LOGINKING
Mother thought she had things under her control, but that was far from the truth. She had controlled my crown for far too long. It was time to take action, do something big that will remind her who the real king was between us. “Hear my decree.” My guard appeared at my side. He bowed waiting for my orders.
“Deal with the third prince. I want to hear the news of his death by morning.” He bowed and left. That was step one, step t
JULIAN After I spoke, I watched as the light in her eyes slowly return. I let out a sigh of relief but the next second, that spark faded as if it were never there. I watched her resolute back as he tuned and went back inside leaving me with a heavy heart. I was not hurt because of her reaction to what I did. I was hurt because I had failed to do what I had promised her. Protecting her, I had been so focused on what I was doing that I forgot what it would look like if she were to find out. How she would feel. I was too short sighted. My mind went back to the carriage.The look on her face, how she called me Your Highness, so distant as if we were strangers. How she spoke of me marrying someone else. She wasn’t just hurt or acting distant. My chest burned, tension gathered on my shoulders. Knowing Helena the way I did. She… oh dear gods not again. I stared at the locked door forgetting how to breathe for a moment. Helena was not only acting distant, she was taking herself out of the
HELENA I never said a word until we left the palace. I might have not said anything, but my mind was a mess. So, all the time when he said he was busy, the time when he left me in the middle of the night. When he would be gone for days on end. He was meeting the general’s daughter, Nadia. What a fool I had been. I wanted to be angry, lash out, but at what and for what? That lady was nice and cheerful. Has a warm welcoming smile. I met her once; she came to my shop and ordered some of my goods. Back then I had been in awe of her beauty, not only that, she was a calm soul and easy to get along with. I had even thought if I were a person who could make friends easily, she would have been the first person I would befriend. “Don’t take what she said to heart.” I could hear Julian talking beside me but none of it registered. I suddenly chuckled feeling so foolish. Why didn’t I ever question him before, what made me trust him unconditionally after everything I had been through, what made
JULIANAfter leaving Helena, I rode my horse hard to the palace. I wanted to find out what my grandmother wanted from her. I wasn’t about to let her enter the palace blindly. My grandmother was not someone we could underestimate. I would rather be safe and prepared than sorry.When I got to the palace the guards tried to stop me, I pushed him away and walked right into father’s study. He was with the minister of works. They both turned when I walked in. the minister quickly stood and bow. “Prince Regent.” I ignored him and looked straight at father. “What did you tell the Queen Dowager about her?”Father frowned. “Julian, I am in a meeting, you can’t just barge in here and say what you want. you didn’t even greet me.” I turned to the minister and threw him a glare. He smiled awkwardly. “Prince Regent, the king and I were just discussing the weap
HELENAI was busy at the shop sorting people’s orders to be sent out for delivery when a palace maid arrived with two guards. “Lady Helena.” I was stunned for a moment not sure what to say or do. My mind raced, it went to the one thing I was most afraid of, people finding out I was once a palace maid who ran away. My palms started sweating as fear rose from within me. I could see the maid’s mouth moving but I couldn’t hear a thing of what she said. “Lady Helena?” Rose, the maid Julian had gotten for me, shook me slightly and I snapped out of it. The palace maid in front of me had a warm smile on her face. “Apologies, I got distracted for a moment, what were you saying.” her smile widened as she waved it off. “It’s alright Lady Helena. My name Annie, one of Queen Dowager’s maids, I was asked to delivery a message to you.” My heart skipped a beat. I wondered what the queen dowager could possibly want from me. The woman once sent people after me back at the village, if it weren’t for
JULIAN “Why do you look troubled, did something happen with the project.” Asked Helena coming in holding a bowl of warm porridge. She placed it in front of me then came around the desk and started massaging my shoulders. “Everyone at the palace has made their move except for one person.” She said nothing.“Father plans to marry the princess to prevent the war, the Queen Dowager had prince Alaric killed to cut Malia’s support. She wants her alone and powerless. Now…” I turned to her. “Mark is making is move,” I leaned on my stomach. “If he is planning to do what I think, then things could change in the kingdom.”She stopped massaging me and came to sit on the desk in front of me. “There are only two things your brother could do that could change the fate of this kingdom.” She looked me in the eye. “One, he is planning a coup to take over the throne, two, he is planning to get rid of the queen dowager. Which one is likely?” I didn’t know Mark as well as I thought I did.“Either one is
MARK“Your Highness, why have you called me here.” Still so gullible. “Everyone, leave us.” All the servants left, only nanny Wang remained. Time to put on a show. “Nanny Wang.” I weakly called out to her from the bed. “Come closer.” She came closer, her eyes widened when she saw the state I was in. “Your Highness, what happened?” she asked looking worried.Oh, nothing Nanny Wang, I just took a little poison to make this show of ours work. How else could this prince make a clever servant like you believe and pity him. “What else could it be, Nanny Wang.” I looked at her with a mocking smile. “You took care of me once when I was poisoned like this.” I coughed a couple of times.“This prince must have angered her again somehow. This dose is even stronger.” A laughed breathlessly then coughed harder, biting the insides of my cheeks to draw some blood. I deliberately lowered the handkerchief for her to see the blood before hiding it away.”“I afraid will die this time. My poor health cann
HELENA The forest felt different when I was alone in it. not emptier. Just honest. Every sound mattered now. every snap of a branch. Every shift in the wind. Every breath I tried to keep steady. There was no one left to decide what I was worth. No one left to watch. Only the path. Only me.I follo
HELENA The silence after his words felt heavier than anything he had said before. I didn’t speak again; there was nothing left to argue with. He had already decided I was something still unfinished and that was somehow worse than being worthless. I needed to leave, get the hell out of there. with
HELENA Sunrays seeped through the cracks in the wooden walls. It didn’t feel like morning. It felt like survival continued. I woke slowly, my body stiff in ways that made every breath feel like a reminder of what had happened. For a moment, I didn’t move. I didn’t think. Just lay there, staring at
HELENAHe was back, panic flared. Should I run? stupid thought. Where would I go? How far could I get with a broken body and no strength? Begging? Maybe that would work. He was alone now. That had to mean something. He had lied for me. Maybe, just maybe he meant to help. I looked up at him, searchi