Years of navigating the treacherous waters of court politics had honed my instincts to a razor's edge. As Daleyza turned her fury towards me, her mouth opening to unleash what would undoubtedly be a blistering tirade, I saw my opportunity. In the blink of an eye, I slipped away, leaving room for only supressed spleen and aggravated choler.
Once again, I found myself adrift in the endless maze of corridors, my heart a leaden weight in my chest. Each step echoed hollowly, a mocking reminder of my solitude as I searched, with increasing desperation, for the familiar faces of my cherished friends. The walls seemed to close in, their stark indifference a cruel counterpoint to the ache of loneliness that threatened to consume me.
Time stretched like taffy, each second an eternity of hope and disappointment. An hour slipped by, marked only by the growing heaviness in my limbs and the tightening knot of anxiety in my gut.
At last, my strength faltering, I stumbled to a halt beside a window. My trembling hand found the weathered sill, fingers curling around the edge as if it were a lifeline. I bent low, my forehead nearly touching the cool wood, and closed my eyes against the sting of unshed tears. And my thoughts on the other hand,
OH MY SWEET BABY LLAMA'S DRAMA, WHO IN THEIR ARCHITECTURAL INSANITY THOUGHT "HEY, LET'S BUILD A STRUCTURE SO MASSIVE THAT MY CALVES CRY BLOODY MURDER EVERY TIME I NEED TO PEE?!" LIKE SERIOUSLY, WHICH MEGALOMANIAC GIRAFFE-WANNABE DESIGNED THIS MONSTROSITY? I BET THEY WERE COMPENSATING FOR SOMETHING - PROBABLY THEIR TINY RULER! WHEEZE
DID THEY THINK WE'RE HOSTING A CONVENTION FOR GIANTS WHO MOONLIGHT AS PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS? OR MAYBE THEY WERE JUST PLAYING MINECRAFT IRL AND GOT WAY TOO EXCITED WITH THE HEIGHT LIMIT! I'M GETTING A NOSEBLEED JUST LOOKING UP AT THIS ABSOLUTE UNIT OF UNNECESSARY VERTICAL ACHIEVEMENT!
WHOEVER APPROVED THIS BLUEPRINT MUST'VE BEEN HIGH ON CONSTRUCTION DUST AND DREAMS OF TOUCHING CLOUDS WITH THEIR MORNING COFFEE!
As I sighed in frustration and stood up, a sudden realization hit me. "Hold on a minute," I thought to myself.
"HOLY MACARONI AND CHEESE, HERE I AM, WADDLING AROUND LIKE A PENGUIN IN AN IDENTITY CRISIS, DRAGGING THIS DRESS THAT WEIGHS MORE THAN MY LIFE CHOICES! WHAT KIND OF GENIUS AM I TO GO TREASURE HUNTING IN A DRESS THAT COULD DOUBLE AS A CIRCUS TENT? CILLIAN, MY DUDE, IS THIS YOUR IDEA OF A WORKOUT PROGRAM? "GET FIT WITH FANCY FABRIC"?"
"I'M OUT HERE LOOKING LIKE A Victorian BODYBUILDER, HAULING 5KG OF "FASHION" LIKE IT'S A CROSSFIT CHALLENGE. MY BACK'S SCREAMING "BETRAYAL!" WHILE MY BRAIN'S JUST NOW REALIZING I COULD'VE STRIPPED DOWN TO NORMAL HUMAN CLOTHING HOURS AGO. BUT NOOOOO, I HAD TO CHANNEL MY INNER PACK MULE AND CARRY THIS PORTABLE SAUNA AROUND THE CASTLE!"
"TIME TO RETREAT TO MY ROOM BEFORE THIS DRESS CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM. AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT WALKING - I'M JUST PROFESSIONALLY FALLING FORWARD WITH STYLE! GRANDMAS EVERYWHERE ARE PROBABLY WATCHING ME AND THINKING "AMATEUR HOUR!""
I stood there, my heart racing beneath an exterior of ice. My eyes, wide and unblinking, betrayed nothing of the tempest raging within. With a fluid motion, I swung my arm to the side, summoning a non-spreading fire that formed a perfect horizontal line before me. My raised arm held the inferno in check, a barrier between myself and the Imperial Knights who had burst in, weapons drawn as if I were some feral beast to be tamed.
The dance began. Gracefully, I closed my fist, each finger curling with deliberate slowness. I slid to my right, a movement so exquisite it could have been choreographed. The fire followed my lead, drawing away like an obedient pet. I caught glimpses of the knights' faces, etched with a mixture of awe and amusement.
Then, I sensed his presence. The air seemed to thicken, weighted down by the approach of the very man I despised above all others. My lips curled into a smile so radiant it could have outshone the sun itself.
