"And then take it away just when success is within his reach."
Ismael closed his eyes as he drew a deep breath, recalling their meeting just this morning. He didn't know Aries would actually reveal her identity this soon. Or if his guess was correct, Joaquin found it out even before she could reveal it to him.
But it wasn't like they didn't expect it. If anything, the schedule was only moved up from their initial prediction of being captured tomorrow at the latest.
"I… didn't know that." Climaco wobbled back to the narrow bench weakly until his arms landed on his legs.
"Because you weren't there," Ismael replied, reopening his eyes slowly. "Why are you even in the inner palace?"
"I received a word to report to Her Royal Highness —" Climaco halted as realization suddenly struck him. The third prince rocked his head, grasping the same realization that dawned on the knight just after hearing his incomplete sentence.
"That means… she plans for you to be inside this cell." Ismael cast Modesto a cursory look. "To be executed with us."
A short laugh escaped the third prince's lips, checking the outside of the cell. "Funny, isn't it? The cast is slowly being filled, but they were already selected even before the screening. What an honor for the knight to be executed alongside a royalty and the highest minister."
"So, we'll only stay here?" Climaco inquired, ignoring the third prince's humorous remarks.
"Obviously," Ismael crooned lazily, eyes still outside the barely lit hallway. "Focus on reserving your energy. This is just the beginning. For now, grit your teeth. Her Royal Highness will be fine. If anything, we should worry about ourselves because if something happened to her, we'll all follow her to hell."
Climaco remained muted, joining Modesto's blissful silence. He glanced up, seeing Modesto sitting across from him on the opposite bench. He was leaning against the concrete and icy wall leisurely, his arms folded in front of him, eyes shut closed.
Climaco didn't dwell on Ismael's last remarks and took it as it was. Not knowing Ismael was pertaining to an entirely different opponent that would deliver them all to hell if she was harmed.
'I hope Sir Conan can stop him,' Ismael prayed in his head, narrowing his eyes when he saw a knight marching through the dark hallway. He arched a brow, watching it come close while the sound of his metals grazes each other. The knight stopped in front of them, letting Ismael study the armor he was wearing that was the same as the crown prince's knight brigade.
Modesto had opened his eyes upon sensing another person's presence, turning his head to the person standing beyond the metal bars. Climaco was also staring at the knight in silence, with his arms still over his legs.
The knight, wearing full body armor, raised his visor. He then placed his fist across his chest and bowed at Ismael. His gesture didn't shock Ismael but surprised the other two.
"His Highness, the fourth prince, had left the imperial palace safely, Your Highness," reported the knight in a quiet voice. "The imperial palace is still under siege, and no one can leave or enter anymore. The ministers were all trapped in the royal court — some of them had spilled blood under the orders of Lord Hernan."
Ismael rocked his head, listening to the knight's report regarding the situation outside this dungeon. He glanced at the knight, having this slight satisfaction because his efforts before things went south were slowly showing the result.
Take this knight for an instance, who was mortified upon witnessing the crown princess and prince's argument, nearly dying in the hands of Aries or Joaquin, was now on Ismael's side.
He was now working as Ismael's spy, even before his fear towards the crown prince could manifest in him, just like what happened to the other knights who were following Joaquin's orders.
"And the crown princess?" Ismael asked calmly, right after the knight ended his report. "Is she alright?"
"The knights guarding the crown princess's chambers were only the ones that the crown prince trusted. But I saw a group of physicians rushing to her room, perhaps, to treat her wounds."
"I see… is that all?"
"Yes, for now. I will keep monitoring and report to you."
Ismael shook his head. "Joaquin is wise. If he noticed you go in and out in this place more than a knight should, he'll kill you without questions asked."
The knight lowered his head silently, clenching his fist. Ismael let out a shallow breath, studying the knight's demeanor.
"Joaquin wouldn't kill us on a whim, since he needs to benefit from my death one way or another." Ismael unfolded his arms and slipped a hand through the metal bars. His arm was stopped as it couldn't fit through the gaps, but it was enough for him to reach for the knight and hold his shoulder.
"Be brave. We're fighting with a good intention," he insisted, squeezing the knight's shoulder, even though Ismael himself was questioning this claim. "I'll meet you on the battlefield."
The knight looked Ismael in the eye before beckoning a neck bow, his fist across his chest. "I'll keep my eyes and ears open."
Ismael patted his shoulder lightly before retrieving his hand. The knight didn't idle and pulled down his visor, knocking on the metal bars of each cell with his gauntlet, making this piercing sound in the air.
"Stop idling and reflect on your crimes!" the same knight hollered, receiving annoyed grunts from the knight templars locked in each cell.
Meanwhile, Ismael chuckled weakly while watching the knight stir up the emotions of the other captives. Little did he know, Climaco and Modesto had been watching him silently and his interaction with the knight.
Climaco could only count the times he encountered Ismael, and his opinion about the third prince was he was an arrogant prince who was a little more bearable than the crown prince. Even so, Climaco never thought of switching sides in the past because Ismael was obviously weaker than Joaquin.
Modesto, on the other hand, had known Ismael. However, he couldn't help but be in awe of the third prince's sincerity towards his people. He had always known the third prince was a frustrated villain with a soft heart, but it was reassuring to see him grow and embrace the goodness of his nature.
Both Climaco and Modesto didn't voice their thoughts aloud, but Ismael gained these men's respect and his methods to survive until now.
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