Unconditionally - DanRos FanFic

Chapter 4

Danaya sat on the chair with her back straight, her face stiff from all the tears she held in check.  Her eyes roamed her prison cell without really seeing anything, her mind overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions.

Their kingdom had been at peace for several years now, and then all of a sudden, this.  Right after the birth of Lira, Amihan's daughter, Pirena had returned, filled with remorse, she claimed.  But Danaya knew she was up to something, and now, several years later, Alena was gone.  According to Pirena, a powerful,  mysterious creature had killed Alena but Danaya couldn't make herself believe this.  She had set off on a mission accompanied by Aquil to find out what had really happened to Alena but they came back empty-handed.

Even worse, something had been happening at the palace while she was gone.  The farmers from the valley were now accusing her of attacking them, that she had named them somehow responsible for Alena's death.  Now Pirena was accusing her of being behind Alena's murder and attempting to cover it up.  Even the palace soldiers claimed she had attacked them as well.  

This last statement had reluctantly come from none other than Muros and she could not deny what a blow it had been to her to hear him say that.

How could Muros believe that of her?  The very idea distressed her and made her furious, as well.  

Muros had not been the same since her mother died.  He had remained beside her as always, but it still felt as if he was keeping her at arm's length.  He had been more aloof somehow since that day, the same day she and Aquil started to grow close...

Her cell door opened and there he was, standing behind Lira.  Amihan's daughter and the heir to the throne, her niece Lira had grown into adulthood with the beauty, grace and kindness befitting to sang'gres like themselves.  

Lira and Muros entered the room.  The younger sang'gre looked worried while Muros looked intense.  At the moment, Danaya couldn't read his expression.

"Are you really innocent of all these crimes, Ashti Danaya?" Lira asked.

"I do not know what is happening and I don't understand why I'm being accused of all these! I could never do all that you're accusing me of, much less kill my own sister, Alena!"

Muros spoke up. "It pains me to say this, but I was there when you fought with our soldiers , Sang'gre Danaya."  He did not add that it had actually been him that she had mostly attacked.  

"I do not know what you're talking about, Muros! None of those things happened!"

"Is that why you're claiming you don't remember anything? That even the attack on the farmers did not occur?"

He was waiting for her answer, but he looked dismayed and upset, as if she had truly betrayed him.  Gone were the small smiles he usually reserved only for her.  

She cried in frustration.  Her tears were flowing freely now and she sank back on to her chair while Lira held her comfortingly.  She stared back at him, silently beseeching him to believe her.

He looked back at her once, conflicting feelings evident on his face, and then he left the room.