Twisted Beauty (A Sleeping Beauty Tale)

Chapter Fifty-Four

The walk to the dungeons the next day was silent. Ever since our conversation with Morana, Drake had seemed distant; reserved. I understood that her words hit close to his heart, but I could not bring myself to disagree with her. Drake had spent months protecting me, showing me the beauty outside of my gilded cage. Not once had he locked me up like Diane once did. And yet, we were on the brink of something more. It felt that the peace surrounding us could tip at any wrong move.

But that, I decided as I stared at the cells before me, was a thought for another time.

Cordia certainly hadn't exaggerated when she said the men were treated well. Setting aside the locked cells, the men seemed downright merry. They had books, card games, and even ale provided to them. The one thing lacking was proper beds, which was difficult to organise for so many men in such small cells, but they seemed cheerful enough with their straw pallets.

Upon noticing our presence, the men quietened, waiting for us to speak. Some seemed fearful, while others were angry. Both understandable.

I glanced at Drake, who silently nodded at me. Giving me the choice to speak first. I gave him a brief smile, and it didn't escape my notice that he seemed visibly relieved. Perhaps the tension between us was more than I realised. It was something I would address once we were finished there.

"I understand this situation may be . . . distressing," I began, turning to face the soldiers before me. "I don't know what Diane told you, but I was never taken against my will. I came to Kallis of my own free will and remain here by choice." One of the men stood, and the way the other soldiers looked to him indicated he was a higher rank, though I did not recognise him.

"Your Majesty," he said, "I am one of the generals of Eshon. If you will allow me, I can explain what Lady Diane has told us." I nodded, and he continued, "She explained to us that the king of Kallis used his magic to manipulate you, so you would leave willingly for Kallis. And then he staged attacks in order to have reasoning for being unable to return you. She also mentioned his use of mithridatism as a way to make you fall ill if you were not in his presence."

I was silent for a few moments, thinking over his words. Diane had spoken about mithridatism when she thought I was sleeping, so that much I suspected. Painting Drake as a villain was the simplest way to turn the people against him. The wicked king had poisoned and manipulated the golden princess of Eshon. It was a cause for war, and she had used it well.

"Not once have I used magic on Belleza without her permission," Drake said, resting his hand on my lower back. He seemed to realise I had become lost in my thoughts. I was quick to nod to confirm his statement.

"And the accusation about mithridatism was false," I added. "She used it as an excuse when I fell ill upon returning. She was the one who poisoned me, in an attempt to block my magic – forcing me to drink the poisoned tea and starving me while I was in Eshon. I understand that for the past decade, Eshon and Kallis have had a strained relationship, but Drake and his people are not at fault."

The men before me shared uncertain glances, and it was clear they did not believe me. Drake continued, "I know most of you surrendered because you fear death, not because you have taken our side. And I don't blame you for that. But I would like you to know that no matter which side you take in this conflict, I have no intentions of causing any of you harm. You surrendered, and I will respect that."

The Eshon general nodded, though a frown still marred his face. "So, what is to become of us? Surely you won't feed us ale and keep us in a cell forever."

It was then that I felt Drake's magic brush against my own – doing something he had taught me before I returned to Eshon. "Your call," he murmured to me, mind-to-mind. His voice caught me off guard, but I did well enough not to flinch.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "If you return to Eshon, Diane and the king will have you all executed for surrendering. And I am sure that the people of Kallis won't be thrilled about Eshon soldiers residing in the land, especially after the recent attack." I paused, nibbling my lip as I thought. "If you could cooperate with us, there is a chance we can resolve this conflict faster. Give us information so this war will end. I'm sure you all want to return to your families as soon as possible."

The Eshon general looked thoughtful, and I broke eye contact to see the other soldiers' reactions. Some seemed hesitant but perhaps inclined to agree, while others were stone-faced and cold. I understood why. They had been deceived by Diane, and they knew there was a small chance I had been manipulated. Not to mention that I, once their doe-eyed princess, had slaughtered most of the army.

"We will need to think about and discuss your offer," the Eshon general finally replied, likely noticing the varied reactions of the soldiers. I tried not to slump my shoulders with relief – it wasn't outright agreement, but it was a step in the right direction.

Drake simply nodded. "Take as much time as you need. Whenever you make your decision, alert a guard and they will let me know. I won't take away the privileges I have given you here, no matter what your answer ends up being. If you decide not to work with us, we will have to discuss arrangements at a later date."

With that, we left them to discuss with one another. My heart felt heavy as we returned to the upper levels of the castle. I understood the necessity of killing the soldiers, and it shocked me to admit that I didn't regret it. But facing those men, looking them in the eye after killing their fellow soldiers . . . it left a bad taste in my mouth. And yet I was glad to feel those negative emotions. It was a sign that I hadn't yet crossed into the darker side of my magic. As upsetting as it was, I felt comforted.

"Belle." I blinked a few times, registering that we stood in the gardens. Drake was frowning down at me, likely worried that I had spaced out.

"Sorry," I murmured, shaking my head.

"Never apologise," he replied, kissing my cheek. He hesitated before asking, "Walk with me?" With a nod, I linked arms with him and we wandered through the gardens together. I would never stop appreciating how beautiful snow was. While the flowerbeds were tucked beneath a blanket of white, small shoots and flowers still managed to thrive, speckling the white garden with colour. It was peaceful.

As we walked, I gave Drake a sidelong glance, noting his conflicted expression. "Tell me what you're thinking." Even though I was sure I already knew.

"Morana was right," he replied after a moment. "I was taking away your choice when I asked you to stay behind and not fight. It makes me no better than Diane."

I paused, turning to him and cupping his cheek in my hand. "You are nothing like her. She locked me up and tried to remove the little freedom I had in Eshon. You let me out and showed me how beautiful the world is. How beautiful magic is. While I may be frustrated at times when you don't let me face the danger, I understand."

"You're not . . . angry with me?" he asked.

"You want to protect me. I can't blame you for that." I offered him a smile, which he returned. "I need you to know that I am not the same girl who feared magic. I am not the same girl who needed protecting at every moment. The past few months have caused me to change quite a bit. But no matter what, Drakenston, I will always love and trust you. Never once have you tried to hurt me."

Drake pulled me into an embrace, clutching me tightly. "I love you, Belle. Thank you for having patience with me. I never want you to feel like you are trapped, and you are of course free to go where you wish."

I pulled back so I could kiss him, and it felt like my chest had never felt lighter. Despite all the uncertainty between the kingdoms and the war going on, I knew I could always trust him. My husband; my love.