It was a clear morning after a night of heavy rain.
Water droplets still trickled down the windows,
and though the sun had risen, it brought no warmth.
Mira carried a bucket of water and a cleaning cloth,
stepping quietly into Prince Raivan's library—
a place where ink and truth were both in hiding.
With gentle steps, she began cleaning the shelves,
her fingers brushing over the books as if she were touching buried lifetimes.
But in the corner…
a wooden box lay hidden, filled with dusty files.
Her curiosity… was stronger than her reason.
She pulled out the papers and read the short lines.....
but they felt like fire set to the throne.
"Step down... or the blood of those you love will be spilled."
"The son of a concubine has no right to rule..."
"The true heir will return…"
Mira gasped silently.
Her eyes widened… "Who's threatening the prince? And who is this person claiming the right to rule? Could it be true… that Raivan doesn't deserve the throne?"
The door suddenly burst open...
Julie.
With her sly expression and a smile laced with poison.
Julie:
"Who told you to clean the prince's library?!"
Mira (calmly):
"No one… but I assumed it was my duty."
Julie stepped closer, her voice brimming with jealousy:
"Taking care of the prince… is my responsibility! Get out."
A brief moment of silence.
Mira clenched her fist but smiled faintly,
then turned around… and left.
.....
In the kitchen, Hind was arranging the dishes.
Hind (surprised):
"You're done already?!"
Mira (with a tired smile):
"Julie intervened… said the library belongs to her."
Hind (annoyed):
"Ugh… I just hope this doesn't turn into another fight!"
Mira (with deep calm):
"No fight… I'm not in the mood for one this morning."
Hind (laughing):
"Haha! Then come help me here… there's a mountain of dishes waiting!"
Mira laughed with her,
but inside… she was boiling.
Now, she didn't just carry the wounds of her past.....
she had begun to glimpse secrets in the present…
secrets that might change everything.
A tall man entered — broad-shouldered, stern-eyed.
He was Prince Raivan's right hand.
His name matched his strength:
"Valter" — a name feared by enemies and respected by the loyal.
He cast a strict glance toward Hind:
"When the prince returns from the hunt, I want everything perfectly prepared...
The governor and… the queen are coming."
Hind's eyes widened, and she gave a quick bow:
"Yes, sir."
After Valter left, Hind turned around and shouted:
"Everyone, prepare yourselves! We're about to welcome a storm!"
Palaces are never free of storms—
but this one… was different.
Two hours passed,
and the palace doors opened to a grand procession.
The governor, an old man with an imposing aura,
and his wife—the queen…
she wasn't old.
She was young, more beautiful than her handmaidens,
but behind her beauty… were eyes that held secrets no one could decipher.
Mira whispered:
"I thought the queen was old?!"
Hind (in a hushed voice):
"Silence! Bow your head and say nothing."
The servants and guards lined up like a stone wall,
and the governor made his way slowly toward the prince's hall.
But a lady stepped out from the crowd—
her eyes searching, as if her heart had lost something.
Mira approached her gently:
"Can I help you, my lady?"
The woman (urgently):
"Where is Raivan?!"
Mira:
"The prince is on a hunting trip…"
The lady (hesitantly):
"Would you come with me to his chamber? I just want… to see it."
Mira (surprised):
"You mean… his bedroom?!
It's not appropriate to enter without his permission!"
The Lady:
"He won't be angry. I promise."
Mira looked into her eyes… and saw pain that bore no trace of deception.
She whispered:
"Very well… but please, don't stay long."
The lady leaned gently on Mira's shoulder,
as if she carried the weight of an entire lifetime.
They entered Raivan's chamber.
It was a simple room, free of extravagance…
as if the man who lived there hadn't been born a prince—
but had become one against his will.
The lady sat at the edge of the bed,
touched the cover slowly… and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Forgive me, my little one... I wasn't a good mother.
I couldn't protect you from their cruelty…"
Mira (softly):
"Excuse me… did you say something?"
The Lady:
"No… I was just speaking to my heart."
She stood, and gently placed her hand on Mira's cheek:
"Take care of him.
He won't say it… but he needs someone who feels for him."
Mira (with quiet firmness):
"Don't worry…
The prince is a great man.
