The Destined Princess and the Hidden Knight

Chapter Ten

They haven't taken his body to bury yet. The sun was setting and there wasn't much time left to perform the ritual. I dragged my feet towards him, holding the white lily flowers in my hand. My face was covered in dry tears. Each moment we have spent together, flashing in front of my eyes, like a fair performance. I looked at my hands covered with scars now. 

Lilies? I didn't know if those were his favorite, I didn't know his favorite flowers, these were the ones he had brought for Mother occasionally. Maybe these were the ones that Mother liked. But I couldn't come empty-handed to him now, could I?

A man died and no one knew why? They were going to let his life go to waste. My gaze shifted from the ground to him and I stared at his face for several seconds. The face looked paler than it looked in the morning. All the blood might have left his body. It was just a cold body now. The steps got slower as I approached him, trying not to turn this nightmare into reality. 

Slowly grazing my hand on his, some memories sparked my mind.

*I was dressed in a beautiful silk blue gown, the blue color complementing the black color of my eyes and hair. I was confident that I had answered most of the questions asked perfectly, but I was too nervous for the dancing round. 

I looked around anxiously for my mother since I knew that father was away again. My Mother stood far back, smiling and wishing me luck. I kept looking at her, hoping she would run to me and take me away. 

As they called my name, I took small steps towards the stage. My only skill was dance and from what I have seen other girls do, singing, knitting, painting, I was too nervous. I could hear the musical instruments starting in the back, waiting for me to take my first pose. But I was frozen, frozen on the stage. I could feel lots of gazes at me, people muttering, even the girls who were performing that day were rolling their eyes. 

I was about to run when someone grabbed my hand. I looked by my side and screamed "Daddy" getting in his arms. 

He smiled at me and like we have practiced at home, he took the lead and started dancing with me. He didn't care about the laughter around us, he didn't even miss a beat while doing so. He kept clapping and encouraging me to continue*

I didn't remember if I won or not, I just remembered his words.

"I will be you from dusk till dawn, Princess, even when not in front of you, I will be in your heart. So if you ever are scared, if things look low, know that, I am hereby your side"

Placing the lilies in his hand, I kissed his forehead and turned around as they started the ritual of taking him. 

I know he was here with me. And I will find out what happened.

My legs didn't stop as I reached my house and started taking out several parchments. Placing one below others, I started writing notes on them. 

Anyone who has any information about what happened yesterday, who has seen or heard anything last night in our neighborhood, I would give them 1000 pennies. 

My dream job could wait. I need to first find what had happened to my father, catch his murderer and bring justice to him. 

By the time I was done, it was around midnight. No more knights outside my house. I wrapped myself in the blue cardigan. Any other attire would have only brought more focus on me. 

The first place would be the tavern which my father used to visit. I might get to know some information from there. If not his killer, at least I would know his whereabouts for the night. 

I scrunch up my nose due to the scent that greeted me as soon as I stepped inside the place. The foundation looked small from the outside, mostly bricks, and stones, with a dome-shaped roof, but it was much bigger from inside. The owner had occupied the place and dug beneath making more space for the tavern. I could only imagine what happened in that place. There were stairs to go down for it but I didn't see many people taking that direction. 

Without wasting much time, I proceeded to make my way to the counter where the server was standing. A lady in her 40s, dressed in a shabby gown with a satin band tying her hair behind also covering most of it. I glanced around to take in who all were present here at this late. 

Along with a couple of knights whom I recognized with their dark blue uniforms, there were some squires, some town folks in causal and some thugs settled at the corner of the tavern. They didn't look much dangerous from what I observed and maybe mostly were experts in stealing cheap stuff. 

*Tap Tap*

The lady looked at me from top to bottom and raised an eyebrow. I want to drink, I knew that and I wasn't there to drink too. 

I quickly passed her the note and looked down. Even though I was looking for some killer, I didn't want to be in trouble and ruin everything. She shook her head passing me back the note. 

"I...can I get any help with this" her obvious reaction was to point at the knights and I shook my head. I have already tried it and there was no help there. 

She then indicated her head towards the downstairs, the place I was fearing the most. 

I knitted my eyebrows and she just shrugged as if there was no other option. 

Before I could proceed to go there, someone handed me a note and I noticed the door to the exit closing right after that. 

"Meet me outside, I have the information you need"

I sighed.

Finally, there was something, some hope, after all this time, I could use that.