Chapter 5 RETURN TO THE HOME LOST

There was no sign of life around the gates and she didn't expect any.

Just when she thought that no soul has survived the attack except her, some soldiers appeared from behind the wall and they were no strangers to her.

She knows most of them even though she could see new faces amongst them.

But who could have reinstated them?. That power was only in her hand and the ruler.

The gate keeper moved forward as their carriage comes closer. She quickly hid back into the carriage so as not to be seen.

She can't trust no one as of yet.

What of he is actually working with the traitor from the inside?.

"State your business here?" he asks in a very stern voice.

"I have brought princess zannatul of Ouwa" the carriage driver says.

"Does she have any business in the kingdom?" he asks again.

The question is getting far too much now.

"Yes, I have actually come to meet my father" she says.

The guard looks at her, as if trying to if she really is the princess or not.

"Does he know you are coming?" he asks again.

"No, but I am here anyways, so if you would please let me in" she says, getting a bit impatient already.

He bows and then orders the other guards to open the gates.

"I'm sorry for by being so rude princess, I'm sure you must have heard what befell our kingdom days back" he apologizes.

"It's ok" she says, brushing him off.

With that, they head into the kingdom.

Rosety just couldn't help herself and so, she peeked through the window to see how ruined the kingdom actually is now.

She was expecting to see rotten corpses all over and maybe some demolished buildings but to her surprise, people are busy walking up and down the streets, busy with their day today activities.

She was so surprised to see that there are this many survivors in the outskirt of the palace.

Zannatul was also as surprised and confused.

"If the the town has not been affected, then that must definitely mean..."

"It was an inside job" zannatul completed the sentence.

She just couldn't help but feel so.

The town looks like it has not been affected at all. And if the assassins have followed this route, they would have definitely tried to attack the inhabitants.

"I think so too, I feel like someone must have planned this thing and made sure that only the people in the palace were affected, not to talk the assailants were in the palace for quite sometime maybe because an attack like that couldn't have just happened overnight without careful planning" she observes.

"But who could it be?" Zannatul asks.

"That's the hard thing to say because as far as I know, most of the people in the palace did not survive and I barely escaped alive" she answers.

She looks outside the carriage once again.

The people were busy with their day to day activities, like nothing has actually happened days before but have noticed one peculiar thing on their face. They all looked so glum, like they have been worked up and they are extremely sad.

Just then, she saw one guard whipping one of the workers.

"Work like you mean it, you ingrate" he barked at him.

The man was carrying a huge box on his back and is heading up to the palace.

People were not allowed to take such heavy objects on their own and they were definitely not treated like garbage.

Rosety felt like dropping out of the carriage going to that guard. He needs to be thought a lesson.

Has he forgotten that no violence is allowed in Farkland and that all subjects are equal.

Just because there was no ruler doesn't mean the rules should be broken.

But she forced herself not to take any rash decision as of yet. She still needs to find out who the traitor was and to do that, she needs to be as discreet as possible.

Soon, they passed the people and start heading over to the palace gates.

She saw a few people walking over to the palace with heavy loads and some guards pushing them to work like donkeys.

They did not waste much time when entering the palace gates.

This time around, she could not bring herself to look out.

What if it was still as she left it?. The horrible memory is still haunting her.

As they were approaching the main king's chamber, where the king have all his important meetings, they heard music.

Drums beating, trumpets blowing and all.

Rosety couldn't help but wonder why music was blaring. The kingdom was supposed to be in mourning and so, who could have the audacity to host any function?.

Finally, the carriage stops. Zannatul was the first to step down. Rosety took a deep breath and extends her first leg out.

She looked upon the kingdom, expecting to be greeted with ruins but all she saw was a new palace.

The palace has been completely repaired. One could say that nothing close to a feud and taken place here, key alone a blood shed.

The entire palace have been decorated, as if they are celebrating something.

"Welcome princess, this way please" one of the guard says.

Rosety quickly adjusts her face masks and covers her face.

The guard led them to the entrance.

"Excuse me, could you mind please telling me what's going on here?" Zannatul couldn't help but ask.

"Didn't you know, today is the coronation my princess" he answers.

Coronation, but who's coronation?.

Who has the audacity to crown themselves king just four days after the demise of the king, Rosety thought.

Never in her life has she heard of something happening like this.

As they reached the main door, she was stopped.

"Sorry, but workers aren't allowed" the guards says.

"What do you mean workers aren't allowed?" Zannatul asks.

"Not you my princess, but your help" he says, pointing at Rosety.

"Since when are workers not allowed inside and do you really know who she is, she is..."

But Rosety cuts her off by placing her hand on her shoulder.

She gave her a nod that says it's ok.

"You can go and wait with the other helpers, the queen will be addressing the subjects after the coronation" he says.

The queen?.

The two ladies couldn't help but look at each other in question.

For one thing they know now, it's that whoever is being crowned today is surely a woman and might possibly be the one behind the brutal attack.

Rosety watched as her friend walks in, leaving her behind but she didn't feel hurt at all.

True, she would have wanted to see who had the audacity to take over her place in such notice and that too disregarding the mournful season of the king and queen.

But she has other things to do as well and so she went ahead.

Since she was familiar with all the ups and downs, any nook and cranny of the palace, it didn't take her long to reach her parents chamber and she wasn't at all surprised to see that everything in the room has been changed.

Definitely by the one who has proclaimed herself as the queen.

She decided to check the room so as to find any clue as to who that person could be but she found none.

Looks like the person is really good at hiding who they really are. Or maybe she doesn't use this room as her main chamber like the king and queen did, Rosety thought of the possibility.

Rosety thought of checking all of the rooms in the palace but there are more than a thousand rooms, so how could she possibly find it in time.

Guess she has to wait to see who the traitor is.

She decided to go to her own room and check but as she approached, she saw that they place was heavily guarded.

But why?.

What could possibly be going on in there?.

Could the traitor be hiding something in there?.

She thought of using the back door but then the announcement was made, that the coronation was done and the queen will now address the public.

This being more important than her room, she decided to head to the meeting place.

Not long after she reached, she spotted zannatul in the huge crowd.

"You won't believe who the queen is" she says as soon as they meet.

"Who is it?" she asks.

"And now, we present Queen Suzeka to you all..."