" She never did that. It was Valentina who mixed the poison but she kept the bottle in Mother's room and everyone thought that it she who did this. Father was the only one who believed on her. Augustus threw her in dungeon when she got into heated argument with Valentina and that vicious lady knew how to play her cards. When Flavia or Tatiana threw bitter comments at her, she never retaliated which she could have easily done. She only fought with Mother to pull her down and it pained her. Augustus hated her and it hurt her.

One day, Valentina visited her but their fight broke ugly and Mother ended up holding her neck. Valentina took it as an opportunity to frame her bad infront of Augustus. Mother was crying, begging but Augustus wasn't having of it. Finally, she succumbed to all the humiliation and killed herself. " he broke down and cried bitterly. The light lamp had fallen down from his hands and it rolled away just like his tears.

Now that he was on the receiving end of betrayal , he could imagine what his mother, Athena felt. He came back to his senses when he recieved a stinging sensation on his left cheek. His body swayed away with such harsh impact and he raised his head to find Rithambara throwing a disgusting look at him. She had slapped him but the physical sting was nothing in comparison to what his heart felt.

She spoke with utmost repellent , " Her womb would have cried out loud for carrying a disgrace like you. You knew everything, yet, you let her go through all the tortures. Now, you're repenting it by painting your Mother's portrait and here I thought that she was alive. You still didn't learn your lesson and you even loved that Aquila, didn't you? "

Marcus flinched listening to such stabbing words but weren't they true?

His cheeks burnt with embarrassment and shame. " No, I never loved her. I don't why I said that, it was quite impulsive. "

" So you lie because it has become your habit. You don't know the depth of your brother's love for you. He can die for you and this is how you repay him? You lied because you wanted to. What a pathetic excuse of a man you're! Fie on you! " Rithambara couldn't help but show her utmost disgust for Marcus.

When shock of Valentina being alive was finally being acknowledged by her mind, she straightened her posture. It was not the time to sit back, rather, it was to remove masks. She asked Marcus, " Well, if you have an ounce of shame left inside you, dear traitor Marcus , then will you tell where your Eagles have fled? Do you know the place? "

Marcus closed his eyes inhaling in the insult thrown at him. He knew that this was the last thing he could do for his mother. A betrayal took him to understand the depth of his crime.

' What will Augustus think of him? '

His conscience chuckled at it. Now that he had come back to his senses, he was thinking about his brother. Just an hour back, his chest puffed with thoughts of Rome but now, he was being perturbed.

He wiped away his tears while standing up. This was it! That vicious lady needed to learn a lesson. He nodded at Rithambara and his broken voice played, " Yes, I know the place where they are staying. Follow me. "

Ritha looked at Cato and asked him to take care of Justus for the mean time while Cato smiled at her and kissed her on forehead, " Be safe, I've promised your father."

Ritha smiled thinking about her father. She was missing him badly but it was he, who taught her to be brave in adverse circumstances. She remembered Lord Shiva to provide her strength for what she was going to do.

She turned around and eyed Marcus. His face was annoying her and she couldn't help but pass him a taunt, "Lead, Future Rex. "

Marcus's jaw clenched listening to satire her sister in law passed but he decided to dodge it off. He started walking ahead. Meanwhile, Rithambara called for more soldiers on her way. Finally, they started their voyage to hunt down the witch.

Ritha didn't trust Marcus at all and that's why she kept peeping out from the carriage to spot the soldiers who were chasing Stephano, Balbina, Luca and few of their comrade. Soon, she found Florence soldiers on horse backs stopping infront of small yet beautiful castle. She was quick enough to be on her toes and asked Marcus to lead her inside while soldiers made sure of safety of their beloved Prince and future Rex's wife.

After few trifle fights, Rithambara went inside the big spacious hall which was lit with candles and oil lamps. She didn't find anyone but was conscious of her surrounding because she was literally in foe's den. Turning towards Marcus, she questioned him, " Where is she? "

Just when he was about to answer, they saw a lady descending down with grace and the way Marcus had his jaws clenched, made it clear for Rithambara that she was Valentina.

Her hourglass figure was being enhanced more due to the corset she was wearing beneath while her white, almost silvery gown was making her look elegant. Her white skin was bathing in yellow lights of lamp and candles.

" Ah! What a pleasant surprise. Lady Ri... Rith... Pardon me lady, not able to roll out your name. " Valentina's feminine voice echoed in the hall while she stood few metres away from Ritha. Stephano, Luca and Balbina stood side by side to her.

