Chapter 116: Finding The Truth - Part 1
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The woman held Aylin's hand tight, not allowing her to budge from her place. Yet, Aylin did not mind it and she allowed her to hold her as she looked at her curiously. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying she had done and she looked haggard. Her tears and her snot kept running down her face. But Aylin did not mind it, unlike others who moved away the moment the woman had rushed towards them.
"Comm..Commander," The woman struggled to speak as she tried to catch up with her breathing. Her nose was blocked and she found it hard to control herself.
"Calm down. I am here. I will not go until I find out what is happening." Aylin assured her and stood beside her, putting all her weight on one leg. She then patted the woman's back as she tried to comfort her. "Take deep breaths and breathe slowly."
Though the woman was too aggrieved to calm down, she still listened to her and took deep breaths and eventually, her tense shoulders relaxed a little.
Aylin waited until the woman seemed better before she led her back to her hut. As she helped her sit down. Since there was nothing for her to sit on, the woman sat on the ground and Aylin looked at the lad who had his brows furrowed as he stared at his mother with his hands clenched.
"Bring a glass of water," Aylin ordered and squatted beside the woman when the lady handed her a glass immediately.
"Please have some water." She held the glass near her lips and the woman unwillingly drank the water.
"Now, tell me what happened and why is there such a commotion here." Aylin kept her position as she looked at the woman who finally seemed to be in her senses.
"It was all my mistake. I should not have allowed my child to work in the palace. I should not have allowed my daughter, Susan to go to the palace. She..she..." The woman sniffled and Aylin furrowed her brows as she tried to recall who Susan was. However, even after trying for some time, she could not put a face to the name and eventually, she gave up.
"What happened to Susan?" Barely had Aylin taken the girl's name when the woman started wailing again. This time, nothing Aylin did could comfort her and Aylin's brows deepened further. She had no idea what the situation was. So, she could not sympathize with the woman and every time she heard her wail, Aylin felt annoyed.
'I do not think I will be able to find out anything from her.' Aylin sighed and looked at the lady who was staring at his mother with tears in his eyes. Rising to her height, Aylin walked to him and the boy immediately lowered his head.
"You tell me. What happened?" She asked him gently and the boy bit his lip. He fidgetted in his spot for a few moments and when Aylin was just about to order him, he lifted his head, staring at her with his eyes full of tears.
"It is my sister. She...she... she is being imprisoned." The boy somehow managed to disclose what the matter was and Aylin's expression turned somber at once.
"Why is she being imprisoned?" Aylin asked him carefully and looked around her, only to find all the people looking at them curiously. Other than curiosity, she found slivers of disdain in their eyes and Aylin's frown deepened in dismay.
"One of the guards said that...that..." He hiccupped as she sucked in a deep breath. "That she tried to eavesdrop on His Majesty's conversation and she was caught by the Prince."
"No." The woman suddenly screamed and Aylin's eyes snapped to her immediately. "My daughter will never do something like that. She will never listen to others' conversations secretly. There must be a misunderstanding." The woman shook her head frantically while she tried to clear her daughter's name.
"My daughter is very good. She would never...Susan would never...." The woman started shouting and Aylin who had been exhausted from all that had happened since morning, felt herself losing her cool slowly. The woman's cries were only giving her a headache.
"Come with me." Aylin held the boy's hand and pulled him with her until they were far away from the woman. Even though they could still hear the woman's anguish filled shouts, at least they were not that loud and Aylin let out a sigh.
"Tell me everything from the beginning. I need to know the truth. If your sister is really innocent, I will help her for sure." Aylin held the boy's shoulders and stared at him in the eye. Her assuring words eased his tension and the boy nodded at her.
"My sister, Susan, works as a maid in the palace. We do not know what had happened but the royal guards came to our house some time ago with a verdict passed by the Prince himself." The boy recounted all that he knew and all that he had heard from others. "My sister is now guilty of committing a sin and the Prince has ordered her to be beheaded."
"Commander," He took a step forward and held her hands, surprising Aylin for a moment. "Please save my sister. She would never do something like this. I am sure there is a misunderstanding. Please. Please help my sister." The boy begged and the tears he had so painstakingly controlled started to roll down his face.
"Please Commander. Please save my sister. She would never commit such a crime. Please." All of a sudden, he collapsed to the ground and kneeled in front of her as he begged her to save her sister. His state only made Aylin remember her brother.
