Things don't come. And things don't go.
This was every belief of the people of Chisthalmagne, the country governed by the heartless aristocrat. It was a disaster living in such a place where food and water were bountiful, but all were consumed by the palace guards.
The farmers and civilians suffer from an enormous amount of impossible taxes placed by the Palace. Every adult and child despised the ruler, though they do not know who it is.
One of these people is a young girl named Alrossia. A peasant who makes a living through trading jewels with the nobles. Alrossia's goals were easy to figure out.
She attempts to sell her precious jewels and amuse the nobles and draw out the existence of the heartless king. Whoever he was, she wanted to give him a piece of her mind.
She was one step away from it.
"It is her!"
Alrossia flinched as she recognizes the demanding voice. She slowly turned her head to the City Square and saw a noble with a purple laced dress pointing towards her direction, along with three palace guards.
Alrossia walked over to them.
"She is the best jeweler in town! I suggest you take this woman to the King's stadium and have her dress him with her finest stones!"
Alrossia pretending to be embarrassed. She puts her hands to her hair and scratched it. "Madame Leviór, I very much appreciate your compliments, but may I ask why the guards are with you today, Madame?"
The healthy woman grabbed her arm and whispered to her. "This is your chance to meet the King! Have you not told me that you wanted to offer your jewels to him?"
Alrossia smiled keenly. "But Madame, I—"
"Are you really a jeweler?" one of the guards croaked.
"Indeed I am, Sire."
The two guards nodded at the third and then looked at her. She lowered her head down to show respect to the soldiers.
"Are these authentic?"
"Indeed they are, Sire."
"You are aware that perjury leads to beheading, yes?"
She gulped. "Yes, Sire."
She annoyingly looked at them. How could they! Of course, all of her jewels are authentic! The best of it's kind!
"Follow us."
Alrossia surprisingly looked at them and followed, she glanced back to thank Madame Leviór and continued walking.
At last! She could meet the King!
She followed the palace guards with a smile on her face, they reached a small corner and hit the main road.
The palace guards briskly walked while ignoring the passersby who delightfully looked at them. A few nobles carried their children to their arms as their eyes sparkled in inspiration.
"Your papa was once a Palace Guard, he used to walk like that, Chris."
The child nodded and gazed from the distance.
The festive air of the city filled every corner. The stalls, bakeshops, and markets were adorned with colorful flying papers. The busy street was filled with giggling and chattering. But most were the sounds of vehicles.
"Good morning, Sire!" a cheerful boy approaches the three guards who were escorting Alrossia. He imitates their salute and grinned joyously. They walked past the boy, not recognizing his obvious presence.
Alrossia hissed. "Tsk."
She stopped and patted the boy on the head. "They are feeling grumpy today."
The boy was on the verge of tears, he stopped his salute and ran away. The jeweler sighed in disappointment.
After hours of walking, she found herself in a proper but rather isolated area. The noise faded from behind and there was nothing but silence. She looked around.
Huge, pristine, clear walls and high towers reaching the sky. Enormous gates with no hint of rust and dust. There was a garden after the gate, blooming with vibrant red roses.
She happened to glance down, on the floor. To her amazement, she was stepping on a glossy marbled road. Marbled roads were expensive and are usually inside the interior as floors of the noblemen, and the fact that these marbled floors are outside the palace; astonished her.
How could they waste such a design! Even the nobles barely manage to buy such floors inside their premises!
This was indeed a part of the country that the people did not dare walk. Even the noblemen do not have access to such a place.
But surely, merely walking accidentally would have been a possibility right?
But why is that nobody in town has ever spoken of a place like this?
"Open the gates. Captain's orders."
The gates opened and Alrossia followed the guards inside. She was lost in thought as she marveled at the beauty of the palace's exterior. Even the garden was flourished to details.
"Alrossia the Jeweler?"
Her dreamy thoughts were interrupted as a young man with a green robe approached her. His face was stern and cold, and he seemed rather pissed.
