She took it and turned around, discovering her dress was spotless white as when she had left home this morning.
She shrugged her shoulders, uncaring, she intended to kill someone after all. Marching down the street, the thugs around her made way. Their eyes fell upon Blood Heart, and they knew, stop her, harm her, and you would face Darius and Misty. No one in the back alleys desired to meet these two in person. It was a death sentence.
One usually did not survive touching a demons beloved and those under their protection.
She felt her steps grow faster, almost running, until she was right before the Apprentice Knight's place and flickered her finger. Time for her own magic.
"Phantasma." She whispered and felt her body turn transparent. She took a deep breath, working her magic, marching past the guards.
Once again, memories flickered past her. These halls were where she had been taught Magic and the Blade. She had met Kainan.
Kainan.
Her Kainan.
Her Mate.
The Traitor.
The worst that could happen to a love starved cursed princess.
She stopped before his door, stepped inside, and saw the empty room in which she had lost her innocence, giving her heart to the wrong person.
She should have given it all to Ashen, even though he had not been her Mate.
She settled down on the bed and waited. Waited musing and swimming inside memories until dusk came, until the sky turned dark.
The door opened, and she looked into Kainan's brilliant green eyes. They were no longer green. Her eyes widened as she saw them, red and purple sprinkling them.
He stepped towards her and fell onto his knees. "Muriel." He said, looking at her, his voice a faint tremble. "You…have come to kill me." He muttered and bared his neck.
"I have." She said and closed her eyes. "You…betrayed me."
Her own voice broke down as she remembered him. He standing next to her mother's killer, next to her father, and accusing her, giving that rotten King all the things, he needs to condemn her.
Then she raised her blade and slit it into Kainan's throat. He did not resist. He gasped and fell forward his eyes gazing upon her as the light slowly faded from them. "I am sorry...my love."
She swallowed hard as his blood spread on the ground. Stepping over the pool of red, she marched out of the room. In her hand, Blood Heart as she muttered once again.
"Phantasma."
Behind her screams erupted people running past her as she walked calmly to the outside. Standing at the Gates, she looked at the building that had been thrown into Chaos and started giggling as tears ran down her cheeks.
Kainan was now finally gone, he was gone, he was dead for good and she was free to choose Ashen, free from the cursed fate that choose a man like him as her Mate.
Gripping her sword, she traced her steps back to her small home, sneaking through a hole into the palace gardens and back to her small cottage. Ashen stood in front of her and tightly hugged her.
"My love." He whispered into her ears caressing her hair, and she looked up at him, her eyes red-rimmed. "Hugh me, Ashan...hug me, please." Her voice cracked.
"I cannot. Not when you are so young." Ashan whispered to her. "But I promise I will not leave you alone. I will hold your hand tonight."
She let out a muffled cry and buried her face in his chest. "I will complete this task. For Revenge, for you."
"I know." He picked her up and laid her beside her bed as she looked aimlessly at the Ceiling. "Now sleep my heart."
Muriel closed her eyes. The first day had passed. Two more to go, two more days to murder the King of Anhel.
The first sunlight flickers woke her up, and Muriel stared again at the Ceiling. Her hand was warm. She turned her face and stung on her bed, and dozing off was Ashen. She got up and kissed his cheek. His scarlet eyes opened, and she stared into them, loosing herself.
"Kiss me." She whispered, and he put his hand on the back of her neck, drawing her in closer and kissing her. His mouth was gentle on her, slightly open, teasing her to open her lips. She moaned and grabbed him, drawing him closer, opening her mouth, and her tongue tangled with his.
"Stop!" He said, looming above her, his hands pressing hers into the bed. His body quivering "I won’t hurt you... and I will not do this. Not now." He said, and she was panting as she started laughing.
"I am almost thirty in my mind, and this body is fifteen. It is not as if that is completely a child's body. We may never get to do this if we don't gasp the chance now that I am free of my fated Mate."
"Your heart is damaged, Muriel. It has been barely a night ago you killed your fated mate with your own two hands." Ashen said and stood up. "I love you too much to hurt you and fifteen is too young a body."
"I do not know if we will win this war, Ashen." She said to him, looking as he corrected his shirt and put his messed up hair back in form.
