Chapter 23

Anelisa 

Curse my life.

After the next attempt that made me almost break my legs in a ditch, I was rescued by a soldier on stand by and the next thing, I'm being taken to a room to be dressed by two maids who then escorted me to this place.

They were swift and I'm forced to believe they're the replica of the word flash.

I haven't even healed from the bruise that the blonde caused on my arm but I'm glad I beat him up.

Though my fingers bleed out in pain while trying to climb over the hedge and they've become numb.

I can't believe I have such strength. Maybe I'm really strong and my powers come out when I'm angry.

With this great strength, I can actually defeat the masked man. That's what I was thinking about when he walked in.

The once bright room suddenly bears his darkness and I always forget myself, to give that honour whenever I look at him, whenever our eyes lock.

I doubt if it's admiration, it's just hate.

Then, it's him and some speechless people that I'm not interested in. I didn't even hear him except for the fact that his lips were moving.

He's getting married, I hear he can't keep women, and it's depressing because they die.

Thinking of that makes me loathe everything here. Why can't I escape!

It's such a boring court with no one having a right to say anything except him.

Is this the rights they claim to have under this ruler? It all means even his subjects are slaves to him.

Serves them right anyway. 

I just want this meeting to be over and then, I'd plan the next escape route.

And where's the bride? I can tell she's hiding somewhere.

A sudden light flooded my eyes jerking me back to reality and I could hear gasp like something abominable just happened.

The crowd that had once gathered in front of me was now paving way for me to...to him?

"Behold your new queen"

I pointed at myself, clueless of what was happening as my legs shook and my subconscious mind led me forward, ignoring the eyes, ignoring the expression until my feet halts at the foot of his throne.

I couldn't breathe as standing became difficult, everything about me was trembling.

How did it get to this? Did I just get chosen? There were questions crashing my head that there will be no answers to.

Why me?

He suddenly stretched his hand forward, the back of his palm facing me and taking a glimpse around, I locked my fingers with him.

It ignites a sudden murmur like I did the wrong thing and even the masked man clears his throat.

I've done enough to awaken his madness.

"Take out the ring little fox"

The name is so annoying, he doesn't know my real name, it's obvious and I'm baffled by that.

"There's no ring masked man" I whispered back trying to take my finger away from him but he wouldn't let me.

He gnashed his teeth and said;

"Look closely, little fox!"

My eyes searched his fingers and I could tell I was blind because the only thing I could see was what was hanging like a pendant on his neck.

It's a ring that hangs there.

Drawing myself closer to him, my free hand reached for his neck and grabbed the ring there, intending to pull it out only to incur the wrath of the soldiers and their spears were suspended all around me.

What did I do?

The masked man held that hand, glaring into my eyes.

"You truly want to die, don't you?"

"I'm just following your order" I defended as he kept making me feel at fault.

He shoved my hand roughly away from him as he pulled my fingers from his too.

Angrily, he takes out a ring from his index finger.

Oh, there was a ring but I didn't notice because my mind was preoccupied, still trying to process everything that was happening in this room.

"Wear it!" He snapped but not raising his voice and the soldiers had to step aside as I intended to take the ring from him but it fell off from my hand.

I cringed out, and dared not to look at him because I'd embarrassed him enough.

This will make him reject me at once and I'm delighted if that happens. He rose up from his throne and everyone now falls to their knees, including me.

"Playing some little tricks, aren't you?"

I tilted my head to look at him and that gaze, that look, him being close keeps transfixed and even staring at him will have anyone wishing to have him as theirs.

"Stand" he orders and immediately, I did just that and his eyes directed me to stand beside him.

Without hesitation, I stood beside him, but a distance just so his hand can't reach me.

"From today, she ceased being a slave and now shall be a part of the court"

I widened my eyes in silence as every person present was finding it hard to digest that truth, to accept the fact that might possess such authority.

I turned to look at him, and we stared at each other intensely. I can believe I'm his wife now.

Was this what he meant by being a member of the court? He'd kick me out and I'd make sure of that.

As soon as he made that announcement, he drew closer to me, yanked me to his body and then captured my lips.

Every part of my body caught fire, caught his taste and I moaned in his mouth as he devoured my tongue.

He terminated the kiss, leaving me lifeless and drunk in that intense kiss.