"Chila, how is Aara?" Dryan asked with his hands cuddling his favorite bronze cup.
His gaze fixed on her body, sending her cold chills which made her frightened, he repeated his question after waiting without response. "How is Aara?"
Chila immediately went on her knees as she already knew what lies before her if she discloses to him what happened.
Her silence made him fume, as he was losing his patience. He wants to know the success of everything he planned before he walked into the council of elders.
Chila, who was left with no choice as she didn't want him to force her into saying it, yet punish her, began to talk slowly. "When I went out to take something, Luciana came, and I don't know what she said, but I think Aara remembered everything. The lo—"
Dryan did not wait for her to finish up her words before he threw the cup in his hand, which hit her knee.
Without feeling sympathy for Chila that was already bleeding, he took a few steps closer to her before slapping her.
He slapped her twice before dropping his hand. "How dare you leave without my permission? Why did you leave the medicine house? Why? Why did you allow that little witch to enter there? Why hasn't Aara forgotten about what happened?"
His question made her shivered as the fear of what came after her answer, made her feel stupid, and weak. "I went to check up on Dorah, and I came back only to see Luciana walking out of the medicine house".
"What about the medicine? Why will Aara remember what happened if the medicine you gave her was good enough?" He squatted beside Chila, his masculine voice causing her to shiver more as she felt like her life was going to end anytime soon.
"The medicine takes twenty-four hours to start working. That is the only medicine that I know it can erase memory without side effects, I'm s—"
"Sorry? Will sorry make my plan work? Why are you so dumb? Why aren't you like your sister?" Trying not to hurt her more, he asked before he stormed out angrily.
Chila could only watch him walk away as she didn't know what to do, either to run up to him, or cry here.
"My Lady, Lord Maur needs your presence". The guard, who was protecting Dorah, bowed as he echoed everything to her.
"Okay". She muttered before she stood up.
She raised her gown a bit from the ground level before she walked out from Dryan chamber.
*
Inside a dark room, with a single light ray from the burning candle, sat a girl. She is dressed in a boy's robe, her eyes piercing through the hole she created in the wall.
"Maur, why did you send for me?" As she heard her mother's words, she immediately covered the hole she created.
"Princess Chila, don't ever call me Maur! I'm Dorah!" She echoed loudly as she felt hurt.
Chila smiled faintly before she walked up to her daughter, who sat with a sad face.
She pitied her daughter, and resented herself for making her beautiful daughter live this way.
"Princess Dorah". A tearful line made its way to her face as she called her daughter.
In amusement, her daughter blinked her at what she just heard her mother called her.
"Please can you say what you just said?" Her childish sweet voice echoed slowly.
"What did you call me for? I have no much time to spend with you". Chila said as she wished she could stay longer with her daughter.
"I hate you, and father! It's always you have no much time! When will that time ever come? Why! Besides, I don't need you, and father's time. I will play with Lady Luciana, who promised to spend all day with me". She frowned as she folded her band across her chest.
"My dear, what did you have to say?" Ignoring her daughter just as she usually does, she asked quietly.
She knew her daughter would always tell her everything without hiding anything— that was how sincere Dorah was.
"Here". Dorah paused as she removed the wood covering the hole she created.
"Why did you do this? Why didn't you tell me you were trying to escape?" Chila exclaimed, as her mouth went agape at the hole Dorah bore.
The wall is made of strong irons, how did she break it?
"If there is anywhere I am trying to escape from, it should be this earth, and not this castle. It was peaceful staying in my space without getting scolds from father". The small girl muttered softly.
"Dorah, what else is this hole for if not escaping?" She asked loudly, without caring if someone outside heard her.
"Mother, reduce your voice, or we will both be in trouble".
Chila doesn't care what trouble she will face that will be greater than what her daughter just did. How can she bore a hole in the wall that Dryan so much like?
"How did you bore the hole?" Without giving her room to talk, she asked.
"It takes me three years to bore the hole. I make the wall get weak before I start to bore the hole". "As for the reason I did it, it is because I wanted to have a glimpse of what is happening outside this wall".
"Dorah, what did you want to tell me, or you have nothing to say?" Chila, who was already uncomfortable, and afraid, asked anxiously.
"I saw everything that happened!"
***
Zale, lets out a deep sigh as they arrive at the entrance of the elder of council.
Even though he knew there might be no hope for them since the only witness they have is Aara, and have no assurance that she will be on their side.
"Dasya, we will overcome this. You only defended yourself from trouble, and that was it". Zale words gave him an ounce of hope, even though he knew the world was against him.
After watching their family die by his flame, who wouldn't hate, and be against him?
Gently, the door swung open, only to grace both of them.
As if he already knew they were waiting for this moment, a curl, yet dangerous smile made it to the corner of Dasya lips.
"Why…"