BLAZE

FACING THE QUEEN'S WRATH

Abria

I decided that I don't want to stay at a place where I have to fight every day for being me, for being born as a cailleach but raised as a human. Ultimately, I became a victim of my own insecurities and now s**t has happened. I tried killing a few more residents, well almost killed them. Now I can't live here and bear those eyes full of hatred. The way Daphne treated me earlier, everyone else will treat me the same way.

Why does it have to be me when something goes wrong? I can’t breathe here. I kept running until I reached a dead end. But that wasn’t enough… I heard commotion behind me. When I turned, I faced royal guards..

“Princess!! You have to come with us..” they said.

“Do you think i am a fool? I will die rather than staying here… i will see you all in hell…” i glared at them before growing wings of fire from my scapula bones. The pain i felt was unbearable but i fled for a distance. This was the first time I managed to make wings out of my body but without practice, I couldn't control them and I landed on the ground.

Luckily, I wasn't injured but some scratches and blood oozed out. But it didn’t stop me from running away from this place. I decided to start a fire at every end or exit so the guards will stop chasing me. Of course, fire was a weakness to these frozen creatures. They will not overcome the fire I started to keep them away.

However, I still ended on a dead end, a tower exactly to be seen. As soon as I entered, the entrance was closed by some barrier and locked me inside. I was shocked but managed my temper. Thinking about leaving the place, I tried burning the barrier so I could escape. But, unfortunately, nothing happened to the barrier, it was appearing the same. Now there is some serious problem.

If I don't get out in time, I will definitely be caught by the guards. And I don't want to kill all of them. Suddenly, it struck to my mind that I could use the terrace as an escape. So, I went inside the tower and was about to climb the stairs. But all of a sudden, something wrapped around my legs and pulled me up, hanging in the middle of the empty tower.

I tried burning the invisible rope but nothing worked. Did I just get tricked again? Uhhh… it was that queen….

“Get me out of here!!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs but no one came to save me.

She kept me hanging all the day

As the fog was thick and the sky was dull, the moon appeared faintly through the dense clouds. A hope appeared in my way, disguised as the person I wanted to see right now… but not at this point. It was clear that my little act had gathered a lot of attention and the unwanted crowd around me.

"f**k!!"

I curse out loud when I hear his voice in the alley… there was no way I could get out of it and there was no hope to think about it further… so, let's face it… that's the best thing to do in this situation.

"Abria?" Dwyn called my name when he spotted me.

The way his gaze glaring at me, I knew that he was pissed and disappointed at me. I was hanging in the air with some magical ropes tied around my body. It was clear that I made an escape attempt.

"Hey… Dwyn…" I said in a monotonous voice.

"I don't… I can't… What the heck are you doing here?" He asked while shouting at me.

I rolled my eyes on this stupid question…

"Do I really need to clarify that? It's obvious…" I was pissed as well.

My plan didn't go as smoothly as I thought and then there was this booby trap in which I got tricked, hanging like a spider from the ceiling..

"Why? Why did you try to run away?" He was still not getting it but anyway, I have nothing to explain either.

"It's just …."

"Just what?" A powerful, demanding voice asked me.

My whole body shivered under the tone of that voice and there was not a single doubt that the voice belongs to no one else but the Queen.

I gulped down the lump formed of saliva, down to my throat as I noticed the anger dancing on her face. Not even she flinched while glaring aggressively at me. Then she snapped and the magical ropes disappeared…

I fell on the ground, and luckily, I wasn't hurt. When I got up and dusted myself, I saw that the queen was standing just in front of me. I was really scared of her anger but I was trying my best to maintain the calmness in my voice.

"Your highness… i… i.." i was trying to speak but words didn't come out.

"Not here… i will not listen to anything you have to say. Follow me to my study room… I have to analyse your actions carefully…" she commanded me.

The queen turned and moved out, so did Dwyn… I was left with no option but to follow her…

This wasn't part of the plan and to be honest, i was expecting this to happen… not even in my wildest dream. But who to blame, it was me who took this queen lightly… i didn't expect her to be this clever… it felt like she was aware of my plans about escaping… I wondered if this is really true or if I am just overthinking about it.

This whole place looks endless… there is no escape and more, i don't even know how to reach here… as far as I recall, i have some faint pictures of the ocean and storms in my mind but nothing clears anything.

I sighed when we reached her study room and there was this urge to throw up at this moment because I really feel s**t.

"Dwyn, you are dismissed…" the queen ordered his son.

"But mom…" he raised his voice.

"No but…. When I said you were dismissed… you are not allowed to say a word after that."

His gaze fell on me and then he left… It was hard to see that my only hope of getting away from this situation is leaving the room.

I closed my eyes until the door got closed and pretended to look at the queen.

"So, what do you have for a clarification?" She asked me. I hope she was just joking..

“Umm… I am sorry for everything…” I said in a low voice.

“Sorry? Just sorry? That's the only thing you have to say after setting the whole damn place on fire? Destroying the dining hall while making it a living tandoor? Is that your explanation?” she was pissed and disappointed… I wish I hadn't made this attempt at all.

I kept my head low when she scolded me. I knew I was wrong at my place but it wasn’t entirely my fault.

“I really regret my action, your majesty. It wasn’t in my mind to do anything like that. I never wanted to create unnecessary mess in your castle but people living here are making it difficult for me…” i spilled the beans so she must know that her own people are not as good as they seem.

Her gaze narrowed on me as she was reading the truth from my face, “what do you mean? Who are those people making your living difficult here?”

“The red head living here. She clearly told me not to sit along with her in the dining hall or she will leave, and others agreed with her decision. Even yesterday, it wasn’t my fault when Igor and I had a fight. He provoked me, calling me names and that red head called me a traitor… she called my dad…. A traitor…” I did not want to put my father in this conversation but I got carried away.

Suddenly, her eyes changed with more grey than blue and a film of water formed but then she went all normal and sighed.

“Alright… I will look into the matter further and they will never call you out like this again. But you will be given a sentence in court for your actions..” she said while looking at me.

“Is it necessary? I apologise already..” i asked, hoping she would let it go this time.

“I am sorry but I can't help you with this. You should have been responsible earlier… but, I can revert your sentence with a punishment.. If you want to do it..” she suggested an offer which i can’t refuse.

“That will be great… it will be better than spending time in sentences… so, what is the punishment…” i was excited to hear the news.

“That has to be decided by the court only… make sure to be on time at half past six in the morning… the delay in your arrival will increase your punishment..” she stated while going through some of the documents placed on the desk..

“Alright… no issue..”

“Fine.. you are dismissed…”

She let me go from the room. I sighed loudly and ran back to my room. Then I noticed Dwyn standing, leaning at the side wall.

“So, you chose punishment?” he asked.

“How do you know?” I was wondering if he already knew about it or if it was just a wild guess.

“I know you.. And I would like to warn you that you are alone in this… I am not allowed to help you..” he said with a sad voice.

“Really?” i was depressed but then i cheered him up, “don’t worry… I will take care of it..” I smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up..