"Impossible"
Ayk and Rhys stood stunned at Mother Arabella's words.
"Sure it is. She's the chosen one. If mother Goddess has sent her to us, she must be able to help us."
"But she wants to go home." Ayk scoffed, kicking the floor.
"Not anymore," he looked up to Mother Arabella smiling at him, "You'll see son, Mother Goddess has her antics played already. We are just her puppets"
"Alright, I don't know what is happening but I have to confirm with her about the Goddess."
"For the record, Aykie, all the paintings of the Goddess in our city is destroyed. Your orders" Rhys' lips formed a thin line, cocking his brows at Ayk.
"Urgh... Mother Arabella, do you have-"
"I do own a picture of Mother but it's not that clear. I hardly managed to save it from the guards from tearing it." Ayk flinched at Mother Arabella's words.
"Forgive me, Mother, but I stand by my words."
He clapped his hands and summoned a near by guard, "Inform Sir Gaius to reach out our royal painter and tell him to make the most realistic painting of Goddess Verena at the earliest. We don't have much time."
He turned to Mother Arabella, who nodded. "So then, Let me leave to my cavalcade. Bless me Mother."
"May the Moon guide you."
---------------
"Where are we going?"
Niran asked the guards who were dragging her down the hallway.
"To Mother Arabella's room."
"Can't you take me there in a more respectful way? I am no traitor or enemy!"
"You were a threat to our king and this respect is more than enough for you." One of the guards said with a scowl
"I am a woman! Can't you respect that fact atleast-"
"What is happening here?"
They turned to see the same lady who talked about Niran at the court. Beside her, was a girl, looking like a ray of sunlight, her small lips twitching up looking Niran.
"My Lady, we are taking her to Mother Arabella's room. His Majesty's orders-."
"So? Did your Majesty also ordered you to drag her around like she is some pile of twig?"
The lady snapped the guard off and motioned them to move away from me.
"Are you fine dear?" She asked Niran, the kindness in her voice not reaching her eyes.
Niran quickly backed off from her, "I am. Thank you."
Her face lost her smile at Niran's action but it came back on, "I am Maltida, pleasure-"
"Her highness MALTIDA KAEFLE FALLON! WIFE OF THE LATE KING KAEFLE RAGNOR FALLON AND MOTHER OF PRINCE BALDERICK KAEFLE FALLON!" the girl next to her squealed in a shrill voice, making the lady shut her ears.
"Ow! I don't remember her asking about my hierarchy here, Selene." She glared at the girl.
You ruined my plan, blasphemous-
"What?" Niran asked, turning to Maltida, who blinked, "What is what, dear?"
"Did you say something?"
"Not a word." Matilda looked at Niran and took her hand, "I think all those torments made you hear voices, oh my god." She then wiped Niran cheeks and patted them slowly.
"I- I'm- fine-"
"No dear, you aren't. Come with me, let us talk over a cup of wine. Bring the fine ones, will you Selene?"
"Actually, I am supposed to take her with me."
The voice came behind Maltida, where another girl, looking radiant and heavenly, walked past them towards Niran and held her hand, her icy blue eyes shining on her, "She has to get changed."
"Excuse- er- pardon me, but who are you?" Niran blinked, confused.
"Ella dear, don't you have your lessons now? I'll take her with me and you better don't be late unless you want to be on your brother's bad side-"
"Aykie told me to meet her, Aunty." Ella said, tucking a strand of her blonde locks behind her ear, " You need not worry about that. I'll make sure she's taken care of. Now, if you excuse us." She gave a head nod and turned to Niran, her small pink lips smiling
"Let's get going. And Selene, bring the wine to my room."
They walked past Maltida, who's face has gone horrible with anger and ,in a few minutes, entered into a suite as big as Ayk's but this one was elegant and bright compared to his dark eerie one. Each and every furniture is ornated with crystals and the whole room had a 'I like blue skies with crescent moon' vibes.
"Please, have a seat and let me bring you a dress suitable to wear." Ella smiled and rummaged her wardrobe, occasionally looking at Niran.
"Uhm...can I ask you something?"
"Sure. I know you have alot to ask. Shower me with those questions." Ella chuckled, taking out a pale yellow satin dress for Niran and then tossing it back, not satisfied.
"Okay, so you are Ella Fallon, sister of Ayk?"
"Estella Lucius Fallon, close people call me Ella. And yes, I am Aykie's younger sister."
"Oh. Okay. Why did you bring me here? I was taken to Mother Arabella's room."
"Because you were caught in the hands of my Aunt and she can be a handful sometimes." She pulled out another dress, "Uhm...to flashy for you.." and tossed it again.
