Two Of The Same Piece || Book 1 (The Beginning)

CHAPTER 39

Rave could barely open her eyes as the cell opened. They had thrown her in here after the mass execution of her entourage. She blinked as the harsh light from the hallway poured in. She raised her shackled hand to cover her eyes.

"Hello, Rave." Josephine sat before her. "Are you well? Only the best for the prettiest woman in the world." Rave didn't reply, she was just so tired. Josephine clearly didn't want a reply though. "I need something from you, Rave."

Rave tried her hardest to move back, as far away from Josephine. Pushing herself back against the wall. "Josephine, no. Think about what you're doing, you'll doom yourself and your kingdom!"

Her guards pushed Rave forward. "Will I? I don't think so." She snapped her fingers. "Do it."

Rave struggled as they pulled her left hand out in front of her. "You see, you aren't as important as you think you are. Your whore of a brother hasn't even declared war yet. And your fiance? I highly doubt he cares. Whores aren't irreplaceable, you know?"

"Josephine, please!"

"Such a pretty hand, and that ring. At least Aurilean has some taste. It's all wasted on you though." Josephine shook her head. "What a waste indeed."

Rave tried to pull her hand back as the guards held her ring finger out. But it didn't matter anyway.

--

Josephine smile down at Leo. He was just as glorious up close. How hard they bought fought. Leo and Rave had taken down ten of her highly trained guards before they were overwhelmed. One of her guards had slashed Rave's leg. How sweet her scream was.

Even gagged, Leo struggled against the guards holding him up. Josephine had to admire his strength. Leo could take quite the beating, all without complaint.  "Are you enjoying this, Leo?" She asked, yanking his hair. He groaned painfully. She was drunk of the swift power rush she got when she pressed a kiss on Leo's lips. He quickly managed to push her off though. 

"Don't struggle, Leo. There is no point." Josephine held his face in her hands. He looked beautiful to her, with his messy hair and red face. "Would you like to stay with me forever, Leo?"

He looked at her with such hatred, it made her furious. "What? Would you rather follow that whore around? Maybe I should just kill her then. Yes, kill Rave and make you mine."

--

The absolute cold of her cell was horrid. Her left hand still throbbed in pain. She had already lost so much blood, she didn't think she would survive long. Rave shivered against the cold stones. If she didn't die of blood loss, maybe she would make it until the morning.

She couldn't move her left leg either, not without sending red hot pain through her entire body. She lightly ran her good hand over the cut. She hissed at the pain, but the wound had closed. She bit her lip in pain, but she made sure to run her hand over the whole cut. At least one of her injuries had healed a little bit.

Rave lightly tracked traced a finger over her left ring finger. She groaned quietly as she touched the rough edges of skin and tissue. She still couldn't believe it was gone. She promised herself, again and again, that she would not cry. She would not continue to give Josephine that pleasure. She would have to survive. For both herself and Leo.

At the thought of Leo, her heart broke. Josephine was an evil woman. Rave hated Josephine, so much, she wanted to kill Josephine. She would kill Josephine someday. She knew Josephine was torturing Leo herself. She bragged about it to Rave.

Josephine had come down to her cell, telling her that maybe she should drag Rave up there and make her watch. Rave didn't want to even imagine it, watching Josephine violate Leo like that. Josephine would pay, Rave knew that her anger would save her, long enough for revenge. Rave would make sure that Josephine paid.

--

Aurilean stared at the sealed letter in his hand. There was a bloody patch on it. It had come from Duativen, with a note for Mow explaining it was from Josephine, for him. Aurilean had begged his father to ready the army and to go in with the Duativens and Bellans. Josephine had imprisoned Rave and Leo. When he had first heard the news, he had dumbly stared at the messenger. He would save them.

Breaking the blue wax seal open, he pulled out the contents and jumped back in horror. The bloody patch was from a finger. His eyes teared up as he noticed the ring on the finger. The sapphire and gold wedding ring belonged to Rave, he had given it to her when they were engaged. The slender long finger was broken and bloody.

Aurilean gagged. He couldn't touch the letter, tears silently running down his face. He called for Ragnor. When Ragnor saw the letter, his face turned ashen. "Read it." Aurilean would not touch that letter.

"Dear crown prince, you and Rave showed the world your love for one another again and again and again. Yet, you have yet to actually marry her. As a benevolent person, and a fellow purebred royal, I have done you both a favor. As of your reading this lovely letter, I have ended your engagement. You're welcome. Kind regards, Josephine, Queen of Thinlin."

Ragnor threw the letter as if it were poisoned.

"Call all the twelve lords of the islands, even Archad. Gather the forces. This is a declaration of war."