"We will win," Ashen said, unwavering confidence in his voice. "And if we lose, our souls will still be together."
"I see." Muriel stood up and marched to her wardrobe. Opening it, she saw a dress filled with stars. It was dark blue, filled with stardust. Her hands ran down the soft fabric. She admired it. Darius and Misty, indeed, were the best armor and dressmakers in the Kingdom. It was a masterpiece and at such speed, too.
"I have got the flowers," Ashan said, holding out three small flowers. "We only need to put them into the wine."
"The wine will be delivered from the Mountain Vinery today. We put it directly into the barrels. There will only be the Kings supporters at the party tomorrow. They can go on ahead and die for all I care." Muriel took one of the flowers. "Let us go."
Ashen took her hand. Together, they left the small cottage and walked towards the service entrance of the royal palace. No one took the time to gaze at them as they made their way to the kitchen.
The Kings bastard and her Beast. More insignificant than the kitchen rats eating away at the hard bread for the poorer workers.
Muriel stopped as they saw the wine carriage pass by.
Then she made her way to the kitchen. Stepping into it, she avoided alongside Ashen the hurried workers to the back of the kitchen where the potatoes were peeled. They still had not registered them; gazing at them, she walked out to the other side and turned left. A pair of servant stairs.
Ashen took the lead. He took her along as they marched the stairs, passing by fewer and fewer servants as they headed deeper into the castle's belly. "Here," Ashen said, looking upwards.
They were inside a narrow path, a path that was a dead end. Behind it was the Kings private Passage down to the wine cellar. Ashens and Muriel's hands touched the wall, left and right, sliding over the rough surface until they heard a faint clicking sound.
In front of them, the wall slid aside, and they stepped in. Behind them, the wall closed immediately. A board stone path and stairs Leasing down. Candles came to life as they walked downwards.
Their hands still joined.
In front of them opened the wine cellar. No one knew how much time had passed as they stood inside the castle's wine cellar.
Scrolling through the barrels. Muriel made a faint sound, stopping as she spotted the right three barrels intended for the banquet. Gathering her Magic, she flicked her wrist and took out the first flower. It glowed dazzling purple in the dark cellar. "Passa." She chanted.
Her hand passed through the barrel's wood with the flower inside, and she felt the liquid letting it go.
Holding out her hand, Ashen put the next flower in her hand. The exact process repeated itself again. She breathed harshly as she finished the job, barrel by barrel.
"I will carry you home," Ashan muttered, picking her up on piggyback as they made their way out the same, they had come inside. Outside, it was already dark. The Moon shone down as Ashan brought her home.
He laid her down on her bed and watched her sleeping face stroking out the silver strands from it.
"My Love." He whispered and bowed down, kissing her temple. "All for you. We accomplish tomorrow, and we will finally be together. The King will be dead and long live the Queen."
He stepped outside and from behind Ashen, a figure rose from the shadows. "My Lord." A gruff voice said, and Ashen turned around, his eyes burning crimson as he looked upon the massive winged man behind him. "Why don't you just take her soul?"
Ashen smiled at the man and giggled. "Because then her soul would never taste as delicious."
"I understand." The man frowned. "I have readied everything; she will wake up in time to prepare. Then those impudent humans will know who rules them."
"Indeed, they will. All according to my chosen ones wishes." He stood up, a pair of wings spreading from his back.
Muriel ripped her eyes open and stared at the Ceiling. Day Three. She turned her head. Outside, it was midday. She gasped, almost jumping out of bed. "Ashen!" She shouted, and Ashen walked into the room with breakfast in his hands behind her. "Why did you not wake me up?" She asked anxiously.
"You needed the sleep, my love," Ashen told her and put the food on her bed. "I prepared everything, don't worry."
At his words, Muriel calmed down. She sat beside the food as Ashen picked up a case from outside the room.
"Eat." He said and put it down next to her on the ground. "Meanwhile, I will make you the most beautiful woman to ever grace the Kings ballroom."
Muriel had her hand wandering to his cheek and looked deeply into his red eyes. No falsehood inside them, she relaxed. "I hope your cooking has improved then."
