Until Death Do Us Apart

Prologue

What is time?

It is just a wheel which follows its own rules until the change reverses the flow.

Be aware of your sacrifice,

through blood and pain, you’ll save the Earth

for you’ll repay the same price twice

with your life in death, and rebirth.

It hurt to be lured in a trap.

It hurt to be sold to an inevitable marriage.

It hurt to know that your husband to be is the most lethal being in the kingdom.

It hurt to be betrayed by own father.

It hurt to even exist as the princess.

Eventually, the death freed me.

I could hear a small ensemble playing in a distance. My father has invited the best musicians from all over the country. They played waltzes from Shostakovich, Strauss and from many others.

This evening was expected to happen a long time ago. My father, the king, had failed so many times before, but not today. The truce between all races was finally signed and the ball should have sealed the deal. It should have been the glorious and magnificent cherry on the top.

At least that was what I thought so until my father had spoken to me before the ball had started.

Well, to be truth, it was me. I was the one who would seal the deal. The only heiress of the female royal bloodline.

I looked to the mirror. My robe was absolutely stunning. The gown was light and elegant, but also modern and regal. I have never seen such a masterpiece before. All races donated a small treasure or a part of the dress and I was supposed to wear all their gifts this evening. It was a clever move how to display an equality amongst races, but also show royal superiority. My father was a very smart man. He was always two steps ahead of all intriguers.

I’ve smoothed my gown to look absolutely perfect and gorgeous at least from the outside. My inside, that was a different story. If I could, I would release the maelstrom which would destroy the world, but I could not. I lost and now, I have to face the consequences.

I’m a princess after all. I belong to the empire and to my father (even though I detest this idea).

I have lived at the court my whole life. I saw intrigues, hypocrites, false promises and fake tears. I have learnt how to behave, how to look, walk, speak, dine, dress and the most important of all, how to think.

There’re no shortcuts and you can get burnt easily. Every step you take comes with a price. Sometimes, you know it, sometimes you don’t.

I’ve played my game, but my father outsmarted me and won, and this is the price I have to pay.

The guards opened the door for me. I was on the first floor and nobody noticed me yet. People danced and danced as if it were their last moments.

Head up, chin down and breathe.

I wore my smile as a bulletproof mask. This is the last weapon I have. I had been robbed of everything else except that, and my mind. I decided to descend the stairs.

“And now,” my father paused for dramatic effect, “please welcome my daughter, Selene, who would join us, and seal the truce once and for all,” he pronounced in a calm way, but I knew that beyond that calmness there’s only power and fierceness. Everybody knew that.

I’ve dreamt about this moment my whole life. I desired to change the empire in order to improve it. I tried and tried over again. I was also willing to share my power. I didn’t wish to be like my father and have blood on my hands, but instead of that I will be a poppet in his hands.

I had lost and this was the price I had to pay. I had to marry a man, a prince I have never seen before.

The trick was that sometimes you didn’t need to see somebody before your wedding. So many noble couples had been wed in this exact manner. But my case was different. It was more like his reputation was proceeding him and while it was passing you by, you would have to lose your head. Literally. If you had heard about your husband and about what he’s capable of, all this except having seen him, then you should have run for your life.

Not me. I’m standing right in front of my nightmare. The Blood Prince.

They say he’s a brute with no heart. He’s the only heir to the male royal bloodline and therefore the best candidate to become my husband. He’s the only one who can tame both me and my power, and my father is aware of that fact. Nonetheless, the bond we share with The Blood Prince is mutual. I’m also the only one who can dominate his power. We create the balance in the whole empire.

I didn’t plan to marry anyone, at least not in the beginning of my reign. I was supposed to be the queen not a wife. He was the only suitor whom my father had approved. To be honest, they resembled, my father and The Blood Prince.

I was descending the stairs. Vampires glared at me with razor sharp eyes while elegantly hiding their teeth and glances, but I knew their eyes followed my every step. Werewolves avoided vampires, because of a recent clash, however I could see their clenched teeth. Mermaids and ghouls politely mingled amongst other races. Witches kept their stiff postures. Fae conversated quietly with both angels and demons.

The moment I stood on the marble floor all beings went silent and stared at me. Silence and stares usually didn’t scare me, on the contrary, they encouraged me, however, today was different. I could sense a presence of somebody very powerful, somebody mighty and strong beyond my imagination.

Do others always feel like this when I enter the room? Wait a minute… something isn’t right.

“Princess Selene,” I’ve heard a deep voice and cold shivers went down my spine. I didn’t look into his direction, not for a short while then I decided that the time has finally come.

The Blood Prince.

His blue piercing eyes were like an ocean and his ebony hair framed his face. He was a fighter, tall muscly figure with broad shoulders. He carried a sword and his hidden weapons caught my attention too. Although I was educated in the art of fight, I still admired it. As a princess I had to learn how to defend myself, but guards protected me most of the time.

This was the man who slaughtered entire clans and subdued the half of the continent. He was the only opponent equal to my father. He was the only one whose power could match mine.

And now he wants to take me!

