Soon after Gianna left his chamber, Danyel realized that he was never this much angry at anyone else. Though he maintained rather tough, warrior-like personality, he was nice to everyone just like his mother. But this time, he completely lost his temper.
"I should have been more patient." Danyel thought.
As the girl would not give up, Danyel thought to convince his father to stop this wedding.
"Father, I have something important to tell. Can you spare me some time?" Danyel asked in a hurry, when he met the Emperor in the royal garden. The emperor was on his way to a concubine's chamber.
"A private matter, I guess?" Narendra raised one eyebrow.
"Yes your majesty."
All the maids and guards left them alone in an instant as if they were disappeared into the evening breeze.
"Father, I don't think this Wertese girl is suitable to be the crown princess. She…um… she doesn't seem err…royal enough. Maybe because she did not grow up in a palace, I badly feel that she might not meet the standards of the crown princess of Hesmia." Danyel said while continuously glancing at his father's face to study his expressions.
Emperor Narendra smiled silently. Then he looked at Danyel in the eye.
"Then who do you think is suitable? Your water maid?"
WHAT??? Danyel never expected this reply from his father. He knew??
"What…what are you talking about…father?" Danyel kept stuttering.
"Who do you think I am, Danyel? I'm your father. How can I not know when my son plays with a water maid under my nose?"
Danyel did not answer as he was speechless at the moment.
Though Danyel thought he was very clever to find a place where no one could see him and Yasvie, Emperor Narendra was aware about this from the beginning through his inside-the-empire spies. Actually, it would obviously be impossible for someone who spent years away from the empire to discover a place where no one else knew.
"Listen, my son. I didn't stop you because it's okay to have affairs. I used to date more than two girls at once when I was a bachelor. And I paused those affairs for a while when I married your mother. If you want that girl, you can make her a concubine one day, just like I did. Not only her, any girl. There will be no limit. But never let them come between you and your legal wife. That bond must be sacred, filled with love. Concubines are just for fun."
Hats off to the greatest father in history… May others learn from him about giving advices to their bachelor sons! (Not really. He sucks.)
"Um…forgive me your majesty, I can't even think of a life without her. We are deeply in love, we can't step back now. But I can promise that our bond will be the most sacred of them all. I will never have any other woman in my life. I don't reckon you can use women to just have fun." Danyel tried to appear confident.
The Emperor let out a laugh.
"So, you're asking permission to make a water maid the crown princess, again?"
"Yes father. Lady Arya was a water maid too. If you can make a water maid your wife, why can't I?"
"CONCUBINES ARE NOT WIVES." Narendra was devastated.
"Fine, father. If you are not letting me to marry her because I am the crown prince, I give up my title. I will leave the palace and take her with me. You better find an heir. Oh, you have so many children from your just-to-have-fun-women right? Choose one of them." Danyel uttered furiously. He was going to leave for real.
"DANYEL!" Danyel was shaken by Narendra's loud cry. He stuck automatically.
"If you put another single step and try to do anything stupid, your girl will be tortured to death even before you know. Do you want to feed my crocodiles with the flesh of your sweetheart?" Narendra threatened.
Danyel's eyes filled with tears. He instantly regretted saying everything to Narendra. Instead, he should have acted silently.
"Don't do anything to her. If you harm her, I won't be living either." Danyel was shivering by fear.
"I won't put a finger on her as long as you stay obedient and marry the Wertese princess. From now on, you are prohibited from seeing this water maid. If you dare to disobey, prepare yourself to feed my crocodiles. I will make you do it by your own hands."
After that incident, Narendra appointed an officer to stay with Danyel and report his actions. Danyel was feeling completely empty without a sight of his beloved Yasvie.
Yasvie was sad and confused. She wondered why the prince suddenly disappeared without any message, even after swearing never to leave her. She never knew how hard it was for Danyel to avoid seeing her, but he did it for Yasvie's sake. Her life was at a huge risk.
"Someone will have to pay." Danyel said in endless rage, and he knew who was going to pay.
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Outside the palace, a secret gathering was being held by a group of aristocrats, who were also the members of the royal council.
"We can't let this happen. We must act quickly. We have only ten days for the wedding." Treawdott said.
"Yes, we can't just let a girl show up out of nowhere and take the crown princess title. It must be held by one of our daughters."
"What if we ask his majesty to reconsider his decision?"
"After all these? No way Clemenson. He is fascinated by that girl. There's no way this wedding gets cancel unless…unless the girl disappears." Treawdott said while smiling in a cunning way.
"What do you suggest? Should we kill her or trap her in a wrong deed…like last time?"
"We don't have enough time to plan a trap, and this time the Emperor won't be acting fast as he already regrets punishing Empress Lalina. He won't do it again."
"It only leaves us with the option…to kill."
"And for that, I can offer the best contract killers in the whole empire. Tell me the date you need them." Desmith said.
"Tomorrow will do."
