She received her newly modified bow and practiced whole day with double arrow shot, her speed got improved.
It was simply amazing for her.
She went out in the night.
She was close to Palace and thinking what part of city she should go.
A troop of thirty soldiers of Palace fully prepared marched out from Palace, they were organized and equipped.
Without making much noise they walked the rout which leads them away from city.
Initially she jumped roofs to trace their motifs but one hour walk they reached the edge of small patch of forest.
A soldier said something to other and pointed toward the forest, "Their cottages are little deep in forest," the other one answered, they small fire torches to keep their path.
Henan kept tracing, she was on distance that they were completely unaware of the presence of another being except them.
"We should set fire their cottages first and then make them slave," someone from the group suggested.
They were agreed to it, they crossed many bamboo trees and walked another hour, they saw blur image of cottages, "You said that cottages were deep in forest yet they are on edges, it is good though we don't have to go search the whole forest," the one who was leading said menacingly. They took next steps more carefully without making any abrupt sound.
Someone might had sense their arrival, a man came out from cottage and shouted to his men insider other chalets, chalets were set on fire by the soldiers and they readied their swords too. The men from chalets carrying wooden rods came out, horrifies expressions were pasted on their faces. Primarily Henan thought that these soldiers were after trouble makers of city, some robbers or some traitors.
But robbers and traitors should have possessed some weapon to defense themselves, yet these forest people did not own a single sword.
She could not understand the motif of these soldiers.
Chalets people were small tribe of forest living, they never entered in any city, they were happy in their forest lives, just that they change their location in search of better forest environment for living like some forest fruit trees and animal for prey.
That means they were harmless in anyway.
"We need only thirteen of them, slaughter rest of them," soldier's leader instructed others.
Henan saw this first time, there were many questions in her head now, why soldiers want them?
Why they would slaughter rest of them?
She awoke from her daze and trembled in agitation, it was hard decision but she could not let them slaughter these weaponless and harmless people.
She would eventually know the reason behind this, a man fall with flash of sword.
She shot up two arrows on the two soldiers who were there to slaughter rest of them. Thirteen people were kneeling on ground and soldiers were standing around them.
She took less than sliver of time to injure twenty soldiers but unfortunately another woman was slaughtered with sword.
With this rain of middle size arrows they were stumped, the fire could lit small area while moon was not enough bright, "Tell us why you are here to slaughter Chalets men," a voice full of displeasure echoed in surrounding, she intentionally said 'us'.
"And don't try to move either you will be the next to die," soldiers thought that many arrow shooters were on guard, they fell to ground as they make chalets men before.
"We are ordered to bring thirty slaves for sacrifice by the King," it was ritual to offer sacrifices of slaves to the ancestors on different events.
Small tribes who were not part of Kingdom were made slave and offered sacrifices. Next day was Queen's birthday and for this event King ordered to bring slaves for sacrifice to make happy their deceased ancestors.
Henan shuddered with this revelation.
In all the years she was ignorant of these cruel feats.
"You remaining soldiers have less time to collect your injured brothers and run away from this forest or choose to die in our hands," the same voice echoed.
They immediately followed the words and collected and tried to drag out their bodies from bamboo forest. A soldier tried to sneak his eyes back and an arrow struck his thigh "Ah…" he cried in pain, rest of them witnessed this and tried to run as fast as they could.
She heaved a sigh of relief.
Eighteen chalets people including five women and two children fell on ground with gratitude. They were indebted to this savior.
"Move from this place instantaneously, soldiers might return with more infantry," she ordered them; from their looks they were not living in better conditions here.
They pack up their remaining things which survived from fire and moved to different direction.
She was short of arrows so she came back sneakily in the Palace…
The Event of Birthday
It was beginning of autumn.
Prince took time in selecting his event wear.
Huge Palace Hall was decorated with ever blooming flowers that scented the whole hall. Slowly guests arrived in time, when everyone was engrossed in chatting, King and Queen entered, they were looking exceptionally wonderful, Queen wore the finest silk gown, silk was more precious than ruby or diamond in those days.
She looked graceful in silk gown.
She also selected silk gown for Henan.
Many women of nobles felt envious to see her gown.
Then they saw the favored girl of Queen she was also wearing silk gown, they felt stifling in their hearts.
The sight was appealing, she was looking formidably beautiful, many gazes fell on her, and she smiled imposingly.
Palace chorus played his newly invented composition that despite autumn everyone sensed that it was spring, all guests were captured by this beautiful composition, couples were moved in their hearts, they were touched like the pleasure of romance.
But it was nothing for Henan.
She was standing alone with her caretaker.
She had not made friends and she doesn't like music as well or she never heard it with her heart.