A fox in the snow

Chapter 24

Ding! Dong!

The bell reminded them that nine days of mourning have passed. The next day would be the Coronation. The herald would ride through all the villages and towns in the morning on his hazel brown stallion, proclaiming the next ruler- 'Queen' Catherine.

Well, let's see about that, shall we?  Lilith smirked.

They didn't wait for the next day. The sun had already descended into the faraway hills and the place was getting darker. The villagers were getting restless, fueled by purpose. They had to protect the crown from getting into the wrong hands. It had the power to mess with the future, and they were well aware of it. They decided to storm into the palace, without carrying fire torches for most of the journey, as it would alert soldiers.

Among the crowd was Zayden, determined to rescue Lilith. His eyes darkened at the mention of the atrocities and the wrath she had to face and pushed his way to the front of the angry mob. Some of them pointed fingers at him, recognising his face from the crystal.

"Traitor!" they cried. Zayden expected this and decided to confront it.

"I'd like to say something," he began. His voice made no impact. It was a rather gentle voice, too soft to pierce through the murmuring crowd.

"I'd like to say something!" he repeated, this time loud enough to capture the attention of the people in the front. They shushed the people behind them and signalled him to begin.

"I know everyone thinks of me as a manipulator, traitor, a sneak, opportunist by taking advantage of the princess' vulnerability and endangering the kingdom," he said. "However, please listen to my side of the incident and be the judge."

Over the next few minutes, he narrated the whole incident, without missing detail and any pretences. He began by explaining how he entered the palace using a forged invitation and was trapped in a bait by his best friend, as a form of distraction for Lilith as the murderers got away with the crime.

Everyone listened with rapt attention. When he ended his monologue, he bowed respectfully and said, "Now, I'm here for just one purpose- rescue Lilith."

The explanation seemed reasonable but everyone still had their doubts. Lilith was among the crowd, listening to every word and overhearing murmurs of the crowd to understand what they thought of the whole ordeal. "Well, either he's a convincing orator, or he's simply speaking the truth," she overheard a lady tell her opinion.

She was in a fix- whether to believe him or not.

"Look, we may or may not fully trust this chap here. But now we have no time to debate. An extra pair of hands would most certainly help us. So for now, we trust you," one of the elders spoke up, after much consideration.

Zayden nodded understandingly, brows furrowed in a surge of purpose. He had long suffered at the hands of his parents, who neglected him and later abandoned him. His foster parents made him work like a slave in their home while their own two sons got preferential treatment. He had to go hungry some nights too, and when he couldn't bear it anymore, he ran away from home. That's when he met Aeden, whose mother Martha treated him like her own son. Aeden was his best friend and confidante, with whom he confided his deepest fears and secrets.

Now when Aeden himself tricked him, he sensed a deep void in his heart. When he met Lilith, his fears and inhibitions were erased. He had never seen someone as caring and witty as her. Moreover, after knowing his true identity, she never looked down upon him. The void in his heart was filled with radiance, positivity, happiness and self-confidence. He longed to meet her again, but that's when this drama unfolded. His lost sense of purpose and fulfilment was coming back.