Qaya opened her eyes and squinted at the bright light.

She was in a room and beside her, a woman sat, soundly sleeping.

Alarmed, she straightened up from the bed she was lying in and looked down at herself. She was in new clothes and her wounds were bandaged.

She moved to get out of bed but the woman flinched and woke up.

"Good morning. Are you feeling well?" She asked with a warm smile

Qaya silently nodded and tried to leave the bed but with help from the woman.

"Thank you for nursing me"

"It's no worries, after all I'm not the real hero, you would have died if that young man did not perform first aid and tend to your wounds"

Qaya suddenly remembered, there was a man she met the night before while...

"The corpse" she blurted out and shocked the woman

"What?"

"Don't mind me, where's the man that brought me here?"

"He's just outside having his lunch"

Qaya didn't even wait for instructions, she ran out of the room and tried to navigate her way around.

"Just where are you going?" A man called out.

Qaya turned back to see Rivan holding a plate of food.

"You?"

"Let's go inside" he said as he pointedly nodded at the room. "you know better than to show yourself in public in such a state"

Qaya nodded, she understood what he meant after all just the night before she was being chased by soldiers.

As they entered inside, the woman quietly left the two to discuss. Rivan set her food before her and Qaya did not think twice before devouring the food.

"I brought you here and seeing the circumstances of how we met, I lied to the inn keeper that you were uncovered from a raid at a human trafficking raid"

Qaya almost choked "what?"

"Or should I have said: 'hey this is a noble lady that stole a criminal's corpse and thus had to be shot by soldiers'"

Qaya rolled her eyes.

"So that was the best excuse you could think of, or am I not fit to be your fake lover"

Zach scowled "saying that won't put me in a good light. If you were my lover, you wouldn't be with such bruises because if anything I would die before the slightest harm comes to my lover"

"Dying's too much, but anyhow, Ms. Charmale must be so lucky"

For a brief second, his expression soured but he was quick to hide it "you won't even ask for what you stole?"

"To be honest, I didn't really care for the corpse now that I think about it. Everything I did was out of foolishness and selfishness"

"Still won't you be happy to hear that she was buried in a safe place and not in a prison graveyard"

"Where's she?"

"I won't tell you

... I'll show you"

They left the inn with Qaya still travelling as a male traveler.

They went to the Ceria countryside home. It was a large manor that was popular for having a history museum and it's revenue came from the visitor's fee and lodgings.

At the back of the museum, there lay epitaphs of Cralville's Martyrs and those who'd fought for the good of Easteford.

Just outside, the Martyr memorial was a plot of land.

A humble looking epitaph stood in a little corner.

"Blown by the currents of life, she's come to stay home"

"You buried her in your family's grave yard?"

"Yes..."

"That's so stupid, why would you incriminate yourself like that, you could easily have bought a small land anonymously, that's what I was going to do. If you do this you're going to be punished for my crime and then I'll feel guilty"

"You speak like you're sure that the King's men will retrieve her body. And I'll honestly do this than have her removed again from her resting place...ah, the disrespect"

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"And I am certain of this, the king will never check my family's graveyard, I doubt he even cares enough for the poor woman to have soldiers look for her corpse"

"Okay... I'm sorry for calling you stupid, it's just I really hate people taking the blame for someone else's misdeed...but the headstone, how did you prepare it so quickly"

"I had it already. It was made for my sister who hung herself"

"Uhm? Then" Qaya stuttered, she didn't know how to feel with such revelation.

"We could no longer use it when we read her suicide note and found out it was an elopement letter instead . She faked her death so there was no need for a burial"

"But ...how?"

"Let's not talk about it, to be honest I must have been excited to use it because I really wanted to kill her but thank God I don't have to, we've found much better use for it"

Qaya almost found it amusing but knew that it wouldn't be appropriate to chuckle. She cleared her throat as if to clear the awkwardness. "It's rather chilly, can I have some tea"

"Forgive my inhospitality, let's go inside"

As they sipped on their tea, Qaya seemed to be in deep thought.

