"She died alone, but awakened to life."
❅❅❅❅❅❅
The venom in his eyes is as potent now as it was seventeen years ago when I first walked toward him in lace and fear. He hasn't aged a day—still so handsome, yet cruel to the bone.
I remember that look—the fury, the disgust—as I walked down the aisle, the lace tight around my breasts and hips, yet short enough to make me look cheap. And the rough treatment when I turned 18 as he unleashed his cruelty on me, snarling 'Why did it have to be you?' But now, locked in this cold, damp cell, I can only pray he won't touch our children.
Deirdre. Alric. Forgive me. Protect each other, and survive.
My beautiful little girl is still so young. Only five. Far too young to face the harsh realities and ugliness of the world. It is no place for a girl with such softness and innocence.
At least Alric will have it better. My strong young prince, only thirteen, yet now caught between innocence and war, carrying the burden I can no longer shoulder. Hopefully, he can shield her from too much heartbreak.
I feel something wet trickle down my cheek, but with my hands bound behind my back, wiping it away before he sees is impossible. King Asmodeus smirks, a glimmer of delight shining in his royal purple eyes as he sees the despair in mine, eagerly drinking it in.
'Why?' I whisper, my voice rasping. I lick my cracked lips and shiver as I watch a platinum blonde approach from behind him.
'Because he wants me,' she mocks, her laugh as sharp as broken glass.
I will never forget her—Frostine, daughter of the Duke of France—my husband's childhood sweetheart. The first time I heard her name was as I waited for the wedding ceremony to begin. All of the maids were aflutter with whispers of the golden couple breaking up because of me, the unwanted bride, the mistress.
Not that I had much of a choice.
My father seized the chance to be rid of me the first opportunity he could—my 15th birthday. 'Adira, my daughter,' he'd said with a smile. 'Fifteen years old today. Old enough to be useful.'
His smile never reached his eyes.
'You're marrying Prince Asmodeus of Europe.'
My heart plummeted.
'B-but he already has ten wives-'
'Only concubines,' he snapped. 'You, my dear, are going to be his principal wife.'
'Please, Fath-'
'Enough, you wench! You will obey!'
'…Yes, Father.'
'You will marry him the day you turn eighteen.'
That was the last time I saw him. He never saw me off, or attended the wedding. When I heard he'd died five years later, I wasn't sure how I felt. Perhaps happy, but I was more confused than anything else.
He had so much power over Mother and me growing up that I'd forgotten he was human too—until sixth brother Brutus killed him for the throne.
That was a surprise.
Out of my brothers, Brutus was the last one I thought would take the throne. He was a murderous musclehead, after all. But he was also the brother I hated the most, since he killed our ninth brother Alexander.
Brother Xander was the only family I had left after Mother died. He was the one that protected me the years until I got married; the one that walked me down the aisle.
Brother Xander was the one that threatened Asmodeus to treat me well, but how could he know that Asmodeus would watch me with each correspondence? How could he know about the bruises I'd be left with day after day because I was that brute's principal wife instead of Frostine, his precious flower?
As much as I loved my brother for trying to protect me, I also hated him a little for failing—even though I know how unrealistic it is to want him to come flying across the ocean to rescue me from this hellhole.
And then he died.
Three years into my marriage. The same day I learned I was pregnant with my son.
Frostine—the one he failed, the only one he loved. The one he never brought into his flower field because anything less than principal wife was a blemish to her beautiful petals.
For seventeen years, I was the one beside him, helping him rise to King, yet she was the one raking in the rewards. I hadn't even been crowned Queen for long.
Only a day.
I stared at Frostine— at the glamorous clothes she was wearing, something I'd never worn since Mother died. The satin with gold and white-stitched Camellias blossoming across her regal gown, making her look every bit the Queen she was going to be.
How stupid was I to make a wedding dress for someone else? Using every bit of my time to help Asmodeus, only for his beautiful Frostine to take my place.
My thoughts are interrupted by the booming voice of the Royal Announcer over the chattering of my teeth.
'On the 23rd day of the 5th month in the year 2039, we gather to witness the execution of Queen Adira.'
Two guards enter the cell, their boots echoing on the stone floor as they grab one arm each and hoist me to my feet. Frostine winks at me, before saying 'See you in a bit, Adira.'
I lunge at her, my face twisted with fury. 'You will pay, Frostine! You and Asmodeus both!'
She laughs. 'You're delusional, Adira. You are going to die and I will finally be the Queen. Nothing you say or do will change that.'
And with a swish of her dress, she leaves with Asmodeus. The scent of her camellia perfume wafts over me, reminding me of the scented pillows of our marital room, of the reason I was in this god-forsaken cell to begin with.
I had barely gotten ready for bed when guards burst into my room. I screamed in horror as I tried to cover my neglige-clad body with bedsheets that were immediately ripped from me.
I was brought to the throne room where Asmodeus and Frostine were waiting. Dropped at their feet, she smirked down at me.
'How does it feel, Adira?' She asked.
'H-how does what feel?' I trembled, my arms wrapped around me as I tried to cover myself up.
'How does it feel to be crawling at my feet?'
'What do you want, Frostine?' I whispered.
Slap. Stinging pain startled me as I stared at the blonde in shock.
'What do I want?' She screeched. 'I want what I deserve! This throne! The title of Queen that you stole from me! I want everything!'
I shook my head. 'I-I didn't steal anything from you!' I cried.
'Yes, you did! You stole my role beside Asmodeus! I was supposed to be his principal wife! I was supposed to be the only Queen by his side, and you stole that!'
