The King's Blood Witch

3 - Taken

The burning candles in the streetlights danced in the glass, illuminating the land around from the lush grass to the simple buildings.

People walking by Rosa looked at her weirdly, crinkling their brows as if they were looking at something rotten and dirty - in hindsight, perhaps wearing her night clothes wasn't the best option.

She wrapped her robe closer to her body, allowing herself to examine the buildings around her curiously. She wished there was no one around so she could slip off her flats and feel the grass and dirt between her toes.

Grass in the palace gardens was perfect, flawless; gardeners spent hours a day carving porcelain protection. But Rosa thought the grass in the town was better - it was untouched, Mother Nature at her finest.

Sometimes she really wished Adonis would let things remain imperfect.

Eventually, the grass around her made way to a stone path and she was surrounded by the outsides of buildings and alleyways, almost creating their own enclosed space.

There were a few tents and stalls, selling the last things before packing up for the night. Rosa really wished she brought money when the scent of baked bread reached her nose, drool pooling in her mouth.

Suddenly, the sound of cheery music reached her ears. Rosa continued wandering towards it until she reached another closed in structure type courtyard, and finding a small group of people dancing while others played instruments.

They looked so happy. They looked so free.

Tears pricked at her ruby eyes, longing and sorrow stabbing at her heart; would he ever let her have this? A dark voice coaxed her to thinking he wouldn't, that he was being selfish for locking her up.

But the the anger made way to guilt. Adonis gave her everything; he would move heaven and earth to make her happy, and there she was, complaining about the luxury he showered her with.

There she was, going against the one thing he asked of her like a spoiled brat. He denied her once her entire life and suddenly he's the worst person to ever exist.

Rosa scoffed at herself; what was she doing? She was being so unfair to Adonis. It would rip him apart to learn she broke his trust.

He might even just stop loving her.

She wiped the tears falling from her eyes with the back of her hand, shaking off whatever rebellious thoughts she had and turned on her heel to make her way back to the palace. Hopefully, Adonis would forgive her.

But she didn't get the chance to turn around - instead, a gloved hand clamped over her mouth, something sour smelling entering her nostrils before her body slumped and everything went black.

——
Solomon sighed, stepping over yet another desecrated chair as he made is way to the throne room.

Predictably, the king had immediately gone back to Rosabelle's room after the interrogation. He no doubt expected to see her curled up in her bed, wanting nothing more than to crawl back in there with her and hold her as if his life depended on it.

But she wasn't there, and Adonis let the entire castle know about it.

Her bedroom was the only thing left untouched, but everything else in his path had been either burned or broken; nothing survived his raging fury. Solomon was actually impressed the castle was still in one piece.

Solomon almost let himself chuckle at the ridiculous scenario; his ancient, ruthless king, normally rational and calm in every situation, brought to a temper tantrum by a teenager.