At first Zach was about to relax since Luke knew the people. But then he witnessed the color on Luke's face shifting abruptly as if he had figured out the complete plot just then, Zach didn't dare to let down his guard. It seemed that the people were definitely coming to cause trouble.
Luke noticed the badges tied to the shoulders of these individuals in order to discern the ranks of these people. He had long since deduced that these people were soldiers who had arrived to take him away. The most probable reason was because he had interfered with the police and had even killed one of them. Since the police couldn't do anything to him, military force had been deployed to arrest him.
Luke remembered how the tall old warden had previously threatened to retaliate against him through the proper means. Turned out that he had actually done it.
Luke wasn't afraid of the warden but he knew that he couldn't do anything else now that the soldiers had arrived to take him away. Before Zach or anyone else could make a move or provoke the military, Luke walked towards the group of soldiers with both his hands half raised into the air as if to surrender himself.
"You don't have to do this you know. They aren't a threat." Zach held him back by his shoulder and whispered in his ear as if to reassure him that he would support him if he wanted to put up resistance.
Luke felt gratitude at this display of trust but he had no intention of hurting his fellow soldiers when he was the one in the wrong. Even though he had done it to exact justice, it was still wrong of him to kill a cop in the station that was meant to provide justice to all.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I know but I need to do this in order to uphold the spirit of true justice. If I avoid this, I wouldn't be any different from those policemen who were torturing Mr. Windsor in the jail cell." Luke walked towards the approaching soldiers as he shrugged of Zach's hand from his shoulder. He wasn't the least bit remorseful of his choice this time because he had ingrained these principles in himself during his military training.
"We are here to take you into military custody for the murder of an innocent civilian who was doing his duty. Come with us quietly and you will be given a chance to plead your case in the military court." The leader of the soldiers came forward to greet Luke as he nodded with his head slightly as if in acknowledgement before revealing his purpose in coming to the Windsor family mansion.
"I understand. I have no intention of resisting arrest. Let's just go like this." seeing as one of the soldiers was fumbling for a handcuff around his waist, Luke asked the leader with a smile.
The leader seemed to be a little respectful as well and didn't deny Luke's request. Instead, he motioned for the soldier to keep the handcuffs with himself.
The soldiers divided themselves into two rows and surrounded Luke on either side as they escorted him out of the Windsor family mansion.
Violet wanted to say something throughout but she was unable to handle the situation the moment she noticed the badges on their shoulders. This was a military matter and she hardly had any say in the matter. She was embarrassed at not being able to help him out despite how much he had done to help the sisters in their time of need.
Both Clara and Violet could only watch them take Luke away. Both of them knew how much Luke valued being the part of the military. Therefore, they didn't intend to cause him more trouble; any more than they already had by bringing him into their family's mess.
While both the girls looked extremely remorseful, Luke was the exact opposite. He was treating this as a minor punishment because being a prince exonerated him from any capital punishment. Moreover, those who still had the authority to punish him were more than aware of his standing in the royal family.
Therefore, he would at most be awarded a harsh punishment but his life won't be in danger.
Clara couldn't help but remember the moment when her father had been taken by the group of police officers. Her emotions fluctuated as a result and her impulses took over as her right foot moved behind her in order to get in a position to rush. She was about to take down those people who were about to take Luke away but Luke looked back at her and smiled.
"You should be thinking of how to save your father at the moment. Don't worry. I will see you two soon. They can't do much to me. I will be back before you know it."
Clara unknowingly calmed down seeing his bright smile but the uneasiness in her heart wouldn't disappear no matter how positive she tried to be. The incident with her father had left a deep impression on her and she was unconsciously interpreting this incident in the same light.
…
The carriage stopped right outside the gate of the center of justice, the police station. The two guards at the entrance to the station immediately drew their weapons and called out loudly, "HALT!", even though the carriage had already stopped and had no intention of going any further.
The incident with Luke had shaken the police personnel previously and the security measures had been increased after the incident in order to prevent the authority and honor of the entire institution from being marred in the eyes of the public.
One of the police officers aimed the gun at the carriage while the other put away his weapon and headed towards the carriage in order to affirm the identity of the people inside.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBefore he could ask for them to come out, a young and petite woman stepped out of the carriage. Based on her stature, she could hardly look dangerous but the look in her eyes was cold enough to freeze anyone in sight.
Clara had changed somewhat after the incidents with her father and her elder sister. Her bubbliness and playfulness were reserved only for those close to her. The rest only deserved her cold gaze that was capable of freezing their insides.
Clara didn't pay attention to the cops on the gate. She didn't regard them more than pests on her way as she had seen how ruthless these defenders of justice could be in the face of benefits.
She turned back towards the carriage and waited.
Grace was the next to step out of the carriage and Zach was right behind him as he kept an eye on the former to keep him from escaping at all times. At the same time, he needed to protect Grace from all kinds of harm to the best of his ability.
Grace was the only evidence that the Windsor family had against the Hunter family. Moreover, he was the only person who could absolve Marico from the crimes that had been pitted against him unjustly. In the absence of enough evidence, only the true perpetrator was needed to save him.
As such, Violet didn't hesitate to turn Grace over to the police in order to save her father. No matter how trapped he felt, it was a fact that Grace had betrayed the family and needed to be punished.
Violet who looked like her usual cold an elegant self, led the entourage behind her and entered the police station after necessary identification at the gate.
Since Luke hadn't come with them, the police had no reason to stop them from entering. Violet led the group straight into the police station in order to meet up with the warden of the prison to rescue her father.
Andy saw the group coming from his office window that was located at the first floor. The moment he saw Violet walking in with a steady gait and the regretful and lifeless looking person following after her, he knew that the Hunter family had lost this bout.
Andy couldn't help but thank his gods that he hadn't taken a clear stance in the battle between the two families. He had only offered a little bit of help to both the parties without antagonizing the other.