Princess Thief [✔]

22. The Siblings

SKERPLA DAY OF THOR

I still remembered the chatter from the party directly above this hell. The loud music could be even heard from here. Unlike other formal gatherings, birthday celebrations were customarily held in the Throne Room.

The sound had heretofore faded and the days passed by since I was dragged to the oubliette.

It had been a long time since I had spent consecutive nights here. After Mother's funeral, for some reason, Father unfailingly let me return to my chambers and never requested my presence when the moon was high up in the sky.

A voice croaked beside me, giving his last breath, which disrupted my thoughts. It was another death on my list.

The tangy flavor of blood remained in my mouth and the guilt was choking my throat. Father did not miss a single day to beat the living daylights out of me after he discovered me in the garden. He was exceptionally brutal that I fainted from the excruciating pain several times. Even my healing abilities could not keep up.

All the people here had suffered along with me. Father was not satisfied with just physical pain, he loved to torture my mental capacity as well.

That was why I was really grateful for Night and Cindra because if not for them, I would undoubtedly go insane. Not from the cursed blood that Mhilrim had told about but because of my own father's abominable acts.

Or is it better if I am crazy instead so that I would never suffer from this? It was a stupid question to myself, thinking about the utterly unchangeable past. Nevertheless, living in a delusion of a happy life was better than facing the cruel reality I had.

I tried composing myself as the negativity twisted all over my mind but it was never a success when I was in this place. There was no single crack for a happy thought to slip into this hellhole.

My eyes drooped but soon became fully alert when easy foot stamps came from the stairs. The silhouette of Gerard inched closer.

"Your highness, it has been three days since you last ate," he stated.

I squinted at the untouched meals in front of me. Even if they sent me my meals, I wouldn't dare eat in this place. I may be deprived but there were still some things I could not stomach doing.

After being ignored, Gerard left again.

Time ticked again and Gerard reappeared in front of me. He was holding a key and then unlocked the chains on my limbs.

"His majesty told me to let you return your chamber, Princess," he answered the underlying question in my eyes.

I was too parched that I could not even utter a word. I helped myself up and did not waste a single second leaving the place.

***

The maidservants aided me from bathing to dressing and tending my wounds. Per usual, they exited after they were done with their task.

My body ached and the injuries overlapping each other still stung. I gasped from the pain and decided to go outside for a lungful of fresh air.

I stepped towards the balcony and gray fumes traveled upward the sky. The smoke was coming from the center of the palace garden.

No wonder Father set me free. Tomorrow was Mother's death anniversary. They were having the Soul Ceremony at the moment where the previous flowers accumulated from her grave were burned as offerings.

I leaned closer and merely watched the dense linear gas that showed no signs of dissipating. I was never allowed to visit Mother's grave and the only time I did so was during the Soul Ceremony since Father personally guarded the burning flowers turning to ashes. That meant it was the only day I could go see my mother.