Rithambara ran out of the room followed by Marcus. Three guards were laying on the ground clutching their stomach. They had fatal injuries and she looked around to see remaining soldiers fighting with Balbina and few other men. Two out of them looked very familiar to her. She pressed her temples to stress her mind and then it popped up! One of them played chess with her saying that he was Mario, third general in chief of Florence army. Her jaws clenched when she realised that he was part of Eagles. Besides him, stood the young lad who tricked her on mask procession day. When he saw Marcus who was standing behind her, he gestured him to run away from there.

When Marcus was about to run pass through her body, she held his collar and within a flip, snatched his sharp dagger. She pressed it against his throat in a manner that a bit of more pressure would have pierced his skin.

She threatened all of them, " throw your swords down or else, Marcus will pay the price. "

Rithambara was sure to core that they would do as she said because Marcus was an important part of their group as he provided them the full accessibility in the royal palace. Without his help, nothing would have had happened. He was the sole creator of all the chaos happening around but on the contrary to her thoughts, none of them even spared him a single glance. Instead, Stephano spoke very nonchalantly , " Kill him. "

Rithambara was a bit taken aback but to say that Marcus was stunned, would be an understatement. He just couldn't believe that this happened!

" Steohano! " a bewildered yet, helpless scream left his mouth but Stephano didn't pay any attention to it and continued fighting and dodging attacks.

Marcus hated being ignored by people for whom he did so much! He went against his kingdom to help these Eagles and this it what he is being returned?

" I hope you're aware who I'm Stephano! You have to answer to Queen! She won't spare anyone of you. Balbina! Luca! " Marcus was screaming at top of his lungs just so that anyone of them could hear him.

Balbina gava a small chuckle at this and spoke, " You are really a fool to believe that Queen is bothered about you. She has just one wish and that is to sit on the throne of Rome. "

Marcus's breathing turned uneven listening to this. He just couldn't believe that this was happening to him! He was on a tip of sword and his comrades left him! His soul felt pressed under the heavy stones of treachery.

Oh the irony!

If treachery was to weighed, he would surpass all limits because it was he, who was the traitor. Not them. In fact, they were loyal towards their kingdom and Queen. He was fooled!

' What more were you expecting from a lady who left her husband and son? '

The wheels started to turn in his head and if not for Ritha's right hold, he would have collapsed down. What was he even thinking before supporting that viscious lady? How nicely she lured him in her offer! How she manipulated him to believe that he would be the king while she would be his sub ordinate. How calmly she poisoned his mind that he would never become the Rex if he would support Florence because he was the youngest!

Ritha was addled because she had a theory in her mind that Queen Athena actually wanted Marcus to be the Rex but it seemed that scenario was quite complexed. Still, she didn't lose her grip because she knew that all of it could be a facade.

She can't help but pass a taunt to Marcus, " This is your almighty mother Marcus. Isn't it? "

Marcus was already frustrated with all the things happening around him but Rithambara's accusation agitated him beyond words , " she's not my mother. "

Rithambara tightened her hold warning him to not use this tone on her and in return, Marcus just huffed.
More than the edge of sword, betrayal had poked him. Palace was left with handful of soldiers because most of them had gone to participate in the war and eagles took advantage of this situation. They were around fifty in number and fought with utmost precaution.

Their main motive was to run away from palace and return back to their queen who was residing in Florence. Though it was a stupid move from her side but they were nobody to question her. Their purpose had been half served. They were successful in creating mess between brothers but they weren't able to kill King Atticus and even lost Aelia along with few soldiers.

They didn't know how much it would cost them but their one motive was fulfilled and that was to steal the map.
Not being able to kill King Atticus was a major setback but at least, their army had advantage in the battlefield. What they didn't know was that Eagles had lost their wings even there.

Soldiers of Florence tried to put obstacle in their path but they couldn't and Eagles were fast enough to fly away from there but in the end, Stephano yelled loudly before climbing on his horse, " We the eagles of Sicily would rule Rome. "

" Go behind them! " screamed Rithambara who still held Marcus in her grip.

' Eagles of Sicily? They were from neighboruring state Sicily. Queen Athena wasn't from Sicily but...'

    Her eyes went wide and she turned towards Marcus and asked him in her stunned voice, " Who's she? "

  Marcus had his head bent low but he whispered, " It's Valentina! "

Valentina?

Ritha's dagger fell down from her hands. Her husband's first wife was alive! Valentina was alive! Justus's birth mother was alive! The lady whom her husband loved to core was alive and stabbing his trust! She used to think very highly of Valentina, the lady who suffered but now the question was, did she ever suffer? She felt betrayed even though she never met her but what will happen to Augustus when he would know about this? His brother and first wife for whom he had cried so much have betrayed him.

She had left Marcus away from her grip but he didn't run away.  Where would he go? He was shunned down by those people and apart from crying, he couldn't do anything!

" But.. She died while giving birth to Justus? " Rithambara was shaking at this point but Cato was there to hold her.

" She didn't die. Cassius, king of Eagles or Sicily had married her daughter to Augustus when he came to know through spies that Augustus was making a tunnel near a battlefield. He desperately wanted to get the crown and so did Valentina. Balbina, Stephano, Luca and Aelia, the lady whom you killed came in palace of Florence to accompany her and therefore, mingled easily in the palace.  She put forward an offer infront of me that if I help Sicily and her in getting the map of the tunnel, she would make me the Rex. I believed her because she's the only daughter of Cassius and he has no male heir. " it felt as if Marcus was tracing the memory of those days.

    It was too much to grasp for Rithambara but still, there were too many unsolved mysteries. She was confused about lot of things. If that's the case, then what about her mother in law who tried to kill Valentina ?

" What exactly happened the day Valentina gave birth to Justus? "

                     ❤❤❤
The phalanx was ready with few changes and loud enthusiastic wail erupted all around accompanied with neighs of horses and clicking of metal spades.

Augustus and Aurelius were sharpening their metals when a spy came running towards them to inform. He bowed down to them and some breathlessly, " Your highness, our enemy is here. "

This was it! Do or die! Kill or get killed! Squeeze other's life or get one's life squeezed!

Augustus asked him, " Naples or Sicily? "

The spy replied, " The Eagles "

Listening to this very name, Augustus's blood boiled but before he could react, the sky cleared his doubt, " The Eagles of Sicily. "

Wohoooooooooooooo!

I'm feeling like Agatha Christie lite.

😂😂 Jokes apart, how was this twist ? Now if you have confusion, re read my previous chapters, I never wrote in any chapter that the Queen was Athena. In comment section, you guys assumed things and I went ahead it to keep you all in shade.

Haha! Do share your thoughts on it and voteeeee.