CROWN PRINCESS LYRA BELLE DE ANEMOI
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CHAPTER 34

After that, Lyra heads to meet Henry. Henry was the old butler that was like family and stayed with them throughout until Medea came and fired him on her first day there on the basis that he planned to hurt the princesses. Lyra hated what Medea did and swore to bring Henry back.

HENRY

Henry after leaving the palace, started working as a tailor at his daughter's boutique since he did know how to sew a little.

When they reached the shop, Lyra asked to meet Henry. She was taken to the back of the store where a tall figure with long thin fingers that had wrinkles on it stood draping a cloth on a mannequin. His silver white slight curled short were cut in contrast to how when he worked as a butler his hair use to reach his lower back in a low ponytail. In both of his eyes, he wore round glasses.

"Henry."

Lyra's voice makes his eyes go wide as he turns around in astonishment. He hadn't sighted Lyra for quite a few years now. Although he was aware that Lady Belle was Lyra and had seen her passing by he had never approached her nor she had ever done the same. For this reason, the very moment was surprising to him.

"Your....highness....Crown Princess Lyra..."

"How are you doing, Henry?"

Henry startled, starts cleaning up the space for Lyra to sit.

"It's fine. No need to do that. I am here to get you back."

"...what?"

"Come back to work, Henry. Please. I need you to handle everything."

"You mean back in my old position?"

"Yes!"

"..."

Henry's expression falls in contrast to Lyra's excited appearance. Sighting his silence, she inquires softly,

"Is something the matter?"

"I apologize but I think it will be difficult for me to come back."

"Why? Don't worry about Aunt Medea. She will be soon gone."

"That...well...that is not the problem, your highness. I think there is some misconception. Perhaps you are not aware of this. It was not Duchess Medea that fired me. I had a fallout with the King and then decided to quit. I resigned."

"What? Did my father say anything? Tell me what he did. I will correct it all."

"It's not that, your highness. I do not wish to be tangled by the strings of the past. What happened, happened. That day, I refuse to step back into the palace ever again."

"...you said you would be there for me when I am crowned as a Queen. You promised."

Lyra felt disheartened as she held Henry quite dear to her heart.

Smiling softly Henry added,

"I will. Believe me, when you are crowned in front of the whole nation, I will be feeling so proud of you and watching you. But not by your side. But from here."

Lyra marks Henry's face as his past self-image flashes in front of her eyes. His smile was still the same. The only difference was that his face had become old. She grabs his hand and pleads,

"I want you by my side. Just like old times."

"I know you will be a wonderful Queen. I am sensing that what you crave are the same moments back then. You wish to reverse the time into that haven when everything was peaceful. However, I feel I must tell you. Not everything will go back to how it was. I'll be honest. I am getting old, your highness. My hands shake even when trying to put a thread in the needle. The number of the lens in these glasses has doubled. I can't stand for that long. Life goes on. And that's the reality of it."

He then motions a small kid who was watching them from behind a curtain to come to him. He looked the age of four and had brown spiky hair and the same eyes as him. Lyra guessed he was his grandson.

"I am happy here. Sure, I was quite bitter after I quit. I often sat in nostalgia and cursed those that wronged us. But then I realized how my frustration was ruining the moments of my present. I decided to move on to become happy and create a new heaven here with my family. Therefore, I am happy here and in this life. You should be happy too."

"...are you really happy?"

He nods in return to which Lyra smiles,

"Then I am happy too. One day and that day will come soon when I stand in front of the crowd wearing my crown, I will salute you for all your service and I hope that I will make you proud of me. Just watch me."

"I will be waiting for that day."

He gives a small bow as Lyra then leaves.

Solon who was waiting for her outside inquires about where Henry is. She explains he won't be joining and instead orders,

"I need you to find a local construction team and have them renovate the palace."

"Which palace?"

"The main palace."

"Isn't that under Duchess Medea's authority?"

"I am the one with more authority than her. If she says anything then tell her to say it to my face and I will deal with it. Make sure she does not interfere. Also, I am sure you have a lot of burden on you. Give some of your work to Delilah and hire two more assistants for you. Make sure they are reliable and trustworthy. I trust you with the decision."

"Acknowledged. Shall we go now?"

"No. You go and do everything I have asked. The designs for the palace are on my office desk. It is exactly how the palace used to look 10 years ago. Make sure you have all the materials for it and it should look exactly like that. Till then, I have one more stop to go to."

She then turns to Mika and Jackson,

"You two please accompany and assist Solon."

"One of us should remain to guard you."

Mika asserted to which Lyra agreed. They part ways with Jackson and Solon heading for work and Mika and Lyra go to the same bar.

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CROWN PRINCESS LYRA BELLE DE ANEMOI