His Majesty & Daughters Of The Seven Sins

Chapter 14 • Framing Athalia -2

"Oh but of course!" Was Queen Petra who insisted with a smile.

Lyzebel smiled, "Oh well, since you don't mind, I am curious. Did princess Amber have a close servant or slave?"

"Hmm", King Amos thought for a while. "No, she had no slave as she didn't believe in slavery or forced will. Oh! But she did have a close friend that she grew up with".

"Oh she did?" Lamia smiled.

"Yes. Her personal embedder, also her childhood friend that her mother, my late wife, raised together as sisters".

Lamia and Lyzebel didn't miss the precious moment of Queen Petra's face as the king mentioning his late wife. She cringed with a smile.

Lyzebel then asked, "Oh, really? What was her name?"

"Athalia".

"Lovely name", Lamia pulled a strand of her hair. "If I may ask, does she perhaps have really long black hair?"

"Well actually", King Amos nodded, "She does. Extremely long. Almost reaching her feet".

"And does she have a little brother or cousin or assistant?" Lyzebel asked.

"Yes, a little brother".

Lyzebel and Lamia's face fell instantly. They gazed at eachother with a sad look.

King Amos crooked his head, "Uh? Is something wrong?"

Lyzebel sighed, furrowing her brows deeper. She looked at the confused king. "I– I think so, King Amos".

"What do you mean?" Petra asked.

Lamia sighed dramatically, interlocking her fingers with a sad look. Lyzebel then answered, "We think that girl, Athalia, has something to do with princess Amber's death".

"WHAT!!?"

The sisters nodded.

"That is impossible! How?" Amos asked.

"That is the same things we thought, but with what you have told us now, we fear our assumption may be right", Lyzebel grimaced.

"What makes you think that? Why would you think such?" Petra asked.

Lyzebel sighed, "Because last night, we had one of our royal carriages pass by your kingdom. When we heard the tragic news, our coachman approached me to inform me that at pass midnight, he saw two people jump from the princess's window and run into town".

"But that could be anyone!" King Amos defended.

"That is what I said, but he just described them as a gifl and a boy. The girl was grown, having extremely long black hair, and she was running with a smaller boy with brown hair".

King Amos and Queen Petra glanced at each other with bewildered expression. Lamia the signed, "And to top up our suspicion, on our way into your castle, we saw a young girl and a boy walk out from the dungeon exit, right behind Lord Elliot and his councilmen".

They blinked in disbelief. Lyzebel then shook her head, "They looked exactly as his our coachman described. And what surprised us was why and what two children would be doing in the dungeon with Elliot and his men. If you ask me, king Amos, that is a very odd place for children to be around, especially after what Lord Elliot did. What would they gain by meeting the lord when he was being held captive?"

King Amos blinked his eyes repeatedly, obviously confused about all the information combined. Lamia then cooed, "King Amos, we are not here to point fingers, but to confirm of what we are saying is true. Why not summon one of your guards to confirm?"

Amos shared a glance with his wife, obviously as gobsmacked as she was. Queen Petra then nodded, encouraging Amos to turn to the door.

"Guard!"

A guard ran in, bowing his head. King Amos then order, "Get me the dungeon knights that were on duty this morning!"

"Yes, my king".

After a few minutes, the guard returned with two knights, bowing their heads at the sight of royalties. The king then asked, "Sir Kevin, did Athalia, Amber's embedder, come to the dungeon this morning?"

"Yes, my king".

"For?"

"To see Lord Elliot, my king".

Amos and Petra widened their eyes.

Lyzebel then cleared her throat, "Did she tell you why she wanted to see him".

Kevin shook his head, "No, queen Lyzebel. She only told us that the king gave her permission to see him, so we did not argue".

Amos knitted his brows, "I did no such thing! I have not seen Athalia since yesterday evening".

Lyzebel and Lamia shook their heads. Lyzebel started, "It is worst than we thought. She lies with your name now? Awful!"

Lamia ticked her tongue, "I guess she played everyone. Now that is just cunning".

Amos and Petra stared at each other in shock, finding it hard to believe everything that was going on. Queen Petra then turned to the guard, "Go and get me Athalia, now!"

They then heard Lamia chuckled, "Hm! That is if she has not run away yet".

King Amos frowned deeply, turning to the Knights. "If she is not in her house or you sight her on the run, stop her! At any cost!"

"Yes, my king". The two knights bowed, marching hastily out of the room.

Lyzebel and Lamia grinned.

~

Athalia and Owen sat in the dining room, supporting their faces with their palms. Owen sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, Owen. I really don't know. The lord has taken it upon himself to blame himself for the princess's death. Not even telling him the truth changed his mind".

"True. But at least we do not have to worry about the lord being punished again".

"Yes, but I still feel bad for him. The whole kingdom thinks he is a killer".

"Poor him", Owen sighed in disappointment, dropping his head on the table, hopelessly. Athalia continued to stare at the table, boredly.

Owen then asked, "What time will father be home with grandmother?"

"Soon. Probably less than an hour".

KNOCK KNOCK!

Athalia got up from her seat, "Must be them". She padded to the door, pulling it open.

"Father, what took you so— UGH!"

Athalia felt a large palm trap her windpipe, lifting her off her feet. She clutched unto the gigantic wrist, choking. Owen jumped down from his chair in fear.

"Athalia!!!" He shouted, attracting the attention of the huge bulky man that held Athalia's neck, having his face and arm full of scars and his right eye missing.

He gave Owen a dirty grin. Owen jumped up from the floor, charging in the opposite direction. "OOF!" He bumped into something strong and metallic.

Rubbing his sore forehead, he raised his head to sight two long metallic legs before him. He gingerly raised his eyes, till they met the face woman who stood on the legs, holding a blade. She smirked at the trembling boy.

"Hello, little fella".