Davina used to face the crowd and they would cheer her on with every move she made. They used to be so kind, so warm. But those warm smiles faded away. As Davina looked at her audience, their eyes were filled with hatred and bloodlust. They still cheered, but only when her body was tightly wrapped at the wooden pole and when the fire surrounded her.
She tried to fight against the ropes at her wrists and legs. However, it just resulted in more wounds and scars on her skin. She held her breath so as to not consume the flames, but she wasn't successful. The deafening roars of the crowds filled her head. It was impossible for her to think. She needed ideas to escape but as each minute passed her hope started to dwindle.
Kindness was nothing but a memory now. No matter what she said or did, she was always just the enemy to them. The villain in everyone's eyes. There's no point of changing the opinions of those whose minds were closed.
They're just under a spell.
That's what she's been telling herself for the past months she was in the dungeons. That everything that was happening to her was all the result of a strong spell. Their words weren't real and were a result of powerful magic.
She wanted to be able to break it. She had to be able to break it. That was what she was supposed to do as an Erisian soldier. She made an oath to protect the people from Inarians.
But what can she do?
Her father told her that the only way to survive in the world was to follow the commands of her superiors. She did that. That's the only way she lived. That was the only piece of advice her father gave.
Maybe this is all for the best.
Her arms and legs slackened against the ropes. The sight of her weakened form pleased the crowds. For so many days, Davina wondered when her body would finally give up on her. Everyday, she thinks that it would. That when she closes her eyes, they'll never open again.
She lifted her head but instead of the crowd, she saw the King and Queen watching from their balcony. They were satisfied, she could tell. Anger started to burn inside her heart at the sight of them. They made the last months of her life miserable and painful. It only meant that their smiles and the words they said to her those years ago were all empty and false.
Davina didn't want hatred to be the last thing she felt. She tried to think of something happy. A memory that will distract her from the fire that was eating away her skin. But no matter what she did, her mind wouldn't cooperate. It wouldn't let her escape and fall in the land of dreams.
Felix was always better than her with that. He was the dreamer and the optimist. The ideals he had were one of the things that she loved about him. He saw the world as magical. Even if they were at war with a kingdom that had magic, he thought that magic was good.
"Felix," his name escaped her lips in a whisper.
She opened her eyes once more and saw a boy with hair as bright as the flames around her. His eyes were uncertain and scared. Davina wanted to reach out to him even if the fires couldn't really bother him. She'd do anything to take away that look on his face.
"Don't worry," she said, "we're going to meet again. We'll be together again."
This was the only upside she could think of. When she dies, she'll be reunited with her family and she'll be reunited with Felix once again. She'd be able to touch him and hold him once again. She wouldn't just be met with the cold air anymore.
"No," he said. "You can't give up. Not now."
"I don't know what to do!"
"No! You can't let it end like this!"
"I'm tired Felix. I'm very tired."
Felix looked like he wanted to say something, but nothing escaped his mouth. He knew there was nothing he could do. He took a few steps away from Davina. His feet were on the flames, but it wasn't like it had any effect on him, unlike her.
She closed her eyes and let darkness consume her. There was nothing she could do anymore. In just a few moments, she wouldn't feel any pain. She'd finally be free.
"If you do this, it means you let them win."
"What?" She asked faintly.
It took a few seconds before Felix's words sunk in. He was right. If she was going to give up now and let herself die, then the Inarians did win. Their plan was a success. There was nothing more she detested than the very thought.
But what could she do to show her innocence? How can she break this spell that closed the minds of everyone?
The smoke entering her system made her thoughts foggy. If she were to escape, she had to move now. It was so easy to let it all go. If she were to stop struggling now, she could rest. She could see her family and friends once again. But…
She couldn't let herself die knowing that it was all because of Inarians. She couldn't deal with the thought of her death as a victory for the enemy. There was no way she was going down without a fight.
"I can't let them win," she said to herself.
