Lady Vilahna 's POV
Before I, went inside, his Highness
whispers something in my hear, I couldn't believe what I heard.
"We know that Vital is the culprit that he took Rahua, we just need to know where." Rahua was right to be wary of him. And his Highness the Prince seemed to know something about that too, I firmly nod and make my way inside.
As I enter the room I could see she was being pampered by her maid and the knights around her.
I could see her false act from miles away, what an amateur. If I am not mistaken his Highness suspects that her disappearing was just a diversion from the real kidnap.
I approach Princess Amina and take a seat beside her, putting on a concerned expression. "Your Highness, I am so relieved to see that you are safe," I say softly. "I can only imagine how frightened you must have been."
Princess Amina looks up at me, her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. "Lady Vilahana, I don't know what happened. One moment I was standing there with the Prince, and the next I found myself locked in that storage room," she says, her voice trembling.
I reach out and place a hand on her arm, offering comfort. "I understand how confusing and terrifying that must have been for you," I say sympathetically. "But we need to find out who did this and why. Did you see anyone or hear anything while you were locked in there?"
She shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I was too scared to even look outside of the room. I didn't see or hear anything."
I sigh inwardly, disappointed that she choose to portrait herself as the helpless victm. "It's alright, your Highness, The Prince is moving every stone to ensure that "real" culprits will be punished " I assure her.
Princess Amina looks at me, uncertainty still evident in her eyes. "Culprits, there is more than one?" She asks trying to sound innocent.
"Yes to pull something like this is almost impossible, just one person to manage. We are talking here about treason." Her eyes widen in fear, and she looks down at her hands.
"When will his Highness come to see me, soon?" She asks timidly.
I pause for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "There's someone else missing." Even though she should be surprised, or at least act surprised, she just take the information in as if she knew. "His Highness, is worried that during his party, people went missing, so he is investigating. "
"Is is looking for her?" She asks, I could only smile, I was proud of myself for a moment.
"How does your Highness know it's a "her" that went missing?" I asked cunningly. Before she could answer, I continued."I never mentioned if the person was a man or a woman."
Her eyes widen, and I can see a flicker of panic in her expression. She quickly recovers and tries to regain her composure, but I can tell that my question caught her off guard.
"I... I just assumed," she stammers, her voice faltering. "I mean, the person missing could be anyone, right?"
I lean closer, a smile playing at the corners of my lips. "Indeed, it could be anyone. But your Highness seemed so certain that it was a 'her' that went missing."
She looks at me, her eyes darting around nervously. "I... I don't know what you mean," she says, her voice barely a whisper.
I maintain my calm facade, studying her carefully. "Princess Amina, I believe your Highness knows more than you're letting on. Who is your Highness trying to protect?"
She looks at me, panic flashing in her eyes. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," she stammers, her voice filled with uncertainty.
I lean back, crossing my arms. A sudden realisation comes into mind, this has happened before, I scoff at irony. She is protecting herself, just like I did before.
"Does your Highness loves his Highness Prince Damion?" She looks at me her face turning red.
"I ... I barely know him." She says that but is clearly visible she has feelings for his Highness.
I barely knew Lord Ceaser too, but I was adamant that I loved him more than anyone, and I wanted him to love me back no matter what. I was a fool to think I could make him fall for me by playing dirty tricks. She is not so different from me.
"The idea of love is such a misleading thing, isn't it? We justify everything we do for the sake of love." I say, my voice filled with a mix of understanding and bitterness.
Princess Amina looks at me, a mixture of confusion and fear in her eyes. "What are you talking about, Lady Vilahana? I don't understand."
I maintain my gaze on her, not allowing her to evade the truth. "You would do anything to protect your love, to safeguard your own heart. I understand."
Her hands tremble in her lap as she finally meets my eyes, a hint of fear and vulnerability in her expression. "I never felt like this before. I was always in the receiving end, I never had to fight for love."
I give her a small smile, my mind wandering back to the painful memories of my past."Love can make us do irrational things." I hate that we have so much in common, but I have to go past that to find out where Rahua is.
"Lord Duke Vital..." I see her body stiffning at mention of his name. "was the one who took her, where to?" I ask in a way not leaving possibly for her to deny.
"So you already know, right? Does his Highness hates me?" I see a her breaking, I can't help but to feel sorry for her. If it wasn't for Rahua I would be in the same situation as her.
"I think..." I try to choose my words carefully." His Highness just wants to find her." I could see her breaking down to tears.
I leave the room completely, leaving the Princess Amina crying. I entered thinking I was going to encounter an enemy, I was ready to destroy her. I just found misguided version of myself, and I hate the idea I could have been in her place or worst situation.
"Did you find out where Rahua is? " His Highness didn't hesitate to ask me as soon as I left the room. They were waiting outside, of the room.
"Probably, but I don't know if we can trust that Lord Duke Vital really gave her the correct information."
"Lady Vilahana!!" The Princess Amina suddenly opens the door, surprised to see the Prince and Ceaser right outside, of the her chambers. She puts her head down embarrassed.
"Yes, your Highness." I say turning to her.
"My .. my maid.." she says in a low voice, her head still hanging low. "She says she overheard, something, it may be the location where he is keeping her." She says, turning back to enter the room.
"Princess Amina, " His Highness the Prince said Loudly, walking up to her, everyone was on high guard not knowing what he might do. " Thank you! For letting us know." She entered the chambers without saying anything or looking back.
"Get ready to go, we are going to arrest Lord Vital, make preparations, to leave at once." His Highness the Prince orders knights and everyone starts to move.
"What's wrong?" Lord Ceaser asks me.
"It's just I felt like, me and her had a lot in common. And I couldn't shake the feeling..."
He interromps me.
"You and her are nothing alike." He says as if I offended him. I scoff inside, if he knew...
"Can I go home now?" I ask feeling my eyes starting to water, I don't want him to see me like this.
"Yes." As soon as he replies I make my leave without another word, I didn't trust that I would be able to keep myself together any longer.
As I was reaching my carriage, I feel my body being pulled in to a hug. I could smell Ceaser's scent it was honey bee mixed with moringa. It was so sweet I felt I was melting in by his embrace.
"I.." he whispered.
I could only cry in his embrace.