Chapter 236 - The Public Apology
"Killian, don't do this!" Emmelyn tried to plead with Killian again. "I'll go with you. Let's wait for the horses. Don't do anything foolish."
"SHUT UP! You are a traitor! You have no right to call me by my name!" Killian scolded Emmelyn. His face looked contorted in anger. And now, Mars could see the young man slowly looked older.
Maybe suffering and anger changed his appearance that Killian looked older than he actually was?
Killian's brows twitched, his breath panting, and his eyes looked murderous, filled with hatred. And during his emotional breakdown, the sword in his hand grazed Emmelyn's arm and now blood slowly trickled down from her wound.
"DON'T YOU DARE HURT HER!" Mars immediately shouted. He was so distraught when he saw Emmelyn was injured.
This situation made him feel so guilty and not capable.
How could he let something like this happen to his wife and the baby in her womb? Gosh, he was so careless!
"Let her go! I'll do whatever you want!" He quickly added. "I will give you whatever you want. Just.. just let her go."
"Are you sure?" Killian laughed out loud, seeing the prince stood helpless before him, trying so hard to prevent him from hurting Emmelyn.
This stupid prince didn't know that Kilian would never hurt his own sister.
Killian would take a sword or a rain of arrows before he let anything happened to Emmelyn.
Emmelyn still knew him well and trusted him. So, she was not scared because she knew Killian loved her and would never hurt her intentionally.
"Yes, I am a man of my word," Mars replied firmly. "When I said that I will do whatever you want, I mean it, as long you let her go."
"Fine... let's see if you really will do what I ask you," Killian scoffed and raised his sword. "I want you... to kneel and beg forgiveness for killing my family. Then, I will let her go."
People around them gasped in unison.
This man was really courting death, they all thought inwardly. There was no way the crown prince of their empire would kneel down, just for a woman.
Even... even if he loved this woman, he must not lower himself to that level.
If he did that, his enemies would know that they could make him do whatever they wanted if they took this woman.
Showing to the world that she was his weakness was the worst thing a future king could do. Even his father, King Jared, never let himself be put in such a situation.
With this in mind, those soldiers were very certain that Mars would never kneel.
"I am sorry for causing your family's death..." Mars said without hesitation, and then he dropped himself to the ground. "Please forgive me."
"Your Highness!" Emmelyn's words got stuck in her throat. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Now.. this must be a dream. Or something.
This was not real.
There was no way that her husband, the almighty crown prince of Draec, just lowered himself before his enemy to ask for forgiveness.
The soldiers froze on their spots and even Killian was surprised that Mars complied with his demand.
This man is really foolish, Killian thought to himself.
He was really foolishly in love... that even his honor no longer mattered, as long as this woman was safe.
"CROWN PRINCE MARS STRONGMOOR! ON YOUR FEET NOW!" Suddenly they heard a roaring voice from the castle doorway.
King Jared who just arrived with his attendants was furious when he saw his son was kneeling on the ground and asked forgiveness from a disheveled-looking lone man with a sword in his hand.
He had heard Killian's order and didn't expect Mars to do what Killian wanted.
Now, seeing his son without hesitation kneeled and apologized, the king was utterly disappointed. He thought Mars was showing his weakness for all to see.
This was really bad. Now, the king would have to kill all witnesses and prevent this incident to be the talk of the town, or his son would be deemed weak by his political opponents.
Now that Mars was no longer cursed, he was not bound to just one woman.
He could actually find another, or at least pretend that he would, so people wouldn't think that his love for this woman was so deep that she became his weakness.
This was dangerous for Emmelyn too. From now on, people would know how important she was to the crown prince. She was even more important to him than his honor.
She would not be safe.
Mars turned to look at his father and he clenched his jaws as he shook his head. "I am only doing what I am supposed to be doing, Your Majesty. I regret the invasion that we did two years ago. We killed the Rosehills and make their children suffer including the woman I love. So, I apologize for our mistake."
Now, Emmelyn's tears were dripping uncontrollably. This was what she needed to hear in public. Mars had apologized to her in private, and she had forgiven him so she could move on with her life.
However, now, as she heard his public apology and he did it while he was on his knees, it invoked so much emotion that she didn't know was still hidden deep in her heart.
She needed him to apologize to her too, not just to Killian.
And when he said he was really sorry that the invasion had made the Rosehill children suffer, including the woman he loved, her heart was filled with love and warmth for him to the brim.
Now, she could feel Killian's body tremble as his grip on her neck slowly loosened.
Maybe Killian was feeling touched too?
"Killian... they.. they apologize..." she whispered to her brother in a choked voice.
"Yeah... I heard that. I guess he does really love you..." Killian's voice was very soft, barely a whisper, but Emmelyn could hear him clearly. "Now, I can die in peace."
"Wh-what do you mean...? Killian..!" Emmelyn turned around with her mouth agape and her eyes looking shocked, as the grip on her neck was removed.
What did he say? He can die in peace?
What was that supposed to mean?
"I'm sorry, my dear sister for what I did to you today... I need to make sure they don't suspect you for conspiring with me," Killian whispered as he pushed her body to the side and raised his sword to attack Mars.
His words rang in Emmelyn's ears like in a dream. Everything was a blur as her body fell to the ground behind Killian and she heard screams from around her.
Everything went dark for two seconds, and then she heard the sound of something heavy fell to the ground.
The next thing she knew, Killian was lying motionless beside her with three arrows on his left chest and two on his neck. The man was killed instantly, with his eyes still wide open.
Blood flowed so heavily from both wounds and immediately created a pool of red around his head and shoulder.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhh....!!!"
Emmelyn's scream pierced the air.
This must be one of those nightmares that she had for months after she found out that her family was killed. It was so scary and disturbing.
She had not had those dreams for a long time, but today they came again, in broad daylight.
"Honey, are you okay?" Mars had jumped forward and immediately hugged her motionless body.
From the slits of her eyes, Emmelyn could see Gewen walked in distraught steps. He had his bow in his right hand and his quiver on his shoulder.
Apparently, he had been watching the scene from somewhere and took the opportunity to shoot Killian with his arrows when he saw an opening.
No.. it was not an opening, Emmelyn thought to herself.
Killian wanted to die. He created that opportunity for Gewen to kill him.
Killian wanted to clear Emmelyn from suspicions, that's why he intentionally held her hostage, and he even grazed her skin to make it more convincing.
As soon as he heard of the king's arrival, he knew there was no other way but to seek death and at the same time clear Emmelyn from the king's suspicion.
Killian thought, with the king present, it would be so hard to get forgiveness.... and actually, he didn't want forgiveness from the monarch for the attempted assassination.
It's the opposite, he wanted them to apologize.
And Mars gave it to him.