Trigger Warning: This chapter may contain scenes including trauma, or emotional distress. If you are uncomfortable with the following, please skip this chapter.
An empty canvas on all six sides — like a cage with only nothingness, tricking my eyes at the expansiveness it lacked.
It was pure white. Pristine. Silent. Peaceful.
But not for long. My feet were rooted to the ground. Dotted bloodprints gradually surrounded the wall until it formed a distinct shape. Crimson hand marks of various sizes filled my view. The howling of desperate pleas echoed behind me, the numbing fear rendering me immobile.
The familiarity only gnawed deeper as those cries were the same as I remembered. They were the people I once knew and people I had not really known until their deaths.
My pulse quickened like a fast painful thump buzzing in my ears.
Helplessness strangled my breath. Tiny streams of sweat trickled down my body, adding to the moist sheen already present as a second skin. But that was not all. I looked down to witness a crimson pool around me, climbing up my feet in supple ripples.
My eyes darted across the room, watching as the walls inched closer and the ceiling lowered. I simply stood there, still frozen in place, and bellows of fear were stuck in my throat.
The wailing had long diminished as the blood reached my neck. The room seemed to shrink and I couldn't stretch my arms as I wanted to. A frightful dread made my skin crawl and my chest tightened in a panicking terror. The recurring fear engulfed me but this time I felt my body shake.
***
I jolted from my bed, gasping. The familiar sight of my bed canopy filled my view. I took a large breath to calm myself down. Not again.
Fear and anger stirred within me. Fear for there was nothing I could do to stop the horrifying dreams that had been plaguing me and anger for the person who was the reason for this all.
My life was a living nightmare but even my dreams would not let me escape from this reality. A sick way of telling me to give up because there was nothing I could do to defy it.
Repressing a sigh as I rose, my numb hand reached out to the bedside table hidden by green velvet curtains draping around the bed. With a glass in my hand, a shadow slithered around in my peripheral, escaping to the deep dark corners.
I shook my head and put down the glass, not minding it. I must be imagining things.
"Ace."
I stilled at the faint voice, followed by soft knocks that came from the door. What was that? I was certain I heard something just now.
"Princess."
Just when I thought I was still hallucinating because of the dream, the voice spoke once again. There were no other princesses in this bed-chamber except me. But who would visit me in this unholy hour? I completely slipped away the curtain, trying to adjust my vision in the dark.
Outside, on the balcony, the silhouette of a man entered my sight. His looming shadow was facing my bed. I tried to stand up, only to wince in pain. I turn behind and noticed the bed sheets were still soaked with dried blood. It was the evidence of Father's enjoyment from this afternoon.
Ignoring the stinging of my back, I stood up once more.
I examined the man's appearance as I walked toward him. Covered in a hood that blended in the dark evening sky, I had no idea who he was but one thing caught my attention — the man stood with a royal grace like every aristocrat I had known.
But I must be mistaken, there was no way a noble would come into my chambers, especially in the middle of the night — looking very suspicious — particularly resembling a burglar with his all-black outfit.
Unable to make out his face behind that dark hood, I dared not to move.
Just who is he? I could count the number of people I socialized with on my two hands, and I was confident he was not one of them.
"W-w-who are you?" I managed to voice out, my heart pattering within my chest in wild flutters. Was I even scared or just curious?
However, I doubted he could hear me. He gestured towards the lock and I froze, my heart hammering louder. I shook my head, retreating with slow steps. How did he manage to enter the palace? How could he have gotten past the gates? The Kingdom of Ezriel boasted of its impregnable forces and he had slipped through.
If he was able to come here, then that meant he was strong. With that conclusion in mind, my reasoning immediately flew out the window. This was my chance to escape.
I closed the distance between us and opened the door. His presence screamed danger but it was nothing compared to the horrors I witnessed.
After heaving a breath to gather my courage, I spoke, "Are you going to kill me? If so, go ahead."
