Honey : The Empire's Treasure 141 Reunited...

What am I supposed to say to her? Sorry, I didn't protect you, that I thought you were dead? Kaze though.

Kaze figured Mika would curse and yell at him, for his carelessness.

Instead, Mika walked over to him and unlocked his chains silently. When he was about to apologize, she stopped him.

"Kaze, you have some explaining to do, but we will discuss it later..." That's all she said before she turned to Jonas to unlock his chains.

"...Yes."

Looking at Jonas, Mika couldn't help the annoying feeling that bubble up inside of her at his presence.

"Young Master Jonas...? I'm surprised to see you here."

"...I wanted to offer my assistant in your rescue..." Jonas looked off to the side, not quite meeting Mika's eyes.

"Uh-huh...sure."

Jonas is a person out for revenge, and with her being abducted by his nemesis, she could figure out his reasons for coming here.

Chains off and everyone freed, Ailwin led the group back to the outside doors.

"I don't think we can break these doors down, they are specifically made to keep Fae inside," Saavi said, looking at the dense wood iron doors.

"We don't need to break it, we just need to wait..." Ailwin didn't bother striking the door, he just stood to the side and closed his eyes.

Confuse by the prince's lack of concern, everyone paced about the place until a loud commotion could be heard from outside.

The next moment, the door was being open from the outside, and a group of soldiers were standing outside.

Ailwin walked out, leaving the prison building behind.

"Where is he?" Ailwin asked when Braeden came forward.

"Sir, we have him detain inside his office. The rest of the estate is under your control, all the guards have been replaced by us." Braeden reported.

"Good...put these three somewhere." Ailwin jerks his head towards the two guardsmen and Ply.

"Yes, sir." Braeden motion for four soldiers to take their weapons.

Ply, and the guards saw there was no use in fighting, dropped their weapons, and surrendered willingly.

Looking at Mika, Ailwin held out his hand, showing the way to Kendel's office.

"Let's finish this..."

"En." Mika grabbed Saavi's hand as she followed behind Ailwin and his men.

Saavi kept quiet the whole, though she was dying to ask questions on Mika's and Ailwin relationship, how she came to meet him and why he was helping her; but being taught correctly by Lady Lyra, Saavi knew now was not the time to ask.

Observing her young miss, she smiled. Young miss is alive and well, that's all I should ask for, Saavi thought as she made sure to keep close to Mika's side.

Feeling someone staring at her, Saavi moved her eyes away from Mika's to seek for the source of this feeling.

Looking on to her right, Saavi saw the man who the prince was talking to early, staring at them. Thinking this person might have ill-intentions towards her young miss, Saavi moved up some to block his sight of Mika.

Unbeknown to Saavi, the person Braeden was actually examining was her.

Who is this woman? Why is she following the pipsqueak? Is she her maid? Random thoughts were running through Braeden's mind, from the time to spotted Saavi helping Mika's out of the prison.

Not paying attention, Braeden smashing into Ailwin's back when they have reached there destination.

"General Ginwenys...?"

"Oh...sorry lost my footing for a second there..." Braeden tried to play off being distracted as being clumsy.

"So that's what you guys are calling it these days, being clumsy..." Mika laughed as she winked at Braeden.

Though no one else knew what she was talking about, Braeden did.

Looking to hide his shyness, Braeden moves to open the door for everyone to enter.

Inside the office, six soldiers surrounded Kendel as he was made to kneel on the floor until Ailwin showed up.

"Commander!" The six men saluted.

When he heard "Commander", Kendel knew it was Prince Ailwin who stepped through the door.

"Well, Lord Kendel, you didn't get far..." Ailwin sat down in Kendel's personal chair.

"You set me up!" Kendel roared, trying to stand up against the soldiers holding him down.

Thinking back to when he ran outside the prison building while locking everyone inside, he thought he would be able to give Ailwin's Shadow Wolves a surprise attack; yet to his own surprise Ailwin's army was already ready and waiting inside his clan's estate!

