Chapter Twenty-Nine

Hidden Secrets of the Truth

It had been several days since my refusal of signing the papers that had been given to me by my father, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Clarke, as well as my conversation with Marc.  In fact, since that short conversation with him outside in the small garden, I haven’t seen him in days.  Perhaps he was avoiding me, or maybe he was trying to actually help me.  Either way despite being angry at him for betraying me and being involved in my kidnapping by orders of my father, I was actually missing him.  Usually my days consisted of sleep, food, reading in the library or out in the garden, food, then sleep, and usually I would pass Marc about twice a day, sometimes three times, depending on what was going on within the house.  However since that day, the house had been unusually quiet.  I hadn’t had as many guards to escort me to and from dinner or throughout the house, and even my father didn’t say much when we had our meals together.  My mind was going insane, I needed answers, I needed to go home, I needed to finish school and hopefully still be able to graduate high school with the rest of my classmates, if the school would still let me, and lastly I needed to see my friends and family, just to hear their voices.  I was literally becoming so bored with this house arrest that my father calling “protection” that I was starting to drive myself mad.

I had already studied all there was to know about Russian politics, despite hating History, I had managed to find a good bit of it pretty fascinating, maybe it was the fact that now I was supposed to be a leader myself, that made the words in the textbooks become lively.  I had also studied more about the Romanov family, as well as trying to find anything about Bishop Udeze that my great grandmamma had encouraged me to find should I ever need help.  Yet, as I would look through the books, there was nothing, not even in the local newspapers, which now had me as a missing person, and even some were calling it a cold case, and there was one recent article stating that the Duchess was in hiding for protection.  Either way nothing was useful.  I sighed knowing the only person I could really try to get answers from was currently down the hall in his study in the old War Room.

I probably flipped a ruble, what was the same as a penny, over and over again against the stone bench outside in the garden.  Then finally where ever it came from, I finally built up the courage to go speak to my captor I was supposed to call “Dad”.

I walked inside the building once more, Kinsley, one of my father’s guard was speaking with Rex just inside the main hallway that lead from the garden to my father’s study quickly stopped his conversation with Rex, both of the guards looking at me with questioning eyes.  Perhaps it was the look on my face, or maybe it was the speed at which I was walking from the garden to down the hall, whatever it was it made both Kinsley and Rex both look at me and the direction in which I was heading.

“Duchess, where do you plan to go?” Kinsley asked me just seconds after I had entered the hallway.

“I need to speak with my father, is he still in his office?” I asked as I continued to walk down the hall, yet looked back at the two guards.

“Yes, but you need to speak with him now?  Is everything alright?” Rex asked with a little confusion in his voice.  It wasn’t obvious that the entire house knew my dislike for my father and this situation.  I had made numerous attempts to escape, and there had been many screaming matches between my father and I on the subject.  Not to mention the nights and even days of crying because of wanting to go home or see my friends or family.

“I just need to speak with him immediately.  You two can tag along if you wish, but it’s not going to stop me from seeing him.” I said back to them both as I continued to walk towards the double wooden doors at the end of the hall, which held two paintings of leaders from the past.  One of which I came to know was the painting of Tsar Peter I, which most known him as Peter the Great, and the other on the opposite side was a painting of Alexander II another Tsar of the Russian Empire.

Just as I pressed my hand on the large bronze handle and began opening the door, without a knock or even being invited in, the door began to be pulled open from the other side as well, making me jerk back wondering who was opening it so quickly.  My eyes wide glanced up at my father, who was looking at me with a curious expression on his face.

“Annalisa, this is a surprise, what is it you want?” He quickly asked as he stepped out of his study and began closing the door behind him, making it well known that the conversation was going to have to take place out in the hall rather than in the privacy of his study.

“I need to ask you a few things, can we talk?  I promise to behave.” I quickly added in the last bit, not wanting to him just avoid me because of thinking it would turn into another screaming escapade.

“Ah, I see, well unfortunately you caught me just as I was heading out, we could continue this conversation when I get back after dinner.” He said as he looked down at me, then started walking back down the hall, looking back at me.

“Where are you going?” I quickly asked, a little disappointed that the one time I built up my courage to speak with him, it wasn’t a good time.

“I need to take care of some things involving your vacation here.” He said with a smile. 

“Are you….” I began to say, I could feel the heat in my cheeks rising as I narrowed my eyes. My vacation? Was he serious?  Being held hostage wasn’t my idea of a vacation. I noted in my mind before he spoke, cutting me off with the raising of his hand.

