12 Qarinah's sign

"Speak Kahlan" Lord Torren ordered.

"My lady, your father's body was found dead outside the palace"

On hearing Kahlan say this, my heart skipped. I felt it missing. My legs suddenly went cold and rigid. Torren stared at me and then Kahlan. "Don't joke with such things Kahlan" lord Torren said not knowing how else to react. Before Kahlan could respond to lord Torren, I ran out and headed for the palace as Torren and Kahlan ran after me. I ran all through my way to the palace with my legs shaking and my heart beating so fast. On arriving at the palace, I saw my father lying lifelessly on the floor.

''My lady, some guards found him dead right in front of the palace" Sir Magnus said on seeing me. I couldn't hold back the tears that ran down my eyes. "Who dropped his body?" I asked bending down to place my hand on his face. "We met just the body my lady, without any trail of an intruder" one of the guards who found the body replied.

At that, I knew it was non other than Qarinah. Torren was feeled with rage, I could feel his blood boiling from rage and revenge. "Qarinah!!!" Torren echoed in anger. I was still crying with my father's body in my arms. "He has always lived in Qarinah's bondage and now, this" I cried out and kept murmuring incoherently. Torren tried to console me but I kept crying. I couldn't believe it. My father is dead. How could Qarinah just murder him like that.

Kahlan as well tried to console me but I shrugged her off. Lord Torren couldn't contain his rage "I will kill her". He tried to place my head on his shoulder but I shrugged him off as well. I just wanted to cry and wail. I lost the only family I had left. I cried my self to sleep still holding my father in my arms. After I slept off, Torren scooped me in his arms and took me to his room to put me on his bed.

Back in Galtelo, Queen Qarinah, Empress Liah and King Stephan were still onto their evil plans..King Stephan and Queen Qarinah sat in the throne room in Guzato kingdom looking restless before empress Liah appeared putting on a black hood.

"Mission accomplished" empress Liah said removing and handing over her hood to her female servant who was originally there with us before she appeared. That was her personal maid.

"I knew you would be the perfect candidate for this' King Stephan smiled. "Fool, I am not your candidate" empress Liah said with a killing gaze on king Stephan. There was a dead silence before queen Qarinah spoke up. "I still do not understand why we got my husband messed up in this" empress Liah stared at her without a response. "We have no time. We have to work together. I have dark powers so as Qarinah but Stephan...." Before she could finish King Stephan interrupted her "king Stephan. Here I am your king". Empress Liah paid no attention to him 'Stephan has the strongest knights. Very soon, Torren will go down and we shall have Darca to conquer. We must hurry, Torren will definitely come after us but we can't give him that time" with that, she raised a dagger and stared at queen Qarinah who nodded and suspended the dagger in the air with her gaze and then the duo started to chant. "Dico super te, omnis antiqua spiritus sit hoc gladio fictum ultra humanae virtutes penetrare et posuit ad reliqua omnis immortalis esse in via tua. Que ce poignard spécifiquement mettre Torren vers le bas et déstabiliser son fonctionnement vampire le mettre au repos pour de bon. " as they chanted those magic words, a black smoke engulfed them and their eyes turned to red. King Stephan stood by the side watching them in a feeling of maybe terror. When they stopped chanting, the dagger turned green and sparkly.

In Darca. I woke up to find myself lying on Torren's bed while Torren sat close to me holding my hands.

"You haven't killed anyone yet, have you?" I asked Torren on opening by eyes. He sighed "I couldn't leave your side Diana" he responded still holding my hands.

"Where is he?" I asked with a little tear forming in my eyes. "On the stake, we wouldn't do anything without your command" Torren replied gently. "Torren" I called him and he answered. "Don't do it, please" I said looking pleadingly at him. "But she did it Diana" he said looking angry. "You're not a monster. Louisa won't be able to live on her own without a mother" I begged Torren. "You can take care of her" he replied sharply.

