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First, two things.
1. I only realized after that the key was under the doormat. Could’ve saved me a lot of trouble. Also, a giant security risk
2. If you are looking for a love story, look elsewhere.
It was a bright winter day when I made my way to the prince’s castle. The vines creeped around the sides and the grey bricks were crumbling. It was larger than all the houses on my street put together, and I shivered, pulling my black coat closer around me. My hat was skewed on my head as I trudged through the snow. I felt like the weather was mocking me.
His room was on the third floor. Since I haven’t yet gotten the ability to teleport, I would have to climb to avoid being seen.
But I have the arm strength of a wooden doll, so I just knocked on the door. The prince has many “guests” over, so his servant wasn’t even surprised. That goddamned perve. A maid led me to his door, hands shaking, nerves trembling. I couldn’t figure out how she could be more nervous than me, until she suddenly gripped my arm hard. “I don’t know how you came to such an invitation, lass, but do be careful. If he senses that you can’t be broken, he will break you.”
A half-hysterical laugh quietly broke out of me. “Believe me, I know. It is he who should be careful.” I shut my mouth quickly, the humor seeping out of my face. I could not show my hand so soon.
She only nodded curtly, oblivious to my violent intentions, and opened the door. She guided me through. And then he was there.
What I noticed first was his face. It was beautiful, like he was sculpted in the likeness of a god. Chiseled features with a cocky grin, and clothes that fit him like water poured over his head. His bed was as messy as his hair, so to say that both were very neat. The second thing I noticed was his expression. It wasn't quite happy, but hopeful. And a little sad.
“Well, the older Stonev.” The handsome, vile, boy spoke. “I remember your sister. So sweet, that one. You are Machi, if I am not so sorely mistaken? Do you want something from me?” He smirked suggestively. “Do you need something from me?
I stayed silent, glaring at him as I withdrew a small metal knife from my left sleeve. I twirled it around, stalking closer to him. My long black hair bristled against my jacket as I neared him. Blood pounded in my ears. I hoped I looked twice as threatening as I felt. I was only a few inches away from him when I stopped, pushing the blade against his throat. He didn’t give me the pleasure of flinching, but I caught a slow, steady exhale.
“You seek to kill me, dear Machi? You know, your sister would not be pleased. Between you and me,” his voice dropped conspiratorially, “I think she had a thing for me.”
I pushed him away with a barely restrained scream. I was an idiot, thinking that I could get close to him without vomiting. “How dare- how dare you talk about her? You heathen, bastard, you-”
“Charming prick?” He leaned against his bed frame, leisurely crossing his ankles. “Most infuriating highness? Devilish prince?” I didn’t miss how he was leaning away from me. Good, I had rattled him.
“I could call my guards, you know.”
“You could, and they would arrest you.”
“They won’t.”
“But they very well should, shouldn’t they?”
“Depends on whether they take the word of a royal, or a poor girl from the village…” His smile turned sad, then cruel. “With an even worse-off sister.”
His image wavered. I was seeing red. Hate poured from my eyes and exploded in my skull. My eyes ached, but I begged them not to shed tears. I would not show weakness. I twirled the knife in between my fingers, allowing myself a moment of indecision. Just a moment. Then I erupted.
“You don’t talk about my sister. You don’t think about my sister. You don’t deserve to let her name pass your lips, you stupid, stupid demon. You didn’t think I would find you? Em was sweet and she was kind and beautiful.”
“And,” the prince interrupted quietly. “Quite dead.”
“YOU KILLED HER!” I paced towards him again, pointing the knife at him. “BASTARD. She didn’t like you, she didn’t want you, but you loved her? And you thought goddamn MURDER was the solution? And you even think to flirt with me? ME?”
“Stonev, listen. Stop this madness, alright? How can I convince you to spare this poor royal's life, gold or the sort? Jewels? A knife that isn’t horrendously rusted and chipped, maybe?”
I clenched my teeth. “Maybe…” I said slowly. “Maybe you can apologize. You can try to find it within your pathetic heart to give me a damn bit of closure, you-”
“FINE.” He was breathing heavily now, suddenly. His calm mask shattered to reveal something a little bitter, a little sour. A little remorseful. “Fine, you want me to say sorry? Then I’m sorry. Do you want me to say, I don’t know- that I regret it? That that moment has haunted me since the day, that I can’t breathe anymore, that I need this, this pain to just- that I’m going crazy? Is that what you want to hear?
I scoffed. “Don’t mistake my age for naivety, but here’s one thing. I need you.” He paused, his expression twisting into something that made my stomach turn. “I need you, and your blood on my knife. I need you to fall as far as you dropped her. I need your justice, my retribution, her cold comfort. It’s been long enough, don’t you think?”
He was breathing shallowly now, my knife seconds from his heart. I allowed myself a moment, just one more moment to consider.
It was one moment too many. The maid, that kind maid that led me to his room burst in, expecting to save me from him. Instead, her eyes widened at the sight of us and she screamed. Seven guards rushed in, wielding their spears and swords. The thump of their footsteps sent more towards me, and I was soon surrounded. They screamed and thrashed and pushed my face into the wall, but it was too late.
The prince, my enemy. He laid on the floor, paling quickly, the blood pooling on his shirt. He whispered a few words, then, before I was hauled off to the dungeons.
“You have only set me free, dear. Thank you. I did need that.”First, two things.