“Lisa, I’m sorry I don’t have time to explain or argue with you right now.  We’ll talk when I get back. Go…read or something.  See you later.” He said, as he took out his cell phone and began to dial a number, quickly telling someone in the opposite end that he was on his way.

I was beyond frustrated.  I looked to Kinsley and Rex; they were trying to not make it obvious that they were watching me and my father’s reactions very carefully.  Great now what am I supposed to do?  I thought bitterly to myself.

“Come along Duchess, I’ll escort you back to the main living area.” Kinsley said as he lightly touched my shoulder walking slightly in front of me, making it well known that I wasn’t allowed to be here without my father.

I looked back at the double wooden doors, and began to realize that I really hadn’t ever been in that room, all the arguments had taken place outside this room, and whenever I had even gone near it, either my father was on his way out, it was locked, or a guard prevented me from going in.  What exactly was in there besides it being a study?  I took a mental note to try to find out later, as I began to walk back towards the main living area with Kinsley and Rex trailing behind.

It was really quiet, which was a little odd, I had been in this house probably close to a month by now, and I rarely walked through the entire house, even the living room was a strange new place to me, despite it was one of the first things I saw when coming here all those weeks ago.  It was also where one of the guards tried to assassinate me right after being traded by Marc’s father Ilya Lenin.  I looked back at Rex, he had the look that he had better things to do than to be in this room with me right now.  I had to agree.

“You two may go.  I’ll watch the Duchess.  If there’s any trouble I’ll radio.” I heard the most amazing voice coming from behind us.  I had been so distracted from my memories of first coming here that I had been completely unaware that someone had followed us.  When my eyes turned I saw Marc, standing directly behind Rex and Kinsley.  Where had he just come from? I wondered briefly, before looking at the other guards wondering if they’ll leave.

“You sure? One of us could still stay.  She has been known to be very forceful when it’s just one person.”  Rex said as he shot a glance towards me remembering when I had attempted to escape on his watch.

“She won’t try anything.  Isn’t that right?” He stated looking at me now with a serious face.  I knew he was much faster than I was, and he could definitely over power me, if I even tried to force myself out of the room.

“Actually I don’t need any kind of babysitter, so you can just go too for all I care.” I said as I crossed my arms glaring at all of the guards within sight.

“We’ll be fine.” Marc said as he took his place beside the larger grand sofa within the room.  At his cool response the other guards took their leave to take a break from babysitting me, and to go off to who knows where.  Once I knew we were completely alone my verbal claws were out.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I stood as far away from him as possible, leaning against white marble fireplace hearth.  I tried to remember I was angry with him, he had definitely helped have me kidnapped, and he had definitely lied to me about a few things, considering we were both under my father’s roof.

“Duchess” He said loudly trying to come closer as I took a step to the side, making it very obvious that I didn’t want him to come any closer.

“Lisa, please let me explain.” He said a little softer.  His eyes filled with pleading as he rested his hand ran through his dark hair.

“You have two minutes to answer my question or I’m going back to my room.” I said with impatience.  My blood was beginning to boil, all I could think about was how sweet he had been, and then betraying my trust.

“I was hired to watch you as soon as you stepped off the plane.” He finally admitted with shame written all over his gorgeous face.  His words sinking into my head.

“What? By who? Why?” I began to ask as what he had just said didn’t make sense.  We had just met in the diner just after I had arrived in Russia, when Mr. Poloski and the rest of us took a tour of the Imperial Estate.

“Listen, I can’t tell you all of it, for your protection, but I will tell you what I can…if you will just allow me to get it out.  You have to understand what I am telling you…I could be killed for, is that enough for you.”  He said with a harsh voice, despite it coming out no louder than a whisper.  My arms crossed and my eyes narrowed, so he was going to tell me something just not everything…great.  I thought knowing my mind was going to be swimming in questions later.

“We knew who you were from the moment you were born, at first it was my father who wanted to just eliminate you from the get go, however someone made a deal with him, not sure what it was, but it was enough to stop him from setting your house in America on fire.   I was only a small child at the time, but I grew up knowing your name, knowing who you were, and knowing that most, mainly my father wanted you dead.” Marc said to me as he tried to start back from the beginning.

*Author's Note:  This chapter is still not complete yet, however I do hope you enjoy reading what is written and posted so far.  Please Vote, Comment, Like, Share, and Enjoy reading. Thanks.

This chapter is dedicated to one of my best friends Lauren "LaurenML45".  Thanks for always being such an awesome friend and sister, and helping me through the good and bad times in my life.  I love you sis. =)