The Royal Engagement

Chapter 22

A/N: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS BLOOD, HOMICIDE AND THEMES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT! Yeah...this chapter's probably the most intense I've written so far...enjoy!

They weaved through the garden hedges in silence, only the march of the soldiers drowned away those continuous cries in the castle. Amy scrunched her face in concern as she listened to them. What was happening to them? Were they hurting them? Killing them?

She wanted peer up at Hakan's face for answers, however, she found herself lacking the courage to do so. One glance at his face brought back all the horrible things he had done to her. All the things that he was capable of doing. How could such a man exist in this world? And, why did she have to be personally involved with him?!

Her eyes softened as she looked to the side. As much as she despised what he truly was and all the terrible things he had done before he disappeared from her life...she couldn't ever bring herself to say that she regretted ever meeting him...

Those times when they were together, when they played together and laughed together...they were the greatest moments of her childhood. He showed her freedom and excitement...and she was thankful...

If she had never met him, her life and character might have been so much more different to now.

Her gaze wondered to where he gripped her wrist, her recovering shoulder still aching with the movement...but.. He used to lead her around the Laphitian Kingdom's capital like that...

Only there was so much more happiness then...and now he had destroyed her home. That place that sheltered him when he was lost. That place where he had met her.... how cruel.

She only hoped that her sister and Galvin were out of harm. She would lose all hope for existing if she had lost them...

Perhaps they escaped. Amy knew that Aios would be too stubborn to leave her duty and post as Queen during an invasion, but, perhaps Galvin had spoke sense to her and they had escaped together.

She silently stared at Hakan whenever he wasn't smirking down at her with accomplishment. The longer she kept her eyes on him, the more she hoped, the more she tried to convince herself that he would spare her sister and Galvin at least.

After all, they were the ones that accepted him when every other Laphitian would have wanted his head.

Galvin played with him as well. She remembered watching and cheering them as they had playful sword fights after sneaking away with the swords from the training area. She remembered Aios offering him a bed in the Palace when he had no home to return to and stroking his head until he fell asleep.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she desperately looked at the side of his face. Surely...

Even after everything he did to them, she still knew that Aios had a small area in her heart just for him - even if she hated Siriums afterwards with all her life.

They considered him family and she...

Amy turned away, with cold eyes, barely missing his lovesick gaze returning upon her.

She had considered him something more....

Amy had realized her mind had completely wondered when the heavily guarded doors of what she believed was the grand ballroom, the same one where her first Sirium ball was held, stood in front of the group of soldiers Hakan led. The doors opened, light from inside peeking through. 

A shiver slithered like a scaly snake down her spine as the interior of the ballroom came into view. Amy gasped, any other noise that jolted through her throat never made it past her clenched teeth. She swallowed, her heart slamming against her chest as fear and adrenaline raced around her body. Her stomach gurgled and flopped, its sickness at the sight bringing nausea among Amy; nagging her to throw over the contents of her last meal.