Before the pills warred on me I decided to visit Ritava since his outcome of what happened was much worse. Cronus was taking care of him which made me feel better, however still...
This was Ritava we were talking about. I knew him since I was a child. I've never seen him like this ever.
It terrified me.
Sneaking to where his room was no worry and thankful there were no guards around asking what I was doing. Opening the door slowly I glanced towards Cronus who was standing. He was already looking my way as if aware I was coming.
This fact I wasn't shocked, coming from a head guard for the king.
"Is he okay?" I whispered tip toeing over.
Cronus got up as I sat down on his chair and stared worriedly at Ritava. I put small pressure on his forehead and bit my lower lip.
He was freezing. A symptom I remember when against a wex and you fall into it's spell of intimidation.
"Can you bring me some hot water and a small towel?" I turned to Cronus.
Without saying a word Cronus nodded and left the room. He returned just as quick as he left with the towel in a small bucket. I took the towel out, squeezing it and placed the wet warm towel on Ritava's head. He was freezing and it states if ever paralyzed by a wex the person is near frozen.
I got shivers just touching his hand. Resembling winter just from a touch of his skin. I held my friends cold hand in that moment and squeezed it. Even though he had many, many blankets on top of him he was still frozen.
I laid on my head on top of his chest and listened to the faint flutter of his heartbeat. I prayed to myself he was okay. He would be okay. My eyes starting to bounce up and down slowly telling me it was about time the pills hit me. I was about to enter a deep slumber, but not just yet.
I didn't want to be here while Cronus saw the change. I bet a hundred and ten percent he wouldn't be too thrilled to know my secret, since the guy is a goody two shoes.
Always has been since the academy. Everyone hated him because he was so straight. Never curved around, foold around and didn't anything to question him. It was worse because he wasn't a muro.
Even though most non-muros are rich and noble. There's always the low class non-muros who get treated even better than us. So it pissed off a lot of the students in the academy he would get such good grades when they personally, like myself, knew it wasn't because he was non-muro getting those grades.
Cronus was actually really good. I noticed the potential along time ago and resented him in many ways and blamed him as well. He was the scapegoat everyone needed and so he did become one.
Whenever Ritava and I did something adventurous he would pout his lips with disappointment. That was one reason why I didn't like Cronus because he made himself seem self righteous.
The only reason I pretended not to know him was because our silent, but awkward past. I actually convinced myself i didn't know him, but I knew sooner or later both of us would confront each other.
The only reason I say our past was awkward was because of specific reasons. After the graduation it was like Cronus changed. He was actually smiling which everyone thought was strange. I only thought it was because of the graduation because everyone was so happy to make it to the grueling end. However...
In many ways it was more than that.
Cronus right after our graduation asked me out. The worst part of this story is the fact I didn't even give him a reply as a few days later I heard about the job in the third kingdom.
What do I naturally do and seem really good at doing? Oh yeah, right...
Running away.
That's exactly what I did.
I have to say though I genuinely didn't know he was the Cronus, Cronus I knew back home. That's why it was such a surprise Ritava told me it was really him.
He did change a lot though. He wasn't this pale, rough looking rebellious but strict Cronus I knew back then.
The Cronus now grew a few more inches towering above me. His eyes even darker then before as if he's seen the world already. His hair compared to heroes and a build that was as if sculpted by lightening with finest metal.
I sound like I'm exaggerating talking about him, but he truly could be compared to all this. It made me shudder to think the only guy that paid interest to me in my whole entire left is here in the forbidden kingdom. The sad thought just as quickly as it entered my mind left as well.
Getting up suddenly because I was so uneasy with the fact Cronus was still in the room. I stumbled my way towards the door and used it for strength.
"Crap.." I cursed under my breath. I was about to faint by the time I made it to my room or worse before.
I was sweating so much because of the amount of power each pill had I was so weak I could barely walk.
"Do you need help?" Cronus took a step forward ready to leap into help.
"No," I managed to breathe it out. "No.."
Falling in and out of darkness I opened my eyes abruptly to find Cronus glaring me down with what looked like worry. His hands were around my waist, his face arched in closely while watching me intently with his eyes. I shoved him forward and used my fists to plant them on the floor. I pushed myself up and limped out of the room.
I met a wall out of nowhere and planted myself on it to feel it's coolness slap me awake. I winced my eyes opened and found Cronus's body swaying back and forth.
"You do know I can help you," Cronus murmured with his eyebrows creased in annoyance and concern.
"Not now.." I whispered to myself. "Not now," I whimpered trying to walk.