"Alright then. After that we'll decide whose daughter gets the crown."
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Without knowing any of these, Gianna sat on the bed in her chamber and recalled the amazing moments she had in Stri. She was so distracted that she did not even see Minnah entering the chamber.
"Ginger?" Minnah waved her hand to get Gianna's attention.
"Oh, Emse Minnah! I didn't see you coming. Sorry."
"Ginger, you have to stay focused. This entire palace is a dangerous place. You're not safe here. So stay alerted!" Minnah said as if she had sensed something.
"The palace? No Emse Minnah, the entire world outside Stri is dangerous." Gianna talked calmly.
"By the way, I need your permission to get a day-off tomorrow. I have some things to check."
"Why would you ask permission from me Emse Minnah? As if I would ever command you."
"Because Princess Gianna is the mistress who commands Nadya." Minnah reminded.
"Oh I totally forgot it. You have my permission, Nadya." Gianna laughed.
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Gianna spent the next day feeling lonely and bored without Minnah. She just did not know someone was planning to wash away the boredom and make the night exciting.
After Gianna closed her eyes and the maids extinguished the lights, three men dressed in black and wearing masks entered the chamber. The two maids and the four soldiers at the entrance were immediately killed by the sharp blades. Then the assassins quietly went to hunt their main prey.
Thankfully to the trainings she had in Stri, Gianna heard them coming. She woke up quickly and grabbed the dagger she always kept. She could see them only because of the bright moonlight.
One of the killers tried to attack Gianna's chest with his sword, but Gianna stepped back and bent to avoid it. Then the second one directed his sword to her belly, but Gianna pulled his sword away using her dagger. Then she kicked him in the heart. The third one tried to grab Gianna by her wrist. Gianna turned around and struggled to let herself free.
Then one of the other two suddenly threw his sword like a spear aiming Gianna's heart. Struggling to get rid of one killer, Gianna had to avoid this too. But she could not completely stop the sword from hurting her. It flew near her and ended up giving her right wrist a huge cut.
"Ah…" Gianna screamed. Though she was training to be a warrior, this was the first time she faced a real enemy, someone who truly wanted to harm her.
Shifting the dagger to her left hand, Gianna tried to fight with the assassins, but she suddenly fell as a killer kicked her injured arm.
Suffering with an intolerable pain, Gianna could no longer stand up and fight with the killers.
"Kill me, you cowards!" Gianna yelled.
But she felt scared, thinking about how these guys would kill her. Three of them were slowly approaching her…to give her a horrifying death.
Then, another masked person wearing the same black dress with two swords came out of nowhere. That person stood in front of Gianna and directed the swords towards the assassins.
Then a quick, yet terrifying fight began between the mysterious savior and the three muscular killers. The entire chamber was filled with the smell of blood and the sound of sword-clashing. Gianna could see how fast the savior fought showing off the combat skills. In no time, the three killers were laying down, dead.
After confirming the three were dead, the savior removed the mask. It was…
…Minnah.
Gianna felt extremely safe seeing her face.
"Emse Minnah…" Gianna cried. Tears were rolling down her round cheeks as she was letting out all her emotions which she kept hiding in front of the killers.
"Sh…Don't cry, Ginger. I am with you." Minnah hugged Gianna and comforted her.
"Listen, you should tell everyone that you killed them, okay? No one should know about me. You saved me too." Minnah said. Then she suddenly saw that Gianna was bleeding.
"Oh! Ginger, let's go to the healer. Wait until I change my clothes. Don't close your eyes."
Gianna almost died from bleeding, but the healer saved her life.
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Narendra was furious about the assassination attempt. He invited Gianna to the royal council.
"My daughter, tell us what exactly happened."
Gianna explained the story creating some differences like making HER the fearless warrior. Everyone was wondered by Gianna's skills.
"You told me they were the best. This girl killed all three, alone." Treawdott whispered into Desmith's ear.
"Yes, they were. Either she wasn't alone or this girl is indeed a great threat."
Then, Treawdott made a cunning move.
"Excuse me, your majesty. As we all know, the empress consort cannot have any visible scars. It means princess Gianna is no longer eligible to marry the crown prince."
Gianna was shaken by this. She did not survive to hear this.
"Oh, let me think. Danyel, what do you think?" Narendra asked.
"I reckon we should follow the traditions, father." Danyel wanted to get rid of Gianna.
"And you, Gianna?"
Gianna thought for a while.
"Your majesty, this scar doesn't disgust me. It only reminds me that I fought with three assassins and saved myself only with a small scar. To me, this is a replica of my bravery." She said with confidence.
Narendra loved her reply. He guaranteed to himself that Danyel will marry no one but Gianna.
"I am proud of you my daughter. Now I can assure that you are the most eligible girl for my son. You will make a great empress. I will find the culprits behind this and strengthen your security." Narendra stated.
Everyone including Danyel was shocked, so the great hall was filled with silence.