Ashes of Revenge

Chapter 24: Sinking Deeper

 The King stood there and stared at Raven's lifeless body. A few seconds ago, he couldn't believe that she was alive, now he couldn't believe she was dead.

Her eyes seemed to follow him, her burned face looking more haunting than ever before.

The King's eyes left hers, and looked at the dagger. He couldn't help but wonder why Raven hadn't stabbed him when she had more than enough opportunities to do so.

His focus left Raven when he heard footsteps get closer to him. Turning his head, he saw it was a horrified Dara.

She picked the book off the floor, her shaking hand smearing the spots of blood on the cover. "What have you done?" Dara asked in such a scared voice that she was barely audible.

"I don't know." He was still coming out of Death's daze.

"She was your daughter."

"No, she wasn't." His voice still mumbled. Dara looked up at him with a genuinely disgusted look on her face. "She turned her back on this Kingdom."

"She was a child."

"Who was willing to risk everything for her own selfish needs. Don't you understand? If I didn't allow the Farian King to take her, then my Kingdom and every other Kingdom would be in ruins and flames right now. . . . I did what I had to."

Dara shook her head. "Elizabeth deserved better," Dara said in a calm and yet venomous tone. She turned around and walked out of the room as fast as she could, not able to stomach being with the King.

The King watched as she left, and then his eyes looked to Victor.

Victor was staring at Raven, no doubt her eyes watching him. His face was so pale and green that he looked like he would vomit or pass out any moment.

Sighing heavily, the King walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. Victor quickly shoved Arthur's hand away. The King looked shocked for a second before a painful understanding washed over his face.

"Is what Raven said true?" Victor asked.

"Which part?"

"The part where you sacrificed your daughter for the Kingdom?!" Victor's voice echoed throughout the room.

The King remained silent for a few seconds, trying to cope with his son yelling at him and trying not to lose his temper.

"As I've stated before, that was the only agreement the Farian Kingdom was willing to make. And that is the last time I will say it."

Victor glared at the King. "Will you sacrifice me for the good of the Kingdom too?"

"No, but I know you'll do as you're told."

"So, Raven was captured because she disobeyed?"

"She created a bad image for the Kingdom. She made me and my Kingdom look weak." The King remembered the humiliation of a young Elizabeth running around a room, being chased by servants who were far too incompetent to keep a child where he had ordered. That's why he assigned Fernando to watch her, in hopes that he would do better. However, he was sadly mistaken when she found the secret tunnels in every room in the Castle. But those instances didn't even compare to when she and the Farian Prince, Leroux, met and were told that they would wed. She didn't hide her disgust about marrying a Farian. That same day, the Farian King threatened war on the Mundus Kingdom unless an agreement could be reached. Within the following week, the King received the deal.

"That's no excuse." Tears appeared in Victor's eyes. Though he hadn't known Raven for long, he felt terrible for her.

"Hopefully, once you're King, you can prioritize–"