The sky was grey just like any other day in this village. But today, the sun was making efforts to deliver its rays on the ground.

Samuel looked around the little assemble of relatives. His eyes started burning as he watched Lord Hopper and his wife pouring the soil on the coffin.

His legs started shaking while throat was filling up. With unshed tears in his eyes, he saw Nathaniel pouring the sand too. One by one, all the relatives started doing the same.

He released long breathes while going closer to the burial place. His father held his shoulder from behind, squeezing it tight.

With no expectations, he had gotten readied to come here. His parents didn't want to as they were already worried about Samara's absence. But knowing that she must have gone to Rodwin's house, they decided to come to the funeral service first. Especially when his mother wanted to apologise for her behaviour with Ida in last days.

Samuel stepped ahead, with tears leaking down from his eyes. The third priest held the big box ahead, for him to pick fist full of the soil. He brought the hand forward, looking down at the coffin in which the love of his life was laid with no life inside.

The thought curled up his heart, realizing how beautiful she was inside and out. Her golden hair reminded him of all the class she held while talking and playing. Her closed eyes had brought along all the memories they had together. Her chapped lips that were colored on purpose to put some life in her face, reminded him of the promises that she had kept before dying."

A sob broke out from him.

"We born from dust, we die into dust." The priest said, encouraging him with a small smile.

Samuel gritted his teeth while nodding slowly. With shaking hands, he threw the dust thrice on to the coffin, delivering a prayer within his heart.

Her parents were watching him with humility and understanding on their faces. Her father nodded at him in acknowledgement while her mother sobbed more at seeing the tears in his face.

Samuel walked ahead, as his parents poured the dust afterwards.

Taking huge breathes, he tried to calm himself down.

Everyone was going inside her house for the reception. But he didn't have the heart to socialise anymore. Going towards the secluded garden where barely two men were standing and conversing, he wiped his cheeks with a handkerchief.

But before he could walk ahead, a familiar voice reached his ears.

". . . I have never seen a young lady braver than her. In the beginning, I used to believe that she was an arrogant woman. But now, just by remembering her, I could never stop admiring the upbringing you have given her," said Violet with tears in her eyes. "We, as working class people, look up to thr daughters of high Lords. Ida was that daughter. You should be proud of her throughout your lives. . ."

Ida's mother sobbed while putting head on her husband's shoulder as they listen more to what she had to say.

". . . I am one of the person who had seen her before she left us all. And in those last moments, she held a spike like a true Warrior, threw it straight to pierce the monster's shoulder. Twice, she did it. Another time, she stabbed him from behind to save another girl from getting hurt. . ."

Both the parents looked at each other with tears leaving their eyes.

". . . I heard that she had escaped from this house by a window. She did it for a purpose. To save people's lives. She did something that the whole battalion couldn't do," said Violet shakily. "A week ago, she had approached Lord Hampton's house to share her sorrows with his wife. With all the misunderstanding that was going on, her and Samara couldn't help her. She wanted to let Samuel know that she loved him dearly and wanted to drop out of the betrothal with Nathaniel."

The couple's faces held extreme regret.

"I know that as parents, you have all the right to choose the person, she must marry. But must I tell you, that the same person is one of the suspects too. Lord Hopper, I dare to say that you have lost your daughter by being involved with Lord Commandant for his mean motive."

Lord Hopper let out a sob while lowering his eyes.

Violet bit her lip while looking at the lady. "I am no one to say such big words. But I have seen how precious Ida was. And she died because of a monstrous plan that was made to frame her lover, Samuel who is innocent. I won't tell you if Rodwin is innocent or not. But I know the words, that Ida had said to Rodwin before taking her last breaths."

The parents looked at her with their hands on their hearts. Samuel too stood numb, listening carefully.

"She asked him to leave this village because it is now full of manipulative people who are capable of hurting the innocent ones. She denied him when he was asking her to pull out the spike. He was begging her to not give up as he would take her to the seer of our village. But she was closer to death than to any kind of hope. She knew all your plan with Lord Commandant and she was restless to save a sixteen-year-old, Nathaniel and his father were letting raped to frame their favourite enemy."

Lord Hopper clenched his jaws while controlling the tears. Lady Hopper removed her head from his shoulder as she showed instant hurt by creating a space between them.

"I want to speak all of this praise at her memorial but I am afraid, I might die before that could happen. Because anyone who dares to speak against the unfairness in this village gets targeted by the mass," said Violet with faint anger in her eyes.

