I'm Forbidden To Love You

Chapter 16

She was from the neighbor country, Davia, a land of ponds as they had multiple natural ponds all over. Its income mainly depended on fishing local fishes and exporting exotic cloth materials.

It was a small county compared to their neighboring countries, yet they had maintained their land for over a century and had avoided conflicts with other countries.

Hannah Lindsey was a shy person, and she can admit that even to herself. She wasn’t an outspoken person like her sisters but shy and awkward at times.

She was the second Princess of Davia, the fourth of her mother’s five children.

She had always liked to stay out of the attention she got from being a Princess. Not that it mattered as she was one of the many royal members who all faded in the background.

Her mother was the second wife of the five wives his father had married legally. Her mother, the fool who fell for the King’s charms, sympathizing with him and believing his lie of how his first wife didn’t give him any children and married him out of love or fascination about becoming a Queen. Hannah didn’t know, nor did she wanted to know.

She mostly tried to avoid her father’s eyes as she never liked to be under his eyes. She, in fact, hated to be in his scrutiny. Her mother was the one thing standing between father and her, protecting her from him.

She didn’t know why people praised her as beautiful with her silver hair and green eyes as she only felt like a freak most of the time with how different she was from her family.

Her father, who doubted her mother, if Hannah was born to him with how different she looked from him and the fights that divided the wedge between her mother and King even more, was painful to watch.

But she got used to it anyways.

She had saved whatever she could from the tokens besotted upon her to whenever the King presented something to his children; unlike her siblings who spent money on luxurious things, Hannah saved them all and use them to fly away one day when she got married.

She had come here to find love, not to court someone rich.

Yes, she wanted love.

She may be shy and a little different from others, but she knew she could not survive this life without love anymore.

She had been cast away by her father, and her mother who looked at her as if she was the reason her husband left her and married other women.

She had longed to be loved by someone.

She cannot live this life anymore. She refused to stay in Davia one more year.

No…

Not anymore.

She opened her eyes to feel the warmth of golden rays of the sun against her face. It wasn’t morning yet. The sun was rising over the horizon just now.

The sun at its best, the beauty of nature unparalleled by anything in the world, and if it didn’t lift your spirits after a dark night, nothing will.

Many people may love the sunset, but she was among the persons who admired the sunrise.

As she looked through the ornamented, lancet windows, tall and narrow windows with pointed arch, she cannot help but admire the work of how they made this with how thick the castle walls seemed.

And it offered a perfect view of the sloping green fields and the sky where the sun was rising, warming the earth with its rays, vanquishing the night, as if it was the destroyer of evil darkness.

Hannah turned away from the beautiful sunrise and nodded at the maids, who were waiting with harp and flute.

She had personally taught them how to play the instruments, and she couldn’t be more proud.

She closed her eyes, getting into a position, raising her hands.

She wanted to dance away her sorrows and inner turmoil.

She let the sorrows of her past and painful memories out while slashing her hand like a knife, cutting the wind, matching her steps to the music.

Like the sun rising above, conquering the darkness, happy memories rose in her mind, vanishing her painful past.

Nerton.

The capital city of Avera, where the royal castle was, and where she had been residing for the past weeks to attend the courting session.

It was beautiful here..

Hannah liked it here a lot; in fact, she would prefer Avera to her homeland, Davia.

This was grander than her country, and her assigned chamber itself had a small dancing hall with a mirror and a bedroom attached with a bathroom.

Everything here was luxurious, even though the grandness of the castle would stun you, she didn’t like it here for its magnificence, and she liked it because it gave some sort of freedom from her usual life. She had come here to escape from her home and to see one person.

Prince Bram Hyrick.

She had been attracted to him ever since she knew him.

Attracted to his smile, to his enchanting black eyes, and especially to his kindness.

His family and her family had been on friendly terms for years. Whenever he visited, she would see him from afar of how kind he was, how marvelously modest and kind without any ill intention.

She had always seen him from afar and interacted with him once or twice. But, he had won her heart. She was too shy to speak with him.

But, the perfect chance will come within few weeks.

The ball she had been waiting for…

She will not miss this chance.

Hannah will gather whatever strength in her to overcome the shyness and ask him to dance with her.

She looked at the maid and missed a step, when the maid clapped enthusiastically. Hannah grimaced at her lack of concentration but didn’t scold her maid for it, as she was only encouraging her.

But, for some stupid reason, the maid’s grin and her enthusiasm reminded her of someone, a someone who was steadily growing into Hannah’s headache.

Ivor Burton.

The one who tried to annoy her constantly and presenting her with gifts which she had returned it.

She had turned away from his stupid jokes and idiotic smile, but he stayed in her mind like an ever-present headache.

No, no…

She cannot think of him again and spoil her mood today too.

As she was going to start practicing her moves again, she was interrupted by another maid,

“Princess Lindsey, Princess Preston wants to enter here.”

Hannah sighed, nodding at the maid to let her in as there was no avoiding Princess Stella.

Princess Stella Preston of Cherry Land befriended her even though she was shy and quiet. Princess Preston had visited her chamber multiple times and seemed a very warm and friendly person.

But, Hannah cannot shake off the feeling that Princess Preston somehow resembled a snake in the character, like a snake ready to strike you at your weakest, spreading venom all over you.

Yet, Hannah cannot deny her presence. Even though she rarely interacted with people, Hannah did know politics, having to adapt to a household full of enemies.

Princess Preston’s status was higher than hers, so she cannot make an enemy out of her.

As Princess Preston came inside the dance room, Hannah noticed how her eyes strayed all over the room subtly, looking at anything and everything.

She ignored that and put on a polite face while all she wanted to do was, hide away from everyone and curl on the bed.

“Morning, Hannah.”

