Chapter 13: Hello, Mr Doom 2

"What do we do? What do we do?" Fanaza screamed out in fear.

"Is he dead?" They both panicked, their voices trembling. Fanaza's heart was pounding as she stared at him lying motionless on the floor. Blood trickled from his head.

"My Prince!" a voice called from outside the door, followed by a knock.

They froze and stood still.

Sally's eyes widened in horror. "My lady, forgive me for this, but you have to moan."

"What?" Fanaza looked at her like she'd lost her mind.

Sally rolled her eyes, then instantly pressed a hand to her chest and started moaning dramatically. "Please... be gen…tle, plea...s...e," she cried out, loud enough for the guard to hear.

Outside, the guard paused after hearing her. A smirk appeared on his lips.

"I'll be back, my prince," he said with a chuckle and walked away.

As soon as his footsteps faded, Sally turned back, her face filled with panic. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know. This is bad. Really, really bad. We won't escape this," Fanaza whispered, pacing back and forth.

"We can't just leave him here. He's going to bleed to death!" Sally exclaimed, panic swelling in her chest.

"Go. Sally, go call for help! Remember—he tripped and hit his head. Go! I'll clean this up," Fanaza ordered.

Sally hesitated for a second, then darted out of the room.

Fanaza rushed to arrange the room, wiping the blood as best as she could, her heart thudding as she held the wet cloth in her hands. Moments later, Sally returned with two guards.

"I saw him lying on the ground—his head was injured," she said breathlessly.

The guards moved quickly, lifting him and calling for a physician immediately. Fanaza stood still, silent with shaky hands.

Lyon was in his chambers; after receiving treatment, he lay asleep. Fanaza crept inside, only to halt at the sight of the queen sitting near him. She gasped softly and began to retreat.

"Where are you going?" the queen asked, her eyes narrow and dark.

"My Queen," Fanaza bowed. "I didn't want to disturb. I'll return later to check on him."

"Such a good in-law," the queen said dryly.

"You can stay with him; I won't disturb you." She swept past Fanaza and left the room.

Fanaza sat beside Lyon, trembling. She reached for his hand.

"Lyon…" she whispered. No response. "Lyon…"

She leaned her head beside his on the bed, eyes filled with unshed tears. Minutes stretched into hours. Eventually, exhaustion consumed her, and she dozed off.

The next morning, Lyon stirred. His head throbbed as he groaned and turned slightly. His eyes fluttered open, and beside him, he saw a figure leaning against the bed.

Fanaza.

He scoffed. "You came?"

The sound jolted her awake. She sat upright immediately.

"You're awake!" she gasped.

"Like you care," he muttered bitterly.

"I'm so sorry. My maid didn't mean to hurt you. Please... can you not tell anyone?"

Lyon narrowed his eyes. "You don't have to apologize. Your useless maid dared raise her hands on a prince. She can't escape my father's wrath."

"Please…" Fanaza pleaded, clasping her hands. "Let it go. I know what she did was wrong, but she was only trying to protect me."

Just then, a guard entered. "Lady Fanaza Dragonseed. The king demands your attention at the courtroom."

The message sent a chill through her bones. She turned to Lyon, trembling.

"I'm not letting it go, sweetie," he said with a cold smile.

As Fanaza walked through the corridor, her heart felt like it would burst. Her breath came in sharp gasps. She reached the throne room and saw the King, the Queen... and Sally, who was surrounded and held by guards while crying like a little child.

"Fanaza," the queen said, her voice filled with disdain. "You are so rude. You couldn't even pay respect to the people before you?"

Fanaza bowed, her voice caught in her throat.

She wanted to greet, but her current situation wasn't making her think straight; at that point she wasn't herself, and she was stuck in her own thoughts, ones that could be the end of her and her maid.

Footsteps echoed behind her—her father arrived, followed byhis own personal men.

"Father..." she whispered. His cold glare pierced her, and she wished the ground could swallow her up at this very moment.

"My King. My Queen." Her father bowed respectfully. "I came as soon as I got the message. My daughter and her maid attacked the prince."

"No, it wasn't like that, Father!" Fanaza cried out.

"Silence!" the queen barked. "You dare talk back to your own father? She really lacks some training and manners."

Her father's face turned dark. He was furious at this point; even though Fanaza was being insulted, he wasn't left out; it also hit him like an arrow.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Father, it's not what you think; I can explain"

SLAP.

The sound echoed through the room as Fanaza's head snapped to the side; gasps filled the air.

Fanaza almost became deaf with the sudden slap, but she held it all in.

"My Lady!" Sally screamed as Fanaza fell to the ground, tears pouring from her eyes.

"You are a shame! And you will not disgrace this clan that I have built for years," her father spat.

"My lady is innocent! I was the one who attacked the prince. He tried to force himself on her!" Sally cried out.

The room fell silent. Then the queen burst into laughter. "My son would do no such thing; how can he forget she is betrothed to the crown prince?"

Fanaza's eyes widened. "Father... he made sexual advances towards me knowing fully well I'm about to get married."