Ritha got full exposure of her face and eyes which were resembling Justus. Her youthful face had a smirk while eyes were shining with unspoken victory. She didn't bother to respond to Valentina, instead, glared at her with undeniable strength.

Both the ladies were miles apart in character but one string was common in both of them, courage. One left her motherland for her father's respect while other entered into enemy's den to execute full plotted conspiracy of her father. One was positive, the other was negative but caliber to fight alone was same. One was evil birth mother while other angelic heart mother but both were mother. If looked in with depth, they were bounded by many things.

Now, both of them stood face to face with each other without blinking.

Ritha's face was getting red with anger while heart was burning with the fact that she was standing a lady who was once loved by her husband. Or more like whom he still loved unaware of her reality.

The more pressing truth was that Valentina was birth mother of Justus. Her soul was hurting with the mere thought. The most precious thing she ever got in life was Justus. She never knew that her temperamental nature would puddle down infront of a baby. She neither knew his name nor his identity, yet, she agreed to become his mother. For others, it looked completely derisive but for her, only that made sense. He was not born out of her womb but her heart surely gave birth to motherly instincts.

Valentina gazed at Rithambara's full frame from head to toe and spoke, " You are unusual and I like it. "

At this, Rithambara passed her a smirk and taunted, " You're a witch and I hate you. "

Instead of getting offended at her remark, Valentina blowed into fits of laughter. She again spoke, " So, how's my son... "

Even before she could complete her sentence, Rithambara fisted her hair while her eyes held fury. She spoke through gritted teeth, " My son! He's my son! Don't you dare call him as yours. "

All of the Eagles members leaped forward to hold back Ritha but didn't succeed as soldiers who accompanied Ritha were quick enough to hold then at their place.

Valentina pushed away Ritha's hands with a flip and twisted it, " you'll regret this. "

Rithambara gave a hard blow with her elbow in Valentina's gut which jerked her away. Seeing the ball in her court, she quickly raised her left leg and kicked her once again which made Valentina fall down but she wasn't the one to give up so easily. Anger was radiating through her fallen form and she cupped her guts to get up. Rithambara pinned her face down to the ground. The strength which she was applying didn't let Valentina utter a word.

Meanwhile, all the Eagle members were fighting tooth and nail to escape from grip of highly trained soldiers of Florence.

Valentina was thrusting the ground beneath with her hands to get up but Ritha's strength outnumbered it. It was a very satisfactory sight for Marcus to witness. Just like her mother, this vicious witch was also helpless. The only difference was that it was tiny winy price in comparison to her sins.

" You know what will be your worst punishment? Justus would never know about your existence and I'll make sure of it. At first, I intended to tell him about you but after knowing your true face, I'll never even utter your name infront of him. A filth like you deserve to die in darkness and all the curses your father bestowed on Justus were actually meant for you. "

Rithambara's angry words boomed.

Truth to be told, Valentina never cared what Justus or anybody thought about her. She just wanted to get up and punch Augustus's wife on face. Suddenly, she felt foot of Rithambara being removed and she got a ray of hope.

Without wasting a single second, she turned around swiftly but alas! That was her last turn she could ever take because Ritha's dagger had slit open her throat. Her eyes held the look of shock but it started to fade away while blood flowed down with gush. A series of scream escaped from Balbina, Luca and Stephano's mouth seeing their queen die infront of them.

Ritha's gown was all smothered with blood of Valentina as she was sitting on the ground near her dead body. She had only single encounter with the lady and she killed her. For an unknown reason, a tear trickled her eyes.

' Maybe remembering about the tortures she did to her mother in law or she was her husband's first love or she was birth mother of Justus or simply because a courageous woman chose the wrong path '

God knows why but she sat there for a while but soon enough, felt Marcus's presence. He closed his eyes and spoke, " I'm ready to be thrown down in the dungeon."

Rithambara snorted out loud at his remark. She commented, " It's not my place to punish you. You've betrayed your brother and only he gets to decide what he'll do with you but you'll not be allowed to leave the palace. "

She closed Valentina's lifeless eyes and stood up. " You remember Rosa? The girl whom I rescued away from the farm? "

Marcus clearly remembered that day and he nodded indicating her to speak. " Well, she didn't let her culprits die. She requested us to make all of them work in farms in harsh weathers. She wanted them to go through the hardships that her father faced. Similarly, justice would be served if Prince Augustus would decide your punishment. "

Marcus's eyes teared up listening to this but he had committed a sin and only God knows what he'll pay for it.

Ritha ordered remaining Eagle members to be thrown in dungeon. She glanced back at Valentina's corpse and asked them to perform her last rituals.