There was no backing out now. If this man was a bad guy, then so what? At least someone was finally here to cease my misery. I would welcome anything to stop this rotten life, even death.
I was used to having my luck down the drain. For me, it didn't matter anyway. It was either I died from him or died from my own family. It's a pity I owe this life to someone important or else I would've done it myself ages ago. After all, I promise I would live but it's a different matter if I was murdered. I can't control that.
My eyes focused on him but he did not move. Only his deep chuckle resounded in the silence. The man bowed and gave me a perfect bow like the highborn I thought he was.
"I am Night. It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess."
"What are you waiting for? I'm sure you'll get your award once you kill me," I stated without properly returning the greeting.
A noble's head always came with a high price, much more for a royal. I didn't know who was after my life but I should be grateful to whoever it was for helping me end this despair.
"Ace," said the man, a hint of scolding in his voice.
I waited for him to do something but he didn't move an inch. All he said was that word again. I inhaled a deep breath and spread my arms.
"I am giving you my life so do your worst."
"Stop your nonsense, Ace."
My brows furrowed as he kept calling me that. "You must be mistaken. Pardon me, but why do you keep calling me 'Ace'? My name is Carline Ezriel."
"I know, Princess. But for me, it is a pleasure to call you that," said the man.
"Why?" My eyes narrowed as my brows scrunched. I could not understand his purpose for coming into this secluded chamber.
"I know you have a lot of questions right now but the time will come when they will be all answered, Ace."
I pulled myself back from making a sarcastic comment, instead, I asked him a different question. "And when will that time come?"
When I am beaten black and blue? When I die in this cold palace? When my body rots from all he did? I bit back on the remaining questions.
"When it is right, of course."
"Then, why are you exactly here?" I snapped, with complete gruffness. Just what is his intention?
"For you. I'm here for you, Princess."
Disbelief flashed on my face the instant those words left his mouth. It was the sentence I wanted to hear the most. I didn't expect it to come from a person I just met, like a twist of fate after I decided to surrender to this repulsive life when all was said and done.
My heart swelled with hope at what he said seconds ago.
All I thought was he really here for me? Or was he lying? In the end, I presumed his words were true. Maybe I had finally gone mad after the three years I suffered in that hell by believing an intruder that came out of nowhere. I did not care at this point.
"Are you planning to take me away from here?" I asked, my voice lower than a whisper, uncertain if he heard me.
"No," he answered simply.
My face contorted with confusion and shock. I felt like I was being played with. Do all men have a sick fetish to raise my hopes up and then drown me with disappointment?
"But why? You said you're here for me?"
"I am, Ace, but I didn't say I will take you away from here," explained the man.
"Why?" Tears welled in my eyes, not only from the rejection but also because of the frustration I felt living here.
Don't you dare cry, Carline! You're not a child anymore. I kept berating myself as my head stooped down and hurriedly brushed off the tears forming in my lids before they fell.
I glanced back at where Night stood, only to find him right in front of me. He was not wearing the hood anymore and those blonde tendrils framed his face. Yet, the half-mask was still there, obstructing my view. The right side of the raven-colored mask glistened with black specks of glitter from the faint moonlight while the other half was plain black with a white clover under his left eye.
I searched for more details, like how his hair was slightly curled and almost pale blonde. I tried so hard to avoid his eyes, thinking that it may be a trick of the light or other ridiculous reasons but his gaze captured me. His eyes... His eyes were like mine.
The loathsome color of violet...
"I can't explain anything to you yet, Princess. You're still too young to understand."
"Wha—"
"But old enough to make a decision," he continued.
The breeze from the door suddenly grew colder and stronger. It continued to be restless like it knew something was about to change. Night looked at me intently with those glowing irises that glimmered like amethyst. The ones I always saw in my reflection. The same colored eyes that took everything from me, and spoke.
"Do you want to be a thief?"
***