"We're in trouble," Margaret gasps, clutching her two sons to her chest.
"Are we all going to be killed?"
"Emilia, what do we do? How do we get out of this situation?" Hannah shrieks, grabbing Emilia's dress in desperation.
"You have to fix this! My lord's mistake is going to destroy us all!"
Emilia shakes her off with fury.
"Mistake?" she hisses.
"You never cared about my father—only your own safety!" she snaps.
Hannah recoils, eyes wide.
They never accepted it when Father named her heir. They fought it bitterly, arguing that their sons deserve the position instead. But now that there's danger, they look to her to save them.
Emilia spins on her heel.
"June. Prepare what is necessary. I'm going to the palace, I need to speak to the king"
Her voice leaves no room for argument and both rushes away to do as she says.
With her maids' help, Emilia slips past the guards under the cover of dusk, exchanging a small pouch of gold for silence. Her heart pounds.
The palace gates loom like a beast in the dark. She bribes her way in. This is madness, she knows—but she doesn't stop.
Inside the palace, she ducks behind marble pillars and weaves through grand hallways until she reaches the King's wing. But guards and servants are everywhere. Emilia waits for long, heart pounding like thunder. She isn't even sure if this will work and if she is caught before seeing him then she has no chance to help her father.
Either ways, she should take the risk.
Emilia concluded then she moves.
"Who goes there?" Robert, the King's aid, steps forward, sword halfway drawn—then stops, startled.
"Emilia?"
She exhales, stepping into the light.
"Forgive me." he quickly apologizes.
They haven't seen in years but he is still used to calling her by her name.
"My Lady, you shouldn't be here," Robert whispers with worry.
"The King forbade—"
"I know," she cuts in.
"But I must see him."
Emilia says, and Robert exhales.
The three of them, including the king, are friends once in the past and the relationship between them has remained with unspoken words.
"The king has been in a very bad mood since earlier, I don't think doing his will help." Robert persuades and Emilia hesitates for a second
"Doesn't matter. Just inform him that I'm here."
"Don't do this. You're putting your family in greater danger." Robert pleads.
"I am aware, but I just need a minute with the king" she demands, pushing past.
Robert follows, desperate to stop her, but she strides forward until she's met with another wall—this time, in the form of the Prime Minister.
Emilia stops cold. Her breath catches. What is he doing in the King's chambers at this hour?
She bows slightly.
"My Lord."
"Are you here to beg for your father?" he sneers.
"Go home. Or the punishment will extend to every branch of your family tree." he threatens.
Extending to every branch means other families that stays in different places across the nation.
Emilia glares at his retreating back, her nails digging into her palms.
Without being told, she know he and the other officials has been against her father for so long. Coveting his wealth and lying down petition for him to pay half his fortune as tax.
They have always wanted to destroy them and he certainly won't let go of an opportunity as this.
"Who is there?" The King's voice booms from inside, cold and sharp like a blade.
It's the first time since after his crowning that Emilia will hear his voice. It used to be gentle and tender.
If she had come along to the banquet earlier, then she would have avoided this problem right in front of her.
Robert straightens.
"Your Majesty… Miss Markham requests an audience."
Emilia's body also stiffen and she can't help but wonder if he still remembers her.
A pause. Then:
"Emilia? Did I not command everyone from the Markham family to remain in their estate?"
"Your Majesty," Emilia calls, stepping closer.
"Please. Grant me a moment."
"Return home and await the result of the investigation," he says.
Emilia doesn't move.
"Miss Markham," Thomas guard warns, stepping in front of her.
"Leave now. Don't force my hand."
Tears prick her eyes, but she turns away—not home, but toward the underground prison where they're holding her father.
Emilia bribes more guards again, as many as they are, standing in her way to her father.
The guards check their surroundings, then crack the heavy gate open just enough to let her in. She discards her outer robe, tucks it behind a stone wall, and slips down into the damp darkness.
Wearing only a long formal gown, she moves like a shadow.
The air is cold. The stone beneath her feet feels alive with whispers. Guards further inside are laughing, distracted. She slips past unnoticed and reaches the inner cells.
"Father," she whispers.
Markham turns—chained behind thick iron bars, his eyes wide.
"Emilia?" Markham steps forward urgently.
"What are you doing here? If the guards catch you—"
"I bribed the guards. They won't come soon," she says quickly, reaching through the bars to touch his chained hands.
"What happened?" she asks, voice tight.
"How did the King find out you hired some men?"
"It was the Prime Minister," he says bitterly.
"He reports it to the king at the banquet, everything else happened too fast. The king couldn't refute after you sister was also found in his bed."
Markham slumps slightly, blaming himself.
After Emilia's mother, who was a princess died. He gave up his position beside the late king to avoid getting involved in conflict and keep his family safe.
But it was never enough.
The prime minister and others still sees him as a threat.
"Father" Emilia calls.
"I will definitely not allow them to win. I will try to give the records to the king again tomorrow" she promises.
Markham shakes his head.
"There's no time. By tomorrow, the ministers will force the King's hand in court to execute me."
"Now that they are accusing me of treason, they have definitely planned to see it to the end." he says.
Emilia's eyes dampen, the tears coming again.
Markham tries to change the subject to prevent her tears and also his.
"How did your visit to the Cornelius family go?"
"They agreed. We're to marry in three days," Emilia replies, her voice cracking.
"But that may not matter now."
They fall into silence, pain and helplessness shared in the stillness.
Tears roll down Emilia's cheeks.
Markham reaches through the bars and wipes them gently, as he did when she was a child. He also never thought he would have to dot that again.
"I brought something," she says, unwrapping a small bundle.
"Your favorite—braised pork. I couldn't get water."
Markham smiles, taking the bundle from the floor and wrapping it again.
"You always think of everything."
"You should go," he says softly.
Emilia nods, fighting the urge to stay longer.
As she turns to leave, Markham calls out.
"If things go wrong and the king pronounces... remember the royal edict I gave to you for safekeeping."
She freezes and return to her father's side once more.
The edict contains the late king's seal. But one with a empty scroll.
When Markham forfeit his career then, the king offered it to him to make any request but he never used it. Not until now.
"Father," Emilia calls softly, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.
Her father mentioning the edict--only means bad.
"When the time comes, you don't have to bother about saving me. We need something to shut the officials mouth with." Markham explains.
His death will make them satisfied.
"Save everyone else." He finishes.
Emilia swallows hard and nods once.
Then she disappears into the shadows—and thanked the men who let her in with another sachet of money.