He deserves the best care."
The lady smiled softly, and they walked out together…
But what awaited them wasn't peace—
It was humiliation.
One of the queen's handmaidens
slapped the lady across the face in fury:
"Get back to where you belong!
Serving the governor is more important than loitering here!"
Mira shouted:
"She's older than you… show some respect!"
The handmaiden sneered:
"Looks like the prince has no control over his maids' tongues!"
Mira (sharply):
"He gave us the freedom to speak—
and he trusts us with it."
The handmaiden raised her hand to strike Mira,
but Mira caught her wrist in an iron grip:
"Raise that hand again…
and I will break it."
The handmaiden screamed.
Guards rushed in—
and the governor and queen appeared at the sound of the commotion.
The handmaiden dropped to the ground,
wailing and pointing at Mira:
"She hit me!
She threatened me in front of everyone!"
The Lady (with tears in her eyes):
"My lord governor… no! She did nothing wrong… she's just a child!"
The Governor (angrily):
"Is this how the prince's maids welcome us?!"
Mira sank to the ground, her head bowed—
But her voice was steady:
"My lord, this handmaiden insulted the lady and struck her…
When she tried to hit me, I only defended myself."
The Governor thundered:
"Everyone back to the hall—
As for you three, stay where you are!"
Hind came running, bowed deeply:
"My lord, she's new! She doesn't know the rules…
Let me handle it, please!"
The Governor:
"Do not defend her, Hind.
She laid hands on the queen's maid…
It's as if she laid hands on the queen herself."
Hind (voice trembling):
"Please…"
But the governor silenced her with a cold gesture.
Hind looked at Mira—her eyes heavy with sorrow—
Then lowered her head… and walked away.
Leaving Mira… alone,
to face the wrath of the palace.
The Governor stood—his eyes old, but his voice sharp as a blade when he roared:
"Do you realize what you've done, you insolent maid?!"
Mira stood firm, unwavering:
"I defended myself. I didn't let her slap me."
The Governor growled:
"Defiant to the very end!!"
From afar, Jolie smiled with spiteful satisfaction:
"She's getting exactly what she deserves…"
The Queen, her voice cold as frost:
"My husband… she laid a hand on my servant. Punish her as you see fit."
The governor looked at his queen… then shouted harshly:
"Guards! Whip her!
I want her screams to echo through every wall of this palace—let her be a lesson to all!"
Four guards approached…
Their whips like black snakes in their fists.
And then the lashing began.
Mira…
Stood still,
Bleeding,
Without a cry,
Without a tear.
As if she was defying the whole world itself...
The lady reached out, trying to cover Mira's body with her own as she pleaded:
"Strike me instead, if you must…
She is just a child, unaware of the poison in your palace."
But the guards pulled her away.
And Mira…
Remained.
At the palace gates,
Raevan returned from the hunt,
riding his black horse,
his aura commanding… his men trailing behind him like his shadow.
He dismounted...
Then froze.
He saw her.....
Mira,
standing,
being whipped…
blood seeping through her clothes like it was tearing through stone.
He shouted:
"Stop!!"
He ran forward,
shoving the guards away, then turned to his father:
"What is going on?!"
The Governor, stern and angry:
"She struck the Queen's servant… I'm punishing her."
Raevan (firmly):
"She's new… she doesn't know the rules.
You should've let me punish her!"
The Queen, with a smug smile:
"If you had raised her better…
this wouldn't have happened in the first place."
The Governor looked toward Mira:
"Do you still stand by your claim?!"
Mira lifted her eyes,
her words trembling from pain,
but her gaze burned with pride:
"She disrespected the Lady…
and no—I'm not sorry."
The sound of the whip rose again.
"Whip her again!!"
But Raevan shouted:
"Enough!! She is my servant… and I will take care of her!"
The Governor (exploding with anger):
"You stand up to me… for a mere servant?!"
Raevan knelt before his father…
then spoke quietly, yet with everything in his voice:
"Please… she's just a girl.
Let me discipline her later… we just returned from the hunt to rest, not to witness blood."
The Governor looked at him… then sighed:
"Fine.
But if she repeats her behavior…
cutting her throat won't quench my rage."
