The Nutcracker King (Coming From Darkness #1)

Chapter 3 Part 2: Pirlipat

Princess Pirlipat was finally going home. But unlike what she imagined, she did not come home triumphant, in the arms of her true Prince. The crowds were not gathered to cheer her return.

Instead, she was being smuggled back in, the wound in her stomach so painful that she could barely move. After an interminable ride, she and the odious Nutcracker arrived at the castle.

"Your Highness," her four handmaidens were there to receive them. Pirlipat stared at them, trying to let them know it was time to save her.

"Did you bring the ointment?" the Nutcracker demanded. They nodded, and the smallest one handed him a small pink vial.

'Help...me," Pirlipat moaned. The handmaidens looked anxious, but it wasn't her they were staring at, they were looking at that false Prince, the Nutcracker.

Finally, one of them spoke. It was the eldest, who wasn't as pretty as Pirlipat — Clara.

"You gave up your chance when you rejected our brother." She said firmly. Like marshmallow sheep, the rest of them nodded and murmured in agreement. Yes, they were siblings, Pirlipat remembered them moaning about their brother. She soon stopped that, though.

"Now is the time for you to be a proper princess. You can feed the kingdom," the youngest girl added.

At the word 'feed', Pirlipat began to struggle. The pain in the stomach worsened, if that was possible, and she could feel the blood leaking out. But Pirlipat didn't care. She would rather die than enter that terrible place.

"Stop moving," the Nutcracker said as he dragged Pirlipat off the horse and heaved her into the waiting arms of his sisters. They quietly carried her, the oldest carrying the head, the youngest the legs, and the middle two her body.

"Let's go."

When she heard the command, Pirlipat struggled in a last ditch attempt to somehow escape.

"Ooof," the youngest princess cried out as Pirlipat's legs kicked her stomach. She let go of the legs. But before anything could happen, the Nutcracker walked over and slapped Pirlipat harshly on the cheek.

The nerve of him! Pirlipat gasped, but before she could find the energy to say something, he spoke.

"If you struggle, you will only hurt yourself," he said coldly, so unlike the first time she laid eyes on him. "And dear sister, make sure not to let go again."

The youngest sister nodded meekly, and picking up her legs again, they made their way to the Garden.

Despite her hopes, Pirlipat saw no rescuer, nor even a servant along the way. As they approached the doors, her highly sensitive nose smelt iron. It was a stench she hated, even when she was in hiding in the human world.

She struggled in a last ditch attempt as the smell got stronger, but this time, the grip of her ex-handmaidens was firm. Pirlipat finally relented, and her body slackened, letting herself be carried inside.

As they entered, Pirlipat kept her eyes firmly on the sky and tried to ignore the stench. But she couldn't ignore the Mouse King as it loomed over her. The princesses unceremoniously dropped her on the ground, and proceeded to stare at the pool of blood, whose awful stench invaded her nose.

"What is it?" the Nutcracker asked, sounding impatient.

"We don't want to get our dresses dirty. What if a servant sees us? How might we explain?"

Pirlipat heard the Nutcracker sigh, then the sounds of someone entering liquid. A moment later, there was a splash, and a few drops of blood fell on her face. Pirlipat wanted to wipe it off, but she was too tired to do so. A handkerchief landed on her face, and she breathed in the flowery scent as someone wiped the blood off.