'I didn't want this life!' I screamed at her.
Slap. 'You didn't want it?' I didn't know a voice could go so high. 'You didn't want it? I bled for this, and you're throwing it away? Do you think you're better than me?'
I trembled and curled into myself on the cold stone floor as Asmodeus stood up. He sauntered towards the panting blonde and gently massaged her hand.
'Frostine, my love. Don't hurt yourself like this.'
'I want her dead, Asmodeus! Dead!'
'I know, my love. She will die, but not tonight. She will be put on trial tomorrow for the whole of Europe to see.'
He glanced down at me, then back at her. 'She is to be sent to the dungeon,' he ordered his guards. 'Give her nothing.'
Pain shot through my shoulder as the guards dropped me onto the freshly made platform. I look at the green open space before me, filled with scores of people.
High above the populace sits Asmodeus with Frostine by his side, lounging in his chair. The sunlight sprinkled through the trees, highlighting his dark hair with flecks of red.
Frostine had a servant beside her, holding up a parasol to keep her pale skin from being damaged by the sun's rays. I close my eyes, feeling the warmth seep into my chilled body, welcoming the harsh warmth of summer.
Who knew there was a place that could be so cold on such a warm day. I look up at the sky, knowing it is the last time.
Thank you, Lord, I pray. Thank you for not letting Deirdre or Alric witness their mother's death. May they remain innocent for a little while longer. Please protect them from her—from Frostine. And please send my beautiful little girl a love that will cherish her for the rest of her life.
'Queen Adira is to be stripped of her title—' the booming voice of the Royal Announcer shakes me from my thoughts and prayers.
My gaze returns to the crowd, my eyes shining with newfound strength.
'She has committed the crimes of poisoning a fellow noble—'
My mind tunes out the fabricated list of crimes I'd committed as I stare into Asmodeus' eyes. It's the first time in the seventeen years I was with him that I've looked him directly in the eyes.
His eyebrows furrow slightly before he returns to his usual smirk. I've been afraid for so long, I'd forgotten my own worth. If this is where I was going to die, then I will die with pride. My body twitches as I slowly regain feeling in my limbs.
Thank you, Lord, for the warmth. Thank you for helping me regain my dignity.
One leg.
Two legs.
I stretch them.
One shoulder.
Two shoulders.
I roll them slowly.
Gathering my strength, I rise to my knees. I straighten my back and lift my head high. I take a deep breath and relax. The booming voice registers in my mind once more.
'Due to the severity of her crimes, she will be executed by poisoning.'
Poisoning, huh? They really must have wanted me to suffer. Poison's not precisely fast, you know... well, it depends on the poison, but I know they'll choose a toxin that's slow-acting. Maybe Aconite or Hemlock.
I wonder how long they want me to suffer... If Aconite is chosen, I'll suffocate to death... If Hemlock is chosen, I'll be paralysed until my body fails. Both are horrible ways to die, but they want me to die horrifically.
They couldn't even say my name in the end. I know one thing, though. If I ever get the chance, I'll make sure they pay for what they did to me.
I close my eyes as a gentle, yet warm breeze brushes past me, filling me with the strength I need to push past this last hurdle. I can feel the executioner behind me, something swishing in his hand.
He moves to stand next to me, and I look directly at him. He stares silently at me before grabbing my jaw. My mouth opens from the pain, and he pours the contents of the bottle straight down my throat. Pulling away once the bottle was emptied, I cough violently. Grimacing, I wait.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Eventually, I felt tingling in my mouth, arms and legs and a burning sensation in my stomach. My face twitches slightly from the pain, but I shake it off.
Then came the dizziness and nausea. Feeling my stomach rolling, I swallow the bile that was fighting to break out. This was going to be a long wait.
My limbs tremble as I try to stay steady on my knees. My breathing quickens even as I feel my heart slow. I could feel the fear of death rising inside me. The fear of never seeing my children again. The terror of what awaits me in death.
Will it be heaven? Or will I fade into the empty darkness? I was afraid of finding out.
No. I can't think of that. Stop it, Adira!
In that brief minute, I'd fallen to my side again, my legs moving to curl me into a ball from the pain. I take a deep breath to calm myself despite the pain in doing so, but with that pain comes the determination, stronger than before.
I cannot falter.
I relax my legs. I need to keep them away from my body. I cannot show them I'm in a lot of pain. That powerful thought crystallised almost immediately.
Suddenly, an energy I'd felt in times of intense emotion bubbles, but this time, it releases.
Frost spread everywhere on the platform, slowly creeping up my legs, holding them in place. I knew what this was.
Magic.
The power I'd been told I could never possess. But it was mine—it had always been mine.
Faster, I think to myself. Faster so you're locked into place.
Seconds are all it took for my limbs to freeze over, my pale skin glistening as the sunlight hit the crystals that formed. Despite the ice, I felt no pain.
Instead, it was warm, as if I were once again in my mother's embrace. My breathing rattles, but my body no longer shakes. No longer showed any weakness.
Eventually, I could feel my body growing cold as foam coated the inside of my mouth. Despite my silent protests, a small amount seeped onto my lips, freezing along with the rest of my body.
I look at Asmodeus and Frostine once more as their faces show their shock and horror. At the surrounding crowd as they had moved away from the platform where I lay, silent with fear.
I was all that was left on the platform, and I couldn't help but smile in my heart. My body was at its limit. I could tell.
I slowly close my eyes.
Only one final thought remained as I slipped into darkness.
If I could go back, I'd change everything. I'd be Queen.