‘I promise you I will find out why you have to live like this, and when that day comes, I will do everything in my power so that you will never have to step inside that cold and lonely tower again. I will protect you,’ Cian thought, his eyes full of determination to protect his sister.
Why did his sweet sister have to wear a veil all the time and not be allowed to mingle with anyone, not even her siblings? Why did she have to be imprisoned in that tower for all her life? Why was there a need for her to live such a cruel life?
After spending some more time by his sister’s side, Cian stood up to leave. Just as he opened the door, he stopped to instruct the two women inside the room. “Take care of her, and don’t allow anyone to get close to her.”
With their heads lowered, the two nodded lightly. “Understood, Your Highness.”
Cian stepped out of the bedchamber and looked at the two knights guarding the door. “Don’t let anyone enter other than father and Physician Heath Leuven.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
After leaving his instructions, Cian left to return to his own chamber.
———
The same night, Queen Niobe was waiting inside her chamber to meet one of her pawns to get an update about the situation.
From her lady-in-waiting and the maids loyal to her, she had learned about how and who brought Seren out of her tower. Although surprised by the series of events, she mostly found it a pity that she was brought out of the tower too soon; the witch did not suffer enough.
The Queen had been upset about how her husband got back to the ministers to defend his daughter and almost failed her plan, but with how things were going, she still had hope left to get that witch out of the palace and ultimately their lives.
Minister Darus Count came to report to the queen who was sitting as usual in her chair while the middle-aged minister bowed to greet her. “Your Majesty!”
Queen Niobe nodded lightly to accept the greeting and waited for Lord Darus to continue.
“The Third Princess is still unconscious, but according to the royal physicians’ estimation, she will be fine soon,” Minister Darus informed.
The Queen frowned, “Despite seeing such a cruel scene, that witch is still fine? No wonder she is just like her crafty mother.”
She then looked at the minister with a stern gaze. “In the next court session, I don’t want you to back down in front of the King so easily. Prepare your side stronger. Convince the neutral ministers to help persuade the King as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Consider it done,” the minister agreed humbly. “I also came here to report the situation outside the palace. My subordinates informed me that King Armen had asked his men to capture and punish the people in the marketplace who were discovered trying to dishonor the Third Princess by calling her a witch. However, a number of those people are ours, the ones we hired to spread the news and stir up trouble in the capital, but I assure you that their actions cannot be traced back to us.”
“That previous incident?” Queen Niobe asked.
The minister nodded. “Those people didn’t know that the girl was the Third Princess and thought of her as a random woman who turned out to be a witch after she burned a few of them.”
“Even if they knew she was the Third Princess, they would have burned her for being a witch. She was lucky to escape.”
“There was talk going on that one strange red-eyed swordsman saved her, and he even beheaded one commoner. If we are not wrong, there is only one red-eyed man in the capital.”
Queen Niobe’s eyes brightened up. “The King of Megaris?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
Her amber eyes narrowed with hostility. “He dared to hurt the commoners in our kingdom for matters that didn’t concern him. He needs to pay for it.”
“We can use it against him if it’s needed,” the minister assured.
“Any idea what my husband offered him in exchange for his help in Prince Cian’s rescue mission?”
“Apologies, Your Majesty. I will try to get to the bottom of this, but at the moment, we are not sure yet. Both sides are busy taking care of their injured people. King Armen is occupied with the Third Princess’s wellbeing, while King Drayce is concerned about his guardian knight who got injured during their trip.”
Queen Niobe understood and instructed, “Get everything ready to corner the King and that witch so there won’t be any other option but to have her thrown out of the kingdom.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
=====
The same night, inside his study, King Armen sat at his desk with folded hands, silently waiting for a certain someone who he had not seen for almost two decades. He looked immersed in his thoughts as seconds ticked by.
Sir Berolt knocked before entering the study. “Your Majesty, Physician Erich Winfield is in the waiting room. Should I send him in?”
King Armen nodded lightly, his expression serious.
Sir Berolt left to escort Erich Winfield and returned with an old man behind him.
King Armen stood up from his chair upon sight of the old acquaintance. Sir Berolt bowed to the King, asking for permission to leave the two men alone, and left the study knowing his presence was not needed here.
Once Sir Berolt left, and the door of the study was closed, King Armen asked, “How have you been, Erich?”
“As you can see, still alive and holding on to your past life’s secrets, Valen,” the old man replied sarcastically, openly showing that he held some grudges against the king.
“At that time, the situation turned out like that. I was helpless,” King Armen replied, not minding the physician’s words.
The old man scoffed and gave him a mocking look. “Helpless? There was someone else who was more helpless than you.”
The guilt from the past showed up on the king’s face. “I tried to search for her, but she disappeared.”
“You are the one who caused her harm.” The physician raised his voice. “When you found out who she was, you should have stayed away from her!”
“At that time, I didn’t know who she was. For me, she was the one who saved me when I was lost. When I got to know who she was, it was too late.”
Anger clouded Erich Winfield’s sight. “So now you regret everything after knowing who she was?”
There was guilt written all over King Armen’s face. “No, you misunderstand me. I never regretted loving her. If there is one thing I regret, it is that due to my ignorance, I have been unable to protect her. Because of me, she had to pay a heavy price. If only I had known her identity back then, I would have stopped. It’s all my fault.”
Sensing the sincerity in his words, the hostility of the old physician visibly lessened. His wrinkled face turned calmer as he said, “A mere human like you wouldn’t be able to protect her.”
“If only I knew the truth of her life much earlier,” came the regretful words from the king.
“I got to know it when I saw her the last time.”
The last part of his statement brightened up King Armen’s eyes. “Last time? When did you see her? Is she all right? How is she—”
Erich Winfield shook his head. “It’s not anything recent. She came to me for help roughly seventeen years ago. I was the one who delivered her baby into this world.”
The glimmer of hope inside King Armen was immediately extinguished. He thought he could finally find news about his missing beloved. “Why didn’t you come to me then? I would have helped her….”
“Everything was out of control already, and she didn’t want to put your life in danger. Do you really think powerless beings like you and me could really do anything to help her?”
King Armen sat helplessly back on the chair, unable to refute Erich Winfield’s words. It did not matter that he was a powerful ruler with command over millions of soldiers and wealth unrivaled by any kingdom; in the end, he was nothing but a mere human.
The old physician sighed. “Did she come to you with the child?”
“She came, but after giving that baby to me, she left.”
“Where?”
“I do not know.”
“How is that baby?”
“Not so well. I have to keep her in hiding,” replied the king.
It puzzled the physician. “Hiding?”
King Armen realized that the physician didn’t know the truth about his daughter. “Did you see her again after she gave birth?”
“She left with the child the very next day without informing me. I never saw her again after that. But I was sure she would come to you with that child. She was worried about the baby’s safety and you seemed to be the only one she could approach,” The old Physician answered.
