Chapter 7: Trampled under her Pretty foot

AVA KILLIAN

"Lord Ashfold, You need to stop your daughter now, it is treason, she'd commit treason," the chief justice shook Lord Ashfold from his vicious thoughts.

Lord Ashfold saw that it was the end of this plan, and he had literally killed his own granddaughter just to have Ava's head, and now Kaila has gone into full rage, about to commit treason that could put his family and all he's worked for at stake.

"Kaila! Stop," Lord Ashfold spoke. "Don't do this!" he said as he walked towards Kaila. In his mind, he wished Kaila had done it sooner before the physician got there; then it’d be justified. It is only a mother's resolve.

"Go back, father! Don’t come closer!" she ordered, and she all of a sudden saw Jeremy enter the room in shock at what was going on.

"Hold my father off, Jeremy!" Kaila ordered.

"What?" Jeremy questioned cluelessly.

"Do it, you are sworn to me!" Kaila yelled. Jeremy froze to the spot at the predatory glance of Alpha Axel; he wouldn’t dare move an inch.

In an abrupt speed of lightning, Alpha Axel was behind Kaila, and his knife back to its sheath. Kaila's hands were gripped tightly by him, the supernatural speed of an alpha, leaving Ava gasping for breath as she held her cut and fell.

"I commanded you, Kaila..." he said, his voice low but grave.

"This is not enough. My daughter was murdered, how should I live with this?" she cried as Axel held her tightly in his grip, holding her in place.

"Kaila... This matter is finished," Lord Ashfold said to her again.

"You witch! Where is justice? For your crimes and your father's!" Kaila yelled.

"My father's sins are not my responsibilities!" Ava yelled back, this time fed up with being responsible for her father whom she loathes with passion.

"Shut up! Where is justice for my daughter's death? It is trampled under your privileged pretty foot again, PrInCeSs! You are just as mad as your father is. Everyone sees you for what you are now—a monster!" Kaila yelled. Ava's eyes squinted; she could swear she saw an expression of accomplishment on Kaila's face.

When she said everyone sees her for what she is, it was rather like confirmation that she was just like her father, and now she has no excuse to protest taking responsibility for her father's actions.

'There's no way you did that to your own daughter just to paint me like this,' it dawned on Ava as she said internally.

"Trial dismissed!" the chief justice announced as four royal physicians rushed in and helped Ava outside.

✿⁠

Ava narrowly opened her eyes to see a lot of people tending to her at once. She was unaware of how long she was unconscious.

"She's awake," the female physician checking her pulse quickly called the attention of the other lady as she ran towards Ava.

"Princess, are you okay?" she said, holding her wrist. Ava's vision was a little blurry, but she found her face familiar.

"Layla?" Ava called, and the other maids and physicians glanced in their direction, wondering how the cruel princess knew Layla, a common female physician.

"You may excuse us now," Layla said, and one stood out.

"You can't tell us what we can't do. We are tending to the princess, and we are colleagues."

"Leave us alone," Ava managed to say, and her neck stung. She felt the pain from the cut from Kaila's hostage, and the other maids and physicians left the room at once.

"The cut will heal quickly, and the scar will disappear in a few months," Layla said.

"You saved me, Layla!" Ava held her hands tightly. Layla was the physician who risked her life and rushed into the trial room to inform Alpha Axel of her pregnancy.

"I didn’t... fate saved you. You cannot die for other people's sins, princess. The late king's sins pushed onto you, and now Kaila's sin is pinned onto you as well?" Layla whispered, her voice laced with anger.

"What? Kaila's sins?" Ava squinted in puzzlement.

"You don't know, do you? She murdered her own daughter to frame you." Layla let out, and Ava quickly covered her mouth.

"That is a huge allegation. I don't want to lose you, Layla," Ava said. Even though she saw the glint of conquest in Kaila's face the other time, she couldn't just make it come together. A mother would not kill her own child.

Layla's expression hardened.

"Jeremy, Kaila's bodyguard, killed my master, the head physician, when we were on our way to inform the king about your pregnancy...

You do not know how vicious Kaila is, princess. She's executed a lot of my maid friends for only slight mistakes. Who do you think got the strands of your silver hair? One of her maids! And that dagger was taken from your old room!" Layla said, and Ava was left in shock, her mind reeling as the weight of Layla's revelation sank in.

"I should inform the king about this," Ava said.

Layla’s face twisted with panic as she grabbed Ava’s shoulders. "Listen to me, Princess. There is nothing you can say that will make anyone believe you. Alpha Axel despises you, and the entire court is against you. The only value you have now is carrying the king’s child. And believe me, it’s only temporary. You’re nothing but a vessel right now. A breeder! You’ll give birth, and they’ll take the child away from you—forever. And then it depends on the king's wishes to execute you for the sins framed on you."

Her eyes were wide, her breath coming fast, and Ava could see the fear etched deeply into Layla's face, before she released her grip.

Ava's heart thudded after the realization in Layla's words, and the urgency that accompanied it. Her child would be taken away from her, which scared her to death, and that’s even if scary Kaila wouldn’t murder her before she gives birth.

"What should I do? I don't want this life!" she said wearily.

"You have to escape! I'd help you escape the palace. I'd use my life savings to get you away from this kingdom. Run far away and never come back," Layla said, and Ava's face squinted with doubt.

"How is that possible? And what about you? You will be in danger if they find out!" Ava said.

"Don't worry about me... It's to—"

"What are you talking about, wench? And why are you alone with the Sinner Princess?" A senior maid walked in with great resentment in her eyes, as the other maids accompanying her pushed Layla away harshly.

Ava immediately attempted to help Layla, but she was pinned down harshly, as she watched Layla carry her stuff and leave the room. Tears welled up in Ava's face; Layla was the only true friend she had since she was a girl.

She would risk everything to make sure Ava was okay, especially receiving 100 lashes from the cruel nuns when she snuck some cakes and deodorant for her back at the monastery.

"PrInCeSs! The king needs you now. We'd get you ready," the head maid said with a vicious smirk, and it made Ava remember the hateful fanatical nuns. She was unmoved by this, thus used to it.

But what scared her was seeing Alpha Axel. What would he do to her now?

---