Chapter 184 - Was that a dream?

"You only attacked their hands".

Maya speaks calmly "They can't shoot the arrows with that injury. So, you can fight them when you burst open the gate".

Marcus bows slightly and smiles seeing her still staying alert. After thinking for few brief moments he speaks "You have done enough, Your Highness. Please take a brief break".

Maya's eyes still focused on the fort as she doesn't want to be interrupted from her complete concentration. 

She notices the battalion moving forward in immense speed than she thought and she can tell they will capture the fort real soon. 

"We have to leave".

She frowns hearing Marcus and speaks looking him "But, they still have to reach the gates".

Marcus smiles and points something ahead in the crowd "Do you see the flag, Your Highness?".

Maya creases her eyebrows and peers into the crowd. As soon as she notices something strange, she asks "There is a person holding a black flag...".

Marcus smiles "That's a message that other gate of the fort has been captured".

Maya gasps in surprise "Oh?!" That fast?

Marcus nods and praises "You did well today, Your Highness. We are immensely impressed and grateful".

Maya purses her lips and speaks blushing "I didn't do much...but ...Thank you for helping me".

He smiles wondering "Helping you?". 

She nods earnestly "For helping in persuading Him- *cough* His Highness. Because of you, he decided to take me in".

Marcus chuckles at her timid face which contrasted her talent and speaks meaningfully "No one can persuade His Highness, Your Highness. And....I don't think he took you in just because we requested".

She gets confused by his words "Huh?".

He speaks before climbing down "I am glad that we got to see your skills today, Your Highness. We have to reach the camp soon".

She throws the bow across her shoulder and starts following him down. The bow didn't weight much now for her.

------

Maya was sitting inside the camp while the soldiers guarding the camp from outside. She was extremely happy that she finally had an opportunity to prove herself!

Since her childhood, she never felt this happy. She felt liberated too. She felt like she got released from a life sentence from a prison. She looks at the Bow in her hand and smiles madly. She is about to hug it but stops hearing a commotion outside the camp.

'What is happening? Why do they sound like fighting?'

She holds the Bow in alert and starts to walk out of the camp hurriedly. But before she could step out of the camp, she was again sucked into a deep abyss.

The same whirlwind of experience made Maya to go balnk momentarily. But she manages to understand what was happening and soon makes herself ready to face the worst.

As she knows, Kalki would be fighting his enemies inside the fort or may be he would have been attacked by them. She prepares herself for worst and is glad that she still had the Bow in her hands.

But what she didn't expect was the horrific and bloodchilling scene right in front her in next moment.

She fell into a chamber. It is completely burning and to her utmost shock, Kalki was lying on the floor gasping for his breaths painfully.

------

Royal Palace. 

"We couldn't find Madam Maya in the Palace, Your Majesty".

Madam Mary stops folding the cloth in her hands and turns to see her servant curiously.

The servant bows understanding her look and speaks further "I have searched Her Highness' chamber, The Royal Barn and even the Archery field, Your Majesty".

Mary tilts her head confused and mumbles to herself "How come she didn't visit Xavier after dinner? I have been watching her visiting him multiple times but where did she go suddenly?".

She asks the servant seriously "What about Eros?".

The servant answers "Eros is still in the Royal Barn, Your Majesty. Madam Maya is not with the horse either".

Madam Mary creases her eyebrows displeased "The carriages in the Palace. Did you check-".

The servant answers even before she completes the question "Nothing is missing, Your Majesty. Everything is normal but only Her Highness is missing. I visited the Head Servant. She is still unconscious. No one knows about Madam Maya's whereabouts".

Mary mutters worriedly in her own thoughts "Did she run away? Did she get scared by seeing those dying men in the Penalty Hall?".

She is aware of Maya's visit there.

But something didn't add up in her mind. She knows she is missing something important. She is well aware of Maya's concern for Xavier and vice versa too.

But ever since Maya cried in her embrace that day, she couldn't help worry for her. After all, who can understand her situation better than herself.

Even though she didn't like Maya's presence at first, after seeing how much she is hurt, she could only feel pity.

'Poor child...I misunderstood her at first. I thought she was just pretending to be pitiful...'.

She tilts her head confused and stands from her bed remembering something "How could she?!".

The servant frowns unable to understand "Your Majesty?".

"Isn't the whole palace filled with soldiers?! How did she disappear without knowing anyone?!"

The servant answers unsurely "That....I too couldn't find, Your Majesty".

Mary declares seriously before leaving her chamber in hurry "Take care of the children, Ava".

Ava bows "Yes, Your Majesty".

--------

Sick chamber.

Xavier wakes up and grunts in agony as soon as he tried to sit. 

"You should rest".

His eyes lands on the person in front of him and a smile formed on his pale lips.

He mocks "I thought you would be basking in sunlight in the Western Realm?".

Veronica rolls her eyes "And certain someone was childish enough to get poisoned in this short span of time".

She fumes in frustration seeing his calmness "Xavier! Do you even aware how angry I was?!".

Xavier chuckles while sitting slowly "You must be sad that I am not leaving you untamed-".

Veronica snaps irked "Shut up, will you?".

Xavier smiles with a deep sigh 'Was that a dream? I saw her waiting for me...sitting right next to me...'.

Veronica speaks with a smirk "Anyway...I have to congratulate you too".

Xavier frowns and stares back at her in confusion. 

"You are getting married soon".