Claude was a known name among the army soldiers.

Also, a well-known name in the Queen's circle, because he was the most trusted man of Austin, hence knew the working of things.

As of now, he stood outside the queen's garden, with Yibo and Zhan behind him. Their faces were hidden by the makeup that Aurelia had done on their faces.

The guards saw his face, and they let him because he had been a regular visitor over here. He walked in with Yibo and Zhan following him.

When they came inside the garden, they saw that it was heavily guarded, the most common thing that they found was huge pieces of land with bonsais growing in them.

They were headed toward the small cottage that was situated in the middle, Claude turned back and faced them, "We are under the excuse that I have come to meet the Queen, I am sure that young lord must be trapped in the basement. However I have never been there and I don't know where it is."

Zhan and Yibo nodded.

As they walked inside but paused when they heard, "Stop right there you three."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sister, how does it tastes?" Lilith said as she made Wen Qing drink the chicken curry that she was making, Wen Qing drank it and forcefully smiled.

Lilith was a great cook she will give her that, but what made Wen Qing frown was the fact that Lilith was so loyal to her mother.

Wen Qing did everything turn to Lilith to her side but Lilith was so loyal to Cassadra that Wen Qing realized that she was a puppet to Cassandra.

All of this made her dejected.

She sighed and came out of the kitchen for a while but as soon as she came out in the corridor through the window she saw three people coming in she didn't recognize the first person and neither the other two.

What were they doing here? and who were they?

Mostly only her mother comes here and other than her Austin that to only too meets her or accompanies her.

So she walked out of there and went to those three people.

"Stop there you three!" she called out to them and ran to them.

Claude and the other trued to them and a wave of relief washed over them when they saw Wen Qing was the one who stopped them and no one else.

Wen Qing stopped in front of them and glanced that them, "Who are you people?"

Zhan was the first to come forward, "Your highness it's me Zhan, and Yibo."

Wen Qing's eyes widened and she smiled before she concealed it, she had a cold expression on her face, as she spoke, "I will show you the way." she said and lead the way.

 She walked quickly and others followed her she showed them to the basement and also told them that Simon was trapped at the end of the last call on the left side which was very big compared to the others.

"Sister?" Wen Qing flinched.

"Duke, General go inside this door and see yourself follow my instructions," she said and ran back to Lilith.

While Zhan and Yibo went in and Claude stayed out in case something happened.

Thankfully the lanterns were lit inside, this underground place was horrifying already, with blood patches everywhere and bones plus human flesh here and there.

It was like a place where death stayed.

They ran towards the end of the lane and soon they came across the largest cell on both left and right sides but they looked at the left side it was the darkest cell. 

Yibo and Zhan can make out that there was someone on the wall tied up but didn't know who they were.

"How do we open this?" Yibo and Zhan sat on his one knee in front of the lock and took out the pins from his pocket something he keeps for emergency and started working on opening the cell. While Yibo looked around the cell he saw the cell in front and noticed how pitch black it was as if the darkness hid something sinister in it.

Yibo started at the cell before he heard Zhan speak, "Done!"

Yibo quickly looked at him and the two opened the door and walked Yibo used the torch to see the face of the person tied to the wall.

It took him a second to recognize his own son.

Zhan also froze his eyes fixed on the person in front of him unconscious.

Yibo, felt like he was run over by a carriage he felt his body go motionless, and the same was felt by Zhan when they saw Simon unconscious, his face was covered with blood his left eye was bleeding and so was his mouth, his upper body was covered with so many wounds from lashes and knives that there was no skin only flesh.

His upper body was exposed while his pants were also torn and his nails were missing from his fingers legs and palms both.

"S...Si...Simon!" Yibo said and threw the Torch before he went near his son, he hugged and held his face, he tried to break the chains but they were strong," Zhan! do something!" Zhan came out of his trance, tears escaped his eyes and he didn't bother to wipe them he picked up the torch and asked Yibo to hold it so that he came open the chains using his pins.

Yibo however touched his son's face trying to wake him up, "Simon, Simon get up please." Zhan did his best to open the chains and opened one chain.