Just like her brother, the boy's love for her sister was astonishing and Aylin felt her heart wrenching in pain. Unknowingly, her eyes too teared up. But she controlled herself in time.
"Have you met your sister in the dungeon? What did she say?" Aylin calmly inquired the boy who was groveling in front of her to help him and his family.
"We were unable to meet my sister, Commander. They did not allow us even to take a step closer to the dungeon. We were pushed away the moment we approached the guards with our guards." The boy replied honestly and Aylin, who was yet to believe the truth behind his words was surprised at once. Her expression finally cracked, her eyes revealing her true state.
"The guards told us that since my sister was a sinner, we would not be allowed to meet her ever. She would soon be beheaded for what she had done and it was better that we forgot about her." The boy started crying hard after he let out all the truth and Aylin's eyes widened in realization.
'Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong.' She thought and looked at the boy who was still kneeling in front of her. 'Why would the guards prohibit Susan's family from meeting her. Everybody has the right to meet their family even if they are being convicted.' Her face scrunched up as she thought about it and looked at the old woman who was crying softly to herself.
From where she was, Aylin could not hear what the crowd was speaking about. But from their looks and gazes, she could still make out their thoughts and they were all filled with disgust towards Susan and her family. It was evident that they had believed the situation to be true and were now considering Susan to be a sinner. Her family had now become an outcast in the kingdom and Aylin suddenly felt the situation to be suspicious.
'The issue does not seem as simple as it looks and why would the Prince order for her to be beheaded. Even if she has committed the sin, then it is not that serious that she had to give up her life for it.' Aylin pondered over it and the more she thought about it, the more her hunch about some foul play behind the issue became stronger.
'Something is wrong here and I need to find out what. I cannot allow any innocent person to lose her life.'
With that thought, Aylin leaned forward and helped the boy to his feet. "I will help you find out what the truth is. Calm down first and relax your mind." She said soothingly and the boy did as she was told. He took deep breaths to calm himself and Aylin waited for him to stop crying.
"I will find out what happened to your sister and why she was sent to prison. Wait for me at your house and take care of your mother until then." Aylin ordered and the boy nodded at her in return.
"Good. If your sister is really innocent, I will not allow anything to happen to her. You have my word." Aylin promised him solemnly and the boy eventually felt the boulders in his heart disappearing. He trusted her to save her sister and even more so when she had always been a woman of her word.
"I will be back soon. Until then, be strong and..." Aylin wiped his tears gently. "Do not cry." Aylin smiled at him before she walked away from him.
Taking a glance at the woman who was crying softly to herself, Aylin mounted her horse and rode towards the dungeon, her mind now filled with a lot of thoughts and questions. Among them, the one that predominantly occupied her mind was why the Prince had been involved in this matter and ordered for the girl's life when the crime was not that grave.
Prince Caelan's actions were completely shocking and Aylin now was suspicious of him.. Something about the matter was odd and Aylin vowed the find the truth and save the innocent, even if she had to go against the King himself.
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The woman held Aylin's hand tight, not allowing her to budge from her place. Yet, Aylin did not mind it and she allowed her to hold her as she looked at her curiously. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying she had done and she looked haggard. Her tears and her snot kept running down her face. But Aylin did not mind it, unlike others who moved away the moment the woman had rushed towards them.
"Comm..Commander," The woman struggled to speak as she tried to catch up with her breathing. Her nose was blocked and she found it hard to control herself.
"Calm down. I am here. I will not go until I find out what is happening." Aylin assured her and stood beside her, putting all her weight on one leg. She then patted the woman's back as she tried to comfort her. "Take deep breaths and breathe slowly."
Though the woman was too aggrieved to calm down, she still listened to her and took deep breaths and eventually, her tense shoulders relaxed a little.
Aylin waited until the woman seemed better before she led her back to her hut. As she helped her sit down. Since there was nothing for her to sit on, the woman sat on the ground and Aylin looked at the lad who had his brows furrowed as he stared at his mother with his hands clenched.
"Bring a glass of water," Aylin ordered and squatted beside the woman when the lady handed her a glass immediately.
"Please have some water." She held the glass near her lips and the woman unwillingly drank the water.
"Now, tell me what happened and why is there such a commotion here." Aylin kept her position as she looked at the woman who finally seemed to be in her senses.