She said jokingly, and he grimaced at her. "Seriously, it's sandwiches; not even I can ruin those."
"I remember a certain someone burning the noodle water." She said and bit into the sandwich. A second later, she had to force herself to swallow. "Did you put sugar inside?" She asked him.
"A tad, you like sweet things," Ashen said and blinked at her. "Did I put in too much?"
"No. No." Muriel bit into it again, swallowing it as quickly as she could manage. "It's the most delicious thing I have ever eaten." She told him and smiled. Devouring the Sandwiches at rapid speed, she shuddered. It was the most horrible sandwich of her life; he had poured gallons of sugar inside it.
As soon as she was finished, Ashen started his work. Gently, he cleaned her face and then shooed her to stand up, and together, they dressed up. Muriel needed almost an hour until she was inside the dress. For his suit, Ashen needed ten minutes and went through his hair with a bit of gel before being finished, his ruby eyes narrowing on her.
"We need to leave that hair flowing down." He stated, and signing in envy, she sat down on the bed, arranging her skirts as Ashen went to work. He started putting her hair, pinning, and braiding it into form. Loose strands framed her face as jewels were added to her dress and hair. Diamonds. Dazzling bright, suiting her midnight sky dress. She opened her eyes hours later.
"Are we finished?" She asked and looked at Ashen. Her hair was now adorned by amethysts, empathizing on her eyes that shone brighter then ever and meshing down to the glorious but deceptively simple looking grown.
"The most beautiful woman in the world." He said, and she looked outside. "We are late." She said, and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Perfection needs time, and the star always arrives late." He held out his hand. Muriel gasped it, and together, they made their way outside. Muriel's feet hurt as they walked down the pathway to the castle, but she ignored the pain.
The venue came into sight as Muriel's hand on Ashan grew tighter. They had all to die tonight. Together, they made their way straight to the waiting nobles. All gazes wandered to Muriel and Ashen, the pair taking away breaths with their presence and elegance.
The crier made a double take at them, and Muriel had a cold stare fixed on him. "Muriel de Angelis and Ashen." She stated clearly enough for all to hear. The heralds' respect vanished the exact second, but to his benefit, he did not shrink his duty.
"Ninth Princess Muriel de Angelis and Company." He announced. Since Ashen boasted no last name, he was merely introduced as Company.
All eyes moved to the entrance as they stepped inside the ballroom. Gasps are audible, whispers rising. Muriel stared at the King. His gaze was unremovable and fixed on her. The Queen next to him wearing an expressionless face.
"As beautiful as your mother, Muriel dear." Her father said it, sipped his wine glass and walked to her. Muriel put a faint smile on her face as he complimented her. Her eyes shifted to the Queen, who also sipped her wine. Elegantly draining the glass in seconds.
The two relevant ones were down. "Thank you for giving me such an opportunity, father, to present myself." She answered sweetly as honey. Number three, five, and one of her half-siblings. Mentally assigned by age, in her mind, also drowned their glasses.
The crown Prince stared at her when she made an elegant bow.
"Of course. How could I forget my youngest when she is so graceful and pretty." He said, and Ashen nodded at her. All eight. She hugged her father and then stepped back.
"Now, excuse me. I want to wander a bit. I have heated many stories of such balls, but this is the first I can truly experience."
"Sure, enjoy my child." The King generously said, and Muriel stepped back, vanishing in the core that almost stormed her in their excitement. Most are young and ambitious men.
Muriel chatted idly; her hand tight in Ashens. He completely ignored the young man without a last name, an invisible being.
Suddenly, the first cry came, and Muriel's smile turned sincere. "A ...AAAAAHHHHH!" A woman shrieked. A clamor rose in the room as everyone stormed to where the woman was, a dead man lying on the ground, foam on his blue lips.
"Poison!" Muriel gasped, and the next person fell. Her eyes were stone cold as she looked down at them.
Behind her Ashens face lit up, a brilliant smile forming on his lips.
A day later the newspaper announced that all members of the royal family had died of a poisioning attempt. Muriel the Angelis the last remaining member of the de Angelis took the throne.Her mother was named queen dowager and has been moved from the palace, too the easten palace residence.
Long live the Queen!
The End
