ARCHANGELS' LEGACY BOOK II: Tears of an Angel (Completed)

Part XXXVI

Mara woke up from her prison. Well, it may not look like a cage cell, but still, it was prison for her. She was placed in an elegant well-furnished room with a large bed and the room was obviously prepared just for her.

She sat up and glanced at the glass window. She remembered her father and tried to stop herself from crying. Ever since she was abducted from Fairyland by King Aphid, three days ago, there was not a day that her cheeks were dry. She was afraid not for herself but for her father and her people.

Mara sighed deeply and closed her eyes. The face that she saw in her thoughts was the angel she had hoped was on her side right now. His smile, his eyes and his words of comfort.

The princess opened her eyes and knew that she had to stop feeling petty for herself. She have to be strong. If Namjoon was here, he would make sure that she will fight for herself and so, that is what she is going to do.

The door opened and Jackson entered with his smiling evil face.
“Cut the act. What do you want?”, Mara snapped.

“That’s not a greeting that suits your soon-to-be-husband”, he walked towards the foot of her bed.

“Then, answer me this, why?”, she wanted to know the reason for this betrayal.

“Simple, princess. Power”.

“But you’re already the king of Saecotora”.

Jackson laugh, “Did you think that being the king of Saecotora is enough? Well, if I didn’t kill father, I wouldn’t have become the king”.

“Wha......what? You killed......your own...father?”, Mara was stunned. Why would a son do this gruesome deed?

“I did and it was the most liberating feeling I had felt. I was free....at last”, he stated proudly. He slowly walked around the bed and stopped beside her.

“You’re sick!”, the princess was disgusted. He’s so evil.

“If killing the one who degrades you everyday and beats you up until you can no longer stand, then yes, I am a sick being but I don’t regret any of it”, he smirked and Mara saw a flash of pain in his eyes.

“But you’re the prince of your kingdom, how can he .....”, she can’t imagine that a king and most of all, a father, would do something so vicious to his heir.

“That is precisely the reason why he did it. He wanted me to be strong and powerful.  He brought me with him to hunt one day, and when we were at the depths of the forest I took the chance to get rid of him. I slit his throat and frame one of his soldiers for his death”, Jackson’s eyes became cold. The terrifying part of his story is the satisfaction that she saw on his face while talking of his own father’s death.

Mara was now petrified more than ever because this only proved that Jackson will not even flinch into killing her or King Linus.
He leaned forward and grabbed her jaw, “So, you see, princess. I need Fairyland’s resources and power because my stupid father’s expenditures put Saecotora in financial ruins”.

“We’re not your milk cows!”, she hissed at him and Jackson squeezed hard, making her squirm.

“Not yet”.

Just then, a knock interrupted them which made him release her. The princess was relieved that his attention was diverted away from her. She was starting to tear up from the pain in her jaw.

“What is it?”, he bellowed.

Two soldiers entered and one of them spoke”, Sire, one of our men was found dead and this was seen near his body”. He raised his hand to reveal something that is familiar with the princess.
Jackson approached the soldier and snatched it from him. He stared closely at what he was holding.

A wash of solace crept into Mara when she saw the beautiful, soft and white feather. She knew that Namjoon is near and it gave her hope.

“Your highness, I believe it was intentionally left there”, his man stated.

The princess noticed the change in the king’s reaction. It was deadly and she was afraid, not for her but for Namjoon.

The king looked at her with anger and crumpled the feather into his fist. “I guess, he already knows the truth”.

“That you’re a fraud!”, Mara yelled.

“Oohhh, taking a side, are we? Tell me, princess, is the angel just a protector to you or is he beyond that?”, the king’s stare was challenging her.

The question silenced her. She was taken aback by his verbal attack.

“I guess, he is more than a bodyguard then”, he concluded and it made him more furious to know that the angel holds her heart. Oh, he doesn’t care that she loved Namjoon but the fact that his plan will be affected by this, made him mad. The only thing that will secure his hold onto Fairyland is to marry Mara immediately.

“Who does he think he is? Did he perchance thought that I would crumble from his threat?”. He cockily raised his brow, “or he’s so stupid to think that I am easily threatened by killing one of my men?”.

“Oh, he’s far from stupid and he’s even more of a king than you”, Mara couldn’t keep her mouth shut any longer. King Jackson Aphid maybe a king but he gains respect through fear unlike Namjoon who earns every bit of respect with trust. But her bitter words grazed the king’s ego and it made him more furious.

“I doubt you’ll still praise him when you’ll see his dead body in front of you”.

Mara’s eyes grew wide, “Leave him out of this!”.

Jackson’s sinister laugh made her anxious and she knew that he isn’t bluffing. There’s only one thing that can save Namjoon from his wrath.

“Spare him and I......I will be your queen!”.

The king stopped and stared at her, “did I hear you, right? Could you repeat what you just said?”.

“I...I said I will wed you just...... spare him”.

He grinned evilly and turned to his men, “you heard the princess, let’s prepare for a wedding!”. He gave her a glance before rushing out of her room with his soldiers behind him, leaving the princess of Fairyland to silently wiped her tears.

The king walked along the hallway, away from her room. He never doubted that the angel would eventually find out about the princess’ kidnapping. He just didn’t expect it to be sooner.

“Prepare the castle and inform Valena that a wedding will take place, today!”, the king instructed his men and they left to do his bidding.