Overnight, I became a sensation in the Northern towns.

In the past, when I walked on the streets, I noticed the love I received. After all, I was the bride of the Prince who rode his dragon and burnt down the Tarko army that tried to claim their lands.

However, now, it seemed I was even more well loved. And respected. Ever since, the news of Ingrith, broke out.

The Northern Ministry of Justice wrote an order ending the continuous branding of Ingrith and her relatives.

More so, now, when anyone passed Ingrith's home, on their way to the fabrics or meat market, they could all see the abundant food crops and fruits blooming in her compound. And also hear the sound of the stream behind it, flowing.

After the first seedlings sprouted out of the ground in Ingrith's compound, I invited a Gifted farmer. And within a week, Ingrith started harvesting fruits and other vegetables, as the farmer's Gift quickened the growth of the seedlings.

And so now, it pleased me, that though I didn't bring Ingrith back into the town, yet, at the outskirts of town where she was, she had more than enough food to feed herself and the growing child in her womb.

I giggled. Reading the note of thanks, that accompanied the jar of wine, Ingrith's old parents sent me. How sad they must have been all these years, to know their daughter was suffering, but yet, was prohibited from giving her a helping hand.

I shook my head. Some humans, posing as law makers and law enforcers, were even more cruel than wild beasts.

"Should I take the jar into the castle?" Konstanza asked, holding the jar of wine from Ingrith's parents, which Ingrith's cousin just delivered to me, while Konstanza and I stood outside the castle gates.

I nodded. "Why not? Take it to..." I paused. As I saw a boy of five, standing a few feet away from Konstanza, with an injury on his knee. It was a big wound. Did he fall? He had to be hurting right now.

Konstanza noticed where I was looking. She turned. Gasped. "Come here, Jamie" Konstanza said.

However, the injured five years old boy, Konstanza called 'Jamie' sped off.

"You know him, right?" I asked Konstanza.

She nodded.

"Hurry! Drop the jar of wine in the castle, and return. We must follow him" I said.

My healing Gift rising in me. Wanting to aid him.

I followed Jamie. "Jamie" I called.

He kept on running.

"Jamie!"

"You're hurt. Let me help you".

His speed did not decrease.

Soon, Konstanza returned to my side. Breathing heavily. She had been running to catch up with me.

"Lady Xemein. People rarely take this path. Why would Jamie come..." She noticed the building Jamie was entry "Jamie!"

I started to follow him, she held my hand back "we shouldn't enter there, my lady" Konstanza said.

If a five year old could enter this creepy-looking building, that filled me with chills, why should I stand, out here afraid to go in?

"It's the torture centre for criminals, when they're being questioned" Konstanza explained "I've heard the tools of torture there are extreme".

I took in a deep breath to ponder. The sun was setting. And soon, everywhere would be dark. Should we go back and call several other persons, before going into the building?

I turned back, "let's go and call..."

"Hahhh!!!" A loud cry came from the old building.

"Jamie!" Konstanza's eyes teemed with terror. "Is he in trouble?" She started racing to the building.

The Northern kids all grew up together, so, it was no surprise that Konstanza would want to dash towards danger, without fully knowing what was ahead of her.

I pulled her back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Jamie, he gets scared easily. The last time I frightened him, he passed out. So, what if he just fainted in a place like that?" She said, pointing at the old structure.

I held her hands. I was terrified too. But, at this second, we had to be reasonable.

"I'll go in" I said. "Alone" I added.

"No, my..."

"We need not argue. Jamie is in danger. You'll stay out here. If I don't return, call..."

"I should be the one going in, my lady. You don't even know..."

Know Jamie? That didn't matter. All lives were important.

I didn't waste another second, thinking. I sped towards the building. My heart galloping within my chest.

Why did he scream?

Was he in danger?

Who or what could've attacked the boy?

I entered the building "Jamie".

I moved down the staircase.

Everywhere was dark. Chills ran down my backbone.

Why did a boy of five ever choose to run into this kind of place?

"Jamie".

I had not walked up to another five steps, when I heard chains falling.

Instinctively, I tried to dodge. But before I could even react or move a few feet away, the iron chains encompassed me!

Circled round my waist, my arms and my legs.

What's happening!

Is this a trap? Or a mechanism, I stepped on, used to hold criminals?

The fire torches in the room suddenly came alight.

"Lady Caterina, a present for you" the voice of an adult male spoke.

Lady Caterina. The Judge's wife?

On a seat across from where I stood, chained, sat a heavily made up woman. Her neck, beaming with the emerald necklace sitting on it. Behind her, stood five huge men. Her guards.

If this was Lady Caterina, then, I'd be a fool to think, that it was a coincidence that she and I, suddenly happened to be in the same room.

The bitch led me here.

She must've seen the growth of crops in Ingrith's compound, and was here to scold me.

Well, she might as well, get on with spouting the words in her heart, 'cause, so far as Ingrith and her child were safe, I didn't mind being called names.

She stood up. Walked across the room. Passing one of her guards who held someone whose face was covered with a sack. And also passing a pool of dark-green water at the centre of the room.

She stopped in front of me.

I looked away. If both of my arms weren't bound by chains, from opposite ends, I'd most likely be the first to show this woman how callous humans could be. Perhaps, pulling her long dangling earring would do the trick.