"Is anything the matter, Ms. Heris-Mariale?"

"Well, it just makes me wonder. You're such a a law abiding individual, so why did you help me instead of giving me up so I can be apprehended. It's confusing"

"It just seemed the right thing to do at a time" he lied. But how was he to tell her the truth. The day he visited Melinda and the king interrupted their meeting, he had waited behind in the room next door because he still wanted to talk to Melinda. The King's guards must have missed him because he heard their whole discussion, how they were going to frame an innocent woman. He was deeply hurt by this revelation and the heartache that came with it was so severe that he was severely sick. Guilt and fear couldn't even let him attend the court investigation disclosure.

His plan was just the same as Qaya, he planned on recovering the woman's body and burying it elsewhere, he just happened to be later than Qaya.

"Your family must be looking for you"

Qaya shrugged "this tea is splendid. For now that's what I'm going to focus on"

Rivan chuckled and poured her more tea "anyway, is it even a good idea to appear like that...all perforated"

Qaya snickered. "All is well, Ceria"

A butler emerged and whispered into Rivan 's ears.

"Have him come in"

"Yes, sir"

"Do you have a visitor?" She asked as she was feeling self conscious, someone should not see her in such a state and in an unmarried man's house at that.

"No, YOU do"

Just at that moment, a tall fellow followed behind the butler; he was Qaya's travel escort.

He fell to his feet "my lady I have been searching for you, day and night"

"Oh forgive your cruel master, there was a matter I had to attend to, my family must have gone mad by now"

"I doubt it " the escort answered, Qaya frowned.

"I informed the staff that you wanted to go on a short sight seeing and that you'd lodge at an inn"

"So you lied" Qaya teased

"With what you've done. I assumed I had that much liberty. I want to keep my job and my head"

Qaya smiled widely " I didn't like you much when we first met but with what you've done, you've certainly moved into my good graces, I will reward you handsomely"

"Will it be too greedy if I ask you never put me through such"

"I'll try my best to put my days of foolishness behind me. Come let's go home"

She stood up to her feat and curtsied to Rivan "you've been such a generous host, I'll take my leave"

"Hold on" Rivan called out "let me be an even more generous host, I can't let you live like that"

He said referring to her attire, they were dull looking men's wear, it was oversized and you could tell that it was commoner's clothing.

Now they had to take a detour and find an appropriate dress.

Qaya thought it would take long to find a dress her size but she found one easily and went out to show her escort and Rivan.

"I might get attacked for cross dressing" she quipped but instantly regretted it when she met the unamused looks of the men.

"What do you mean?" Rivan asked not getting the joke

"Well...uhm...cause I'm so tall and bulky"

"My lady, realistically speaking, while you are huge for a woman, you'd at best pass for a small man, there's an evident contrast between you and the average man. You still have soft feminine features even though you're tall and big . Therefore no one will think you're a man crossdressing" her escort exposited

"I think you look okay either way" Rivan shrugged and continued with his work.

Qaya left there embarrassed.

When they got to the Chatelet Dylan bought for the event, no one was around safe for nanny. She appeared tired and was helping herself to juice.

"Where's everyone?" Qaya called as she sunk into the soft couch.

Nanny got up and rushed to attend to Qaya "the king summoned them, he didn't even let them come home, he just sent word that they must appear before him as soon as they reached Cralville. It's scares me"

Qaya raised her eyebrows, she really didn't want to get involved with Awin and Melinda but they just kept crawling into her life. How annoying.

"I am hungry, has food been made?

"Yes, I'll have the table set"

"Bring a plate for my escort, he'll join me"

Nanny paused but nodded in understanding.

As she ate, her mind wandered to Awin, what did he have up his sleeve? Anyway seeing as she wasn't summoned, it must have nothing to do with her, Awin has always been interested in the Mariale fortune, so he's probably proposing some stupid partnership: this is what she thought.

Either way, she'll find out in the right time.

