Harold heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Louise approaching the cabin from afar. Louise had left the cabin to see how things were in the capital on his order and he was starting to worry when she hadn't arrived after three days.
He wanted to know if the guards were still searching for Sabina. If they were, then it would be unsafe for them to continue staying at that secluded cabin in the Kingdom.
As soon as Louise got to Harold, she quickly curtsied.
"What did you find out?", Harold asked Louise.
"It is safe to stay here since everyone in the capital believes that Lady Sabina is dead.", Louise explained in a soft voice.
"I also found out something else.", Louise continued.
"The chief priestess is dead. She was killed by the King three days ago in front of the palace because of a prophecy that she foretold."
Louise, while inspecting the capital, had witnessed everything that happened with between the chief priestess and the King.
She explained every single detail of the incident to Harold.
Harold's mouth dropped open slightly as he listened to Louise's report. Zhao was truly evil. How could he lay his hands on the chief priestess because of a prophecy she foretold? Did he not fear the wrath of the gods?
"He would surely get what he deserves.", Harold concluded.
He then urged Louise to keep the news from Sabina.
"I don't want her to worry over unnecessary things since she is pregnant.", he explained.
Louise agreed to his request knowing that it was for Sabina's good.
"Thank you.", Harold muttered with a soft smile.
It felt like everything was slowly falling back in place. He and Sabina would not have to worry about moving to another Kingdom. They could continue living in Pirella, even if it was a secluded part of the Kingdom.
Despite everything they had gone through, they had the chance to begin again.
*****
"What are you not telling me?", the berating voice of the King echoed in the beautiful royal garden.
It had been three days since the chief priestess died and Sabina was buried, since he ordered his Eunuch to keep a close eye on the Queen Dowager, his mother.
After the chief priestess death, his mother no longer opposed or challenged any of his decisions which made him feel uneasy.
It was so unlike her.
Even though it was what he wanted and he was happy she no longer challenged him, he couldn't help but feel she was plotting something against him. And for the past three days, his Eunuch had reported nothing.
Now again, his Eunuch was reporting nothing.
"Your...Your Majesty, I am not hiding anything from you.", his Eunuch repeated as his lips quivered.
"I have not found anything suspicious about the Queen Dowager.", he added.
The Eunuch had actually learned the Queen Dowager's big secret but he could not tell the King.
He had realized what telling the King such information would mean for the Queen Dowager and the hidden prince so he chose to keep it from the King.
If he opened his mouth about the existence of Melvin, there would be bloodshed. The Queen Dowager's life was in his hands.
The Eunuch slowly lifted his head to glance at the King. The expression of doubt on the King's face made him flinch.
Had the King caught on that he was lying?
"I would not dare lie to you, Your Majesty.", he quickly reaffirmed, hoping the King would stop doubting him.
The King gently stroked his chin while staring at his Eunuch as he contemplated whether or not to believe his words.
He was sure his mother was plotting something bad or hiding something from him - something big, but he just didn't know what it was and he found it hard to believe that his Eunuch could not find anything after tailing her for a few days.
Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe his mother wasn't really hiding anything.
The King cleared his throat before opening his mouth to speak again.
"Continue keeping an eye on her and if you find anything suspicious, you have to report to me immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty.", the Eunuch quickly responded with a bow. "Phew!", he sighed before lifting his chin back up.
The King was surely not an easy person to fool.
"What a beautiful sight! It's so sad I would not be able to admire the beauty of this garden for quite a while.", the cold voice of the Queen from behind startled the King and his Eunuch.
The King jerked his head in the direction her voice came from and he smirked when he saw her approaching him. Her face was pale, her lips chapped and she was dressed in a plain undergarment. He had made sure she was punished for defying his orders.
The punishment he felt she deserved for not attending Sabina's funeral.
"Are you happy now?", the Queen hissed as she entered the garden.
"No one who defies my orders would go unpunished. Reflect on your foolish action while at the nunnery.", the King gloated.
"Right back at you!", the Queen spat out.
"Your foolish actions also took the life of the woman you claim you loved. Reflect on those foolish action of yours while at the palace."
The King's eyes quickly turned red as soon as the Queen's words sank in. The words that the Queen threw at him were like salt to his wounds. Losing Sabina was sad enough but being reminded that he was responsible for that since he gave the order for her to be killed was worse.
Before he could blurt out angry words back at the Queen, a little boy's footsteps was heard from afar.
"Mother! Mother!", the little boy called out as he ran towards the Queen with a few servants trotting behind him.
That little boy was the Crown Prince. The only child of the King and Queen.
Though the King had other concubines and consorts, none of them had been able to produce a child for him. None except the Queen.
As soon as the little boy got to the Queen, he fell at her feet and tears started streaming down his face.
"Please don't leave mother. Don't leave me.", the little prince cried.
The Queen's eyes darted downward to land on her son. She had spent the past six years by his side, nurturing and training him the best way she could. Now that she had been banished to the temple, she would not be able to see him again. She was so emotionally attached to him that the thought of leaving him behind broke her heart.
She never imagined that the King would go as far as banishing her to the temple just because she refused to attend the funeral of concubine Sabina. Now that it had gotten to that, she needed to be strong.
She dropped to her knees and picked her son up. Despite the pain in her heart, she visibly composed herself and grinning widely at him, she whispered, "I will be back. so wait for me."
She then wiped away the tears in his eyes with her palm.
"Don't cry anymore."
The King hissed at the display of warm affection between the Queen and the Crown Prince.
"Don't be a weakling! You are the future heir to the throne!", he yelled at the crown prince as he dragged him away from the Queen.
Turning to the servants of the crown prince who were stationed in one corner of the garden, he ordered, "Take the Crown Prince back to his quarters."
The servants immediately took the crown prince and left the garden. The Queen watched on with tears in her eyes as her son was being carried away.
"Until my return to the palace, you need to be strong.", she muttered.
She took one last glance at the King before leaving. Although she didn't utter a word again, her eyes were burning with hatred.
Hatred for the King.
The King could see the look in her eyes but he didn't care. He never did.
"I'll take care of the Crown Prince in my own way from now on. I'll teach him to be a strong ruler like me.", he said with a wan smile.
"Good luck with that.", she replied wryly before turning around to leave the palace.
"My son will never become like you.", she thought to herself as she walked out of the garden.
"Because he doesn't share a drop of blood with you."