Iria Alewine finds herself in the Amlant Forest with a few people. Like always, a hunting event was going on and she participated for the first time. However, she didn't have much enthusiasm to use her bow and arrows.
Hunting event was common in Jerivia and the one going on was already planned a few weeks ago. It overlapped with the visit of the Nathanian Princess and she ended up participating in the event. Many of the Jerivians were amazed to realize that the elegant Princess knew how to hunt.
"Do you forget that this is a hunting competition? Are you here just to explore the forest?"
The Commander turned to the right when she heard the familiar voice and the Second Prince was riding his horse towards her.
"Exploring is much better than hunting, Your Highness," she simply said to the Second Prince.
Prince Orius slightly smiled at her response. "Why? Did my father urge you to participate? You never like to hunt."
When the Commander maintained her silence, the Prince added, "If you're here out of your will, I know that only the King is capable of making you do that. It's obvious."
"Then what about you, Your Highness?" Iria Alewine asked. "You never participated either."
"I won't say my reason but you should know that it's not because of my father," the Prince simply responded. "He can't force me in anything and I won't listen to him. He knows that."
"He's the King," Iria argued. "He can force you or even more. However, he didn't do that because he cared about you."
"Or maybe he feels guilty," Orius Aventine murmured. However, his voice was so low that the Commander failed to hear him.
"Pardon me?"
It seemed like the Second Prince was finally back to his sense and he finally shifted his gaze back to the Commander. "It's nothing," he shrugged. "You should be careful, Commander Iria. Our experience in Qalagon already tells us that during hunting, animals aren't the only ones who are in danger."
Iria Alewine understood what the Prince was saying but she only nodded in response. However...
She suddenly heard the sound of an arrow that flew towards her from the direction of her back. She was very quick to reach out her right hand to catch the arrow as there was no time to turn around. She managed to catch it somehow but due to her position, she ended up squeezing the metal part of the arrow. The sharp object sliced her palm, causing it to bleed.
The Prince noticed her hand and the arrow that was now on the ground. He quickly turned around but there was no one to be seen.
What was that? It might even be the first time that someone tried to assassinate her in the land of Jerivia!
"Are you alright? How's your hand?" he quickly asked her.
Though the wound was quite deep with blood flowing down her fingers and then to the ground, the Masked Commander didn't deem it that serious. She wanted to go after the assassin but she wasn't even sure if there was more assassin waiting for her with an arrow. So, she tried to be as alert as she can.
The forest was open only for hunters today. How did they still manage to come here?!
While the Second Prince gets off his horse to examine the arrow that the assassin used, Iria saw two people riding their horses towards them.
One was Crown Prince Zaro and the other one was Princess Athena. They both seemed to be confused, wondering what happened.
"Is everything alright, Commander Iria?" the Nathanian Princess asked her in her usual calm voice.
"Yes, Princess. Just some disturbance," the Commander replied.
When Zaro Aventine observed her and the Second Prince, his gaze landed on her hand and the blood dripping on the ground. He tightened his grip on the rein and his face darkened.
Orius observed the tip of the arrow and when he noticed the strange colour present on it, he raised a brow. He brushed the tip with his index finger and then smelled it.
"The arrow is poisoned," he mumbled and then realized how Iria's hand was injured by the same arrow. No!
The moment he darted his eyes to Iria, he saw her slowly losing a grip before her eyes were slowly shut. Then her body gave in to the strong effect of the poison and then fell to the ground.
Zaro Aventine couldn't be still anymore. He quickly gets off his horse and rushed to Iria who was lying on the ground, unconscious.
"What happened?" he asked, almost panicked. Didn't she only injured her hand?!
"It's the arrow," Orius Aventine uttered. "It's poisoned."
Poison, again?!
Thinking of what happened to his late sister, anxiety rushed through the Crown Prince's mind! He glanced at Iria's hand and noticed that the infected part had turned purple! Then he quickly lifted her.
"I will return to the palace with her. Alert others and look for the assassin," he said to his younger brother. Without even waiting for a response, he mounted Iria on the horse and left in a hurry. He had completely forgotten about the Nathanian Princess who seemed to be in a shock!
*
The hunting competition was replaced by the search for the assassin for the rest of the day. However, no matter how much the Second Prince and the soldiers explore the forest, they don't find any single clue, let alone the assassin!
As night had arrived, they returned to the palace to continue the investigation the next day.
Prince Orius went to one of the guest rooms in the palace where the doctor was still treating the Commander. When he took a peek through a slightly opened doors, he saw the Crown Prince sitting beside the bed, anxious. The doctor was working on drawing the poison out of her veins and it seemed like this already went on for hours!
Seeing the Commander who was sleeping on the bed still unconscious, the Second Prince clenched his fist. Then he walked away from the door and went to one chamber.
Entering the chamber, the Second Prince finds his father walking back and forth with anxiety written all over his face. When his father saw him, he quickly approached him.
"Did you find out anything?" the King asked. His voice was quite desperate.
Despite witnessing the haggard appearance of his father, the Second Prince was still cold as ever. He refused to show any emotion. "No," was his only response.
The King hopelessly pressed his fist against his forehead and shut his eyes, until...
"Do you have any involvement in this incident?"
He heard his son's absurd question. Then he put down his hands and looked at Orius with confusion written all over his face. What was he talking about?!
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