When her family returned, they didn't have a pleasant expression on their faces.

"For what matter did the king summon you" she said as she hurried to her mother's side, giving her a light peck. This startled Marie who broke out in a shy smile but quickly frowned again.

"I imagine the King's meeting is the cause of your frowns"

Dylan sat down and smoothened his hair. "I don't know how to say this" he sighed and handed Qaya a letter, it was purple with red accents*

Qaya gave her family a questioning gaze and proceeded to open the letter. For a while she was quiet, then she fell into a chair, her gaze had darkened.

"What nonsense is this?"

"Qaya..." Jaslin tried to step in but her cousin was not having it

"And what right does he have to command such arrant nonsense, does he not know who you are? Have YOU forgotten the position you hold?"

"I can't abuse my power as a diplomat and as long as I'm live here I must respect the King's authority and this seems to be a reasonable request"

"Reasonable? If it was so reasonable why come in with such looks? He's asking that you participate in the great treasure hunt and have me seat in the King's canopy?!!"

Qaya shook her head "this is going to set lots of tongues wagging and you know it, it's one thing for an expatriate and diplomat to fight for a measly pathetic trophy with all the other lords and a completely different ball game to do that with his daughter sitting in the King's company"

"This is an insult to etiquette and if our family condones such rubbish only God knows what horrendous rumours the nobles are going to start manufacturing"

"Qaya, it's just a matter of etiquette, it something that can be overlooked"

Qaya paused and eyed her family carefully "why are you going along with this? Is he holding anything over you? I'll oblige if you tell me the full truth"

Marie sighed and signalled Jaslin who in turn had all the servants leave the room.

Marie spoke up "he told us the reason why you left early"

Jaslin added "he could have you arrested, you know"

Qaya snickered "is that it? I'll go see the king then"

"What? don't be stupid" Marie called out

"I might have been doing stupid things up till now but this is different"

****

Awin smiled as he saw Qaya sitting in his waiting room.

"For what matter do you wish to meet me?"

"I reckon the king is too smart to not know the reason"

Awin chuckled "you have a rather piercing way of speaking"

"Do not think because you're king that I'll forgive your discourteous behavior, that request of yours was against the norms of etiquette"

"But your actions yesterday proclaim good proprietary and sound etiquette?"

Qaya laughed heartily then she threw him a sharp cold gaze "both of us know, I did no wrong. If anything you're the one who's been doing nothing but wrong things"

"..."

"You use Ms. Wright as your dog, have her killed then replace her with her own murderer, make her death seem like retribution and then frame an innocent woman for the murder- or did I word it too poorly"

"You speak without proof, Qaya"

Qaya scoffed "we are not in court, so I don't care to prove anything because both of us know the truth"

"Either way, you still have to accept my request after all it is a royal command"

"I came here to tell you to renege that stupid request of yours"

"I'm afraid I can't, if you don't answer my wish, I'll have you arrested"

"Just try, Awin, just try. I will bring everything you've done to light, I have enough evidence to cause you to forcefully abdicate"

His heart skipped a beat, he wasn't sure if it was because of our brazenly she threatened him or how she called him by name without regard but he was shocked and concerned. But he didn't show this, he remained calm and collected.

"Okay, let's agree that I am a horrible person but that still doesn't excuse the fact that you stole a corpse, a frightening act and a crime too"

"Then do you want me to decide my own punishment?"

"I fear you may be too hard on yourself" he said with a sly smile

"It's better than being too lenient"

Awin let out a light chuckle, he felt her burning gaze as she said those words. It was a shot at him. "So what do you propose?"

"Switch it? Have my family sit in your company while I join the great hunt"

Awin laughed and stood up to look out the window "you must think me a fool. I ask that you let me punish you and you propose a way I should honor your family?"

"Forever discourteous" Qaya shook her head disapprovingly"I was not done speaking, when you acted like a vagabond and interrupted. If I fail to win then you can ask of anything as along as it is in the circle of etiquette and moral proprietary"

Awin smirked "I liked that"