"We are sorry if we might have created a distraction or interrupted your peaceful meal My Liege."
The soldier bowed deeply as he spoke. His head remained lowered, not daring to meet Percival's eyes.
"We'll take our leave."
Without wasting another second, he gestured to the other soldiers. They quickly followed behind him, their boots echoing against the wooden floor as they disappeared out of the tavern.
The doors closed. Silence settled once again.
The smell of noodles still lingered in the air, but somehow the atmosphere had changed.
Fanaza stared down at her bowl. The mention of golden eyes refused to leave her mind. Percival noticed immediately.
He leaned back slightly in his chair and studied her face. His sharp eyes caught every little expression.
Every flicker of hope and every hidden thought.
"What are you thinking about?"
Fanaza immediately looked away.
"Nothing."
Percival narrowed his eyes. He wasn't convinced, not even a little.
"I hope you didn't think that was Rwaine right? Not every man with golden eyes is Rwaine. He's not the only special one."
His voice remained calm, but there was something beneath it, sharp and irritated.
Fanaza forced herself to remain composed.
"I never said it was Rwaine."
The lie came easily but her heart betrayed her. Deep down she had hoped it was him.
Just once, one meeting and a chance to see him again.
To ask him why.
To tell him all the things she never got to say.
To know whether he was safe.
Slowly she forced a smile and sat back down.
"Thanks for the meal, it's really delicious."
Percival didn't respond. Instead, he kept staring at her. His gaze never left her face.
Not even for a second. The intensity made her uncomfortable.
"Why are you staring at me like I could disappear in a second?" She said, wiping her hands with a tissue.
Percival's expression softened for only a brief moment then it disappeared.
A heavy silence fell between them.
Finally, he spoke.
"I want to speak to theking about our wedding, I'm sure you'll be happy about it."
Fanaza blinked. The sudden change in topic caught her off guard.
"Okay, is there a date already?" She asked.
Percival lowered his gaze. His fingers slowly tightened around the edge of the table.
"No, I want to cancel it. I don't want to force you into something you don't want."
For a moment, Fanaza forgot how to breathe. Her heart nearly stopped.
Cancel it?
The wedding?
The very thing she had been desperately trying to escape? Shock flooded her face.
Then relief, guilt and relief again.
She quickly hid it.
"Percival you can't do that, everything has been prepared, the guests have started arriving. It is impossible."
The words came out quickly. But inside...
Inside she felt something she hadn't felt in weeks.
Hope and a tiny piece of freedom. She had accepted her fate already.
Accepted that there was no escape and that one day she would wake up as Percival's wife.
But now, the groom himself wanted to stop it.
The realization made her chest feel lighter.
She lowered her head quickly before he could notice the happiness threatening to appear on her face.
"But..."
"I can handle it." His voice was firm, confident as though he had already made up his mind.
Fanaza nodded. She didn't trust herself to say anything else.
********
The ride back to the palace was quiet. Neither of them spoke.
The cool wind brushed against their faces while the horse carried them through the dark roads.
When they finally arrived at the palace, a new maid immediately ran toward them.
"My lady."
She bowed quickly.
Fanaza looked around and a frown immediately appeared.
"Where is Sally?"
Usually Sally was the first person she saw, she was always waiting for her arrival. Sally would greet her with a smile.
But tonight she was nowhere.
"My lady, I am being assigned to you to cater to your needs for now."
Something inside Fanaza tightened.
"Where is Sally, my personal maid?"
The maid lowered her head. Her hands trembled. She didn't want to answer.
"Speak." Percival's growl cut through the air.
The maid flinched.
"The maid was caught sneaking out of the palace and into the mountains. Right now she is being punished under the queen's order."
The world stopped. Fanaza's blood ran cold. The memories rushed back instantly, the cave, letters and messages she had sent Sally to deliver to Rwiane.
This was her fault. Her legs nearly gave out beneath her.
"Where?"
"The courtyard." The maid replied.
Fanaza didn't wait. She ran as fast as she could. Her dress tangled around her legs. Her lungs burned and her vision blurred.
But she kept running.
"Please don't let me be too late." She kept pleading.
The moment she reached the courtyard she froze. Everything inside her shattered.
A whip cracked through the air.
SMACK!
Sally's body jerked violently as blood covered her back. Her clothes were torn apart. Her knees shook beneath her.
Another whip came down followed by a loud scream and splash of blood.
A tear escaped Fanaza's eye as she watched the horrible scene.
"No..." Her voice broke. She tried to rush towards her.
