Fated to the Beast

Chapter 9: Queen of the Future

The night was cloaked in darkness as we opted to halt at a place bustling with people drawn together by the allure of music. It seemed to be the town square, a communal space where both nobles and commoners gathered, unperturbed by their social statuses. The shared enjoyment of the music erased any concern for such distinctions. In that moment, I realized, for the first time, that despite my father's cruelty towards his children, he had adeptly managed the kingdom's populace. They appeared content, devoid of fear.

"Have you ever wished to be born as a simple commoner?" Alexandra suddenly blurted out, catching me off guard. She gazed at the dancing people in the center.

"Sometimes," I responded, and her smile faded into sadness.

"I have wished for it ever since I understood the meaning of love," Alexandra confessed, leaving me speechless and unsure how to respond.

"But being a princess has its merits too," she added abruptly, perhaps attempting to shift the conversation away from its awkward trajectory.

"When I was your age, I dreamt of standing beside our father or even becoming a queen if such aspirations were viable for women like us," she revealed, furrowing my brow.

"Why? Can't we?" I asked, puzzled.

"I suppose we can, but we are not on equal footing with men. They perceive us as delicate beings, with our only role being to marry and bear children who will secure our livelihood and legacy," Alexandra said, her tone tinged with almost mocking laughter.

"However, Father raised us differently. So, perhaps some of us may indeed ascend to become queens of our kingdom," Alexandra stated, fixing her gaze upon me.

"I wish it could be you," she added, her eyes locking with mine, rendering me speechless. She was earnest, leaving me at a loss for words.

But... me?

A queen?

Impossible!

"Well, let us not dwell on it too much and join in the dance," Alexandra declared, rising from her seat. Unable to muster a response, I stood up as well. However, in that moment, my heart seized as I witnessed an arrow narrowly miss Alexandra. The arrow, instead, found its mark in another individual—a child standing behind us.

"Kiara!" the mother shrieked in horror as she clutched her wounded child. The collective screams of the crowd resonated as they fled, seeking their own safety, until only Alexandra and I remained in the now-deserted town square.

"Please, help us," the distraught woman pleaded, drawing my attention to the child's injured arm. Her sobs drowned out the surrounding noise, conveying the intensity of her pain. I desired to assist her, but I knew our presence might have played a part in causing harm to this innocent child.

"A civilian has become entangled. This was not part of the plan," Alexandra murmured, her typically serene countenance replaced by a rare anger. Suddenly, William emerged, bearing a crossbow in his hand. Initially, I believed him to be the perpetrator, aiming to harm the child or us once more. Yet, to my astonishment, he handed the crossbow and a quiver of arrows to Alexandra. He bowed before her, and only then did I notice that the arrow lodged in it was distinct from the one piercing the child's arm.

"Assist them, William," Alexandra commanded without glancing at him.

"Yes, Princess," William responded, aiding the mother in carrying her wounded child.

"Go with them," Alexandra instructed me, her statement leaving me perplexed.

"You can leave me here. It is dangerous," she added, prompting me to grasp her arm and face her.

"I know it is... but I am..." I couldn't find the right words to say what I was feeling at the moment. I didn't want to reveal how worried I was for her, as it would betray my dependence on her. But I am already determined to save her in case the Queen is trying to harm her, which is why I need to leave here with Alexandra.

"You need..." Yet, I was cut off by her before I even got to finish my sentence.

"Don't worry. I will be fine. I have been through this before," she stated, aiming her crossbow in a particular direction.

"Killing our own kin, that is," she added, and then she fired, striking her target.

"Leave now," she directed, locking her gaze with mine. Those captivating brown eyes now appeared perilous to behold.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she declared, bringing me back to reality. In that moment, I noticed her sad smile once again.

"I will wait for you to return. You must come back, alright?" I uttered, to which she nodded, her smile genuine and familiar.

With that, I began to walk—or rather, run—away from the town square, leaving that remarkable woman behind. Aware of the numerous lives she had taken and her prowess in combat, I questioned why I felt such unease. Our siblings would never dare challenge Alexandra so recklessly.

They knew of her strength, so who were these audacious assailants?

As I neared the carriage, I caught sight of William assisting the mother as she boarded with her child. However, I halted in my tracks. William, noticing my distress, glanced back and waited for me.

"Princess?" he questioned. Sensing that something was amiss, I summoned the resolve to confront the situation.

"Take care of them. I must go back to her," I instructed, and I proceeded to walk away without looking back. I ran as fast as I could, turning back to the place where I was before, where that woman was fighting for her life alone. I just hope that I am not too late. I hope she doesn't get hurt or anything. Because if she does, I will regret this day and blame myself for coming out of the palace. However, I will try not to let that happen as much as possible. So, Alexandra... I beg you to stay alive, no matter what happens.

~

When I finally arrived at the town square, I examined every corner of the area as soon as I arrived, and in the middle of the place, I saw someone lying on the cold ground, which made me completely numb. I decided to slowly approach the person and almost lost it when I got near her. I wanted to scream so loudly, but I couldn’t find myself doing so. It almost felt like my soul went out of my body, completely leaving me empty and helpless. I felt my knees almost break from the impact of my fall towards the ground—the ground where her blood was overflowing nonstop to the point that it almost painted the entire ground of the town square.

“Alexandra,” I called as I held onto her and felt her cold, lifeless body.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry,” I said over and over again as I touched her sleeping face. I couldn’t pull her toward me and embrace her. I couldn’t dare touch her body since I might hurt her, despite her being dead already. I found Alexandra completely covered in arrows, and it hurts me to think that even though she had the chance to escape with me, she chose to stay and face the people who intended to kill her.

Yes, those people were only after her, because if I had been included... I should have died by now. They shouldn’t have waited for me to move away before leaving her alone. They could have killed me on the spot with Alexandra, but they didn’t. As a result, I knew... who might be responsible for her death.

“P-princess.” Someone called behind me, and when I glanced, I saw William’s shocked face. I decided to stand up and face him, despite my trembling knees.

“Take care of her for me. I... need to deal with something,” I said and started to walk away from them without bothering to look one last time. I will avenge you, Alexandra. For the first time in my life, I placed my trust in someone, allowing myself to care and worry. Yet that person was ripped away from me so easily. I should have stopped this from happening before we ventured out, making you understand how dangerous the queen was.

If I ever did make you understand and stop your feelings for Lucius, would it have prevented your death?

I am sorry, but I will hunt down the one who stole your life, Alexandra.

As the weight of grief settled upon me, mingling with a newfound determination, I embarked on a path of vengeance. The lifeless body of Alexandra lay behind me, a painful reminder of the consequences of my action. Now, fueled by anger and a thirst for justice, I set my sights on the person responsible for her untimely demise—the Queen.