How To End This Marriage-Chapter 88: Intrigue and Agony: A Perilous Return

The night had taken a chilling turn as Sylvia, battered and bleeding, ventured deeper into the unknown. Her desperate calls for help reverberated through the darkness.

"Father!"

"Where are you?"

"Save me! I’m about to die!" she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear and pain. She pressed onward, guided by her determination to survive, her hands pushing aside leaves that concealed a hidden cave, leading her into the eerie depths.

"Father, save your daughter!" she implored, her footsteps leaving a trail of bloody prints, a testament to her harrowing journey. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Why am I enduring this much pain? Just because of a contract set by my father. No one informed me I had to sacrifice myself to complete this mission," she reflected bitterly, gritting her teeth as she pushed through the excruciating agony.

"If this is a trap for me, I swear I’m not going to spare anyone," she vowed, her resolve unwavering as she continued her arduous path. With every step, her knees rubbed against the unforgiving surface, causing further injury and intensifying her suffering.

The cave seemed like an endless abyss, and Sylvia’s determination was her only guiding light. Her thoughts raced as she pressed on.

"If this is a trap for me, I swear I’m not going to spare anyone," she muttered through the pain and exhaustion.

Time blurred as she navigated the dark labyrinth, her journey fraught with both physical and emotional torment. She wouldn’t relent; her mission was her guiding star.

Finally, a glimmer of hope appeared as a soft, distant light touched her face. It was a sign of the cave’s end, and it rekindled her will to keep moving forward. The sight of freedom spurred her to leave the cave behind after what felt like an eternity.

Outside, she was met by a concerned individual who couldn’t hide their shock at her disheveled and bloodied state.

"Princess, what happened? How did you become like this? Let me hurry and get a doctor for you. You should stay here. I’ll go and come right away," the person said, a mixture of alarm and urgency in their voice.

Sylvia, however, had no time to waste. Her priority was clear, and she spoke with a chilling determination. "No, I want to meet my father. Inform him right away. I don’t want anything but to see him. Right. Now!"

The person tried to reason with her, concerned about her fragile condition. "But, princess, the ruler is not present in the place at this moment. His arrival may take a few days. Are you going to be like this for days? No, princess, we don’t want to lose you."

Sylvia’s response was laced with frustration and bitterness, her words a searing indictment of those who had sent her on this perilous path. "Then why didn’t you stop my father when he assigned me to do whatever the emperor says that day? Didn’t you really understand the context of the plan I was sent to fulfill? Or is everyone trying to act dumb and push me into a hellfire so that I will never return?"

Her voice, weakened by her ordeal, trembled as she accused those who had sent her on this treacherous mission. "Is this why my father, who should be worrying about his daughter, went to another place without knowing how I’m dealing with all this?"

The person was bewildered by her accusations. "Princess, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say."

Resigned to her situation, Sylvia gave her attendants a grim directive. "Stay here, princess, I will send your attendants right away and bring the doctor to visit you."

As the person departed to carry out her request, Sylvia’s strength waned, and she nearly collapsed to the ground. Her attendants, with concern etched on their faces, rushed to support her.

"Princess, what made you look like this? Why are you bleeding so much? Was the task so much riskier than you can imagine?" they whispered to one another, their voices filled with anxiety and fear.

Sylvia, overwhelmed by her injuries and exhaustion, could not provide answers. She listened to their worried words, her mind clouded by pain and uncertainty.

"Princess, don’t close your eyes. Keep them open. The doctor should be here soon. You will be fine once you take all the medicine he provides," the attendants reassured her as they carefully carried her to her room. The marks she left on her way to the tribal empire, known to others as a village, were a grim testament to the sacrifices she had made in the name of her mission.

Sylvia was gently laid upon her chamber’s bed, her face contorted with pain she could scarcely bear. Her incoherent mumbling filled the room, a testament to her suffering. She clung to the bed sheets, her trembling hand revealing the intensity of her agony.

Amidst the turmoil, the door to her chamber swung open, and the person who had accompanied her entered, accompanied by the palace’s chief physician. Their urgency was palpable.

"Doctor, please check the princess. She has returned in this condition. I have no clue what happened to her, but she has been bleeding nonstop in pain. Make it stop," the person implored, their voice laden with concern.

The doctor promptly commenced his examination. His skilled hands began the task of cleaning Sylvia’s wounds, revealing the extent of her injuries. He focused on her knees, which had suffered the most. The doctor’s brow furrowed as he observed the severity of the injuries.

"This didn’t happen just from rubbing on the surface. Some sharp object has gone through, causing this. I can’t say precisely what kind of object it is, but it might be something very sharp that was used to make the wood pointy," the doctor explained.

"She has been attacked?" the person inquired, their alarm growing.

"Yes, it seems so. Make sure to inform the ruler as soon as possible. Her health is critical. Anything can happen at any moment. Make sure to let him know to return to the empire immediately," the doctor urged as he continued to clean Sylvia’s wounds. Her knees, in particular, were brutally injured, and the doctor’s expertise was required to mitigate the damage.

"I will inform the ruler right away," the person assured the doctor and hurriedly left to relay the urgent message.

Meanwhile, the news of Sylvia’s return had spread throughout the palace, stirring a whirlwind of curiosity and concern among the courtiers and residents.

"What happened? What’s with this commotion? The princess has returned?" whispered voices echoed through the corridors.

"Yes, the princess has returned, but she is not in good shape. Her life is flickering like a candle. The doctor said she could die at any moment," one person divulged, their words met with disapproving glances from those who overheard.

"Is this how you talk about the future queen of the empire? Or are you still expecting a prince to take over this position?" the doctor retorted, his anger clear.

"I’m saying nothing. It’s what the entire empire is saying. The concubine is now pregnant. Good news could arrive at any moment. And this time, it could be a prince, as the astrologer predicted," an elderly lady retorted.

"The concubine is pregnant? How was I not informed of this development?" the doctor exclaimed, taken aback by this revelation.

"The doctor from the concubine’s place arrived after hearing about her bad health. She then examined her and let everyone know that she is soon going to give birth," the old lady explained.

"But the ruler isn’t present at this moment. He has been away for such a long period of time. How is this possible?" the doctor pondered aloud, his mind filled with questions and concerns.

"Are you accusing the concubine of adultery? Such a mean accusation toward the royal family. You know you can be accused of treachery if you can’t prove your point in front of everyone?" the courtiers admonished the doctor, their tone stern.

"I didn’t say anything. I just stated what I know," the doctor replied, choosing his words carefully. Yet, in his heart, a seed of doubt had been sown, and he couldn’t help but question the circumstances surrounding the concubine’s pregnancy.

The concubine, her eyes wide with concern, hastily entered the room. She appeared to be on the verge of losing her composure upon witnessing Sylvia’s grievous condition. However, her dramatic entrance was immediately met with caution from the palace attendants, who were well aware of her delicate state due to her pregnancy.

"What happened? Let me see my daughter!" the concubine implored, a mixture of genuine worry and acting visible on her face.

"Madam, you can’t come running this way. You are carrying a child now. What if something happened to you and the child?" the ladies cautioned her, gently holding onto the concubine to ensure her well-being.

"She may not be my daughter, but I have loved her like my own. How can I stay calm when I see her like this? I don’t care about anything except my daughter," the concubine declared, her emotions appearing to overwhelm her, and tears welled in her eyes.

"The princess will get well soon, madam. You should return to your chamber for the safety of both yourself and the child," the old ladies advised, concerned about her health.

The concubine, however, could not tear her gaze away from Sylvia. She turned back to look at her with a peculiar smirk on her face, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.