Erin and her family are thrown from the high position in their Kingdom to slaves just because of a single punishable act committed by her father. Her family alongside her has to pay for the sins of her father as being slaves. Soon in the process of constant torture from the Dowager Queen, Emilia, Erin's sister gives up the ghost and that angers her to the point where she and her brother swore to take revenge on the King including the Royal Family and the unfair treatment on them. What happens when Erin and Trystan end up falling for their Royal masters? Will they still put front their agendas or let their mom' demise be a memory?
Chapter 1 A Spy for Saffron
^^Highway
A carriage was passing on the highway with escorts when an arrow hits the carriage driver. He falls dead and the assistant driver jumped out of the seat. The horses came to a halt and the eight escorts quickly took their places around the carriage. It housed the second Princess of Beaufort.
She was returning from a visit to her suitor and she was currently on her way to the castle. Five foreign men clad in turban and robes jumped down from the trees and ambushed them. The first one sliced the first escorts head from his neck and they heard a scream from within the carriage.
The next two escorts began duelling with two other foreigners. The last two were kicking and slamming the rest. Princess Aurora gulped from inside. It just looked like a story to her. She was yet to understand everything completely. Arming herself with a dagger, she opened the door. Just three of her escorts were surviving.
One of the foreigners kicked one of her guards and fell him down. Sending a rapier into his eyes, he brought it out. "Get on with that" his colleague commanded in a foreign language. "Look at our belle!" their leader said and she growled. She was not going to die without a fight.
The foreigner took the rapier and sent it into the second eye and the guard yelled in pains. Laughing hardly, he stabbed his heart and cleaned the blade with a piece of cloth. One of the foreigners grabbed her from the back and she stabbed him at his Adam's apple and he choked.
"Our princess is a certified warrior princess" one of them spoke in a faint accent which she understood. "How dare you?" she said but another guy slashed her knees and she groaned immensely. Blood began to pour out and she fell on the ground. "I refuse to stand down" she said with a tone of finality.
One of the men took out a sword and sliced her neck. Her head fell off from her body and dropped on the floor. "For our Kingdom!" he shouted "For our Kingdom" they echoed after him. "You will send this head to the King as fast as possible" he ordered and the assistant driver nodded.
He was kept alive for this purpose. Now he would fulfil it accordingly.
^^Court Room
Blanc rushed into the court room bowing his head. "My King" he greeted and saw that the Queen Dowager also present. "Your highness" he greeted too and he produced the Princess's head. "Oh no" Regina screamed seeing her daughter's head on Blanc's hand.
"Who did this?" King Rosario asked trying to contain his wrath. He couldn't believe that his sister was killed in a cruel way. It was abominable and whoever did it must go punished. He spared a glance at his mom as she was already screaming her head out.
"A burial will be carried out soon, I will need to see someone" he said to Blanc who nodded. "Inform Aphrodite at once" he ordered and Blanc left.
No one knew that Princess Aurora was going to be arriving today apart from his royal adviser, Austin. That coward was spying on his every move, he was informing the foreigners and he had the nerve to do this? Why hadn't he taken notice of this earlier?
He walked to his second in command and Eskimo bowed lowly. "I have an assignment for you"
^^Austin's Manor
Austin lived in a rich house given to him by the King. His family were well to do and his children were grown. He was in his fifties but still agile and healthy. Emilia, his wife walked into the foyer where her daughter was knitting and smiled. "It seems you are getting a hang of this".
She nodded and her mom swooped to kiss her cheeks. "I will be visiting the dressmaker this evening. I want to get a new gown made for next season" she said and Erin nodded. "Where is your brother Erin?" she asked and Erin shrugged "Probably with his belles" they laughed.
A maid brought tea on fancy cups for them and left while they drank. Trystan walked in with his coat and Erin rolled her eyes. "Go and have your bath quickly. God knows you reek" she mocked as he bent to kiss his mother. He was extremely handsome with his red curly hair and iron-grey eyes.
He had a sturdy build and sometimes Erin couldn't help but stare in wonderment. The door was opened harshly and Eskimo came in with two castle guards. "Where is Austin?" he barked and Emilia stood up embarrassed. "And why do you have to come in without knocking?" she asked furiously.
"Austin has been charged with treason and he will be arrested". Emilia, Erin and Trystan looked very shocked that they had to stare at themselves before they could understand a thing. "He has been a spy for the Kingdom of Saffron and he will be killed" Eskimo explained and Emilia broke into sobs.
"You can check upstairs" Trystan managed to say while Erin patted Emilia. One of the guards went upstairs to check with Trystan in his room but it was deserted. "No, it can't be" Trystan said when he saw a letter from his father on the dresser.
Opening it, he read
"Emilia, I have escaped to Saffron and will seek refuge there. I hope you find your way to Saffron" It was short, brief and concise. There was nothing he needed to know again. He heard Eskimo shout "Where is he?" Trystan walked downstairs dejectedly and handed Eskimo the parchment. "I have no choice but to arrest you" he said and Emilia fainted. "Mother"
^^Punishment Courtyard
Rosario was so befuddled. He hadn't felt so enraged like this. Those foreigners killing Aurora was disheartening and if he saw Austin, he was going to terribly injure him in a way that he would not forget. He heard a knock and a guard announced "Lord Eskimo has arrived" He nodded and prepared to go to meet him.
Erin was crying as she looked around. They were in a courtyard filled with deadly instruments for punishments and guards waiting to kill them all. She was waiting for the King to come. She prayed that she would find favour in him but apart from that, they were all doomed.
She couldn't believe her father could do this to them. King Rosario walked into the courtyard alongside Aphrodite, his younger sister. Eskimo bowed and the guards followed his lead. "My King, Austin fled before we reached his manor, these are his children and wife".
Rosario couldn't deny that his children and wife were quite innocent and had nothing to do with whatever their father had done. He closed his eyes as everyone waited for his judgement, the ultimate one. "Rosa, they will suffer for the sin of their father".
Erin gulped as she heard the voice of Regina. She was already clad in a black silk gown ready to mourn her loss. "They will pay the price for the death of my Aurora" she said spitefully and Rosario saw the pain in her eyes: the pain of a mother who was mourning the loss of her child.
"Grant me that one wish my son" she pleaded and Rosario spoke "Yes mother". He left the courtyard at once and Regina growled. "Whip the wife" she said murderously and the guards grabbed Emilia. "No mother!" Erin yelled but there was nothing she could do but watch as the guards stripped her.
They removed Emilia's clothes and a horsewhip was brought. A bearded fellow walked out of the shadows and Regina smiled "It has been a long time Cassius" she greeted as the man flexed his hands. Cassius was in charge of punishments and training of the soldiers.
He was very good with whips and held two in his hands. "Please no!!!" Emilia pleaded but Regina nodded for Cassius to begin. He wiped her with the two whips and red marks covered the spot he had hit. She yelled excruciatingly and Cassius repeated the movements. Her screams rented the air and that of Erin.
Trystan hugged Erin trying to prevent her from seeing their mother but he was not successful. "Mummy!" she yelled out painfully seeing her mother in pains. "Lash her more" Regina ordered Cassius despite the fact he had done it enough. "I will make sure you get enough punishments before you kiss your coffins" Regina swore.