[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: TRIGGER ~ SEORI]
After the execution of Man-uel, the crowd sat in silence, a moment of reflection that showcased the orderliness of the kingdom of Morado.
In Morado, if anyone threatened or attempted to harm a member of the royal family, it ended with their head separated from their body.
Clephas, who was still kneeling close to where Man-uel was beheaded, felt cold sweat run down his spine. He had been prepared to die for the princess, he was fully aware that this was all a plot to bring her down. He looked through the crowd with tears in his eyes, and when his eyes met Kitanna’s, they both exchanged a knowing smile.
Almaria sat still in her chair, unable to move. She just watched her most trusted aide being executed, and she could not do anything about it. She reassured herself that it was better him than her. She looked around the crowd, trying to find if anyone was looking at her, but everyone’s attention was fixed on the lifeless body of Man-uel.
If it was not Kitanna who staged these witnesses then who did? Almaria asked herself. Then she remembered that Man-uel was looking at someone before his death, she turned to look at the direction Man-uel’s eyes was staring. But it was just Nix sitting there.
The queen dowager finally found her balance, as she got up from her seat her palms were already sweaty. She started walking back to the palace with the palace maids behind her.
After the moment of silence, people started leaving the execution ground. Clephas was taken back to the prison, where he would stay until all charges brought against him were dropped.
One of the witnesses who had confessed to be among the assassins was taken to the royal prison for further questioning.
Nix remained in his seat, watching as the guards wrapped the lifeless body of Man-uel in a straw mat. He remembered the night when Man-uel tried to smear his name in front of the queen dowager. Nix had been there that very night when Man-uel asked the queen dowager if he could be trusted, and from then on, he noticed how Man-uel started to shadow his every move, following him around.
The day Nix took Kitanna to him room, he noticed that Man-uel was also behind the pillars watching them but he let him be. He felt there was no need stopping him, if all he did was to snoop around like a rat.
The early morning before the execution, Nix had received a message from his tribe chief that their main water source had been compromised. Just as he was leaving the palace to return to his tribe, he had heard the news that Kitanna’s personal eunuch was being dragged to be executed as the main culprit for the assassination.
Nix quickly connected the dots. The queen dowager had poisoned his tribe’s water source to keep him away from the trial. But Nix realized that the queen dowager had no idea whose side he was on yet.
It took Nix no more than a moment to realize that it was Man-uel who had poisoned the tribe’s water source. The eunuch had done it to spite him. Nix gritted his teeth in anger; he had not seen Man-uel as a threat, merely a nuisance. But the annoying vermin had proven him wrong by raising the stakes for foolishness. Nix decided to use him to set an example for anyone who dared to cross him.
Nix left the palace with a few of his trusted men and made his way to his tribe. On the way, he encountered the carriage that was supposed to bring the witnesses. He stopped them, binding them to a tree with their eyes blindfolded and mouths stuffed with cloth.
He then gathered new witnesses and told them what to say. Getting the coachman who had driven Kitanna that night to cooperate was an easy task because he had been the one assigned to silence the man forever. However, Nix had kept the man alive, sensing he might prove useful one day. Who knew the day will come this soon.
When he was ready, he gave his men the antidote that he had retrieved from the palace and sent them back to his tribe.
While they went back to his tribe, Nix returned to the palace with his newly appointed witnesses. When he arrived at the judgment ground, Nix made sure to catch Man-uel’s attention. He did this so he would confirm that it was really Man-uel who caused the havoc in his tribe.
When Nix saw the reaction from Man-uel, he confirmed his doubts immediately. After
confirming that it was indeed the queen dowager’s aide who had poisoned his tribe. He signaled the witnesses with a look to proceed with pointing him out as the culprit.
Nix moved his eyes sharply when he noticed the princess stand up and start walking toward where he was sitting. He stood up, his height towering over Kitanna’s small frame.
"How did you get all of that planned in such a short span of time?" The princess asked in a small voice while looking at Nix unblinkingly.
Nix did not respond but trailed his eyes to look at the two people who stood behind Kitanna. When Kitanna realized he wasn’t going to speak in the presence of Larel and Axilla, she decided to postpone their discussion until they were alone.
"Axilla, why don’t you escort the queen to her chamber? I’m sure the sight she saw today is making her dizzy. And you too, get some rest," Kitanna spoke to both Axilla while her eyes rested on Larel who was too shocked to even speak.
Larel didn’t say anything but allowed Axilla to help her to her chambers. It had been her first time witnessing an execution, and it had left her deeply disturbed.
When everyone left the place, Nix and Kitanna stood alone in each other’s company. They continued to stare at each other unblinkingly until Nix finally broke the silence.
"Why do you look so tired? I asked you to relax and wait for me," his voice sounded slightly deeper than usual.
Kitanna finally blinked, the words hit her ears but they warmed her heart. She had never felt the need to rely on someone after her father’s death. She had always sorted things out on her own.
Without thinking it through, Kitanna closed the distance between them, and her small body wrapped Nix in a heartfelt hug.
Nix was stunned by the sudden movement from the princess but he didn’t stop her or try to push her away. Maybe she was really scared, considering how much she trusted that eunuch of hers. Nix thought to himself.
They stood in same position for a long time, the evening breeze blowing Kitanna’s black around. While Nix’s hair which was tied in a ponytail moved gently with the breeze. They were both unaware of their surrounding.
"What is going on here?" A voice asked from behind.