SKERPLA DAY OF THOR
I still remembered the chatter from the party directly above this hell. The loud music could be even heard from here. Unlike other formal gatherings, birthday celebrations were customarily held in the Throne Room.
The sound had heretofore faded and the days passed by since I was dragged to the oubliette.
It had been a long time since I had spent consecutive nights here. After Mother's funeral, for some reason, Father unfailingly let me return to my chambers and never requested my presence when the moon was high up in the sky.
A voice croaked beside me, giving his last breath, which disrupted my thoughts. It was another death on my list.
The tangy flavor of blood remained in my mouth and the guilt was choking my throat. Father did not miss a single day to beat the living daylights out of me after he discovered me in the garden. He was exceptionally brutal that I fainted from the excruciating pain several times. Even my healing abilities could not keep up.
All the people here had suffered along with me. Father was not satisfied with just physical pain, he loved to torture my mental capacity as well.
That was why I was really grateful for Night and Cindra because if not for them, I would undoubtedly go insane. Not from the cursed blood that Mhilrim had told about but because of my own father's abominable acts.
Or is it better if I am crazy instead so that I would never suffer from this? It was a stupid question to myself, thinking about the utterly unchangeable past. Nevertheless, living in a delusion of a happy life was better than facing the cruel reality I had.
I tried composing myself as the negativity twisted all over my mind but it was never a success when I was in this place. There was no single crack for a happy thought to slip into this hellhole.
My eyes drooped but soon became fully alert when easy foot stamps came from the stairs. The silhouette of Gerard inched closer.
"Your highness, it has been three days since you last ate," he stated.
I squinted at the untouched meals in front of me. Even if they sent me my meals, I wouldn't dare eat in this place. I may be deprived but there were still some things I could not stomach doing.
After being ignored, Gerard left again.
Time ticked again and Gerard reappeared in front of me. He was holding a key and then unlocked the chains on my limbs.
"His majesty told me to let you return your chamber, Princess," he answered the underlying question in my eyes.
I was too parched that I could not even utter a word. I helped myself up and did not waste a single second leaving the place.
***
The maidservants aided me from bathing to dressing and tending my wounds. Per usual, they exited after they were done with their task.
My body ached and the injuries overlapping each other still stung. I gasped from the pain and decided to go outside for a lungful of fresh air.
I stepped towards the balcony and gray fumes traveled upward the sky. The smoke was coming from the center of the palace garden.
No wonder Father set me free. Tomorrow was Mother's death anniversary. They were having the Soul Ceremony at the moment where the previous flowers accumulated from her grave were burned as offerings.
I leaned closer and merely watched the dense linear gas that showed no signs of dissipating. I was never allowed to visit Mother's grave and the only time I did so was during the Soul Ceremony since Father personally guarded the burning flowers turning to ashes. That meant it was the only day I could go see my mother.
Despite my aching body, I still snuck inside the family's mausoleum.
Color drained from my face upon seeing the man with luminous blonde hair. I stepped back from horror but when the man turned, I released the breath I was holding. To my relief, it was only Yves.
He was holding lavenders while I had yellow roses. It interminably made me puzzled. I knew that there was an abundance of lavenders in the secret garden but Mother herself told me her favorite was the yellow roses that surrounded the pavilion.
I laid the flowers and lit a candle in front of the concrete slab with Mother's name engraved on it. The burning flame of the wick brightened the room as I was blankly staring at it.
No words passed between me and Yves as images of Mother raced in my mind. We had a lot of fond memories but it could not erase the day she sacrificed herself.
I stayed a couple more minutes and endured the awkward silence with my brother. After the candle had melted half of its original size, I left without saying anything.
***
I was going back but stopped right in my tracks when I crossed by Lian who was standing right in the entrance of the secret garden.
As if feeling my presence, she spun towards me. Her green eyes were a shade darker with the deep emotions within and spoke, "I hate you."
I actually thought she was different from usual with her austere expression but it appeared I was just assuming.
"No. It's wrong. I despised you especially after Father told us you were the reason Mother died."
I decided to ignore her but she blocked me. Her gaze fixed on me and continued.
"Mother died because of you but to my surprise, Father doted on you more. I became curious. One time I came across you. The West Wing was regularly heavily guarded but I had stumbled on the passage. I saw you there... there at the... at the..."
A place came to mind that could explain the terrified look on her face.
"The Oubliette," I dragged the words she could not finish.
"Father was strict on us after Mother died. We were allowed to go out but you are stuck here. I thought that was your punishment but it contradicted how he acted towards you. That made me jealous too. I thought you made Mother die yet why was Father treating you preciously?"
