Allyria tried to cope with Kaius' gigantic steps as they sprinted towards the halls. She could still hear the people wailing.
Though the guards have already started guiding them to the underground keep, there were still others who would rather stay with the dead than be rescued.
Nothing followed the attack, just planted explosives on the castle, said the guards. They never got to identify the suspects. They said they fled after preparing the assault.
When she heard that, she couldn't help but think about the people whom she bumped in earlier and those she ran into as she went back in.
What if one of them was responsible for the bombing? She never got to familiarize the faces herself. Everything escalated way too quickly. If she had known, she would have stopped them the second she felt something different.
"Watch your step," Kaius warned her as he walked first towards a narrow staircase followed by her and the guards behind her back. All her life, they had never used the underground keep for anything, especially for emergencies. This was the first time a disaster like this happened.
"Son," King Maximillian gave him a tight squeeze as soon as they saw each other, "I'm glad you're all right."
Allyria stood there, waiting as Kaius told his father about what happened upstairs. Knowing she was unwanted at the encounter, she couldn't help but stare at the people around her. A lot of them had wounds, burnt skin, others with deep scars she preferred not to describe. The casualties would have doubled if the castle walls weren't firm enough from collapse.
She left Kaius with his father and went to tend to the people who were scattered on the floors. She tried to entertain them one by one, giving them what they needed if she could.
Allyria was in the middle of speaking to a noble when she noticed a young girl, not of noble birth guessing from the dress she's wearing but probably a daughter of one of the kitchen servants, sat alone on the corner, her innocent eyes staring into oblivion as if she has no idea what happened.
"Hello, little angel," she crouched and placed a hand on the locks of her hair.
"Princess," her eyes widened as she realized the princess's presence and tried to stand to greet her when Allyria held her arm, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't be here."
"It's okay," her mouth curved into a smile, "Do you have anyone with you?"
"I have my mommy," she paused for a second, thinking if it was appropriate to tell this to the princess, "But she... She died with the people in the Hall. She was supposed to sneak me in and show… Show me what a ball looked like," her voice cracked, fighting back the tears.
"I shouldn't have forced her.... She would have still been here," she added. "It's all my fault."
Allyria's smile faded. She didn't know what to say, her eyes stuck on the little girl's innocent face.
Children, mothers, many people have suffered this much. For what? For power? For greed? She couldn't understand how people could be so heartless to do all of this.
"I'm... I'm so sorry," she grabbed the little girl's body and went in for a tight, reassuring hug. If words could do nothing to ease the pain, maybe a simple embrace would do.
Allyria couldn't imagine how it must be painful to lose a mother, thinking it was her to blame. She and the Queen may not have a good relationship but she would never want to see the day when her mother would be taken from her.
All of a sudden, the little girl was already sniffing, hot tears falling on her shoulders. The girl could barely conceal the sound of her cries. She squeezed Allyria tightly, her only solace in this time of darkness, and buried her head on her neck.
Allyria's vision became blurry. A single drop of grief welled up from the corner of her eye. There are so many questions in her head. Why did this have to happen? Why, of all people, to those who have already suffered much?
Allyria rubbed her back, telling her it's all right. She knew it's not all right but there were no better words to say.
They stayed there like that for a while. She didn't care whether people would see and think of her as someone dirty for touching a lowlife. She didn't care at all.
"What's your name?" she asked several seconds after she released her tiny body.
"Vera, Your Grace," she said with much courtesy, wiping the tears off her eyes. It seemed as if her mother really trained her for a life inside the castle. She'd even be a better princess than her, "Vera Lockeheart."
"L…Lockeheart?" she stammered.
"Yes, Your Grace." As if the young girl understood what was on her mind, she answered. "My father was one of your Royal Guards."
The color drained out of her face.
Her father… And now her mother.
What she has heard and experienced doesn't amount to what this little child has in just two weeks. Her father, mother, all lost in a war she never fought. Her face may not be wounded, but she had bruises all the same. She may still be a kid, but she has experienced far too tragedy than a child could ever bear.
It was too much.
She couldn't help but let a tear out from her eye. Clasping the girl's hands, she caressed it like a loving mother would do. "Your father was a real hero, a fighter," she said in between quiet sobs.
"You know him?" her eyes glittered even with the dimly lit lights.
She nodded, "Evil men want to kill people, they want to destroy the kingdom, but he saved us. He is an angel, your father, just like you."
Allyria stayed there, squatting beside the girl; talking about her experiences as a princess and tales she's heard from bedtime stories just like what her mother would read to when she was younger.
When Vera yawned, squinting her eyes, she called on the guards to carry her to a place she can lie on.
Kaius saw her just in time for her to stand, "Your mother and father are on the other side. They are looking for you.��
She went with him to the adjacent room, where more people were cramped in the small space. The King and Queen were busy instructing the guards with what to do. Her siblings, on the other hand, stood on the opposite corner, looking after the victims who needed much help.
"Vysela," she dashed towards her direction and gave her a warm embrace, "You're okay. You're all okay."
The siblings were all fine. Though they had a few wounds, probably from the impact of the explosion, it was nothing serious. Same with the King and Queen who even though had their outfits quite torn, still led with authority and persistence. Not a single sign of fear or sorrow appeared from their eyes.
The passing hours became too busy for her to take note. The Royal family was restless, attending to everyone's needs. Despite the fact that the bombing was hours ago, the King didn't allow anyone to leave the underground keep not until the castle was clear of those intruders.
Her mother already gave her speech, comforting the people, explaining to them they might spend a night underground knowing the threat might still be out there.
When everything was already in place and all the needs of the evacuees were addressed, the royal family took their much deserved rest on a separate room from the underground keep. It was a tiny space good enough for the six of them.
Allyria didn't wait for any word to come out of their mouths and immediately crashed her body on the bed and not a minute later, the darkness finally set in.