The guards immediately stepped in front of her.
"You're not allowed here my lady."
"No, no, Sally."
Her entire body trembled. Another whip struck. Sally collapsed. This time she didn't move.
Fanaza's heart nearly stopped.
"No, I need to see her. She is innocent. Please let me see her. She is innocent, she didn't do a thing."
She was crying openly now. Begging and pleading. The guards refused to move.
She watched helplessly as Sally's unconscious body was wrapped in cloth and carried away.
"Sally!"
There was no response.
"Sally!"
"Sally!"
Her screams echoed through the courtyard but Sally never looked back.
******
Hours later, Fanaza managed to reach the dungeon. The sight waiting for her inside almost destroyed her.
Sally lay on the cold stone floor with chains wrapped around both wrists.
A heavy wooden punishment collar had been locked around her neck. Her skin was pale and dried blood stained her clothes.
"Sally."
The whisper barely left Fanaza's lips.
Slowly Sally lifted her head. The moment she saw Fanaza, she smiled.
Even now and after everything, she still smiled.
"My lady." Her weak voice nearly broke Fanaza apart.
Fanaza dropped to her knees outside the cell.
"Sally I am so sorry. This is all my fault. If I didn't send you to find Rwaine none of this would have happened."
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sally shook her head weakly.
"My lady please wipe your tears. I am fine."
The moment she finished speaking she coughed violently. Blood spilled from her mouth.
"Sally."
Fanaza reached through the bars and grabbed her hand. Her fingers were freezing cold.
"I promise to get you out. I will do anything to get you out."
Sally smiled again.
"My lady, I found out where Rwaine is. He is in the capital currently."
Fanaza immediately shook her head.
"Forget about him and worry about yourself."
Sally looked at her softly.
"I am only here to fulfill my lady's wish and make her smile."
That was it. Fanaza completely broke down.
"Sally." She cried harder.
The dungeon grew quiet afterward.bNeither of them spoke much. Fanaza refused to leave. No matter how many servants begged.
No matter how many guards complained.
She stayed the entire night sitting beside Sally's cell and watching over her.
Talking to her, making sure she wasn't alone.
Slowly the hours passed. Exhaustion began taking over. Her eyes grew heavier.
Again and again her head dropped. she forced herself awake.
At one point she accidentally hit her forehead against the prison bars. The pain made her wince.
Yet she still refused to sleep.
Far away in the darkness, hidden where nobody could see him, Percival stood silently watching. He had been there for a long time watching her stay beside another person with a loyalty she had never once shown him.
A bitter feeling settled inside his chest.
Yet he couldn't bring himself to leave.
Eventually sleep won.
Fanaza curled up against the cold dungeon floor and finally drifted off.
The next morning she woke up in a familiar room.
Her room.
Fanaza immediately sat up.She was confused. She clearly remembered falling asleep beside Sally's cell.
Then how did she get to her room.
Her eyes widened.
It was Percival.
The realization came instantly. Who else could have moved her?
But why?
Why would he care?
Why would he bother?
She quickly pushed those thoughts aside. None of that mattered.
Only Sally mattered. Fanaza rushed out of the room.
She eventually found Percival in the training grounds. The sharp sound of arrows cutting through the air echoed repeatedly.
The first arrow landed perfectly.
Thwack.
The second.
Thwack.
The third.
Thwack.
The fourth.
Every single one struck the center. Percival reached for another arrow.
Then he heard footsteps. Without even turning around, he already knew who it was.
"Are you here to ask about Sally?"
He released another arrow. It hit the target perfectly.
"I can't let her stay there. It was all my fault."
Percival grabbed another arrow. His jaw tightened.
"Did you know they found all the letters you wrote to Rwaine."
She shot another arrow with a direct hit.
"I know."
Percival slowly turned. His eyes were dark.
"You knew." His voice came out low.
Like a growl, like he was struggling to control his anger.
"Do you know the consequences of the rubbish you've done, sending confession letters to someone else, someone who doesn't even care about you, you're so dumb Fanaza."
The words struck hard but Fanaza didn't back down.
Not today.
"I can face whatever that comes out of it but Sally is innocent. Please help me get her out of there." Her voice cracked.
Tears gathered again. Percival looked away.
"I can't help with that."
He started walking away then he heard her desperate and broken voice.
The voice of someone who had run out of options.
"I will get married to you."
Percival stopped. Everything became silent.
Even the wind seemed to disappear. Slowly his fingers tightened around the bow.
His back remained turned toward her.
Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke.
But both knew those words had just changed everything.