15 Scandalous

Far away from the little cottage, a figure could be seen looming around the dark corridors of the Palace. He stopped around a corner and after glancing around, he disappeared behind a door.

"Your majesty," he bowed and then stood back straight, keeping his eyes lower. "As per your command." He raised a glass bottle towards her which showed off a milky liquid through its transparent surroundings.

"Very well," She took the bottle away from his hand and pushed it up her sleeve before continuing, "Now is the time we start working on our plan."

The man in front of the queen nodded his head. Even in the darkness, the evil glint in his dark eyes was pretty visible.

"I have also prepared a batch of men for the hunt." He informed her.

"Wonderful, I trust you with this. Once the King is out of our way, we will be unstoppable." She craned her neck higher. "I will be acquiring your assistance in something else as well."

"You shall find me obedient, my queen."

"Make sure to spread the tale of a Princess who betrayed her Kingdom for the love of a man. A Princess who isn't worthy of the title of the crown princess."

The man bowed his head once again, a corner of his lips tilting upwards.

~

The next day's sun brought a very scandalous day to the streets of Aduska with the gossip of the runway princess and her mysterious lover for whom she left the kingdom at the stake of crumbling, on every tongue. The gossip absorbed a bunch of add-ons as each passing mouth added its own spice to it.

A layer of hatred was sent through the people and some suggested to arrange a protest march in front of the Palace to remove the title of the crown princess from the Princess's name and pass it on to a more eligible and responsible candidate. Some even demanded a punishment for the Princess and slaughtering of her so-called lover's head.

In the herd of the worsened situation, Hellion and Mathew were sitting in a tea Cafe, listening to the whispers and gossip. Hellion had his half face covered under a hood as he slowly took in sips of the hot tea.

"I can't believe these people. Would they be behaving like this if it was about their own daughters?" Mathew commented while looking around at the bunch of people who were discussing how there should be a strict punishment law for the runaway princesses. "I mean a Princess isn't an offering for prosperity or peace. Isn't she a breathing being with the right to take the decision of her life?"

"You aren't her advocate, Thew. Think about a way we can get rid of this sh*t." Hellion glared at his friend.

It was not that he agreed with the filthy people around him but like Mathew, he wasn't someone to sit and present his opinion about something. He was a man of action and was afraid he will rip their tongues out if he tried to pay attention to their bullsh*t. He chose to ignore everything around him and rather pay attention to what was important at the moment.

"There is only one way to protect yourself, Lio." Mathew bent forward and picked up his cup while looking at Hellion's blank but observing eyes narrowed at him.

"You know the general has reached out to Johnson himself. According to him, if you bring the Princess back to the Palace safely, that would spare your life with the bonus of the reward." He finished with a shrug and tried to observe Hellion's stoic face.

Alec Preston knew it wasn't easy to track a man like Hellion Duxsoro who himself was the master of tricking criminals down hence he thought to play it the different way. If it was about money then he had thrown the perfect bait, thought Alec while deciding to give the message to a person whom he was sure would be able to pass it on some way.

"And you know when I said some way, I meant any other way than that." Hellion just rolled his eyes at his friend who had passed on that useless piece of information to him many times that day.

"Why are you so hellbound on saving her? Don't tell me it's actually a matter of love and I am being left out?" Mathew fake gasped and got a glare from Hellion.

"You know I am incapable of that."

Something flashed among Hellion's coal eyes while saying so and Mathew caught it but was unable to understand what it was.

"If it's not that then I would suggest you think about what I said. You can't ruin your bright future and risk your head for nothing, Lio."

"I think you were opposing this a few moments ago."

"Yes I was but you see, my sympathies are another thing but that can't change her fate. We are just some commoners Lio. These Royals are selfish blood my brother. They discard you like tissue paper after wiping their butts."

"But Hellion Duxsoro is not a tissue paper." He spat and left in the blink of an eye, leaving his friend sighing behind.

After he was gone, Mathew dialed a number on his phone. "Didn't work."

"What?! No, I can't do that." His eyes widened a little as he sat straight.