Death for the Chance of Freedom
Darkness filled the clouds. It was a terrible day and even the skies mourned her name.
The worse part of it all was that everyone all over began the preparations.
Word on the street was that Lucino-- the precious and sweetest human, was finally getting married and choosing a bride.
And everyone was excited and preparing for it.
The only thing is, the bride had no say in anything and had no idea.
For after the planning is made, Lucino will finally go up to all of the eligible young women and choose one. However, it is all flawed. He will choose Zestrella even though she has done nothing to show that she is offering herself to him.
But if she refused she will be deemed as crazy for doing so.
And if she claims she is already in love, I know Agatha will be killed if she won't be already.
Life here is too tragic.
And that is why I must find Zestrella before she is caught in surprise.
I decided to search the halls because that's where I always found her previously.
Levy was in her room, most likely filling herself with tragedy and sadness, despite the fact she couldn't shed a single tear.
I hope it doesn't affect her too much.
I also have been carrying around a single blade made from the blood of her brother and precious hair of her half-sister. In the pockets, of the clothes, was a hidden secret knife only I seen.
And I was going to do something evil for her. I would commit murder to save her. If Levy was saved, I'll do it. I would shake hands with the grim reaper itself. I shall cherish Death for the chance of Freedom. Her Freedom.
Then I saw her.
Zestrella walking hastily through the halls.
"Zestrella!" I called out. At first she didn't hear me. Or maybe she thought I was a random person calling out to her since I never spoke in this tone. It was tone of desperation and franticness. "Zestrella?" I tried again, more serious this time.
And that was when her feet hauled and she turned over her shoulder, "Alehkzir?" She must've been surprised, "Did you call me?"
"I sure did. I need to talk to you about something..." I frowned, "Well ask you I suppose."
She crossed her arms, "Does this relate why your friend hasn't been seen out of her room in days and Lucino has finally chosen a bride?" She shrugged, "Lemme guess, it isn't her and she is upset."
I stared back at her, "You knew he wasn't fond of her?!"
Surprised Mermaid Face, maybe?
I was just referring to that media reference.
She crossed her arms, "Yes, I knew. Come on, it doesn't take much to see that. Lucino is very... picky, to put in nicely," she smiled chirpy, "Everyone must be just right. Even though he offer help to those in need, it is just to make him look all high and mighty," she laughed.
"So he doesn't really care about anyone unless they have a standard normal life." I looked at her flatly, "Figures... But I came to say that Levy overheard something and he wants to marry you."
Zestrella stared straight at me without saying anything. She only looked down, "I know..." She slumped, "That's why I warned you on day one when we met. I knew I was in the list of candidates. Anyone would love to be in my place, but..." She softly sobbed, "I don't."
"I don't blame you." I told Zestrella honestly, "Maybe Levy does, but I don't think she could. If anyone she is just upset at what she overheard. He basically told Levy that she was bland and annoying.''
She widen her eyes, "So the truth of how he really feels about people like her comes out." She laughs dryly, "I'm truly sorry, but maybe I should tell this to Levias. You'll tell this for me, won't you. However I'll do all I can to prevent it."
I stared right into her eyes, "I'll help you." I shut my eyes, "Lucino cannot get married or a disastrous fate will occur. You must run and he must be stopped. And I'll tell Levy everything so that no one gets hurt." I told Zestrella confidently.
But not everything goes the way we hoped.
Nothing goes the way we want.
Because we had no idea what was going to happen next.
"It's a glorious time for a wedding," cheerful voices sang to each other in the halls.
"I'm so excited, his bride is so lucky," Another girl fanned.
"I wish she was me," the first girl replied back.
"She could... It could be anyone." Her voice whispers, "Even the mute and disabled girl."
But when she said that it wasn't out of kindness. It was from sneer pity and envy.
More voice exclaim in happiness that it was at last time for preparations.
Even by the kitchen, I heard voices in celebration and women fanning over who the chosen bride was as if it was some specialty.
