The Choice

58

Amancio's eyes stared into mine and I realized that I wasn't staring at the Amancio I knew. I was staring at a completely different person. A stranger. 

"I don't know who you are anymore Amancio," A tear ran down my cheek and plopped onto my dress. "You planned to...to kill people. I can't." 

An undecipherable expression flashed in Amancio's eyes before they turned cold and angry. 

"Fine, suit yourself, Madeline," Amancio seethed his eyes narrowing. 

Amancio stood up straight, straightening out his suit. "Guards, take them away." 

***

"You can't do this to us!" I shouted, holding onto the bars of the cell Carlos and I were put in. 

The cell was small and dark, with a small window too small to climb out of and too high to reach. It smelt of stale blood and urine and was completely bare, no furniture in sight. 

"There's no point Madeline," Carlos sighed. 

I turned around and wrapped my arms around Carlos. "We're going to be OK, Carlos." 

"When my best friend, the only man I trusted with my life turns out to be a traitor. My father's dead. My sister has been kidnapped along with half the nobles. While the other half lay on the ballroom floor- dead," Carlos' eyes were cold, his tone sharp. 

"I just don't understand any of this. Why would Amancio want to join The Dark Lords? Why would Queen Amelia? Aren't they an anti-monarchist group?" I thought aloud. 

Carlos shook his head, "Today was meant to be a good day, Madeline. We were supposed to be happy." 

"We...?" I trailed off. 

"I was going to pick you. You were my choice," Carlos laughed, with no emotion. 

"I thought you were going to pick Esme," I said. 

"That's who I was supposed to pick," Carlos sighed. "My...father and Amelia forced me to choose Esme. To dance with her. But I wasn't going to do it. I was going to choose you." 

I didn't know what to say. I stared at the dank cell floor, the images of dead nobles running through my mind. 

"My father...he's dead, Madeline. I'm an orphan- I have no one," Tears pooled in Carlos' eyes no matter how hard he tried to hold them in. 

I put my arms around him as he cried, his shoulders shaking with emotion. Hot tears fell down my cheeks. 

A few hours later, Carlos had fell asleep, his strong body against mine. However, I couldn't sleep. Whenever I closed my eyes the images of the dead bodies flashed, clear as day. I was hungry, tired, angry, sad and confused. I felt hopeless. 

Just as my eyes started drooping, the loud sound of metal hitting against metal woke me up. 

"Dinner's served, Romeo and Juliet," A burly guard snarled, sliding two slices of bread on a metal plate towards us. Along with one cup of water. 

"What is this?" I demanded. 

"Dinner, princess," The guard grinned, revealing rotten teeth. 

"This is hardly a snack. You can't expect both of us to survive on this," I stared at him in disbelief. 

"What, you nobles have never had to sleep with only a slice of bread in your stomach before?" The guard spat. 

"This is what this is? Spite? Payback? Revenge?" Carlos asked, eyes narrowed. 

"We call it...turning the tables. Now, I'll leave you both. You either eat or not- it doesn't get any better than that," He smiled, reveling in our suffering. 

Hesitantly, I picked up a slice of bread and took a tentative bite before ravenously eating the whole thing in less than 5 minutes. I'd never been so hungry before and it hurt me that people, Aridian citizens, actually felt like this. 

"So what next? We just wait for Amancio to release us? Because I doubt that's happening," Carlos scoffed. 

"We could find a way to escape on our own," I suggested, though I knew my plan was hopeless. 

The cell's door was made out of brass and the key was God knows where. 

I tried to reach the cell's window to no avail. I sighed, kicking the wall so hard my foot throbbed. 

"There's no point, they're going to leave us here till they need us for something," Carlos shook his head. 

I slumped down against the wall beside Carlos. "If there's one good thing that came out of this, it's that we're here together." 

"Thank you, Madeline. For being here for me," Carlos took my hand and I put my head on his shoulder. 

I lulled into a nightmare-filled sleep, Carlos' arms around me the only thing keeping me sane. 

*** 

"Wake up! Wake up!" The sound of metal hitting against metal startled me out of my restless slumber. 

I groaned. I had the worst headache and it didn't help that there were dried blood stains on my hands and dress. 

The guard looked at Carlos and I with a look of pure hatred. "Get up, you have visitors." 

"What visitors?" Carlos asked. 

"Carlos, Madeline," Amancio walked into the hallway. He'd changed clothes from the night before and looked clean... and oddly well rested. 

"Amancio, please, you don't want to do this," I begged.  

An undecipherable expression flashed in Amancio's eyes before he smiled, his eyes glinting mischievously. 

"I have someone I'd like you to meet," Amancio smiled, gesturing at someone to come forward. 

A man stepped into the hallway. He looked old, but not too old with grey thin hair but vibrant brown eyes. He looked at Carlos and I with a look I could only describe as amusement and disgust. 

"Where have I seen you before?" Carlos thought aloud. 

"Carlos, you've grown to look so much like your father," The man stressed the word father, his lips curling malevolently. 

Carlos flinched at the mention of his father. 

"Pity how Albert turned out, huh," The man smiled, deviously. 

"Who are you?!" I demanded. 

"Madeline, I'd like you to meet my father. Duke Law- better known as The Dark Lord," Amancio revealed. 

Sorry for the delay, I got caught up with birthday celebrations and school. Thanks for reading this far- 2 chapters left ahhh, can't wait till you guys see. 

Please comment, vote and share. And also please stay safe. xoxo. <3