Like A Black Rose. {UNDER MAJOR EDITING}

Chapter 17- Everything's fair in Love and War

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.
Max Muller

Chapter 17- Everything’s fair in love and war.
 
After disguising myself and sitting in the garden for some time, I came to the conclusion that I will win Diana back. No matter what.
Many of our ancestors have committed suicide because they couldn't marry whom they loved and some have fled away too.
I will run away with her if I am not with her. I have never defied my parents because I was too scared to do that.
Mother will be with me. After all, she was the one who gave me the courage to go and confess my love.
And then she had kissed me.
She had kissed me.
That extraordinary woman who had told me that she would save her first kiss for her wedding day.
That beautiful woman who was an amazing fighter.
Oh, how I loved her.
Before I met her, I lived for revenge. I wanted revenge from those assholes that had killed the two most important people in my life.
Those words my mother used to tell me started coming true.
My father had told me that no woman will ever match our standards because our mother had set them that high. And, if a woman matches our standards, we should not let her go.
I being my idiotic self, let her go. I was beating myself for that.
How could I let her go?
Pushing my dark thoughts aside, I went to the palace, ready to face my nightmares which will come alive once again.
I knew they would come.
I could feel them mocking at me.
They had subsided when the light of my life had come.
They were intimidated by her wrath, by her innocence, by her purity.
Now that she was no longer there, they will come back.
They will haunt me.
Those painful memories will be resurfaced added by another painful memory.
My heart constricted at this thought.
People were meant to go. What if I was forced to marry that fabricated Barbie?
I might just die.
I will again become a zombie. I will just live a lifeless life now.
I can’t do that.
With these dark thoughts, I entered the palace.
***
We were sitting at the edge of a beautiful pond.
I was looking at her and she was gazing back at me.
Our horses were eating apples and we were just talking amongst ourselves.
“I love your smile.” I broke the ice.
Her violet eyes gazed me with amusement dancing in them.
“I love your voice. It is velvety.” She said.
“I love your eyes. They are the shade of brilliant violet with just the right amount of innocence. They’re beautiful.” I said.
“I love your eyes. They remind me of chocolate. And I love anything with chocolate.” She murmured.
‘I love you’ was on the tip of my tongue but I couldn’t get it out. I was a coward.
She was covered in sweat because of the intense work out.
This made her look more beautiful, if that was even possible.
The desire to grab her cheeks and kiss her was really strong. I felt like doing it, when,
“Chris! Chris help me!” I heard Diana’s muffled voice.
I glanced around but couldn’t see her.
Everything became black. I was suddenly gasping for air. Somebody was holding my neck.
“Di-a-na!” I managed to gasp out.
Then suddenly, an area was illuminated and there stood ten masked men with Diana on the gunpoint.
The same evil figure which had haunted all my dreams again emerged from the fogs of white light and said, “Shoot.”
They started shooting Diana.
I shouted and shouted. But my voice couldn’t come out of my voice box.
Diana was thrown on the ground. Her lifeless body became pale from the pools of blood.
Her hand had something which I previously could not see.
It was a black rose.
“Help her!” I managed to choke out.
“Help her!”
“Help her!” I shouted in agony and I woke up.
My heart had run a 1000 kilo meter marathon. 
It was beating so fast.
My stomach twisted in an unimaginable way, as if I could feel what she could.
I wiped the beads of sweat on my forehead with my cold pale hands and looked at the bedside clock.
4:38am it read.
I still had time to sleep.
As soon as I closed my eyes, I could see Diana’s lifeless body lying on the ground.
I couldn’t close my eyes.
As soon as I grabbed my iPod and played the playlist Diana had made, sleep automatically came.
***
I woke up at 7 am sharp, without any nightmares.
I looked like a zombie. I even felt like a zombie.
I felt dead. Numb.
I was devoid of feelings.
I’m sure I would still feel numb if I hit my pinky toe, or if I step on a Lego.
I went in the dining area for breakfast.
I was not surprised by the scene in front of my eyes.
Anna and her family were sitting there, as if they owned the place.
My mother was looking somewhere in distance, not bothered by Anna’s mother’s loud obnoxious voice.
My father and Aunt Margareta were sitting there and chatting with them.
Aunt Amy was sitting there, with my uncle, Sebastian, the king of Norway.
They both were looking bored.
