"What's wrong, Lady Estoria?" Sebastian, one of the palace knight, finally arrived and asked, concerned by the earlier scream.
"WOW, YOU ALL RESPONDED SO QUICKLY. I thought I was going to die, DIED, YOU HEAR ME!" Estoria exclaimed dramatically, keeping up the act to divert suspicion.
"My Lady, who is this child in your room?" The maid, who had arrived with the knight, inquired, her tone filled with curiosity and a hint of concern.
Estoria decided to get up from the cold floor herself since no one was offering assistance, saving herself from further embarrassment.
"This is the hostage that I saved from the assassin who was here just a minute ago. He was here to kill the princess," she explained, providing a plausible cover story to account for Asher's presence.
"There was an assassin here? Why didn't you alert me sooner? Where has he gone?" Sebastian inquired with a serious tone.
"Well, he managed to escape before you arrived, and I barely managed to protect myself and this child from the assassin. Do you think I have the skills of a royal knight like you?" Estoria replied, emphasizing the urgency and her limited abilities.
"I apologize, my lady. May I inquire about the direction in which he fled?" Sebastian asked politely.
"Uh, yes. He went out through that window. That's the same window he used to enter," she replied, providing Sebastian with the information he sought.
The broken window that she had been hiding behind the curtains for a week was finally proving its worth in helping to cover their tracks.
Sebastian, in his search for the nonexistent assassin, glanced outside the window but then Estoria noticed something unusual – there was no broken glass on the floor, as she had cleaned it up earlier the other day.
Luckily, he hadn't noticed the absence of glass on the floor, providing her with an opportunity to maintain their cover story.
Thinking on her feet, Estoria grabbed the nearest object, a candle stand, removed the candles, and hurled it at the unbroken window glass to break the glass.
"My Lady, why are you throwing that? You might hit Sebastian!" the maid did interrupt her, but she proceeded with the action, and the candle stand shattered the window's glass.
"Lady Estoria, that could have seriously injured me. What are you attempting to accomplish here?" Sebastian's voice held a note of anger and frustration as he dodged it.
"I'm deeply sorry, Sebastian. My panic got the best of me, and I thought I saw the assassin again, so I acted without thinking," Estoria replied apologetically, acting like a true damsel in distress.
"You must be really traumatized by the event. I'll come back later with the knights, so please leave the room as it is," Sebastian said as he walked towards Asher, who maintained his innocence in the midst of this elaborate ruse.
Messing up the room in the way they did seemed to be a wise choice, as it genuinely gave the appearance of a struggle and added credibility to their story.
"I'll take the hostage with me as well," Sebastian declared, grabbing hold of Asher. Their charade was becoming increasingly complicated.
"Wait!" Estoria exclaimed, halting Sebastian's actions in their tracks, her heart racing as she contemplated her next move.
"Why?" Sebastian asked, his suspicion evident as he turned his gaze toward Estoria, seeking an explanation for her sudden change of heart.
"I mean, just look at him. He's just a kid, and he told me he wouldn't go anywhere with me," Estoria explained, giving Asher a meaningful look, hoping he would play along with this new narrative.
"Uh, kind sir, may I please stay with her? She saved me from the assassin, and I only feel safe when I'm with her," Asher acted, appearing scared and even shedding a tear to emphasize his plea.
Indeed, Asher's performance was quite convincing, deserving of an Oscar for his role.
"See, you're scaring him again. Come here, Asher. It's alright; you're safe with me," Estoria reassured, gesturing for Asher to approach her, aiming to calm the situation.
Asher swiftly ran to her and sought refuge behind her, evidently feeling safer in her presence.
"I can't force a child. In that case, you'll have to come with us too, Lady Estoria," Sebastian declared, his decision firm as he included her in their departure.
"Alright," Estoria replied, accepting the unexpected turn of events, realizing that this outcome could serve their purposes as well.
Part A of her plan had been a success. Now, all that remained was to prove their innocence, and then both of them would be free to go.
But the sudden turn of events had left Estoria as Asher's legal guardian and a mother, a situation she had not anticipated.
How did this happen? Let's explore the events leading up to this moment:
2 hours ago,
Estoria entered the interrogation room with Asher as planned, but since it was her first time being interrogated, she couldn't help feeling a bit nervous.
Sebastian entered the room, his presence a reminder of the seriousness of the situation.
"I apologize for the delay; I took the time to inspect the room for any possible clues related to the assassin," Sebastian explained.
It appeared that he hadn't discovered any significant clues or evidence in the room.
"Alright, I'll ask you a few questions, and you just need to answer them honestly. There's no need to be frightened," Sebastian reassured Asher, who nodded in response, trying to remain composed.
"What's your name?" Sebastian inquired, beginning the questioning.
"My name is Asher," he responded, providing his newly acquired identity.
"Do you have a family name?" Sebastian asked, delving deeper into the questioning.
"No," Asher replied promptly, indicating that he didn't possess a family name or last name.
"What is your relationship with the assassin?" Sebastian asked, his tone serious as he probed for information regarding Asher's connection to the supposed assassin.
"He's my kidnapper. He tricked me into thinking he was kind and would keep me as his own son," Asher replied, narrating a fabricated story to distance himself from any association with the assassin.
Indeed, Asher's response appeared rehearsed and delivered with a level of detail that suggested it was not a spontaneous fabrication.
"Why did he bring you with him to the palace?" Sebastian continued, trying to unravel the story behind Asher's presence.
