Chapter 248 - Burning The Whole Palace

William pov contd.

"I don't want to be like you, father. I would only marry a single girl in my life and that would be Abigail.'' There was determination in my voice and he felt it too. 

I left the hall when my father stayed silent for so long. Even the royal looked at me strangely and knew that I was telling the truth but one had the guts to say so.

"I could smell a rebel even from this distance.." murmured Theodore, and I was sure he was not a bit worried about it. But the same could not be said for the three other knights who were looking at me with pensive eyes, not a single word was spoken by them.

"There is no other choice." I added yet not a single word was spoken. Were they giving me silent torment to punish me now!? I shook my head and walked towards my chamber. Let them have some rest and mull over the matters.

"My lord." The guard bowed at me when my eyes fell on the man who was leaning on the wall. He stood straight when I looked at him.

"Your highness.'' he bowed, yet I did not say a word. His eyes were looking around as if he was not comfortable under my gaze.

"Have you brought any personal message from Lord Gerard?" I asked as I started walking followed by the man who was surrounded by Theodore and other three knights now.

"No, your highness. Lord Gerard did not know that I was here." my steps halted as i heard his reply. He did not know! 

"Then are you here to congratulate me for my marriage?" I mocked as I asked in a sarcastic voice. I sat on the sofa with one leg over the other as I looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"No, your highness. I am here to save your marriage." he replied in a low voice but in the silent room, his voice was clear and resolute.

"How dare you?" I stood up abruptly and all the knights already had their sword on his neck but the man stood there unperturbed.

"I am here as a friend of your highness. I meant no harm. If given a chance I can prove my loyalty to you." I smirked at his declaration. Did they think I was a fool to believe them!

"Kill him and send the body to the archduke's palace." I instructed as I walked towards my study table. I need to write a note to inform that his actions would not be accepted further.

"Wait, your highness. At least, listen to me before killing me. Or else you will regret it for your lifetime." shouted the man who was desperate to prove his innocence. He could feel the pressure of swords around his neck.

The blood had already started slipping out from the small injury on his neck but he was still claiming that he was on their side.

Looking at my hesitating face, Theodore was the first to remark, "do not tell me that you are going to trust the loyal of the enemy!" all the three knights nodded at that.

"You are suffering a lot from the stress. Past days have been very exhausting for you. You should rest, we will handle him, your highness.'' I nodded but when I looked at the pleading and shaking face of the man something in me churned.

"I beg you, give me a chase to speak, if you still do not trust me that you could kill me then too. You can imprison me. I am ready to bear any punishment just give me a chance to speak." the man continued to shout as they dragged him. One hand was held by Theodore while the other hand was held by Lucas. They both are having no mercy as his feet created the creak sound as it continued to hit the floor but the more he was taken away the more that suffocating feeling increased.

I rubbed my neck as I opened the front two buttons of my shirt but the feeling did not go away.

"Wait." I shouted and they both looked at me with hesitation.

"Your highness" before they could start with their excuses, I raised my hand in the air.

"Let me hear him first." they all looked at me bewildered while the man took a sigh of relief as if his life was finally returned to him.

"But if i fund you are lying or this is your trick, i will personally kill you and feed to the beast in the woods.'' Even when I was giving the threat there was no hesitation on his face. His eyes were clear as if he was sure that it would ot happen.

"Yes, yes, your highness." He bowed again and again to show his gratitude.

"It is fine. Tell me, what do you know?" he nodded as he stood straight, his expressions turning grave.

"When lord Gerard heard the news of your marriage, he was infuriated. He had ordered me to go and kill the future empress. He had ordered all the personal knights to find a chance to infiltrate into the palace and set fire to it. As most of the knights and dukes are not at the palace, it would not be that difficult." to say that i was shocked would be an understatement. Though I have always known that the man was evil, I would have never thought that he would dare to kill Abigail at her own palace even after knowing that it was the palace of the strongest knights of the empire.

"Is he not afraid that he would be caught red handed and punished instead?" asked Kirian. Though his body was strong, his mind was not larger than a peanut. I shook my head at his stupid question yet the image of the fire burning the whole palace while Abigail caught in it burnt me from insides too. 

My hands clenched and I had to take a few deep breaths to control myself.

"All the knights were assigned to the borders, leaving only a handful of them. Even the Duke, Nickolas and Noah have been in the royal palace for a few days to discuss the situation with his majesty, then they would leave for the border too. 

They would not leave a single skilled knight behind as it would never cross their mind that someone would have the audacity to kill their family in their own palace." Lucas explained only for the other three to nod.

"But what if this man is lying to distract you and you are the target here?" asked James as he titled his head and looked straight into my eyes.

"I would still take the risk to go and look personally, '' I replied without any hesitation, cracking his facade of calmness. Sometimes, he made me feel that he did not like Abigail at all.

"I will not allow it." they replied in unison as if i was a kid who needed continuous supervision.

"You all are forgetting that i am your master, not the other way around.'' My sharp and curt reply surprised them as I have never treated them as my staff but as friends and brothers. I have always respected their opinions and followed their advice. But when it comes to Abigail, I could not take chances. She had been targeted many times in the past too.

They looked at each other at a loss of words when James spoke, "even if we are nothing but staff, we are still assigned with the duty to protect you and we have the right to stop you from doing anything that could jeopardize your safety.'' There was sarcasm in his mocking tone when he said nothing but stuff, but I ignored it.

"It will be too late, if you continue to argue. I have already given instruction to my spies and other knights in the presence of lord Gerard. You do not have so much time.`` His words were like an emergency alarm. I ran towards the door when they all blocked my way.

I took a deep breath as this argument would not take us anywhere.

"First of all, put him in my personal prison. Do not let the empress or others know about him. If he is telling the truth, he would be attacked as soon as Gerard realized his absence. And if he is tilling lies i will torture him personally." they nodded and the man nodded too, this time it was not needed to drag him as he walked willingly.

Once he was gone, I looked at all of them. "I can not take the risk, it is too much for me. So either let me go or you all can come with me to protect me from that so called threat you are talking about.'' They looked at each other and nodded, as they knew my decision was resolute.

"But we have a condition."