I have to make it to my room, I urged in my mind. I can't possibly screw myself over like this. It was about to be sunrise.
Walking for what seemed like ages I somehow made it to a door knob. I opened it quickly and shut it quietly behind me. Stumbling forward I fell to the floor hard with my head bouncing up once. I laid there timidly to only find myself breathe and finally let go..
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"What're you doing here?" A voice shouted. "Get up!"
I crinkled my nose up with confusion. Who was speaking? I was so tired I couldn't even open my-
"Get up!" Something poked my stomach with what seemed like a.... Foot?
I scratched my hair and rolled my left. The voice only groaned this time with a few thumps coming after it. Another poke towards my stomach until they started to gt harder.
"Get up!" The voice screeched.
"Stop.." I murmured placing my hands on my face.
"Was is this atrocity!?" The voice screamed.
Clamping my eyes shut hard together I finally squinted them open to see a blurry image of feet. I closed them shut for a good three seconds and opened my eyes wide to confirm a pair of feet in front of me.
I sat up rapidly and looked around frantically.
"What, are, YOU doing here!?" Autumn spoke through clenched teeth.
"Wh-what do you mean?" I stuttered getting up sloppily.
"I wake up to find you sleeping on MY floor!" Autumn glared daggers. "Explain?" She crossed her arms together. "And what ARE you wearing?" I eyed my clothing with much detail.
I looked down at myself to find my servant rags. I glanced up at Autumn with a speechless expression and cleared my voice.
"This was just..."
"Just what?"
"Just-just.." I stumbled on my words.
"Spit it out!" Autumn snapped with a not so thrilled expression.
"Just a prank, ahahaha!" I awkwardly laughed.
"You call this a prank?" Autumn looked like she was about to explode. I suddenly blinked remembering her flaw and that she literally had the ability to explode.
"Autumn, Autumn.." I panicked maneuvering my hands up and down. "Calm down,"
"Leave... My... Room..."
"I will-I will," I whispered backing up towards the room.
"Leave... My....Room... Right....Now!" She screamed.
"Okay, okay!" I hit my back against the door and fumbled my hand on the knob.
"Now!" She huffed fire out of her nostrils.
That small evidence of her anger left me running out of the door before I could witness anything else. I sprinted to my room wondering what exactly happened last night. How exactly did I make it to Autumns room and not my own.
My room was three doors down and just by looking towards one of the many windows in the kingdom I knew the sun just rose right now. I glanced down the hallway to notice none of the guards once again see me.
My maids along with many others were just turning the corner just as I closed the door. I ran over to my closet and took off my raggedy clothing. Throwing it to the side I ran over the dresser falling over it and tumbling over various of things I never used.
Throwing on a random black night gown I got a quick whiff of my arm pits and smelled many things that didn't smell like a sleeping princess.
Grabbing one of the many luxurious looking perfume bottle. I opened one up not knowing how to use it and dumped the pink liquid in my hands.
A knock from the door unexpectedly made me flinch and drop more in my hands.
"Princess Julis?" A voice rang.
"Hold on for a quick second please!" I called out.
Wiping the perfume all over my body and hair I closed the perfume bottle quickly and placed it on the dresser.
"Come in!" I sniffed.
The two familiar maids walked in with my dress of the day and other things to perk me up. They didn't seem to notice why I was breathing so heavily, yet it wasn't there place anyway to ask a princess any questions.
As usual it took a good hour to get me ready in the morning. I always knew it took this long, but my kingdom was it a workout or what?
I wiped a sweat away from my forehead and smiled to the maids as they put the finishing touches on my outfit. They put a simple beaded beige dress on me with an A-line cup and short sleeves on the side.
The dress dipped low in the back which made it uncomfortable a little, but it didn't matter. I couldn't personally work this dress, but Julis's body could. She had distinct curves that cut corners on her body that made it seem like she was born to wear a dress.
I had curves, but ones that were given to women who sold themselves. This is how society degrades our woman even though there are many stories surrounding muro woman that have driven men insane because of their body.
Grabbing the head of my dresses skirt I carefully walked towards the door and exited my room.
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The King didn't make it to breakfast like he usually does. The prince who never joins us instead replaced him. The princesses visibly growing stiff as he sat and ate with us.
He sat right next to Fefe who was his accompany for the month. She ate her breakfast as if nothing was going on. The fact she was ignoring him bringing smile to my face.
The whole breakfast was going smoothly with silence until Kenzie's big mouth farted with what seemed like words.
"So you're eating, huh?" Kenzie pasted her words with a tone that was meant to be flirtatious, but was more of a whale fornicating.