He then turned and left… accompanied by the Queen… and her servants.
The lady who had been silently crying
ran to Mira,
embraced her while weeping:
"My child… mountain of patience, forgive me!"
Hind ran to the prince:
"My lord…!"
Raevan (calmly, but with intensity):
"Take her inside… take care of her."
Then he turned to the lady,
pulled her close to his chest:
"It's alright, mother… the storm has passed."
Mira watched silently…
one voice in her mind:
"Mother?! … This… is his mother?!"
Then…
She collapsed onto the floor without movement.
The lady screamed:
"She's collapsing!!"
Raevan ran,
carried her in his arms,
as if she were a piece of his broken heart…
Laid her gently on his bed,
then commanded in a bitter quiet voice:
"Take care of her… well."
The governor sat in the palace hall,
his laughter echoing through the place, rising and falling with his heavy presence...
Meanwhile, Raevan sat beside him,
his features hard, scowling as if he endured tyranny but would not submit.
In Mira's room, Hind was wiping her forehead with a damp cloth,
when suddenly Mira opened her eyes.
— "You're awake?!"
Mira sat up, in pain, and laughed bitterly:
— "Damn it, they whip without mercy, as if the whip is their amusement!"
Hind, with tearful eyes, said:
— "You should have kept silent. You were braver than you should have been..."
— "She started it, that insolent handmaiden... By the way, was that really Raevan's mother?"
Hind was silent for a moment, then replied sadly:
— "Yes, she's his mother... she suffered a lot."
— "Why doesn't she live with him?!"
— "The queen forbade it. Raevan tried many times... but when he was accused of plotting rebellion in her presence, his mother told him not to open the door to more harm... she just said: 'Relief will come, my little one, wait for me.'"
Mira rose slowly, wincing, then stubbornly said:
— "I'll change my clothes and go to the kitchen. I want to help."
Hind gently held her:
— "Your body isn't well. Don't overexert yourself."
Mira smiled, her gaze sharp:
— "I want the queen to know… The White Wolf does not fall. She may bleed, but she never loses!"
Hind gasped:
— "Mira! Lower your voice!"
— "Just help me…"
Hind changed Mira's clothes and brushed her hair.
Each step toward the kitchen felt like walking on embers,
yet she showed no sign of pain.
She took the dishes from the servants' hands,
and walked confidently toward the hall.
Her eyes searched for nothing,
but her heart challenged everyone.
She entered with the handmaidens
as if her silence declared war on anyone who thought she would be defeated.
Everyone fell silent.
The queen raised her head,
looking at her with undisguised anger.
But she did not speak,
only powerless to break that spirit.
The governor looked at her and laughed:
— "I thought the whip of my men would defeat you!"
But Mira did not answer.
She placed the dishes silently,
bowed slightly... and left.
This time, her silence was louder than all the shouting in the palace.
The governor left the palace with his arrogant laugh,
followed by the queen, and behind them the guards and servants like a heavy shadow that lifted from the place.
The handmaidens sighed in relief,
while Hind hurriedly grasped Mira gently, helping her back to her room.
Her body was exhausted,
but her eyes resisted humiliation,
as if only dignity held her upright.
She entered the room quietly, sat by the window,
a cold breeze stinging the wounds,
yet she insisted on leaving the window open.
She spoke in a hoarse voice, as if addressing the wind:
— "Cold air is better than air polluted by humiliation..."
Minutes hadn't passed before…
the door burst open!
Raifan entered, his gaze blazing, his brow furrowed, chest rising and falling.
— "Have you lost your mind?!"
His voice echoed off the walls,
as if she had never heard him so angry before.
Despite the pain, Mira stood firm, looking at him steadily:
— "She slapped me... how can I stay calm?!"
He took a step closer, his tone gruff:
— "I don't know where you came from, but this palace… is no place for justice.
Here, the strong hunt the weak by the throat, and the throne shows no mercy to those who cling to principles."
He paused briefly, then continued:
— "The queen is no foe to be underestimated. Next time, if they come… don't leave your room. Understand?"
Mira lowered her eyes slightly and whispered:
— "As you wish… my lord."
Silence settled for a moment, then he spoke more softly:
— "How is your wound?"
— "Hind took good care of me… it wasn't deep."
