Chapter 21: Relative

Chapter 21: Relative

They thought that the royal highnesses were the only ones who need to be given the liquid, but as soon as they entered the Great Hall, there are still a number of servants and knights, mostly unconscious,  that needed to be tended to. Valen immediately bent down to assist one servant when someone suddenly laughed and the four immediately averted their gaze from the unconscious servants and turned to where the voice came from. They saw a lady with a long, loose, wavy crimson hair that only belongs to Lady Meredith. Her red eyes intensely glaring at them, her left hand tight in a fist while the other is holding a knife.

In one swift motion, Lady Meredith lunged at them, specifically and directly to Valen, with the intent of piercing her. Valen panicked and accidentally dropped the remaining pitcher of the liquid. Edward, on the other hand, though startled with the sudden attack, his body automatically moved, placing himself in front of Valen, to protect her from harm. Luckily, he was only pierced on his arm, not to deep, but enough to make his face winced in pain.

Valen gasped in horror as blood dripped from Edward’s right arm and being a healer, by instinct she immediately ripped the bottom part of her dress and wrapped the injured part of Edward’s arm  to minimized blood loss.

Meredith was struggling hard to be free from Andy who had wrapped her around his arms strongly to prevent her to attack again. While Abby, though terrified, seized the knife from Meredith’s hand and immediately run outside the Grand Hall to get a rope as instructed by Andy, as it was like the only thing that came into Andy’s mind to avoid any attempt and be stabbed by Meredith.

“Lady Meredith, stop struggling, snap out of this...trance...” exclaimed Andy as he tightened his grip but not to tight that will bruise the struggling Lady.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I dropped the remaining liquid I prepared.” Valen said as soon as she realized that she was no longer carrying the pitcher of the liquid, and that there was no more liquid to give to others, especially to Lady Meredith. She bent down to pick the shattered glass of the pitcher but Edward halted her in doing so. Abby returned carrying some soft nylon cord which Edward took from her.

“That’s alright Valen, all that needs to be done is to prepare more. We still yet to find my and Meredith’s parents.” Edward said as he moved toward Andy to help him and tie Meredith. “Sorry Meredith, we’ll need to tie you up for a while.”

“I’ll go back to my room and prepare the liquid, I’ll try to make it quick.” Valen said.

Valen had just only taken a few steps when Meredith suddenly began to laugh loud, then she spoke.

“There’s nothing you can do.!” Meredith said loudly and evilly laughed.

Two knights who seemed to be unconscious a while ago moved, then slowly stood up. Swayingly, the two knights walked towards them. Their eyes so dark with no signs of any emotions, seems like a blank stare. One pulled his knight sword from its sheath that was attached to his waist, while the other seemed to be missing his sword and just grabbed his dagger. Edward immediately threw the nylon cord he was holding and ordered Abby to take it and to carefully tie Meredith. Abby who seemed to be able to already control herself and grasped the situation, unhesitantly followed Edward’s order.

Valen, who was standing behind Edward, was thinking of a way to fight one of the knights without hurting them, though she did not have any training in close combat, the only thing that can be useful for combat was her archery skill which was definitely not helpful on their current situation.

“Valen, I know you’re thinking of a way on how you can help and fight, but these men are armed. Just stay behind me. “ Edward said as the two knight continuously walked swayingly and already few more feet away from them. “Andy and Abby, I want you to tie the rest of them, we don’t want to knock them all down.”

“Edward, there are two armed knights in front of us, will you be able to handle it alone?” Valen worriedly asked him.

“Trust me Valen, I can fight...and besides...” Edward swiftly moved to the knight closed to them, went behind him and hit him somewhere on his nape to knock him unconscious. “they are slow and won’t reach us at the same time.”

The knight holding a sword seemed to be swaying slightly now and walking towards them faster unlike a few moments ago. Edward hurriedly went to an unconscious knight laying down not further away to their right and pulled his sword. Before the knight can get closer to them, Edward advanced and as soon as he got near the knight, the knight swing his sword making Edward dodge to his left. Edward looked at the knight and thought that he knew who this knight was, he was one of the best and trusted by the chief knight, Sir Friedmore, but currently, since he was not on his finest and still a bit swaying, Edward knew he can easily defeat him.

The knight striked again, but this time, Edward defended and it was like a battle of strength. Even though the knight was not in his usual self, Edward can still feel the knight’s strength. Right in the middle of their battle, during this strange thing happening around them, he was glad they have a knight someone like him, for sure, they have more, someone strong to defend their land...though right now, it really did seem that no able knight can protect their land. Thinking about it, Edward found his strength and was able to push the knight. With his speed and skill, he went behind the knight, and just like what he did to the other, he hit him on his nape, knocking him unconscious.

Andy and Abby bent down to the unconscious knight and tied him up...then Meredith sitting, her hands and feet were bound, laughed once more.

“There’s nothing you can do. Everything will be mine. ” Meredith repeated and grinned.

“Lady Meredith, what are you talking about? Snap out of this, what’s happening? “ Valen bent down to Meredith.

Meredith continued to laugh and somewhere at the end part of the grand hall, they heard another person laughing. Suddenly, all knights and servants inside the grand hall, including the two knights that Edward knocked down a while ago, started to jerk, trying to free themselves from being tied. The four of them looked to where they heard another lady laughing. Just far in the corner of the grand hall which was a bit dimmer than the rest of the hall, stood a lady with a fine dark straight hair, wearing an elegant black silk dress hugging her shapely body. Her crimson eyes glinting with such evilness but at the same time, pleasure. The four simultaneously gasped, as they noticed the three bodies lying on the marbled floor beside her which were no other than the royal highnesses.

“What is the meaning of this Lady Mia...are you behind all this?” Edward asked referring to the mess everyone in the mansion was going through, “I just hope that my parents are unharmed because if they are harmed in any way...God knows what I’ll do to you, I do not care if you are a woman.” His last sentence sounded that he was controlling himself hard, trying to hide his fury at the sight of his parents lying unconsciously on the cold floor.

“Don’t you fret my dear prince, I just given them sedative...though I would admit it was a strong one, but at least they are not on the same boat as the rest.”  Lady Mia then laughed. Valen noticed how she spoke, her strange accent gone and she cannot help herself to comment.

“You are speaking like how we speak, gone is your unique accent!”

Edward soon realized that Valen was right, She did have a strong and unique accent before. Was everything she did before an act? Was the accent part of it? They do not have any idea what was going on and what this lady wanted from them.

“Valen, Valen, my dear Valen...this is the real me, this is how I speak. I hope you will forgive me for deceiving you...a little..” Lady Mia said without any sincerity that she was apologetic. She slowly waved her hand, and the jerking of the knights and servants seized. She took small few steps forward with her usual grace. Edward impulsively move in front of Valen.

“I do not think you should hide Valen from me, Lord Edward.” Mia said, emphasizing the word ‘Lord’. “I even have the right to take her if I wanted to...since I am the only one relative she have left. Come to me, my sweet niece.”

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A/N: Another surprised dedication! and it goes to......musiclova7899! thanks for voting each chapter. I appreciate it! :)

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