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The Unofficial Empress - Chapter 26
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The Duke of Fernando and the Female Duke of Mariposa have arrived at the designated time and place to meet Vicente Do. Of course, the meeting is earlier than the arrival of the third prince and the hostage-takers. The dukes from two opposite regions of the empire looked wary towards the Duke of Hong. Vicente remained calm as he began the agenda of the meeting.
Considering nature for a dam project, he wanted them to meet up in that mountainous side of Kabayanihan as an excuse. The real reason would be revealed later. He smiled and began discussing.
The imperial army arrived at the designated meeting place. The hostage-takers were very careful as they wore thick and dirty outer robes, but deep inside were stolen imperial army uniforms. Marco got down from his horse and held his spear behind him. Lino and Luis followed behind him as they cautiously held the hilts of their sword.
The hostages were senior citizens, women, and children. Five children caught Marco’s attention as their hoods were removed. Brent, Macky, Kyanu, Nick, and Shane bravely looked at him even if they are shedding tears. Two out of the fifteen women who were reportedly missing five months ago were from the second prince’s palace. He knew because he was the one who investigated the case and they ended up still empty-handed.
One of the ten senior citizens is Dr. Aragon’s elder brother. He looks exactly like Dr. Aragon except for the burn scar on the left side of his neck and the deep crease on his forehead. He once worked with the old man in the relief operation in the fire that almost burnt a whole mansion in the Central region three years ago before he was appointed as the commander of the royal guards. At first, the old man was disgusted with him but still worked with him in saving the stranded citizens in the manor. It was him who saved the old man from suffocation when the latter went inside the burning mansion. He was able to save the old man and a baby boy. Three of them got burns but they were not enough to leave scars on his skin.
The rest of the hostages are commoners he couldn’t recall their names but he associated with–in the capital and in the region.
The outlaws removed their coats and grinned evilly. The soldiers unsheathed their swords pointing them towards the outlaws-in-disguise. Lino and Luis raised their hands to stop their comrades as they saw how shocked their commander is. He stood frozen, with eyes burning in anger, lips tightly pressed, teeth grinding, and fists clenching. It is as if a volcano is about to erupt. Once it happens, the casualty is very high.
The women and children are crying in fear due to threats they received even before they were dragged to that riverbank. The senior citizens are pleading the outlaws to release the women and children as they have lived their full lives. It would be enough for them to be killed for the sake of the young ones.
“The deal is for the commander to go back to the palace. Now, are you ready to surrender your weapon and march back towards the palace, your highness?” the one in captain uniform spoke.
“Release them,” Marco said coldly and resolutely let go of his spear. Everyone was shocked, including the three dukes upstream. Vicente flinched as he didn’t expect such spectacle before his eyes. It was not as planned. He meant for the third prince to resist until the latter had no choice but to slaughter.
Nico and Cesaria did not expect to see the three dukes on the bridge, neither do the three dukes expected to see them there. Vicente was speechless as he chuckled. “What’s happening?” Nico asked as he directed his gaze downstream. Imperial soldiers are gathered on the riverbank. His brother voluntarily disarmed himself. “We miscalculated,” he clenched his teeth and was about to run but Cesaria calmly pulled his hand.
“Your highness,” she knelt down in front of him. “Please don’t let your actions be clouded by your emotions. Think clearly.”
With grinding teeth, he turned his back on her and held the bridge’s railings. What could he possibly do in that situation? He wasn’t prepared for this scenario. To think that the enemy is one step ahead of them is unacceptable. His usual friendly smile disappeared making the three dukes exchange gazes.
“Cesaria, what are you doing here?” the duke of Fernando asked his daughter.
Cesaria coldly yet curtly responded. “I am here as the second prince’s lady-in-waiting. Where else should I be if not around him?”
“Your highness,” the duke of Fernando knelt down. “Please spare my daughter. Please send her back to safety and you may execute me for my misconduct…”
“Be still,” Nico said coldly. His voice is so cold that he could freeze the river. No one spoke as they watched what is going on downstream.
