My father smiled and said.
'Whenever you're being interrogated,
Before saying anything, demand for your lawyer.'
"What if I'm being hounded?'
He smiled, 'then my dear Raven just l..'
I never got to hear the answer.
The prince smiled, not that beautiful smile that'll make you think "oh look, he has such a beautiful smile" but the one that'd make you think oh Laeta, is he smiling or glowering at me, the smile that'd make you scared, make you want to hide that he was about to do something utterly terrifying and bad.
"You surprise me Raven, not many are able to keep up the facade of not being affected by my presence, is this part of the act? Speaking as though you don't fear me?"
What an ass. "I fear no man your majesty." I said through gritted teeth. "And I need not act in your presence ."
"So you're saying you don't find me appealing, you don't harbor the thought that participating in the summoning would make you one step closer to me, to becoming the future king's consort?"
He was so full of himself. "I assure you your highness, I don't harbor the thought, I admit, I do find you appealing but when I want someone or like someone, I don't like them based on who they are but on how they are, and from what I've noticed from your behavior, you're a spoilt brat who's had his way all his life, an arrogant, prideful prince, who thinks he's larger than life, well here's a secret your "Majesty" you're not, you're just a thousands year old man, probably with the ability to strike me dead." I added like an afterthought. "You might also be the dragon prince but guess what, you're just still a man."
I exhaled and twisted my thumbs when I noticed how silent the castle had gotten, the king and queen were staring at me open mouthed, professor Cauline was pale, the rest of the teachers looked sick, and the prince just smiled, a sadistic smile that scared the shit out of me, here was a man who had everything, who had everyone begging at his feet, one order of his could ruin my life, and me, my mouth and I, had just ruined me.
"You'll be back Raven Kharhahlac," there was no malice in his voice. "You'll attend the summoning, will strive to win , I'll enjoy watching you suffer, watching you strive through the pain and torment, watch you wish for a death that will never come, I'll enjoy it all Raven Kharhahlac, and your agony will be my pleasure, the sight of you in pain and fear will be luxuriating." And all through his speech his sadistic smile never left his face.
And he walked out —more like glided out—— of the throne room.
And as I watched him go, even as fear almost consumed me I thought:
there goes the psychopath.
★★★
I bristled. "He threatened me, the king called me an it, and you tell me I shouldn't have gone that far!?"
"You shouldn't have abused him!" She explained loudly.
I was indignant, I stood up from my bed in anger. "He's a fucking psychopath, you want me to risk my life for a psychopath who has no hope of falling in love!?"
Kemi averted her eyes. "You don't know that!'
"I know that, I do know that, you don't know what he looked like or how he looked while he was talking about me dying in pain."
"He doesn't really mean it."
I scoffed loudly, "oh now you're just really pushing it, he's a fucking psychopath, he means everything he says."
"Okay, I think we should all calm down before we start throwing things at each other."
I turned and glowered at Johnson. "She wants me to ruin my life for a psychopathic prince!"
"She's not saying you should ruin your life."
"Stop, just stop, you don't know what it felt like being called an it just because I'm different, you don't know what it felt like being indirectly threatened by a psychopath."
"I'm pretty sure it was life altering, but what Kemi is trying to say is, you can't resist participating, the Quintessence ordered you to."
"No."
"What-"
"No," I said more firmly cutting off Kemi. "The Quintessence requested my attendance, I wasn't ordered to participate."
"Of course the Quintessence won't demand you participate you idiot, do you think the women who participate aren't also requested? And still they have no choice, the only difference you have with them is that the Quintessence itself approached you."
No, I refuse to be forced, "I fucking have a choice, it's my life, I'm human, I'm not subjugated to the rules of fucking nonhumans, I would not be forced."
Remi laughed humorlessly, "like you have a choice." She sighed, closed her eyes, a moment passed before she opened them again.
"You'll participate whether you like it or not, you just think you have a choice, I'll tell my father to help you purchase items that'd be useful during the trials, I don't want you defenseless." She pivoted, pushed the door open and slammed it shut.
"Raven-"
"No." I held up my hand to cut of Johnson, "I want to be alone."
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I heard Johnson sigh. Then quick footsteps followed by the door slamming shut.
****
I couldn't get professor Cauline's disappointed eyes out of my mind, he'd never looked at me with disappointment before.
Even the teachers had been to shocked to reprimand me.
My life was a mess, and arguing with my friends just made it worse.
Would people look at me differently?
The voice in my head snorted. They already think you're different.
And like that wasn't even enough, it'd just get worse.
No, no matter what anyone said, I wasn't going to ruin my life to win the affection of a psychopathic ice prince.
I sighed again, and slept.
I can't wait to see how long you'll last...dear fire bird