The sky was pouring down heavily as if it was at war with the earth. Successive growling and thundering without intermittent, it was like the doom day.

  "Did the God anger for I tricked and lied to him?" Leila mumbled as she laid bare on the golden bed, listening to the sound of thunders.

  She was left alone after the ceremony. A servant of the temple came inside and called great Ayeegyee away for an urgent matter. Although the ceremony was ended, it was customary to spend the night at the holy ground till morning to fulfil the service.

  She got out of bed pulling the bed sheet along with her. She sat near the window and gazed outside the temple. The sky was red and the dark clouds covered the realms till the horizon. There was no escaping from the fury of the storm.

  "Will nanny reach safely with the letter in this monstrous storm?"

  She put out her hand outside and felt the rain. It was cold. She stared at her hand as the raindrops touched her palm and fell from the side.

  "It must be cold outside. Ethan. Is he under this storm? Will he be alright? ... ... I should pray to God for his safety. Oh son of God, lord Mordu'. Please protect my saviour. May he win without hurt. May he emerge victorious against the evil monster and prove his innocence. For he had done no wrong."

  As soon as she finished her prayers, a thunder struck near her window. It frightened her to death. Did God forsake her prayer for her deception? Will Ethan be punished too?

  She looked at the eye of the storm through the window. It was devious red, full of anger.

  "Were you praying, young miss?" Ayeegyee asked Leila.

  He was already inside for some time. Because she was praying, he was silently waiting by the door without interrupting her.

  Her teary eyes full of worry, subtly opened her lips with longing. Seeing a girl as pretty as her in such desperation made his heart fall. He found her pitiful.

  "Yes, I am, your holiness. I was praying for Ethan, my saviour."

  "No. You are wrong, young miss. There is only one true and forever saviour. It is his gracious lord, Mordu'. Any other were works of him, mere substitutes, sent by his stead. Ethanial included."

  His speech stunned her. Sure Ethan was from the temple. But it was Ethan who pulled her out of that carriage. It was Ethan who was nearly dead while protecting her. How could they take credit for things they did not? She was irritated by it.

  "You do not agree with me, do you? I can see it in your eyes. Your father is a true devotee, donated many for the cause yet you turn out with little faith. Tragic. I am disappointed that you lied in the hall of truth to save that pretender."

  Her heart jumped at his words. He knew that she lied? That she made up Sir Mulberry ordered Ethan? Her eyes swayed to the side, her mind with lots of thoughts. Should she admit her lie with Templar Mulberry but insist on Ethanial innocence?

  What if he was bluffing her without proof? Then all she did would be naught. At last, she decided to test the water first. To draw out how far his holiness knew.

  "I do not understand, your holiness."

  "Don't worry. I hold no ill against you for your lies. In fact, I applaud your loyalty. But now is the time, to tell the truth. For I loathe liars especially one who dare to me. Bare in naked truth in the presence of lord Mordu'." He warned Leila while pointing at the statue of Mordu' which was seen outside the window.

  Leila was intimidated by his words. She noticed his patience getting thinner. She must speak true, one not controversial to her initial statement.

  "I... ... He did it to save me. That is the truth."

  "How protective of you. Such a fine trait being wasted on a deceiver. I wonder if you will keep protecting him when you find out that he betrayed you."

  "He betrayed me?"

  "Yes. While you used all your power to save him. Even lied in the hall of truth: just so he will be free of accusation. Yet he threw away all your efforts. A report came in that he ran away amid trial."

  "He ran away?" The news shocked her, "No. Ethan would never do that."

  "Lies are items of weak mind. I need not lie. Though I must admit I was surprised by it too. At a glance, I saw a flame in him. Humph* it turned out to be a glimpse of red when the wind blew of ashes. My eyes must be getting old. Betrayal was in his nature. Like he betrayed his team and deserted them, he did the same to you. I heard he headed to Northern Glacier. A foolish choice he made. A spark will die out there itself."

  Was his holiness speaking the truth? The Ethanial she knew would never do that. But his holiness had no reason to lie either. Just what happened? She asked, looking to the sky. What of the letter she sent? Would he ever come back for her? Or would she never see him again?

  Without her consent, tears fell. Her heart was painful. Her lips trembled. Her legs collapsed to the floor.

  "Oh... Poor girl. You love him. Do you? However do not yearn for that pretender anymore. You are to be wed to the Duke. Live happily and contently as a Duchess. For that is your fate, your true destiny. Accept the path shone in your front by His Grace."

  Ayeegyee gently rubbed her back as he approached Leila to relieve her pain.

  "Come. Let us pray for his blessings and praise his grace, lord Mordu' for the blissful future he has bestowed upon you. Come. You must be cold wearing nothing but a bed sheet. The ceremony is over. You may dress yours from home."

  He went to the table where her dress was placed to hand it over to her. Leila also got up from the floor to dress properly before the prayer.

  Then she remembered something. An item of importance she forgot amid unexpected events. The bottle of blood she used to trick her purity to his holiness. She put it back in her dress hurriedly as she was afraid to be caught by the girls back then. If he was to find that out, she dared not think for her future.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She hurriedly ran to the dress before his holiness.

  "Your holiness! I am thankful for your help but you need not touch my dress and sullied yourself. I shall dress myself."

  Her abruptness surprised him as he swiftly swayed to the side not to collide with her.

  She reached for her dress before him. She picked it up immediately but she grabbed it from the wrong end as she was in a hurry. And her careless mistake made the bottle fly out of the dress.

