Beneath Shadows and Secrets

♔ 𝕿𝔴𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔶 - 𝕹𝔦𝔫𝔢 ♔

I am behind on my writing😳😳😳 I am not sleeping on Sunday until I have 5 new chapters written and edited. You have another 6 prewrites before you need to worry if I'm caught up though.

Also, didn't realise we were already at this chapter. My absolute FAVOURITE.

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♔ 𝔑𝔦𝔯𝔞 ♔

When Calix and the others leave the wing to issue some semblance of damage control, I opt against it. They wish to talk to my father about the occurrence with the wyvern, and how I treated his subjects, but I refuse to. There is no regret in what I did, and I would do it again. Even if it meant reliving the hatred from Magnus, or seeing people tremble at my command. In that moment, I realised, I enjoyed it. The outlet, a place for my anger to escape. It is what keeps me alive, and so I will use it, hone it, show it at every opportunity.

The seer, they had called me Lady Chaos, and that is what I will be. For chaos is all that I grew among, and now, it will be what I thrive within. I will not apologise for that, for my need to seek revenge. I was made into this version of myself, and yet no one has apologised for that. They created a made Fae, burdened with years of betrayal and loss and suffering. They made me into their villain, their monster, and now hate that I have stepped up to claim the role. So I will not apologise for what I have done, and what I have become; not when it about as accepting of myself as I have been in my life.

I am reclined on the sofa when a knock comes at the door. Two slaves enter, meek and uncomfortable, bowing their heads in my presence. Their appearances are concerning – too thin and fragile, as if they are made up from only skin and bones. The taller of the two, a mousy haired female, musters enough courage to glance at me.

"The King has propositioned an evening in the Lair of Medusa for you. He knows it is not an apology but hopes to assuage some of the animosity for when you next come to cross paths." She fumbles on her words, however articulate they are.

"Lair of Medusa?" I echo.

"It is the royal bath house." The other explains. "It is private, this evening. For you." They await my response in silence.

It does not take a second for the refusal to blossom on my tongue, but then I pause. It makes more sense to understand his incentive as to why he has offered me this. I doubt it is, as he says, to reflect some ounce of regret in his actions, but if not that, then why? I stand, and the women look at me cautiously, watching as I nod.

"Alright. Will you lead me?" They hurry to do that, scrambling from the room and leading down a corridor, with me a few short steps behind. They look as though they wish to be anywhere other than here, with me, and I cannot help but query as to why. "Do I frighten you?"

One of them looked aghast at that. "No, miss – princess. We have just heard of what you did with the wyvern. We are only nervous." She says.

"You needn't be." I tell them. The taller one swallows thickly. "I would not harm you, if that is what you think of me. Not unless you sought to harm me first."

"Not at all, princess." She mutters, beginning down a set of winding stairs. I notice the twang of her accent in those words, one I had not registered before. It is unusually gravelly, something I have not heard before.

"You are Solarisi, yes?"

She nods, and as though catching herself, freezes for a moment. "I was born in Solaris. I am Xandaran now."

"You are your heritage. Solarisi, no matter where you reside." I correct and she deems it unfit to reply.

The rest of the journey is palpably tense, but I do not prod to discomfort the women further. They will have no answers for me as slaves and will likely be punished if they speak out of term. I do not know what my father is capable of, not after discovering that before he was nothing but a façade, and I do not wish to discover his truth. Better to do that alone and risk his wrath alone too.