Kitanna
Chapter 110: BLEEDING DANDELIONS

Chapter 110: BLEEDING DANDELIONS

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: LACRIMOSA ~ WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART]

Axilla helped the merchants move the products that would be sold out; they had been in Morado for almost four days, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to meet the princess. The young master had promised that he would take her there soon, but she didn’t know when.

She heard gossips passing around the villagers that King Khelan was exiled from Morado, and someone else who was a culprit had been caught. Staying outside the palace, she only got bits of information and nothing more, so she didn’t know much of what was happening.

"You!" Axilla turned when she heard the strong, familiar feminine voice. Her gentle hazel eyes turned to meet the stern black eyes of Panha, which now shot daggers at her.

Axilla wondered if she had done anything wrong.

"Greetings, Chief Panha." Axilla bowed to the young lady.

"Do you think we feed you to laze about all day?" Panha spoke sternly, not replying to her words of greetings.

Axilla pointed at the sacks she had been carrying, "I’ve been helping set the stalls and carry out grains for sale. I’ve not been idle." The young girl defended herself but she didn’t know her words offended the young woman.

"So I don’t know what I’m saying. Is that it?" Panha pressed further; she wanted the girl to fall inside the perfect trap she had made. And unknowingly Axilla was now two steps away from the trap.

Axilla shook her head, trying to sound as polite as possible because it seemed like the Chief woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Bright flower had no idea that she was the reason for the woman’s anguish. "I didn’t say so. And all I’m doing is helping because Young master Cortez asked me to only serve him directly since he’s not around. I decided to help instead of being idle."

The innocent girl who was not aware of the world’s harsh nature said in a low voice.

Panha let out an irritated scoff; she used her eyes to gauge the small girl who was now calling Cortez’s name just because she was privileged to serve him. The anger in her chest boiled more, "Are you saying you’re not supposed to offer your help even if I command it?" The cunning woman threw the last line, and just like she expected, the unsuspecting Axilla walked past it.

"Yes, I only report to Young master Cor-" Axilla felt the harsh sting of a slap on her cheek. It was like a pain she had never felt in her life. Before she could recover from it, she found herself landing on the ground because Panha had pushed her.

Axilla’s eyes moistened as the tears threatened to escape, but she held herself back from being weak. "W--what are you doing Chief Panha?." She dared to ask.

"Don’t ever mention Cortez with your lips. Seems you were not given a proper orientation on how to talk to your superiors; you think being used by the Chief makes you special?" Panha signaled to the other maidens who worked under her, and they dragged the innocent Bright flower.

Axilla was still trying to understand the gravity of the situation but in the midst of everything. The fact that she’s being called a used woman hurt her the most. She tried to wriggle herself out of the grip of her captors but it was difficult because she had a very small body.

"Leave me alone! Please." Axilla begged; maybe they could try to find common ground. She tried to know what she had done wrong but nothing came to her mind.

As she was being dragged, Axilla shouted for other merchants to help her, but they all acted like nothing was happening. Everyone carried out their businesses like they didn’t see the girl being hauled away.

Axilla felt her heartbeat race with the seconds that passed; she had little idea of what was going to happen to her, and it scared her.

Now standing in a field of dandelions, Axilla was dropped harshly on the ground, and she found herself surrounded by the women with Panha being their leader. Bright flower prayed earnestly for the young master to return, but she knew it was not possible because he had gone for a personal business trip which he said would take time.

"Strip her!" Panha commanded.

Axilla tried to scurry away, but she was held back. She couldn’t hold the tears back anymore; she began to cry, clasping her hands and begging for mercy.

"I-im sorry... I promise I won’t do it again....I promise." Axilla begged desperately, tears streaming down her face; she didn’t know what she had done but she kept begging not to do it again.

The maidens enjoyed the sight in front of them; they laughed, pointing at the girl.

"Her memory seems to be coming back now. Let’s help her know her place better." Panha raised her hands, and a whip was immediately given to her.

Axilla’s dress was ripped at the back; the girl instinctively covered her front with her tiny hands so that her dress won’t fall off and bare her mounds. When she saw the whip, she knew exactly what was in store for her.

The first lash of the whip sent bolt shots to the girl’s brain as she had never experienced such pain in her life. Axilla whimpered, biting her lips roughly. As her back was left bare, it didn’t take two more whips for her back to draw blood due to the harsh whipping.

The dandelions now had the girl’s blood on them; the sun was warm, hiding inside the clouds as if it was sad about the girl’s plight.

After Panha was satisfied with the whippings and enjoyed the tears that left Axilla’s lips. She tied a rope on the girl’s neck and began to drag her like she was an animal.

Axilla struggled between holding her front dress and walking on her fours, and even enduring the pains that were coming from her back. The girl wished she could just vanish; she wanted to go back to her village so she wouldn’t have to experience any of this.

Panha continued to drag the girl, even when she noticed that she was passing out and waking up. She only felt it was proper for her to feel the pains because she overstepped her boundaries.

"What is going on here?" Panha dropped the rope when she heard the icy cold voice of Cortez. She couldn’t pretend or hide anymore because she had been caught first hand. She quickly dropped the leash that she was gripping tightly.

"S-she stole something and tried to run away," Panha said immediately, and the other maidens nodded in agreement.

Cortez, who was trying to suppress his anger, walked past Panha and sat on his heels. When he noticed the lashes on the girl’s fragile back and the bruises on her neck, he closed his eyes for a second trying to suppress his burning rage. He decided to take care of the girl first before trash.

Removing his jacket, Cortez used it to cover the girl who was now limp on the ground. Then he carried her up gently, trying to avoid her wounds, but it was almost impossible, and this caused the girl to wince.

"As for you Panha, you are lucky I didn’t slap you, as you pose to be a woman but just know I did it a thousand times in my head" Cortez gritted his teeth, pushing Panha aside, he carried the girl inside his room.

Panha fisted her hands in anger, "Cortez you dare choose that thing over me! I’ll make sure you regret it."

And right on cue, a letter arrived from Odel, it was from the Hubert the innkeeper. Panha tore the contents immediately, and her face darkened as she read the letter.

’I hope this letter finds you in good health. As promised, I found out that your sister was caught when she tried to complete her mission and was killed.

My informants said it was the princess who killed your sister in cold-blood. You can do with this information what you want; I have kept my end of the deal.’

Panha crumbled the letter; her anger now seething through her eyes. The same princess she heard Axilla was eager to meet, the one who bypassed the reigning king and is now on the heir to the throne.

Before Axilla, there was a bigger fish to erase, and it was Princess Kitanna. With this thought, Panha walked back to her own room.