Crown of Blood (English) (Complete)

I came, I carved, I left

Shivers run down the spine of the girl who lies on the floor in the corner. She has her cuffed hands pressed against her body, and her eyes clamped shut. A thick iron chain runs from her ankle to the wall. She moves feverishly across the dirty floor. Dust swirls in the little light coming from the dungeon beside her. Four children stand as far as their chains will allow next to the bars, in their own dungeon. A small boy with cute curls tugs on the sleeve of the oldest child. It is a girl, with long white curls. Pale light floats around the children. 'Is she going to be okay?' The boy's voice rings loudly in the silent dungeons.

The girl shrugs her shoulders and casts a quick glance to the right side of their dungeon. Behind the bucket with flies flying around it, an elongated object is hidden. 'I don't know, we have to wait until she wakes up.' The children scatter through the dungeon, sitting down on the floor. 'Is that going to take long?' The little boy settled down facing the strange girl. 'Don't know Arlo. She's asleep.' The oldest girl moved to sit against the wall, keeping a sharp eye on her new sword.

No one in the dungeons has realized what is going on above their heads. Although the world in front of them is silent and cold, upstairs is a pleasant bustle. Everyone is in a good mood. A guard walks quickly up the stairs. There he hurries through the corridors, knocking on a massive door. After a few seconds, he walks into the room and slams the door shut behind him with a bang. The hallway remains empty for a few minutes, but then he walks out the door again. A few feet away from him, another person comes out of the room. A young prince, with pitch-black hair and a golden crown on his head.  

Meanwhile, little has changed in the dungeons. The children are scattered through the last dungeon. Arlo is still staring at the unconscious girl lying in the dungeon next to them. Her lips have turned blue, and the headscarf has shifted. Small tufts of hair stick out from under it. Her eyes move restlessly under her eyelids, but she does not wake up. 'She has black hair,' the little boy whispers, turning toward the group of children. Thalassa gets up, and stands next to him. Her eyes are glancing over the huddled girl. Arlo is right, the tufts of hair prove it. 'Maybe it's her, then. Maybe she is the one who will fulfill the prophecy.' Arlo's eyes enlarge.

'Do you really think so?' Thalassa shrugs her shoulders. 'Who knows. It could be.' The little boy tries to move even closer to the bars separating the two dungeons. 'I want to go to mommy, can she take me to mommy?' His big blue eyes look questioningly at Thalassa. She smiles briefly, stroking Arlo's head. 'I hope so. I want to go back home, too.' The little boy nods slowly, putting his hands in his pockets. A head wound adorns his face and causes the silvery stuff stuck in his hair. 'But she's trapped because we didn't trust her.'

Thalassa bends down and looks Arlo in his eyes. 'She'll be fine, don't worry. If she's who we think she is, she'll be fine. Really.' The little boy seems reassured, and leans against the girl. She smiles briefly. 'Get some more sleep. I'll keep watch.' He yawns, shaking his head. 'I'm not tired.' The girl frowns. 'I am, will you sleep for me? Then we'll both rest.' Now the boy nods, and detaches himself from Thalassa. He crawls against the other boy, closing his eyes. A smile curls around Thalassa's lips. Her mother always used this trick on her, and now she can use it.

Her attention is caught by a door swinging open in the distance. Several footsteps echo through the room. Thalassa runs toward the corner of the dungeon, grabbing the sword hidden there. The guards won't hurt them anymore, she will make sure of that. She stands in front of the sleeping children, clutching the sword in her hands. It is a heavy thing, and it is too big. She can sword fight, but this is something completely different from the Kal Ecet she learned to fight with. These are bulky human weapons, not suitable for Star Hands. Still, this is the best option so far.  

Footsteps approach the dungeons. Thalassa counts two pairs of footsteps. Just before the strange girl's dungeon they stop. Warm flickering light surrounds the dungeon. The guard walks into Dyses' dungeon, checking the chain and handcuffs to which she is chained. 'Is it her?' The owner of the voice walks into Dyses' dungeon. The guard nods. 'I fought her, but she doesn't have a scratch. And look.' He pulls off the sleeping girl's headscarf. Her long black hair falls to the floor, framing her head. Cassian looks at the girl searchingly.

'Take your knife, and scratch her arm.' The guard looks at him startled. 'Are you sure, Highness?' Cassian looks at the man piercingly. 'If you're so sure this is her, it won't do anything to her. She should be immortal then.' The man swallows, and takes from his belt a long knife. He grabs Dyses' arm, twisting it so that her forearm faces him. The handcuffs rattle, and the man puts the tip of the knife against her skin. Cassian watches the arm closely. The man quickly pushes the knife down, making a deep cut. Then he sets the knife away, and looks at the arm in expectation. Nothing happens; the girl doesn't even seem to feel it. Cassian shakes his head grinning, and grabs a knife himself. 'Looks like we've got her.'

Goosebumps draw over Thalassa's body as she watches the strange sight. Cassian puts his knife against her forearm. Then he turns to the guard. 'What shall I make? A star, a circle, or something completely different?' The guard frowns, looking difficult. 'Isn't a simple cut enough, highness? Surely mutilation is not the ultimate goal?' A smile shimmers across the prince's lips. 'She must remember every time she looks at the scar that I will kill her. Like a promise, but just different.' With those words, he carves into her arm. Dark blood trickles down her skin, landing on the ground. Her face twitches, but still she doesn't wake up.

Cassian stands up, looking at Dyses with a sickly smile. 'It's really her. I have the Crown Princess of Aloriaz in my dungeons. I expected her to be smarter, to never have accepted the Stars' request. Killing her is almost too easy.' Then he turns around. 'How long before she wakes up?' The guard and Cassian walk out of the dungeon. 'About an hour from now.' The source of light is taken away until darkness prevails again. The steps move away from the dungeons, until the door closes. The sword falls clattering from Thalassa's stiffened hands. The sound echoes through the silent dungeons. 'What have we done,' the girl whispers with face gone white.