I almost choked on my food, but covered it up by drinking juice.
"You don't say?" Fefe sarcastically retorted back with a snort.
The prince cracked a smile at this and nodded at Kenzie while she meanwhile noticed how stupid she sounded. The girl needed a life check, scratch reality.
"Where's the king?" Utopie asked out of nowhere. I was shocked from her boldness, than again myself and the other princesses must've been curious as well.
The prince was chewing noticeable slower as his eyes danced around the food as if he was thinking long and hard. He looked up to face all of us with a lost dense look and wipe his mouth with a napkin. He suddenly got up and was followed out with three maids trailing behind him.
I swallowed my last bit of food and looked towards the prince walked towards. He was long gone without a trace every being here. A couple of servants already taking away his dishes within a blink of an eye.
I got up from my seat and headed towards the lounge where I needed some time to relax. My head was still wary from what happened last night. Thinking I was alone I jumped on one of the couches to only tense up and find the other princesses coming in chatting up a storm.
Cor took a seat next to me and nodded upwards to see what was wrong. I shook it lightly with a half smirk.
"Why was she in your room?" Day eyed me and back to Autumn.
I rolled my eyes already knowing this story.
"Ask her," Autumn shrugged hotly. "She obviously lied about this so called prank and wanted to cut off my hair or something just to de-beautify me!"
"Oh no she wouldn't!" Kenzie gasped.
"Petty," Utopie ticked.
"I know, right?" Autumn agreed. "Girls these days and jealously."
"I used to go through that all the time back in my kingdom!" Day sighed convulsing into another story. I decided to ignore this one since listening to them genuinely worries me how much my head hurts when I hear them speak.
"How are you Julis?" Cor smiled poking me with her elbow.
"I'm good," I nodded rubbing my arms from the goosebumps climbing on my skin.
"I wonder.." Cor giggled whispering.
"Wonder what?" I blinked.
"Don't worry," Cor placed a timid hand on my lap. "I like to wonder a lot, a bad habit that usually gets me in trouble."
I nodded halfheartedly not exactly getting to where she was going with her statement.
"What are you talking about Cor?"
"Only muro's know the name... Yet..." Cor trailed off staring me down. "You knew the name."
"I-"
"Excuses won't get you far, for I was there to see it all Julis."
My mouth wide open I closed it solemnly. The way Cor was eyeing me down was a whole new level of shock. I never thought a sweet girl like her could conjure such an intimidating stare as if she saw through me.
I was chilled to the bone.
"I wonder Julis.." Cor's pupils sunk into her eyes as if caught by a net fishing for something. The truth. "I wonder," he smiled briskly getting up and walking toward one of the mirrors.
I was breathing heavily out of my nostrils not wanting Cor to see how much she terrified me. I was literally gasping for air the way she freaked me out.
Something told me not to let anyone know of this secret yet. A tiny voice holding me down in the back of the head to not let this secret out.
I put a hand on my chest to find my skin bouncing up and down from my frightened heartbeat. It made me realize something in this moment.
Looking at each and every princess I noticed something cold behind there smiles and frowns. They were in this to win this not make friends, but enemies to keep closer.
As much as they worse their masks. I was the real mask in this game. The realization both chilling and heart stopping.
"What was my fate in this game?" I whispered to myself.
The answer lingering in the dead air.
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The day ended just as quick as it began. The princesses were sent to their rooms since the king and the heroes who usually taught us the classes were absent.
As the sun set I sighed with anticipation as the electric feel of my skin returned to my flesh. I badly needed a shower that night and decided to bask on one before I visited Ritava. I was very eager to see to him tonight.
As much as he annoyed me Ritava at the end of the day was the only friend I had. One of the only friends I kept and cherished.
Changing into one of the clean rags for the servant job. I headed out my door and closed it lightly behind me. I tip toed my way to my left and around a corner to where Ritava's room was.
It was a long hallway that stretched down to the end and just around the around, before it was where his room was. I saw some light streaming from it which meant he was either awake or Cronus was checking on him.
I shuffled down quickly the hallway to only stop halfway. A glimmer of some sort caught my eye.
I stopped directly in the middle of the T-intersection of the hallway to find a white figure floating. My eyes went wide with terror as I watch the figure float down the hall and around a corner.
My mind hesitated for a second as to what just happened. Tilting my head to the side I found my feet following the figure. I coudn't help it.
I knew it wasn't human yet the question was why was it doing here of all the place? I had to find out.
I turned the corner just in time to find the ghostly figure standing outside two huge doors. I gasped to find two guards, but stared at them closely.