With only a few house guards putting up a fight against the prince's army, Kendel realized his plan was futile. His only other option is to sneak away. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side as one of his servants shouted out his name, alerting everyone to his presence.

Cursing his life to hell and back, Kendel made one last effort to escape.

However, his fighting skills are nothing compare to a seasoned general. Braeden bought him to his knees in five moves.

When he thought about it as he was confined to his office, his gut was telling him that this was all plan out to set him up. He just couldn't figure out how Prince Ailwin and Mika know each other.

And now seeing them walk in together made all suspicions seem correct.

"Set you up?... Lord Kendel, did I tell you to abduct this young miss?" Ailwin said, pointing to Mika.

"I did no such thing!"

"Then why was she in your prison, locked in a cell with cuts on her face?"

".....be-because you put her there to frame me!"

"How could I? This my first time in your estate, so how could I secretly bring her into your estate and lock her in your prison. Plus why would I do something like that? This is my first time meeting you, we have no animosity between one another."

Everything Ailwin was says is right, they had never been introduced to one another. He only saw Prince Ailwin one time, and that was when he and his men dressed as villagers to raid the clans at the border. Doubt was settling in Kendel's mind.

"Lord Kendel...though Kaia's laws don't apply to the Steppe's clans, there is an agreement between the two."

"P-P-Prince Ailwin! It's all a misunderstanding! T-T-That girl is my niece! I bought her here because I was concerned for her life!"

"Nonsense! You took her from us!" Saavi didn't want to hear this man's rubbish any longer.

"Shut up, you're just a servant! I'm her uncle, why would I hurt my niece!? Uh! tell me!?"

"This..." Saavi looked around the room, not daring to make accusations against Lady Delju without evidence.

"See! Prince Ailwin you must believe me I would never hurt my family..."

"Uncle is this true...?" Needing to get the information she required from him, Mika played into Kendel's tacit.

"Of course, little niece! Uncle didn't recognize you before, but now that I see you clearly...how could Uncle not know." Kendel was happy this brat is so dumb.

"Then how did uncle know I was at Lord Tasar's place?"

"Oh, my sister told me...she said little niece was staying at the Udava clan and that I should go get you."

"Mother Delju said that...?"

"En. She wanted me to take you away from the fighting and bring you to my clan for safekeeping." Kendel had no problem using his sister's name to get himself out of trouble.

"Did she also want me to write those letters?"

"Yes...wait, no! There is no letter! What is niece talking about...?" Kendel was starting to comfortable on getting out of this situation until Mika mentions the letters he wanted her to write to her father.

"The letters where you wanted me to tell my father to send money so I can get back home safe and soun-"

"Little niece! Y-You can't say such lies that aren't true!" Kendel wanted to stuff Mika's mouth to stop her from saying anything more.

"Let me see those letters." Ailwin leaned forward onto Kendel's desk.

"Prince Ailwin, don't listen to her she doesn't know what she's talking about..."

"Do too! The letters are on your tablet!" Mika pointed to the tablet laying at the corner of his desk.

Ailwin picked up the tablet, searching through it for letters.

Kendel smirked, why would I keep those god awful letters she wrote?

However, before he could enjoy his quick thinking, Ailwin's next words made his heart drop.

"Dear Daddy,

I'm at the Vlacca clan. For the time being, I'm safe. Though that can change at any time. In order for you to see me back home safely, Uncle Kendel needs funds. You'll l hear from me again when the funds are ready. My life is in your hands.

Love, Mikaela."

Finished reading, Ailwin looked at Kendel. If this wasn't a clear cut ransom note, what was?

Kendel's mind was exploding, he couldn't understand how any of this was happening.

He frantically looked around the room, meeting everyone's stares until finally, his eyes met Mika's.

"You...!" It all makes sense now. All the evidence against him must have come from this brat!

Chapter end