Accidental Duchess episode 3
🍁🍁 HIS ACCIDENTAL DUCHESS 🍁🍁
🌳🥀{ His Maiden Bride }🌳🥀
Written ✍️: Cisca. H.
CHAPTER THREE: CASE REPORTED.
She returned and headed straight to her room.
The morning approached, Mrs Martha went to make breakfast. She waited for her daughter to wake up, but it was almost 8am and yet, she hasn’t left her room. That’s just unlike Daphne, she wondered.
” Daphne, you wouldn’t want to be late for class! Breakfast is ready and make sure you eat your food before you go. ”
After an extra hour, Martha saw no sign of her daughter leaving. She went to her room, gave a knock twice and when no response was heard, she opened the door to find it empty.
The bed was neatly dressed like no one had slept on it. ” Daphne,” she called for the last time, instead she heard the echo of her voice.
She didn’t want to think what or who it might be that took her daughter, because she already knew who it was.
She rushed down, taking her scalf from the table and tying it around her neck. She was about to leave when a knock was heard, she quickly opened the door. Staring at her bruised daughter, she gasped with her hand on her mouth.
” Daphne,” she fell on her mother’s arm, unconscious. Martha managed to carry her daughter to her room, cleaning her wounds.
They had her brutally beaten up. Severe marks on her skin, and bloods dripping from each openings. She remembered her discussion with Gracia the previous day, she thought she was doing it right but seeing the scars on her daughter’s skin made her reason over what Gracia told her.
She must report to the king, no matter what judgement he takes, she was tired of being humiliated, she was tired of watching her daughter get hurt.
She waited for hours for her daughter to wake up, and when she finally did, she helped her walk down to the sitting room. ” I made you breakfast, are you hungry?”
” No, I don’t feel like eating anything. ”
” I know, but you have to. You need to eat for your medication. I already brought some local drugs from the doctor, he said you must eat first before you take your drug. ”
” Can you help me, I don’t have the energy to feed myself. ”
” Don’t worry about that. ” She went to the kitchen, walking out with a plate of porridge. She sat just close to her daughter, and she fed her the porridge until it was finished.
” Thank you.”
” Do you want more?”
” No, I’m not hungry. ”
She took the plate to the kitchen, dropping it in the sink. She left to where Daphne sat, sitting on the same chair she had sat before. She sighed, ” How did it happen? ”
” I was in my room when they banged in. I tried to tell them to come back tomorrow but they wouldn’t listen. They said they wanted their money and they will have me instead for it. ”
” Did anyone see them take you? ” She asked.
” I don’t think so, but if anyone did that I do not know. ”
” We must report this to the king, we mustn’t keep quiet anymore, or they keep hurting us. ” She decided.
” Mother, you know the king too well, you know he pays no attention to the poor and brings no justice to the weak. ”
” We have endured for years, for four good years have we received such maltreatment. We must go first, whatever his judgement is, we will accept it. But, we must report this to the king. ”
” When do you intend to go to the castle? ” She asked.
” I will help you get changed, we leave very soon. ”
*
*
” Sire, ” said a guard as he entered the meeting room.
” What is it? ” King Euchred asked.
” We have a case outside.” Replied the guard.
” Bring it in. ” Martha entered the hall with her daughter who walked beside her. Daphne wore a long dress which covered her entire body, making her bruises invisible. ” You are the one who has come with a case?”
” Yes, your majesty. ”
” What is it that you wish to tell me? ”
” I will be honored if your majesty listens to what I have to say. ”
” Speak, I am listening. ”
” Four years ago, I lost my husband and since then, I and my daughter have never tasted the happiness of life. Our community leaders has taken all we have and yet, they keep coming. They take our valuable goods in exchange for their money and they will have my daughter beaten up if they find no valuable goods to take. ”
” Last night, ” she continued, ” they took my daughter away, had her beaten up and sent her back home early this morning like this.” She pulled up the sleeves of her daughter’s dress that the king could see the bruises clear.
” Come forward, child.” She looked at her mother who nodded. ” Fear not, I won’t hurt you. ” She went up to his throne, pausing steps away from him. ” What is your name young lady?” He asked.
” Daphne, sire. My name is Daphne.” She answered.
” Come forward, Daphne. ” He ordered and she did so. He got a clear glance of her wounds, and how severe they were. He looked at her buried face, raising it with his first finger, he asked. ” Who did this to you?”
” The community leaders, sire,” she replied.
” When did this happen? ” He asked again.
” Last night. ”
” At what time of the night? ”
” Around 8pm.”
He sighed, nodding his head. ” You may go. ”
She walked to where her mother stood. Her face still buried to the ground. ” Conrad, ” he called his guard.
” Yes, your majesty.”
” Gather the community leaders… all of them. I want them in the castle. Now. ”
Conrad hastily left to Penn with some few guards who accompanied him. They seized them all, dragging them to the castle. The entire hall has been quite since Conrad left, even as he returned with the leaders, everywhere stood quiet.
He began, ” Daphne, come forward a little. ” She did so, “Do you know who she is? ” He asked, referring to the eldest of the four.
” No, sire. ” He lied.
” Daphne, turn that he may look at you. ” And she did so. ” Do you still deny that you do not know her?” He asked again.
” I… I know her, I remember her.” He confessed, trembling.
” Is it true you had taken her away from her home last night and had her beaten up?”
” Y…yes, we did. ”
He took a deep breath, sighing heavily. ” For what reason do you have for taken such action?”
” They still owe us our money. ” He said.
” What money?”
” Taxes. ”
” Is that true?” He asked, referring to Martha.
” We have paid our tax for a long time. But they keep coming back every night. ” She boldly answered.
He returned his gaze to the young man, ” I will presume this you have done, is not only to this woman but to the village as a whole. And for that, you will serve the consequences as well as your colleagues. And to you woman, I will restore everything he has taken from you. ”
” Sire, I do not request for money or valuables, all I request is for peace in my household and to the rest of the people of Penn, that’s all I ask for. ”
” I see. ” He nods, ” Go home then, and bother no more. ”
” Thank you, your majesty, we really appreciate your judgement.”
” Thank you, your majesty. ” Daphne said, and they retreated out of the castle.
Outside the castle, princess Hannah had stopped them. She approaches to their direction. ” You are the ones who had come to report a case, right?”
” That is right. ” Said Martha.
” My name is Hannah, I am the princess of this kingdom.” She Introduced “I am sorry to have bothered you two. ”
” Pardon us for not recognizing who you are. ” They bowed their heads, rising it again.
She smiled, “That is nonsense. I do not blame you for your actions. Well, I am here for a request.”
” What is it, your Highess. ”
” Can we discuss… private?” They shifted aside, she began. ” She is your daughter, am I right?”
” Very. ”
” The moment I looked at her, I thought I should help. I want her to be my maid servant, she will be serving me here in the castle. What do you say about it?” She asked.
” If my daughter has found favour in the sight of her Highess, who am I to say no? I will talk to my daughter about this, and I will give you a reply before nightfall. ”
” I will be waiting for your reply. Have a nice day. ”
” Have a nice day too, your Highess. ” She finally retreated out of the palace.
~`*~`*~`*
To Be Continued…