The guards were moving in dozens, marching their heavy foot theoretically on the floor.
They kept barging into every palace chamber, aggressively searching for the unknown. The king had furiously ordered the immediate investigation of all palace workers, ranging from the cooks to the cleaners, even special maids and messenger weren't left behind.
They were all scrutinized. What the hell was going on? The main reason for the impromptu investigation wasn't specified or disclosed. But guess what! The trident had gone missing.
Trouble… Trouble… Trouble. The king had vowed and sweared on his grandfather grave that he would stop at nothing till he found the stolen trident.
This was definitely not some game or joke. It really happening. It sounds quite funny how a single trident could the turn whole palace in complete tumor. Two days passed and there was neither sign nor symbol of the trident. The guards had carried out the king orders. All nooks and crannies had been searched but nothing was found.
The king stood still at the window side, admiring the glory and beauty of the land. Where could the trident be? It had no leg! Neither could it walk out of the palace. Someone or something must have took it. The king was disheartened. Could it have been Hannah, his precious daughter? No! that way too impossible. In fact, it sounded ridiculous.
But the fact still proved a point. Hannah was surely there that night, standing in front of the basement door in a severely late hour. The king was left with no other choice. Even though it broke his heart, he had to do it. Hannah had to be questioned. Judging by her quietness since that night, she must have saw something. Her sealed lips had to be unzipped.
Just like Hannah knew her father like the back of her palm, the same theory also applies to the king. He knew Hannah just well and could tell if she spat out a lie. The joint family breakfast will be the best and most positive event for the scheme. The king grabbed his fork , aimed for the sauced beef and ripped it apart, devouring them into his mouth.
He surveyed around, monitoring everyone facial expression. He noticed something unusually different. Hannah was known to be the lousy one, a type that loves to gossip and crack jokes during meal hours. She appears to be a different person today. She buried her head close to the plate, staring clearly at them like they were some piece of artifact made of gold.
The king couldn't help but notice this. He poured a glass of wine down his throat, clearing the rest particles of beef left in his mouth. Are you okay darling, the king asked, dashing Hannah a smile which could be considered unhealthy. Yes' father, she responded, raising her head up a little.
The atmosphere was filled with multiple pressure and intense tension.
Hannah felt like screaming but she couldn't. Jay showed up, lingering toward in his shabby dress. He held a tray of wine in his hand and placed them right in front of prince Luther.
The king had to make use of the neutral opportunity. He had to strike, perhaps he could kill two bird with one stone. Something felt fishy about Jay movement that night but there was no proof to back it up.
Jay was in a safe place, no doubt to that but Hannah was the only available bait to lure him out of the burrow. Could you recollect what happened at the basement that night, perhaps you saw something or probably someone. Hannah choked, cough spilled out her mouth. That came quite unexpected, she thought. She had came heavily set and prepared.
She knew her father so well. The man would stop at nothing till he fished out the truth.
But Jay wasn't in her current calculation. She honestly didn't predict her father would drag Jay into the suppose questioning. Why was her father moulding an entirely different shape of calabash from the one she knew. Hannah was tensed. All eyes were blinking right her.
She felt like a criminal mastermind been interrogated by the securities . Her hand trembled with the food suddenly tasting bitter. Her father was definitely planning to push her to the brink.
He must have thought she would end up spilling it all out. Jay just stood still, demagnetized.
Now, it was all making sense. His sense of reasoning were probably right.
Why was the king bantering Hannah with such crucial question. This only meant one thing, perhaps Hannah's was among the footsteps he heard that night. Jay brain ran a quick mathematics. What the hell was she doing at the basement? Could she had seen the other side of him? His mind spoke more words than his mouth.
The king could feel the pressure running through his daughter veins. She became restless, trying so hard to avoid eye contact with Jay. Darling, I'm waiting for an answer, the king petted Hannah trying to put her to talk. She dropped the fork placed on her left hand, cleared her throat and readjusted her buttock.
The wait was over, she said to herself. Speaking bold was the only formula to break free from her father illusional prison. I was scared father, she began, shedding what could be called crocodile tears. I really didn't know how I got there. The last thing that flash through my brain was the sound of the mysterious voice.
At this point, all eyes were on Hannah. She could see it in their eyes. They were eating up the cooked frictional story. It seems more delicious than the initial morning dish. This gave her more goosebump and urge to proceed. It sounded so loud, roaring like that of an heavy thunder.
I shivered and screamed for help but no one came to my aid.
I gained back my lost memory only to meet myself been teleported to the basement. I got scared father, I didn't know what to do. Hannah fabricated her words, sobbing perfectly in pretense. Tears rolled down her cute little cheek. Oops! Just has expected, the king fell foolishly for it. Every part of her speech neutralized the king solid heart.
He was considered a strong and firm man but with Hannah, he acted like a complete pauper.
Blame and guilt set into the king heart. He felt bad for falsely accusing his daughter. The strong monarch ended up petting and apologizing his daughter. Hannah exhaled a deep breath.
The heavy load had been finally shifted off her head.
She smiled to herself, giving kudos to her emergency acting. Jay was astonished. Wow? he couldn't help but exclaim. What a performance! He never knew Hannah was this good an actress. Whatever lie she cooked up had save his dirty ass from an heavy blow. But, he still had questions to ask. There was was more to what Hannah said. What had she seen that night?
He stares at her, trying to figure out the answer to the unanswered question roaming around his mind.