The real enemy

"Well well, what have we here?" Maya asked smiling slyly.

"Ma... Maya?" I said. "Maya...!" I exclaimed and quickly jumped out of my horse to hug her. "Don't you worry Liam? My sister is here and she will show us the way." I said to Liam.

"Keep your hands off her witch." Liam said and gently got out of his horse. "How did you find us?" He asked.

"Well, my sister has been quite useful." She said touching the amulet around my neck.

"You were scrying with that?" Elan asked.

"I don't respond to servants boy." Maya said rudely.

"Hey sister, I've missed you." Maya said as she turned towards me and cupped my cheeks in her hands and just then, I realized Liam had been lying to me.

"Do you know this man Nardin?" Maya asked me.

I turned toward Liam and could not recognize him anymore. "No, no I don't. I was lost in the forest and he grabbed me. I begged him to let me go but he forcefully dragged me down here. Please sister, save me." I cried.

"I think she's manipulating her memories." Elan said in a hushed whisper.

"Then she must have also manipulated Zed's diagnosis and the map just to get us here." Liam said.

"Oh well, I know what must be going on in your head right now but I don't care. Someone wants you, Liam. Someone you killed his daughter and you will gently follow me to meet him or you might never see your wife again." Maya said. "She might be my sister but I'd still kill her to get my freedom."

Liam was short of words. How did they not see that coming?

"Get me the prince and get rid of his servant, do whatever you please with him." Maya ordered. "Sister, come on, we must leave." She said and I followed her like a puppet.

Liam could not even struggle because he could not imagine losing me, so he followed them obediently, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Maya led us into a Manor, a huge Manor flocked with servants. Guards and maids all went around their important duties.

"This man that seeks that bandit, is he a royalty?" I asked Maya out of curiosity and she nodded in affirmation.

"And you're sure he's not going to hurt us?"

"He's not."

"Is... Is he our father?"

"No Nardin, you ask too many questions."

"Hmph." I sighed. I looked back at Liam and caught him glaring at me but not in hate or disgust. He was staring at me in hurt and concern.

"Who is this man?" I asked Maya in a hushed whisper.

"He's a devil and might be your doom." She responded. Soon, we got into the castle and it was way bigger than I expected. It was a very huge building, with pillars made out of diamonds. It had different fireplaces at different corners of the building. Chandeliers hung around the ceiling adding even to the beauty of the hall. The flowers in the flower gardens surrounding the building gave the castle an enchanting scent.

Maya walked into the palace while I followed her and Liam was dragged in chains. A guard quickly halted us.

"Prisoners for the Earl." Maya said and the guard scanned us before he let us pass through.

Just as we approached the luxurious gothic seat in the hall, a lady made her way to us. She was tall and fierce-looking, dressed in a warrior's armor, had her face masked, and had a sword dangling on the scabbard around her waist. She had red hair and beautiful green eyes.

"What do you bring this day, Maya." She asked.

"The Earl's fugitives. Let him know I have them, he'll be excited to know I have them." Maya responded.

The red-hair lady nodded and took fierce but yet gracious steps into the main castle and after some time, she returned.

"The Earl shall be with you in no time, Maya. You wait with your..." She looked us up and down searching for the perfect words to describe us "Slaves? Wait with your slaves but keep an eye on them and make sure they touch nothing. These peasants can either steal from the castle or Infect us with their disgusting disease." She said.

"Go easy on them. The girl is not a slave." Maya said while grabbing my arm gently.

"Whatever. Just keep an eye on them both, and don't come any closer than you already have."

Meanwhile, the guards took Elan to the servant quarters to do as they were pleased, after all that was Maya's instruction to them and the Earl would not really care about a common servant. His hands were tied initially but later untied so he could serve them better.

"Hey fancy pants, pass me the bowl." One of the servants ordered him but he ignored him.

"Hey, he's talking to you." Another servant yelled at Elan but his yelling was met with another silence.

"Go easy on him, will you. " An elderly maid who brought food said to the man.

"What do you intend to do with him?" She asked.

"What else? The servants finally have a servant. He'll polish all our armors and sharpen our blades. He might as well release my girlfriend of her duties for some time, so he'll clean the stables." The mean servant responded.

"That's too much, don't you think?" The maid asked.

"Come on, you can as well ask me to send him to the kitchen to help you." He added.

"Hmph. Here's your food. If the boy is hungry I can as well get him something to eat." She added.

"No need for that. He has to work before he even thinks about eating."

Elan was raging with anger and left to him alone, he would've fought and died than been taken hostage by those dirty servants but Prince Liam didn't want it and left alone for Prince Liam, he would've taken down those soldiers but it'll only worsen my condition and my loyalty will probably lie with Maya forever after I witness what he'd do.

Back at the Castle, after some time, a man emerged through the door, dressed in expensive royal regalia. But where he stood was filled with darkness.

"Hello Liam, oh, his highness, Prince Liam Eldrago of Akalon. My sister's murderer." The man said as he slowly matched into the hall with a frowny face, coming into the lights. It was Lord Nero, Lady Nina's brother.

Liam stared at him and saw his resemblance to lady Nina, the young woman he killed when we had just met and Queen Charlotte covered up for him...