"It was all my mistake. I should not have allowed my child to work in the palace. I should not have allowed my daughter, Susan to go to the palace. She..she..." The woman sniffled and Aylin furrowed her brows as she tried to recall who Susan was. However, even after trying for some time, she could not put a face to the name and eventually, she gave up.
"What happened to Susan?" Barely had Aylin taken the girl's name when the woman started wailing again. This time, nothing Aylin did could comfort her and Aylin's brows deepened further. She had no idea what the situation was. So, she could not sympathize with the woman and every time she heard her wail, Aylin felt annoyed.
'I do not think I will be able to find out anything from her.' Aylin sighed and looked at the lady who was staring at his mother with tears in his eyes. Rising to her height, Aylin walked to him and the boy immediately lowered his head.
"You tell me. What happened?" She asked him gently and the boy bit his lip. He fidgetted in his spot for a few moments and when Aylin was just about to order him, he lifted his head, staring at her with his eyes full of tears.
"It is my sister. She...she... she is being imprisoned." The boy somehow managed to disclose what the matter was and Aylin's expression turned somber at once.
"Why is she being imprisoned?" Aylin asked him carefully and looked around her, only to find all the people looking at them curiously. Other than curiosity, she found slivers of disdain in their eyes and Aylin's frown deepened in dismay.
"One of the guards said that...that..." He hiccupped as she sucked in a deep breath. "That she tried to eavesdrop on His Majesty's conversation and she was caught by the Prince."
"No." The woman suddenly screamed and Aylin's eyes snapped to her immediately. "My daughter will never do something like that. She will never listen to others' conversations secretly. There must be a misunderstanding." The woman shook her head frantically while she tried to clear her daughter's name.
"My daughter is very good. She would never...Susan would never...." The woman started shouting and Aylin who had been exhausted from all that had happened since morning, felt herself losing her cool slowly. The woman's cries were only giving her a headache.
"Come with me." Aylin held the boy's hand and pulled him with her until they were far away from the woman. Even though they could still hear the woman's anguish filled shouts, at least they were not that loud and Aylin let out a sigh.
"Tell me everything from the beginning. I need to know the truth. If your sister is really innocent, I will help her for sure." Aylin held the boy's shoulders and stared at him in the eye. Her assuring words eased his tension and the boy nodded at her.
"My sister, Susan, works as a maid in the palace. We do not know what had happened but the royal guards came to our house some time ago with a verdict passed by the Prince himself." The boy recounted all that he knew and all that he had heard from others. "My sister is now guilty of committing a sin and the Prince has ordered her to be beheaded."
"Commander," He took a step forward and held her hands, surprising Aylin for a moment. "Please save my sister. She would never do something like this. I am sure there is a misunderstanding. Please. Please help my sister." The boy begged and the tears he had so painstakingly controlled started to roll down his face.
"Please Commander. Please save my sister. She would never commit such a crime. Please." All of a sudden, he collapsed to the ground and kneeled in front of her as he begged her to save her sister. His state only made Aylin remember her brother.
Just like her brother, the boy's love for her sister was astonishing and Aylin felt her heart wrenching in pain. Unknowingly, her eyes too teared up. But she controlled herself in time.
"Have you met your sister in the dungeon? What did she say?" Aylin calmly inquired the boy who was groveling in front of her to help him and his family.
"We were unable to meet my sister, Commander. They did not allow us even to take a step closer to the dungeon. We were pushed away the moment we approached the guards with our guards." The boy replied honestly and Aylin, who was yet to believe the truth behind his words was surprised at once. Her expression finally cracked, her eyes revealing her true state.
"The guards told us that since my sister was a sinner, we would not be allowed to meet her ever. She would soon be beheaded for what she had done and it was better that we forgot about her." The boy started crying hard after he let out all the truth and Aylin's eyes widened in realization.
'Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong.' She thought and looked at the boy who was still kneeling in front of her. 'Why would the guards prohibit Susan's family from meeting her. Everybody has the right to meet their family even if they are being convicted.' Her face scrunched up as she thought about it and looked at the old woman who was crying softly to herself.
From where she was, Aylin could not hear what the crowd was speaking about. But from their looks and gazes, she could still make out their thoughts and they were all filled with disgust towards Susan and her family. It was evident that they had believed the situation to be true and were now considering Susan to be a sinner. Her family had now become an outcast in the kingdom and Aylin suddenly felt the situation to be suspicious.
