Forsaken Origins

Chapter 22: Princess's Past (2)

Every flaps the beast made adds more and more uncertainty in Minju. As she gets closer to the palace with the wind blowing against her, fright was what devoured her most.

She already passed beyond the gates and pulled no hesitation breaking through one of the windows that made her enter. She never minded the scratches on her skin made by the broken glass. And as soon as she did, smokes enters her nose, and with the lack of oxygen she coughed awfully. The summoned beast already did his purpose to accompany the princess, and so it vanished.

"M-mother! Father!" She called, and coughed again. She tried covering her mouth and nose to avoid inhaling dangerous smokes. She continued calling and screaming for her parents name. Even her brother.

Falling debris from the ceiling, blazing flames, she avoided them all and continued running. The temperature was almost burning her skin, but she didn't mind. It hurts but she didn't care.

By the burned down hallway, she saw some handmaidens stuck on some corner. She never think twice and helped them escape by removing the blazing wood that trapped them. "Get out from here, quick!"

"B-But your highne—"

"Follow my command! Save yourselves!"

The maidens couldn't complain more. Putting the royals' safety is always their first priority, but due to panic, not being able to think straight they followed the princess's words.

Minju encountered some injured citizens and butlers too, so Minju prioritized saving them than herself. Guiding people through the exit and aided the injured.

Until finally she reached her parents chambers. She held the door handle, only to flick away her hands while hissing as she felt it was too hot. Her palm was already burnt. She couldn't hold them to open, so she used force. Minju kicked down the doors with all her might. And thankfully the fire already burned down part of it that she was able to kick it open.

But what greeted her pierced a thorn in her heart.

"Mother!!" She ran towards the lifeless body of her mother. The Queen was unconscious on the ground just beside the King.

Tears build up in her eyes as she held both of them in her eyes. "P-please be alive," she begged while trying to wake them up.

She even leaned her ears to each their chest... only to shutter more of her heart. There's no more heartbeat.

"They're gone," Minju heard a voice, and she knew it was her brother's. But she didn't even bother turn back to look at him, she was too devastated that she lost her parents. She just cried hugging their lifeless bodies.

"You came too late." Hwan came and bended down to face the younger. "They're dead. And it's all your fault."

"W-why? Why did this have to happen?" Broken whimpers escaped her mouth with her tears racing down to her cheek.

The two of them didn't even mind the fire that's slowly crawling upon them. It's too painful to even move and save themselves, they'd rather be eaten by the flames than escape without their parents.

Oh well... they already lost them.

Hwan hung his head low, "It's your fault."

"I'm asking you why did this happen?!"

"Because you turned back on your duty. Your refusal to the marriage caused all this."

"What does my marriage have to do with their death??" She cried more, calling their names again and again in hopes they might wake up.