"What's happening here actually?" Niran rose from the bed walking towards Ella, "Why did your mother chose me to fight for you? If Ayk is so fuming about Manons, why can't he just wage a war?"
Ella turned to Niran, her blue eyes full of sorrow while her lips had a sad smile, "I'll tell you, Niran-"
"I brought us Wineeee!"
Selene burst into the room with two ceramic bottles and 3 tinted wine glasses, waving to Ella and Niran, beaming.
"Perfect timing" Ella pulled out a dress, which made Niran's eyes wide in surprise. Ella smiled,
"Put this on. For me."
-----------------
Ayk and Rhys rode their horses to the front castle door when a guard blocked them.
"What's the matter?"
"Your Majesty. People are flooded outside the gates. You might not be able to go for your cavalcade now."
"What?" Rhys raised his brows, puzzled, "but why?"
"They demand an audience with His Majesty and...the Chosen one."
The guard seemed to be nervous about saying the last word, his hands fiddling with his spear.
Ayk straightened on his horse, "They're my people. If they want to see me, I should see them. Open the Gates."
"As you wish, your Majesty."
The gates were opened and there were thousands of people crowded at the entrance. Their faces bloomed in happiness as they saw Ayk.
"LONG LIVE YOUR MAJESTY!"
"LONG LIVE GLORY OF FALLONS!"
Ayk silenced them with his motion of hand, "What brings you all here? I was already on my way to see you."
"Is what they say about the chosen one's arrival true, your Majesty?" A man in the front shouted.
"Mother Arabella is looking into that matter. If it's really the chosen one, she might help us. If she's an intruder she'll be punished and returned to her world." Ayk said solemnly.
"So what if she's the chosen one? What will she do to us?" A frustrated woman from the back waved her hands in anger.
"That's upto-"
"The disease is getting worse day by day. The garden of Goddess is of no hope. The Manons... they still continue to kill our men. WHY SHOULD WE TOLERATE THESE?"
"My men and women, please, let-"
"War is the only solution!" A old man cried in the crowd, wobbling with his walking stick, "WIPE OUT THE MANONS OFF THIS WORLD!"
"CUT OFF TARTARUS' HEAD!"
"YES! KILL THEM! KILL THEM!"
"Gentlemen and women, you know His Majesty can't go to war without having a consort-"
"MARRY THE CHOSEN ONE THEN!"
Ayk froze hearing those words. Rhys tensed up, "Whose that? Come forward! Don't you see Our Majesty mourning his parents' death? Did everyone here overcome the demise of our Late King and Queen?"
"We didn't. But should we lose our loved ones too just because His majesty lost his parents? THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DOES IT?!"
Ayk's eyes were wide in horror and an unusual sense of pain started in his head.
"I didn't mean that! We are doing everything to protect you! His Majesty needs a bit more time." Rhys folded his hands, "Please trust us, we won't let you down."
"If he doesn't want to marry any one from our world , atleat marry the chosen one and wage a war! She'll be gone after sometime and you can marry whomever you want!"
A woman shouted, carrying a boy in her hips who mouthed his mothers words "marry chosen one" in an inaudible whisper.
"We just want the Manons dead! Go to war!"
'Get Married! Marry chosen one!"
"War! War! War!"
"What are we gonna do with these?" A few women had black roses in their hands, "When will they be back to normal. When will they make Garden of Goddess alive again?"
They started throwing them at the castle walls
"We need war! Manons get killed!"
"Marry chosen one!"
Ayk gulped, unable to say anything, his head pain even intense then before. Rhys was about to jump off his horse and clear the mob as few black roses fell on Ayk's face.
"I'LL MARRY HIM!"
There was a sudden silence. Ayk, Rhys and others turned towards the voice.
Niran stood in the castle balcony, wearing a prussian blue gown, rhinestones glinting in the light that danced over her silhouette, her soft brunette hair decorated with midnight lillies and a small crescent pendant gleaming in her neck.
Her long fingers held the railing and other hand had caught a black rose that was thrown.
Everyone in the crowd looked at her expectantly, including Ayk and Rhys.
Niran crushed the black rose in her hand and threw that to a side, "YOUR MAJESTY WILL LEAD A WAR AGAINST THE MANONS!"
The crowd cheered and screamed in happiness. Ayk looked at Niran with bloodshot eyes and Rhys stood completely startled.
While Niran and Ayk were staring eachother, there was little spark flies on the balcony floor.
The spark flies surrounded the crushed black rose....
And it slowly turned to red....