20 Full Responsibility

Freya's nose twitched from the undesired odour. Leaning on the prison cell's icy wall, her body flinched. Her back ached from sitting for so long. The stinky smell made her empty tummy churn. Staring at the small window where a few lines of light would enter, lightening the dark cell a little.

"Forgive me, Milady," Hank said from the adjoining cell. "If you just listened—"

"Then it's my fault, isn't it? Who was the one grinning like a madman, requesting me to shoot an apple on his HEAD?" Freya shouted, her voice echoing in the space.

"I didn't mean that. I shouldn't have asked for such a silly thing from you, milady," a low, guilty voice sounded from the adjacent cell.

Freya took a deep breath to calm her rage. "You don't need to apologize. We two were at fault," she said. Her surroundings became deadly silent.

It was not the right time to blame him. The two were at fault. She took a hasty decision and ended up forgetting in which direction her arrow was discharged. The memories sent her joyous emotions causing her to make a grave blunder.

The fright she felt at that moment could freeze her heart. A brave knight protected his king with his body after being pierced by an arrow sent by a maid from the enemy's kingdom. 'It will be a good title for The Frowshire Journal.'

After that knight fell on the ground covered with blood, her throat parched. The knights glared at her with murderous intent sending a chill to her bones. If Hank didn't stand for her, she would have been executed on the spot. He risked losing his post or life as targeting the king was a huge offence. She thought he was annoying, but he had a high knight's honour and pride.

Freya sighed and stood up, groaning when a sharp pain stung her right ankle. Biting her lips, she said, "Do you have any solution to get us out of here?"

"That will be very hard. Harder than you would imagine," said the knight.

"I know, but you did fight side by side with the king. Will he abandon a fellow knight for a small misunderstanding?" Freya pleaded.

She didn't do that deliberately, so it was a misunderstanding. The man laughed. Freya pursed her lips. 'What happened to him?'

"Don't worry Milady. I will confess to his majesty that it was my fault, not yours," he said between his laughs.

"But—"

"Don't stress, the king isn't that heartless to kill a fellow knight who fought with him side by side," he said, chuckling louder. Freya frowned, hummed and sat down.

The door of the prison opened with a loud sound. The floor under Freya moved. Her heart pounded in her chest as footsteps neared her.

Beastly red eyes shining in the dark glared at her. "I always thought you were brave, but today, you prove it ten times more than I expected," the king said.

Freya dropped her head. As someone who did not commit such an act remorse sprouted in her heart. Although it was an error, targeting the king was never in her plans. She preferred never messing with him, but what could she do? He let her beside him.

"If I told you it was a mistake, will you believe me?" said Freya while looking at the king's eyes which carried nothing but hatred.

'Freya! What did you expect? He is an enemy.'

"Why should I? Give me one reason that can make me trust you. First, you are from that filthy kingdom. Second, you appeared when I was dealing with traitors, and third, you tried killing the king!" he yelled. His eyes sent flames of rage. His chest heaved up and down.

"No, your Majesty let me explain. She did what I requested her. We were—" Hank shouted.

"Close your mouth," roared the king.

Freya took two steps back. 'The king is like a flaming bubble ready to burst at any moment.'

"Your Ma—"

"I will deal with you later, Hank."

"Your Majesty, as the imperial guard's Captain, I take full responsibility for today's incident. I told her to shoot the arrow, but I was negligent. I should be more careful. Punish me for my carelessness according to the knighthood morals."

King Fraser walked a few steps aside. "Are you sure about your declaration?" he asked.

"YES."

The knight accompanying the king opened her cell's iron door and signalled her to go. She ran away from the king. Hank knelt on his knees with his head lowered. Guilt intensified in her heart. She limped to her quarter.

"Ma'am, why are you like this?" Joe asked, hurrying to her bath space to prepare the water bath.

Freya looked at her appearance in the mirror. Her hair was dishevelled, and her dress crumbled with dust and some strange thing pasting to it. The stinky smell stuck to her body.

"AH! Ma'am, your ankle had swollen more than last night!" Joe cried as Freya removed her outer robe. With her maid's help, Freya took a bath, mixing water with lavender flowers. "I will go get the physician."

Freya raised her hand to stop her maid, but Joe had disappeared from her sight, leaving a gush of wind behind. She shook her head and went to her bed.

'What should I do? What if the king punished the knight by executing him? I shall try convincing the king,' having this thought almost made Freya laugh at herself. 'As if the king can listen to me! Tomorrow, she would track the matter. If Hank would be killed, she had nothing to do.

The door opened slightly while her maid stood outside with teary eyes.

"Come in Joe. I told you no one cares if I live or die here," said Freya. Her heart throbbed with slight pain.

"I told the physician about your injury. He didn't move from his place. But when he heard a knight suffered from a high fever, he ran without looking back! What was wrong with him? You are the queen. Your health is more precious than anyone in the palace. How can he put you in the same position as a knight?" her talkative maid said. Her small white face flushed, and her hazel eyes darkened.

"That knight's injury is severe, that's why. Besides, I was the one causing him such a wound," Freya said.

Joe opened her mouth. "How?" she exclaimed.

"Take a few coins with you to Jules and ask him to buy medicine for swelling. You know where to find the coins, right?" said Freya.

Seeing Joe nod, Freya lay in her bed. After the door was closed, Freya climbed out of bed, limping to her wardrobe, opening a hidden box under her clothes. She watched the funds she had untouched, but a simple purse slightly opened.

'Joe! What shall I do with you?'