Finally, Thursday dawned, but it was not like any Thursday before.
In the palace, tension filled the air.
The king noticed the absence of the late queen's necklace from his daughter's neck, and suspicions gnawed at him—had a thief somehow slipped into the royal wings?
He issued a sudden command:
"Send a squad of royal guards to search the market. Any piece of gold bearing the royal seal means the immediate execution of its holder!"
RONA heard the news while hurriedly putting on her veil.
Her blood ran cold.
She wasn't afraid just for herself, but for the young man who might have found the necklace.
"If they find the gold with him… they'll kill him because of me!" she whispered in terror, slipping through the secret passage and racing toward the market faster than ever.
In the market, ALEDAN stood in the same corner where the necklace had fallen.
He hadn't sold it, even though his family's hunger gnawed at his heart.
He slid his hand into his pocket, touching the cool metal for reassurance.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves thundered and the captain shouted:
"Clear the way! Royal inspection! Whoever is hiding stolen gold, reveal it now!"
Panic erupted in the crowd.
ALEDAN stepped back, his heart pounding like a war drum.
He saw the guards approaching, overturning stalls and searching passersby with harsh hands.
In that chaos, his eyes caught a familiar veil in the crowd.
He recognized her instantly by the panicked way she moved—a grace unlike the harshness of the market women.
RONA didn't see him.
She was about to collide with a squad of guards who blocked her path completely.
Her scream caught in her throat as she stumbled backward, trapped between a wall and the spears of drawn swords.
Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder, pulling her into the dark entrance of an abandoned house.
She almost screamed in terror, but a rough hand gently covered her mouth, and a deep voice whispered in her ear:
"Shhh… if you scream, these will be our last breaths together."
RONA froze in place.
She found herself face-to-face with ALEDAN, who stared directly into her eyes, tension written across his face.
"Looking for this?" he said, opening his palm to reveal the royal ring, gleaming softly in the dim light.
Tears welled in RONA's eyes.
She reached out, eager to grasp it, but ALEDAN suddenly closed his hand and said calmly:
"Not now… the guards fill the alley. If they find it with you or me, it's over. Follow my steps silently—I know a back route only cats and thieves take."
For the first time, the princess wasn't giving orders.
She followed the poor young man across the roofs of crumbling houses and narrow passageways, wondering silently:
How could someone who found such a treasure not run away with it?
And why risk his life to save a stranger whose face he didn't even know?