Lyon walked in gracefully.

"I would never do such a thing; she lies."

Her father scoffed. "For goodness' sake, Fanaza. Why would you lie against the prince?"

"What, Father, you don't even believe me?" She cried softly.

The queen nodded. "Who would believe such a lie?"

"Is this true, Fanaza?" the king asked.

"Yes," she whispered, barely able to speak through the pain.

"Can I see the crown prince?" She requested.

"He has nothing to do with this, and because you two are about to get married does not mean you are above the law here; he can't do anything to save you." the queen hissed

"What do you want, Lyon?" The king asked,

"I want her flogged and have the maid's head hanged at dawn. Even Brother would approve it." Lyon said firmly.

He had always wanted revenge after all that Fanaza did to him at the courtyard during their soccer match.

This was a perfect opportunity for him to teach her a very good lesson she would never forget, and she will learn to mind her business and stay in her place.

A cry erupted from the crowd.

"Father!" Fanaza called out.

"You deserve to be punished for tainting my name and the clan's name," her father replied firmly.

Sally screamed in agony. Fanaza broke down sobbing.

"No! Please don't hurt her!" Fanaza ran forward and threw herself at the king's feet. "Please—!"

Her father pulled her back and struck her hard again; she fell to the ground and stood up. She fled the hall in anger, but her father followed.

"Fanaza!" he called.

She kept walking, not looking back; only forward ever and backward never was the goal.

"Fanaza, stop. I command you. I am your father!"

She stopped with a loud scoff.

"Oh, now you're my father?" she spat. "Where were you when I sent letter after letter? When did I beg to see you? And nothing. But the moment the king summons you, you rush over like a hero."

"How dare you?" Her father screamed at her.

"No, how dare you?. You allowed him to disrespect me, and you stood there doing nothing; all you cared about was your image. Mother would never have let this happen."

She turned and stormed off.

Fanaza was dragged to the courtyard for punishment. Lyon stood casually holding a whip in his hands.

"I'll teach you a lesson," he said with a twisted smile.

Fanaza dropped to her knees, ready to receive her punishment. Lyon felt on top of the world, having to see her in such a situation; now she wouldn't run her mouth.

He raised his hands, and the whip slashed across her back; immediately her cloth tore at that same spot. She screamed in agony due to the painful impact. Blood bloomed on the dress.

Just one slash could be this painful; now imagine if she had to go through more. She knew she wouldn't make it at this point.

As Lyon raised the whip again, his eyes were bright and full of evil. The whip almost hit Fanaza, but luckily a hand caught it just in time before any impact.

"Brother?" Lyon said, shivering in shock.

"I thought you were on a mission." He dropped the whip.

Percival's eyes were blazing. "You always remind me you're a bastard," he said through clenched teeth.

"Brother," Lyon muttered.

"How dare you lay hands on my wife? Do you have a death wish?" Percival barked.

"She... she," he stammered in fear.

"Save your trash." He turned to the maids. "Take her. Help her up."

They lifted Fanaza. She groaned in pain, her body weak.

Percival was like her knight in shining armor, and she was grateful, but she also remembered he too has his own horrible side, but she planned on ignoring it because he rescued her from the hands of death.

Fanaza sat carefully on Percival's bed, still trembling from the pain. Her body burned with every breath.

The door creaked open, and Percival stepped in, wearing his war armor; she knew he just came back from a mission. His eyes met hers, and for a moment he stared right into her eyes, which made her feel uncomfortable.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You and trouble seem to be best of friends," he muttered as he removed his armor.

Fanaza turned her head away shyly as he pulled off his shirt. His bare chest was firm and tempting. She couldn't help but blush.

A knock came. He opened the door, took the treatment kits and balm from a maid, and returned to her.

"Undress," he commanded.

"A maid can help." She blurted out.

What does he mean by undress? she almost screamed out.

"I'm not asking for your opinion," he said coldly. "That was an order."

"Can you please look away for a minute?" she whispered softly.

Percival stared at her for a second and turned away from her.

"Thank you," she said.

Her hands trembled as she removed her robe halfway and wrapped herself in the sheets.

Percival sat behind her, brushed her hair aside, and saw the wounds on her back.

"This will hurt."

He pressed a cloth to the wounds. She cried out, clutching the sheets. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she couldn't stop it; they flowed like a river.

"Endure it; it will get infected," he said firmly, focusing on cleaning the wound.

As his hands moved over her skin, he felt the smoothness and the warmth of her body. He clenched his jaw as the beast inside him stirred, but he fought it. He couldn't and wouldn't do that to her.

It is not that he can't. He just decided to restrict himself this time around.

"You might pass out at this rate," he muttered.

Fanaza forced a smile, and her eyes felt heavy due to the tears, and the pain she was feeling made her body weak and fragile.

Minutes later, she slumped forward into his arms and passed out.

He stared at her, looking stunned.

Then, softly, in her sleep, she whispered a name. It was loud and clear that Percival couldn't mistake the name; he would say it once, and it was right.

She said,

"Rwaine... Rwaine…"