That woman took me after chaining my hands and feet to the Riverdale basement. People might call it a prison, but to Anya, it was a place of lamentation.
It's dark, damp, and quiet. She put me in an empty cell that I didn't know what was in it. Fortunately, Anya carried a torch in her right hand so I could see the items in prison.
"What will you do to me?" I asked, curious.
"I'll wait for Arya to come home. Then, she will decide what kind of punishment you will receive."
"But I'm innocent. I'm telling the truth, trust me!" I said firmly, trying to convince Anya's heart and mind with my words.
"I don't believe it. The mouth of a thief can't be trusted," said Anya, her hands folded as her eyes turned away from me.
"I'M NOT A THIEF!" I shouted, irritated and utterly angry.
For some reason, I'm starting to hate Anya's attitude now, especially when she insists she doesn't want to hear what I have to say. In my entire life, I don't want to meet a woman like her again.
"Damn!" Several kicks were made by Anya to me. Her feet, covered in iron boots, hit several parts of my body, from the face, arms, chest, and stomach.
I, who slumped limply on the prison floor, could only raise my hand while trying to dodge every attack the woman made. It hurts; it really hurts!
"How dare you shout at me like that. Have you gone mad?!" groaned Anya, stopping her kick and suddenly tugging my clothes to get closer to her.
"Once again you shout impolitely like that. I'll make sure you won't be able to talk again forever!" Anya threatened.
I lifted the corner of my lips short. I dared myself to spit in Anya's face as if I had avenged her painful torture with the humiliation I gave.
Her hands immediately grabbed my neck, lifting it so high I could hardly breathe. I struggled with both hands but couldn't keep up with her strength.
"Stop it!"
Anya immediately removed her hand from my neck. I fell and slumped limply while coughing a few times because my neck hurt. I looked at Anya's face with a sharp gaze. I will avenge the torture she did to me one day.
Now, my eyes started to look at someone who came carrying the same fire torch as Anya. The man arrived together with several soldiers carrying swords in their right hands.
"David?" Anya asked.
"Hello, Anya. What are you doing here?" David asked, staring at the woman in front of me.
"I caught the man who stole Armine's spear. He's in a cell and chained tightly," Anya said, showing me to David like a perfect prey.
The prison door opened, and the man entered alone with the soldiers who were seen waiting outside. He seemed to widen his eyes when he saw my condition directly, full of bruises and wounds.
"What did you do to him?!" said David loudly.
"I only taught him a lesson because he was yelling at me. Would you mind?" Anya asked, David's head nodding slightly.
"He is a Paladin, and I saw it with my own eyes. Armine's spear is flying at him," David replied, explaining what he saw inside the cathedral to Anya.
"I don't believe it. I only believe what Lady Arya said," explained Anya, turning her face away again.
"What's wrong with you anyway? Do you hate me or what?!" I groaned.
David could be said to be Lady Arya's confidant. If she didn't trust him, the woman in front of me could be said to be arrogant. I really don't like her.
"If you want to know, Yes. I hate you. I hate you because you are a Paladin, and you stole Armine's spear," Anya explained.
What she said made it clear. I knew the reason she had been so rude all this time wasn't that I was accused of stealing Armine's spear but because of my Paladin class.
"Ah, I see," I answered curtly.
David ordered three soldiers to take me out. Then, they untied the chains that bound these hands and feet. Finally, the three of them escorted me to a place, not on the way to my room.
Glancing back, I saw David and Anya walking after us to a place that had been ordered. I saw a bright light at the end of the hall, a sign that I would soon arrive at my destination.
I thought they were taking me outside, but instead, they took me to the Throne Palace. I saw that the place was already much busier than I expected. People lined up neatly, facing each other. They stood on two sides of the rug.
Not only that, I saw that the second floor was already full of people. They looked down by the wooden fence. Their clothes were more ordinary than those in front of me.
Lady Arya sits on the white marble throne, accompanied by two people to her right and left. I did not find Robert's whereabouts at that place. Where did the man actually go?
"Arthur Mason. Welcome to Riverdale," said Lady Arya, welcoming my arrival with great joy.
I nodded and tried to stand up straight. I saw that David and Anya had entered the line, two different lines, of course. I started to take a step forward, a step limping because of the violence that Anya had done to me.
"Miss Anya," called Lady Arya. Anya immediately walked towards Lady Arya and knelt obediently.
"What did you do to him?" asked Lady Arya, glaring at the violence-loving woman.
"He… he had presumptuously stole Armine's sacred spear. I'm just trying to teach him a lesson."
"Were you present at the cathedral?" Arya asked. Anya was seen shaking her head.
"I came late. So, I was unable to attend the procession. I apologize for my negligence, Lady Arya, "Anya replied.
"You weren't present at the cathedral, then judged Arthur for being a thief, even though you didn't know what was going on there. What defense can you do?" asked Lady Arya in a low but firm and authoritative tone.
Anya fell silent. I, standing next to her, glanced at the woman. Her eyes were closed, and sweat was clearly dripping from the top of her head.
"I'll give you the punishment for hurting someone without a clear charge," replied Lady Arya, turning her face away from Anya's.
Anya nodded her head and started walking backward with her face slumped down. I was the only one left on the rug, looking at Lady Arya without lowering my head.
"Today's events were shocking and exciting. I didn't know that the fifth memorial of Lord Armine's death would have something like this happen," replied Lady Arya.
"Robert has told me many things, either about you or your ambitions," continued Lady Arya.
Her face is so beautiful. For some reason, she is already a widow at this young age. Every word that comes out of her gives a soothing impression to me. I noticed that her eyes never left mine. I kept looking with a smile growing on her face.
"Your ambitions are exciting. I will help you to reach it," explained Lady Arya. I nodded my head, grateful.
"But before that happens, I'll ensure one thing from you first."
Lady Arya started to stand up from her sitting position on the throne. She stepped down the stairs until she was right in front of me. The fragrance of the perfume she wore burst into my mind. I almost fell asleep because of the scent she gave.
"If you had to choose between your black spear and Armine's, which would you choose?" asked Lady Arya, asking a fairly easy question for me, but somehow I felt something different.
The people on the second floor were looking at me intently, as were the people lined up to my right and left. Right after Lady Arya asked that they immediately behaved like that. Is there any meaning in the question Lady Arya asks?
I thought I had to play it safe. It would be unethical for me to take Armine's Spear, considering it was sacred and belonged to Northrest. I, a newcomer and not a resident of this city, have no right to own it.
"I actually wanted my Spear of Allegiance back, but it was in Izunaya. So, I think it's hard to get it back, "I explained.
The quiet and tense atmosphere had started to turn fluid and warm. They started talking to each other with a smile; I didn't understand what was happening.
"Because a loyal weapon will not leave its master. You made the right decision," replied Lady Arya, holding my shoulder pleasantly.
"I have ordered Robert to go to Izunaya with several of my armies to bring back your spear," continued Lady Arya.
Lady Arya immediately glanced towards Anya, the woman who had tortured me quite hard in the dungeon earlier. Seeing Arya staring at her made Anya directly kneel and lower her head.
"I thought you were the one who gave her the punishment. However, I don't know what punishment she deserves," explained Lady Arya, ordering me to decide on a punishment for Anya.
I sighed with my hands on my hips. I'm not good at deciding what kind of punishment to someone. So, I chose not to give her any punishment.
"Are you sure?" asked Lady Arya. I nod confidently.
"He did it because of her ignorance. I forgive her because she has already realized her mistake."