The Royal Quest

Chapter 13. Cruel Justice

"Sir, I apologize for what my son has done. I understand if you can't forgive him, but I beg you to spare him, he was not in his right mind when he did that. Let me punish him myself and I swear he will not do such a thing ever again." Mr. Hugh kneeled in front of Mr. Sullivan, begging for his son.

The tax collector is sitting in the middle of the inn's lobby while tossing the pouch that Jamie stole from him. Beside him is a man of the same age as Mr. Hugh, whispering something to Mr. Sullivan.

'He must be the person who also saw Jamie stealing from Mr. Sullivan,' Dahlia thought while watching the scene from a distance.

"Dahlia," Baron whispered in her ear, asking for her attention.

The princess turned to face the man and walked out of the place, following Baron.

"We can't stay here any longer, we have to go now before," Baron told her.

"But we can't leave like this, just not yet. I can't let them down this time, Baron. These people need my help against this cruel man." Dahlia refused.

"Have you forgotten? Our goal is to travel north, we shouldn't be distracted or someone might recognize you." Baron explained, but the lady just turned her heels.

"I'll be careful, soldier." She said and went back inside.

Baron sighed, shaking his head unbelievably.

"Take him and find the boy!" Dahlia heard Mr. Sullivan ordered his men. She suddenly feels anxious about what is happening.

'I need to do something.' She thought and stepped forward.

"Wait!" She suddenly cried when the two men were about to get Mr. Hugh.

Everyone around looked in her direction. While she unconsciously swallowed the lumps in her throat, feeling nervous. 

'This is not good,' Baron thought, and also stepped forward beside the princess, to make sure that no one could reach her.

"And who are you?" Mr. Sullivan asked with his squinted eyes, trying to recognize the lady under the thick hood who interrupted him.

Dahlia's hands start to tremble but she gathers all of her courage to speak again without evidence of fear.

"Mister, I believe that you are totally aware of the locust attack and the village hasn't yet recovered from the crisis. The villagers barely even brought food for their families-" Dahlia started speaking up but the man cut her off.

"Shhh stop." Raising his hand.

"But-"

"Don't you hear me, lady? I said stop." He interrupted the princess again.

"Rude," Dahlia muttered, feeling annoyed with the man.

Baron stepped closer to the princess and whispered,

"We have to go. Now."

"I told you already, I can't." 

"Who are you?" Again, the tax collector asked and stood up, taking steps closer in her direction, while Baron also took steps forward in front of the princess.

"Don't you dare get any closer to the lady." Baron fearlessly warned the man, charging himself ready for any attack.

The men with Sullivan were alerted by the way Baron spoke with him and pulled their weapons out.

"No," Mr. Sullivan stopped his men as he raised his hand in the air. 

"There's no need to be brutal, mister. Are you an assassin or something?" He chuckles wickedly.

"If you don't mind, I want to keep this only decent place in town intact. Besides, I just want to have a word with this mysterious lady behind you." Peeking above Baron's shoulder.

"In peace," Sullivan added.

Dahlia stepped forward as she gently pushed Baron to the side.

"We are travelers-” Dahlia started, but Sullivan kept on interrupting her.

“Name?” he asked while trying to peek at her face under her hood. 

Dahlia took a deep breath before she spoke again.

“M-my name is…is…” Dahlia tried to think of a different name but nothing popped up in her head.

“Face,” Sullivan demanded again as he stood in front of her waiting.

However, Dahlia is still frozen in her spot and just after a few seconds, Sullivan turns his heels back to his seat.

“No name, no face, and you’re trying to interrupt my business in this village? I don’t think that’s fair,” he scoffed.

“Take him and find the boy,” Sullivan ordered his men again.

“Wait!” Dahlia cried again and pulled down her hood, revealing herself.

Everyone inside the property gasped with so much amusement, seeing the unequal beauty in front of them. While Baron’s eyes widen in surprise because of what she did but before he can do something, Dahlia glares at him to stay on his spot and faces Sullivan again.

“Leave the man and spare his son,” Dahlia ordered firmly without blinking her eyes off the man.

“Showing your stunning beauty doesn’t mean you can already rule around here, lady." Sullivan stood up, roaming his eyes at Dahlia from head to toe, and smirked.

"I deeply understand what you are implying, but I'm just a humble servant who takes orders from the palace of Haru. Heinzfield is my territory, they give me power over the villagers to make everything in order. Without their cooperation, this village would have been destroyed by night creatures a long time ago and this man here…" pointing Mr. Hugh

"Failed to comply with his obligation and worst, his son committed a crime against me." 

"But he has already returned everything that has been stolen from you. So let him leave." Dahlia countered, 

"No." Sullivan refused and sat back on his seat.

"This man still owes me a contribution and I will not let him go until it is settled." He declared.

Dahlia suddenly thought of the vampire she met at the river and thought of the golden coins he left.

'But if I use it, it seems like I benefitted from that cruel and rude monster. No way!' She thought and her eyes darted to the poor man.

'But I can't leave him like this and I have nothing else to offer.' She worriedly thought and looked around her, seeing her people staring at her.

