Chapter 8: The Fall of The Hunter

Leif's fingers slowly opened. The sword slipped from his hand.

Clang. The sound echoed through the silent garden.

Nobody moved. Not even Leif. Then... his eyes met Ravynne's.

Ravynne looked at him. Her eyes didn't accuse him. They simply... dimmed. Like watching the last person she still believed in become a stranger.

Leif couldn't breathe. That look hurt far more than when she'd called herself a monster. Time felt like freeze. The moment her dissapointment shot him, all the air left his lung.

Then Ravynne quietly said, "May I leave now?"

Not to Leif. To the King. She completely ignored Leif now. That hurt more.

King Aldros nodded. Before anyone else moves— Leander moved.

He pulled her closer to his side, his hand clamped around her arm in protective gesture.

"I'll escort Lady Ravynne." He doesn't even look at Leif.

Both Ravynne and Leander nodded to the king once before they walked away. Leander lead her closely.

Leif's eyes followed as they stepped away from the crowd. He watched them disappear into the corridor. One step. Then another. Leander never loosened his hold on her. Ravynne never once looked back.

Something burned behind Leif's eyes. He blinked. But it didn't go away.

The distance between them grew further and further away. With every steps, Leif's heart felt heavier.

'She never look back.' His finger almost made a fist, but even that requiered a strength. He didn't have that.

Across the upper balcony... Lady Seraphina stood beside the marble railing. She had witnessed everything. Her eyes didn't follow Ravynne. They followed Leander.

His hand resting against Ravynne's back. His body shielding hers. Her expression didn't change. But her fingers slowly tightened around the balcony stone.

King Aldros raised one hand. "The audience is over."

Nobody dared to argue, everyone bowed then left. Except— Leif.

"Follow me." King Aldros addressed his oldest son and started walking away.

Leif still too stunned to move, even when the king already walked steps away. His eyes still focused on the hallway where Ravynne dissapear with his step brother.

"Leif." the king summoned him again.

He reluctantly turned around and walked behind the king.

King Aldross lead them into her private wing. The door closed quitely behind them. For some seconds only silence filled the room.

The king walked further inside and sat down on the sofa in the center of the massive room. Now, they finally alone without anyone watching. Only a father and his son.

King Aldross poured a tea. But he didn't drink it. Leif still stood meters away. Not even moved closer.

"Tell me." The king heavy voice filled the room.

"Are you certain?" His eyes watched Leif carefully.

Leif couldn't answer. His eyes lowered. "...I was."

The king looked up. He notice the darkness pool inside Leif's eyes. He lifted his chin as he heard Leif's word.  "...Explain."

Leif looked away. "I killed the dragon."

He shut his eyes as the image emerged back from the dark. 

"I know I did." His voice lowered an octave, heavy with the pressure.

"But..." His jaw tightened, "I don't know who I saw today."

"Then why accuse her?" The king studied his expression.

Leif opened his mouth, then closed it. His eyes flickered.  He remembered her standing beneath the oak. No scars. No dragon mark. Nothing.

Then... those disappointed eyes. If he spoke now... there would be no trial. No investigation.

The kingdom would hunt her before the next sunrise.

His fingers curled. "...I don't know."

King massages his forehead. "Leif."

He exhaled deeply, "You have never acted without reason. So what happened today?"

Leif couldn't answer.

"...Maybe..."

Leif shook his head, "...I was mistaken."

The king closed his eyes. "Leif... I told you, I never expected anything from you." he opened his eyes.

Leif lifted his head and look at the king.

"But, the palace... it is not easy to stay here. They are so many people who want to kick you out of here. I had failed protect you and your mother when you were still a child." 

Aldross eyes filled with profound ache and longing, it make Leif's jaw tightened.

"Please, help me. I only want you to stay near me. When I meet your mother again..."

His voice almost disappeared. "...I don't want her to ask why I left our son alone twice."

Leif fell silence, he lowered his eyes again.

His lips parted. "...I understand."

He paused. Then— "...Your Majesty."