"And if it isn't for His Majesty the King," I uttered, my voice a melody of false adoration. I swirled back, my movements a perfect blend of grace and subservience. I bowed low, lifting the sides of my dress just high enough to show respect, my smile never faltering. A flawless performance of the Perfect Daughter's Arch.
"I greet the Kingdom's most Glorious and Radiant Sun of All, His Majesty, the Forever Majestic, King of Domino, Hades Limonizer Vernoke Domino," I proclaimed, each word dripping with honeyed venom.
I watched through lowered lashes as he moved forward. His white attire gleamed, the red cape trailing behind him like a river of blood. His light blond hair, cut short, seemed to catch every ray of light, while those ruby red eyes burned with an intensity that would cow lesser beings. He was the very picture of regality, a king in every sense of the word.
And yet, as I gazed upon him, all I could think was how undeserving he was of such splendor. This man, this tyrant who wore a crown, was nothing more than a pretender in my eyes.
I remained bowed low, my eyes fixed on the gleaming black boots before me. Suddenly, without warning, his right hand reached for my face from the left. Every instinct screamed at me to recoil, to defend myself, but something deeper, a voice I couldn't quite place, urged me to stillness. I shut my eyes tightly, surrendering to the moment as his fingers grazed my cheek.
My eyes fluttered open, meeting his gaze. In that instant, my world tilted on its axis. His face remained as impassive as ever, a perfect mirror to my own carefully crafted mask. But his eyes... those ruby depths seemed to pierce through every defense, every lie, every secret I'd ever harbored.
Panic clawed at my throat. HE IS READING THROUGH ME. READING IT ALL. The realization hit me like a physical blow. NO. HE KNOWS IT ALL. Memories, plans, fears I'd buried so deep I'd almost forgotten them myself - all laid bare before him. NO NO NO. The truth crashed over me in waves. HE KNEW IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
But what was "it all"? What terrible knowledge did he possess? My mind raced, trying to catalog every transgression, every rebellious thought. Before I could make sense of it, before I could even draw breath to speak, he moved.
In one fluid motion, his left arm slid behind my back. I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet.
"AH!" The exclamation burst from my lips, equal parts surprise and indignation. I found myself cradled in his arms, lifted as easily as if I weighed nothing at all. "Wh wh wh wha whaaaa?" I stammered, my carefully constructed poise crumbling to dust.
Heat rushed to my face, painting my cheeks a vibrant crimson that spread to the very tips of my ears. I was acutely aware of every point of contact between us, of his strength, of my own vulnerability. Yet through it all, his expression remained maddeningly serene, as if holding his daughter - his nemesis - in such an intimate embrace was the most natural thing in the world.
My heart thundered in my chest, a war drum of confusion, fear, and something else I dared not name. In that moment, suspended in his arms, I realized that the game had changed. The careful dance of deception and duty we'd been locked in for so long had taken an unexpected turn, and I was no longer certain of the steps.
AND ALL THE FREAKING KNIGHTS WERE JUST STANDING THERE, WATCHING LIKE IT WAS MEDIEVAL NETFLIX, PROBABLY WISHING THEY HAD POPCORN AND TAKING MENTAL NOTES FOR THE KINGDOM'S GOSSIP NEWSLETTER! BRO, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A LOVERS' MOMENT, NOT SEASON FINALE OF "KEEPING UP WITH THE CASTLE-DASHIANS"!!! HOW MANY WAYS DO I HAVE TO SAY "PUT ME DOWN"?? DO I NEED FLASHCARDS? SMOKE SIGNALS? A CARRIER PIGEON WITH A POWERPOINT STRAPPED TO ITS BACK??? MAYBE I SHOULD HIRE A TOWN CRIER TO FOLLOW US AROUND YELLING "SHE SAID NO TO THE DRAMATIC LIFT" EVERY FIVE MINUTES??? My inner thoughts screamed in protest, a cacophony of rage and revulsion that threatened to burst forth at any moment.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn't entirely suppress my disgust. My lips curled upward in an unmistakable expression of distaste, my fingers clenching tightly into the fabric of his shoulder. I tilted my chin upward, desperately trying to put even the slightest distance between us, my gaze fixed on the ornate ceiling above.
Control yourself, I silently commanded, forcing each breath to come slow and steady. This is just another move in our endless game. Adapt. Overcome.
Slowly, painfully, I wrestled my emotions back under control. If I wanted to extricate myself from this compromising position - and quickly - I would need all of my wits about me. I couldn't afford to let my true feelings show, not when I was quite literally in the palm of his hand.
With deliberate care, I lowered my gaze to meet his, though I kept my chin raised high. It was a delicate balance - a show of reluctant acquiescence without complete submission.
I couldn't help but stare, my brain short-circuiting from the sheer visual assault before me. One moment I was existing in a normal, mundane reality, and the next - BAM! - I was confronted with a human being so impossibly radiant that my entire nervous system went into complete meltdown.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, TOO RADIANT!!!!" The scream tore from my throat, part terror, part pure sensory overload. My hands flew out in pure panic, smooshing against his face with the same frantic energy as someone mashing an elevator button during a fire alarm.