They were standing asleep. I blinked confused as to why, but then remembered why. The ghostly figure was a wandering soul. A dead persons soul wandering because it's lost and doesn't know how it died.
Not many can see it, but only those with an acute outlook or magical prescience. As guards we were trained randomly for this to see them and somehow it paid off.
These guards were pretty dumb to even inhale a wandering souls pheromone. They say a good inhale of one and you'll be asleep. The next time you wake up it'll but seem like a dream or a nightmare.
The pheromone so powerful that whatever you're doing you'll freeze in place for hours until you snap out of the slumber or wake up the next morning or so ever time.
Since I was a few feet away from the wandering soul I didn't smell it. Which was a good thing. I didn't want to fall asleep on the floor again and wake up in the morning to find a confused face wondering why a princess was sleeping on the floor.
I huffed still bothered by Autumns allegations and thanked the kingdoms that she was dense and too hot headed to realize anything.
I watched the old looking wandering soul enter the huge stone doors as it glided through. I walked towards the door contemplating if I should open it or not, but my curiosity buds were tingling and i wanted some adventure.
So I decided to open it anyway. The thick stone walls were huge and it took all my might to open them anyway. I was huffing and puffing by the time I opened them and found a stream of moonlight glistening out.
I creased myself out of the body sized crack I conjured from opening the door and stepped into a lavish room that fit for a king.
I looked both ways and found the room to be dark. However I could see the outlines of the furniture and such.
I faced forward to find a spectacular balcony with it's golden curtains flying about. The moon looked incredibly huge from the angle of the balcony. It also faced the forbidden city where the heroes lived and it's trusted companions.
I walked towards the balcony with awe to only blinked several times and notice someone standing there.
He was looking my way, but at the same time he wasn't.
The prince.
I watched him carefully as horrified as I was to enter a royals room in this form. He didn't seem to notice me as a necklace in his hand started to glow.
I glanced towards the wandering soul as it screeched and zoomed towards the prince. My hand going up, "Watch out!" I screamed.
It was too late.
The soul was attacking him as it roared and charged.
The prince glanced at me rapidly and back at the soul as all of a sudden his necklace glowed. The soul stopping as if mesmerized and leaned in towards the necklace. The necklace unleashed horrifying screams out of nowhere which made me cringe.
I panicked with pain and placed both hands on my ears and squinted my eyes. The wandering soul shredding into pieces as the white light sucked it down.
Breathlessly watching with an eerie chill. Everything turned quiet as the light evaporated into thin air and suddenly the necklace was back to normal.
The prince took the necklace and played with it in his hands. He put the necklace into his pocket and as if nothing occurred walked lazily towards the balcony rails and leaned against it. His back facing me.
I got up with the help of my knees and took my hands off my ears. I was speechless with what just happened. This guy...
"You enter my room as if you've been here before servant," the prince chimed a dark tune. "Tell me..."
"I am sorry my prince," I bowed quickly. "I just-"
"You saw it didn't you?"
"Saw what my prince?" I curled my lips.
"The wandering soul," he sighed. "You followed it didn't you? Curious thing aren't you."
"Yes," I confessed truthfully.
"No matter," he muttered as if bored. "Just leave the way you entered."
Standing up straight I turned around to leave nevertheless stopped because of the nagging question itching my neck. I turned around to ask anyway.
"That necklace.." I whispered loud enough for him to perhaps hear.
"Is none of your concern," he turned around as well. The prince's expression not pleased and rightfully annoyed.
I looked down at the floor modestly remembering my position.
"You boldly stepped the line before servant. Do you think you have the right to question me anything, understood?"
I nodded helplessly. I was a servant in his eyes at the end of the day nothing more. Every word he preached was more than right as much as it lingered as frustration in my mind. I clenched my fists as I bowed for forgiveness.
Standing up straight I flinched to find him right in front of my face. Taking a step back he grabbed my wrist hard and sliced me apart with his intense cold grey eyes that mimicked his fathers, but in a much colder fashion.
"You collect wandering souls?" I hissed under my breath. "The shame."
"The shame i'm aware of," he smirked with some teeth showing. "The shame I do not care for."
"Those poor things...Do you know how evil that is?" I scrunched my eyes up in anger. Even though I was stretching it, at this point I really didn't care. This so called prince pissed me off with his conceited attitude and spoiled behaviour.
"Do you know the myth then?" He asked out of nowhere.
"Yes."
"Collect a thousand wandering souls and smell the aroma of death?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Who're you trying to kill?" I asked suddenly feeling my wrist go numb from his hold.
He smiled in that moment.
"Myself of course."