The address made the king flinched, "Don't—"

The door was knocked from the outside. The king paused. "Come in."

Then the king's secretary rushed in. Out of breath.

"Your Majesty!" He didn't wait.

"Your Majesty... the incident has gone public." He handed over a tablet.

The king took the tablet and played a video. It was uploaded everywhere in social media.

Leif was grabbing Ravynne. The voice of his accusation clear even from the distance. The video when his sword pressed on her neck and when he tore her dress. Everything recorded perfectly.

The secretary swallowed hard. "...'The Mad Dog Prince' is trending."

King Aldross sighed. "It's already begin."

"Your Majesty..." He struggled to breathe. "The video has reached five million views. The number is still climbing every second."

The king put his finger together on his knee, "...How bad?"

"The Royal Council members have begun calling. The Hunting Festival sponsors. The nobles. Even the western provinces."

King Aldros's gaze settled on the tablet. "The Hunting Festival..."

Secretary lowers his head. "Some nobles are requesting Commander Morvain be removed from the opening ceremony."

Silence settled over the room. King looked at Leif.

"You have already fought dragons." His voice was calm, but it sound heavy.

"Now...you'll learn that dragons attack with claws."

A pause. "People smile first."

"I know that"

The king nodded, "For now... Stay out of trouble."

Leif bowed for the last time. He turned around and left.

Accross the palace on the other wing, Leander lead Ravynne to sit down on her bed. Her hands still trembling. She held her fingers together to prevent the tremble.

Leander noticed it all, but he pretended not to. She wouldn't want him to notice when she was in this kind of situation. So he stayed silence.

"I'll have someone bring tea." He offered gently.

"No. It's okay my prince."

"Soup?"

"...No."

He frowned. "...That's serious."

Ravynne blinked.

"You turned down tea and soup."

He watched her face closely, "Only strawberry cake can save us now."

She blinked, "What?"

"I've seen you survive three assassination attempts. But I have never seen you refuse strawberry cake."

She stared. Then— A tiny laugh escaped her lip.

"I prefer chocolate, your majesty."

He smiled. "There she is. I will make people get it ready."

"You don't have to." She protested.

"I insisted." 

He walked to the door and called out the servant, then within minutes he returned to her side and sat beside her.

She smiled, "I'm alright."

"I know."

She tilted her head.

"I just don't believe you."

Outside the door, Leif had stop in front of her chamber. He didn't know why he ended up here when he should returned to his own wing.

Laughter drifted through the wooden door. Leif stopped. His hand hovered over the door.

He listened carefully. He could hear Leander's voice inside the room.

Leif's jaw twitched. He looked away first then turned around. He walked away without letting anyone know that he had been there.

Inside, Leander and Ravynne enjoy the cake together when one of his staff looking for her and gave him his tablet.

Ravynne watched it, he look serious.

"What is this?" she asked.

Leander gave the tablet to her, and she watched it carefully. The mad dog prince on trending. 

"We... need to handle it."

Leander nodded. "I know, I will take all the video down."

"I will help." she already stood up.

Leander pull her hand and lead her to sit down again. "Not today, you need rest."

The prince stood up slowly, his eyes didn't leave her. "I will make sure everything is settled properly. Don't worry about it."

He squeezed her shoulder then turned around and left.

Once the door clicked shut after his departure, Ravynne's eyes returned to the video. She clicked on the comments section.

God, the king's bastard son is a Mad Dog.

Send him back.

Beast Hunter.

He's embarrassing the royal family.

Poor Crown Prince.

Protect Lady Ravynne.

He better live on the wild rather on the palace.

Each one feels like another stone thrown at Leif. Ravynne kept scrolling. She stared at comments attacking him. Hundreds. Thousands.

She searched for someone defending him. She couldn't find one. Her thumb finally stopped moving.

Ravynne stared at the festival grounds below. Workers were already raising banners. Children ran across the square. Merchants laughed while decorating their stalls.

They had no idea. By next week... every eye in the kingdom would be fixed on one man. Not to celebrate him.

To watch him fall.