"Do you swear to rule your people with kindness, honesty, and bravery?" the priest asked Axel as he bent before the robe wearing man holding a crown. Axel's greedy eyes seemed to be hypnotized by the glow.
"I do," he answered with clarity and eagerness. Hugo's dark brown eyes drifted to where Sofia was sitting in the audience. She refused to look at him, purposely staring into space. Hugo clenched his jaw in frustration. It was torture, being so far apart and yet so close.
"Then it is my honor to announce you King Axel of Amalgamate," the priest said and placed the three pointed golden crown onto his auburn head. Axel's grinned turned menacing and scarily delighted.
Sofia shivered at the thought of ever marrying him, even though she knew she had no choice. Hugo saw her shake and felt compelled to save her from his brother's evil clutches. But he was powerless to stop Axel, especially now that he was king.
The ball following the coronation was a magnificent affair. Twenty chandeliers hung from the ceiling, glowing with hundreds of candles. Tables stacked with the most exotic of foods lined the walls. And the large room was filled with nobles from nearly all the kingdoms. It was enough to take anyone's breath away.
And in the middle of it all was King Axel dancing with his fiancé, Princess Sofia. Everyone stared at the beautiful couple as they waltzed past, envious of their fortune. But no one bothered to really look at the young princess. For, if they had, they would have seen that she was uncomfortable and tragically sad. A flash of guilt was in her eye along with remorse. A frown pulled at her lips and her cheeks were pale. Sofia was miserable.
Hugo stood off to the side, rejecting every invitation to dance. Instead, he followed Axel and Sofia intently, insuring that his dirty brother didn't sneak her away. As Hugo munched on his tenth tart Prince James walked up to him.
"Hey," James said and grabbed a tart for himself.
"Why aren't you dancing?" Hugo wondered. "Doesn't your father want you to find a bride?"
"I'm not really in the mood for dancing," James mumbled than coughed nervously. "What about you? Why aren't you dancing?"
"Not in the mood," Hugo growled as his eyes found Sofia again. Her and Axel where moving off the dance floor, towards a small bench along the wall. Hugo's gaze hardened.
"Dude, are you okay?" James asked.
"Fine," Hugo snapped then moved closer to his brother.
Sofia sat on the bench, sighing as the pressure in her feet lessened. She had been dancing for hours. Axel towered over her, making her afraid.
"I'll go get you a drink. Don't move," Axel instructed her and Sofia was briefly tempted to salute him.
He wandered off and got lost in the crowd. Sofia let her eyes wander and they fell upon Hugo who was no more than twenty feet away, his eyes staring into her soul. She looked at him and he smiled in relief. His feet began to take him closer. Sofia sprung up, terrified. If she spoke to Hugo people would no doubt notice how she felt about him. She had to get away!
Sofia's feet carried her out of the ballroom and into a long dark hall filled with billowing tapestries and marble statues. A glass door stood at the end of the hall and through it Sofia spied a bench surrounded by trees. She sighed in relief and threw the door open.
Cool air fluttered her hair and Sofia breathed deep. If she had a choice, she would hold her wedding and coronation ball outside. It was much better than the stuffy ballrooms.
Sofia started down the stone path that led to the bench when she saw a man walk out of the trees. Sofia ducked behind a nearby bush in fright and studied the man. He was bent nearly in half, hanging on his walking stick. His gray hair shimmered in the moonlight and his skin was covered in wrinkles and strange scars. Blue robes with golden stars hung off his skinny frame and a thin bottle was clutched in his other hand.
Sofia was about to come out and greet the old man when another man came out of the trees. Axel.
"Do you have it?" the newly crowned king whispered.
"Yes, Your Majesty," the old man responded and held out the thin bottle. Axel swiped it quickly and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Good. Be quicker about it next time," Axel hissed angrily.
"You pay me for quality and success. It takes a while for the herbs to stew," the old man explained.
"I don't pay you for excuses. Speak less when you're around me or I'll have your tongue removed," Axel threatened. The old man's hands ran over a fresher looking scar. Sofia gasped. He wouldn't dare!
"Then who would you consult about what poison is the fastest, which is the slowest, and which is the most painful," the old man protested kindly. Poison! Was that what was in the bottle? Was Axel planning to kill someone?
"Shut up," Axel growled. "Go back to your tower. And don't speak of this to anyone."
"Yes, sir," the old man and walked away. Axel stared after him for a moment before he walked back into the trees.
Sofia, meanwhile, ran back inside the castle. As she rounded a corner she smacked into someone's chest. Her balance was lost and she fell to the ground, her large skirt pooling around her. Sofia glanced up at the man she had ran, literally, into. Hugo. Her cheeks instantly heated up.
"Where did you disappear to? I thought Axel had taken you somewhere," Hugo growled and pulled her to her feet. Shame made Sofia lower her head but the memory of the conversation she had just heard made her stand taller.
"Hugo, I need to tell you something. It's important," Sofia told him, the urgency and fear in her voice saying more than her words ever could. "Is there somewhere where Axel won't find us?"
"Follow me," Hugo instructed.
He led her to a small wooden door that looked like it lead to the servants' quarters. Hugo pushed it open and they walked up a thin, wobbly staircase. When they reached the top, they were in a small room with a basket filled with clothes that needed mending. Small stools littered the floor but the two royals did not sit.
"What happened?" Hugo demanded, standing next to the thin window that let in a sliver of moonlight.
"I saw Axel with an old man. The man gave Axel a vial. They were talking about how he had brewed poisons for Axel before and he threatened to cut out his tongue!" Sofia told him, her volume rising with her fear.
"The old man. What did he look like?" Hugo asked calmly as he grasped her shoulders. Sofia took a deep breath.
"He wore a blue cloak with gold stars. He had wrinkles and scars and a wand," she remembered.
"Alfred," Hugo sighed. "He's our palace magician. Axel has always been 'close' to him. I always suspected that Axel was cruel to him. Alfred's been gaining new scars as Axel has been gaining more years. I should have told Dad. I just never thought he was having Alfred brew poisons."
"Do you…do you think Axel's killed anyone yet?" Sofia whispered in fear.
"Yes," Hugo said simply. "But I don't think Alfred wants to do it. I believe that he fears the pain Axel will bring if he doesn't cooperate."
"Who do you think he'll…kill…next?"
"No idea. Whoever he doesn't want around anymore."
"Hugo…I'm scared."
"It'll be okay. I promise. Everything will be okay," Hugo said instantly, his hand stroking her arms.
Sofia suddenly noticed that they were very close together. Her heart began to race for an entirely new reason and her cheeks flushed red. Sofia lowered her gaze as Hugo's face heated. They were all alone. But they weren't safe. Not when Axel was in the castle. Not when he had a plan to kill someone.
"We should go back to the ball. They'll be looking for us," Hugo forced out, hating that he had to let her go, back to Axel, back to the pressures of the court. But they couldn't be gone long. Axel would be looking for them.
"Right," Sofia sighed and took a small step back. Hugo did the same. And together, still holding hands, they descended the stairs and reentered the party, happy to discover that no one had noticed their absence. No one except for an angry newly crowned king
