The Rival Queen

Chapter 18| Decisions

"AHHHHHH !" My mother screamed at the top of her lungs. I watched in terror of what my enemy can do. The moment she finished screaming, she quickly breathed for fresh air. The enemy looked at my mother with annoyance.

"You'll pay for that.." He said before plunging the dagger on my neck.

Or at least, tried to. My mother held a sword that probably came from one of the armory in our hallways with a steely glare. She had just confused myself to have either been truly lucky to get a very talented mother or the fact that I might anger her one day and die on her hands. I'll choose the former.

With a very satisfying chink, the dagger flew to the other side of the room, making the man defenseless. He clicked his tongue before breaking the glass door that was keeping him and the outside separated.

"Mark my words, Arabella" he faced me with his eyes wide with craze, "I will slit that throat of yours and while I do, you'll be practically crying for mercy !" He jumped off the balcony. I stared at the place the man once stood with fear scripted on my eyes. How did he know my name ?

"Rein !" My mother yelled as she hugged me fiercely.

"Are you okay ? Are you hurt ? Please don't be-"

"I-I'm fine" I shivered the words out of my mouth. She looked at me for a moment before resuming her hug fest. But all I could feel was helplessness.

More than three weeks past and before I knew it, it was time for my visit to the palace. The servants looked at me teary-eyed, knowing what was my choice. I was going to accept it. Since that day of my thankfully failed assassination, the servants became overprotective, especially Fremont, Einar and Sarah, the children I saved along with North.

The past few months they stayed under the servants chambers, I soon found out they were what people called a 'Demi'. The three of them were slaves of the neighboring kingdom until they found a way to escape their cages. While they were there, they were part of a failed experiment, leaving them with the blood of monsters inside them, hence their surreal abilities and fast growth of physical age.

"Mistress, can't you just bring m-" Einar was nudged violently by Sarah, "I mean, is to protect you ?"

I sighed exasperatedly. Not again.

"For the last time you three, my answer is 'no', clear ?" The now three depressed trio nodded solemnly and I suppressed a giggle.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave" I apologized, "so while I'm gone, you have to protect the Aurelia household, okay ?" I tried to sound upbeat but by the their expressions, it doesn't seem to be working. The worst part of this Demi trio is that even though their physical age has multiplied by two, their nervous system is still of a child. And sometimes, I confuse myself to act like a sister or a master.

"Mistress, it's time to leave" a coachman said. I nodded, waving at the tears eyed group of friends before looking at my mother. Though her face was brimming in pride, the eye bags did not went unnoticed. She probably was worried about me that she wasn't able to sleep well last night.

"Mother" I said as nonchalant as possible before hugging her. She hugged me back before taking herself off me. She then reached out for her skirt before handing me a folded paper before smiling at me.

"I think this is yours" she said. I opened it and saw the picture the servant took away from the grass that day when I met the Queen Dowager. I smiled before thanking my mother and entering the carriage at last.