'The issue does not seem as simple as it looks and why would the Prince order for her to be beheaded. Even if she has committed the sin, then it is not that serious that she had to give up her life for it.' Aylin pondered over it and the more she thought about it, the more her hunch about some foul play behind the issue became stronger.
'Something is wrong here and I need to find out what. I cannot allow any innocent person to lose her life.'
With that thought, Aylin leaned forward and helped the boy to his feet. "I will help you find out what the truth is. Calm down first and relax your mind." She said soothingly and the boy did as she was told. He took deep breaths to calm himself and Aylin waited for him to stop crying.
"I will find out what happened to your sister and why she was sent to prison. Wait for me at your house and take care of your mother until then." Aylin ordered and the boy nodded at her in return.
"Good. If your sister is really innocent, I will not allow anything to happen to her. You have my word." Aylin promised him solemnly and the boy eventually felt the boulders in his heart disappearing. He trusted her to save her sister and even more so when she had always been a woman of her word.
"I will be back soon. Until then, be strong and..." Aylin wiped his tears gently. "Do not cry." Aylin smiled at him before she walked away from him.
Taking a glance at the woman who was crying softly to herself, Aylin mounted her horse and rode towards the dungeon, her mind now filled with a lot of thoughts and questions. Among them, the one that predominantly occupied her mind was why the Prince had been involved in this matter and ordered for the girl's life when the crime was not that grave.
Prince Caelan's actions were completely shocking and Aylin now was suspicious of him.. Something about the matter was odd and Aylin vowed the find the truth and save the innocent, even if she had to go against the King himself.
The woman held Aylin's hand tight, not allowing her to budge from her place. Yet, Aylin did not mind it and she allowed her to hold her as she looked at her curiously. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying she had done and she looked haggard. Her tears and her snot kept running down her face. But Aylin did not mind it, unlike others who moved away the moment the woman had rushed towards them."Comm..Commander," The woman struggled to speak as she tried to catch up with her breathing. Her nose was blocked and she found it hard to control herself. "Calm down. I am here. I will not go until I find out what is happening." Aylin assured her and stood beside her, putting all her weight on one leg. She then patted the woman's back as she tried to comfort her. "Take deep breaths and breathe slowly."Though the woman was too aggrieved to calm down, she still listened to her and took deep breaths and eventually, her tense shoulders relaxed a little.Aylin waited until the woman seemed better before she led her back to her hut. As she helped her sit down. Since there was nothing for her to sit on, the woman sat on the ground and Aylin looked at the lad who had his brows furrowed as he stared at his mother with his hands clenched."Bring a glass of water," Aylin ordered and squatted beside the woman when the lady handed her a glass immediately."Please have some water." She held the glass near her lips and the woman unwillingly drank the water."Now, tell me what happened and why is there such a commotion here." Aylin kept her position as she looked at the woman who finally seemed to be in her senses."It was all my mistake. I should not have allowed my child to work in the palace. I should not have allowed my daughter, Susan to go to the palace. She..she..." The woman sniffled and Aylin furrowed her brows as she tried to recall who Susan was. However, even after trying for some time, she could not put a face to the name and eventually, she gave up."What happened to Susan?" Barely had Aylin taken the girl's name when the woman started wailing again. This time, nothing Aylin did could comfort her and Aylin's brows deepened further. She had no idea what the situation was. So, she could not sympathize with the woman and every time she heard her wail, Aylin felt annoyed.'I do not think I will be able to find out anything from her.' Aylin sighed and looked at the lady who was staring at his mother with tears in his eyes. Rising to her height, Aylin walked to him and the boy immediately lowered his head."You tell me. What happened?" She asked him gently and the boy bit his lip. He fidgetted in his spot for a few moments and when Aylin was just about to order him, he lifted his head, staring at her with his eyes full of tears."It is my sister. She...she... she is being imprisoned." The boy somehow managed to disclose what the matter was and Aylin's expression turned somber at once."Why is she being imprisoned?" Aylin asked him carefully and looked around her, only to find all the people looking at them curiously. Other than curiosity, she found slivers of disdain in their eyes and Aylin's frown deepened in dismay."One of the guards said that...that..." He hiccupped as she sucked in a deep breath. "That she tried to eavesdrop on His Majesty's conversation and she was caught by the Prince.""No." The woman suddenly screamed and Aylin's eyes snapped to her immediately. "My daughter will never do something like that. She will never listen to others' conversations secretly. There must be a