Save her or not...?

Azarus was the last town of Thandon that they entered as directed by the midwife.

"You had better be telling the truth," Seraphine said as they finally stopped at the entrance of the main market of the town. The queen and her men dismounted along with Martha.

"We will inquire from the people and use the paintings." She pulled five of the sheets from her saddle bag. "After then Martha will lead us to the location in the woods while some of you will go to individual houses to check."

"Yes, your Majesty." They all went to work. The market women were advertising their goods, some children were running about and playing while others hawked for their parents. Men were also cutting up meat for customers while some others sold greens. The market went quiet for a while after seeing the queen. Then the whispers began but she had a goal and was not in the least embarrassed as she went to one person after the other with the paintings and asked questions.

"Have you seen a girl that looks like her?" She would ask. "Or like her?" Showing other variants.

Some would bow to show their respect, others just didn't believe that the queen would be in a market square looking for a girl. Most people knew about what the midwife had confessed to but still found it hard to believe that the royals were taking it so serially. How could they believe a murder over the king?

"The killer is lying," They were saying. "She is postponing her death by causing drama.

"The girl is dead, I am sure," Another murmured. "This happened twenty years ago for goodness sake."

"She is wasting her time."

"That cannot be the queen," Others said.

The queen ignored all the staring and went on with what she was doing, nothing was stopping her. Unfortunately, there was no luck since they got there. No one had seen the girl she had described in the painting.

She looked at all her men expectantly but they only shook their heads. They were getting no luck either. Seraphine's heart ached with a pain she had never experienced before but she kept herself hoping that she would be reunited with her daughter.

"She looks just like you," A quiet voice said from behind.

Seraphine turned to see an old woman in her little shop. She sold perfumes and oils. She looked at least seventy years of age. She gave a small smile and bowed slightly.

Seraphine did the same.

"I heard the news, it must be hard." The old lady continued.

The queen nodded. "It has."

"I think I might know who you seek." The old lady revealed.

"Really?" Seraphine stalked closer, a hopeful smile forming on her lips."

"Yes, but the girl doesn't come out much, that is why no one knows her." She took a pause and sighed. "But things change."

Seraphine's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? Please tell me."

"The man who raised her died a year ago," The woman said. "Thomas Fletcher, the goldsmith. He was a lovely man."

Seraphine waited for the woman to continue.

"After that, she has been coming out often but the life in her eyes has died."

Seraphine swallowed as the woman continued. "She must have been in so much pain. Poor Thomas."

"I remember her well because on one occasion she had chased a robber for me and got my money back." She chuckled softly at the memory.

"Do you know who she is with?"

"She is with Thomas' wife, Cecilia," She answered. "And her daughter, Lisa."

"Where do they live?" Her anxiousness was getting too hard to hide.

"They live deep in the woods," The woman answered, pointing in the wood's direction.

"Do you know where exactly?"

"No," She said. "But you can't miss it. They are one of the few people that live there." She assured me.

"You shall be rewarded, I promise." Seraphine held the old woman's hands.

"There is no need for that, I just want to see one happy ending to a story before I die." She chuckled dismissively.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, my dear," she said. "Find her first."

Seraphine left the woman and called her men. "I think I just got a lead. Let us go."Seraphine and the troops rode into the forest.

"This is the forest I left her in," Martha said as soon as they entered. The sun was already retiring for the day.

Seraphine's heart was pounding wildly in her chest as she heard those words. It was as though she could see her daughter already. "Where exactly did you leave her?" She asked.

Martha mused for a bit before her eyes widened in realization. "The tree with the hole in its trunk!" She exclaimed. She looked around hurriedly, trying to remember exactly which path she took all those years ago. The forest had changed quite a lot. The tree had reduced and that was probably because more people had settled in it. They might have even cut down the tree.

"You can't remember, can you?" She inquired. "The path you took?"

Martha looked down ashamed and disappointed in her memory. "Yes, my queen."

"No matter," She had her hands on the rein. "Let us look for the Fletchers."

The horses galloped to the nearest house. In front of the small house, was an old aged lanky man using a cart to move some vegetables. They stopped and Seraphine dismounted.

She looked at the troops. "Don't dismount, I will ask him myself."

She moved closer to the man and greeted him. "Good evening, good sir." She said, bowing slightly.

The man's eyes narrowed at her for a while and did not give her a reply.

"The queen?!" A girl with brown pigtails shrieked from the front of the house. She ran forward and curtsied. She couldn't be more than eight "My queen," She said, trying to sound grown-up.

The queen nodded with a smile.

"His eyes don't work very well," She tried explaining. The old man had left the cart and was entering the house.

"No, no, it is all good," She assured. "What is your name?"

"Laura," She answered with a smile, revealing her mouth filled with missing teeth. "How may I help you, my queen?"

"Hello Laura," She said, "I was hoping you could guide me to the home of the Fletchers."

"The Fletchers?" The girl asked, then she gasped. "Are you looking for Eva?" Her eyes brightened.

The queen went to her knees and held the girl's hands. "Eva? Who is Eva?"

"She lives with Aunty Cecilia and Lisa," She answered. "I always thought she looked a lot like you and not like them." She said proudly "You came for her, right?"

"Yes," She almost shouted.

The girl tilted her head to the side to look behind Seraphine. "Because that bad woman took her away." She was looking at Martha. Was she not scared after what people would have said? "Those people beat her." She revealed.

Seraphine squeezed the girl's hand tighter. They beat her?! "You know where they reside?" Trying to keep her voice even.

"Yes but mum will be home soon," Laura said. "I will take you there if you promise to talk to mum so she does not punish me."

"I will, my dear, I will," She assured.

"Okay, I will take you." The girl started to walk away."

Seraphine looked up nervously at the sky and had a better idea. "Laura?"

"Yes?" She turned. "my queen?"

"Why don't we ride my horse to the house while you lead the way?"

"Yes," Laura jumped up excitedly and ran back. Seraphine picked up the little girl and sat her on the horse and did the same. She made sure the girl was secure before nudging the horse with her feet. It started to gallop while the rest followed right behind.

****

Rosé's POV

It couldn't be real, I had to be seeing things. Eva had jumped in to save me. The men turned their attention away from the bushes that were dangerously close to me.

"She jumped in," One of them shouted in panic. The others were just too flabbergasted to speak as they looked on. I saw her dark hair on the surface, momentarily. Nothing else

"I see that," The leader said. "These damn kids." He cursed under his breath.

"Sir," The one with the red hair said." You and the rest should hold on to this."

The leader turned to see the young man with a rope tied around his waist.

"While I get her," He said.

The leader looked at him as if to ask if he was sure. He replied by nodding confidently. "You heard Isaac, hold the rope." He commanded the rest of the men. They sprung into action and all of them held on in a formation. They gave Isaac a go-ahead and he dived in after her. The rest were pulling the best they could but I could see on their faces that it was getting harder to hold on to the rope. The river looked like it was hell bent on taking two lives today.

I couldn't just leave her like that but I couldn't move. I was paralyzed with utter fear. She had to survive, she just had to but I had to do something to ensure that happened. I had magic but they didn't. So what if they caught me? At least she would be alive enough not to forget me. I would not die in vain. She would be worth it. I tried to step out when someone held me back.

He clasped a large hand over my mouth "Don't make a sound." The owner of the hand on my mouth ordered. His voice was cold and gravely. He pulled me away and when I could no longer see the men who were trying to rescue Eva. He finally turned me around to face him. I could not see his face but his eyes beamed a strange light into mine. They were hypnotizing and my eyelids got heavy as he whispered things I could not comprehend into my ear. Everything soon faded to black.