"He said he needed me," Asher replied, keeping his response vague and simple, not providing any additional information.
"Do you know the identity of this man?" Sebastian inquired, seeking to establish whether Asher had any knowledge about the assassin's true identity.
"No, I haven't seen his face, and I don't know his name either," Asher replied, maintaining his narrative of being kept in the dark about the assassin's identity.
"Where did he find you?" Sebastian questioned further, trying to piece together the circumstances surrounding Asher's abduction.
"On the streets," Asher replied, providing a minimalistic response that didn't delve into specific details about his abduction.
"Did you have any knowledge about what he came to the palace to do?" Sebastian asked, aiming to uncover any potential information Asher might possess about the assassin's mission.
"No, but when he revealed his true intentions to Estoria, I tried to stop him," Asher responded, weaving a narrative in which he acted as a reluctant and ultimately heroic figure in the situation.
"And lastly, could you tell me how lady Estoria rescued you from the assassin?" Sebastian inquired, seeking to complete the account of the supposed rescue.
"She saved me by pulling me away from him and then threw objects at him until he fled from the room," Asher recounted, providing a description of the rescue scenario.
Indeed, Asher's storytelling had been nothing short of a perfect 10/10 performance, painting a convincing narrative that had seemingly answered all of Sebastian's questions.
"That will be all from you, Asher," Sebastian concluded, apparently satisfied with the information he had gathered during the interrogation.
"My lady, would you mind answering a few of my questions as well?" Sebastian requested, shifting his focus toward Estoria.
"Of course," she replied, preparing to respond to Sebastian's questions to the best of her ability while maintaining their carefully constructed narrative.
"How did you encounter the assassin?"
"While I was getting ready, he suddenly entered through the window," she explained, adding more context to the situation. "When he saw me, he asked for directions to Princess Alstroemeria's room."
"And what did you do after that?"
"I told him I didn't know the directions either," she continued, adding to the story, "and he threatened to harm me as well. It was then that Asher spoke up and confronted him. When the assassin threatened Asher too, I realized I had to intervene and protect Asher from that dangerous individual," she explained, recounting the turning point in their encounter with the assassin.
"Thank you for answering my questions. You may return now, Lady Estoria," Sebastian said, rising from his seat to conclude the interrogation.
"What about Asher?" Estoria inquired, concerned about his situation and what might happen next.
"He will need to remain in custody for a few days," Sebastian explained, indicating that Asher's situation was not yet resolved.
"No," Estoria protested, adamantly refusing to leave Asher's side after everything they had been through.
"I don't want to leave Estoria either," Asher added, expressing his reluctance to be separated from her.
Sebastian let out a sigh, possibly contemplating how to handle this bothersome turn of events.
"But we still don't have information about his identity or where he comes from. We can't simply release him, Lady Stallion," Sebastian explained, emphasizing the need for caution.
"Stallion?" Estoria echoed, taken aback by the mention of the unfamiliar name.
"Stallion, it's your family name, right?" Sebastian clarified, seemingly aware of her family background.
"How do you know about that?" Estoria asked, surprised by Sebastian's knowledge of her family name.
"What do you mean my lady? The news is all over the palace. You didn't hear about it?" Sebastian inquired, sounding slightly surprised that she was unaware of the situation.
"No, but what about Asher? Can you do something, please?" She implored, expressing her concern for Asher's predicament.
"There is nothing I can do. Either his family comes to get him, or a guardian appears out of the blue," Sebastian explained, outlining the limited options available in Asher's situation.
"I can be the guardian then," Estoria offered, considering the possibility of taking responsibility for Asher's well-being.
"That might be possible..."
"I can make it happen, but are you sure about this?" Sebastian asked, seeking confirmation before proceeding.
"Yes," Estoria replied, confirming her decision to take on the role of Asher's guardian.
As they traveled in the carriage, she had a conversation with Asher, and he didn't object to the idea of Estoria becoming his guardian. This wasn't something she had initially planned, but circumstances had left her with no other choice.
The carriage came to a stop, she wondered where we they had arrived.
"We are here," Sebastian announced, prompting them to exit the carriage. They were curious to discover their destination.
As they stepped out of the carriage, Estoria was surprised to find a large temple standing before them. The sight raised questions about why they had come to this particular place.
"Why are we here?" She inquired, her curiosity growing as she tried to make sense of their unexpected visit to the temple.
Sebastian simply instructed, "Follow me," without providing any further explanation. Estoria had no choice but to comply and see where this would lead.
They approached a priest, and she watched as Sebastian handed over some papers, which were promptly signed. The purpose of these documents remained a mystery to her.
"The Lady Estoria Stallion and Asher, right?" the priest inquired, confirming their identities as he glanced at the papers.
"Yes," Estoria replied.
"Sign here," the priest instructed, pointing to a spot on the papers. She followed his guidance and signed the documents, still uncertain about their purpose.
"Congratulations, Lady Estoria Stallion. You have officially adopted Asher Stallion into your family," the priest declared, leaving her utterly stunned and bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.
Back to the present now,
The situation had become quite clear: Sebastian had arranged for her to adopt Asher, which had effectively taken him out of custody and placed him under Estoria's care and protection.
Well, the deed was done so.
"Lady Estoria, you can take him with you anywhere since he is now protected by the Stallion family, and you have become his guarantor," Sebastian explained, confirming that Asher was now under her care and protection as his legal guardian.