'Seems like no one here recognizes me.'

"How dare this lady suddenly come to us even though she can do nothing about what's happening here. Such a waste of time." One of Sullivan's men uttered.

Dahlia felt ashamed and the memories of how the ministers in the palace couldn't trust her as the next ruler of the kingdom and the rude vampire's words kept on recalling in her mind.

'Brave yet clumsy.'

She fists her trembling hand and takes a deep breath before she speaks again.

"If I pay the remaining amount, would you let this man go already?" Dahlia asked.

"Yes, of course!" 

Dahlia sighed deeply and pulled out the pouch from her pocket. She walked towards Sullivan and stretched her hand forward with the money. 

"Here. Now let him go." She demanded, while the man opened the pouch and grinned wickedly after seeing the golden coins.

"This is unbelievable! I rarely see golden coins these days. You must be from a fortunate family, aren't you?" Sullivan concluded.

"Let Mr. Hugh go." Dahlia insisted again, looking straight into his eyes.

"Yes, of course." And turned to his men.

"Let him go." He ordered.

"However," he faced Dahlia again.

"I need the young rascal who stole my money," Sullivan added.

"Wha-what!? But you already got your money back. Let the boy alone!" Dahlia annoyingly told the man.

Mr. Sullivan slowly walked closer to the lady and leaned closer to her ear.

"Pardon me, Your Highness." He suddenly whispered, making sure no one else could hear him, which made Dahlia quiver in fear.

'He knows me.' 

"But the boy made a mistake and has to be punished to ensure the safety of everyone in the village," he reasoned.

"Sir, I beg you. Just punish me instead. My son is still too young and doesn't know the consequences of what he did. Please." Mr. Hugh once again kneeled in front of the man, pleading for his son's freedom.

"What are you planning to do with the boy?" Dahlia was curious and inquired.

"Well, fair is fair. He uses his hands to take something from me and so I will seek justice from it." 

"What do you mean?" The princess was confused.

"You'll see," Sullivan responded and turned back to his men.

"Take the princess and find the boy." He ordered.

The villagers who gathered around the scene were shocked by the revelation, including Mr. Hugh. Murmurs and gossips suddenly scatter through the air while Baron quickly steps forward with his sword to protect the princess. 

"Whoever dares to step forward will be dead," Baron warned as he kept the princess behind him.

"It's been a while since my blade tasted blood. Try me." He added, trying to put fear into his opponent with his sharp eyes.

"Why are you still standing!? Don't you hear what I said!?" Sullivan got furious when no one of his men attempted to take the royal lady.

"B-but, sir. We can't just take the princess like this, especially in front of the villagers. The palace would surely take our heads off." One of the men reasoned, feeling uncertain.

"I never thought I was surrounded by stupid men," Sullivan commented, shaking his head unbelievably when suddenly someone burst in.

"Father!" It was Jamie who quickly ran in his father's direction.

"What are you doing here!? You shouldn't be here!" Mr. Hugh cried, pushing his son away.

"Get the boy! Quickly!" Sullivan ordered, which his men immediately obeyed.

"No!" Mr. Hugh cried, trying to rescue his son, but the men blocked his way.

The man pushed Jamie down on his chest to the table and forcefully extended his arm.

"I'm worried this hand will cause some troubles again," Sullivan said as he pulled out one of his man's swords.

"Wha-what are you going to do?" Jamie asked, feeling frightened of the sharp object.

"See this, Princess? I told you fair is fair and I won't allow this mischievous boy to do something unlawful in my territory, in our peaceful kingdom ever again."

Dahlia is trembling behind Baron and worried about the boy.

"Please, let go of Jamie." Mr. Hugh begged, kneeling in front of Sullivan.

"I'm just seeking justice here, my friend." Mr. Sullivan said and turned to his man.

"Take him out of here."

"Yes, sir!" The man responded and dragged Jamie's father out of the place.

"No! Princess Dahlia, Save my boy!" Suddenly Mr. Hugh cried.

Dahlia felt so terrified about what was happening around her while she was only frozen on her spot.

"Ba-Baron, what should I do?" The princess muttered behind him.

Baron sighed, though he wanted to scold the lady and say 'I told you'. However, he didn't want to add more worries to the lady and feel bad for herself.

"Run." He said in a low voice.

"Wha-what? But what about Jamie?"

"Pull out your weapon, protect yourself, and run," Baron repeated.

"Now!" Baron cried and charged forward to Sullivan. 

While Dahlia followed what Baron ordered and slid out her silver sword even with trembling hands and found her way out of the place. The villagers around the place rumbled as they tried to escape from the upcoming war.

"Get the Princess! Don't let her get away!" Sullivan cried, but as they don't know the reason why they need to take the princess and are frightened for their lives, the men fight with Baron instead.

"He is not the princess! You fools!" Sullivan angrily cried and that made the Princess escape easily.

"Hey, you! Run after the princess!" He ordered one man.

"B-but, sir." The man was feeling doubtful.

"Take her!!!" Sullivan cried angrily and pointed the sword at him.

"Ye-yes, sir." Without any choice, the man obeyed and ran after Dahlia.