The evening was already quite chilly, but Damian's words made it even colder.
"Sssu— what... are you t-talking about?" Lady Victoria stuttered in a quiet voice while looking at Damian.
"What are you talking about?!" Williams asked in a panic, and Sir Evan's wide eyes moved from Damian to Tyra and back to Damian.
"Which... Susan?" Alicia asked and began to look around her again for any sight of Susan.
"WHY AREN'T YOU ANSWERING?! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Alvin bellowed at Damian.
"I didn't kill Susan," Tyra said with a pout. "You saw me crying when she was found; why would I kill her and cry so much?"
"Isn't Susan that pretty wench that tailed you from the palace that night?" One of the Rogues beside her asked, looking up at her.
"Ah! The one Polo caught?" Another asked the first one.
"Wasn't it Cory that strangled her?" And another asked, and a conversation started among them.
"No, it was Polo. Cory only slapped her because she was talking too much—"
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?" Tyra bellowed at the idiots, her eyes blazing red.
Lady Victoria, Lord Evan, Williams, Alicia, Harvey, Luciana, Lance, the queen, Ivan, and Alvin. They were all frozen in their spots as the words slowly sank in.
"You... aren't talking about Susan, are you?" Williams asked, his voice filled with dread.
"Susan... where is Susan?" Alicia asked in a panic.
Tyra scratched her head and sighed as she said, "You heard them, right? It wasn't me. I didn't touch her. She even hit me on the face, but I didn't touch her." She pointed at her cheek, beside the mark on her face. "But... I did promise her I'd cry the loudest at her funeral. Hehe," She chuckled, using a hand to cover her mouth.
Lady Victoria found it difficult to breathe. Her breathing came in loud gasps until the rogue holding her in place could no longer take it and struck behind her neck to make her collapse, then he let her fall to the ground with an exhausted sigh at the freedom.
Lord Evan could not find the words to say. His dead eyes looked at his wife on the ground and then at Tyra.
"W-Why? Why... did you do it?" Williams asked in a dark voice and tried to get up. His father didn't bother to stop him this time.
Alicia covered her mouth with her hand in shock, muffling the loud, startled gasp just as tears pooled in her eyes.
Susan was dead? How? When? Where?
All this while...
"SUSAN LIKED YOU!" Lance yelled at Tyra before he burst into tears, and his father quickly embraced him while his mother cried from where she was still being held.
"I know you are angry. But I do not want to hurt you." Tyra spoke to Williams calmly. "You should stay back before these wild men harm you." She pointed at the men beside her, who had their arrows drawn.
"You think... I am afraid to die?" Williams asked her as he dragged his sword up.
Tyra looked at him lazily and slightly tilted her head as she asked, "You think it is difficult for me to find Paulina?"
That was a threat. Williams halted, and so did a broken Alicia, whose tears had already streamed down her face.
"If you are angry, take it up against Princess Amber. She is the cause of everything. If she hadn't been alive until now, my plans would have worked a long time ago. I wouldn't have still been sneaking out of the palace, and your sister wouldn't have died. Luciana wouldn't have also lost her voice and had her life cut short!" Tyra cried out defensively while pointing an accusing finger at Alicia.
WHAT?
Alicia's wide, teary eyes turned to look at an exhausted Luciana whose eyes were closed and skin pale. She looked like she was about to pass out.
"What... do you mean?" Ivan asked in a frightened tone and began trying to look behind him to find Luciana.
"I am the innocent one!" Tyra cried. "So you should kill her! Kill her to avenge your sister! I promise I will never hurt Paulina, and I will tell you what happened to Susan. You fancy Paulina, don't you? I can make it happen! When I become queen, I will issue an order for you to marry her. Trust me." She tapped her chest passionately and pointed excitedly at Alicia as she continued rambling.
"Just stab her with that sword. Prince Harold will forgive you. I will beg him on your behalf—"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Alvin growled and began to race towards them with his sword drawn out.
"DO NOT COME CLOSER; THEY WILL KILL YOU!" Tyra yelled at him, pointing at the rogues beside her.
Alvin ignored her and raced towards her while Williams just stood there, frozen, lost, and broken.
With tears all over Alicia's eyes and face, she swallowed hard and raised her dark eyes to look at Tyra, who was still yelling at a livid Alvin, and the rogues beside her, who were ready to strike Alvin down if he didn't stop advancing.
Alicia took a long, deep, shaky breath before she yelled out, "STOP, ALL OF YOU!"
All eyes turned to her, heeding her command. Alvin's horse, Thorn, also halted, bringing Alvin to an abrupt stop, and his wicked, teary eyes fell on Alicia.
She shut her eyes for a second and let go of the sword in her hand, letting it fall to the ground.
They all still stared at her.
"Let's... not fight." She spoke in a quiet voice and opened her eyes.
Alicia turned to the rogues and said, "I... understand you all and your pain. You are strong men who deserve to be seen. You shouldn't be in hiding. But being beside Princess Tyra is wrong. She is crazy. And she only considers you all a tool for her to exploit to reach her goals—"
"Haha! What are you doing? You think that is going to sway them?" Tyra scoffed, mocking her effort.
"You will never be a leader in this kingdom, Tyra!" Alicia said to her harshly. "And it means your army would never be recognized as one. But... with me, they will be recognized and respected by everyone. Even Prince Harold."
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" Tyra yelled at her; any kind of amusement she initially felt was long gone now.
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