I

A man walked with hurried steps. Although he didn't look panicked, he knew his heart was beating fast. Several servants greeted the man, but this was no time for socializing. 

He entered the dining room and immediately stopped Oswald. The big man was wearing a soldier's outfit. But looking at the six-cornered star on his arm indicated that the man's position was not arbitrary.

"Don't drink it, Your Majesty." The man with a stern face with slightly tanned skin stood right beside Oswall's chair.

The royal garment that had a golden circle in the center, bearing the eagle's head, seemed to move slightly as Oswald looked at him. His eyebrows were knitted together. Despite Tedja's position as a warlord, Oswald would not hesitate to behead Tedja if he continued to interrupt his meal.

"Why?" Oswald's voice was held as if he was holding his temper. He didn't like being toyed with.

A gaze that was ready to draw a sword and stab the person in front of him. Tedja was among the bravest to stare at Oswald at the moment. "Someone has put something in Your Majesty's drink." Tedja lowered his head slightly, asking for forgiveness if his words were proven wrong.

Oswald was a stubborn man who liked to challenge anything, he held the silver glass again, his gaze never leaving Tedja. His wife and son seemed to be getting worried, they didn't know what Oswald would do this time. The long dining table with ten chairs seemed to freeze them in place.

"I beg you, Your Majesty," Tedja looked down deeper after seeing Oswald holding up the glass, Oswald wanted to know how much guts Tedja had to be killed today. "There might be poison in it."

"What?" Lyn looked surprised. Oswald lost confidence, he slowly put down the cup. 

Oswald looked at Tedja and the silver cup in turn. He seemed trapped between wanting to get Tedja to play along with his game or if he should go with the flow of the man's story. "If you lie, you know the consequences, don't you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." After bowing once, she signaled the two bodyguards at the door who had been waiting for orders.

"Sercan." Tedja's voice echoed in the room. "I know you heard me."

Oswald was sure he had heard that name before. Then what was Tedja calling him for? There was only him, Lyn, and their son in the room. Tedja and two servants were at the ready if they needed anything.

A man of nearly forty years old, who was currently leaning near the entrance, caught his breath. When he wanted to step away, he was confronted by two bodyguards who deliberately blocked his way.

"Sercan, you don't want to see this?" Tedja threatened.

"Father." He turned his head at the sound of his daughter's voice. No, not her. Sercan immediately stepped into the dining room.

The door Sercan walked through was in the corner and connected the way between the dining room and the kitchen. Meanwhile, Tedja entered through a different and larger door, which connected the hallway with the main building of the palace.

Tedja embraced the girl with dark hair and big eyes gently. The girl smiled when she saw Sercan. Both Oswald and the others looked like spectators, waiting to see what else would happen. Tedja moved her head slightly, the two guards who had been blocking Sercan immediately locked her arms to prevent her from running away, then forced her to walk to the left side of the dining table.

Tedja picked up the cup, and Sercan's heart leaped. With slow steps, he returned to Sercan's daughter. "Drink this." Rose looked up.

"No, no." Although his voice was choked and seemed to want to break, he could not come closer.

The abundant food was ignored. The entire Oswald family's attention was on Tedja and the show he wanted to put on. Even Lyn forbade her son to touch any food until Tedja's accusations were proven later.

Tedja equalized his height with Rose. "If you are willing to drink this, I will let your father go." Rose looked at Sercan over Tedja's shoulder.

"Don't Rose, Dad is okay." The few blows he got knocked Sercan down, but his eyes tried to keep looking at his daughter.

Seeing her father in pain, Rose finally accepted the cup. She looked at Sercan who shook his head. When her father stood up and was about to approach, the two bodyguards immediately held his body just as Rose gulped down the water. "Rose!"

Sercan continued to struggle and Rose ignored his call. His heart was beating fast, and his sweat was starting to seep seeing Rose enjoying the water. On the other hand, Tedja seemed to be racing against time, he was getting nervous because when Rose finished there was no reaction whatsoever. Even Tedja's eyes began to grow big. He would die if Rose didn't die.

Tedja received the cup back. Everyone looked at Rose, including Oswald who smiled slightly while glancing at Tedja. The man was restless, his breathing was getting heavy. Sercan was still struggling, then he flinched when Rose innocently looked at everyone in turn, from Tedja, Oswald, and then Sercan.

"Rose," Sercan called.

"Fath--" 

Luck was on Tedja's side. He was relieved to see Rose's body collapse. 

"Rose!" Sercan struggled with all his might and the two guards finally let go of the man. He immediately lifted Rose's small body which was shaking from the pain that filled her entire body.

Oswald felt his body tense up at what had just happened. Lyn was also shocked with her mouth wide open then turned to her husband. They almost lost the king of the kingdom if Tedja hadn't arrived on time.

Sercan was hysterical, on his lap Rose's mouth was foaming. His six-year-old daughter had to experience all this because of her actions. He hugged Rose's dying body. Tears continued to flood her cheeks. He was regretful, hearing Rose's choked voice made his heartache. There was nothing he could do but accompany Rose's last moments of death.

Behind the wall near the big door, a boy peeked out. He witnessed everything, as the boy had been standing ever since Rose was taken downstairs to the dining room. The boy was wearing a long white shirt with brown pants that were equally worn and dirty. He tried to refrain from entering. Even his eyes were dilated and his breathing was heavy.

"Bastard, you want, to kill me." Oswald had no time to sympathize. He had already stood up and was about to do something but he left behind his favorite sword, which Oswald used to execute people.

Sercan roared after seeing Rose's eyes harden, her voice gone and her body lifeless. He hugged his daughter again so tightly that Rose would not complain of pain even if her bones were crushed.

They separated Sercan and Rose. The man was forcibly pulled away by the two bodyguards on Tedja's orders. Oswald didn't want to dirty his dining room with the blood of Arckeley's traitor. At least let him bury his daughter. But Oswald didn't want to waste time spreading flowers, especially if they were roses.

"Throw this corpse into the sea," Oswald said reluctantly looking at the girl wiand with the small back, who was currflincheslying facing the side.

"No...." Sercan continued to be forced out. His screams were meaningless, no matter how long Rose would not return.

The boy ran, passing several servants, soldiers, and other adults. No one noticed him, he kept running until he was outside the gate.

The waves were crashing loudly, adding to the cool air as the boy crossed the bridge connecting the palace and the cape. The accent of the waves crashing between the bridges brought a burning atmosphere to the heart. Wavy black hair was blown away, her tears were also carried by the wind. The sky looked cloudy, so where would he go?