Chapter 20

    

    *Queen Maurice's Pov;*

    

    

    "Where is that snake hunter?" my husband asked while clenching his jaw.

    

    

As if on cue the palace door opened and a tall man in his mid 50's started walking towards our direction. Judging from the way he walks and how his shoulders tremble, I could hardly tell that he's nervous.

"Your majesty-" He wasn't able to continue his words because the king approached him and punched his face.

"How dare you trade my daughter's life for money? Don't you know how much this land would suffer if we lost her? This land will no longer see the light of the day!" he shouted angrily.

"I'm so sorry your majesty, but please let me explain first," the man begged. I stood up from my seat and went to my husband.

"Hon, let him speak. Come on," I told him. I was lucky that he listened. 

"Speak!" The man trembled even more because of my husband's roaring voice.

"Princess Amira came to me. She ordered me to hunt for the most venomous snake in exchange for money. I asked her on where she's going to use it because such snake can't be made as pet. But she told me to stop asking and just follow her order. So I did! But I really don't know that she will use it against her cousin. If I only knew from the start I will not follow her. Please forgive me your majesty!" He bend his knees and started begging for forgiveness.

"He's telling the truth your majesty. He was even surprised when we told him that the crown princess's life is in danger because of him," Lyndon explained.

"Hon, this person is innocent. Amira just used him for her greedy ambitions," I said to my husband.

"But it doesn't mean that he will not receive any punishment. He still has a participation on Amira's crime. And I will never let him off easily. Guards!"

"Please your majesty don't kill me! Please!" the man begged in the middle of his tears.

The guards suddenly came in holding the man tightly.

"Take him to the dungeon! Lock him there and wait for my decision!" my husband ordered. The guards nodded and started to walk away bringing the hunter to his worst nightmare.

"Your majesty please!" the man begged one last time before he disappeared in our sight.

    

    

    

"What are we going to do with Amira?" She's a cunning witch and she needs to suffer for hurting my daughter. I swear to God that I will never forgive her for her evilness!

"I will give her the punishment she will surely regret for the rest of her life!" my husband answered before he stormed out of the throne room.

"Your highness we don't want to cause chaos in your family. We just want to help in investigating what happened to Princess Ana Mae," Diane told me with a sad face.

I turned to face her and held her hands.

"Listen dear, if our family will be in chaos it was never your fault. Amira caused all of this, and if we will look for someone to blame right now, it's her," I explained trying to lighten up her mood.

"The queen is right Diane, we just wanted to help," Lyndon added.

"You know, my daughter is really blessed to have you as her friends. Thank you so much!"

"Your highness, Ana Mae is a kind and sweet person just like you. We could tell that her heart is pure and that she deserves to be loved more than being hurt," Lyndon explained with a smile on his face.

"He's right your highness," Diane said as well. I hugged them tightly , God knows how thankful I am to the two of them.

"Will you stay for dinner?" I invited them.

"Thank you your highness, but we need to go back to the university before the headmaster finds out that we're missing." I felt sad after hearing Diane's answer.

"Oh, I thought you would stay over for dinner," I said sadly.

"Don't worry your highness, we will comeback here tomorrow morning. We will visit the princess," Lyndon promised that made me smile.

    

    

     After watching our visitors leave the palace, I went back to my daughter's room. I just can't leave her there alone knowing that what happened to her wasn't an accident at all.

   "Leana, go and rest for awhile," I told Leana who's currently looking after my daughter. She looks pale and tired so I think she badly needs to rest.

"I'm fine your highness, I don't want to leave the princess alone," she refused. I could see sadness in her eyes when she looked at my daughter's current  state.

"You need to. Go on, me and Kaira will stay here while you rest," I insisted.

She nodded and went inside her room that's connected to my daughter's.

I stared at my beautiful daughter sleeping peacefully. I caressed her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

"I will make sure that Amira will get the punishment she deserves. I know you wouldn't want your cousin to suffer but what she did this time deserves a punishment. Your father and I  will never let her off easily," I told her in the middle of my tears.

I know how much she loves her cousin and that she hates to see anyone suffering because of her. That's how much of a kindhearted person my daughter is. 

"Whatever happens to Amira, please don't blame yourself. Because whatever punishment she will get, she caused it to herself."

    

    

    

"Your highness, the king and Princess Anatalia are fighting in her room!" Via one of my closest palace made informed me. She looks tired and pale from running.

"Kaira you stay here and don't leave my daughter alone," I ordered Kaira.

"Yes your highness!"

I run as fast as I could to the west wing of the palace where Anatalia's room is located. My husband is mad right now, and he might do something bad to his sister if Anatalia continues to defend her daughter. And knowing her I know that she will never stop defending Amira. 

"Your daughter will get the punishment she deserves!" I heard my husband's angry voice as soon as I arrived there.

I did not bother to knock since the door is slightly opened. I just went in without even informing them.

"You will kill your own flesh and blood?" Anatalia shouted angrily. "How pathetic of you to do that!"

"I am not like your daughter Anatalia! I won't stain my hands with the blood of my own relative!" my husband told her.

"Oh really? What punishment are you going to give her then?"

"I will demote her as Princess and let her vanish!" I was shocked with my husband's decision. I want Amira to suffer but demoting her as a princess is enough. 

"Really? Try to do that and this whole kingdom will suffer! I will turn this whole place into a living hell! Mark my words!" she threatened us before she stormed out of her room.

"Hon, demoting her is enough. Just let her live here in Citrine," I told him trying to change his decision.

"Trying to kill your own cousin and risking the future of the empire is punishable by death. She's lucky that I still consider her as my niece," my husband explained that made me heave a deep sigh. He already made a decision and I don't think I could still change it. But the thing that bothers me right now is Anatalia's threat. I know she's capable of doing such evil things.