Princess Preston said her name in friendly manner, yet all Hannah felt was that she somehow refused to call Hannah a Princess, reminding her of Hannah’s status.

“Morning, Princess Preston.”

“Hannah, how many times I had told you to call me Princess Stella?”

Princess Stella, not Stella.

“Leave it. Anyways, you’ve started your dance practice without us?”

Princess Preston fake pouted at her, making a cute face.

Hannah wanted to hide away from her eyes that seemed to look over her pale orange chiton dress that Hannah had chosen for comfort and found Hannah inadequate to her standards.

She knew why Princess Preston was on friendly terms with her as hers was the one chamber in this wing with a small dance room like she had requested before coming to Avera, or else Hannah knew she was beneath notice in Princess Preston’s eyes.

“No, I couldn’t sleep well, Princess Preston. So, I decided to start early.”

Hannah had requested for a dance room in her letter sent to Avera about accepting Avera’s invitation for the courting session. She hadn’t expected them to accept her request, but she was glad.

She loved to dance, or else she would grow bored out of her mind here.

As Princess Preston prattled on about something else which she only listened with half ears.

“Why is Lady Triston not here yet?”

Hannah didn’t know, and she finally found some opening.

“I have to freshen up, and then I will look into Lady Triston’s room, Princess Preston.”

“Okay, Hannah, till then, I will practice here.”

Hannah nodded, letting out a breath after she exited the room and relaxed her tensed shoulders. She hated being under constant scrutiny, people judging her based on her clothes and character as if they were all above her.

“You’re beautiful, Princess Hannah.”

Hannah’s cheeks reddened, remembering what Prince Ivor Burton had said that day.

Liar…

She wasn’t beautiful.

She doesn’t care what others thought especially that rude Prince Burton.

Instead of sending a maid to do the task, Hannah decided to leave this room, and Princess Preston’s presence, trying to cool her head off and walking a little bit away from her room might help.

Lady Triston’s room was adjacent to hers, and she was surprised to see no guard out guarding the door. Hannah shook her head for forgetting that Lady Triston’s guards had only followed her to the entrance of Avera, as a noble house, they cannot afford to lose more soldiers, for they’re already small in number compared to others.

Hannah had seen Lady Triston’s maids guarding the door day and night without any shift. It was cruel treatment, yet she cannot say anything, not wanting to create conflict in the place Hannah was a guest.

 She entered the chamber as it was open and looked around,

“Lady Triston?”

Seeing no one there, she decided to move towards the bedroom and screamed aloud in shock, stumbling backward in horror.

There laid Lady Triston on her bed in a pool of blood with cut wounds on her neck, on her face, and abdomen.

The walls were painted with blood as if the murderer took time enjoying the torment of Lady Triston.

Hannah turned away when she felt like puking her stomach out.

Hannah had seen cruelty all her life, but she had never witnessed death like this in person..

~~~~

The law investigator frowned at the crying woman in the corner.

He felt irritated to the core at how they can’t stop crying between every few words. He tapped the paper with his quill impatiently, sighed, and turned around.

At least, the Princesses were calm and collected even though they seemed sad and teary-eyed.

It showed in the class and birth, it seemed.

The maids of Lady Triston had fallen asleep because of over shift?

Suspicious…

He looked at them from the corner of his eyes, reminding himself to question them again.

The murder was brutal and drawn out by the murderer, enjoying the pain of the victim.

How come no one in the wing heard the victim’s scream of pain as it was obvious the victim had been kept alive for a while before being killed?

Suspicious…

Born in the Greyson family, Terry Greyson had worked his brain off to reach this position, Head of Law department in Avera. He would have sent a junior to deal with investigation and things as it was beneath him to come to the crime scene.

But, this was a serious matter.

God! What a mess this was!

A foreign guest has been killed in Avera during the sacred courting session. He cannot even imagine being under His Majesty’s fury about a murder happening in this kind of event under his rule.

Conflict will arise, for a Lady of the house had been murdered.

That was why he had come here to investigate personally.

He shuddered to think what would have happened if someone had murdered one of the Princesses instead of the lady who was murdered.

He didn’t want Avera to go into war for this.

He had lost his father in war; he doesn’t want to lose his children in war.

Sometimes, this job gave nothing but trouble to him.

Terry brushed his cheeks, feeling the prickle of his beard against his skin that calmed him down somehow.

“Who saw the body first?”

And another loud wail which he tried really hard to ignore. He knew Lady Triston’s friends were upset, but he did have a job to do.

“It was me who saw first, Sir.?”

A polite Princess.

“Terry Greyson.” He replied with a nod to the Princess in respect.

Good thing he remembered their names. So, it was Hannah Lindsey who saw the body first.

“When did you saw the body and the purpose of you visiting Lady Triston’s room at that time, Princess Lindsey.?”

“I.. It was about seven in the morning, Mr. Greyson. I, Princess Preston, and Lady Triston had decided yesterday night to schedule for dance practice today morning. She hadn’t arrived at the time we decided, so I decided to visit her.”

Suspicious…

Why would a Princess go to Lady Triston’s room instead of sending a maid?

No, to him, everyone seemed suspicious, and he cannot go and make accusations on a Princess no less.

Just as he was noting things down, the one who had been wailing aloud till now shouted at him, startling him suddenly,

“It was her who killed, My Lady Triston. I know it was her.”

“Can you explain to me clearly, Ms.?”

When the girl was busy crying again, it was Princess Preston who answered him while comforting that girl.

“Mia Ford, Mr. Greyson.”

“Ms. Ford, can you tell me who it was?”

“It was her who ruined Lyara’s dress during the celebration, and Lyara showed that girl’s place by teaching a lesson. She must be the one who did this. I know she must be the one.”

“Who is it, Ms. Mia?

“The maid of mermaid Princess, Zelda.”