Light from the Shadow

Chapter 37

A guard pulled the blindfold off from Jyaga's face. The bright light from the sun was blinding his eyes. No wonder they called it the Sun Empire, he mused. Slowly, he could make sense where he was. The capital square. There were people watching him and... he noticed another man beside him.

"Mr. Rishi???!!" He shouted.

"You okay, Mr. Knight?" The librarian sat up. His eyes were still covered.

"Why are you here??? You were caught too?? Where is Prince Kuan?"

Jyaga could see Rishi's lips curving down at his questions.

"Why do you think I am here, My Lord? It's because you are useless! You and that stubborn princess of yours!"

Before Jyaga could ask further, another loud cheer came from the crowd.

It's the Crown Prince! What is he going to do? Is it true that these men are foreign spies? The people murmured. Jyaga followed everyone's gaze to the balcony of the large building in front of him. Crown Prince Helten Tehra was there, waving his hand to his people. And then Jyaga's eyes widened. Beside him, stood Princess Ayna. His eyes were still swollen by the punch he received before but he could see the princess quite well. She looked pale... and frightened.

"Princess..." He unconsciously muttered.

Rishi heard him. His body jolted forward. "She is here?! Where is she??" He wanted to tear the blindfold down.

"Up there... with the crown prince. What is she doing there?"

***

"Listen, Your Highness. If you want to save your friend here, then agree to my request we discussed just now."

"I won't agree to it!"

"Then you leave me no choice." He smiled and raised his hand giving a signal.

Two guards stepped into the square, each bringing a small blade with them. The blades were thrown in front of the two captives, allowing Rishi to recognize the loud clanking sound as they landed on the floor. The guards then pulled out their own swords and rested them only inches away from the captives' neck.

"So it's like this, huh?" Jyaga sneered. He lifted his head up again towards the princess. Hang on there, princess! I'll save you. I promised His Majesty. No matter what, I'll save you!

"What are you trying to do?!!" Ayna cried.

"I'll give them a choice to kill themselves or risked the other killed by the guards."

"What..." Ayna turned to where Jyaga and Rishi were. The guards looked like they were more than ready to remove the heads in front of them.

"No!! Please stop!!"

"So you agree?" Helten asked.

Ayna clenched her fists. If she agreed to it...

"If you agree, I will allow your knight to go back to Remblan while you stay here for a year or more... until you produce an heir for us."

Ayna looked up. "What about Rishi?"

Helten shifted his gaze to the librarian below. "He will remain here. As long as you don't do anything funny, I won't do anything to him."

Ayna lowered her eyes. She could see her best friend was looking at her. Looking worried. And then she saw Rishi. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes. Sorry... she mouthed unconsciously. I'm sorry....

"What..."

Rishi heard the knight. "What is it?"

"The princess... she said 'sorry'..." Jyaga said. "She is... crying..."

"Helten! What did he do to her??" Rishi struggled to release himself from the bind.

Jyaga turned to the librarian and glanced at the guard standing behind Rishi. He shook his head. Too risky. The knight had a plan and he wished to tell the librarian but he did not know how to convey it well. He obviously could not verbally tell him. And Rishi's eyes were still blindfolded. But there was no other way. He had to take the chance.

Jyaga cleared his throat. "Mr. Rishi, I think you know what they are trying to make us do."

Rishi did not answer.

"Stop talking!!" The guards behind punched Jyaga's face.

The knight's lips was bleeding now. He continued talking. "Let me go first." And another blow landed on his face again.

Ayna turned her back to the crowd and faced Helten. "As I thought, I can't do it."

"So you'd rather let your best friend die?" The crown prince had done enough investigation to know the knight he captured was the princess' childhood friend.

"No." Ayna shook her head.

"Then..."

"Have you witnessed the magi with your own eyes before?" She asked.

"What are you trying to do now?" Is she going to use her power? Impossible! She did not know how. Is she trying to buy time?

"I have, you know? It can harm anyone not just enemies but also the person dear to you." Tears are streaming down her cheeks.

"Stop talking nonsense." He shoved her aside and gave his command from the balcony. "Guards!"

The guards nodded and murmured something to both Rishi and Jyaga and then they removed the small blade in front of Rishi, leaving only one blade for Jyaga. The guard standing behind him had started to undone his bind.

"Jyaga!!" Ayna shouted from above. Jyaga turned to her.

"Thank you for everything..." She smiled and closed her eyes.

Before Jyaga could respond to her, he saw a gush of blood spewing out from the royal's mouth and her body fell backward, disappearing from his sight.