Chapter 403: Scheme And Sorrow
The surroundings behind the temple were shrouded by darkness. Yet, the light from the lit-up lanterns in the gardens provided a faint illumination, offering a semblance of brightness to the area.
Sarah’s dark grey eyes widened as she absorbed the details recounted by the royal guard. Naise, who stood a little further away, turned her head left and right and discreetly scanned their surroundings to ensure their clandestine meeting remained unnoticed by others. Anxiety was etched on her face as the two spoke.
"Are you telling the truth?" Sarah probed the royal guard.
"I swear it upon my life! Though I couldn’t comprehend what caused the alarm that required us to seek refuge in the mansion, I’m sure it was not a drill, as Sir Navin mentioned. Something else must have happened, and I saw it with my own eyes from the window when I sneaked around to investigate. The lady rode on the grand duke’s warhorse and left the mansion. Then, the prince followed her from behind. I don’t know why the other knights didn’t bother going after them. The two of them only returned the next day after the knights went searching in the morning. Also..."
The guard turned his head left and right before gesturing to Sarah to come closer. He cupped his hand at his mouth and whispered, "...after they returned, the prince carried the lady to her chamber, and I heard a knight warning the others not to touch her. He mentioned something about lingering dark magic."
"Dark magic?!" Sarah exclaimed, then quickly covered her mouth.
The royal guard became more agitated at her outburst.
"Please! Keep it down! If anyone else knew I’m reporting this to you, I’ll be dead!" he said.
Sarah took a moment to respond. The revelation had her taken aback, as such an occasion of dark magic happening in Cassian was a bizarre matter, yet the Knights of Gerhard had chosen to keep it hidden from the others’ knowledge.
"Could it be that she was practising dark magic, so that’s why the knights are protecting her and not revealing this to His Majesty?" Sarah guessed.
"I don’t know. She doesn’t seem to be someone like that. She is usually meek and gentle. But she looked different when I saw her riding the grand duke’s horse. Something about her was out of the ordinary. There was an air of strength and mastery about her. Also, everyone knows that the grand duke’s horse is not easily tamed and cannot be ridden by just anyone," stated the royal guard.