"I lost my mother Torren and I know how it feels to live without your real mother" I still pleaded with Torren. "Louisa loves her mother and would never want her dead. She will be broken and I can't bear to see her like that" saying that I drop of tear finally broke out after I have tried so hard to keep it in. Torren looked at me with a soft gaze. "OK" that was his short response. "But as long as I exist Diana, I will protect you" Torren said it and meant every word he said. I nodded and embraced Torren "I'm sorry for pushing you off earlier my love". Torren smiled "I don't think you owe me an apology my love. Save it for Kahlan, she has been restless" with that Torren got up, "I'll let you have a word with her". Torren knew Kahlan was not just my maid. She was my best friend, my sister and I valued her so much.

Moments later Kahlan knocked and walked in. "Lord Torren told me you're all better my lady" Kahlan said sitting down next to me.

"We weren't close but I loved him very much until he married my stepmother. I thought I grew to hate him but seeing him dead proved me wrong" I sighed. Kahlan didn't know how to respond to that, she just put her hand on mine. "You've never talked about your family, are they still alive?" I asked Kahlan who took a while to respond. "My father was a warrior, one of the strongest men in Guzato, he taught me to fight..." Before she could finish I interrupted her "you're from Guzato?".

"Not anymore but I'm as strong as anyone born there. My father always wanted to be a knight but he couldn't because we weren't from a nobel family. When I was twelve, my father forged a seal of house Neradis just to become a night but when he was discovered, he was killed. I fought my way through to Darca. All the soldiers of Guzato were after my life. King Stephan is not a merciful king neither was his father. We wanted me executed alongside my father. I ran to Darca and met lord Torren. I became his serving girl so I could live in Darca as a citizen and not as an intruder, lord Torren saved me when I was at the verge of death and I swore to serve him as long as I live" Kahlan said crossing her heart. "What about your grandmother" I asked, I knew Kahlan talked about her grandmother when I first came here.

Kahlan chuckled. "Torren handed me over to an old woman who took care of me. She died not long ago but her spirit lives on. Her son is one of Torren's guards. He practiced with me often before he decided to give his life to lord Torren"

"He fed on him?" I asked

"It was Marco's choice my lady. Just as you decided to save him when he needed it. Lord Torren has been nothing but good to us. Be just had to pay him back" as she said it, there was no flicker of sadness or regret in her eyes.

"I want his body burnt at sundown" I said. "Yes my lady"

At sundown, my father's body was burnt and his ashes left in the river. I came back and took my bath. I was not feeling sad anymore but I wasn't happy either. I entered Lord Torren's room, that was were I decided to sleep that night. I walked in and met him sharpening his sword.

"Sneaking out tonight?" Torren jerked up, he didn't realize I entered the room. "Wife" he smiled at me.

"I suppose I should be told where you're going to and why you should be there this night". Torren did not respond. He dropped his sword and pulled me close to him breathing on my ears.

"I can't leave without the Queen's permission can I?" He smiled at me. I stared into his eyes, at that point, I only wanted to feel his hands on my body. I slowly moved my hands on his lips before I kissed them. He requited the kiss and slowly pulled out to trace my neck and ears. I could feel his breath on my skin. After a brief moment of passionate touches, Torren and I, lyed down side by side, I finally had the courage to ask a question I've long been Itching to ask him. "Did you really do it?" I asked looking into his eyes. "You asked me not to Diana, so your step mother still lives" he responded.

"Not that Torren, I know you haven't killed her. Your brides, did...did...did you kill them?" I asked swallowing hard.

Torren stared at me for a while then replied "what do you believe?". I couldn't answer that question because I didn't even know what I believed, I stared at him without a response almost regretting why I asked him that question. There was an awkward silence between us, Torren stared at me hoping to get an answer before a knock interrupted us.

"My lady, you have a visitor from Tron" one of the new maids said and quickly walked away. I hardly ever spoke to them.

It's passed midnight, who could be this visitor from Tron and why is it a late visit? I wondered.