Chapter 10 • The Lord's Punishment -1
1587 Words
Lamia stepped forward with a frown, pushing Elliot out of the way to stand in front of the empty closet. She locked her eyes on the disgust on the floor.
Someone was definitely in there.
She ran her eyes at all corners of the room. She then felt a light breeze coming from the set of hung dresses on the shelf directly opposite her.
She scrunched her face, stepping forward. She stretched her hand to the dresses on the hanger, pushing them apart. She gasped.
The cold midnight breeze blew from open wooden window—directly above the open-roof hay barn of the horses—behind the castle. She clinched her teeth, lifting her eyes to the small path leading to the town, away from the castle.
She sighted two children running.
Narrowing her eyes, she noticed one of the children; the tallest, wearing a gown, with extremely long black hair that almost reached her feet. It was surely a girl. Running next to her was a boy with brown hair.
From their clothing, she could tell they were just commoners.
She frowned deeply, watching them leave her sight into the trees of the town. She snarled. Her attention was suddenly stolen by the sounds of marching boots in the corridor outside the princess's room.
She looked at the mute man in front of her. She exhaled deeply, controling her temper.
"Stay here till all the guards get here!" Elliot nodded with his lost numb eyes.
Hissing in frustration, Lamia turned around to glance at the window, clutching her fist. "I will have to deal with them later!"
Snarling, she took a step forward—her skin instantly shredded, saturating into dust particles and disappeared into thin air.
Almost immediately, Elliot regained himself. He shut his eyes, stumbling back slightly as he held his heavy head. Blinking his eyes repeatedly, he regained his full consciousness, glancing around his surroundings with a confused expression.
"Where am I—" His eyes locked at the foot of princess Amber's bed. His eyes widened in disbelief. "A— A– Am– Amber?"
He blinked his eyes repeatedly, in hope to awaken from the horrible dream he was in—secretly hoping the deformed corpse he was looking at, did not belong to who it think it did.
His eyes slowly strayed down to the limbs and dress on the body. His heart dropped instantly. The door slammed open, revealing the army of palace soldiers.
They all froze at the goresome sight before them, before snapping their eyes to the lord in shock.
Lord Elliot had his eyes glued on his dead beloved, finding it hard to move or even breathe. Due to the shock that consumed his system, he was yet to realize the blood that covered his clothes, hands and face.
The guards all stared at him in disbelief; then instantly stood in a defence pose.
With the lord still in a gomsmacked state, a good number of guards approached him with caution, pulling out chains and grabbing his hands quickly, hoping her wouldn't attack—a single punch from his pure blooded type, would at least shattered the bones of an adult human.
The guards all stepped closer, capturing the muted Lord, dragging him out of the room with his eyes still not leaving Amber's remains.
~
At the back and darkest part of the castle's wall, Lamia strode up to her carriage, snapping her fingers at her coachman. "Quickly! Through the back gates, before anyone sees us!" Her slaves opened the carriage, letting her step in as they shut the door.
The coachman immediately hit the whip, causing the horses to charge forward in the darkness.
As the carriage rode forward, Lamia noticed the absence of guards around the back gate. She grinned.
Her calculation was correct; all the guards would desert their post to the sound of the princess's panic bell. Unfortunately for them, they were far from too late.
~
Athalia and Owen raced as fast as they could, losing their breathes with each new step they took. They were a few houses away from theirs, having the streets to be completely dark; as the whole village was asleep.
Owen then panted, "How did you know about the secret window?"
"I– I– I was the one who suggested the princess to have it just in case of emergencies!" Athalia almost stumbling, regaining herself almost immediately and charging faster.
Owen breathed heavily, "I guess we are the first ones to use it!" He said nonchalantly, pushing himself faster to reach their house.
As their body immediately met the front door, they fell their weight forward, pushing the door open and slamming it shut with immense force, resting their backs against it—panting.
Their father and grandmother rushed out to the living room, sighting them on the floor. Simpson rushed to his children, "Athalia! Owen!? What happened!?"
They instantly wrapped their hands around him, whilst quivering in fear. He hug them back, rubbing their backs gently. "What happened, my dears?"
Athalia began to sob, tightening her grip on her father as her shivered.
Simpson held their bodies in confusion. He became more worried, "Athalia? Owen? Did something happen?" They didn't respond, burying there face in their father's shoulder.
Jana, their grandmother, then scowled at the children. "They were most probably fooling around on their way home and saw a wolf or fox! Why else will they be shaking like wet cats!?"
Simpson ignored his mother's words, pulling away forcefully from his children. He held each of their shoulders, grimacing.
They were both crying, having their fingers trembling in fear. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.
He rubbed their arms, looking at Athalia's eyes, "Athalia, what happened?"
Athalia bit her lips, wiping her tears to look up at her father. More tears escaped her sweet violet eyes.
She began to sob, "Fa– Fath– Father–"
"Yes?"
"So– Som– something ha– ha– happen–"
"What?"
"Th– The– princess is–"
DING DONG! DING DONG!
The town bell rang, causing all of them to look up. Simpson knitted his brows, before a man's voice from the street outside echoed.
"The crow has shed it's feathers on royal soil! The crow has shed it's feathers on royal soil!! All raise and run to the palace square!"
Simpson exchanged glances with his mother then back at his children. They gulped.
The phrase the town crier roared meant nothing but bad—it was a phrase used to explain that the spirit of death had walked upon the soil and taken a life along with it. And in this case, it was from the royal family.
"Athalia, Owen, come on, let us go. This must be urgent".
He rose up, lifting them by their hands. He gently led them out of the house, joining the line of town folks who stepped out of their house as well. They padded hastily to the castle gates.
Finally, they reached the palace square, squeezing and snuggling themselves through the crowd and to the front line, all to get a better view.
As soon as they halted and their eyes fell on the stage before the palace door, they gasped.
Lying on a high stone platform was the headless body of the late highness, having her parents; her father and step mother, stand next to it, crying and wailing. Queen Petra cried the most, covering her mouth to hold back more incoming screams.
The town folks stood in shock. It didn't take too long for the folks bust into tears; both men, women and children. They all cried at the horror before them.
King Amos, late Amber's father, with tears in his eyes and a heavy heart, stepped forward, lowering the cries in the crowd.
He took in a deep breath, exhaling loudly, as he wiped away hid tears, "People of the Sunndrom Kingdom! The worst has befallen us on this most special day! A day, that was suppose to be dedicated to your princess..."
He took in another deep breath, hardening his face to hide his emotions. "But! Our most unimaginable fear has occurred this unfaithful evening! The princess's murder!"
Members of the crowd sobbed louder, holding back their wails and tears. Athalia and Owen, on the other hand, held each others hands, staring only at the king.
He then continued, "She was found beheaded in her room! Having her parts splattered on all over her royal space".
The crowd gasped; mumbles began to grow.
The king remained composed, looking down at his subjects. "And I am sad to announce, that the monster! Who could do such a thing to your beautiful kind princess, my daughter, and your future queen! Is none other than her fiancé! The vampire lord himself, Elliot Claudius!"
Their attentions were instantly captured but the sounds of clashing chains and marching boots at the king's left side. They turned, sighting Lord Elliot being dragged forward by guards. He was then pushed into his knees, violently. He had on large thick chains around his neck, hands and legs, looking miserable and lost.
His face and clothes were designed with the blood of her late highness. Athalia shrieked at the memory of the gore they witnessed. Owen tightened his hand on hers, calming her down.
The king then clinched his teeth, looking at the Lord with hate.
"This! This is the beast! The monster who killed your princess!!!"
- Writer
