The world went silent.

  Rod’s death sucked the sound right out of the air. The wind, the birds, even the faintest breath—it all vanished. In the air, only the pervasive stench of blood remained.

  The two young squires, “Thumbs” Ham and “Gabby” Lucien, sat rigid in their saddles, frozen.

  The swords in their hands had slipped from their nerveless fingers, falling to the dust. In their vision, only the headless corpse, collapsed in the mud, was imprinted.

  “No… this is an illusion…”

  Ham, the boy with the short, stout fingers, squeezed a whisper from his throat. “Lady Elsa… she couldn’t possibly be…”

  “We’re in a dream… yes, this nightmare started last night…” Lucien, the clever one, was pale as a sheet. He rubbed his eyes, as if trying to wipe away the sight. “Ham! Lucien!”

  They both flinched, turning their heads like puppets on strings.

  Pandora stood just a few steps away. Though her frame was slighter than theirs, her straight spine and the look in her eyes radiated an immense pressure, making it impossible to meet her gaze.

  “Dismount.”

  Her voice was flat.

  “Drop your weapons.”

  She took another step.

  “Pledge your fealty to the daughter of your liege lord.”

  The last words were less a command than a judgment.

  Both squires trembled. Arthur’s betrayal had left a bad taste; Aurora’s steadfast loyalty had shaken their resolve. Now, after witnessing this power, and facing the calm authority of the blood heir… the last trace of hesitation in their hearts shattered.

  “Yes, My Lady! We obey!”

  “We obey, My Lady!”

  They nearly fell in their haste to dismount, a bit clumsy, a bit frantic, but their answer was crisp. They laid their beloved long swords on the ground, then dropped to one knee, placing a hand over their hearts and bowing their heads low.

  “Ham (Lucien), pledges fealty to the Douglas family, to Lady Pandora Douglas! I will serve you, until death!”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Their unified voices rang out, their allegiance declared. The words held a tremor, but they seemed willing enough.

  Pandora looked at the two kneeling boys and nodded.

  Human life was precious.

  If even the lives of thieves weren't to be easily discarded, then how much more so for the two knight-squires she had watched grow up. Her father’s squires were all youths she’d known since they were boys, their green faces now showing only the last traces of immaturity.

  In fact, Pandora now remembered Arthur’s identity, too. He was one of them. A knight-squire. The only real difference was their background.

  Just then, Elsa, dragging her bloodied sword, walked back.

  Her steps were a little heavy, a slight limp. The wound on her left shoulder had stopped bleeding, but the flesh was still puckered and open, deep enough to see bone. Her white undergarment was soaked red.

  But Pandora also noticed something else. Even now, she could see the wound knitting itself closed. It seemed this kind of injury wasn't a major problem for Elsa.

  Still, looking at Elsa’s pale face, Pandora didn't see her purely as a “weapon.” She was also her handmaiden. A friend she cared about. And seeing her hurt made Pandora’s heart ache.

  Elsa walked up to Pandora and dropped to one knee, her posture perfect, her voice steady. “My Lady, Elsa has completed her mission. The traitor, Rod, has been decapitated.”

  “Rise, Elsa. You did well.”

  Pandora didn’t hesitate, immediately reaching out a hand. “You’re badly wounded. Don’t kneel.”

  “Thank you, My Lady.”

  Elsa rose to her feet, silently retreating half a step to Pandora’s side, a shadow again, before she began tending to her own injury.

  Pandora’s gaze then fell upon the knightess. She had been supporting her this whole time, and Aurora was now leaning weakly against her, still trying to hold herself up with her own strength.

  “Aurora…”

  Pandora called softly, her voice laced with concern, and a hint of imperceptible sorrow.

  Aurora, the girl who’d always been tougher than the boys, who’d been knocked down countless times but always climbed back to her feet. But now, this stubborn girl felt cool to the touch. The gruesome wound on her lower abdomen was still welling up with blood, soaking through her armor and giving off a heavy, coppery stench.

  “My Lady…”

  Aurora forced her eyes open, her lips trembling, her voice as weak as a flickering candle. “Arthur… he…”

  “Don’t speak, Aurora. You’re badly hurt.”

  Pandora interrupted her, signaling for Elsa and Betty to help. They carefully laid her flat on the ground. “Stop the bleeding first. We can talk later.”

  Elsa immediately stepped forward, pulling clean cloth strips from their pack and deftly bandaging the wound. Betty, flustered, uncorked a waterskin and carefully fed Aurora a few sips of water.

  Aurora’s face was still pale, but she looked a little better after drinking.

  Pandora glanced at the kneeling Ham and Lucien. They were silent as mice. She took a deep breath, suppressing the anxiety and sorrow in her heart.

  “Ham, Lucien.” Pandora’s voice rang out again, calm but authoritative. “Now, tell me. What really happened on the night of the Full Moon Festival? The Viscount… my father, how is he? And Arthur, what did he actually do?”

  Ham and Lucien flinched, exchanging a look. Their eyes were filled with fear and pain.

  Finally, it was Lucien, the big-mouth, who spoke, his voice raspy and dry.

  “My Lady, that day… that day was the Full Moon Festival. The Viscount, the Magistrate, all the knights, and the adults from town had gathered in the central square. The Full Moon Festival had always been held there in previous years…”

  Lucien’s voice trembled. The words seemed to drag him back to that night, to that nightmare of a midnight.