He looked at her long, as if searching for truth behind her words:
— "Not deep? Yet your dress was soaked in blood… don't lie to me."
Mira fell silent, unsure how to answer.
He glanced toward the window, then back to her, with less harshness in his voice:
— "Rest today… and tomorrow as well."
— "But Hind is alone, and there's much work…"
He cut her off, turning his back:
— "She won't be alone. The other servants will take care of her."
He moved toward the door, then stopped, half-turned, and said:
— "Good night…"
Then left.
Mira kept staring at the closed door, smiling quietly, whispering to herself:
— "He's… not as strict as I thought."
Prince Raifan returned to his room,
opened the windows despite the cold air.
He didn't mind the chill rushing in…
He sat on his wooden chair, took his string instrument, and began to play.
The moan of the strings slipped through the walls,
a sad melody, yet warm like a hand soothing a wounded heart.
In Mira's room, she sat near her window,
closed her eyes, and let the melodies seep into her chest like a balm…
she whispered:
— I never knew this prince's heart held so much sorrow…
Hind entered carrying a blanket, gasping:
— Mira! Close the window, it's cold as if we're at the bottom of a mountain!
Mira laughed without taking her eyes off the sky:
— Come listen with me, hear his playing…
Hind approached, leaned on the window sill,
smiled:
— Oh, your mood… as if I'm the one who was whipped today!
Mira laughed softly:
— Hahaha... You'll get used to me, Hind!
Hind sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear:
— I'm going to sleep. It's been a day full of troubles...
Mira chuckled:
— I wish you could've seen the queen's face when I entered the hall!
She looked at me as if she saw a ghost... didn't say a single word!
Hind sat on the bed, giggling quietly:
— Hahaha, she must have been shocked for sure!
I bet she still can't believe you dared show up after the whipping!
I'm honestly afraid of her fiery wrath for you...
Mira sighed playfully, then scooted closer,
lay down beside her, and hugged her with one arm:
— Don't worry about me, I'll be fine...
Hind gently pushed her:
— Mira! Go to your bed! What madness is this?
— Nooo... tonight I'll sleep here...
In this cold... I need the warmth of your heart, Hind.
Hind laughed, then whispered softly as she covered her:
— So the White Wolf needs a hug... sleep before I change my mind!
Mira fell asleep to Raifan's melodies and Hind's heartbeat...
A night ended... but the fire had not yet died.
...…
Arindel Market – The Serpents' Den
The streets of Arindel were crowded, vendors shouting their wares, and people avoiding strangers...
But some faces were known to all.
Raylan, on his horse, his eyes searching for the slightest thread leading him to her.
He passed a spice seller, asked about a girl from Kardal...
The man averted his gaze, muttering:
— I know nothing, sir.
Then near a vegetable vendor...
The man quickly moved away as if chased by fire!
One of Raylan's men approached, whispering:
— No one wants to talk; everyone fears something bigger than us.
Raylan tightened his horse's reins, stood firm,
and looked at his men coldly:
— We're going into the Serpents' Den...
Charlie, his old friend, asked worriedly:
— What do you mean?!
Raylan replied without hesitation:
— The Silios gang... If we want the truth, we have to dig through the mud ourselves.
One of the men hesitated:
— But their name alone makes people tremble. How can we reach them?
Raylan stepped closer, his deep voice dripping with sarcasm:
— Those who cannot face them, can leave...
I say it now: if you can't stand against them, join them!
They all fell silent...
Then Charlie spoke firmly:
— We are with you, Raylan, and if you ask us to throw ourselves into the fire, we won't hesitate.
Raylan smiled, for the first time in days:
— That's how I know you, strong men...
Then he slapped Charlie on the shoulder:
— Charlie... I lean on you all. Don't fail me.
A soldier stepped forward, his face pale:
— Everyone who was asked about "Silios" fled... even the mention of their name snuffs the light from eyes...
Charlie whispered:
— I think they sold her, or maybe... she's still captive with them.
Raylan replied, eyes burning with fire:
— I don't care how many they have...
Even if she's a needle in a haystack, I'll find her...
And I'll set the hay on fire if I have to.
They walked in silence...
The air in Arindel had grown heavier…