Darrion didn't seem to react to the matter either. Instead, he went on a different topic instead.
"So? Do you still think she's lying?" He asked with his arms crossed.
They were both walking away from Casindra's quarters as they spoke. Athena made eye contact with Nikolai, who came running to her side at once.
"What do you think, Nikolai?" She asked him.
Nikolai glanced sideways at Lord Darrion. The knight did not trust Darrion but he knew the princess did so he left it at that.
"The injury is real-"
"I told you she wouldn't fake something like this…" Darrion got a glare from Athena, to which he promptly kept quiet.
Nikolai continued, "However, that was not a twisted ankle."
"Oh?" Athena pondered, "What do you think it was?"
"It looked more like a bruise. Like she'd been hit with something on her ankle."
"Hit with something? You mean like a heavy object?" Darrion wondered out loud.
Nikolai nodded in response.
Lord Darrion stopped dead in his tracks. His blood ran cold. The image he had of Casindra was of an innocent kind kind-hearted princess. One who would not so much as hurt a fly.
Why would she bruise her own ankle?
"Are you sure? Could you have seen wrong?" Darrion asked.
Nikolai clenched his jaw. He did not appreciate being questioned on his integrity. Why would he need to lie about something like this? He would never do so.
"I speak the truth, my lord," he replied calmly.
Athena noticed the slight change in his temperament. She knew he wasn't happy being questioned but she could not defend him at that moment.
"There's no need for Nikolai to lie about this. Besides, didn't you see the way she and her maid reacted when I asked them about which ankle was hurt? If it was the truth, they would not have flustered over a detail that wasn't even true."
Darrion nodded slowly, putting the pieces together.
"Think about it, Lord Darrion. Think back to the times you've spent with Casindra. Was there no other behavior she exhibited that came across as suspicious?"
Athena folded her arms as she continued, "I can hardly believe that she never once revealed her true colors. Even for a split second."
"Now that you mentioned it… she did seem particularly unfazed when Lynette passed away. There was a moment where she seemed uncaring. She almost looked like she was smiling…" Darrion was muttering to himself under his breath.
But when Athena heard him mutter the name 'Lynette', she widened her eyes in shock. She felt like her breath had caught in her throat. She grabbed onto Lord Darrion's wrist, catching him by surprise.
"Did you say Lynette? Princess Lynette Serpentine?" She asked. She needed confirmation.
"Yes…," Darrion replied.
He had never seen this look in Athena's eyes before. They seemed to conceal a glint of murderous intent.
Lynette Serpentine was the fourth princess of the royal family. She also happened to be Athena's full-blooded younger sister. However, in the time Athena had been away from the castle, Lynette had died.
The cause of her death? Natural causes.
At least, that was what the common folk and everyone else were told. Athena refused to believe that was true. Her sister had been healthy and well the last time they met. How was it possible that in a few short years, she would die of natural causes?
Darrion's passing remark was more than sufficient evidence for Athena. Not only was her sister's death unnatural. Casindra likely had something to do with it.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. It's just that…"
"You don't have to apologize," she quickly replied as she fought back her bubbling emotions.
"Now do you see why I say Casindra can't be trusted?" She asked Darrion, back facing him.
Nikolai watched on silently. He would give anything to comfort the princess right then and there. But he couldn't. All he could do was watch over her from afar.
When Athena returned back to her mansion, she felt uneasy. She had a lot on her mind.
"Princess, would you like to take a walk in the gardens? Or perhaps… beyond the castle walls?" Nikolai suggested when it was just the two of them.
The sudden suggestion surprised the princess, taking her momentarily out of her thoughts.
"In broad daylight?" She mused, "Are you mad?"
The young knight shrugged his shoulders, "It's just a passing thought."
"I could be severely punished, Sir Nikolai, and you might be beheaded if caught."
"Well then, let's just ensure we don't get caught," he replied with a grin.
With the help of her personal maid, Wendy, some disguises, and strict instructions to people whom they trusted; Athena and Nikolai snuck out of the castle with relative ease.
The moment Athena was beyond the castle walls, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Perhaps this was where she truly belonged. Out on the streets living a carefree life.
They melded into the bustling streets, enveloped in the chaos of the market stalls and merchants hawking their wares. Athena marveled at all the new items that were put up for sale.
Nikolai kept close to the princess, but he always made sure he didn't come too close. What he didn't notice was how annoyed the princess was by his actions.
While the princess was looking over some pieces of jewelry, Nikolai noticed a pickpocket getting a little too close to her. He caught sight of him slipping a hand into the princess' pocket.
"What do you think you're doing?" Nikolai asked in a cold deadly tone as he grabbed hold of the pickpocket by the wrist.
The pickpocket panicked, and so did the people around them. Athena was surprised too. She didn't even realize that the thief had his hand in her pocket.
"Let go of me! I did no such thing!" The pickpocket reasoned.
What was more surprising, was that no one seemed to be willing to come forward to help. There were so many eyewitnesses and yet none of them were willing to step forward to testify.
In fact, someone even came up to Nikolai and whispered to him, "Sir, let him go. It's not worth the trouble."
"This boy is a thief, he needs to be-"
"What's happening here?" Two patrolling guards came up to Sir Nikolai.
The crowd parted ways to let them come forward. Athena felt like something was off. But she couldn't tell what it was. She was about to step forward when Nikolai signaled her to stay away.
If the princess was found to be outside the castle, things would get messy.
"Let me handle it," he mouthed the words to her, reassuringly.
Athena pursed her lips. She wanted to protest but there wasn't any time for her to do so. She had no choice but to watch from the sidelines instead.
Things did not go as she had hoped. Within seconds, the pickpocket was released and Nikolai was arrested instead. Color drained from Athena's face.
What was going on?