  It dropped to the floor and rolled slowly toward Ayeegyee. It stopped right between his feet.

  Her heart jumped and her eyes turned wide. Instantly she threw away the bed sheet to grab his attention and hid the bottle at the same time.

  It worked as his holiness eyes were now stuck to her, away from the bottle. She awkwardly smiled and gently spoke to him.

  "Your holiness. Umm... Would you please turn around? I need to dress."

  "Hmm? ... Absolutely. It was rude of me. I shall give you private space."

  He turned around quickly and walked to the door. As soon as he turned away, she hurriedly dressed up and searched the bottle under the sheet.

  To her surprise, it was not there anymore. Her mind went blank and her heart raced again. She went down all four on the floor and searched every niche and spot. Yet she could not find it anywhere.

  If it was nowhere to be found, where did it go? There was only one possibility left.

  Her mouth turned desert dried and her eyes blurred. Fear strokes her heart.

  She slowly stood up and looked at Ayeegyee. And she saw him staring intensely. His eyes looked menacing, like that of a predator. It was as if he was about to eat her alive. In his hand was the item she was looking for.

  "Are you searching for this?" Ayeegyee asked her. His voice sounded cold and frightening.

  Her eyes blinked rapidly and smacked her lips.

  "No. I was searching for my hairpin. I don't even know what that is."

  "This is the third time and let it be final. Take it to your heart. I hate liars! I do not forgive those who deceived me. So speak truthfully. Is this yours?"

  "... No, Your Holiness." Blatantly she lied.

  "Then why did it come out of your pocket?"

  "I don't know. Maybe... Maybe it was on the table and dropped when I picked up the dress."

  Her reasonable lie swayed his mind a little bit. He contemplated for a while.

  "Are you sure you did not know of it before this?"

  "Yes. Your holiness."

  "Hmm* I see." He looked back to the bottle. He seemed convinced by her words.

  "Why are you blinking so much?" He asked again, "Unstable eyes are the habit of a liar."

  His question pushed her to the corner. It was her worst habit which she could not get rid of. She held her breath and tensed her eyelids. It did not work. Gave up, and she told another lie.

  "Some dust went into my eyes while I was on the floor searching for my hairpin. I could not get it out."

  "... I see. I sure hope that is the case, young miss. Because, you see, the content of this bottle is quite dangerous for someone like you. Leech blood it is."

  "Is it?" She feigned innocence.

  "Yes. It is in itself quite a medicine for many diseases. But certain people ill-used it. Some whores in the kingdom of Dubin used it to charge unsuspected travellers more by tricking them into virgin blood. Indeed troubling misused."

  His exact knowledge of the usage shocked her. She choked her on her spit.

  "I see. Cough* cough* It is the first time I hear such, intriguing and disturbing knowledge."

  "It is. I shall keep this. Guards!!"

  As Ayeegyee called out his guards, they barged in immediately with their swords readied. The two girls who prepared her ceremonial wash also came inside.

  Leila walked backwards in instinct as they scared her.

  "Young miss lay on the bed and spread your legs," Ayeegyee said coldly. His eyes also changed.

  "No." She rejected, "The ceremony is over. I will not lay bare on the bed again unless it was for the Duke, my husband."

  "You are mistaken. I will not hump you again. There is a certain suspicion you need to clear. We must investigate whether you used the content from this bottle with ill intent, to deceive me. Lift your skirt and lie on the bed."

  Her heart fell upon his order. He knew!! He was just playing with me. Fear and desperation filled her mind.

  "No!!" She yelled, "I will not allow it. I am a respected lady of house Longbart and the future Duchess. I will not be treated this way. I will not be shamed in front of these men. I demand an official hearing before this ridiculous treatment."

  "Seize her. Spread her legs."

  "No. Don't touch me, bastards. I will tell the Duke about this defaming act. Proceed and the relation between the temple and castle will be sour."

  Upon her words, Ayeegyee as well as the four guards chuckled except the two girls. The men moved forward intimidating Leila.

  "You are mistaken young miss. I am not afraid of the Duke. In fact, the Temple is not afraid even the crown. It is the king and the Duke who bowed to us. All mortals knee before us. ...guards, you may proceed."

  On his order, the two men grabbed her arms and from her shoulders, they threw Leila onto the bed. She struggled hard but against the strength of four men, she failed to free herself. Her arms and shoulders were held down by the two and the other choked her legs and split them from her knees.

  The latter two watched her private part with their evil eyes full of lust as the girls went between her thighs and took a smear.

  "Fuckers! Turn your eyes away. If this accusation comes out false, I will gorge your eyes out first. Then you all will pay." Leila barked. However, her threat was replied by a smirk.

  Soon the girls finished their work and handed over the smear to Ayeegyee. He checked the cloth. There was only a little blood tinted on the cloth. The blood was mixed with the fluids and diluted. It was nearly impossible to distinguish it from leech blood.

  Leila smiled.

  Ayeegyee smacked his lips. "Don't be so sure of your win, Miss Leila. Surely if this were another Ayeegyee, you would walk free by now. But there is this amazing magic, which can control the blood like a sword. Only lord Mordu' and I can wield this blood magic."

  After his speech, he whispered to the blood. As if the blood were alive, they separated from the fluid themselves and floated in the air. Soon little by little, they formed a drop of blood, enough to distinguish. He collected it with another bottle.

  "As I suspected. Leech blood. Threw her into the dungeon. Call the Duke. I shall inform him myself."