"Father..." Aurelia spoke with a timid voice, as she came into her father's study.

"Yes, Aurelia" Her father Austin spoke.

"Father, I want to talk to you."

"I am busy right now," Austin said and looked back into his files.

"You always are. But I am here to talk today." Aurelia said with a firm voice and her father looked at her, "That's not a way to talk to your father."

Aurelia smiled, "You are not qualified to be called a father, but let's not talk about that. What I want to know is where is Simon and what will the Queen do to him."

Austin looked at, "That's none of your business, you have done you..."

"Give me an answer!" Aurelia raised her voice and Austin glared at her as he stood up.

Normally Aurelia would cower or back off but not today, not right now, not when Simon's smile and his voice have been haunting her.

"Apologize you are in my house and you have no right to talk to me like that."

Aurelia glared at him and looked him in the eye, "I will once you answer now tell me where he is."

"And what are you going to do after you find out?"

Aurelia kept on looking at him before she spoke, "Nothing, I will do nothing. But I want to know."

Austin spoke, "Good then, listen, your beloved Son is taken by the queen to her garden where he will torture to death, tortured till his mind breaks till his will breaks.

Till he starts to think that death would be better than life and once he agrees his soul will be used to make a weapon. Trapping him forever."

Aurelia's felt her hurt getting crushed and pierced by thousands of hot needles at the same time.

Simon's flashed before her, his smile and his goofiness everything.

She placed her hand on her chest as she thought about the gruesome torture her son will have to go through.

She is not unknown of the gruesome nature of the Queen, she knows how brutal and bad the Queen can be.

And to think that she was the reason why Simon was suffering made her heartache so much that she thought that will die hence she walked out of there.

When she came out she came face to face with Claude her father's knight and his trusted man, "Lady Aurelia are you okay?"

He was kind and sweet only to her though, only four years older than her,  she wiped her tears and ran away.

Claude tried to stop her but it was of no use.

She felt suffocated she felt trapped and miserable. 

She ran outside and ordered the servants to prepare the carriage.

She sat in her carriage before her carriage drove off, she burst into tears as she sat inside the carriage.

Meanwhile, Zhan and Yibo had somehow made it to the capital.

After days of escaping and running and hiding, they were finally in.

But more they came in more security tightened, they also heard that they were now imposters and con artists while the real duke was dead what a joke!

As they walked further with their faces covered by a black cloth they saw a group of guards checking here and there.

And they were everywhere, front, back, and even side. 

They saw the guards Harshly entering shops and checking, behaving like bullies.

Yibo stopped and looked at Yanli and Miles, "You two go hide, I and Zhan are going to distract them."

Yanli and Miles did not bother to argue they agreed and hid, Zhan and Yibo are more than capable to survive.

The guards then saw them and came to them, "Show your face."

Zhan and Yibo looked at each other the guard who seemed to be the leader grew impatient, " I said show your face!"

He said and raised his hand to grab the cloth but Yibo took out his dagger and cut off his fingers at the same time Zhan also took out his sword and ran to fight the other.

It became mayhem and everyone started running here and there all the guards ran towards them Yanli and Miles escaped and Yibo and Zhan killed many guards and used the crowd to escape.

They took off their mask and ran as far as they can. 

Aurelia got out of her carriage as she wanted to walk a little but she did not expect that among the running people she will two familiar faces.

"You two?" She said as she saw Zhan and Yibo.

~~~~~~

The guard came running soon after, and Aurelia stood near her carriage, "Lady Aurelia, have you seen those two imposters who are pretending to be Duke of north and his spouse the general?"

"Yes I did, they ran that side."

"Thank you, lady." The guards said and ran in the direction that Aurelia told them.

She came inside the carriage and Zhan and Yibo were already there.

"Why did you save us?" Zhan asked.

Aurelia spoke, "I want to save Simon."

Yibo said rudely, "Oh now you care? after pushing him into the hellhole? what are you pretending huh!"

Aurelia heard everything silently Yibo was right it was her fault, she was the reason why Simon was suffering and she is not going to excuse her behavior by saying that Simon was supposed to receive good treatment but the plan went downhill.

"Please..." Aurelia said, "I want to help."

Yibo was about to say something harsher but Zhan grabbed his hand, and prevented him from saying anything, "Do you know where Simon is?"

"Yes, in the Queen's garden."

Yibo's anxiousness started to rise again, and  Zhan spoke, "We have to speak to duke Aval, and Alice, the nobles and ask for their help."

Aurelia nodded, "I understand. I will drop you there."

She did as she said, dropped Yibo and Zhan at Aval's residence and she actually went inside with Yibo following her, she introduced Yibo as her guard, "I want to mee Duke Aval."

She said to the servant and Aval came to meet her but was shocked to see Yibo and Zhan, I knew it that you guys were alive."

Zhan and Yibo spoke and Aurelia thought that she should leave, but Yibo stopped her, "Stay."

Aurelia looked at him and Yibo explained, "There are probably spies in this household and every nobility, if they saw you coming and leaving without your guards then that will cause suspicion.

We came here and we will leave with you..."

Zhan spoke next, "Duke Aval I would suggest that you call Alice here as well."

"Alright but what about Xander, Sage, and other nobles?"

Zhan said, "If all the nobles gathered so suddenly out of nowhere then it will look suspicious."

Aval understood and sent a message to Alice to come as soon as possible but secretly.

And while they waited for Alice, the four of them sat alone in the room and Aval told everything to Yibo and Zhan, "Your state and Army are now under the control of the crown, and you are pronounced dead, the Queen is also planning to suppress the other provinces and other suppressed nations."

Yibo spoke, "That's what we heard."

Alice arrived soon as well and was honestly glad to see Zhan and Yibo alive but was shocked to see Aurelia.

However, she sat down and they discussed, Yibo spoke, "I will ask you two, are you two ready to fight? despite knowing the danger?"

Aval and Alice looked at each other and nodded, "Yes we are, we knew what we signed up for when we decided to follow you."

Zhan and Yibo nodded with respect, "I hope that Xander and Sage also agree."

Alice spoke, "They will duke they will."

Aval then spoke, "But duke where are you going to stay? "

"First of all we are going to meet Marquis Yanli and Miles and then we will decide."

Alice spoke, "But you can stay at our house."

Yibo shook his head, "It's dangerous, the queen already knows that you guys are supportive of me your house might be under supervision."

Aurelia spoke, "They can stay with me. My father is loyal to Queen and his estate will be the last place where they will search." 

Everyone looked at her and Aval spoke, "Lady Aurelia, may I ask why are you supporting the duke."

Aurelia answered, "Because what I was told is that Simon will be treated nicely and he will be beside Queen and live like royalty but everything went south and now he is captured. And I know how cruel the Queen is."

"I understand."

Zhan spoke, "Since you guys are with us we will need to send some information to the temple of Nirvana where Cheng and Zhehan are, and wait for the arrival of their message, as well."

"Understood." Alice and Aval said.

After discussing a little more about everything Zhan and Yibo took their leave.

They went away with Aurelia and they also picked up Yanli and Miles they were shocked to see Aurelia and were skeptical about her but in the end, Zhan assured her.

Aurelia took them to her house and even made them all stay in her room since that was safest as no one really came to her room. Not even her father.

But if she has given them a guest room or even a servant's room then people would know.

"Stay here for a few days... or as long as it is needed."

She said, "I will take care of everything else."