𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃│✔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒

Pandora

♡

He's here.

The one I dedicated my life to, the one who gave me the motivation to breath when I craved to suffocate. All for the possibility that maybe, one day, I would have the privilege to end him. In spite of whatever signs the universe threw my way to warn me that this idiotic plan of mine would never play out the way I want it to. We halt a couple of feet from where he sits leisurely. No one dares to speak, move or even breath until two soft fingers raise my head at a benign yet forceful push. Until I'm staring at the one who turns flesh to mud and bones to dust in a snap of his fingers.

 Smooth dark skin beaming under the cruelty of Sol, celadon eyes staring down at me in webs of umpiring. Specks of florid iris reflecting the constellations of his birth by the Holy ones, render me speechless as he silently lets his gaze drape down to my covered shoulder where the vulture stabbed me, the aureate blood of it already wiped with my cloak. The King's dreads, laced with silver, fall over his left eye when he tilts his head slightly, directing his eyes at my Lord who might as well have wet his pants with the oppressively terrified expression he makes. Silver full lips smirk down at him, and without any other regards to his existence, the King speaks to me with no trace of malice intend:

"Who might you be, child?"

Child. He coats his words in a honeyed smile, before cutting the chase with the sharpness of his label for me. By bringing me down to a child's level, he makes clear of his warning. Reminding me of my place opposing the self-proclaimed gentleman sitting in front of me. What a farce.

Unable to submit, my pride forces me to stare back at him with the risk of being executed for dishonouring my lineage in front of our servitor. A shame I can't find myself to care for any them.

"Soldier Jane, Your Highness. From the fifth devision under the lead of General Richard Primus."

Lying to any member of the royal family is followed by great punishment, one similar to half a lifetime spend in the catacombs of the Capital. I technically don't lie by only giving half of my identity and surname. The only part I leave out is my full name and noble title.

"I see. You fought well. Later, you may go to my first in command to retrieve your promised reward."

With that, he puts and end to this painfully long day, and send us all back to our quarters, until dusk will announce the start of the celebration for Lord Octavius' coronation.

On our way back, no noble has the courage to look me in the eyes as I walk past them slowly, purposely exposing the weight of my mana everywhere my shadows follows. By now, I shrank back to my normal height, and my eyes went back to their empty state of being. Yet I haven't shaken off any of my threatening presence. I used to make myself smaller at every social event, thinking that doing so would seize the opportunity of finding source to a conversation with someone, anyone. Yet the moment I did so, those my age would harass me, men my father's age would pursuit me, women my mother's would judge me. Nothing changed to the emptiness I would collect when the castle doors closed at midnight.

"Bend your back to others, and they'll walk over you. Straighten it, and they'll cower at your feet,"Verse 4; Page 43, Ethics of Majesty.

To kill, or to be killed.

I've never considered myself to be a victim, for victimising oneself here would categorise yourself as a prey, and we all know what happens to a prey once thrown in a cage filled with predators. So, no, I'm no victim. I'd like to believe that all this time, all these sufferings were lessons to teach me on how to become as close as possible to an apex predator such as our King himself. Witnessing maidens of my age or older cower away at my presence now only elicits the memories I ought to forget for my own good. Sepulchral memories in which I was the one running from whomever and whatever. Constantly running at the same desperate pace, but today, I'm the one chasing. Chasing life or death, I'm not certain. I just know that I'm the one chasing, and that's all that matters.