[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: TEARS IN HEAVEN ~ ERIC CLAPTON]
Nix gathered the palace guards, intending to continue his investigation outside and question the villagers. After addressing the guards, they were set to leave when Kitanna rushed out of the palace.
"Nix, please be careful out there. The killer might still be among the villagers," Kitanna said in a whispered tone, worrying about his safety.
Nix used his hands to straighten her hair, touching her smooth face in the process. "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, okay? Chantal will be here to guard the palace." He assured Kitanna.
Before he could mount his horse, Kitanna clapped her hands in realization, something that had skipped her memory that night. Something about the killer.
Nix stopped in his steps, turning, he asked her. "Is there a problem Kitanna?"
"Nix, the killer, reeked of something rotten. I don’t know if it was the skin or something the person was wearing." Kitanna remarked.
It was another crucial clue, taking it into consideration. Nix mounted his horse and left for the village.
Kitanna stood there in front of the palace, listening to the horse hooves as they grew distant. Her heart ached; she wanted to do something to help Nix, anything at all, even if it’s to stop the villagers from blaming him for their plight.
"Don’t worry; everything would be fine." Kitanna turned when she heard Larel’s voice from behind her.
Kitanna nodded her head while rubbing her hands on her stomach. "It has to be fine," she said in a small voice.
Outside the palace, Nix moved from door to door asking the villagers questions, but he got little reply from them. With the heavy snow, most of the villagers locked themselves up in their houses, avoiding any meeting with their king. Since they can’t openly say anything against him, most of them decided not to meet with him.
"Your Majesty, we haven’t gotten any good news yet," a guard who was on patrol with Nix reported diligently.
Nix rubbed his hands together, trying to keep the cold away. He wanted to end the investigation and return back to the palace when he remembered that there was one more house they haven’t visited. "The last victim of the killer, the woman who arrived that day. Where does she live?"
"Your Majesty, she lives down that lonely road. With the heavy snow, it would be difficult to get there. Let’s go back and return when the path is cleared," the guard suggested.
Nix hummed, "When the path is cleared," he murmured to himself. Pausing for a moment, he declared, "Each guard should pick a shovel; we are clearing the path ourselves." He ordered. There was no point going back to the palace to relax while a killer was lurking in the dark waiting to steal another life away.
Leading by example, Nix dropped his royal garment while he shoved the snow that covered the path away. With the help of his guards, it didn’t take them long before they finished and made their way to the lonely house that was on the road.
Nix wondered why anyone would build a house far away from others, but if anyone should understand better, it would be him. He once lived in isolation long ago in the palace before he married the princess.
Getting to the house, it was a small house; the paint was almost washed up. But it was decent looking, outside was a large table, which had clothes spread on it.
"Anyone home?" One of the guards shouted, "Step out and greet your King!"
Nix stood outside, gauging the surroundings. It was evident that the people who lived in the house were not that fit when it comes to money, and their only occupation would be meager trading.
"Did I hear the king? Bring back my son, you monster!!" A woman in her late forties rushed out of the house. With her sleeves falling off from her shoulder, her hair unkempt and her eyes looking lost.
"Seize her! She speaks ill of the crown!" The guard who had announced their entrance ordered in a hard voice.
The guards rushed to the woman who was still laying curses on Nix, holding her down to the ground with force waiting for their king’s orders to execute the woman.
Nix watched the scene that was unfolding in his presence; he could detect the hate the woman glared at her with. Even if he ordered for her to be killed, the woman wouldn’t be afraid but still curse him until her last breath.
"Let her go," Nix said in a low voice, and his orders surprised his guards.
"Your Majesty, we need to teach her a lesson so that others can learn." A guard remarked, still holding the woman’s neck.
Nix glared at the guards, and quickly they released the woman.
"My son!! He never did anything wrong. And he was killed because a monster became King." The woman wailed, holding her chest tightly as tears flowed freely from her eyes.
The guards who were expecting Nix to cut the woman down out of anger were surprised at his next line of action.
Nix bowed slightly, before saying to the woman in a calm voice. "I am sorry for your loss; accept my heartfelt condolence. If you can tell me what happened that night, I’ll find a way to help you."
"Help? Help? Will the help bring my son back? Will it? I don’t need help, leave at once!" The woman blatantly refused to talk about that night, as if she was hiding something.
Nix nodded his head before he turned to leave he noticed someone was looking at him from the side of the house.
"I tried to help you out, but you refuse; I’ll take it that you don’t care about your son the way you claim." Nix turned to leave the place, while watching the person who peeped from the side of the house.
"Next stop, we check out where this kind of silk is sold mostly; they would have records of their buyers." Nix said, raising the small piece of cloth that was retrieved near Almaria’s graveside.
Getting on his horse, he trotted down the village when his path was blocked by a young girl. The girl looked unkempt, with her torn dress.
"Your Majesty, I’ll get rid of her. It’s beggars from the village." A guard dismounted his horse going to push the girl away.
Nix jumped down from his horse, stopping the guard from touching the girl. "If she’s a beggar does it make her an outcast? The palace guards do quite fancy works but you fail to protect lives. You all should be ashamed." He scolded them before going to stand in front of the young girl.
"Are you the king?" The young girl of about nine years asked bravely.
Nix smiled, getting down on his heels he nodded. "I am, What is your name?" He asked the young girl.
"I saw my brother that night when he went to the well. He asked me to stay back, but I followed him; I was hiding there." The young girl pointed.
Nix followed the trail of her hand; it was possible the girl had seen the face of the killer. Before he could ask another question, He saw Chantal running to his direction.
"Your Majesty, Lord Hieron...your grandfather...he....."
Every other thing around Nix went silent, but his mind was in a mess. His nerves became erratic; all he could hear was silence.