The Past Is Prologue
Chapter 24: Uncomfortable Truths
"I'm not sure why Queen Shuriki never saw me as a threat. I suppose the study of Ancient Maru didn't really challenge her right to rule. So long as I didn't protest when the queen wanted to confiscate some tablet or gem I'd find at a dig, she let me pursue my studies. It also helped that Chancellor Esteban took an interest in my studies. Classical Maruvian script was a hobby of his. I didn't think much of him at the time, believing him to be a self-serving traitor who put the needs of a foreign queen above the people of Avalor. Imagine my surprise when he slipped me a list of academics Queen Shuriki planned to arrest. It's why I was able to warn you to flee Avalor, Catalina. You owe your life to Chancellor Esteban." - Professor María Mendoza, Chair, Department of Maruvian Antiquities, University of Avalor. A People's History of the Reign of Queen Shuriki, compiled by Professor Catalina de Torres
Naomi was the last one out and closed the door behind her. She didn't want to leave Mateo alone with the queen while her dress was still orange. She was worried for Mateo, but also for Elena. Naomi hadn't seen her this upset in years, and didn't want her to say something she couldn't take back.
"Evesdropping, Doña Naomi?" Esteban's voice broke into her thoughts. "Do you truly believe that is appropriate behavior for a chancellor?"
Naomi turned around reluctantly. "I dunno," she shrugged. "I learned it from my predecessor."
"This is true," the ex-chancellor admitted. Naomi saw that he had already handed his staff and Takaína-cursed jacket to Miguel, the guard who had been stationed outside of the council chamber. Miguel was carefully bearing the items away, touching them as little as possible. Naomi, for one, would feel better when those things were safely locked away.
Naomi took stock of her companions. Gabe had already taken Rico and Antonia to the barracks for debriefing. Olivia's parents had whisked their errant daughter away. Ixlan was gone- most likely scouting the perimeter of the palace. The Lighting Warrior was never at rest. That left Esteban, Carla, Victor, and of course David.
Oh, David.
"So," the chancellor said to her brother. "You'll need a place to bunk. You're welcome to string up a hammock at la casa Turner."
"Would the admiral be there?" the young man asked coldly.
"Probably. She does live there, after all."
"Then I can't stay there."
"Well, he can't stay with us," Victor growled. Carla glared at him.
"Of course not, sir," David hastened to assure him. "It wouldn't be proper." Victor rolled his eyes.
"Indeed it would not," Esteban cut in smoothly. "We have plenty of space in the palace. You will stay here, my boy."
"I would never – I couldn't impose," David protested. "I'll be fine on my own."
"Come along, mija," Victor was saying to his daughter. "I want to get home."
"I'll meet you there, papá," Carla answered, not taking her eyes off David.
"Fine," Victor snapped. "Just make sure you're home before dark." He stomped off.
"Finally," Esteban muttered, looking at his nemesis' retreating back.
"Now, Davíd," Naomi noticed that Esteban used the Avaloran version of the name, "before you decide, allow me to show you around the palace. If nothing else, you can see where I grew up."
Silently Naomi willed David to agree. Esteban wasn't really so bad once you got to know him. He grew on you like barnacles on a ship…okay, probably not the most flattering comparison. The chancellor kept her mouth shut. She could tell how much her predecessor wanted to get to know his son.
"I suppose," the young Norberg sailor said hesitantly.
"Splendid! I have so much to show you." He led David, who was still holding Carla's hand, down the hall. Naomi trailed after.
The chancellor's eyes glazed over as Esteban just had to explain each and every portrait. Then they stopped in front of a painting of Francisco and Luisa.
"These are my abuelos – my grandparents. They raised me as their own son after my parents died when I was a child."
"Your parents died?" David asked. "I'm – sorry to hear that." Was her brother softening towards his father? Naomi desperately hoped so.
"It was many years ago," Esteban responded. Naomi knew the tragedy had set the queen's cousin down a dark path, always seeking power and control in the misguided belief that it would keep his loved ones safe. "Not so recent a loss as yours. I am truly saddened for what happened to your parents." He put his hand on David's shoulder, who did not push him away.
"If I may ask, how did your parents die?"
"They drowned in a winter storm on the Northern Sea when I was but seven."
"I never knew that," Carla butted in.
"There are a great many things you do not know about me, señorita Delgado," Esteban observed acidly. Carla just shrugged.