1. I only realized after that the key was under the doormat. Could’ve saved me a lot of trouble. Also, a giant security risk
2. If you are looking for a love story, look elsewhere.
It was a bright winter day when I made my way to the prince’s castle. The vines creeped around the sides and the grey bricks were crumbling. It was larger than all the houses on my street put together, and I shivered, pulling my black coat closer around me. My hat was skewed on my head as I trudged through the snow. I felt like the weather was mocking me.
His room was on the third floor. Since I haven’t yet gotten the ability to teleport, I would have to climb to avoid being seen.
But I have the arm strength of a wooden doll, so I just knocked on the door. The prince has many “guests” over, so his servant wasn’t even surprised. That goddamned perve. A maid led me to his door, hands shaking, nerves trembling. I couldn’t figure out how she could be more nervous than me, until she suddenly gripped my arm hard. “I don’t know how you came to such an invitation, lass, but do be careful. If he senses that you can’t be broken, he will break you.”
A half-hysterical laugh quietly broke out of me. “Believe me, I know. It is he who should be careful.” I shut my mouth quickly, the humor seeping out of my face. I could not show my hand so soon.
She only nodded curtly, oblivious to my violent intentions, and opened the door. She guided me through. And then he was there.
What I noticed first was his face. It was beautiful, like he was sculpted in the likeness of a god. Chiseled features with a cocky grin, and clothes that fit him like water poured over his head. His bed was as messy as his hair, so to say that both were very neat. The second thing I noticed was his expression. It wasn't quite happy, but hopeful. And a little sad.
“Well, the older Stonev.” The handsome, vile, boy spoke. “I remember your sister. So sweet, that one. You are Machi, if I am not so sorely mistaken? Do you want something from me?” He smirked suggestively. “Do you need something from me?
I stayed silent, glaring at him as I withdrew a small metal knife from my left sleeve. I twirled it around, stalking closer to him. My long black hair bristled against my jacket as I neared him. Blood pounded in my ears. I hoped I looked twice as threatening as I felt. I was only a few inches away from him when I stopped, pushing the blade against his throat. He didn’t give me the pleasure of flinching, but I caught a slow, steady exhale.
“You seek to kill me, dear Machi? You know, your sister would not be pleased. Between you and me,” his voice dropped conspiratorially, “I think she had a thing for me.”
I pushed him away with a barely restrained scream. I was an idiot, thinking that I could get close to him without vomiting. “How dare- how dare you talk about her? You heathen, bastard, you-”
“Charming prick?” He leaned against his bed frame, leisurely crossing his ankles. “Most infuriating highness? Devilish prince?” I didn’t miss how he was leaning away from me. Good, I had rattled him.
“I could call my guards, you know.”
“You could, and they would arrest you.”
“They won’t.”
“But they very well should, shouldn’t they?”
“Depends on whether they take the word of a royal, or a poor girl from the village…” His smile turned sad, then cruel. “With an even worse-off sister.”
His image wavered. I was seeing red. Hate poured from my eyes and exploded in my skull. My eyes ached, but I begged them not to shed tears. I would not show weakness. I twirled the knife in between my fingers, allowing myself a moment of indecision. Just a moment. Then I erupted.
“You don’t talk about my sister. You don’t think about my sister. You don’t deserve to let her name pass your lips, you stupid, stupid demon. You didn’t think I would find you? Em was sweet and she was kind and beautiful.”
“And,” the prince interrupted quietly. “Quite dead.”
“YOU KILLED HER!” I paced towards him again, pointing the knife at him. “BASTARD. She didn’t like you, she didn’t want you, but you loved her? And you thought goddamn MURDER was the solution? And you even think to flirt with me? ME?”
“Stonev, listen. Stop this madness, alright? How can I convince you to spare this poor royal's life, gold or the sort? Jewels? A knife that isn’t horrendously rusted and chipped, maybe?”
I clenched my teeth. “Maybe…” I said slowly. “Maybe you can apologize. You can try to find it within your pathetic heart to give me a damn bit of closure, you-”
“FINE.” He was breathing heavily now, suddenly. His calm mask shattered to reveal something a little bitter, a little sour. A little remorseful. “Fine, you want me to say sorry? Then I’m sorry. Do you want me to say, I don’t know- that I regret it? That that moment has haunted me since the day, that I can’t breathe anymore, that I need this, this pain to just- that I’m going crazy? Is that what you want to hear?
I scoffed. “Don’t mistake my age for naivety, but here’s one thing. I need you.” He paused, his expression twisting into something that made my stomach turn. “I need you, and your blood on my knife. I need you to fall as far as you dropped her. I need your justice, my retribution, her cold comfort. It’s been long enough, don’t you think?”
He was breathing shallowly now, my knife seconds from his heart. I allowed myself a moment, just one more moment to consider.
It was one moment too many. The maid, that kind maid that led me to his room burst in, expecting to save me from him. Instead, her eyes widened at the sight of us and she screamed. Seven guards rushed in, wielding their spears and swords. The thump of their footsteps sent more towards me, and I was soon surrounded. They screamed and thrashed and pushed my face into the wall, but it was too late.
The prince, my enemy. He laid on the floor, paling quickly, the blood pooling on his shirt. He whispered a few words, then, before I was hauled off to the dungeons.
“You have only set me free, dear. Thank you. I did need that.”
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