"Who do you think you're?" She said.

Xemein! Proud defender of the weak. Daughter and rightful heir to the throne of Marjol, were the words I wished I could throw at her.

I continued looking away. Staring into the distance. As if, I was yet to notice that anyone of importance was standing in front of me, talk more, of even asking me a question.

"Answer me!" She lashed out.

Her voice, echoing in the quiet cell.

She grasped my chin. Her fingers, digging into my face.

Anger, burning in each word she roared next, "who do you think you're to defile my order?"

Order to let a pregnant woman starve to death? Order to pretend I didn't see another human in pain? Order? What order!

"Answer!" She thundered.

"No matter how fierce, dogs bark. They're still animals" I muttered.

And her face and eyes seemed to swell with rage.

Oh...was she offended, because of my mean words? It seemed being the Prime Minister's niece made people afraid to send a few mean words her way.

She glowered at me, her face still swelling. My neck, rose in pride. What could she do?

And the next second, the worst slap I've ever received landed on my cheek! Gboom.

My jaws shook.

Mother of Light!

Will my left eardrum ever function again, after this earth-shattering slap?

I glared at her.

"Perhaps, you think because of the family you come from, you could challenge me" She fired "let me correct you, the power of your family is nothing compared to mine" she said.

Like I cared about the status of Nobleman Edgar's family.

She stepped away from me. Looked at me again. Fire could almost be seen, sprouting from her pair of light-colored eyes "did you honestly think, no one would know it was you, who used the Prince's seal?"

Shock, must've enveloped my face. As she burst into laughter. Laughed some more. Paused. And then, continued laughing.

"Since the Dark Lord moved to the North, never for once has he used his seal, because his focus is on the military.

And now, days after you visited Ingrith. Out of nowhere, a letter appears with His seal on it.

So, tell me, how I wouldn't suspect it's the handiwork of the Prince's bride?" She smirked.

Clapping her hands. And applauding her ingenuity.

"But then, somehow, you healed Ingrith's lands. How did you do it?" She said.

I kept quiet. You didn't tell maniacs like this, that you were a Feeder.

"Apologize" She said. "Vow to never interfere in my matters. And I might forgive you".

It was my turn to laugh. I giggled. Is this woman, one of those funny storytellers, that the 'real' Lady Caterina sent to impersonate her?

"You won't submit, I see. Now, watch this" She signalled to the guard holding the person whose face was covered with a sack.

The sack was lifted.

And what my eyes beheld, made me shriek. "Hah!!!"

The man the guard held, was the Gifted farmer I called, to assist with Ingrith's land, after the first seedlings sprouted.

And now, he was dead. His throat, slashed.

"Hah!" My heart tore. This was a youth, in his late teenage years, she just murdered.

"I promised that whomever aided that bitch, won't have a corpse for his loved ones to bury" Caterina said.

And before, I could say another word, the Gifted farmer's standing corpse, was pushed into the pool of dark-green water.

Instantly, the flesh-eating worms in the pool covered the body.

I howled. Closed my eyes. And fell on my knees.

What just happened? My heart panted. What just happened?

This lady killed a young talented man, and had his body destroyed. No corpse for his loved ones to bury. No body for his grandparents and parents to say goodbye to.

I stood up. Pulled hard against my chains "you cruel bitch!"

"You, foul demon from the pits of damnation!"

First! She was comfortable, letting her pride and jealousy control her enough, to order that an unborn child, once born, be branded constantly like its mother. And now, she was doing this?

Where was the justice that was supposed to govern this world? She killed a young adult, fully knowing that she will get away with the murder.

My cardiac muscles throbbed with pain.

One of her guards moved. And lifted a branding iron, I had not noticed, was in the fireplace.

Holding it with a tong, he moved towards me.

I looked at Lady Caterina "you can't do this! I am the bride..."

"Of the Dark Lord?" She sniggered.

"Why do you think I have the courage to be here?" She cackled.

"We all know the truth. He has no interest in you. I mean, what kind of man abandons his new bride to go to a military camp?"

"A man who is totally uninterested in you" she said.

"And if he cared a bit about you. You wouldn't have had to steal his seal behind his back. You would simply have asked him to handle this matter. And he'd have come personally. As a favour to his woman".

She paced for a few seconds "If I don't teach you a lesson tonight! You'd always want to interfere in my matters!" her voice, ringing out of her gullet, like a peal of thunder.

"And I'd never let it!" She screeched.

"Jamie?" I asked, "is he safe?" Even though, she used him as 'bait' to lead me here, I had to be certain he was alright.

"He is one of the Dark Lord's rescuees, I dare not harm him" she said.

Rescuee. Whom the Dark Lord saved from slavers.

I nodded. Clenching my chin. As I braved myself for the worst.

Does Regalis care even a bit about me? The thought, could not but cross my mind. And though, I didn't seek his help directly in this matter, but would he care at all if I got hurt?

He probably won't.

And that response hurt, even though I wished it didn't.

Caterina's eyes moved to the guard, holding the red hot branding iron. And her voice rose. Uttering the words, that would forever scar my physical appearance "you may proceed!"

And the next scream, I heard that night. Was not that of a child. But, my own.

My own pathetic screams. Filled with panic. Horror. And excruciating torment.

And along with it, came the sore sick stench, of my burning flesh.