misunderstanding." The woman shook her head frantically while she tried to clear her daughter's name."My daughter is very good. She would never...Susan would never...." The woman started shouting and Aylin who had been exhausted from all that had happened since morning, felt herself losing her cool slowly. The woman's cries were only giving her a headache."Come with me." Aylin held the boy's hand and pulled him with her until they were far away from the woman. Even though they could still hear the woman's anguish filled shouts, at least they were not that loud and Aylin let out a sigh."Tell me everything from the beginning. I need to know the truth. If your sister is really innocent, I will help her for sure." Aylin held the boy's shoulders and stared at him in the eye. Her assuring words eased his tension and the boy nodded at her."My sister, Susan, works as a maid in the palace. We do not know what had happened but the royal guards came to our house some time ago with a verdict passed by the Prince himself." The boy recounted all that he knew and all that he had heard from others. "My sister is now guilty of committing a sin and the Prince has ordered her to be beheaded.""Commander," He took a step forward and held her hands, surprising Aylin for a moment. "Please save my sister. She would never do something like this. I am sure there is a misunderstanding. Please. Please help my sister." The boy begged and the tears he had so painstakingly controlled started to roll down his face."Please Commander. Please save my sister. She would never commit such a crime. Please." All of a sudden, he collapsed to the ground and kneeled in front of her as he begged her to save her sister. His state only made Aylin remember her brother. Just like her brother, the boy's love for her sister was astonishing and Aylin felt her heart wrenching in pain. Unknowingly, her eyes too teared up. But she controlled herself in time."Have you met your sister in the dungeon? What did she say?" Aylin calmly inquired the boy who was groveling in front of her to help him and his family."We were unable to meet my sister, Commander. They did not allow us even to take a step closer to the dungeon. We were pushed away the moment we approached the guards with our guards." The boy replied honestly and Aylin, who was yet to believe the truth behind his words was surprised at once. Her expression finally cracked, her eyes revealing her true state."The guards told us that since my sister was a sinner, we would not be allowed to meet her ever. She would soon be beheaded for what she had done and it was better that we forgot about her." The boy started crying hard after he let out all the truth and Aylin's eyes widened in realization. 'Something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong.' She thought and looked at the boy who was still kneeling in front of her. 'Why would the guards prohibit Susan's family from meeting her. Everybody has the right to meet their family even if they are being convicted.' Her face scrunched up as she thought about it and looked at the old woman who was crying softly to herself.From where she was, Aylin could not hear what the crowd was speaking about. But from their looks and gazes, she could still make out their thoughts and they were all filled with disgust towards Susan and her family. It was evident that they had believed the situation to be true and were now considering Susan to be a sinner. Her family had now become an outcast in the kingdom and Aylin suddenly felt the situation to be suspicious.'The issue does not seem as simple as it looks and why would the Prince order for her to be beheaded. Even if she has committed the sin, then it is not that serious that she had to give up her life for it.' Aylin pondered over it and the more she thought about it, the more her hunch about some foul play behind the issue became stronger.'Something is wrong here and I need to find out what. I cannot allow any innocent person to lose her life.'With that thought, Aylin leaned forward and helped the boy to his feet. "I will help you find out what the truth is. Calm down first and relax your mind." She said soothingly and the boy did as she was told. He took deep breaths to calm himself and Aylin waited for him to stop crying."I will find out what happened to your sister and why she was sent to prison. Wait for me at your house and take care of your mother until then." Aylin ordered and the boy nodded at her in return."Good. If your sister is really innocent, I will not allow anything to happen to her. You have my word." Aylin promised him solemnly and the boy eventually felt the boulders in his heart disappearing. He trusted her to save her sister and even more so when she had always been a woman of her word."I will be back soon. Until then, be strong and..." Aylin wiped his tears gently. "Do not cry." Aylin smiled at him before she walked away from him.Taking a glance at the woman who was crying softly to herself, Aylin mounted her horse and rode towards the dungeon, her mind now filled with a lot of thoughts and questions. Among them, the one that predominantly occupied her mind was why the Prince had been involved in this matter and ordered for the girl's life when the crime was not that grave. Prince Caelan's actions were completely shocking and Aylin now was suspicious of him.. Something about the matter was odd and Aylin vowed the find the truth and save the innocent, even if she had to go against the King himself.
