Raised From The Wild-Chapter 90: An Angel’s Song

King Duncan and Prince Ibarra almost have a heart attack. "Father, why don’t you ask Amaya to come down? She doesn’t need to perform and embarrass herself."

Marx pursed his lips and it took him a lot of effort not to go up the stage and drag Amaya down. He regretted not convincing her not to play.

Prince Raquim extended his hand to get back his guitar but Amaya glared at him.

"Sorry, I made a mistake earlier, but I already corrected it and the tune should be fine now," Amaya said while smiling broadly.

Prince Raquim was dumbfounded. ’Is this princess tone deaf and dumb?’

The audience held their breath and were preparing to cover their ears with their hands.

Amaya started plucking the strings one by one very gently. A sweet but melancholic sound filled the air and a hush descended in the banquet hall. Amaya started humming as her fingers moved nimbly from one string to the other. When the timing was right, she started singing.

"It’s not how long we held each other’s hand, what matters is how well we loved each other.

It’s not how far we traveled on our way, of what we found to say...It’s not the spring you see, but all the shades of green..."

The audience held their breath. Amaya’s voice was like that of an angel, sweet and soothing to the soul.

King Duncan and Prince Ibarra were very familiar with the song. It must be Ibrahim who taught her that. The king closed his eyes as he felt how sad Ibrahim must have been. Amaya’s voice drew him back to the stage.

"It’s not how long I held you in my arms, what matters is how sweet the years together. It’s not how many summer times we had to give to fall...The early morning smiles we tearfully recall, what matters most is that we loved at all."

Amaya stopped singing and let the guitar sing for her. She alternated between plucking and strumming creating a beautiful sonata.

Ibarra downed an entire glass of wine. It has been so many years but he still had not gotten over her. Why did Amaya have to sing that song? He felt a heaviness in his heart.

Amaya resumed singing.

"It’s not how many summer times we had to give to fall, the early morning smiles we tearfully recall...

What matters most is that we loved at all... What matters most is that we loved at all!"

Amaya plucked the strings a few more times and then the sound of the guitar faded into silence.

She stood from the chair and curtsied. She glanced at the audience but found them to be in a trance. She stood awkwardly on the stage for a few seconds, then she saw Marx start clapping his hands.

Another person followed suit and then another one, and a few more. In an instant, it seemed that peals of thunders were released inside the banquet hall.

Amaya waited for the applause to subside before coming down the stage but Prince Raquim stopped her by holding onto his hand.

He wanted to praise her and say ’That was a beautiful rendition, Princess!’ However, what came out of his mouth was, "Why did you choose to sing such a song on your birthday? That song is normally used at funerals."

Amaya looked hurt by his blunt words. She gave him a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Oh, I don’t know about that. Also, it is the only popular song that my father taught me. The rest of the songs I made up were about my animal pets and I don’t think people would like to listen to them."

"Your father?" the tall prince with a cold face, narrowed his eyes. "You mean the Crown Prince Ibarra? He was telling us earlier that you did not have time to practice."

"No, it is not Daddy Ibarra but my Daddy Ibrahim," Amaya explained. She looked down and her gaze happened to focus on Marx who was furrowing his eyebrows and looking displeased.

Amaya handed the guitar to Prince Raquim. She made a move to come down the stage. The First Prince of Albania escorted her down the stage and back to the table where the heads of the three kingdoms were seated.

’What did she mean by calling Ibrahim his Daddy?’ Raquim was confused.

King Hebrio clapped his hands and took Amaya’s hand and pressed his mouth on the back of it. "That was very beautiful my future daughter-in-law."

A pair of dark blue eyes and deep brown eyes stared at King Hebrio.

"What nonsense are you talking about Hebrio? I told you earlier that my granddaughter is very young. I will not marry her off yet." King Duncan snapped.

"Oh my friend Duncan, didn’t you hear what I said? I said ’future.’"

Amaya asked permission to leave the table as she needed to entertain her guests. When she was granted permission she left the table and Marx stood to accompany her ignoring the glare from the First Prince of Albania and the First Prince of Lupanya.

"Oh, were where we? I said ’future’ daughter-in-law."

"Hebrio, the first condition for me to marry my granddaughter is for to her be in love with her future husband." The king has learned his lesson. He will not let Amaya suffer by forcing her to be with the man she does not love.

Prince Ibarra threw a complicated gaze at his father. He knew what was on his mind.

"Well, Duncan, I have three sons. Your granddaughter can choose any one of them." King Hebrio was slightly drunk. When both he and Duncan have too much wine, they forget all about etiquette and call each other using their first names.

Prince Raquim cast a side glare at his father. Wasn’t he the one who was supposed to be engaged to her? Why was father, including his brothers in the conversation?

Prince Gamaru cleared his throat. "If I may Your Highness and Your Majesty, I’d like to pursue your granddaughter. I would like her to be my Princess Consort!"