She needed some fresh air. Staying that castle for that long was probably doing something to her mind. There was this river she always went to with her mother in her youth, she decided she wanted to go there today. The place brought her joy and let her forget of what problems at the castle. After her grandfather’s passing thing seemed to get different. Her father becoming king, her sister and herself becoming the now princesses of Havancali, a huge set of responsibilities now along with that. The beautiful green leaves and trees, all thriving with life, they made her remember of the good things in life. She found that patch of grass she loved and walked towards. Her steps were always light, everyone always thought it strangely wonderful how a woman’s steps and pass could be so graceful. Upon taking that last step towards the patch she took a look at what surrounded her. Leave and trees and bushes with the ripest fruits to her left. All kinds of flowers that now bloomed during this spring she never wanted to end. And to her front, just below the mountain that separated her and the river, a woman and man who looked terribly familiar. She took a step closer and saw who that man was. Osric. She only now realizes who that woman was. Godiva. The dancer, the one her father upgraded to sorceress. They’d been, holding each other close, taking each other clothing off, getting into the river together. Her heart sank. Her entire world shattered around her. Time stopped and everything slowed. This place that once brought only happiness and joy to her, now, was where she’d see the love of her life about to make love with another woman. All the once vibrant colors of the trees and flowers dulled to her. She noticed the way they looked at one another. The way they touched. The same way he had once looked at her. This man she’d worked so hard to be with, they work so hard to be with each other. Bringing a side of her dress into her first in order not to fall, she ran. She ran and ran, to no where in particular. Anywhere as long as she got away from that horrible truth. She knew she had to confront him of it. But she had to tell her to annul their matrimony first.

(***)

“Osric.” “Yes, Anika darling?” He said, putting his armor and sword away. She shuttered at the fact he still thought he could call her his darling or anything close. “Where were you today?” A step closer to him. “I had important business to take care of. Thing with the war and whatnot. Nothing you need to worry about.” Important business. Because making love to Godiva was so important wasn’t it. How could he just lie straight to her face like that? “Are you sure that’s it?” “Yes, Anika. It is.” “Are you sure you weren’t making love to that woman, Godiva?” His face blanked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I saw you at the river. Taking the other’s clothes clothes of, getting into the river together. The way you two looked at each, felt each other up? In that moment, as I looked into your eyes, I saw my future go up into flames” He looked at her eyes wide. He knew he’d gotten caught. “You’re crazy. You saw Godiva with another man at the river and thought it was me. Yeah that’s it.” “I’m crazy? I knew what I saw. I’ve already asked my father to annul out matrimony. “You what. No you—you can’t do that.” “I can, and I have.”

“Drink this. It’ll make you feel better,” Zaira said handing over a shot of what Silas thought he had been needing. But not before pouring in a bit of that special ingredient, only and pinch. “Yes yes, you did your job you can leave now” Silas demanded still angered by the whole situation. A hand waved in the air shooing her away. His second mistake that day. Zaira would never enjoy being shooed away, even it was by the kings son, the prince of Edethos, which left her blood boiling once more. After a couple more shots Silas was left wasted. He’d ordered his dancers to come in and drink with him, dance for him. “Dance, dance, dance!” He said, one of those beautiful lady’s sat on his leg, he looked into those eyes of hers, a sparkling blue, she only gave him a lopsided smile. For a moment he smiled back wickedly, before that smile faded and replaced with the furrowing of his brow. He inclined his chin to the side telling her to leave. Something felt off. Something was missing. Adelia. Something in that woman reminded him of the that woman that wasn’t quite his. Yet. Something in gut seemed to overflow with anger he didn’t even know where was coming from. He sat up and yelled at all the dancers to leave. Only Noah remained. Silas walked over to him saying, “You will prepare a horse for me,” Noah only nodded following the prince’s orders. Adelia had been on her way to the library, on the look for that book of maps. She need it for the mission. Though Silas very clearly told her she shouldn’t and it was to dangerous for a woman like her to go. She didn’t care, it was the right thing to do. All she need to do was look at on of the books on this shelf and she’d be ready. “Your majesty where are you going in the first place?” “Adelia.” Was the only thing that came out of his mouth. Nothing else was in that twisted mind of his right now. “I don’t think that’s—“ She searched and searched until—Aha! She pulled the book out of its shelf and opened it up to see if it was the right one. Yes, it was and she was overjoyed with her find. A step to towards the door until she saw Silas right in her very presence. He pinned her against the bookshelf “I’ve been,” he searched her face a moment. “Looking for you,” Her heart raced, “Gods blood, what are you doing Silas?” A huff of his breath and she immediately knew. “You’re drunk.” She shook her head not like the smell at all. Wasn’t he with Idabel? Adelia didn’t think he was the type to do this. “You need to stop. If anyone sees us like this they will gets the wrong idea, especially since you’re with—“ “With who? Who are you speaking of?” He questioned. As far as he knew he’d been single. “Your majesty there you are. Gods flesh, what are you doing with the commoner?”

“It was meant for you. I only ever wanted it to be for you.” My mother said to me sitting atop her throne. “But mother, can’t you just listen for once?” I urged, knowing well no matter how hard I pressed she would never let me be. “I wanted to see you on this throne. Not your sister. You’re the eldest of my daughters, you are ment to be sat here. Not Scarlett.” “Mother—“ “Nonsense” she interrupted “Me and your father have already decided, you are being crowned tomorrow morning. I’m getting old and so is your father so it’s only the best thing for all of us.” She looked down apon me and remembered another detail she hadn’t told me until now. “You’re getting married too,” she gave me a dismissing look. “What you can’t—“ “Quiet. Go to your room you need your beauty rest for tomorrow. Queen Eleanor.” I glared at my mother and left in silence.

“But why must you go mother?” Little Lilith asked looking up at her mother, she was so innocent, so unknowing of what was to come to her. Alora knew it was the right thing to do, but that pleading look that her daughter gave her, the tears that were know forming, they broke her heart into a thousand pieces. There was only hatred in her heart for letting this happen to her and most of all her precious Lila She held her daughters hand, tiny in comparison to her own. “I’m sorry honey, but,” she swallowed, seemingly to fight back a sob, “I have to, it’s for the best,” she lied she didn’t want to tell her the heartbreaking truth in fear of the reaction that might come if she did, but if she didn’t that would’ve made it worst. “I’ll be back,” another lie, only to reassure her. The anger within her only grew and grew with every lie she thought she had to tell. It wasn’t hatred for that woman who gave her the choice, not for the people who told her where to go in the first, but for herself. Why did she agree to that awful offer? It seemed that night she was only driven by her selfish desires, by what she thought she needed. She knew what was going to happen. Perhaps if she hadn’t been that desperate state of hers she would’ve thought twice before accepting, but was the point in thinking of what she would and should have done? What was done was done and she now had to pay the consequences. “Who am I to stay with?” She thought about it for moments, shifting her eyes to the side, anywhere as long as she didn’t had to look her daughter in her ocean eyes as she told her only the half truth. “Someone who will take care of you, someone whom I trust very much,” She knew she would given anything and everything for just one chance to redo that night, given anything so she wouldn’t have to leave her daughter, she was the only thing keeping her alive and happy. Now she had that taken away as well. “I love you Lilith,” those were her last words before she fell into that never ending darkness. Or so she thought.