Until Death Do Us Apart

A Decision

Two months have passed very quickly. I must say that holding myself back was the greatest art I had to master. My powers have grown stronger from the day I’ve awoken them. I dare to say that they’re equal to ones of The Blood Prince’s now.

The second hardest thing was to control my body. From the early morning to the night, my body has been constantly screaming at me, pushing me to extremes. Yara’s body was born with magic, but as my powers have been constantly evolving, my body desired to adapt too, but I have been denying and postponing this the whole time.

It was a feeling just like there would be stones in my shoes and they would be constantly pushing and annoying me. However, it was impossible to let loose.

Just few more hours and then I’ll be free. I will be able to release the tension soon.

I have a plan, I possess the Mirror Dagger, there’s just one thing missing. What I need to acquire now is a suitable gown for the ball. But before all that, I have to descend to the dungeon and finally ask the creatures whether they’ll join me and stand by my side or whether they wish to rot in their prison forever.

I have a plan and I wish to free them for they’re more useful when they’re alive and cooperating rather than rotting in the dungeon without any purpose.

William told me that he’ll see me in the afternoon, so my morning was free. He announced he had to attend some business and that was all. There are never any explanations when it comes to The Blood Prince, but I’ve got used to it.

To be honest, our relationship has improved a little. His behaviour towards me has changed too. He stopped taunting me and I could almost say that he started to respect me and take me seriously. He has stopped harassing me and he kept his distance. Sometimes, however, he couldn’t resist making jokes when we trained, but they weren’t as cruel as at the beginning.

I have been sparring with William for nearly two months. I may defeat him in combat (I’ve managed to do that few times, because I had caught him out of guard for a second), but I’d rather not cross my weapons with his. We haven’t kissed since the night in my room, but the spark between us hasn’t disappeared. On the contrary, it has been growing stronger and stronger since. When we have been training together (I’ve got better in this a lot), it has been as a game of strength, cleverness, flirting and seduction.

Ok, let’s face it. Every time we fight it resembles to a foreplay.

I must also admit I’ve been thinking a lot about him lately. He definitely got even sexier. Even though I had to pay attention and concentrate during my training and sparring, my thoughts have been creating schemes sometimes (hate to admit that, but not very appropriate ones). I watched his mouth, especially his lips when he was talking, imagining him kissing me.

Where? Everywhere, everywhere.

I’ve been watching his hands and his moves just playing with the idea what could he do to me. Would he be gentle? Or Passionate? Sometimes I got carried away and then he won smirking at me as he would have caught me right in the act.

I’ve caught myself by the idea of being swallowed by our kiss in my room from time to time. The more I have been thinking about it the more I have been realizing he’s not as terrifying and monstruous as everybody claimed.

Concentrate! You can’t be losing your head right now!

I decide to use my William-off time wisely. I would see the creatures now.

I’m wandering the corridors for a while, but there is usually not a living soul. It has however changed in the last few days. Servants, guards and many others are everywhere and there isn’t a quiet place to be found.

When I descend the stairs, I hold my breath. It’s always like this. It’s cold and dark here. Even though I don’t need a light, because now I’m able to see in the dark (vampire/werewolf vision), I decide to switch it on anyway. I don’t want them to realize I’m different. Not yet.

They mumble and grumble. I might have presumed that their eyes are sensitive to light. Not a very good start, but their time is running up (and mine too). I need to act as quickly as possible.

“I have come for my answer,” I say sternly.

No one says a word. They’re silent until the Fae breaks it.

“We have decided,” he announces without hesitation, “but at first, you need to answer our question in truth,” he smirks with the brightest smile I’ve ever seen.

I almost bark out and say I don’t have to do anything, because it’s them who are locked in the cells, but this wouldn’t be very diplomatic. I have to suppress Yara’s short temper and impatience. These are luxuries I can’t afford.

“What is the question you wish to ask?” I demand. I speak calmly, but there’s a storm inside of me.

“Who are you?” the Fae asks boldly. “We won’t share our decision with you unless you give us satisfying answer.”