I couldn't comprehend why she was telling me this but I remained placid and listened to her unprecedented confessions.
"I was far but I heard all the cries and sound of the whips. I heard you beg but I could not do anything. That day still haunted me. I told our brother about what was happening. I hated you but I am not that vindictive. You are still our youngest sister. But then, Yves warned me not to get involved."
"He knew?"
But he said he doesn't believe me? I thought as I recalled the time I told him the truth which he had ignored. It was also the day he began acting cold towards me.
"Yes. He is aware of the danger. Father is doing something none of us had the power to oppose. He told me to just help Erodessa and don't let Father be suspicious I knew something."
I had many things to ask but there was one thing I badly needed to know first and foremost.
"Why are you telling me all of this now?"
She looked away, her eyes distant and it was the most humane emotion I had seen from her ever since Mother's death.
"Erodessa visited today and she revealed to me that she knew about your circumstance some time ago. I just... I just can't comprehend it. She was the last one to know and I expected her to sympathize even just a little but she relished the thought like she was...
"...Deranged," I completed for her again.
"Erodessa was completely wrapped up in Father's fingers after she knew the truth about your relationship. She had been jealous of Yves since he had Father and she hated me too before you were born since Mother was with me. However, she hated you without context but it got worse after Mother died."
I did not get why Erodessa hated me ever since either. Even before, we never really did get along.
"Among us, she was the one who loved Mother the most and she was the one greatly affected by her death. The day Mother died she talked to me to take care of Erodessa. Who knew it was her farewell? Mother said nightmares plagued our sister and she needed someone beside her."
This was the first time I heard that. Erodessa didn't look like someone who was suffering from nightmares.
"That was why I was forever beside her but I could not do anything. Every day she deteriorates. She became cruel and cruel. At first, it was only objects, then animals and now she's planning to kill people. She almost murdered her maidservant today. Just why is this happening to our family?"
I waited again for her to continue speaking but she swiveled her feet and turned her back on me. She staggered and I just perceived she was drunk after seeing the empty bottle dropped in the grass where she was standing a while ago.
I picked up the bottle and saw the label of a famous winery. It was a special wine that was specially made to have no scent and was crystal clear like water.
I set the bottle aside and walked back to my chamber. Halfway through the distance, I changed my mind and entered the garden.
To my bewilderment, Night was there.
He had a similar dismal expression as Lian as he stared into space. He was seated at the pavilion and was looking in my direction but there was no recognition on his face.
I looked back to see what he was gazing on. There was nothing except the creeping vines and the fumes that were even visible from our location.
He only noticed me when I was right in front of him, my body covering his view.
"Ace. Why have you come here? It's already deep the night. You better return."
"It's fine. I still have some time to spare. I badly need some peace and quiet. How about you?"
"Same as you," he replied and we sunk into silence.
Thoughts ran in my head. Yves and Lian knew my situation and we were all stuck in this charade made by Father. I realized it was not just me walking into thin ice. The three of us were all aware that we should not slip and mess things up.
And then, there was Erodessa. Lian kept indicating she was acting crazy but I remembered Mhilrim told us we would never be insane because of Mother. It might be just her personality but there was one thing bothering me. They never told me what the curse of our blood was specifically about.
"Night..."
"Yes?"
"Just what is the curse of the god's blood?"
It took a full minute before he responded. "The Ezriel family are afflicted with endless nightmares. It was the kind of dream that makes them suffer death every night with only one outcome - insanity. "
Suddenly, all that Lian said flashed in my mind.
"Night, you told me that it was due to Mother that we did not suffer the curse of our blood but Lian told me that Erodessa was suffering from the nightmares and she was acting like Father."
"Night?" I prodded when no answer came.
"It was because Queen Janessa was pregnant with her when she became a Cattivo." His voice was undertone, almost a whisper when he stated the words.
"What?"
"When a human converts to a Cattivo, all darkness seeps into their body. Erodessa was affected due to that."
"I thought Cattivo are the bad ones."
Mother was the kindest and gentlest person I knew so there was no way she would be on the side of evil men.
"Cattivos are not essentially bad," he paused, swallowing a huge gulp of breath before focusing his gaze on me. "In life, there are just situations they need to sacrifice and bow to darkness more so for a weak person."
"But my mother is in no way weak. She was brave."
"I know..." he uttered the words as a faint smile rose from his lips.
We were, then, wrapped in the hushed soundless night as we drowned ourselves with our own thoughts once again.
***