"Without proofs, decision were being taken. The ones who are meant to protect us are the ones who are playing politics. I am noticing how the Knights are eyeing me up. Lord Commandant hasn't arrived because he is with the doctor. If he had been here, he wouldn't even have let me come inside. I cannot even imagine what he would do to Rodwin who has only saved and cared for people surrounding him."

"We will protect you," said Lady Hopper while grabbing her hand.

"I am no one," said Violet. "Rodwin needs you more than I or anyone else do. His life was literally at stake, last morning. Shouldn't you consider meeting the person Ida had seen before dying? If your heart finds out that he didn't kill her, shouldn't you offer a statement on his favour to the royal court, if you can't confess the brutal plan you made with Lord Commandant."

Lord Hopper gulped hard.

Violet lowered her eyes while pushing away her brown hair behind her ear. Her black hat was holding a black feather that was flowing with the wind. In the black dress and gloves, she already looked intimidating and bold.

"I must take my leave," she whispered out while looking away. "I apologise for going out of my manners and line."

"No, please. Take me to Rodwin's house," said Lady Hopper, surprising both of them.

Samuel's eyes straightened while looking at the scene.

Violet's lips parted and a hopeful smile came upon her lips. "I am afraid, you have to attend the people for reception inside," she said while gesturing towards the big house. "Your horseman can ask anyone for Lord Lester's house and you will find his son easily. The whole village knows them. They sell vegetables."

Lady Hopper controlled a sob when Violet nodded and was about to leave. But all of a sudden, she stopped and looked back at the tomb sight in the midst of the wide ground where people were still visiting.

"I noticed that the place for her name is still blank on the tombstone. You must be thinking to add Nathaniel's surname in her title for these are our customs," said Violet while looking at their faces.

"I request you to remember her as the bravest woman of this village full of army men who has forced them to step up their accountability by her brave actions," she said with boldness in her eyes. "She has spike a brutal monster twice. She wasn't married to Nathaniel. Neither did she love him. He wasn't even a good friend to her. His surname can not define her identity. Especially when he himself is the greatest coward of all. Ida dared to face the monster. Dared to attack him too."

Violet looked at the tombstone with admiration and tears in her eyes.

"If the armymen of this village won the Sherfield War, she has won the Aftermath."

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Nathaniel walked quietly towards the carriage with grim expressions on his face. But before he could near anymore, someone showed up in his path.

Looking up from the ground, he observed the clothes from yesterday only.

"Earl?" Nathaniel whispered in surprise.

His friend chuckled sadly while observing the well tailored black suit. "Isn't it brilliant? Ida died. Preston and Lori died. Davis is on bed, almost dying. Rodwin, who will soon be dead anyway. But your father's burns are already treated by the great team of doctors you called from the city."

"You went to my house?" Nathaniel asked quietly.

Earl flared his nostrils. "Of course, I did. You know why? To tell him how he is the greatest fool of this century if he thinks, he could still manipulate the doing in this village."

"What do you mean?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes.

Earl smirked humorlessly. "Rodwin and Logan has returned from the castle. Guess what? They brought the royal Knights along to investigate Preston and Lori's death. Two junior ministers have been sent to interrogate the parents and witnesses. Jeffery's parents, Lady Maria, Davis and Jennifer—they all have given their confessions."

Nathaniel widened his eyes.

"I don't know what Rodwin and Logan said to the King and his son. But it seems that they have managed to prove their innocence. The Knights are keeping eye on the words and taking note of everything that took place. It's the battalion from the city. None of them knows anyone here. Your father's approaches wouldn't work. He is already in line of getting punished for hastily taking decision to hurt Rodwin."

Nathaniel looked around hurriedly and moved closer to Earl. "Did you tell my father about this?"

"Yes," said Earl, making his jaw twitch. "Because I needed money for taking part in his plan. Davis has clearly informed that him and I were involved too. But we backed out. Your father gave me money as I blackmailed him that I would tell in my confession. How you and him already knew that Preston had fantasies involving Jennifer!"

Nathaniel grabbed his collar and gritted his teeth. "You won't say anything to anyone. Or I will kill you myself!" He threatened him.

"I won't because I am paid already," said Earl while patting the pocket of his breeches. "But I came here to inform you that Logan is working hard on protecting his people. Whether it's Rodwin or even Samuel and Jeffery. You and your father are done, if the Knights get to you. You know how smart Logan he is. He will get those words out of you. The guilt of Ida's death will make you speak the truth anyway. The game's over, Nathaniel. Your game's over."

"I didn't do anything, Earl." Nathaniel said with his eyes getting glossy. "I didn't kill nobody. What game? There was no game."