Simon fell forward but Yibo caught him and Zhan worked on the other chain.

Meanwhile outside Claude was waiting for them when he heard that the Queen had arrived Wen Qing was shocked as well.

Claude was scared now, how will he tell the queen what he was here for? 

Cassandra entered the garden and walked straight towards the cottage Wen Qing ran out and while Claude thought hard about what to do before an idea came to his mind he undid his upper clothes while Wen Qing went to her mother followed by Cassandra.

She smiled at them, "My dear daughters how are you?"

Lilith replied with a smile, "We are perfect mother, I m so happy that you came, sister and I were cooking some food would you like to have it?"

"Sure Lilith but first I have to go somewhere you know I have to check on the slaves right?"

Lilith nodded but Wen Qing came in front of her and blocked her way, Cassandra looked at her, and Wen Qing spoke, "I wish to go out, you cannot keep me trapped here anymore."

Cassandra sighed, "We talked about this dear, you are dead to the outside world."

"Dosen;t matter I want to go out as a commoner, not as a princess mother please, I will not go against you besides I have no power anymore."

"we will talk about this later," she said and wanted to move but Wen Qing blocked her way, again.

"Mother please." however Cassandra glared t her and harshly shoved her, "I said Not now Wen Qing."

Before Wen Qing can say anything Lilith grabbed her arm and said timidly, "sister please listen to mother."

"But Lilith..." while Wen Qing tried to explain Cassandra walked away.

Meanwhile, Zhan managed to open the other chain as well so that Simon was free, and Yibo caught him.

He picked his son on his back and walked out but they stopped when they heard a noise as they went forward it was a noise of at least two to four people.

Zhan and Yibo looked at each other before Zhan took out his sword.

Meanwhile, Cassandra walked inside the cottage towards the basement and now she was near the stairs of the basement, but someone else jumped in front of her.

She flinched but then saw who it was, it was Claude and he looked in pain with his shit's first button undone and blood visible on his hand, "your majesty thank god you came."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Claude went on his knees and cried as he kneeled and bowed before her, "Your majesty, your majesty my master Austin has been killed."

Cassandra was shocked, "What?"

"Yes your majesty he was murdered and beheaded by Duke and his partner and they even tried to attack me I was injured but I managed to escape."

Cassandra heard this and to say that she was shocked would be an understatement, "But why did you come here and didn't go to the palace?"

Claude gulped as he became still, Wen Qing and Lilith also came there,  and Claude spoke, "I wanted to, your majesty I wanted but I was attacked once again by them they are not alone and they killed all my men and this was the safest place hence I came here to hide."

His explanation made sense. 

Meanwhile, Zhan and Yibo walked ahead and the more they walked it became clear there were indeed four people as they were carrying bodies of people to keep it on a cart.

"Hurry up, the queen is already here, we have to clean this mess."

"yes leader, I will go and open the other door."

Zhan glanced back and thought there was another door? And the Queen was here.

They saw the people keeping bodies on the cart one by one.

Meanwhile, Cassadra spoke, "It's sad to hear that I will look into this matter. But right now I have some work."

She said and walked downstairs and Claude wanted to stop her but how?

Zhan and Yibo came forward and Yubo was near the basement door so he can hear Claude's voice, "Your majesty! please you have to help me first."

And he also heard Cassandra's voice, "Not now, later Austin was important to me I will not let this matter slide no need to worry." she said and Zhan also heard it, he took out his sword and beheaded all the four people and hurriedly kept thier, corpses on the cart and he then went to Yibo and took Simon from him.

"What are you doing?" Yibo asked, but Zhan kept Simon in between those dead corpses.

"We have no other choice," he said and went to open the other door that was on the other side of the lane at the end and Yibo stood near the cart. 

He felt disgusted but he can't do anything he held the cart and was about to push it but before he can the basement door opened and he came face to face with Cassandra.

Zhan opened the door with the key that he found with dead man who was putting the bodies on the cart, but he froze when he saw Cassandra face to face with Yibo.

Author' note: OH MY GOSHHHHH!!!!!!!