"Here's the infidel. The unfaithful slut. The shameless bull. Now you've seen the peak of it all. You shall be beheaded for that treacherous act. No one is ready to take your flimsy excuse. Very obvious that you're prepared for the walk. Who knows if you stole the dress also."

     "Enough! I won't have you speak to my father that way."

      Prium's face was fiery. Her button nose seeming to burst into phlegm and smear the leader of the protesters in the face. She had been keeping her cool since the while and she couldn't help it anymore. 

   She noticed that she had gotten their attention. Plus she was certain that they were surprised to see her flare up. She wasn't like her sister. She didn't talk all the time. She was always silent but when she was ready to go rogue, not even the priest could stop her. 

     She continued, meaning to enflame her guts and give the fellows more reason to wonder as well as ponder. 

    "The first thing was that you barged into our house. Probably because it's one of the poorest houses here. Probably because twasn't built with burnt bricks like the houses of y'all dickheads. But even after that, you went ahead saying all sort of abominable things in the name of wit. We've told you times without number that he didn't do it out of free will. How many of y'all haven't been drunk ever? We know what y'all would do after being drunk and here you are making a scene."

    She paused. She knew that she still had a million and one other things to say to them. She could read detest seeped in their expressions. She was going to go again, but the leader of the protesters wasn't a cakewalk. He wasn't ready to back down easily. 

     "May the gods roast your tongue, Prian. How dare you talk to those who are of the same age as your father. I had no slightest idea that you're this rude. And trust me, if you keep being this way, we wouldn't only have your father beheaded, but you also. Retard."

    You could tell from the expression of the leader that he felt on top of the world. Like he had said the best thing that could ever be spoken by any man. Plus he was boiling. 

   She smiled, because she realized that the man didn't know what was about to hit him. If that was anyway a burden,

    "It's typical of a drunkard to forget names easily. It's Prium."

    The leader's jaw dropped. Pruim looked away from him to Vulcan who was still seated on the bed and said,

    "Sorry, dad."

    Vulcan didn't know what to say. If the Prium lady was truly his daughter like she had said, damn! He was more than proud of her. 

    Prium turned to the leader and continued,

    "And may I remind you that you're only to make a suggestion, while the king chooses what to do. And also, that you're the leader of a group that think the same way as you doesn't make you wise."

    The leader couldn't take it anymore. He rushed towards Prium to smack her, but then Vulcan hopped off the bed and stood in his way. 

     The movement was smooth though he couldn't explain how that happened. Those who were present too were in awe, as well as Prium. 

   Vulcan noticed that he had gained more than the expected attention. He spoke up immediately,

    "Nobody touches my daughter."

   He looked back at Prium. She smiled. She was proud of him. But sincerely, he loved the way the word, 'daughter', sounded in his mouth. 

    He turned back to the leader of the protesters and continued,

    "You came for me. Take me. You want to do whatever we with me, do it. But if you dare cross your boundary with Prium, I'll be very personal with you. And I'm sure you have no faintest idea what that means."

    Vulcan put his two hands forward in a manner to surrender. His wife and other daughter had just walked in. They just watched him in surprise. Like he had acted oddly. Probably he wasn't that kinda man. 

     "Seize him!"

    The leader of the group ordered as three of the men laid their hands on Vulcan. They tried pulling him with them but they couldn't. He seemed not to be ready yet. 

      "You'll come with me, baby?"

    He turned to Prium and she nodded her head in delight. She seemed to had been shocked by that name, baby, too. 

    The other men paved way as Vulcan, Prium by his side, walked out of the hut. He wished hardly never to return there but there was little he could do. 

    He smiled at his wife and other daughter as he walked out but the wife shot back a glare, and the other daughter, a feigned smile. 

    As soon as they stepped out, he was met by lots of the people, protesting and meaning to hurl stones and pegs at him. But the leader came to his aid,

    "Peace! We are about the justice. We move to the palace now. Whatever the king says is the final. No stoning or beating. But well, cussing is allowed!!"

     He laughed evilly and led Vulcan to a chariot and his daughter to another. Vulcan didn't protest, though Prium had her own scene to create. 

   Soon, they got to the palace and they climbed off the chariot. 

    The Castle of the Monarch was a in a lone settlement and was all by itself. There were few trees surrounding it and several statues. 

    Vulcan noticed his daughter rushing to him. They both walked past the guards into the castle, accompanied by the leader of the protesters and five others. 

    Inside the palace was a stray of the outside. The palace was the best definition of don't judge a book by its cover. 

    Twas well illuminated and the throne was to the North with stairs embroidered with cowries and lamps of fire on the right and left. 

     "Did he attest to the fact?"

     The King asked as soon as they all knelt before him. Vulcan didn't. He didn't even before Poseidon or come to think of it, Zeus!

     "He didn't say otherwise."

   The leader of the protesters replied. The King stood up and walked down the stairs towards Vulcan. His flowing robe in three layers. Gold, wine and white. His face long and beardy. His voice thick and nourished. His accent, a little bit strained. 

     "Now you don't bow after violating my daughter?"

     "He didn't your highness."

     Prium defended immediately the King shot at Vulcan, but the king turned to her,

     "This isn't your place, lady. Take her out."

    Two guards grabbed her and took her out. She didn't call at Vulcan, Vulcan didn't act. 

    "Did you or didn't you?"

    The King asked Vulcan. He was few steps away from him. 

     "You wouldn't believe my tale."

    Vulcan shot back. The King nodded his headed. He seemed full of himself. He walked back to his throne. 

     "What do the people want?"

    The King asked as soon as he settled into the throne. 

    The leader stepped forward and shot,

     "That he's beheaded."

     The King sighed and hurled,

     "Couldn't had thought better and I won't touch the man who defiled my daughter. Behead him. Right away."

     He stood up and walked off the throne to his chamber. Vulcan followed him with his haughty eyes, then saw a lady daintily dressed peeping at him. He didn't need to be told. That was the princess. 

   She looked away as soon as their eyes met. 

    The leader pulled Vulcan up and dragged him away. 

     "Now you see how powerful I am?"

   The leader whispered into his ears and laughed.