Little by little, she was drifting back to consciousness. Trying to fight off the heavy feeling in her body.
There was no way this was the end of her story. She wasn't going to let it end like this. There was no way she was going to die without avenging her prince.
The binds on her wrists and legs dug in her skin as she tried to be free of them. She didn't have enough physical strength to break them. Then it hit her. There was a way to be free of the ropes. It might multiply the damages on her skin but that was a small price to pay for freedom.
She rocked her body to and fro until there was some space that the pole could move. She was buried in the dark smoke of the fire for the people to see her trying to escape. When there was a small leeway for her to move, she made sure to get as close as she could to the fire.
She winced as she felt the flames on her hands and feet. Beads of sweat ran through her forehead. The bonfire was so high no one could possibly suspect she was trying to break free. As the fire started to burn the rope on her wrists, Davina tried to pull them apart.
Yes!
Once the bindings on her arms were free, she undid the ties on her legs and waist and put out the part of her hair and clothes that were on fire. Without missing a beat, she ran through the fire. The heat and flames passing through her fingertips. She was out of her ring of fire and had to complete the second part of her plan: escaping the castle.
There was a moment of silence when the people of Eris saw that she escaped. She could hear the crowd murmuring. The ones repeatedly said were, "Inarian," and "witch."
In order to escape, she had to escape through the crowds of people and get away from the guards that surrounded the Royal Grounds. She could easily blend in the crowds of people if she wanted to. However, there was no way she could go through them. They were ready to tear her limb from limb.
The only way was to go back from where she came.
In the corner of her eye, she saw three guards trying to come up from behind her. When one of the guards were within arms reach, she swiftly took his sword. She was taken aback with the weight of the sword at first. But even after months of not being able to hold a sword, her hand wrapped itself perfectly around the hilt.
Mustering all her strength and willpower to live, Davina moved to fight. With fluid movements, Davina successfully managed to injure seven guards well enough to be incapacitated but not dead. The aches and pains she felt were buried under the rush of adrenaline in her body. She managed to go back through the wooden door before the people of Eris started to throw rocks at her.
As she ran, energy and excitement ran through her. This is the first in a long time she's ever had the taste of freedom. She stopped daring and hoping that she could be free one day. The King and Queen only kept her alive this long because they wanted to break her. They thought they succeeded, and for one moment during the fire, she thought they'd succeeded too. But the rush she's feeling now as she ran with the wind was proof that they failed.
The dungeons she was kept in were underneath the palace. Being Felix's playmate since they were children, Davina was able to memorize many of the twists and turns in the Royal Grounds. She knew the battle wasn't over yet until she stepped out of the grounds.
There were many unguarded parts of the Royal Grounds. Her memory may be a little outdated but there had to be a place where she could sneak out.
The palace was at the very center of the Royal Grounds. If she were to continue in the direction she was running, she could end up by the Eastern Wing where her old home was. Why was she heading there? It was too obvious.
However, near the Eastern Wing was a passageway she could use to escape. It was one she and Prince Felix used to pass through. They never got caught and made sure to keep it a secret from anyone. But going through that now would probably be the last time she'd do so.
There was no other way she could go now. Right behind her, she could hear the shouts and roars of the crowd, as well as the palace guards who were trying to catch up to her. She made sure to go through the paths that were dark and hidden from any sources of light. The sword she was carrying was weighing her down, but she still held it tight. She didn't want to let it go.
The guards were getting closer. Although she wasn't sure if she was seen, she still hid behind the bushes. She covered her mouth. Her breaths were sure to give her away. She silently watched as the guards moved around and tried to look for her. It didn't look like they knew where she was planning to go. The only one who would know what her plan was Felix.
Speaking of Felix, there he was right beside her, keeping a close look at the guards and trying to keep himself hidden as if he could be seen. The image of him seemed so close and so real. She wanted to reach out her shaking hand to his. His warmth could be able to calm her pounding heart for just a few minutes. At least until she's able to escape from the castle.
