Stolen Heart (yandere! King x reader)

11. All for One

This was it, the grand hall. Your foot tapped anxiously against the floor. Before sundown, the marbled gold and white tiles would barely be visible beneath the expensive Tributes. Tribute day only happened twice a year, and there were countless lives on the line.

You couldn't mess this up.

You were so patient this week, waiting and mapping the route and waiting. You were ready. You had to be.

Caspian retreated into his quarters most of the time, bent on killing his sworn enemy before the event. He sent you lavish gifts. You, on the other hand, had complete freedom to plan. The guards and the servants permitted you access to every inch of the castle, a very convenient advantage. You also had every opportunity to leave the palace when the king was distracted, but you had nowhere to go. Your friends weren't willing to do what you had to do.

As Tribute day neared, your determination and your fear grew.

Of course, Caspian wanted you to stay and see the lavish tributes, but you had other plans. As soon as you turned to leave his side, a large cart of exotic spices burst through the large doors, a Tribute from the Mirorari Family. The exotic spices were so heavy that they were transported in a few fine carts, as were most other Tributes.

Your new black cape and mask made it convenient to watch from the shadows. There was an overhanging ledge, where you could look down at the Tributes entering and leaving the castle. A different hidden alcove might have concealed your silhouette more, but that didn't matter. Everyone was staring at the splendor of the tributes, the most wealth to have ever accumulated in one place.

Even the smallest details of the carts were decorated lavishly. Some were pulled by the finest horses, a team of workers, or exotic animals. None of the noble families wanted to be the unlucky crowd who produced an unsatisfactory Tribute. The Tributes of only a few years ago were nothing compared to the lavish displays before you. However, the nobility never had to sacrifice their lavish lifestyles. They instead take advantage of the commoners and starve them to pay the king. These tributes are the accumulation of all the stolen wealth. Your nails dug into your palms as you clenched your fist. There was no time to spare. The difference between a victory and a painful execution could be a second.

You hardly felt the impact as you jumped down and onto one of the drivers. Once you were sure that the driver wouldn't wake up anytime soon, you inspected the Tribute. Precious silks. However, the revolution needed a backup plan if other countries were reluctant to trade.

Another cart left the large entrance, drawing closer to you. You made swift work of the driver and inspected the goods within. Precious metals. Normally these materials would be made into weapons and armor for the King's guard, but you had a much better use for it. You left the two unconscious bodies within the empty cart, following the blind spots of the guard posts.

Finally, you waited until another carriage left the Tribute hall and came into your sight. This one had preserved food. There wasn't much, just enough to get the rebellion through the winter. You wanted to steal all of the tributes, to return to the people everything that was taken from them. But now, you had to be satisfied with the necessities of the rebellion.

The third driver's body joined the others in the empty cart, and with all three Tributes tightly bound within the one covered cart, you started to leave. Your steps were slow and deliberate, and adrenaline coursing through your veins. The tributes were heavy but you could handle it. You utilized the few blind spots there were. All you had to do was try to leave, unnoticed, before one of the guards glanced over and noticed that one of the Tributes was being taken by a driver in a mask and cloak.

As if on cue, a cry rang out from above. Your head swiveled towards the source of the sound and you met the glare of one of the alerted guards. They knew.