"The cake is full of strawberry cheese cake. Rumor has it," An eerie voice whispered, "It's the bride's favorite."
"If it suddenly became my favorite, would you suppose we would be wed so soon?" A voice suddenly exclaimed near the bakery halls.
What's good about royalty if they never truly love you. How could someone just cherish their title and your beauty, but never personality. That I never understood.
Even back home, in the sea....
It was like that.
All of the bright gold's and red colored themed items were being brought about for a wedding so bright and prim and prout.
Food of delicious desire and decor of fancy aquire.
But that was when I stopped.
By the window, in the evening of dark, where the stars shined brightly through the night I saw a lone stranger with a hood of raven running through the shadows.
Go, I though, leave this awful society and place. And please... Never return.
I needed to find Lucino and I needed to kill him.
Determined, I looked at the knife in my hand. I wrapped my fingers around the grip and stared at the blade that was carved from Laiken's blood and Lysandria's hair.
I cannot fail.
I have one chance.
Zestrella can run through the endless night and relocate with her lover.
And I can take that one step further to sneak into Lucino's quarters.
Then there I will find him and finish his life for betraying and hurting Levy.
HE DOESN'T DESERVE HER!
Then she can finally be free and saved from this miserable nightmare.
I saw dozen of humans coming my way and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
"You there, translator and interruptor for Miss Levias." A voice called, "The Superior, His Majesty-- Lucino wishes to speak with you."
I looked up in surprise.
Well that certainly simplifies things, how convenient.
But I suppose if he is found dead after I visit him, it would draw attention to me.
I don't want it to be too obvious it was me either.
It has to be the right kind-- I shouldn't be picky but I need time to just leave with Levias.
Then in town when everyone heard that Lucino mysteriously died or murdered, she can stare at me and I won't deny it.
I'll tell her everything and that this way she'll finally be alive.
Yes, yes; I decide.
I turned to the servant, "Show me the way."
"Alright sir... ER miss were uh person?" The servant babbled unable to think of anything properly.
I sighed, rolling my eyes, "Quit the formalities, just Alehkzir is fine."
The servant had a pleasant smile on his face, "Oh well then please come this way, Alehkzir."
After several minutes of being led to wherever Lucino must be and viewing everything as we headed that way, I couldn't help but think I still do not know all the workings and crannies of this place.
But that was soon forgotten when I arrived. Now I know where his chambers are anyways.
The servant knocked and Lucino's voice called, "Come in."
He walked in front of me entering the room before me. Then he remained at the right side of Lucino. That was when I realized the servant was actually Lucino's right hand man. I stood there awkwardly, not really sure what to do.
I was in his chambers, but just barely. I also snapped at Lucino several times for insulting me or not caring for Levias enough.
No doubt, I wonder why I am here if it is not to become irritated with me.
Does he plan to get mad for some of those things, even though he faked apologized at me only to make himself look good in front of the others.
Cause frankly I hate apologies, most of the time they are meaningless and the person who says it, never believes any word they speak. The say it for themselves to make themselves believe it is okay now just because they said "I apologize," or "I'm sorry," when it reality it is way more than that.
Because saying I'm sorry doesn't fix everything.
An apology must be deeper than that and no one ever goes that deep enough when they say it. They just say their apology with no thought at all just to get it over with to save themselves and to make their representation look better.
And the only one I seen that have actually have said a true apology well that was....
"Welcome Alehkzir," Lucino's voice interrupted my thoughts. "I hope you have been well and enjoying yourself."
I nodded, "I suppose. Rumor has it your getting married," I said nonchalantly. "Congratulations."
However even with how dry and bored my voice was at the moment, Lucino was still fixated on something relating to me.
"Ah yes, I am quite excited; I mean one only can marry once." He laughed, "Were you with Levias? I haven't seen her lately at all. It was a bit saddening after what I planned to tell her." He made his face hold sorrows in it.
I could only look, what game was he playing?
