TYRION

Chapter 7

Isolde's POV

"Go down!" I was roughly pushed to kneel, wincing as my knees met the hardness of the rough floor at the Palace's square. I could feel a bruise forming on them, but that was the least of my problems now, as the council, King Ethan, and Queen Natalie fixed their eyes on me with disdain etched on their faces. Some women arrived, screaming and crying as they made claims about their children and spouses who had died during the previous night's massacre. My breath hitched, and my hands clenched tightly on my dress in reaction to the news that people had died the previous night. The attention was on them for just a short moment before it returned to me.

"Tell the truth, and your punishment may be less severe. Did you lead the traveler here to harm us? Now, explain his mission and why he's here." My head darted towards King Ethan, who was seated on a luxurious chair beside his queen as he interrogated me.

"I know nothing about this, my Lord. I only met with the traveler yesterday and he along with his friend, Alaric, saved me and my sister from the attackers"

"She's telling the truth, we might have seen Alaric before but we didn't know the traveler until yesterday. They saved us." Selena, my step-sister, affirmed as she arrived at the Palace Square with our mother. Selena was panting, and it was evident that she had been running. I felt a pang of guilt rising in me.

"Shut up. And cease your lies! It was her and the traveler I saw this morning on a horse, and I didn't see you. You are just covering for her." Gabriel, One of the palace's errand boys accused, It was clear he was the one who had spread the false information. He had only seen me and Tyrion because he had ridden faster than Alaric, I guessed he didn't wait long enough to see we were four. Confused and anxious, I lowered my head, waiting for the king's response, hoping he would be open-minded enough to consider the truth. However, what he said next only heightened my fears.

"It can't be a coincidence that the traveler arrived in town on the same day our land was threatened by intruders. He was undoubtedly a spy and you, Isolde know about it because you were seen clutching tightly onto him on his horse." accused, King Ethan. A tear fell from my eyes, and I felt utterly helpless.

"My Lord, my daughter is an advocate of peace and she would never take part in violence or support it. I implore you to conduct a thorough investigation before passing judgment" My mother spoke up in my defense, she glanced at me with a mixture of fear and concern in her eyes, and I couldn't bear to see her in such distress.

"Take her away into the dungeon" This time around, it was the queen who spoke, the crowd roared in unison, supporting her, while the two guards at my sides roughly pulled me up by my elbows as they readied to obey the king's command. Tears streamed down my face as they led me away but we hadn't taken enough steps out of their presence before the abrupt, rhythmic clatter of horse steps pierced the air.

"Release her." The familiar voice commanded in a tone of Authority. I turned back, a knowing look settling on my face as I watched his formidable self dismount the horse and approach.

"Bring her back!" The King commanded the guards and I was brought back to the center of it all, forced to kneel once again. The chattering in the crowd lowered, and people started murmuring as Tyrion closed in on us. For some inexplicable reason, his presence excited a part of me, as if he were a shield meant to protect me. It was hard to divert my eyes from his captivating features, there was something about him... I couldn't quite fathom.

"You would be making a grave mistake if you lock her up for she is as innocent as a dove." Tyrion said. And everyone seemed to be listening to him all of a sudden, what kind of authority tone was that. The king, though, looked like he would order his arrest soon enough.

"Who are you? and why should we trust your words?" The king demanded.

"Your kingdom is in grave danger, and that's why I have come to this land to deliver this message," Tyrion conveyed. "The witch from the neighboring land seeks to unleash a great calamity upon your people. I am only a messenger; I had no hand in the attack on your village, I swear."

As he continued, I watched him intently, my heart pounding in anticipation. "What you should be worried about now is protecting your kingdom. Please, release the girl; she knows nothing."
The tension in the Palace Square began to lessen slightly, and I strained to hear the king's response.

"Release her." The king ordered, surprising me. Tyrion walked up to me, lifting me up as the guards set me free, I winced lightly as my painful knees made a cracking sound. My blue eyes met his green ones and something fleeting passed between us, but before I could dwell on it, it vanished.

"Let's go" he ordered, taking hold of my left hand and signaling for me to follow him. However, the king's voice brought us to a halt.
"You can't leave now; I wish to host you," the King declared.
"I promise to return once I've ensured her safety," Tyrion assured the king, his gaze shifting toward me as he spoke the last few words. Among the crowd, I caught Aaron's startled expression as he saw my hand intertwined with Tyrion's. But for the first time ever, Aaron didn't matter. And just like that, I rode away with Tyrion, escaping the threats of the palace.

Tyrion halted the horse as we reached my home, I knew it was only a matter of time before Mother and Selena returned too. I loosened my grip on his waist and climbed off his horse, straightening my black gown. I wanted to say something but the words seemed to elude me so I turned away instead. However, I froze in my tracks as his voice pierced my ears.

"I'm sorry I put you in so much trouble. I will stay away from you from now on but please, Stay safe." Those were the first words he had spoken to me since we left the palace and it had to be that he would stay away from me. Nothing about it felt good to me but I nodded in acknowledgment. I watched him ride away, not moving until he was completely out of sight.