Tyran turned to Carolene whose shoulders were slumped,her head lowered as she slowly fondled her clothes.
"Well speak!.... what is this information that is worth trading for your life".he impatiently spurted out.
Carolene's whole body trembled,she tried talking but the words just wouldn't form.
Knowing the Emperor,not even these words would save her he would kill her either way if he wanted to but they were her only chance.
If there was a slim chance of surviving his sword she had no choice but to take it.
Also she had to let him know she was on his side.... somehow?
But how?
Carolene's feet suddenly felt her legs grew weak,she staggered in the general's direction who took a step backward to prevent her from touching him.
Tyran raised a brow.
'What is it?...haven't had breakfast yet?"
She held her head as she stood upright,but barely.
"Your...your majesty...he...he mentioned just two people he knew involved...the chief Knight Athena and dark.there....thereafter, these were his exact words 'Keep those far close and those close even further away from trust none of your kings neither trust you even your closest ally,they want both your heads not just his".
"A Rebellion?"Tyran turned to Ren whose eyes remained on Carolene.
No that wasn't the case,surely he was known to be the highest tier Semonio in Devin.
None would dare take him on right now, not with General Ren on his side.
"So precisely they are both after the throne and eliminating the heart of the prophecy...some probably using that as an excuse to get rid of me knowing that would be the easiest way to rid Delvin of Ramses.Gerald had seen something am sure something more than what he knew about Athena but perhaps couldn't tell me because he was unsure....so they decided to eliminate him.Now we are certain his death is linked to the prophecy"
Ren nodded and Tyran drew closer to Carolene,his piercing eyes peering deeply into hers.
"You know about the prophecy don't you?...he probably told you everything...".
Carolene swallowed the lump in her throat,her heart had stopped beating as his eyes studied hers.
Although barely standing she didn't move,her lips pursed together while she fought back tears from flowing down her face.
Was this the end of her?
No this wasn't the time to act weak and give in...her life was on the line here.
"But...that's not enough coins to trade for your life.Am afraid you know too much about the crown prince, probably even more than I do so..Keeping you alive would be putting my son in harm's way,a weak point of mine and food for my advasaries.. ".
"Your imperial majesty,I have always been close with the empress.I could never harm her seed and Gerald,I_i loved him".
Tyran raised a brow stunned,as he slowly withdrew his face before folding his hands
"He proposed a night before the hunt,he promised he would be back that we would get married when he returned but he_he...."Carolene's voice trailed off as the tears found their way down her chin,she let them flow freely down her face, sobbing after every burst of tears.
Tyran turned to Ren,he had backed them,facing the emperor's desk but he knew the general was listening.
Carolene wiped her tears with one swift movement of her arm then balled up a fist as she drew closer to the emperor.
Something a lowly maid like her should never do, something she wouldnt think of doing in her right mind
But right now she wasn't in her right mind
She wanted revenge and wanted him to know she meant it.
"I want revenge...I want to help you destroy them".
"And how exactly would a powerless semonio like you do that?"
"I can be of help to you..."
"I am listening".
"It's true I am but a maid and I have no magic abilities,it's also true they know I am nursing his majesty"Carolene could read the sudden look of interest on the emperor's face.
"Then Your majesty....allow me the honour of being bait".
"Bait?".
"I will pretend to join them because I know you would get rid of me anytime soon since I was done nursing your son...then we give them a location where I would deliver him into their hands....Dark wouldn't dare refuse this offer.Might as well bring some others with him..This is also another chance to test the loyalty of your subjects..."
"... Killing two birds with one stone"Tyran muttered."You're smarter than you look I'll give you that...Ren!...what do you think?"Tyran called out but Ren only turned his head slightly to glare at him.
Carolene noticed this and Tyran chuckled.
"That's a yes from the general...Incase you don't know".
"But the question is how do I contact Dark?"
Tyran's lips curved into a smile as he looked ahead,his eyes afixed on something only his mind could see.
"No need...the moment you leave the palace he will find you himself".
***************************
Chief Knight Zero walked through the courtyard with a hand placed under his jaw going through the stream of thoughts that swept across his mind yet nothing made sense but something ticked him anytime an image of the imperial prince popped into his head, everything about him was abnormal he could tell but why does he smell like a semonio they said he wasn't.
He was sure they were up to no good back there.
Clearly the imperial crown prince was more of an adult stuck in a child's body but that didn't make any sense.
Also the emperor had dismissed him early today something that never happened in Gerald's case perhaps he could have stayed back to evesdrop, maybe he could get some information—wait no,the emperor must have put up a sound proof barrier.
Zero had started in the opposite direction then stopped right in his track but it was too late,he had bumped into someone who had pushed him on impulse.
He found himself on the floor,his head aching from the impact but he couldn't move his body due to the heavy presence on his body.
Zero groaned and his eyes blinked severally to meet the blue eyes of the most beautiful thing he had seen today.
Her reddish-brown curly hair fluttered in the wind managing to partly obstruct a part of the face he wanted more view of.
He froze for a while taking in the view until someone pulled her away from him, jolting him back to the present.
"What in the world do you think you're doing?"Athena barked at her.
"Apologize to him immediately".
The maiden glared at Athena before turning to Zero.
"If I do then he should as well...after all we bumped into each other—"
"You—"Athena paused"Do you even know who he is?".
"So what if he's a prince for all I care".
Athena immediately pulled her sword before pointing it to her neck.
"You dare slander royal blood?—you've got some nerve".
Mia scoffed ignoring the blade to study Zero's features.
He did look important.
Her eyes drifting from his face down his golden armour and the scabbard he carried at his side,a gold and brown scabbard with a carved dragon curling around it.
It looked expensive and for some reason,he looked familiar.
As a wave of memory swept across her mind, Mia's eyes swiftly returned to his face and an image of the Knight who had taken Gerald's place glued to her memory in that instant...they were the same no it is he.
Oh no!
Mia cried out within her.
Offending the Emperor's knight was the same as going against the Emperor.
She was cooked.