My neck, meanwhile, decided to go full interpretive dance mode - bending and twisting like an overcooked spaghetti noodle, desperately trying to escape the blinding magnificence before me.
"SWEET MOTHER OF UNICORN GLITTER, MY RETINAS ARE BURNING!!!!" I mentally shrieked, my internal monologue hitting decibel levels that could probably shatter glass.
EXCUSE ME??? When exactly did this person upgrade from 'regular human' to 'walking solar flare'? And why was he just standing there, looking like a gorgeous statue that had forgotten the entire concept of human communication? What kind of supernatural glow-up attack was this?!
My brain, in full panic mode, started negotiating with the universe. "Dear Cosmic Management," I thought, "If this is karmic punishment for that one time I ate my roommate's last cookie, I FORMALLY AND DRAMATICALLY APOLOGIZE. Just please, for the love of all that is holy, stop making him look like a Renaissance painting that accidentally came to life in high-definition 4K resolution!"
He remained perfectly still, radiating an otherworldly beauty that seemed designed specifically to short-circuit human comprehension. My poor heart was doing Olympic-level gymnastics, simultaneously wanting to run away and wanting to stare forever.
"This is not fair," I wanted to protest. "Some of us are just trying to have a normal day, and here YOU are, existing like a walking, talking visual cheat code!"
My hands were still pressed against his face, a futile attempt to block out the pure, unadulterated aesthetic assault. But who was I kidding? No human hand could block out this level of magnificence.
Universe: 1
Me: Absolutely decimated
I slowly removed my hands from his face, my heart pounding so hard I was sure he could feel it. With a mixture of embarrassment and desperation, I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, slumping against his shoulder. My face burned hot enough to melt steel as I pressed close to his ear, whispering in a voice so low it was barely audible:
"Daddy, put.........me....down."
Each word felt like it was being dragged out of me, heavy with mortification and a plea I couldn't quite disguise. As I finished speaking, I chanced a side glance at him, still pressed firmly against his shoulder. To my horror, I saw the corner of his lips quirk upwards in what could only be described as smug amusement.
My cheeks, already flushed, somehow managed to turn an even deeper shade of red. I was certain that if embarrassment could be fatal, I'd have expired on the spot.
But instead of putting me down as I'd requested (begged, really), he started walking forward, his right arm hanging down on his side. The knights, silent as shadows, fell into step behind us. And there I was, still being carried like an overgrown infant, my dignity left somewhere far behind us.
At this point, I decided to give up trying to understand or question his actions. One thing was painfully clear: this man was not operating on any sane wavelength I could comprehend. And frankly, I no longer had the energy or mental capacity to waste on deciphering his twisted logic.
So I resigned myself to my fate, carried through the halls like some bizarre royal parade, silently praying for the sweet release of a sudden sinkhole to open up and swallow me whole. Because surely, being swallowed by the earth would be less mortifying than... whatever this was.
"So Fenris, Eamon and Idris are dead, huh?" He exclaimed, I didn't see what sort of expression he made though.
I remained pressed against his shoulder, my face still flushed as I responded to his inquiry about Fenris, Eamon, and Idris. Despite my embarrassment, I managed to provide a concise explanation of the situation.
"No," I said, my voice muffled against his clothing. "They just got elbowed out by the barbarians in the process of hunting those beasts that attacked the carriage."
"Hmm. I see. Then that's a relief," he replied, pausing briefly before adding, "I'm glad to see you back."
I could hear the smile in his voice, though I couldn't bring myself to look at his face. His words, seemingly genuine, stirred a mix of conflicting emotions within me. Part of me wanted to believe in the warmth of his welcome, while another part remained wary, remembering all that had transpired between us.
I snuggled around his neck and wrapped my arms tighter than before. No words came out of my mouth. But......he is going to die in a few months.
But the question is, do I want him to die? Does he really deserve death? Wait......what sorts of thoughts am I even having? Of course he deserves to die, it's because of him that my moth-. Daleyza was responsible for that though. My thoughts became slightly calm. Uncle just showed up to the throne. The reason our Empire reduced to a Kingdom, was surely not because of him, was it? If he desired the throne so much, he wouldn't have wanted it's downfall, if he did, then the Kingdom would've been in an even worse state. As for his reasoning behind so many concubines and kids.......the reason he used black magic......I don't know it. My eyes lost their focus as the realization hit me.
Was I really hating this man for such an unclear reason? Had I become a fool like my mother who's lost her sanity? I'm I loosing my intellect just because I'm surrounded by morons like her? or what exactly?
"You are dismissed." he announced to the knights trailing behind us, snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. I raised my head, watching them turn and walk away as he continued on.
To be Continued...