Dark. With no window, the prison, located at the inner most of the castle basement–was where the suspected man was held. The only light source of the room was the torch placed outside the iron bars. Two guards were stationed to keep watch of the criminal, and they were high on alert.
The lack of opening to the outside, made it quite hard to breathe, as if the air was limited. Because the criminal was a suspected spy, they made quite sure that he will not be able to kill himself, to avoid the interrogation. Both of his hands were tied to a chain connected to the both opposite walls, which made his arms raised sideward while his head hung low, unconscious. His face was badly bruised, there are traces of now dried blood from his nose and mouth.
Footsteps echoed from the passageway signaling that someone was approaching. The two soldiers, quickly look at the direction to see who it was. The figure of a man emerged and the soldiers immediately bowed their heads.
"Where is he?" Anbaya asked.
"Your Majesty, he is not yet awoken. An hour, has already passed since he was captured from the streets. One of our guards was able to identify him as a person from the west by the sword he was carrying," one of the soldiers briefly reported and handed the sword to Akim.
"The Serpent," pointed out Akim, the handle of the sword depicts an emblem of a serpent, the emblem of the West. "But why did he carelessly enter the kingdom? Knowing full well that situation between two countries, and he is a knight at that!" He added.
"He tried to make a scene your majesty, by threatening to kill a girl who happened to pass by." Said the knight.
"Did he incurre any fatal wounds during the encounter?" Anbaya asked the knight.
"No, only few bruises, we found a strange marking on his neck," the knight answered while pulling the man's hair covering his nape, a strange symbol of an eye emerged. They have tried several methods to try and wake him, but to no success.
"The moment he regains his consciousness, immediately begin the interrogation. Sir Mateo, I am intrusting this task to you. See to it that this man, in whatever method, will spill whatever information he knows." The Sultan commanded the military general who was accompanying them silently.
"You have my word, you majesty."
It was already mid-autumn, and Setareh, a festivity held by the south to honor the stars, was nearing. It is a 3-day celebration, where the street is filled with people, locals and visitors alike, dancing and singing. On the night of the third day, the people of the south will send lanterns to the sky, as a way of thanking the gods above for the grace and the stars for guiding the travelers, on land and on sea. The people of the south consider this time of the year as the time of merriment and gratitude. Everyone is looking forward to what the royal family will prepare. Rumors has it that the princess herself, will oversee the planning of one of the most important celebration of their kingdom, and they are eager to see what the princess's capabilities are.
"Strange, your majesty," said Akim. A day had passed since the caught of the suspicious man, but is still in unconscious state. Akim and King Anbaya was now discussing about the affairs of the kingdom, especially the preparations for the upcoming festivity. "His actions are the complete opposite of that of a spy's. If he was indeed a spy, then he would have tried to hide his identity, but he.....almost as if he wanted to get our attention, to show that he is from the enemy"
"That man is still unconscious and we still do not know his purpose. However, his actions were indeed suspicious that is why we must keep things, for now, a secret. If word winds up in everybody's ears, it will only make them anxious, and anxiousness leads to terror." The Sultan remarked. With the upcoming festivity, Anbaya thought that it would be cruel to instill fear to his people during the celebration. And thus, he decided to lock things and ensure that no one hears of this news, not until the festivity is over.
"This year's festivity will be handled by my daughter." The Sultan declared.
"But You Majesty, I think Princess Ariya, is still not..."
"No more words Akim. It has already been decided." The Sultan said as he coldly glanced down the large window pane over looking at the garden below.
And so, time was fast approaching, the king immediately informed his daughter the preparation for the festival. Upon hearing the news, Ariya's eyes lit up. Her heart was rapidly beating. It was her first big job, afterall. Throughout the years, it was either the king himself who plans the whole event, or in the absence of the king, his heir. But since no heir has been named yet, it was expected that the Anbaya himself will handle the most important festivity of their kingdom. So, his announcement to let Ariya, the bastard princess, manage and plan the entire festivity was a shock.
It was as if the Sultan was planning to name Ariya as heir.
But, it was a known fact that Ariya was to be married. Thus everyone was rather confused as to what the Sultan is planning. Nevertheless, Ariya vowed to give it all her best as it will be the last thing she will do as the princess of Valentus. The preparation for the Setareh immediately began, once again, Ariya's schedule became busy. The princess decided to halt the marital lessons, so that she can focus more on the preparation of the festival, along with welcoming of the King of the East. It was a great coincidence, that her husband-to-be is to arrive in the south a day before the festival, hence the preparation will be more extravagant than the festivities the have held before. With the current work at hand, Ariya became occupied and distracted from the anxiousness she felt.
Meanwhile, the Sultan visited the prisoner after 3 days.
"Is he still unconscious?" the Sultan asked.
"Yes, your majesty." The knight guarding the captive replied.
The rustles of straws and clings of chains made them look the person inside the cell. He was now awake, and as soon as he gained consciousness, he started laughing, deeply and hysterically. Everyone was baffled and scared at the same time. Even the great Anbaya was confused. His laugh eventually died down, and slowly lifted his head.
"This is only the beginning" the man said cryptically while staring at Anbaya intensely. Then he spit to his side, a clear sign of disrespect.
"Who sent you? Are you a spy sent by the West?" Akim questioned the man.
The man smirked and stayed silent.
"The king took a step forward inside the cell, and asked the chained man. "Did that man, Valtazar, sent you here?"
Suddenly, the man lunged forward at the King snapped, "Do not speak of him that way! He is no ordinary man! He is the great Valtazar and yes, I was sent here to deliver you a message". He barred his teeth in a grin that was more snarl than a smile, full of menace. Loud thunder roared the sky, and a lightning strike followed.
"What message?" Anbaya questioned.
"Your ruin in near" He whispered and laughed manically. Anbaya's widened. It was a warning, like the whistle of the wind before a storm, the words of the captive echoed in the Sultan's mind. It was a warning for an unavoidable chaos, and all they could ever do is prepare for what is to come.