"Yes, Sire?"
The three common palace guards excused themselves as their Captain speaks. He lowered his gaze to the woman. He sighed.
"You are Alrossia?"
"Yes, Sire."
Alrossia couldn't help but gaze at the Captain's stature. He was dressed the same as the guards, but oh his looks! His looks were rather extravagant! He had dark tousled hair and blue eyes. His jawline was faultlessly angled and his lips were red but chapped. He had a fair complexion worthy of being mistaken as a noble.
"I am the Captain of the Palace Guards, Kreed Kavor. I will be resuming you as an escort in the King Leonardi Chisthalmagne's courtroom."
Alrossia couldn't help but stiffen at the Captain's accent. He pronounced the ruler's name in a very well-dictated manner.
"Y-Yes Captain Kavor."
The captain turned his back, his forest-green robe following his movement. Alrossia followed.
"When you are in the presence of Lord Chisthalmagne you must not speak unless he bids you so."
"Yes, Captain Kavor."
"Keep your head on the floor and never look at Lord Chisthalmagne directly."
"Yes, Captain Kavor."
"Address him as 'My Lord' and do not be rash to call him names."
She swallowed in anxiety.
"Do mind that if he finds you displeasing, your friends will find your body in a river."
She nodded. "May I ask a question, if you do not mind, Captain?"
"I was not ordered to answer your nonsensical questions."
She immediately zipped her mouth and looked down, embarrassed. "I understand, Captain"
In a few minutes, the Captain halted his movements. Alrossia looked around and saw two huge doors. Captain Kavor placed his palms on the bronze doorknob.
The sound of the door opening made Alrossia's heart race even more. She was about to see the merciless king of Chisthalmagne.
The door creaked as the entrance guard reveals a huge, carpeted courtroom. Four pillars on both sides and twelve chandeliers on the high ceiling. She gazed in amusement.
"The Captain has arrived!" the guards declared inside the room, echoing.
The sound of spear formation was heard and the palace guards stiffened themselves into a straight line.
Alrossia's bright orange eyes stayed down. She followed Captain's orders of not laying her eyes on the King.
She still wanted to give him a piece of her mind though. But not now. She was too overwhelmed by the feeling and the atmosphere inside.
The Captain knelt down. When Alrossia didn't know, the guards pushed her down until she was on her knees.
She didn't dare glance. She kept her eyes on the soft carpet.
"My Lord." the Captain spoke. "I have brought the jeweler you have requested."
There was no response.
"Her name is Alrossia, and we have found her near the capital in the tavern. She was having her morning meal."
The Captain glanced at Alrossia. She was on the floor, her palms and knees down. Her hazelnut hair slowly falls from the side of her cheek. He managed to see her face from below.
She was nervously glued to the ground.
"We found a few jewels in her purse. A few shining stones and rubies."
The king opened his eyes slowly, paying a small glance to the peasant's small body. She was filthy. She was wearing a ragged dress, worn-out boots and her skin was covered In smudges of coal and dark matter.
"It would seem that this peasant has won over the hearts of the nobles, My Lord. Madame Leviór was the one who had given her whereabouts."
Alrossia's eyes widened. She turned her head slightly at the Captain. "W-What? What it is for, Captain?" she whispered.
The Captain did not answer her.
"She is here as you have requested, My Lord."
"Rise."
The whole room became apprehensive as they heard the cold voice of the man on the throne.
The Captain flawlessly stood up, while his head lowered. He glared at the woman from below. "Stand, peasant."
Alrossia slowly stood up, her legs trembling.
"What is going on, Captain? W-What am I here for? I thought I was here to sell jewels for the King?"
"Shut your mouth or we'll both end up dead."
Alrossia fearfully obeyed.
The room's temperature dropped when they suddenly heard faint footsteps. Alrossia's face turned to pale as she recognizes the leathered shoes before her eyes.
The Captain was calm.
"What is her last name?" Lord Chisthalmagne asked the Captain.
