Chapter 131: betrayal of Ian

"Mother, are you sure father had not said anything to you last night." he asked me for the umpteenth time since morning.

"No Killian, and this is the last time I am replying to this question." I added and he puckered his lips, he took hold of my hand and took me towards the banquet hall.

"Then how did this happen?" he asked pointing towards the entrance door and I saw a crack in the wood and red marks which the maids were cleaning.

"I don't know,'' I added with uncertainty this time, he bit his lips but nodded. I was sure he must be thinking that I was trying to hide from him, but I had no answer to it.

"Killian, why don't you and get ready, we have to go to the nearby town. Your grandmother must have already left the house, she was very excited to spend the day with you.

He nodded and left when I moved and touched the door, my head started paining again.

"Your highness, are you okay." asked Penny and Daisy together, and I nodded.

"Would you like to have some tea before going?" Penny asked me and I nodded.

"That would be a good idea."

I walked towards my garden and looked at the scenery lost in my own thoughts.

"Ah, the same sage tea" I said looking at the tea and Penny nodded.

"But i feel like having mint tea," i added and she bowed and went back.

"Lina, I want the rest of the tea pack of sage tea in the carriage when I leave for the market," I said in a whisper and she nodded and left.

Soon Norma entered with hurried footsteps and bowed.

"Your highness"

She had some parchment in her hands that she put on the table and bowed. I raised an eyebrow, but she bit her lips and said nothing.

I took the parchments in my hands and started reading it, a chuckle escaped my lips when I finished it. 

My eyes narrowed, when I finished reading, and my eyes fell on Daisy and she shivered.

"Daisy"

"Yes your highness,"

"Do you know, Ian is a wonderful man, he is one of the youngest yet most accomplished men in the nobles." i sad and she paled,

"I don't know much about lord Ian. Your highness." she replied and I chuckled.

"No! Too bad, i thought you would have learnt enough when he was training you, or someone else had trained you, huh?" I asked with the same chuckle and she fell on the floor bending her knees. My eyes turned cold that instant.

"You know the punishment of treason right?" the girls started sobbing hard, she must be around 18 years too young to die but an example was needed to be set.

"Please have mercy, your highness, please have mercy, I will never do it again." she cried as she kneeled and bowed her head again and again.

"My family is burdened with the favours lord Ian had done to us, your highness, yet I denied him, but he assured me that it is for your safety, your highness, trust me I never wanted to harm you." she replied in between her sobs pouring her every emotion but my heart felt none.

"Summon Ian this instant." I ordered Norma, who was looking at the scene with utter horror and disappointment.

"Yes, your highness." 

"Go and stand on the door, keep an eye that no one else will enter except Ian, not even other maids." I ordered Daisy who was in a mess. Her head was already bleeding slightly with her continuous bowing on the stony surface.

She nodded as she crawled towards the door, afraid of even standing in front of me, and I closed my eyes. 

They would blame me for everything, forgetting what they had done, if I punished her I was a villain and if I would not then I was a push over, at the end I would be the one to lose. After what felt like eternity, i finally heard footsteps

"Your highness, you have called me" Ian asked but his face was telling he already knew the matter, he must have seen the mess of the girl he had sent to keep an eye on me.

"You are still a commoner until you claim the title of earl, i hope you still remember that.'' I said as I opened my eyes and he nodded, there was no fear in his eyes, no remorse, nothing, it was clear like always.

"I know, your highness, I even know that my mistake could cost me my life." he added, understanding the underlying meaning of my words.

"I have always treated you well, Ian," I said and he nodded.

"Just like my mother used to take care of me, your highness, she always knew what i needed even when i never told her." he said finally in a pained filled voice.

"Are you trying to gain sympathy now, your words only made your betrayal severe, Ian." i replied feeling hurt further.

"He walked towards me and kneeled in front of me." I looked straight into his eyes, my eyes were dead cold.

"I am even ready to get beheaded your highness" he said with such simplicity as if he was talking about weather, it made me felt worse, he was a kind man through and through, he had faced a lot in his life too, but that did not mean he was allowed to keep spies on me.

"Why?"

"I did it for your safety, your highness, the palace is not a safe place, i just wanted to be ensured." he added and i chuckled, everyone around me took me as a fool.

"By keeping an eye on my every step, by passing every information to Cassius, do you take me as a fool, Ian" I said with hurt, anger, disbelief, and at last disappointment.

He bowed his head as he had nothing to say in his explanation. 

"Every mistake has a punishment Ian, and you have made a severe mistake here." I said , closing my eyes again in a disappointed voice.

[hey readers, as you have all seen the writing competition spirit awards are here, and i was thinking to participate in it too. I have a few ideas, I wanted to share and ask your opinion about it. So would you please be kind enough, to see the auxiliary chapter and advice me which historical romance would you like to read, i can not share  here as it will increase the cost of the chapter, thank you]