He took my hand and his touch was surprisingly soft unlike his deadly eyes. He displayed his power openly on purpose and all creatures shook slightly with fear. I should have too. I have never experienced this kind of feelings I-want-to-submit-to-you and I-know-you-want-that-too both at the same time. It was just kind of fear mixed with desire. It was as if a special charm bounded us together.

Maybe, in a different reality, I could have loved him. I could have been his wife and queen. But not on my watch, not in this world, not under their circumstances and conditions. My father had might outsmarted me and lured me into a trap, but I do still have an option. In this reality, I will have to bear The Blood Prince’s children and watch how they become killing machines, how the races are dominated by force or butchered.

My father was, is and always will be obsessed with power and pure royal blood heir, and he’s too blind to see the usurper coming. With my blood combined with the blood of The Blood Prince a gigantic catastrophe approaches fast.

One might say that The Blood Prince and me are destined for each other that we are two sides of a one coin. Separately, we create a balance, but when merging us, the power would be too hard to control, and no one should wield such power. For whatever it’s worth, I can’t let this happen. The races are our future. Cooperation, united federation, compromises, peace and friendship, this should be the way, not enslaving innocent creatures and creating tyrannical empire with one united royal bloodline which would be almighty.

All the things I have seen were like a memory.

“Selene,” my father raised his voice and I was suddenly present and cautious.

I curtsied and I lowered my eyes for I didn’t want them to see the determination in my eyes. What I was about to do is was going to destroy the balance in this world, but it would also create an opportunity to reverse the catastrophe.

There’s only one thing which can kill a pure blood, such as me or him and it is the Mirror dagger made of crystal forged by one with a pure heart.

I draw my dagger and stab The Blood Prince in his chest. He was taken back by surprise. No one made a move and all creatures watched us closely. Nobody dared to move, because that would mean certain death. My father screamed my name in horror.

I waited and waited, but The Blood Prince was not dying.

This was not possible. I have found and hid the dagger myself.

“You’re looking for this?” The Blood Prince smirked and his lips made a crooked smile. He raised his hand and there was the Mirror dagger. He was holding it while looking at it with admiration.

My maid had to betray me.

“I didn’t think you had it in you, Selene,” he remarked and his voice was carried by echo. “Unfortunately for you,” he hissed poisonously, “no ordinary dagger can kill me.”

To highlight his words, he removed the fake dagger with which I had stabbed him from his chest and then he threw it in front of my feet. Clanging sound made my heart sink.

He was bleeding a little, but his body would be fine. His wound would probably recover in few seconds.

“You have waisted your change, darling,” he grumbled lightly.

What will I do? What can I do?

My father looked at me in disbelief. He was obviously furious.

I had to face the truth. I lost. AGAIN! I was beyond desperate. The royal bloodline had not to be unified. Never. The Blood Prince must never win.

Whatever it takes!

The only thing he desired was my pure blood and my womb. Without me, he would never be able to achieve his goal, especially to have pureblood children. There was no one left from the female royal bloodline except me.

The balance could be still disrupted.

It was true that the only thing which could kill a pure royal blood permanently is the Mirror dagger. A pureblood could be also killed by another pureblood (that’s how my mother died. I had killed her during the childbirth), however, our bodies were not invincible.

This body could die if I try hard. Nonetheless, my soul would be transferred into a different body. At least that’s what my father had told me when I was young. I hoped he was telling the truth for once. This process would postpone the catastrophe for a short time.

Courage, Selene, courage.

You know how nobles often wear a ring with a secret box usually filled with special powder. Poison could do. I was no exception. I’ve always kept a dose in case I (or somebody else) need it. This was no ordinary poison though. This one could make my body die. The secret of preparation was my and only my own. No one else knew about it.

I won’t be your breeding mare.

I opened the ring and then swallowed the content. The Pure Blood Prince and my father just realized what I’ve done. They smirked at the beginning, because they didn’t believe that I could find a poison for my almost immortal body.

When they realized it was already too late.

“Nooo!!! Seleene! You silly little girl!” My father shouted across the whole ballroom.

I felt my body losing its strength. I’ve been falling down on the floor. I’ve expected to hit my head hard, but it shouldn’t have bothered me at all, because I’d be dead any second and no one could resurrect this body.

This was my victory and for a short moment I felt powerful. The dying was just a small side effect, a tiny annoying mosquito.

I didn’t hit my head, because somebody had caught me and hold me in his hands. My eyelids were heavier and heavier and then I smelled the scent.

Rosin, clove, and star anise.

“You’ve surprised me for the second time today, darling,” The Pure Blood Prince purred like a cat and this time he meant it. There was no tease in his voice, no joke, just a simple statement underlined with admiration.

He was holding my head.

“I’ll find you, Selene, you can be sure of that. I’ll make you fall in love with me. I’ll make you change your opinion and finally unite the royal blood.”

I smiled at his face with triumph.

“You’d have to find me first,” I whispered with my very last breath.

Copyright © Hana Isabella Serne/Dreame/ Stary Writing. Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate action.