"This woman is a peasant and does not have a surname."
"I see."
The King raised a gesture. "Leave the courtroom."
The Captain grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her. But his movements stopped as the King assumed another order. "Leave her. I speak with her momentarily."
"My Lord, with all due respect, this woman could be an assassin."
"Then I'd have to dispose of her myself."
The Captain nodded. "Affirmative, My Lord."
The guards one by one left the room leaving the dirty jeweler and Lord Chisthalmagne behind.
Alrossia trembled in anxiety. She turned around while facing the carpet. "My, Lord—"
Lord Chisthalmagne tackled her onto the hard floor. She winced in pain as the male pinned her to the ground. She shut her eyes.
'No! He mustn't see me!' she murmurs on her mind. 'He can't! I can't look at him!'
"Open your eyes or you will find my blade pierced into your father's chest."
In an instant, she opened her eyes and found herself beneath a handsome, young man. His hair was silver and blessed by moonlight, his eyes were crimson and kissed by the sun. His complexion was slightly tanned, resulting for her to conclude that he had just come out of the war.
She gazed at the beautiful man. His sinful lips pursed into a straight line as he proceeded to push her harder on the floor.
Lord Chisthalmagne was adorned in the finest of silk, and she could not believe that she was tainting filth into his robes.
"M-My Lord— p-please get off me, my Lord."
Lord Chisthalmagne loosens her and pushed her. He gets up and brushes off the dust on his sullied robe.
Alrossia coughed. That immense strength! What a beast he was!
She pressed her palms onto the floor while gasping for air. "M-My Lord, I did not do anything illegal. My jewels are authentic."
"Your jewels are of no concern to me."
"Then why have you summoned me, My Lord? Surely there are more better excavators in here rather in the forests?"
"You are the child of Arnaldo, aren't you?"
Alrossia's face whitened. She forgot how to breathe as stared at her with a cold expression. The King then removed his garments one by one, revealing his glorious chest.
He threw away the dirty clothing. Alrossia quickly glanced away. "M-My Lord, what do you mean?"
"Arnaldo."
"I do not know him, My Lord!"
"Your father's crimes."
Alrossia's thoughts were messed in disarray.
"He was caught in along the borders of the opponent's country."
Alrossia quickly shook her head frantically. "My Lord! He was not even near their border! He was excavating near Mildea, a town that belongs to you, My Lord!"
"Criminals."
She flinched at his accusations. "My Lord-
"Where is he now, My Lord?!"
The King did not answer. Instead, he walked towards his throne and crossed his legs. His cold stare pierced through the woman's body.
"My Lord, it is the very reason that I am trading jewels, my Lord! I needed money to find my father!"
Alrossia grabbed the purse on the ground and carefully picked up the jewels. "My Lord-! These are authentic! I have excavated them in the mines. They are the last chunks of that depth!"
Alrossia continued bribing the King with her tactics. "My Lord I—"
"Enough."
Alrossia's body immediately tensed upon hearing his monotonous voice.
"Don't bother. Your father had everything fixed."
Alrossia's frightened faced brightened up. Tears started streaming from her eyes and her joy could not be contained. She dropped the jewels on her hands and sobbed in the release of agony.
Lord Chisthalmagne's eyebrows twitched. Irritation all over his face.
"My Lord-! I am very happy!"
"Why are you happy?"
"Eh?"
She looked at Lord Chisthalmagne with confusion in her eyes.
"What do you mean, My Lord?"
"The only reason why your father got away from adding fury to the war was because he sold you."
Alrossia's brightened face slowly faded as her blood started to run cold. She thoughtlessly crawled towards the door, when she heard a lock from the outside. She glanced horrifyingly to Lord Chisthalmagne who was already making his steps towards her.
The aristocrat's unsympathetic and frosty demeanor electrified her body, and in a matter of seconds, she was completely petrified as the ruler of Chisthalmagne looked down pitifully at her poor body.
"You are sold to me."