Living in a Fairytale (Completed)

chapter 25

Something was wrong.

My hair is braided, the soft locks of white hair tangled up in a knot. The fiery colour of red has washed away, only the soft hue of snow remained. The long ride was easy, even with the weight of our steel, the horses ran swift and fast. El Suelo didn't anticipate our arrival so it made all the difference. The fight was won, that I knew as the city came into view.

The city fell right away, with a string of smoke swirling up in the air, an evidence of fire. I called out an order to put out the flames before any more damage is to be obtained, and another order to confiscate all weapons in the city. A huge wagon is being pulled by five soldiers, their faces concealed by their helms. Inside my head, I could still hear the frightened screams of the people as they tried to fight back our strength.

As we marched towards the castle, I realized there was something amiss. I looked around and saw strangers staring back at me with their mortal eyes, fear and anger reflected on their gaze. I asked for Vahar and he came sprinting, his armor dented and smeared with blood. I frowned.

"What happened?"

He looked away and pulled off his helm. The split second gap was dreadful, and then he spoke. "Mi princesa, Commander Lyna have ordered a total execution-"

Everything around me stilled, the brick houses, the marble estates, the stalls and stores, everything. I realized that I was not only imagining the screams, it was really happening. That I was actually hearing the shrill and frightened screams of humans; old, young, men, women, and child. I turned around and saw how small my force have dwindled by. I cursed. The queen made sure that I would never stray off her plan.

"When did it start?" I asked Vahar, biting the insides of my cheek to stop myself from cursing.

"The moment that you started marching towards the castle, mi princesa."

How big of a fool am I? I should've anticipated this. Before they came into my command, these soldiers were the queen's creatures.

Somewhere to our right, explosions took place, sending the mortals in a frenzy race. Vahar was immediately beside me, using his cloak to shield my body from the flying debris that the explosions have made. From what I've seen, I only have fifty soldiers left in this unexpected turn of events. The rest have gone over to their bitch of a commander. I should've killed that one first.

"Save what you can. If it comes to the point wherein you are face to face with your former ally, make sure that you kill him or her in the fastest way possible. I want no mercy to those who have turned their cloaks." I shouted and ordered them to form ranks.

I turned to face Vahar once more. "Is your sword mine to command?" I asked him, my eyes wild in desperation.

Relief washed over me when he nodded, unsheathing his sword to lay it upon me. "Then let us end this. Remember who stands with us, abandon no man. It will not be long before the humans realize that we are fighting amongst ourselves, stop them from destroying this city and retreat all at once." He nodded and bowed before me. I turned but halted when something came up my mind. I faced Vahar once more and said,

"When the battle is over, bring me Commander Lyna"

Everywhere I look, there was fire and death. There was sorrow and grief, dancing on the very cobblestone paths and brick houses. The wooden stalls have been caught in flames, screams and smoke engulfing the entire city.

Soldiers came marching from the castle walls, their faces grim and pained as they witness the butchery that unraveled before their eyes. I cursed and threw a knife at the witch that grabbed a squirming child. The child fell, sobbing. The witch looked at me, and upon realizing who I am, he stepped back a few paces but was not fast enough to do so. By that time, I already had another knife at hand, so it went sailing towards his face. It hit him in a sickening crunch, settling itself in between his eyes.

The child gave out a shrill scream, catching the attention of a human soldier near us. The soldier positioned to throw his spear towards me and in a split second, an arrow sailed past him in a swift move, digging itself onto his neck. Blood spurted out from his mouth and he fell like a bag of turnips. I looked around to find the archer that launched the arrow and saw the masked woman wrapped in the cloak of concealment, her bright red hair swaying like unruly flames. Freya.

I was about to go after her when three soldiers blocked my way, snarling. I sighed and realized that I had no choice. In a swift movement, I threw a knife to each and everyone of them. They had the best reflexes, so they immediately blocked the knife away but by the time they did it, I have put a good distance between us.

Mortals were screaming in pain and anguish. Everything looked so familiar and felt strangely still. The scene reminded me of what had happened when the mist failed to protect my kingdom. When humans came in and killed my people, my family. And I am right here, saving mortals from the kind that saved me once, from the witches that took me in just because I couldn't bear the weight of guilt.

I looked down on my hands, smeared with dirt and blood. I clenched my fist and cursed. The quiver felt heavy on my back, making its presence known. But I promised myself that I would never use it. It was the rose's color, not mine.

A mortal came running up to me with an axe raised, shouting his curses in the Rich Tongue. I used my ability to stop the blood from flowing out from my wound when the mortal managed to graze my shoulder. I feinted to the left and he followed with most enthusiasm, I cursed and drove my leg to his stomach, a grunt escaping his lips. He wildly slashed the axe and I only had to put my hand on the hilt, stopping him. His eyes widened in shock and I pulled the axe free from his grasp, hitting his head with its dull side making him fall almost immediately.

I dropped the axe and looked around. Chaos broke out everywhere. Witches and humans clashed, their steel kissing with steel, magic against the human's hopeless effort to escape its wrath, and arrows sailing up in the sky only to impale bodies in its fall, enemy or ally, it made no matter.

I searched for the slightest glimpse of the cloak of concealment only to find his gray dark eyes staring at me. I would have stared back, if not for a human soldier that came rushing towards my side, gripping a spear with both of his hands. I threw a dirk expertly in between his eyes. Death came late for this one, he staggered forward, slowly losing the strength in his body. I sighed and decided to end his misery. With one sift move, I pulled out a jeweled knife and slit his throat, feeling the smooth cut of the steel against the flesh. Blood came spurting out, drenching me with its thick warmth.

I looked back at where he stood, and there he was. Staring, as if a stranger stood before him. I didn't know what to say. That this was not what I wanted? That this was not I had in plan? That this was not what I intended? He would spurn me as a lair. Alam niya kung gaano ko ka gusto ito. Na gustong gusto ko itong mangyari. Noon. How can I convince him that?

Before I could speak, Vahar came running towards me, his breathing ragged as he whispered, "The Adair troops have arrived. I have captivity of Commander Lyna. We need to go now."

We wasted no time. I raised my palms, a faint white light emerging from it. This time, I summoned two creatures. One for me, and one for Vahar. He's deeply wounded and I doubt if he can summon in his state. As I rode my steed in a fierce ride, I never looked back. I didn't need to. The way he looked at me burned from the back of my mind, and it was enough for me to tremble in pain. I never wanted this, Kai.