Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Who was Lilith?

A woman who could shed blood of her own body like flowing spring to protect the ones she loved yet also that person who would go to the end of hell to seek vengeance if threatened.

What Empress Seycea said was truth and solid reasoning, if Lilith knew that she could bless the royal family with her gifts then how come she did not approached and informed them at the time of prayer but sat leisurely in her Lotus mansion, wasn't that indicating that she was not loyal to the empire.

If proven, this was the crime of going against the monarch and the sin could eradicate her whole clan.

"How can that be possible? This lowly one remembers that this one sent not only one but two messages through my trusted maid, those were personally given to Regenia for delivering and this General's wife was informed that her highness Countess Jillian was the one to receive it but when this lowly one did not got any grace from your majesties to join the prayer in Goddess Riera's hall, I sent the letter out again through Husband General's trusted subordinate Soldier Nyle."

When one plays the game of swords, there are always chances of implication and death looming over the head but Lilith has seen so many plays in her life, did they thought such small matter would scare her?

If you dare to go against her....

Then be ready to die!

The demoness would not only extract revenge but also send you to the depths of the road of no return for betrayal.

"Atrocious! Are you saying that this countess schemed against you?" Regenia was pale, her face white as sheet as if she had seen a ghoul in front of her haunting and controlling her very secrets. Words were struck in the throat and the grin she was trying to suppress for so long watching Lilith cornered in such a circumstance had long vanished.

"Naturally not, the countess highness is a part of Imperial family, if the royal family gets a good omen then the countess has highest loyalty to never block it, its my own servants that I am concerned of. I request his majesty to search for evidences and provide this General's wife justice."

"Mistress! Master I swear I did not do anything!" Before Reginia could cry out loudly to show that Lilith had framed her, solider Nyle went on his knees.

"Your majesty this lowly servant begs the great emperor to give grace to my wife for this once, she might be prideful and arrogant but she would never dare to do such severe crime." The man was trembling with red rimmed eyes, people those who could see were able to observe that the situation was so adverse that this man had to come out to defend his wife otherwise why would he reveal something this controversial.

Wife....

The court was in an uproar, any handmaiden selected by the main wives of the great clans were meant to be unmarried and pure so that if it comes a time when the main wife has to pray for some unfortunate circumstances or ward of a bad omen the closest maid near to her would be sent to the nunnery to become a nun for certain time to gain wishes, this was a tradition coming long since the founding of the dynasty.

Also Women below the age of twenty that were the maids were maid to be unmarried so if the master of the clan wants, they could take the girl in as a concubine.

Emperor Alexander was displeased and his expression was dark and gloomy, not only he could not gain a blessing due to such disobedient subjects but was also appearing infront of the foreign guests as incompetent too manage the kingdom.

"Now that this has come out like such it becomes my first and foremost responsibility to enquire the whereabouts of both of you, I hereby request his majesty to search this slave of mine."

"Guards! Go to the Feore and search for all the rooms of servants living there." Emperor Alexander roared in rage.

Wasn't this a bizarre coincidence, two weeks ago Lilith had exiled Reginia out of the Lotus mansion pointing out her as improper and wished for the maid to reflect. The topic was wildly known and some of thee people called the mistress of Lotus mansion as jealous and unruly for they thought that she had chased a maid out because of her beauty and did not wished for her husband to have heirs.

How the game has completely changed now If it was not the case then instead of small left out place of Feore where Reginia was currently residing in the entire Lotus mansion was to be raided and turn upside down.

Regina recalled the poisonous words leaving the lips of Lilith and her body was rigid as if paralyzed.

'It seems as if you are trying to bring shame to this great mansion by wearing clothes like a slave, Lily go and bring Reginia the yellow satin dress." It had been some weeks since all the servants knew that Reginia had fell out from the mistress's grace and now Lilith did not even wished to even see her. There were rumors inside the inner trusted aides of Azarios that it was Lilith itself that spread the news of her ownself being jealous of Reginia.

The woman before she could think, two strong palace maids were holding her hands and dragging her aside to check her clothes in vicinity and her eyes poured tears as she screeched.

Such a vicious woman!

That beautiful and gentle looking demoness knew that she was married to Nyle, knew what Countess Jillian was plotting with her help, she knew everything and let all of it happen, she even used both of her and the countess as a blade in her own hand to come out as a noble priestess but Nyle, her own husband was involved in her implication? Her eyes got red when the palace maid tore out a large piece of her yellow satin skirt.

"Your majesty the emperor please have a look." There it was....a yellow parchment sewn in the insides of the yellow skirt, the letter of Lilith to the royal palace.

"Traitor!I swear I will kill you!" And when she lost her calm attacking her husband who was bowing infront of the emperor a smile graced Lilith's lips.

