The dungeon outside the imperial palace was booming with several Blacksmiths. They were trooping in and out, after taking the least twenty minutes to make keys for the keyhole's fit.
But it was an absolute waste of time, fire, coal, and metal.
3 hours, 26 frightened-looking blacksmiths, 138 keys, and 1 stubborn, unyielding keyhole. It seemed as though no other person could make the exact key that could fit, except the first Blacksmith who was over a thousand miles away.
Blake hadn't uttered a word since the key trial began. He was just clenching and unclenching his fist, and hardening his jaw from time to time.
It was as if he was marked to have a stroke of ill-stinking luck that day. From being disgraced, and having his wedding ruined to getting locked up with his prisoner.
What more could've gone worse?
The key passed through Imogene's fucking throat and was now sheltered by her intestines.
_
Imogene had never seen a man so mad before. The look on Blake's face was like he could shred her into pieces without a second thought. But he was no demon or an enraged beast, just a man. A man who had his heart at his back.
She was famished and weak. Didn't have enough energy to stand and maintain her stance, so she just stayed in her sitting position and had mental images of herself eating her favorite meal, whilst in reality she was momentarily gulping and clenching her stomach.
Imogene thought Blake was a strong man. He had stood in for the past four hours and never sat down or even staggered. He wasn't the empire's ruler for nothing. But it was none of her business. She wanted to return to her old body but still, she felt a tad guilty for swallowing the key.
She was wondering what was going on in Blake's mind when he suddenly went to the door and banged it to draw the guards' attention.
"Your majesty!"
"Give me your sword."
"How can I do that, your majesty? The door cannot open."
"Through the peephole, you dimwit!" Blake insulted through gritted teeth.
It took a few seconds before the sword was passed to Blake through the peephole.
And before Imogene could comprehend anything, he was standing in front of her, with his blade an inch away from her throat.
"Stand up," he ordered. His eyes were completely devoid of emotions.
Imogene took a hard hurtful gulp. Not because she thought about food but because she was afraid this time.
"You want to kill me this way?"
"If cutting you in halves would guarantee my liberation, then so be it. I cannot spend another hour in this damned place."
"It's all your fault. If only you had listened to me from the onset, none of this would've happened," Imogene was panicking but she did her best not to show it, "now you want to split me into two to take the key from my stomach."
"You're nothing to me."
"I know.."
"The marriage between us never should've happened…"
"And you got what you wanted…I can't say the same for Imogene, though," she gave out a small shrug and stood up.
Blake lowered his eyes into a squint.
"Do you even think I'm scared of death? I just don't want to die the wrong way." Imogene pouted and folded her arms across her chest.
Blake wasn't interested in any of her ramblings, he picked her up with one hand and dragged his sword down to her stomach.
"I do not care if my mother is tied to your family.."
Imogene interrupted him with a roundhouse slap, silencing him immediately.
Blake's eyes grew large in their sockets as his left cheek prickled with pain.
She just slapped him?
Blake scoffed incredulously and placed his palm on his cheek.
In his shocked state, he could see Imogene blinking in confusion and holding her palm to his face, where he spotted a tiny bit of blood.
"It was a mosquito," she said innocently, "I just couldn't ignore it because it bit me before."
"HOW DARE YOU!?" Blake exploded.
Imogene gasped and shifted from him until her back pressed the wall.
"I-I-I was only trying to help you," she defended herself.
"Shut up!" Blake swung his sword and pressed the tip to her throat, giving her a little scratch there.
"No one. I mean no one has ever raised their hands on me." He growled like an enraged giant. His eyes were bloodthirsty.
"But you could've been bitten."
"I said shut up!"
Imogene swallowed hard and obeyed. She couldn't freely move her mouth like before when his sword was on her throat.
Blake had never been so frustrated by a woman in his life before. It was as if all of his demons were left hell, possessed that body of Imogene, and used her to taunt and torment him.
Why wasn't she afraid of him like she used to? The former Imogene couldn't meet his eyes, talk more or raise her hand an inch close to his cheek. But this one just slapped him so hard, that for a moment he forgot who he was. It felt like he was stripped of his position. All in the name of killing a mosquito on his cheek.
Both husband and wife maintained eye contact for a while, both breathing heavily. Blake's sword was still on Imogene's throat.
"If you really wanted to kill me, you would've done so a long time ago," she uttered after sighing heavily.
"Say your last prayers," he withdrew his sword and lifted it.
Imogene trembled and closed her eyes tightly in their sockets. She had doubted him just a few seconds ago and now he was going to behead her.
She was going to die in a way she didn't want.
Her mouth parted and a sharp breath flew out of it when she heard the sound of a sword splitting something.
Imogene opened her eyes when something hit her head and dropped to the floor.
It was a scorpion that Blake had cut into two.