The outlaw in captain’s uniform sat on the large rock by the water and brought out an hourglass. “One head for three minutes, your highness,” he said and let it stand beside him. “You have to decide immediately or these innocent people will die loathing you,” he said and dragged a woman beside him, pulling her hair.
Marco is still weighing down his decision. Although the imperial army I told Nico to bring is waiting on the other side of this mountain, there is no guarantee that everyone will accept my decisions. But there is no time to waver now. He closed his eyes thinking that a little sacrifice would be worth a thousand lives and several years of peace. He is convincing himself as he helplessly looked at the woman whose life is at stake then to the children crying in fear.
“Your highness, please do what is necessary,” the woman said and the outlaw slapped her face. Lino and Luis clenched their teeth. Their pride as warriors are being crushed by that situation. This is the first time that a group of outlaws wanted to kill someone in exchange for the prince to back away, not for money. If they demanded for something valuable such as land, jewelry, mansion, or any government position, it could be easier to negotiate and to deal with it no matter the cost.
But to back away and let them go is a threat to imperial security. “Time’s up!” the outlaw shouted and slit the woman’s neck. Her blood splattered on the rock and a tiny drop also reached Marco’s cheek when the outlaw slashed the air to sheath back his sword. The killing continued each turn of the hourglass and the same plea from each hostage rings out.
From the bridge’s perspective, Marco is letting his men execute the people. Within 45 minutes, fifteen corpses are lying on the rock with blood flowing down the river.
Alexandra’s carriage arrived at the east region and central region boundary when Vicente’s men blocked the road. When she came out, the coachman is already bleeding to death. The man with bloodstained sword mounted the carriage and kicked the coachman. “His grace, Duke Hong’s orders, princess. Please get inside the carriage,” the man said and licked his lips as he gazed upon Agatha. Alexandra blocked him and looked at him with intimidating gaze. The man just turned away in fear.
The man stopped the carriage and opened the door so she got down together with Agatha. At first, she was wondering why Vicente would take her to a mountainous area. When Agatha gasped, Alexandra automatically turned towards the riverbank where Agatha is looking at. The fifteenth victim was slashed just as she disclosed who are standing down there.
Nico cautiously dragged Cesaria behind him as Vicente stepped closer. Then after a while, a cry of soldiers from the mountain echoed as they descended from the other side. The people in the riverbank began to unsheathe their swords, turning their blades against each other. Soldiers versus soldiers.
Terrorists who were on standby came out and began to fight with the descending soldiers. The Duke of Mariposa and the Dukes of Fernando prepared to fight as well when the terrorists who reached the bridge cried out.
The man who drove the carriage left Alexandra and Agatha as originally instructed by Vicente so they just watched from afar how blood slowly stained the freshwater. She shook her head in disbelief. In the middle of the fight, Vicente escaped and smirked as he passed by the carriage where Alexandra stood behind, not knowing that his cousin is there.
“Stay here,” Alexandra told Agatha but the latter still followed her. The three-hour fight is almost over as Luis and Lino slashed the last outlaw in a captain’s uniform. Marco didn’t move from where he stood as he listened to the battle cry. His clothes were stained with blood. The enemies tried to slash him but the soldiers closely watched over him even if he wasn’t giving any commands.
“Your highness, the third prince, please tell us what to do next,” Luis and Lino said in union as they knelt down with their right fists on their left chests. Everyone was shocked upon seeing his reaction.
Like a madman, Marco chuckled softly and suddenly knelt down, not minding the stones or the bloody water running through his knees. “Gather the injured and treat their wounds,” he said.
Alexandra, Agatha, Duke of Mariposa, and Cesaria helped treat the wounded. Nico and the Duke of Fernando isolated themselves on a rock in the middle of the river. Marco kept kneeling in front of the corpses killed helplessly in front of him.