Harvey continued down to Susan's chamber, but by the time he got there, she had left the chamber in search of her maid, who she wanted to help her fetch Luciana's maid.
As Harvey hurried around the palace in search of Susan, he ran into Susan's mother, and just as he bowed to her and was about to hurry past her, she stopped him.
"I suppose you're searching for Susan?" She asked curiously, and Harvey turned, wondering how she knew who he was searching for.
"Yes, milady?" he said hesitantly and began to think of the appropriate way to excuse himself.
Seeing how she was looking at him with a kind of interest he wasn't familiar with, he became slightly uncomfortable and asked, "Please... do you know where I can find her? I mean, lady Susan." Pushing his curiosity aside, he asked.
Susan's mother smiled at him warmly. "You don't have to worry about anything anymore. Susan and Williams already told me everything," she said with a knowing smile, and Harvey looked at her blankly as he wondered what she was talking about.
Did Susan, by chance, also tell her mother about his involvement in trying to prove Princess Amber's innocence? He wondered.
Not understanding what she was talking about, he gave her a nod and said, "I'm relieved to know she told you about it. Where is she?" Harvey asked, trying not to sound curt or impatient.
Susan's mother continued to smile at him, "I just finished speaking with your mother..."
"My mother?" Harvey asked in confusion, not sure what she was talking about.
"Yes. We both agree that it's a good thing that you and Susan are getting along in this manner," Susan's mother said, and although Harvey still wasn't clear about what she was talking about, he smiled stiffly.
He was going to strangle the living daylight out of her if she had dared to tell her mother about his involvement, despite his warning to keep it to herself.
Seeing how distracted he seemed and how he kept moving from one foot to the other as though he couldn't wait to leave her and continue on his way to search for Susan, Susan's mother smiled happily.
Young love. It was always such a beautiful thing to behold, she thought as she reached out and patted his arm. "If she isn't in her chamber or with Williams, then maybe you should check Princess Tyra's chamber," she suggested to Harvey's relief, and he bowed to her as he hurried away from there, but not without hearing her dreamy sigh and disturbing comment.
"Young love," Susan's mother murmured happily as she watched him run off in search of her daughter.
Harvey paused and turned around to glance at her, wondering what she meant, but he shook his head and hurried away in the direction of Tyra's chamber to find Susan since he already knew that she wasn't with Williams. There would always be time to satisfy his curiosity, and right now wasn't the time. Not when lives are at stake.
Away from there, Alicia continued to yell at Beth's father as some guards tied her to a chair while Paulina was dragged to the podium.
"I swear to you, she didn't do anything! She is lying to you! Please do not hurt her. Let her go, please. She is innocent!" Alicia cried, her heart beating very fast as she watched the guards push Paulina down on her knees roughly while the executioner unsheathed his sword. At this point, Paulina didn't even have any energy left in her. She just allowed them to push her about as they pleased while praying for all this to end.
Although she didn't know exactly who Harvey was, he had just said they were trying to prove their innocence and it would be pointless if her mistress died before her innocence was proven. She couldn't let her die such a public death the way Queen Anne had died. But it seemed like she had just made things worse. Her only hope was that the young man would find a solution or that Prince Harold would wake up and help Alicia.
Williams arrived at that point, but before he could do anything, his father turned to look at him when he smelled his scent. "What are you doing here?" He asked when he saw the wild look in Williams' eyes.
Williams opened his mouth to tell his father that Paulina was innocent, but he quickly reminded himself that saying that to his father was only going to endanger her more. Interfering this way was going to make his father believe that something was going on between him and Paulina, and then he would stop at nothing to get rid of her.
Tears streamed down Alicia's face as she watched the scene before her in horror, and seeing as Beth's father was no longer listening to her, she turned her beseeching eyes to the Queen and Damon, "Please, my queen. I know you despise me, but Paulina is innocent. If you must kill someone, then kill me. Please have mercy! Please," Alicia cried desperately, but neither of them paid any attention to her. Instead, the queen gave the executioner the go-ahead to carry out the act since it seemed as though Beth's father was no longer in his right mind. He just stood there, staring blankly.
Williams ignored his father and looked straight at the podium with wide eyes. At the same time, Paulina's weak gaze found his. She tried to smile at him, but she could not even move her facial muscles.
She could see death staring right at her and knew she could not survive this. She only wished she had thanked him enough for treating her well. She wished she could tell him how happy she was whenever he let her into the painting chamber.
She had no regrets. The only sadness she had inside herself was that she was not able to complete the painting of Sir Williams and the second painting for Alicia, just like she had promised. Seeing how misty Williams' eyes were made her feel guilty and at the same time grateful. How could a man like him feel sorry for someone like her?
Her eyes moved from Williams to Alicia, who was shouting and crying for them to let her be.
'Thank you... Milady. Good-bye.'
Paulina said in her head and closed her eyes, submitting to fate. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she waited for the sword to drop.
As soon as the executioner raised his sword above his head, Alicia shut her eyes tightly and cried out with all her might.
Most of the aristocrats' attention was pulled away from what was happening, and even the executioner was distracted and looked up at the unusually dark sky as clouds began to gather. The only people who were not paying attention were Paulina, Alicia, and Williams who was still in disbelief at the scene and thinking about what to do.
But as murmurs began to grow louder and a heavy breeze began to blow, his attention returned to reality, and he noticed the oddity of the weather.
"What is happening?"
The same question was in the mouths of countless people as they tried to shield themselves from the heavy wind.
It wasn't until thunder rumbled and powerful lightning struck that some of the aristocrats quickly began to run out of there.
Paulina weakly opened her eyes and looked at what was happening. The thunder had also startled her back to reality. She noticed how dark everywhere was and the heavy breeze was almost blowing her away.
The only one who seemed to not be aware of what was happening now was Alicia, who was trying to get away from the chair she had been tied to and save Paulina. All of her energy seeped out of her at once, and she passed out.
There was a ruckus everywhere as everyone tried to run back to the main palace building.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?" The queen yelled at no one in particular as she held down her dress to prevent it from exposing what was not meant for the eyes of the public.
"I... think we should shelter ourselves," Ivan said and began to run away.
The queen looked around her in panic and also looked at Damon.
"Where are you running to?" The queen bellowed at the executioner, who was about to take cover too.
"Kill the maid!" The Queen ordered.
The man looked around in confusion and went back. It was difficult to do something because he also had to protect his eyes from the dust and also had to take control of the sword that the breeze seemed to be controlling for him.
As soon as he climbed back onto the podium and managed to raise the sword, a loud feminine voice bellowed for him to stop.
Confused, he left his sword in midair and tried to see who it was.
All they could see at first was the silhouette of a girl holding down her dress.
As she came closer, the queen recognized Susan and frowned at her.
Querying eyes turned to her, and Susan swallowed nervously when she caught her father and the queen's angry eyes.
"Princess Tyra is awake!" She announced, panting.
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