect myself.

Maybe I’ll suggest for my father to spread the fake statement of my death and then I might go overseas and live well. Why not? I amused myself with the thought. Will my father even consider it?

I got startled when the General entered the hall with Deputy Shan. His leather shoes were heavily stomping on the floor. He went back to sitting across the table from me. I suddenly feel the chills when the General took a deep breath.

He looked at me directly. “Natalia,” he says, “The thief who stole your phone escaped from the police station.” He paused. “I order you not to get out of the mansion until the thief is caught.”

The old thief? They must have been torturing him at detention that’s why he escaped! I knew it! The old man doesn’t seem dangerous at all. He even bowed in front of me back at the mall as an apology for what he did.

“No,” I responded. “I will not be a prisoner anymore, and I am not one of your soldiers who will follow your orders. Why it catching the old thief a big deal? My phone has been returned, and I have not been harmed. As I said earlier, he was just an old man trying to feed himself.”

The General’s eyebrows knitted. It seemed like my defiance of his order is taken as an insult. They clearly couldn’t understand that aside from my father, I don’t really see the need to obey anyone else.

The conversation may be starting to get intense, so Deputy Shan intervened and says, “Young Lady Natalia, please heed the General’s command. It is for your protection.”

“Why are you all so concerned with a thief?” I replied with a question. I stomp my foot to convey my message.

“He is a Gionite,” the General answered.

I still didn’t get it. Is he like my father? Why are they all so paranoid with the Gionites? What’s with the thief being a Gionite? Criminals have mixed ethnicities in jail. And not every Gionite could be connected to the fire incident.

And of course, there’s going to be a Gionite thief. “I don’t really care,” I answered. “You cannot just keep me forever.”

“Then you leave me no choice, Natalia Averona,” the General said.