"The game of following your father's words," said Earl with a humorless laughter. "Take this as a goodbye. The Knights must already be reaching your home by tomorrow. Or maybe, today itself. Our village is a small one. Isn't it?"

Nathaniel gulped shakily while pushing him away.

Earl chuckled in madness while pointing the finger at him. "You are not a leader, Nathaniel. You are a coward. Not a soldier, but a culprit. Not a human, but the monster. Amend what you can, Nathan. Fulfill your last wishes before the death comes to you for the sins you did!"

Nathaniel breathed shakily while watching his old friend walking away. His words marking up in his heart.

For the sins you did!

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"Violet! Wait!"

She turned around with confusion on her face. Her eyebrows furrowed and then narrowed at seeing the man running towards her.

Samuel panted while looking at her. He observed her black dress and gulped hard. His face had reddened by stomping all the way out of the Hopper's territory to here in the secluded pathway.

They were surrounded by tall trees on either side of the road they were standing one. Faint wind was blowing along with sunlight resting on their faces.

Violet clenched her jaws and turned around. "I do not know you, bloody idiot!" She yelled while walking away.

Samuel gasped and grabbed her shoulder. Turning her around forcefully, he stared at her face in shock. "Not fucking likely! How dare you—"

The slap came unexpected than the words afterwards.

Samuel widened his bloodshot eyes in disbelief. With opened mouth, he slowly looked back at her. But the other slap came without even a single hint.

"What in the hell!" He shouted angrily.

Violet flared her nostrils while gritting her teeth. Without flinching, she smirked humorlessly. "That's what you get for letting your bipolar mother slap my best friend twice!" She said with raised eyebrows.

She was about to turn around and leave. But Samuel grabbed her wrist and pulled her backwards to him.

"You don't know what—"

"What Ida said to Rodwin!" Violet cut him off while glaring at him. "That she loved you only. That framing your or Jeffery was Lord Commandant's plan! Kidnapping Jennifer was a plan! Ida escaped her home to save you and her from that terrible night! And she did! But she failed in convincing Rodwin to leave her body right there because well, he was listening to all her words before she took her last breathe!"

Samuel breathed in shock.

"As if you don't know anything!" Violet shrieked in anger. "She asked him to leave the village because she knew that fools like you and Nathaniel will betray him! Accuse him! What kind of a brother are you to hurt your innocent sister like that? What did she do? Loved a brave and spontaneous man who holds much much respect than you'll ever do!"

"Careful!" Samuel warned while squeezing her wrist tight.

"Careful? My foot!" Violet said while looking in his eyes. "Rodwin is innocent! Nathaniel saw him holding Ida gently. How easy was to blame him only? Who do you think killed Ida? Rodwin? Who was out of his house only because Lord Lester did a mistake of informing him about what Uncle Joshua told me and you about Jennifer's absence that day!"

Samuel was frozen.

"Ida knew the whole plan. She had eavesdropped! She spiked the beast twice! I don't understand how you could believe Nathaniel so easily! I thought you were smart! No! You aren't! I am so proud of Samara for running out of that prison of a house where lives such fake Hampton's with no lateral thinking!"

"Enough!" Samuel shouted. "Rodwin ran away! Did you see the way he woke up in the fire? He threw the pole on Lord Commandant's face! I am saving Samara from a monster or worse, a heartbreak!"

"You are just jealous of people around you who have valued and believed the love of their lives unlike you!" Violet said angrily, shaking him to the core.

Samuel's eyes filled up with burning tears.

"What will you get by keeping Samara and Rodwin apart? Huh? Instead, you should be focusing on protecting him, Jeffery and yourself. But you are just a loner. A helpless idiot! That's what you are." She told him with a confident smirk on her face. "You couldn't save Jeffery, Jennifer and Ida, that night. All you did was running and running with no direction."

Violet gulped hard while removing his hand off her wrist. "You are letting Ida down by not thinking reasonably, Samuel." She looked at the other side, biting her lip. "Your parents are watching. I can't believe how you all can behave like that with Lord Lester, insulting him by giving back the ring. I met him at the seer's house in the morning. He is such a sweet soul."

She rolled her eyes. "Leave already. Look how your mother is glaring at me. I can already imagine her beating Samara if she sees her. Lord Lester told me that he will get them married tomorrow in the village's church."

Samuel was staring at her blankly with glossy eyes, flaring his nostrils in anger.

"But you know what will happen if any of you lay a finger on her or even say a word? Beast or not, Rodwin will rip you all apart."

She told him before walking away.

______

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