"I think she went over there!" A soft female voice said.
Davina's heart stopped. Was her cover blown?
That person who gave her away…
She couldn't blame her.
Davina wanted to cover herself in the darkness and close her eyes as she waited for the footsteps to come and grab her. But that wasn't in her nature. Instead, she gripped the hilt of the sword tightly and prepared herself to attack the guards who'd come to get her first.
To her surprise, it wasn't needed.
Whoever tried to give her awa gave the guards the wrong information. From what she could see, the guards were now heading towards the Northern Grounds.
What a stroke of luck!
When Davina was certain that there was no one else there, she started to move once again. She stayed closer to the walls of the Royal Grounds, careful not to be seen. She kept the sword behind her back so that the moonlight won't reflect on it and give her away.
The secret passageway was a hole in the wall of the Eastern Grounds hidden by the vines and a few trees. Davina had no idea how long that has been there and if someone was even going to fix it. She hoped that it still wasn't fixed now.
With every step she took, she was so close to freedom. To a new life. To a new beginning. It was all so close she could almost tas—
She froze.
There was someone by the secret passageway. That was impossible, she thought since the only people who knew about it was her and Felix. One of them was already dead. Who else could've known about it?
Right in front of where the passageway was supposed to be, there were two people blocking it. She couldn't tell who they were because the night covered their faces. One was quite short, probably only reaching her shoulders while the other could be around her height.
"No, we can't entrust this to her," said the tall one with a hushed voice.
"We can trust her," said the smaller one.
"This is important information! You know who she is and how she acts. She won't comply well with them. And when they know who she is…"
"There's no other way. We can't leave tonight."
"How are you even sure she'll go there?"
"I have a plan. She won't be able to resist."
They were too engaged in their conversation. It didn't look like they noticed her. Taking the sword away from her back, she was getting ready to attack.
"Davina," the same soft voice from earlier. It came from the smaller figure.
"Rianne!"
The figure came into the light and it showed the younger step-sister of Prince Felix. Compared to the red hair and fair skin of her brother, the young girl had dark hair and pale skin. It contrasted the brown color of Davina's skin. If she were to fight the girl, it was an easy thing to do with her weak state. The younger girl didn't always leave the castle and would rarely roam the castle grounds unless she had to. So seeing her tonight wasn't what Davina was expecting.
"What are you-"
"We don't have much time," the girl gripped Davina's arm. "Come on."
Rianne pulled Davina's wrist and led her to the passageway, taking her to the path of freedom. Rianne and the other person were still on the side of the Royal Grounds. The taller person was covered in a cloak and was trying to keep watch.
"I just want to ask you something before you go," she wrapped something around Davina's wrist. "Did-did you...did you really kill my brother?"
"No," she replied without hesitation. Davina was surprised with the question. This was the first time someone actually asked her about it. "If you let me go, I promise to find the person who did. Do you believe me?"
"You've never lied to me before," she smiled nervously. "Davina, listen carefully. Go to the forest leading to the Darian Sea. If you want to find the real person who killed my brother, you'll find someone there who could...help you."
"Help me?"
Rianne shared an uncertain look with the other person. Davina couldn't see their face for it was covered by their hood, but she heard a scowl coming from them.
"Once they see the message, they know what to do."
There were so many things Davina wanted to say and ask. She wondered if Rianne was setting her up for a trap. But she wanted to give the young girl the benefit of the doubt.
"What messag-"
"I'm sorry. There's no time for questions. Remember, the forest then to the Darian Sea. Find Quinn. Go!"
Rianne pushed Davina and she fell on the other side. Vines started to fill the hole in the wall which served as the passageway. It was like the hole was never there in the first place.
Rianne was the first kind face she's received. The first person who believed her. She wanted to hug her and be lost in her warm embrace, but she had to leave. This was probably the last time she'll see the princess again.
Millions of words ran through her head, but she never even got to thank her.