Warning: contains female Vincent
The grand hall was alive with the hum of music and laughter as Prince Rody, newly crowned king, reclined on his golden throne. His kingdom had celebrated his ascension for days now, but none of the revelry excited him quite like the indulgence of his personal desires. The first decree Rody made after claiming the throne was to take the most beautiful women from the village as his concubines. The notion of luxury and pleasure appealed to him greatly, a king should enjoy the best life had to offer.
The court was filled with whispers of jealousy and ambition, as every noble family sought to push their daughters into the royal harem, hoping to gain the favor of the new king. Though many of the women were lovely, none captured his attention quite like Vanessa.
Vanessa was not like the others. Dark-haired with deep, piercing eyes that held a mystery behind them, her beauty was quiet but undeniable. Her presence demanded attention without the need for loudness or vanity. When she was first brought before him, Rody had barely looked at the others. Vanessa's grace captivated him, the way she carried herself, so composed yet cold. She stood apart from the fluttering beauties who filled his chambers. Her aloofness only made her more desirable.
Within weeks, it was obvious that Vanessa was his favorite. He spent more time with her than any other woman in his harem, finding solace in her quiet confidence. While the others vied for his attention, throwing themselves at his feet, Vanessa merely stood by his side, waiting for him to come to her. And come to her he did.
As much as Rody indulged himself in his newfound power, Vanessa indulged in Rody. She had watched him closely since the moment she had been brought into his chambers, observing every nuance of his character—the way he carried himself, his moments of pride and hesitation. Slowly, she found herself falling for him. But this love, deep and consuming, quickly turned possessive.
Vanessa could not bear to share him with the others. Every time Rody was seen with another concubine, a fire burned within her. The laughter of other women at the king’s side, their secret glances as they passed her in the halls—it all became unbearable. Vanessa began to see the other concubines not as rivals, but as obstacles. They were nothing compared to her, yet they distracted Rody, taking his attention away from where it truly belonged: on her. Something had to be done.
The first to disappear was one of the younger concubines, a delicate girl named Elodie. Elodie had been a favorite for a short while, known for her sweet demeanor and enchanting voice. But one night, she was found floating in the palace's fountain, her lifeless body pale beneath the moonlight. A tragic accident, they said. Her feet had slipped on the wet stone, and she had fallen.
Vanessa, ever the quiet observer, had been the last to see her alive. She had watched Elodie’s eyes widen as Vanessa’s hands found her throat, the sound of rushing water drowning out her gurgled cries as her head was forced under the surface. When the girl’s body finally stopped struggling, Vanessa had walked away without so much as a glance back. No one suspected her.
With Elodie gone, Vanessa hoped Rody would turn to her completely, but he did not. Other women filled the void. Each day, another would catch his eye—a soft smile here, a gentle touch there. It was maddening. Vanessa’s jealousy grew, and with it, her cruelty.
The next was a concubine named Isolde, a striking beauty known for her wit and charm. Unlike Elodie, Isolde had been clever, ambitious even, and Vanessa had seen her as a more significant threat. Poison was Vanessa’s choice for Isolde. It was a slow, agonizing death, one that mimicked a wasting sickness. Isolde's health deteriorated over the course of weeks, her once radiant beauty fading as her body withered away. No one could explain her illness, and by the time she died, she had become a shell of the woman she once was.
