[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: BLUE AND GRAY~ BTS]
On the day of the wedding, which was done quietly, Clephas packed the princess's belongings and carried them to the carriage. In Morado, the princess is married off like a commoner, with no maids or guards. Once she is getting married, her princess title is stripped from her, and she lives the life of a regular person.
"Kit, I will miss you. Please do send us messages and come to visit anytime; this is your home," Khelan hugged his sister.
"Home?? Never considered it as one. I will miss you, brother. Be careful and trust no one, always follow your heart, and do what is right. I pray you will reign for long and justly," Kitanna hugged him and closed her eyes to stop her tears.
Kitanna moved to Larel, they both held each other for sometime then they exchanged a smile before the two ladies hugged each other.
Clephas was the saddest of all; he was not allowed to leave with the princess. He had dark circles like he had already cried the night before.
"Clephas, please stay healthy and always remember I shade the moon; let not the color of the petals fool you. What you cannot see controls what you see." Kitanna said, reciting words that only made sense to Clephas and her.
Almaria joined in them trying to share a hug with the princess. But Kitanna ignored her existence and walked past her straight to the carriage, looking at everyone who waved at her.
This has been her only place and abode..... and Khelan, she sniffled when she looked at Khelan and Clephas. She looked at them with pity. Kitanna knew very well how sad their lives will be without her. She turned to scan the crowd again, someone was missing from the gathering but Kitanna couldn't pin who it was. She ignored the feeling and got on her carriage alone. Just she, her few belongings, the horse, and the coach. She set off for a new beginning.
The journey was quiet for hours and the sky was gradually turning dark as night fell. Crickets chirped providing the only sounds in the quiet night. The coach was able to see the road clearly, because the sun flies gave them light with it's fullest energy.
Kitanna was already tired from the long journey that she did not realize when she dozed off. It was not until the horse abruptly galloped, as if it had struck something, that she jumped up from her seat, her eyes still drowsy from the sleep. She used her back hand to rub the sleep off her eyes. Kitanna tried to listen if the coach was still there but the night got deadly quiet.
Immediately alert, Kitanna reached for her sword which she hid earlier before leaving the palace
"What is the problem?" Kitanna received silence as an answer.
"Anyone there!?" Still no response.
She quietly removed her dress bringing to surface comfortable pants that allowed her to move properly and just immediately a hand broke in through the window and grabbed her throat dragging her out of the carriage.
Kitanna gasped in pain as she blindly kicked her legs, struggling to catch her breathe. She found herself on the floor, surrounded by men in black all armed and covered with mask.
"Looks like my time is up," Kitanna managed to smile despite the pain.
One of the masked men recited, "The Queen Dowager sends her regards, Princess Kitanna. You've fulfilled your role as the Black Rose, and it's time for a new rose to bloom. First, the old one must wither."
"Foolish law," Kitanna grinned through her discomfort.
"We apologize, but if you don't resist, we are going to make it quick and painless," another assassin offered.
"What kind of sacrifice doesn't put up a fight?" Kitanna retorted defiantly. "There are seven of you; if the Queen sent this many, she knows I won't go down quietly. I'll do what I was trained for."
Kitanna quickly gathered sand from the ground, tossing it at her attackers and temporarily blinding a few. Then she bolted.
"Ahh..Get her!" the leader commanded, staggering to get his balance because the sand went right into his eyes.
Kitanna ran as fast as her legs could carry her through the dark forest. She needed somewhere convenient if she was going to fight or stand a chance against the assassins.
She hid behind a tree panting gently and counting the steps she could hear.
Slashhhhhh... She cut down one of the assassins who didn't see her coming and just then another appeared in front of her.
Kitanna jumped and tried to hit him but he dodged pushing her back, she immediately got back and raised her arm trying to cut him, while he was concentrating on the incoming sword Kitanna kicked him hard and when he lost balance she slashed his throat.
"There she is!" One of the assassins yelled.
Kitanna continued to run deeper into the forest. The next assassin blocked her path, attacking her with force. She jabbed at him with all her strength. The man dragged her hair and pushed her forcefully to a tree causing Kitanna's head to hit harshly on the tree.
The princess coughed blood and smiled
"Don't treat a lady like that, princess or not," she glared at the man. She swiftly climbed onto him, locking her legs around his neck and strangling him. The assassin gasped for air but soon slumped, lifeless.
"Where are you hiding, Princess?" the remaining assassins called out.
However, in her vulnerable position, Kitanna felt something sting her back. It was an arrow. She was struck by an arrow from one of the remaining assassins.
The princess turned and the four other assassins had her surrounded. She looked around and trying to think of something. She wanted to live. She needed to live. Kitanna prayed to the stars to let her live. But her plea was met only by the indifferent chirping of crickets.
Kitanna felt another sharp pain at her back, one of the assassins had cut her, as she was losing blood she slowly fell on the ground and struggled to breathe, with her eyes closing, tears of regret and loneliness streamed down her smooth face.
She thought of all the times she was just an innocent princess, living a carefree life with her father. Until she found out of the ritual. Ritual of the black roses.
The tradition of training the princess as an assassin known as the Black Rose had begun even before Kitanna's birth. Morado's royal tradition involved grooming the princess to be an assassin, serving as a means to maintain power and control. The Black Rose would eliminate any threats to their authority, taking down the heirs of other kingdoms and incapacitating them. The heir of Morado was not obliged to know about the Black Rose; only the Queen possessed that knowledge, passed down to the next Queen.
However, as the proverb goes, 'he who kills by the sword shall die by the sword.' Morado executed the reigning Black Rose once a new queen ascended the throne, creating an opening for a new princess and preventing corruption. Kitanna was now faced with the destiny she had no say in.
Kitanna remembered how she was trained without mercy, she was subjected to harsh tortures and swordsmanship that could have broken her, but she survived and she tried to avoid killing innocent people.
As memories of her life flashed in her eyes, Kitanna slowly drifted into silence.
Then Darkness. The princess passed....
...out.