Those who don't follow me....death follows them.

Vermilion of blood was spilled on the day of the banquet, a husband whose promises had once decorated the heart of a wife was also the one that has killed her in the name of self defense.

"Your Majesty our emperor, this servant has sinned to smear your boots with the dirt of us slaves on such an auspicious day, this one deserves to be killed." Nyle went on his knees bowing to King Alexander whose one gaze could have buried the soldier into the ground six feet below.

"Your grace, in this world affections are fickle and love is sparse, the maid deserves to die for she had ruined the mood of the banquet. But as far as this princess remembers General Lady Lilith never blamed the maid for being disloyal rather the words spoken were indicating the truth that Reginia was given the task to deliver the letter to the palace."

Nevix looked at Lilith, gazing in her eyes for a moment before letting go, soldier Nyle kept kneeling without anyone ordering him to get up making him shiver in cold sweat.

"What princess says is correct, if she had herself planned the scandal she would not dare sew the letter into her own clothes and appear at the banquet, I am afraid this is a trap." Seycea smiled looking at the pure snow dressed angle sitting on the establish place for foreign delegates and felt pleasured with how Princess Nevix could be used for her own good.

The people who had got diverted towards Regenia again had a confused and suspicious look towards the General manor, especially towards the mistress of the Great Lotus mansion.

"Whom does the princess thinks has been involved?" The room got icier when a voice spoke with the aura of the person harsher than hailstorms he appeared indifferent yet the fire blazed in those irises.

"General Azarios, I believe you have a traitor in your house...." crystal green irises were startled before they returned to their calm placidity.

"....How is it possible for a married woman to enter as a handmaid and that too for a general's wife. The clothes of a woman is only entitled to her sisters or husband.....how did the letter was sewn into her skirt? If I was you General I would drag this impertinent soldier of yours out to be beheaded right now.

Not only he has completely crushed this auspicious event's atmosphere but also took this princess' precious time that I wished to dedicate to the announcement of the union of Daxtros empire with Ambrose. My brother, King Rial has entrusted this important task to me and I left my entire army battalions to come here and honor the majesties but the servant is so shameless."

King Alexander who had been silent till now watching this as some show that he had seen hundreds of times in his life was frozen. The palace was deep, there were schemes and power struggle. He himself has killed several of his own kins to ascend the throne how would he not able to see where Empress Seycea has been pointing.

He had simply thought that too at first, this General Lady was not simple but as soon as those words of princess Nevix fell onto his ears, it was as if someone had poured molten glass into them.

The vast kingdom of Daxtros was the place many kings had gone to pray for friendship yet not all got the privilege, till now the fight between Gaerin and Ambrose would have support from many small provinces and Countries yet Daxtros remained neutral, this matter was not small, neither such petty court matters could accound for even an ounce of the weight this holds.

"Drag this man out and behead him! Atrocious!" King Alexander's face was burning with rage, the princess of Daxtros was not some fragile lady whom he could give some gifts and stop, she commanded one of the most powerful armies of north yet today when she herself came for peace.....all was destroyed by this ordeal.

Who started it?

'This Countess has heard that General Lady Lilith is beyond comprehension and non-comparable to other talents like this Countess, may general lady display her skills so this one can watch and learn.'

Countess Jillian!

This emperor will make you wish you were dead, even the Duke of Miram Lord Asmus would not be able to save you now!

Seycea's lips trembled, this was going all wrong. The way King Alexander looked at Countess Jillian and then her....her days were not going to be easy from now on.

"Princess highness Nevix, this emperor apologizes for such obstacles, it would be our honor if you can stay for some days in our Palace. The tents and food for soldiers would be all arranged, princess can make your soldiers enter our borders and station inside as well."

Nobody took notice of the man whose mouth was stuffed with cloth, tears streaming down his face as he was dragged outside the hall their minds were preoccupied.

The emperor apologized....all the nobles present in the banquet shivered. The emperor never apologizes.

"Her highness its this General wife's fault, this one would like to present the 'falcon of the west' hairpin into her highness feet." Even though the words were extremely humble yet the voice was somewhat straightforward, without a sense of flattery or respect when Lilith took out the hairpin from her hair presenting it to Nevix.

The princess took one look at the Emperor as she smiled, nodding like a goddess before she glanced at the lukewarm expression on General Azarios's face who just watched Lilith' back in a somewhat peculiar gaze.

"Many thanks to the General Lady." She herself got up, making her subordinates stand as she came down the steps gracefully. Her fingers touched the hairpin on Lilith's palm before she took it watching her reaction.

There was peace yet when her fingers touched the beads there flashed a rage hot as lightning before it disappeared.