Chapter 18

    

    Princess Diane's Pov;

    

    

    

    It's almost dark when we found the hunter's home. Unlike the other side of the forest, the area where his house is located looks lively. I could hear some birds singing, squirrels roaming around and some ducks swimming on the lake near his small house.

    

    

    "Are you sure this is the hunter's lodge?" I asked Lyndon. It's really hard for me to believe that a strange snake hunter would live in this place. I mean, this place looks exactly like a happy home where a happy family could live freely. It might be far from the city but this place is actually the place where I want to stay whenever I'm stressed with palace duties.

    

    

    "Surely this is! I could still remember the scenario I have seen years ago. His house is located in the west side of the forest with two big acacia trees on it's sides. And here we are!" he answered confidently.

   

    

    

    "How do we get in? Are we going to knock? What if he did not answer?" I told him. I was so worried that the hunter is afraid to face anyone. 

    

    

    "Of course we're going to knock. We can't just barge in without even knocking. That's too disrespectful," he said while chuckling.

    

    

    "Okay then, you knock! I will just stay behind you." He looked at me like I have just said the weirdest thing he ever heard.

    

    "What?" I glared at him. This idiot prince is obviously making fun of me.

    

    

    "Seriously? Are you that afraid that you're going to use me as your shield just in case he throw an arrow on us?" he teased.

    

    

    "Pathetic! Of course you're a prince and your duty is to protect a princess like me. So go on and knock on that wooden door!" I ordered him. 

    

    

    

   "What a bossy princess!" he said obviously irritated. Well, it doesn't matter to me. He can be irritated for how long he wants as if I even care!

    

    

He started knocking on the wooden door while I stood behind him. I bet it's the most safe thing to do right now. Who knows if that hunter throw an arrow on us, well atleast I have Lyndon as my armour.

    

He knocked five times before the hunter came and opened the door.

    

    

He's now looking at us, like he's trying to observe us. 

    

"Who are you?" he asked. And I swear to God I'm going to die in here. This hunter's breath stinks. Like yuck! 

    

"Oh my gosh Lyndon, his breath smells like poison," I whispered to Lyndon. Of course I don't want the hunter to hear me. He might get embarrassed, or worst he'll kill me for insulting him. Well, it doesn't sound like an insult to me because I'm stating a fact.

    

    

    

"Shut up Diane!" Lyndon whispered angrily at me. 

"Whatever!" I said sarcastically.

"Aren't you going to answer my question?" the hunter asked again. This time I covered my nose using my hands so that I won't be able to smell his breath again.

    

    

"Seems like you have forgotten me," Lyndon started. "I am Prince Lyndon of the kingdom of Valor."

    

    

The hunter's eyes sparkled after he heard the word prince. Tsk!

    

    

"And I'm Princess Diane of Ethmus!" I introduced in a bored tone. He stared at me for a second then he smiled. Eeew! What is he trying to do? Is he trying to flirt with me?

    

    

    "Come in your royal highnesses, welcome to my humble home," he said while opening the door wider for us to enter.

We started to walk inside and I can't help but scan the whole place. Well, his place doesn't look bad at all. It's clean and filled with beautiful wood carvings. You would probably think that a wood carver lives here instead of a hunter.

"Have a seat please." He offered us to sit on the chairs made of woods.

"Thank you, you're so nice," Lyndon said to praise him. 

"Surely he is," I said sarcastically before I sit next to Lyndon. While the hunter sits on the chair opposite to where we are seated.

    

"You honored me by just simply being in my place your highnesses. Tell me, is there anything you need?" he asked.

    

"We want to know if you were the one who caught a venomous snake for Princess Amira," I asked him directly. Lyndon glared at me but I just gave him a smirk. What's wrong with being straight to the point? I really want to know if the culprit is Amira. What she did is something beyond the ethics of being a princess. She deserves to be punished for planning to kill her own blood.

    

    

    I saw how the hunter's mood suddenly changed from being happy to nervous. I knew it! I was really right all along. That evil bitchy Amira did it on purpose. She wants the throne of Citrine. What a greedy attitude!

"No! I actually don't know a thing about this Princess Amira. Not even her looks or attitude," he denied.

"Stop denying mister hunter. If you will testify against her then we will give you twice the amount of money she paid you!" Lyndon explained to him.

"Why will I testify? What for?" the hunter asked curiously.

"Princess Amira used the snake you gave her to kill the crown princess!" He turned pale after hearing my words.

"The crown princess?" he asked nervously.

    

    

    

    

"Yes, the one and only Princess Ana Mae Villashne of Citrine. Her life is now in danger because of you and Amira," I told him.

"I don't know a thing about that snake you're talking about. I stopped hunting snakes years ago," he denied.

"We found an amulet inside princess Ana Mae's room where she was bitten by that snake. Amira's name is engraved in it. And if you will not help us then we have no choice but to include you in her crime," Lyndon explained to him.

"How will you involve me in her crime when you don't have even a single evidence to prove that I'm guilty?" he challenged us.

    

"Amira is a cunning and selfish woman. She will surely tell everyone that she got the snake from you. And it's not that hard to believe since you're the only snake hunter left in this town. So you only have two choices, testify against her and get paid with a large amount of money or cover her crime and send yourself to death." He was drowned into deep thoughts for awhile because of my words.

    

    

"I will testify against her. Just promise me that I won't be killed and that you will pay me twice the amount she paid me," he said that made me and Lyndon smile. This cunning man obviously knows how to get himself out of danger.

    

"We promise," Lyndon and I said in unison. 

    

    

Finally! We have someone to testify against Amira! It won't take long for her to suffer the consequences of her selfish acts.