Chapter 5: Chapter Five: “She dies tonight”
"He stepped down, trying not to look long at her as if she was the sun yet, he saw her like the sun even without looking"
-Leo Tolstoy.
As the Chief had directed, Patrick lent a hand to Zack in loading all the necessary items for his journey, and before long, they finished up.
Zack was just about to mount his horse when he caught sight of Patrick's bandaged palm.
"What's happened to your hand, Patrick?" he inquired.
"Oh, this? I accidentally scraped it against a wall," Patrick replied, offering a quick explanation.
Zack couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing that his father was actually responsible for Patrick's injury.
"Alright then, suit yourself," Zack said with a shrug as he climbed onto his horse.
"And yeah, while I'm away, make sure to look out for Blair," he mentioned before riding off.
As the Prince departed, Patrick couldn't help but wonder, "Who's Blair?" He hadn't had the opportunity to ask the Prince before he rode off.
Luckily, he happened to spot Lyka passing by and called out to her.
"Hey, you!" he called.
"Me?" Lyka replied, surprised. She tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling shyly as he approached. This was the moment she had always dreamed of, her crush finally noticing her.
"Yeah, you. You're one of the maids, right?" he asked, already standing in front of her. She couldn't help but stare at his well-built body and muscles, and all she could manage was a nod.
"Who's Blair?" he asked, bursting her bubble as her expression dropped.
******
"I can't believe this girl ruined my dress!" Olivia exclaimed in frustration, glaring at her reflection in the mirror.
"I'll definitely make sure to deal with her for this," she vowed to herself.
Just then, Lyka entered the room with a displeased expression on her face.
"Hey, where have you been? Come help me clean up this mess," Olivia ranted, referring to her dress.
"Okay, ma'am," Lyka replied obediently, proceeding to do as she was commanded.
"What's wrong with you? Why the long face?" Princess Olivia asked, sensing that something was off. She knew it was unlike Lyka to be so quiet.
Lyka, as if waiting to be asked, began to recount her encounter with Patrick, leaving no details behind.
Princess Olivia listened intently, absorbing all the details with wide eyes.
"There must be something about this maid," Princess Olivia thought to herself, intrigued by Lyka's story.
"I reckon Chief Silas might have some info on Blair, which is why Patrick had to ask about her to keep tabs on her," she pondered to herself.
"Wrap it up, I'm counting on you to deliver one more letter," she told Lyka.
"Yes ma'am"
****
"I can't marry Olivia," Marcus declared in front of the king.
"Well, you don't have a choice. It's final," the king replied firmly.
Marcus scoffed. "So what are you gonna do? Tie me up and force me to marry her? Or force me to love her?"
"You don't have to love her, Marcus. It's for the benefit of the kingdom and the people. You know who her father is."
"Wow, was that why you married Mom then? To fulfill your parents' wishes? For the benefit of the kingdom?" Marcus retorted, his emotions running high.
"I didn't kill your mom, Marcus," the king calmly replied. "I tried to save her."
"Of course you did, that's why you gave her poison instead of an actual antidote," Marcus said, his anger evident.
"I had no reason to kill my own wife."
"Your wife? Wow, now she's your wife? You knew you were forced to marry her against your wish, so you took revenge when it was convenient. And now you want to put me through the same path by asking me to marry Olivia? No way."
Olivia, who was about to enter the throne room, couldn't help but eavesdrop. She let out a gasp, covering her mouth to avoid being noticed.
"I can't marry Olivia because I'm not in love with her. For your information, I already have someone I'm in love with, and she's my mate," Marcus declared.
Olivia, filled with a mix of rage and certainty, whispered to herself, "Blair," before storming off to her chambers.
"You have a mate already? Who is she?" the king asked, curious.
"You'll get to know when the time comes," the prince responded before walking out.
The king smiled to himself as Marcus left. He admired his son so much and he wished he had the courage his son possessed when he was his age.
*****
Madam Eunice couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the mark on Blair's neck. Blair quickly grabbed her scarf and tried to cover it up, but it was too late.
"Blair... the mark... who?" Madam Eunice asked, her eyes wide with surprise, pointing at what she had just seen.
"Who gave you that mark, Blair?" she inquired, still taken aback.
"The Prince," Blair replied, lowering her head in shame.
"On the night you went to serve him tea?" she asked.
Blair simply nodded, bowing her head even further.
Madam Eunice approached Blair and took off the neck scarf, which left Blair confused and wondering what she was doing.
Then, Madam Eunice placed her hand on the mark and gazed at the sky, muttering the word "Fate."
"What?" Blair asked, trying to understand what Madam Eunice had said.
Without saying a word, Madam Eunice picked up the scarf and tied it around Blair's neck, covering the mark. This only added to Blair's confusion.
"No matter what happens, don't let anyone else find out about this," she warned as she tied the scarf around Blair's neck properly.
"And most importantly, make sure Chief Silas doesn't find out about this," she emphasized to Blair, who simply nodded despite being confused about the specific warning.
But little did she know…
*****
"Princess Olivia is here to see you, sire," the maid announced to Chief Silas in his chambers.
Silas raised his eyebrows inquisitively, as if trying to figure out what she could possibly be here for. Before he could invite her in, she confidently entered the room, gracefully walking from one end to the other.
Silas got up from his library chair and approached her.
"Good afternoon, Chief," she greeted with a serious tone.
"Afternoon, my Princess. What brings you here?" he asked.
"You won't offer me a seat?" Princess Olivia asked, her pride evident in her voice.
"Of course, come... My bad, how could I forget to offer the future queen of this kingdom a seat," he said, grinning slyly and leading her to his terrace.
"Would you like anything to drink?" he offered.
"No, I'm not here for drinks. I'm here to make a deal with you," she replied firmly.
"Hmm... sounds interesting. What's it about?" he asked.
"I know you're aware that the maid, Blair, is Prince Marcus' mate. That's why you've sent your guard, Patrick, to keep tabs on her," she continued.
Silas, who was oblivious to what she was saying, decided to play along. "Oh... that," he said with a wry smile.
"And I know that you've been trying to kill the Prince," she added with a stern look.
Immediately, the smile on Silas' face disappeared at the mention of his misdeed.
"What do you want?" he asked.
She let out an evil smile while standing up to take in the view.
"Kill Blair."
"And what will I gain from this?" he inquired.
"You will gain my discretion in keeping your secret of attempting to assassinate the Prince of this kingdom," she replied with a grin.
"Well... someone here has been selling and sending the kingdom's information to her father's kingdom through letters," he said, revealing her own misdeed which made her shudder.
"Isn't that also a secret?" he added with a smirk, leaving Olivia speechless.
"Know your limits with me, Princess. Stop trying to act too smart," he stated, feigning a smile.
"We have a deal."
*****
"Who is Blair and why have you been keeping track of her?" Chief Silas asked Patrick, who stood before him.
"I have been instructed to do so by the young master, Sire," Patrick replied, bowing.
"I believe she is his love interest," he added, bowing even lower.
"Hmm... I see," Silas muttered, scratching his chin.
"She dies tonight."
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