Chapter 73 - Seeing The Ghost

"Since we can not keep the crown prince waiting, we have to come empty handed for which we are highly apologetic. If only the siblings would not have blamed us, we would have brought a precious gift for them."

Her tone was filled with regret that he wondered just how good an actress she was!

"If i would have time, i would have brought a small gift for his majesty too." she replied with another sigh as she shook her head and walked towards the carriage.

The guard came forward and took the bouquet from her hands. He was about to pass it to a worker when Hazel said, "Do not discard it! It is a gift for my mother!" her tone was a bit hasty and the guard looked at the bouquet and then at her. He was unsure if he had heard right when his alpha nodded his head assuring her confusion.

"......." he was sure that even the lowest maid of the palace had received better gifts than these wild daisies, but he did not say a word and bowed his head, like he was supposed to be.

"I will keep it with utmost care, my lady!" Hazel nodded her head and entered the carriage followed by Hazel.

"Richard," the man turned to look at the girl who was smiling just a few minutes ago but now her whole demeanour had turned cold.

"If you get insulted at any point of time, you are free to hurt them. Do not hesitate thinking that they are my family." her voice was grim and her mood had turned sombre, yet she was worried about him, made his lips curved upwards.

"My dear wife!" he called her with such a warming tone that her eyes started to melt!

"Do you think anyone had the courage to bully me except you?" he looked into her eyes with mischief and she blinked!

"......" why did his words sound so ambiguous. Heat burnt up her face and she looked at the other side.

He was so cold and silent when he was in front of others. But why did she feel like he turned into someone else and his words turned ambiguous whenever he was alone with her!

She shook her head at her over analysing each word.

"Why don't you just kill them off and be the sole heir of the count? Wouldn't it be easy?" he asked as he tilted his head and looked at her confused face.

He did not understand why she even wanted to meet the persons who had tried to kill her in such a coldhearted manner. 

A mocking smile formed on her lips as she heard him. Why did she want to meet them? 

"I want to see their white faces when they see me alive. I want to see the hatred and fear in their eyes when they see that I have more powers than them now.

I want to torment them rather than give them an easy death. I want them to beg for their death from me. I want them to confess their crimes rather than being called a cold hearted criminal who killed her whole family when she got the chance.

I want them to face the pains I had suffered for so long and realise that they have ruined a life!" her voice was turning more and more cold and her face was filled with hatred when she talked about them. 

He had only seen her stained in blood once, but he could assume how much she had suffered all this time with her voice and the hatred in it. 

"You see, I am not as good as you think!" she replied as she looked at his darkened eyes. Yet she had not a bit regretted showing him how much hatred she had.

His downcast eyes met hers but there was no disdain or cold in them. He held her hand and rubbed her palms to pass some of his warmth to her.

"Yes! I can see that you are much better than I had thought you would be. You still have your innocence and your emotions intact even when you have faced so much in this small life. 

You could be an inspiration for many!" she blinked as his words were rather surprising. She was trying to show him how coldhearted she was yet he saw her want that even she failed to see these days.

She only shook her head and looked out of the window. He was being too kind to her. But soon he would realise that she was just a stone that had been discarded a long ago by her own family.

He could feel that she did not believe any of his words. But he was not in a hurry, as he knew that she had closed his heart and stopped trusting others. He contended that she was sitting beside him and giving him a chance to show her what she was worth.

And he would do that eventually once she would be free from her revenge.

"How much time would it take further." he mumbled, and she looked back at the scenery and then at him, 

"Just a few minutes, we are almost there." he nodded, they were almost closer to their destination.

A small entrance could be seen in a few minutes with two guards standing on both sides.

"Shall we wait for Alcantra to come?" she shook her head. That would not be a good slap! She wanted to see how they would behave after seeing her before she could see their fake flattery and nauseating smile.

"No! I want to go in before his highness arrives. I could not wait to see them!" Richard could only sigh and nod and the stopped carriage started moving again.

"Wait! Show your identities before entering the palace? Have you ever taken an appointment with my lord?" came the cold and piercing voice of the knights as they did not open the door and aimed the carriage with their arms.

Hazel opened the curtains and looked out of the window. A mocking smile on her face while her eyes had turned cold again, "would this be enough, or do you need further identities?" she asked in a sweet tone but it was cold,

The eyes of the knights widened. As if they had seen a ghost! They were sure that the lady had vanished from the palace a few weeks ago and was found nowhere but there was a rumour that the maids had seen her room was full of blood.

She was killed in her room and her body was thrown away. And to stop the rumours from spreading it was announced that she had run away with the messenger that had come to meet her that day.

'Could it be a ghost that was sitting in the carriage. She had come back to take revenge for her death?' They were so shocked that their faces had turned pale and their knees were trembling. 

"What happened? Will you not open the door for me?" asked hazel again as she looked at the shocked knights.

She wondered how many stories were made about her disappearance?

The neighbour of the horses brought the lost knights back to their senses and one of them asked in a shivering tone, "is that really you, my lady?" 

Hazel chuckled when she heard his trembling voice. The stories of ghosts were not uncommon and often heard that a few souls have returned to take their revenge.

"Do you want to touch me or want me to slap you to be assured?" she asked with a raised brow while her voice was full of amusement and they blinked.

Why did they not think of that? The first knight moved his arms and pinched himself and then took a breath of relief, it was not a dream. She was sitting in the carriage in front of them.

"There would be no need for my lady. I am glad that you have come back. Everyone was worried about you." he mumbled with an embarrassed face.

If others would come to know that he was so scared even as a knight how could he be able to face others. He bowed his head and then turned to open the door.

"Welcome back my lady." Both knights bowed their heads as Hazel nodded and closed the curtains again.

The coachmen pulled the reins of the horses and they neighed and started walking again. Soon the carriage passed the lush green trees that had been looking dark due to the fading light in the sky.

The carriage stopped in front of a door and soon an old man wearing the uniform of the butler walked towards the door,

He frowned as he looked at the strange flag on the carriage that was the symbol of the family that the carriage belonged to. He did not remember seeing this flag in the past, yet he walked respectfully towards the carriage.

When another carriage followed and a knight came running from it and opened the door of the first carriage.

"How have you been, Asmund?"