Lady With A Spear

Chapter 4

                                            TRACY

"Imprudence at its finest." sneered the voice of a middle aged woman. She paused and continued, "Consider a case where you weren't a spy, just a commoner from the other side of the world. First you'll have to pass the Lake of Mri, which is guarded by The Old Lady of Mri spirit, who's single-handedly caused more than ten thousand deaths because of her I'll temper, whose tales I shouldn't tell in a room full of people. Next you would have to survive the rash winds of the plains and the horrible mountainous terrain, which has the ferocious wolves who even our soldiers couldn't tame, to finally enter the boundaries of Ramilia. If you were fortunate, you'd reach the Ice Palace, but it's occupied by the enemy anyways, so you won't be alive. " Was she trying to frame me?

"So what punishment do you want for her?" This was definitely the judge. "She needs to die, and her comrade the same, once recovered." the irksome voice began. They had framed me a criminal already.

"Stop the trial. I know you are going to kill her anyways, even if she was innocent. Give her food and clothes and send her to my chambers tonight for dinner. " This voice, was bold and courageous, so commanding that the whispers from the jury were silenced. It was of a female, and the voice made me want to meet this person with the energy of a tigress, but I knew I was going to meet her tonight. I heard her heels clank on the hard stone and realised that the lady with the strong voice had stormed out after using her power to stop my trial. Such a state of dilemma had she created!

"Yes......your highness." replied the judge immediately, in a miserable tone. It was his decision to decide what was to be done of me, but this lady came in middle and that had certainly made him livid. But her position in the monarchy was so high that everyone undisputedly agreed to her decision.

A bunch of soldiers carried me towards somewhere unknown, but the pungent smell of blood had disappeared. I was rather in a courtyard, which was recognisable by the mild smell of honeysuckles. My blindfold was removed, and I figured out in a second that I was in a magnificent chamber, unlike the prison room I was kept in. There were paintings of war and love hanged on the broad walls, which I rushed to look at. The room was graced by carpets spun of exotic wools, a gigantic bed which was decorated by blankets of silk, and a huge chandelier which added a tinge of royalty to the room, though it was already fit for a king. The windows were enormous, and provided a clear view of the deciduous forest that had now turned into a magical shade of light green, denoting summer was there. **"I am Zamine Nkurmah, the first princess of Ramilia, daughter of Empress Silya and the heir of Armora, and I feel we will be meeting a lot, Miss. Tracy." The princess said with a grin on her face, as if she had figured something out that was on her mind for ages."Yes, your highness?" I bowed gently. This women was one of the prettiest people I had ever seen. Her amber eyes reflected the glare of the chandelier, and even though she appeared to be really young, she seemed wise enough. She walked towards an enormous table and ordered me to sit on the table with her eyes. I followed her mindlessly.

" I won't refrain from commenting how our traditional Bestleva dress is looking pretty on you." She softened her face. Was she playing some mind game with me? "Thank....y-you" "You seem to be frightened. Rather let's savour a fine Ramilian dinner to open up." Two maids came and arranged fine cutlery. They bought exotic meat, fragrant soups and breads of so many varieties that even royalty would be impressed. The vegetables were finely cut and I would have started salivating if the princess would have removed her eyes off me.  "It's customary to start with a drink of sugary water here. Could we start?" I gulped it down as she had instructed. My mind wandered away to notice the richness of the room. There were cupboards full of books and the wallpaper was lovelier than the one in my room. The princess surely had an eye for fine paintings."The paintings here are really riveting. Especially the one in my bedroom" I remarked. "Yes. It's a painting of my grandmother." She really was keen about those paintings. To think about it, the lady mysteriously looked like the princess in one way, but she had softer features.

"Why did you stop the trial?" My restless and anxious mind could not refrain from asking this. Why was I important? After all killing me was more advantageous. How was she going to use me?"You shouldn't be questioning me. I'm the one who has the power." That was a rude and prideful answer. She was a quintessential princess. Silence was the key with her arrogance there."How did you retrieve the crown?" She continued in her usual tone, as she picked a glass and ordered a maid to pour something in it.
"I....found...it...in a dungeon." "And how did you remember this now, and why not in the trial?""There are many questions I can't answer." I was feeling light headed. That drink was poisoned or rather drugged."How did that dungeon look like?" "Dark and it had a canal in between. Sort of like a sewage system." "How did you enter the dungeon"A small tear rushed it's way down. My head ached and I felt nauseous. It was as if my body knew it but it wanted to forget it. I collapsed as breathing became abnormal. "Selective amnesia. Isabell's analysis never fails to surprise me. The sugar drink you consumed was an advanced medicine prepared by our head doctor, which brings out suppressed memories. However it can be extremely traumatic for the one who drinks it. I'll ask you to rest, for in fifteen days we have a journey to take." That was the last I heard.