Chapter 2
1206 Words
He had been inspecting the area, rather than interrogating the trespasser. He was sure the knights would take care of it. And most of all, he did not feel like looking at that dirty elf descendant.
“How do you think he entered?”
He asked the mage that had come for barrier inspection.
“Shocks me, honestly. There is not a single scratch. Like the great mage had made this barrier with this person as the sole exception.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Kael remarked, angrily.
“You are glaring at me like I have finally lost my mind.”
Noah said and sigh.
“Look clearly for yourself, you idiotic, self-centered chamberlaine.”
Noah shot back, and gestured towards the core of the barrier.
“It shows no signs of disturbance at all. Do you realize what this means?”
Noah looked at Kael, with a questioning gaze. Like he was looking at the world's dumbest person.
Just then it clicked.
“The barrier…opened?”
Kael whispered questioningly while tilting his head to the side.
“Huhh, finally some common sense!”
Noah retorted and passed a half smile.
“The barrier greeted and welcomed the guest, the same as the great dragon.”
Noah explained and stopped before saying anything else and looked at the ground. He looked like he was unsure of whether he should say something further.
Just when Kael decided to force him to speak, Noah looked up.
Noah wanted to refrain, he knew he should, but not before making sure a little.
“Are you sure your knights can handle this one?
Better go check out…”
Noah said as he waved his hand and abruptly left in a hurry.
“Wait!”
The Grand Chamberlaine shouted but he was already gone.
“That damn…”
Cursing him under his breath, he glanced at the core once again briefly, before going where the knights were.
Gabriel, upon seeing their captain, walked up to him and greeted him.
As they started walking together back to the carriage, Gabriel informed him that they had located the trespasser and had put her in confinement.
“Her?”
The Grand Chamberlaine questioned with his one eyebrow raised.
“Yes. But captain…”
Gabriel was cut short in between by Kael.
“Wow, just wow.”
Leaving out a frustrating exhalation.
“First an elf woman came to put us under this damn curse, and NOW the other elf woman came after a thousand years to put us under another curse?!”
He was fuming with anger by the time they reached the carriage they had confined her in.
“But my capta…”
“Enough Gabriel!”
Once again, Kael refused to listen and went straight to the knights.
“Arrest the trespasser and make her the subject of public punishment!”
Kael shouted, expecting the knights to respond with enthusiasm and zeal. But they all left out long exhales and looked around. Looking dumb and awkward.
“MY LORD, SHE IS A CHILD, ROUGHLY AROUND TEN!”
This time Gabriel stated from the front. And moved his head from side to side before placing his forehead in his left palm.
…
Juliana, who had been escorted to one of the chambers in the main castle, in the state of blindfolded and manacled, was made to sit down on one of the chairs before being left alone by the knights.
They had all become quite awkward, for this was their first time taking a child in for such a big crime. And such a weak but elf child at that.
“Do you think her arms and wrist will snap if we leave them like this?”
One of the knights passed the question to the other knight.
“I think her face will be bruised by that tight cloth…”
Another stated.
“Oh… I think her ankle is already broken!”
Another one exclaimed in a horrified voice. And all other present panicked as well.
“W-what do you mean!”
Taking in a long breath. The knight replied:
“I saw her stumble!”
“She was jerked off the carriage…”
Gasps fill the hallway.
“Oh my gosh!”
“Who dares hurt a child!”
Damon retorted.
“I promise it was not me!”
Albert proclaimed, scared. The one who had informed them of her ankle injury.
“L-let us go, bring the grand chamberlaine and the royal physician.”
“Y-yeah.”
“Let us hurry! She must be in pain.”
“Oh my poor child!”
They murmured and whispered all the way down the hallway as they left.
Just then Juliana’s blindfold came off. Revealing magnificent but unknown chambers.
She tried twisting her hands out of the cuffs, but they were magic cuffs that could only be taken off by the one who put them on.
Her heartbeat started increasing with each passing second, her breath became unsteady and frantic. Leading to panic and blurred vision. She was having a panic attack.
Without thinking another thought, she rushed toward the door and slammed her body against it, resulting in falling out in the hallway, down on the floor with force, injuring her shoulder and back badly. But getting up just as fast, she sprinted past the chambers and corridors, to gardens and places, looking around, her eyes searching for an abandoned, secluded place where no one would look for her.
Where no one will even think of searching for her.
All the while whispering: “I have to go back to them… They will die.”
Short on breath, her chest had started hurting, and she was nearing a pass out. When she noticed another barrier on the far off side of the place,
Her throat had gone dry, making it harder for her to swallow even her saliva.
From afar, shouting and noises had begun, signaling that they had found out about her running away.
Without another second, in her frenzy she jumped at the barrier.
A loud piercing scream shook the surroundings and the knight froze near that palace. Their eyes wide open and their bodies paralyzed with horror.
They all dashed towards the great dragon’s palace, cursing under their breaths. Their hands trembling with fear, fear of seeing a body in a horrifying state of just a ten-year-old child. Tears slipped and fell on their cheeks. Making each passing moment harder and shorter.
“I should never have left her alone.”
Each mumbling their own regret.
…
“Ughhh”
Juliana hissed, twisted and shivered with each passing minute. Tossing in pain. She was dying for sure. Her eyes had become so heavy that she could no longer open them.
“Shh…”
She heard a man, and felt someone stroking her hair.
With each stroke she felt the pain subsiding.
“They will die…”
She kept whispering even in her near passing moments.
A cold hand touched her forehead, it remained for quite some time… And before removing it, she heard someone consoling her.
“They will not… You must sleep.”
And at that moment, Juliana felt herself drifting from her consciousness.
- Writer
