Tu es à Moi

Confront

I'm running out of patience. It's been days, weeks even, and Princess Ember II still hasn't given me the time of day. I can feel the frustration gnawing at me, like I'm wasting time in her shadow. Meanwhile, he—Greg—is out there somewhere, lurking, ready to mess with me again. I can feel it in my bones that he'll show up any time now and throw everything into chaos.

I walk through the mansion, looking for the monster, but it's as if she's vanished. Irritated, I storm up to her office and find her secretary standing outside.

"Where's the monster?" I ask sharply.

The secretary shifts nervously, keeping her eyes glued to the floor. She's clearly intimidated, and honestly, it gives me a small sense of satisfaction.

"Uhm, young master, she's not here. She told me that if you were looking for her, she's handling a business deal with Queen Alexandra."

Her voice trembles slightly. She looks so small, so fragile. For a second, I revel in the fact that I can make someone feel that way. I smile—just a little.

"Nice one!" a voice suddenly echoes in my head.

I freeze. Who the hell is that?

"Hey, who are you?" I ask, mentally scanning for the source of the voice.

"Well, nice meeting you. You and I are one."

Wh—what?! Is that... my conscience? I thought I didn't have one. I've never had one. At least, I've never heard it speak to me before.

"Get used to me," the voice responds, "because I'm going to be with you from now on."

Whatever, I shut her down quickly, annoyed at the sudden intrusion in my thoughts.

I shake off the weirdness and glance back at the secretary, who is still standing there like she's afraid to move.

"Well, thanks for being truthful," I say, then vanish from her sight, just like that. I catch a glimpse of her as I disappear—her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open in shock. I can't help but smirk. Another one left speechless.

The next thing I know, I'm standing in front of a huge, dark mansion. It's terrifying—massive, looming, and cold. The entire place feels like it was designed to keep people out, to intimidate them. Black, silver, and gold dominate everything, from the massive gates to the eerie windows staring down at me like hollow eyes. It's almost regal in its darkness, like a castle built for royalty—but the kind of royalty that thrives on fear.

"So, what brings you here?" A voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I spin around to see Ember, the monster, standing there.

Before I can answer, another voice joins in—calm, elegant, but undeniably dangerous. "Yes, who are you?"

I turn to see a woman standing beside Ember. Her presence alone sends a shiver down my spine. She has to be queen—Queen Alexandra. Her clothes scream royalty, her posture is perfect, and the aura around her? It's suffocating. Power rolls off her in waves, and I can feel my heart race as she steps closer.

I pull myself together, forcing a composed expression as I curtsy, though my knees feel like jelly.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," I begin, trying to keep my voice steady. "I am—"

Before I can even finish, she cuts me off, her voice smooth yet dripping with authority. "You are Gregoria Amelia Damienes Morgan Furokawa, am I right?"

I nod, my breath catching in my throat as she steps closer, her hand reaching out to caress my hair. Her fingers trail down to my cheek, but then her grip tightens, her nails digging into my skin painfully. I can feel the sharpness of her claws breaking the surface, warm blood beginning to drip.

Fuck this woman; she's even more of a monster than Ember! I curse silently, my thoughts slipping out louder than I intended.

"What did you say?" There's a hint of menace in her voice now, and I can tell I've made a massive mistake. Her grip on my jaw tightens further, and the pain intensifies. I can feel the blood running down my neck, staining the floor beneath me.

Shit. I'm in deep trouble. My mind races, desperately trying to think of a way out. I can't handle this woman, and even though I hate to admit it, I'm afraid. This is bad. Really bad.

I force myself to speak, even though my jaw is throbbing. "May you please... loosen your hold, Your Majesty?" My voice shakes, and I hate how weak I sound. The blood continues to drip, and I feel a tear betray me, slipping down my cheek. I swear to myself that this will be the last time I ever cry in front of them. I will never let them see my fear again.

Just when I think she's going to snap my jaw clean off, she releases me without warning. Both she and Ember turn and leave, disappearing into the mansion without a second glance. I'm left standing there, alone and bleeding, my heart pounding in my chest.

I wipe away the tears angrily. I swear, they'll both pay for this. This is far from over.