While King Leonid screamed and cradled his shattered hand, General Zhan knelt and held out his other hand to the old nursemaid who was on her knees rocking back and forth in concern over her charges. "My poor, poor babies." She sobbed.
"Are you okay, my lady?" He asked gently as he gallantly helped the old woman to her feet. She leaned on him heavily as she struggled to rise.
"Yes. Thank you, Sir." She said.
"You are the twins' nursemaid?" He inquired.
"Yes, since the day they were born. The dear sweet things. Their mother died in childbirth. The strain of bearing twins was too much for her. and their so-called father was no help. He even took another wife two days later. I don't think he ever held them."
The old woman started coughing violently and spitting up blood. Her body wracked with painful spasms, she nevertheless continued to call out Lord Trey and King Leonid for their callous indifference to the twins she'd raised.