First he told his right hand man what he truly thought of Levias and that he wanted to marry Zestrella, but now Lucino insists that he feels sorrow that she is nowhere nearby, not even visiting him anymore.
He was lying to me just to make himself look good because I already caught him out before.
"This morning I saw her, but then I had to go somewhere and haven't seen her sense. Why?" I shook my head, "Did something happened between the two of you? You must haven't wanted to see her and that must be why she is that upset," I muttered dryly, "That explains why-"
"She is cursed." He suddenly states, "At once point maybe I wanted her. Maybe I wanted to love her, but now my heart couldn't. I couldn't love her enough when..." He sighed, looking at me with an empathetic expression,
"I can't marry a cursed girl. I know she is tremendously beautiful in every possible way, but a witch cursed her. Her voice is no longer there and whenever she walks she fills extraneous amount of pain. But when the doctors check her feel and even try to X-ray it, nothing is wrong."
I stared at him.
I'm the witch that cursed her, it wasn't an accident.
"That accident you spoke of, were you there? You probably weren't, but that must have been when the witch came and cursed Levias." He lowered his head, "I feel terrible but let me make it up by having you two as either guests of honor or she can be one of the bridesmaids."
I stared at him, giving him a dirty look, "How would that make her feel if she sees you getting married?!"
"Alehkzir always going to protect her even here. It is quite silly though, she isn't here but you insist of saying only good about her name." He shook his head in amusement.
"Levy is more than just my best friend, she is the only one in the dark, but I doubt you would ever understand," I told him even though the words pierced my heart as I said them.
"Oh?" He crooked his eyebrows, "More than a best friend, please do tell."
"I basically was alone and cold before she came along and front that point forward we did everything together. And that accident you want to know what happened and if she was truly cursed by a witch? The truth is that..."
But familiar words stop me from saying anything.
I once told Levy that we shouldn't tell him about what we really were and that we were from the ocean. I told her once that it would be better if he had no clue that she saved him because how would we explain it.
We also could potentially danger everyone else. Even though I never liked mermaids; I never would wish ill will onto them.
I sighed, "Just don't do anything that would upset her. And please whoever your marrying I hope she loves you enough to handle you. Because she will need it a lot." I scowled as I began to head out of his chambers.
But his voice caused me to turn my head his way,
"Oh and Alehkzir nobody could resist being a princess of my kingdom. So before you plan to leave with Levias out of anger or whatever you want to call it, think for a moment how it might affect Levy."
I stared at him.
How arrogant.
"She may just want to say goodbye and she can at my wedding, huh?" He shrugged filling his face with a tight smile.
That was when I left.
I've been told I am allowed to be a guest of honor and Levias can be a bridesmaid and then he told me some obvious crap that he drag out of who knows where.
I sighed.
Sorry, but we aren't staying for the wedding.
Were leaving as soon after, I return to your chambers without being called upon.
And now I open the door to see a lovely Levy almost curled up, but on the bed with sorrow.
I smiled sadly as I walked over to her. I joined her by letting my body shift into an Ardizevepa that covered her neck, shoulders, and part of her arms.
"I'll save you, don't worry Levy,"
...Those we're my last words until I felt sleep taking over us.
//Legend here,
At first I thought I could barely get 1k words in but then I decided to go with a section where Lucino calls them to talk to them. Then it made his character more interesting to say all of that.
I'm just letting everyone know, no character in this book is "good" or "evil" and they are all morally grey. Like things Alehkzir does isn't exactly right. Same with Lucino.
Both of them I like comparing because they are on the opposite spectrum kinda but could easily be considered good or bad if you looked at them. If this was all in Lucino's POV you would love him and everyone would should marry me, he is so nice.
Lucino is a people pleaser but does things that were considered normal at that time period. In today times, no it wouldn't be right but like the only one that is actually calling him out is Alehkzir while Zestrella is angry with him in her mind.
I can't wait for the following chapters, so it's going to start getting really tough from here on out. I might need to actually be mad or sad in the final few to be able to write them
Legend tuning out\\