All over the walls were stained with splashes of blood. Different people's blood. And by the looks of it, a lot of resistance and struggling was added.
Coupled with that, torturing facilities like spiked whips, hot coal and metal, knives and the rest were hanging on the walls. Astin looked at all this and grinned.
'I remember coming here in my past life. It wasn't a pleasant experience and of course, Jude was also responsible.' she thought and shut her eyes for a moment. 'I don't want to think about it.'
The sight and memory of it sent shivers down her spine. She opened her eyes.
"Your high...highness, tell them, tell them that me being here is all a mistake." Jude said with so much hope.
"Oh?" She have him an 'is that so?' look and sat on the clean chair that was provided for her.
She crossed her legs, placed her elbow on the chair's arm and rested her cheek on her knuckles. She looked like some vicious viscount who was ready to give out punishment to her subordinates.
"How so?"
Jude was more confused. His head was spinning and he was seeing a whole new Astin. One, he had never seen before. Was this still the same princess he used to be with?
"Chain him!" Astin commanded with so much authority and they did so. Jude was bewildered. This was certainly not her.
"I... I... I don't understand, princess. What's the meaning of this?" Jude stuttered with great fear running down his spine.
"You will understand… soon." She said. "Rip his shirt off!" She commanded and they did so without hesitation or complaint.
Now great fear had seized Jude. He was shivering and had sweat dripping from every single pore in his body. He could only imagine what they'd do to him but still wanted to reason with Astin
"Princess, I think I've offended you and that's why you want to treat me this way. Please accept my apology in the name of love we..." His sentence was cut with a tight slap landing on his face. No one knew when Astin had got up and slapped him.
"In the name of love? Puff, you make me sick."
"Prin..."
"I don't wanna hear it." She flinged her hand and turned. "Cut his tongue off." She ordered and they obeyed. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
His bone chilling scream of pain caught Astin but she wanted to be strong. She turned and saw his face, filled with horror, blood and pains. She bit her lip.
Although she hated him, she was still human and had a heart. She had sympathy but to make sure she didn't get soft and end up forgiving him, she decided to leave.
It was too easy to let him off like this but she wanted to. It would be bad if he managed to escape and take revenge.
How did the man she loved so deeply, become someone worse than the devil himself. Did he even have a heart?
"Why did you become like this, Jude?" She asked. "You turned vicious, evil and filled with... ambition. You wanted what you know should not be yours. You killed a whole family because you were scared they would expose your treacherous deeds. You bought over most of the ministers and placed your men in the palace as spies. Currently, one tenth of the security is under your control, am I right?"
She asked and stared into his eyes. They were curious as to how she found out.
"I know if you could speak, you'd either deny or ask how I found out." She held her head. "Gosh, it's a good thing they cut off your tongue. I hate your voice." She exclaimed and clenched her fists. "Was it really worth it?" She asked before turning.
She felt weak at heart. Thinking of all those evil deeds he had committed in her past life. It was more monstrous than what he's still at. That's why she had to make sure that the past did not repeat itself.
Felix, who was standing at the side thought to himself.
'How did the princess know all this?' He thought and nodded to himself, proudly. 'Yes, she's not ordinary.'
"I hate you!" Astin turned her head, glancing over her shoulder and meeting his eyes with her sharp glimmering gold eyes.
Where in the whole of Britain could they find such marvellous and glimmering golden eyes?
"I hate you so much and I'll make sure you die before you commit any more crimes." She dared. "For the good of me, my grandfather, the whole nation, everyone and including yourself. You're a threat to your own life, do you know that?" She asked but he could only shake his head. " I know that you'd be pleading to let you off and promise to repent but it's too late." She turned and headed for the door. "Your time is up!" She snapped her fingers and glanced back revealing a victorious smirk. "And for the record, I used to love you but that's all in the past." She said and walked away with Felix who trailed from behind.
Once out, Astin vomited. She forgot she hated the sight of blood and was busy trying to keep up a tough front while face the problem. Felix attempted to help but she waved him away.
"I'm okay." She said, cleaning her mouth with her hankie. "I'm just feeling a little nausea."
She looked away and suddenly started laughing. Felix didn't know what she was thinking and neither did she. Her mind was upside down.
"It's done. It's finally over!" She said and didn't know when tears started sliding down her cheeks. She felt bitter and painful.
Painful from all the mistakes she made in her previous life. The wrong choices she made, wrong people she trusted and the ones who were sacrificed because of her.
Felix stood there confused. He didn't know what to do and only one thing came to mind concerning her tears.
"Sorry to ask, your highness but, if you loved him so deeply, why did you end up killing him?" He asked and Astin kept quiet. She didn't bother to clean the tears and smiled at him.
"Felix, I had a dream." She began. "Where the one I loved the most was the one to send me to the underworld." She said and Felix immediately understood but he still didn't get it.
"What if it was only a dream and you made a wrong decision?" He asked and she glared at him. He bowed his head and apologized, "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. You're right, it could've simply been just a dream. I might have wronged the poor guy but… isn't it better to be safe than sorry? Isn't it better to sigh in relief than to grunt in regret? Two things in this life." She held up a smile and her eyes sparkled with so much confidence. "You either lose your life or gain it. I prefer the latter."
Felix stared at Astin with so much admiration. She was willing to give up her loved one for the sake of everyone else. He couldn't think of anyone with that amount of courage. He looked up to her even more.
"Get some sleep, Felix. I gave you an assignment. You don't want to submit late, do you?" She spoke and he bowed.
"Of course not, your highness." He said and she nodded.
"Then you're dismissed for tonight."