Sebastian quickly noticed me and shouted, “Christopher! My boy! Shrek called, he wants his face back.” 
“Hardy har-har Seb.” I said with a dry laugh.
“Come and sit beside your uncle.” He said with a laugh.
I went and sat beside him.
My father smiled. “How did you sleep Chris?” He asked.
“I couldn’t sleep. I had nightmares and I missed Diana.” I told him.
He kept his cool façade but I could see the anger brimming behind his experienced eyes.
“Why are you talking about that filthy creature?” Anna’s father, Stenkil, the king of Sweden asked.
I gritted my teeth and my nose flared. I was ready to snap at him when I felt Seb’s hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t.” He whispered.
I took two calming breaths and faced him once again.
“That ‘filthy creature’ was Anna’s best friend. You can’t just call her like that.” I said.
“I never approved of her.” Estelle, Anna’s mother said. “Good riddance.” She mumbled and took a sip of her coffee.
I was seconds away from killing the both of them.
Had it not been Seb’s warning, I would be feasting on both their souls.
No one talked of Diana like that and got away. No one.
“Your highness, I do see that, but I do not approve of the way you talk about my love.”  I said, with a poker expression on my face.
“Stop with the nonsense Christopher.” Aunt Margareta said. “You can’t talk to my sister like this.” She screeched.
“You can’t talk about my future wife like this.” I retorted.
“See the way you have brought him up Anthony. He has no manners at all. Are you sure you want him to handle your kingdom? Mar’s son would be way more worthy.” He mocked.
“Don’t bring my parents into this Sten.” I said.
“We are not first name basis son; you are still the puny man who stood there bawling his eyes out when your sister’s casket was buried. Real men don’t cry.” He mocked again.
I clenched my fist, gritted my teeth and glared openly at the man who was calling himself a king.
“A real man does not even verbally provoke his enemy Stenkil.” My father said in a furious tone.
“You and I both know that Diana was way better than Anna ever was or ever will be. Diana’s heart was made of pure gold. Your daughter’s heart is rusted. We both made it clear that this marriage is just for the sake of Europe. We need to unite it. At least pretend to be nice!” He harshly told them.
“Anthony!” He yelled. “I will not keep calm and just listen to you and your son insulting my daughter.”
“Stenkil, you have been insulting my son and my daughter like Diana. We haven’t been saying anything, have we?” My mother asked, broken from her previous reverie.
“We have respect, unlike you bastar-”            
“Stenkil!” My father yelled.
“I declare a war.” Stenkil said.
“Fifteen days from now, there will be a full-fledged war on your ancestral battle ground of Halidon Hill.” He said.
“We can discuss this like adults Sten and Anthony. You people have no sense. We can-” Aunt Margareta said.
“No.” My father shouted in an angry tone. “Talking will get us nowhere. This war will happen. And, we need to make a contract stating that if I win, I will take over Sweden. And if you win,-”My father snorted,-“You will take over England. Is that a deal?”
“It is.” Stenkil said and smirked. “Everything is fair in love and war isn’t it? I will teach y’all what being fair is.”
***
“You love her that much?” Seb asked as he entered my room when I was looking at her now framed picture.
“Yes Seb.” I said and sighed.
“Every love story has its twists kiddo. You have this one. Like this, if Europe is united then you can have everything back.” He said and ruffled my hair.
“I know they do. But ours didn’t even start Seb. We only kissed twice.” I told him.
“Tongue?” He asked.
“No!” I said. “It was a pure chaste kiss. What if we lose? I will never be able to see her again. Why do love stories have to be difficult?” I asked him.
“Because kiddo, if it was easy, no one would make an effort to win it. Fight for it. I will send my army forces too if it is needed. Because Wales is not participating in the war.” He said and sighed.
“Wales is not?” I asked in an inaudible whisper.
“No. Which sane king would do that when her daughter is insulted by everyone in the palace?” He asked.
I nodded.
“Go for it kiddo. Train your army. And win this war. For your love.” He said.
For my love.
___
Hello lovelies! I updated early because I wanted to :P
Your comments on the previous chapter wereHILARIOUS!! XD
Dedicated to @Dianawhtvr for the amazing cover on the side! --->
Thank you love:)

Anyways, song for this chapter, Poison and Wine by Civil Wars.

I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back
The less I give the more I get back
Oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise
I don't have a choice but I'd still choose you

Oh I don't love you but I always will [x7]
I always will [x5]