At the words of his younger son, King Tobias's eyes grew wide.
What did he just say?
"Orius... what did you say?" he muttered, meeting the unfazed gaze of his son.
"You know very well that I'm telling the truth," Orius Aventine spatted. "Why? Do you think that you get rid of everyone who knows the truth?" He shook his head as a cruel smirk appeared on his lips. "For that to happen, that means you have to kill me too."
Staring at the King's pale face without a hint of fear, the Second Prince took a step forward. "You see your best friend as a threat. Though you know he is loyal to you, you grew jealous of him when you saw how the people admired him even more than you. His growing power and influence made you insecure."
Taking another step forward, he continued, "Then the evil took the best of you. You plan a way to assassinate him and made it look like the doing of the Qalagons. Things worked in your favor and your plan was a success. Am I wrong, Father?"
King Tobias squeezed his dress as he narrowed his eyes. His face was now paler than ever!
"It seems like you haven't changed at all, Father," the Second Prince sneered. "You already went after the daughter of the man you killed out of jealousy. Why? Did you grow tired of acting like a man who genuinely cared for the daughter of his late friend?"
"That's not true," Tobias Aventine snapped, finally meeting his son's gaze again. "You're speaking nonsense!"
"No. I'm telling the truth," Prince Orius argued. "Do you want me to show you proof of what you did? Will you accept then?"
"Orius!"
"I wonder what Commander Iria will do once she finds out that the King whom she serves with loyalty, is just a monster who killed her father," Orius simply said, ignoring his father. "Shall I tell her that everything is an act?"
In a split second, there was undeniable anxiety in the Jerivian King's eyes. "It's not an act," he insisted. "I love and care for Iria as much as I love you and your siblings!"
"Is that why you killed her father?" the Prince inquired. "You know very well how much her father means to Iria. If you really care about her as you claim, you won't take away her father from her. Back then and even now, you still put your greed above everything else."
When the King opened his mouth to say something, the Second Prince beat him at that. "You should be careful, Father. I won't hesitate to reveal the truth if needed. Don't try anything disgusting again."
Orius Aventine stormed out of the chamber without giving his father any chance to speak up. However, the King was rooted in his place, unable to move at all! He stood frozen with a pale face and troubled eyes. He didn't know what to do!
Soon, Captain Callan came to him. The Captain halted a few steps behind him and bowed. "Your Majesty, we have finished the search."
Brushing his face with his palm once, the King took a deep breath before he turned around to face the Captain. "What is the result?"
"It's as predicted," the Captain replied and handed some letters to the King. "Why the Commander wanted to wait is now over, Your Majesty."
King Tobias narrowed his eyes at the letters on his hand while many thoughts crossed his mind.
"Shall we go on with the next plan now, Your Majesty?" Captain Callan asked him.
pαndα noνɐ1,сoМ "I need some time," the King muttered, surprising the young Captain of the Royal Guards. "Go and check on Commander Iria."
Captain Callan bowed with a hint of confusion on his face. "Yes, Your Majesty." Then he left the chamber and made his way to the cell.
*
"Commander, we found the letters," Captain Callan informed Commander Iria who was still inside the cell. "You want to wait until the search is finished. Now, it's over."
Still sitting on one corner of the cell, Iria Alewine narrowed her eyes. "It really happened," she murmured. Then she looked up at the Captain. "Please inform Rion to meet me here. He will know what to do."
Captain Callan nodded and walked away.
Pressing the back of her head against the wall, Commander Iria shut her eyes. She had hoped that the search was a failure. It was the reason why she risked her reputation and allowed herself to be locked up in this cell but... everything had come to an end. There was no turning back anymore.
When Iria Alewine opened her eyes again, pain or any hint of reluctance were gone. They were replaced by calmness but... darkness was hidden beneath it.
Around one hour had passed when Rion finally arrived with Jolene and Zire.
"Commander, are you alright?" Rion promptly asked her as he stood before the cell with the two Generals.
"What happened?" Zire asked with almost a panicked voice.
"Commander, what's the meaning of this?" Jolene inquired.
"Minister Julian claimed that I work with King Aryan to plan a rebellion," Iria Alewine said as she stood up and walked towards the door to the cell. "They search my mansion and my tent. Captain Callan told me that they found some letters."
"That's nonsense!" Zire snapped. "They can't lock you up just like this. Did His Majesty believe the claim?"
"It's an investigation," the Commander explained. "As per the rule of our kingdom, I should stay here until the investigation ends."
"But what are the letters you mentioned?" Zire asked again.
"A proof," Iria said. "An evidence to prove that I exchanged letters with King Aryan."
Zire's eyes grew wide in shock. "That can't be! What will we do then?!"
"The letters can't be true," Jolene chimed in. "How can they even believed that you will do that?"
Commander Iria shifted her gaze to Jolene. "You're right. The letters aren't true. Someone put them to set me up."
Zire blinked at the Commander's words. "Set you up? Who will do such a thing? Why?"
Looking at Zire, there was a little smirk on the Commander's lips. "Why don't you ask that question to Jolene? You should ask her why she did it."
The moment the Masked Commander shifted her gaze to one of her most trusted Generals, Rion unsheathed his sword and pointed at Jolene with anger and contempt that he tried hard to hide for the last three days.....
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