"You and I both lost our parents at sea," the Norberg sailor said quietly. Naomi felt tears well up in her eyes at that. She surreptitiously brushed them away. If either Esteban or Carla saw her cry she'd never live it down.
"Yes, well," Esteban cleared his throat, "as I was saying, these are my grandparents. I believe you favor abuelo." Naomi and David both looked closer at the portrait, and Naomi looked back at David. He did look like a young Francisco. At that moment Naomi keenly missed them both. What she wouldn't give for Francisco's gentle wisdom or Luisa's no-nonsense truth-telling right now. And they'd both died without knowing they were great-grandparents. Francisco would have been thrilled. Naomi didn't know how Luisa would have reacted, though.
This was becoming entirely too maudlin. "Hey, Esteban. I thought you were going to show David around the palace. This place is bigger than just this corridor."
"Right you are, chancellor," Esteban said briskly. "Up ahead we have the library…"
As they continued, Naomi was pleased that David was actually asking questions. After seeing a model sailboat David even recounted an embarrassing story from when Naomi was only five. Really, David? Esteban chuckled, and Carla said, "Aww, tiny little Naomi." At least they were all getting along.
Things were going along swimmingly, in fact, until David almost continued straight while the rest of them turned left. Carla grabbed his arm. "You don't want to go that way. Trust me on that." Yeah, the dungeon probably wouldn't be the most appropriate place to tour.
"Carla would know," Naomi joked, elbowing her. "I bet you've seen enough of the dungeons to last a lifetime, right?" Too late she saw the apprentice wizard frantically signal her to be quiet. But why would she?
"Why would Carla know anything about the dungeons?" David asked, puzzled.
Naomi stared at him. "You know, the whole minion to Shuriki, stealing the crown jewels, trying to assassinate Elena thing…? We did eventually catch her." Carla and David had been alone together for a week. Hadn't it ever come up?
"You worked with Shuriki? You were a criminal? You lied to me!" David cried. "You're just like all the rest!"
"I never lied to you!" Carla shouted back. "I just didn't tell you everything! It was none of your business!"
"None of my business! I told you everything about my life!"
"It's not my fault you're an idiot," Carla snapped, and then ran off.
"Uh, what just happened?" Naomi asked no one in particular.
"I believe, Doña Naomi, you just shared one of señorita Delgado's deepest secrets before she was ready to tell her beau," Esteban observed wryly.
"But – they were together for almost a week! I just assumed David knew everything!" She hadn't meant to rat out Carla.
"Would you share your complete history with someone you were seeing?" the queen's cousin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course! Isn't that the point of getting to know someone?" Naomi had only ever dated Gabe, but he knew everything there was to know about her.
The ex-chancellor shook his head. "You and I are very different people."
"This is –"
"Don't," he cut her off.
"I don't have anyone," David whispered. He looked so lost.
"That's not true," Naomi pointed out. "You've got your sister and your father right here. Although maybe it would help if you'd stop running people off."
"She's not wrong, my boy," Esteban said, stroking his beard. "I cannot believe I am about to say this, but perhaps you were too hard on señorita Delgado. Whatever the crimes of her past, she is reformed now and is an asset to the kingdom. And she seems to genuinely care for you. Is it really fair for you to blame her for something she did before she met you?" Esteban, defending a Delgado? Granted, everything he'd just said also applied to him, but he did have a point.
"How do you feel about Carla?" Naomi asked David bluntly.
"She's amazing! She was so kind to me when I first got to Avalor City. Carla is absolutely fearless! She's the only thing that's made sense to me." David choked out a sob. "But she's a liar like everyone else in my life! I didn't mean you, Naomi," he hastily apologized.
"Glad to hear it," the chancellor responded drily. "Now I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I agree with Esteban. I'm all for honesty, but you're awfully quick to condemn keeping secrets as lying. Carla stuck her neck out for you, and you were pretty harsh with her. She didn't deserve that.
"And neither does Mom."
David was taken aback by Naomi's speech. He looked at his two new family members and his shoulders slumped. "Maybe you're right – about Carla at any rate. But what do I do now? She'll never forgive me!"
Esteban smiled a smug little smirk that Naomi hadn't seen in a long time. "She'll forgive you, my boy. Leave that to me."
Naomi just shook her head as she left the two men alone. Esteban was in full scheming mode. Well, at least father and son were now talking. She grinned to herself. Poor David didn't know what he was in for.
AN: A story cannot contain a song, of course. But if you would like one, imagine this – a merengue sung by Esteban as he shows David the palace.