My next question would be who actually decides whether my response is satisfying, but this is just a waste of time. Someone has to start, otherwise the loop, the never-ending circle of distrust will never be broken.

I look around to make sure nobody else is present (William specifically) and then I open my mouth.

“I’m the last direct descendant of the female royal bloodline. I was once named Selene, but now, I carry a different name, Yaroslava.”

They can’t hide the evident shock in their eyes. Some of them try to mask it, but it’s already too late. They stare at me in disbelief. The only one who’s not surprised is the Fae. His smile crooks into a hideous grimace.

“I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, it’s you, who should give me your answer now,” I politely remind them.

They look at each other as they’d have a private conversation of which I have no idea. The silence stretches my nerves and makes me uneasy.

“We have come to a decision that we won’t pledge ourselves in your service,” the Fae replies with fake politeness mocking me openly.

To be honest, I’ve more or less expected that so it doesn’t surprise me.

“However,” he continues, “according to the recent reveal of the information, we may agree on creating a constitution in return for one favour,” he states boldly and the others smile wickedly.

Of course. Everything comes with a price. If I leave the place without making any deal, they’ll betray me. Clever made, however, I’m not an ordinary mundane. They should already know.

“I wish to make an alliance with you on your free will without any conditions, therefore I’ve admitted your condition and told you the truth. I wish we can be equal with each other, share our power and rule together.”

“What the sudden change!” the Fae hisses hostilely. “What about the two favours you have requested earlier? Have you forgotten about those? Because we didn’t!”

And there it is. Distrust. The never-ending loop.

“I have requested two favours. The one would be the alliance with all of us sharing power and rule, and the other would be no wars amongst races,” I say with a little uneasiness for I’m not keen on revealing my plans and sharing them with a possible enemy, not yet.

“Do you even listen to yourself, princess? This sounds like a fairy tale. Royals can never be trusted!” Crowley barks out.

“But, we can still have a deal if you agree on the constitution. We will also tell you, what the favour is even before we make a deal, princess,” the Fae smiles crookedly and reveals his sharp teeth. “If you however leave without making any deal…”

“Threatening will get you nowhere, you should already know it,” I state emotionlessly, while interrupting him. “Maybe you have been locked for a while so you can’t recall what a royal is capable of.” My voice suddenly changes and there’re dangerous oceans and flashes of lightnings reminding them of my true power.

They try to hide it, but some of them start to shake visibly.

“I don’t wish to become my father or The Pure Blood Prince, I’m not here to terrify you to just earn your pledges,” I calm myself down, “but you should choose wisely and consider the incomes and outcomes. You might have spent more than 300 hundred years in the dungeon; however, many things have changed,” I almost whisper. “They took your blood and I don’t know what they have done with it. There’s another descendant of the female royal bloodline and she wants to unite two bloodlines and dominate all creatures. I want to share the power with you and rule together side by side while creating the alliance, the federation, but you can’t possibly force me to give up all my efforts by denying me the part of my share in reign.”

They’re silent for a little while thinking of my words. It seems they’re touched by them at least a little, but then the Fae speaks again.

“As a constitutional monarch, you would still have some of your powers, and we would rule with you,” he smirks.

Oh, closing the deals with Fae (facepalm). They could always deprive me of power wherever they’d wish. I would be just a representative figure, a poppet in their hands for they’d decide and have the real power. I don’t wish to be anyone’s poppet, not my father’s not one of the creatures, not anyone’s. I don’t want a constitution, I want federation.

“Princess,” Crowley barks out of nowhere, “we will agree on the alliance, however, we all want just one favour in return,” he announces boldly.

What a sudden change! The devil himself has spoken.

“I’m listening,” I try to sounds convinced, but I’d have to be beyond dumb to not suspect them.

“We’ll make an alliance with you, but you’ll set us free and you’ll kill The Pure Blood Prince!” he twitters unnaturally happy for a demon.

It has always been my plan. Avoiding him at all costs, killing him, not uniting our bloodlines. The inevitable had to change and the wheels of time had to be broken. I killed myself for that in my first life! I got softened, I became a coward in this life.

But why I suddenly feel odd about it? Why does killing William sound like breaking my heart?