As they rode towards the town square, Vanessa knotted her hands in front of her as she looked down at her lap. The carriage was luxurious, but she did not feel like admiring it. Her thoughts kept flashing back to what she had witnessed in that eating house when she had been here last time. And now, again, she was going to witness death.
As the carriage rolled into the square, the foul smell of death made it even difficult to breathe. Slowly, she peeped out of the small window but immediately huddled back. There were bodies piled outside. One on top of the other! As if for a pyre!
As she tried to gather her courage, her hands were caught in a cold grip. Shocked at the sudden touch, she looked up straight into the prince’s cold eyes. He stared back at her as emotionlessly as ever. But she could feel that he was indeed trying to comfort her. Maybe he did not want to be embarrassed in case she emptied her stomach here? It would reflect badly on him.
