~Back to the present~
lt was calm once again once the surprise attack was dealt with . The general and his family didn't question Mela any longer , because there was a rumor that had been going around that a magician who would erase the memories of young ladies and use them to his advantage , so the general his wife and his son's believed that's what happened to Mela . Although they weren't used to her new cold personality it was still better than before .
After the surprise attack Mela hasn't been seen often , so every body still thought she was recovering from the surprise attack , but in actuality she was in her quarter's reading books about her family history and the history of the royal family . She took the books from the one of the trunks that were used for travelling and contained things that her father wanted her to learn but never forced her .
"Miss the general has asked you to join them for dinner." A guard who was watching over her said he didn't believe that she had found but was acting . Mela had long changed her pink stained dress into a blue and black velvet dress , although she wasn't fond of velvet this was the only thing in her closet that wasn't pink or shiny.
She decided that she'll give all her dresses that she didn't want to the poor people once they go back to the kingdom. She also washed away the mud looking colour in her hair and now it was a blondish white , the same as her father's.
Mela arrived in the dinning room were the other commanders were sitting with the general and his family . There was a seat empty next to her mother , so she made her way there . Everybody was astonished by the general's daughter they didn't believe it when people were saying how she changed. but seeing her now not wearing her usual brightly coloured puffy dresses they didn't know how to react.
but to keep their eyes on her waiting for her personality to switch back . But throughout the dinner she didn't speak "Father , me and the other commanders have decided that it is safe to head back to the kingdom, we'll likely not be attacked again." the general nodded his head bit then a sweet voice interrupted " if you want everybody to be killed then go ahead ."Mela took a bite of a desert then spit it out with a disgusted expression.
"And why do you say that." her father asked and everybody looked at her waiting for what she had to say "The original route is shorter and there are less likely to be another secret attack because there are people always going and coming into the woods and if something were to happen we'll be close enough to the kingdom to send a messanger.While the back route has a lot of hidden dark corners perfect for the enemy to hide in waiting to attack."she said drinking her tea which she also found disgusting.
Everybody was silently pondering on what she said the general laughed out "good ! good! let's go with my daughter's plan!"Nobody objected to it and went along with it .
As the talking between the general and his commanders continued . Ashyer and Arvel tried talking to Mela , but she only gave them one word answers making it a bit awkward . "Mela l heard you were interested in his highness , the prince although he hasn't returned to the kingdom for 5 five years l heard he is staying in the kingdom for a couple of weeks."
Her mother Slona asked .Mela scanned through her memories and found that she had never met the prince but her cousins used her as a pawn to announce a 'fake' marriage to the prince because she was the general's only daughter and they thought that they would get advantages off of her if she were to enter the royal family "l am not interested in his highness l've never met him before so how could l be interested in him? Mother this daughter may not have been the best but now l am wiser."
Then the atmosphere turned awkward again Mela took a butter knife and was about to spread butter onto her bread but then she sensed movement from the intruder , she knew there was an intruder the moment she sat down , but wanted to wait a bit , she focused on her surroundings trying to pin point where the intruder was . Mela got up and every body stopped there conversation waiting for her to act like her old self and embarrass the general . She walked to the middle of the table and smiled making the people who saw it get shivers " please excuse me ."
they didn't know what she was doing but when they saw the butter knife in her hand they thought she was here to get the food that was placed by them . But when she reached out and stabbed the middle of the table everybody were confused and we're about to laugh at her stupidity when they heard a 'thump' and saw blood pooling under the table. The general got up and moved the table to the side using his strength and there everybody saw a man dressed in black bleeding from the wound on his neck " What is this !? A spy!? ls this how we were attacked ?!"
The general was so furious he forgot to identify the man " torture him for answers ! now guards!!"