Hearing this, Ava was alarmed as she defensively brought her hand near her womb to protect it, "Who are those, if Princess is comfortable to give me answers?"
"Who can these be? Think for yourself. The ones...who have the most disadvantage and threat from your child, dear." Alice told, in the simplest, yet the drastic and conquered way.
Her words were the beads of worriedness, which Ava found strange, but beneficial as well.
Lifting her chin, Ava's eyes narrowed, "They won't dare harm a child..that is of the second man, Princess. The second man wouldn't leave them so openly if this happened." how softhearted and immature, Alice thought.
She was giving vibrant hints, to which Ava acted dumbly, enough to make Alice believe that the lady isn't competent to actually stand against someone like Mrs. Ira at all.
'Yet I have no other choice...this is the only option..'
With this thought, Alice tapped Ava's shoulders, passing her an assurance-filled look, "The man whose children you're carrying...already has a lady at his chamber, whom the entire castle and Kingdom recognizes. We are here, to actually see his daughter getting married."
"So, you know the position you lie in."
Alice knew that she had given hints, enough to make the lady work on her own. Only if she does want to research and find out the names herself…
Expectedly, Ava's lips pursed into a straight line where she looked at Alice, with a thin line of hope present, "You are a lifesaver, Princess."
"I did what I should do for an honest person. I don't want any life to be sacrificed under the politics and misuse of the ladies out there. Protect yourself and the little life inside your womb. Otherwise…"
Keeping her eyes on her womb, and then at her face, she continued to mutter, "...Your second man will not give you a chance, but he surely can give to his wife, who has enough things to provide..unlike you who is nothing but a peasant's daughter."
Alice knew her work was done. On noting Ava to be in a daze with her own bundle of emotions, Alice didn't say a single thing. Rather, she stepped inside by the chamber to see her brother, standing at the same place where he was earlier.
Looking at the maids who still carried the plate she spoke, "Keep them on the bed and leave." with her one say, the maids nodded their heads and kept the stuff on the bed itself.
Afterward, Alice and Dominic stepped out of the chamber to proceed towards her room.
On their way, Alice opened her mouth to ask on a serious note.
"So..tell me. Did you find it behind our back?" Her speech was clear, indicating that she is really interested to know more.
"I did. Seems like these crafts can actually guide us about what the second uncle and his dear wife are planning…" with this, both of them came to her chamber, to actually close the door behind.
In the hurry, Dominic spread the rough brownish paper which they had on the bed to actually find nothing but a map over it, "Of where the map can this be..?"
"Only if we both know brother…" Alice's eyes scanned throughout to find the trail even more complicated.
Some places were marked, or to be more specific over it through scratched via any stones. However, she found it utterly hard to even imagine where this map was. 'But wait…'
As her eyes caught the sight of a similar thing, her hands moved towards that, "This…" pointing out at a rock-like drawing, she said, "Isn't the same mountain which is visible from the back of the castle?"
"Hm.. yes! You are correct. If we do see this carefully…" His gaze moved to evaluate from all the sides and did agree with her speech, "This is the mountain behind.."
"So if this is true then.." her eyes confined to other stretch was made to find the tinge of things and pieces, which helped her to find the clues.
Pointing her nail at a jelly-like figure she said, "Then this place is nothing but a river. The river that flows at the back.." Alice answered with the utmost confidence.
She believed her own instincts to be correct this time since there was no other place that was as similar as they were at.
"Alice, I guess we should go back to the castle to see things more clearly." In response, Alice agreed.
She took one of her shawls to protect herself from the cold and a lantern in her hands. Soldiers were asked to not follow them since Prince was the one who accompanied her.
The siblings moved to one of the terraces at the back of the castle, where the lamps were almost on the verge of fading out. The prominent source of light was the bright moon itself in the clear sky, all-round to face them.
Looking at the sight, their eyes fell over the place where the river flew down the castle. On raising their heads, they came across a mountain from their place, "I'm sure brother that this is the pictograph which is actually made on this.."
"But why will someone actually draw the back of the castle over this.." taking the folded map out, "This is either to misg-"
His words came to a halt when he heard her deep and sudden echoing voice.
"Brother! There is a boat in that lake!"