WRONG #complete

Chapter Twenty Nine

She felt her head spinning as those words hit their mark; her heart. Why would Mark want her dead? Why would he do this to her?

No, it was simply impossible. She shook her head. Mark might have rejected her but he would never require her life. What would he gain from her death?

“I beseech you, you must be mistaken. Mark would never do that” Her voice shook, a small reflection of the turmoil happening on her inside.

She watched as the stranger laughed once more, his eyes mocking her.

“You really did not think that the Prince was in love with you, did you?” He watched her, his eyes scanning her from head to toe, taking in her every feature.

“Ah, Princesses are foolish. Tell me, Princess, would the Prince be in love with the daughter of a man who waged war against his kingdom for many years? A man who caused the death of his uncle?!” He half yelled. “He wanted you to believe he loved you, to lure you to Graceland...”

His words staggered her and she reached to hold her hands over her ears, turning away from him. She could not bear to listen to any more of this. 

“...to kill you, Princess Eve” He finished.

No! Mark, no! She held her hand over her lips in a failed attempt to hold back the loud gasp that escaped her lips as her eyes widened a notch and she stepped back.

How dare he, how dare he play with her emotions like this? She could feel her face heat up with anger. He had planned this all along? He had tricked her to fall in love with him so he could kill her? For what?! She had nothing to do with the war! How could she, when it started centuries before she was even born! For goodness sake, she risked her life to put an end to it.

Angry tears formed quickly in her eyes and formed a path rolling down her nose to her lips before finding it's way to the ground by falling off her chin. 

Well, no more! No more will the arrogant monster use and betray her. He might have succeeded in tricking her to give him her heart but he most definitely will not succeed in ending her life.

She stared at the stranger before her, anger blurring her vision. He stood laughing, his chest rising and falling with the sound of his laughter.

“Your Prince has failed!” She yelled in anger and charged for him. She jumped in the air in split seconds, bringing her right foot up as it landed square on his chest, cutting off his breathing.

Once, Father had an Asian slave warrior and for many months, she had trained under him. Even if Father would have disapproved, she had done so secretly. The slave had been granted his freedom.

Knocked off of his feet, the man landed hard on his butt and began to choke quite literally on his laughter.

Without a backward glance, she jumped on his horse and rode as fast as she could, away from Graceland, away from Mark.

****

Mark ran down the hall way, his feet barely making contact with the floors as he hurriedly made his way to his father's bed chamber. He pushed the door wide open and came face to face with the sad scene before him.

Seated on the tiled floor was his mother, her legs tucked beneath her, her hands gripping his father's hand and her head bowed. Her hair was in a mess around her shoulders and as he moved close, he could hear her muffled cry.

His father laid on the bed, gray hair clinging to moist forehead, green eyes wide open, staring at nothing.

The almighty king of Graceland laid in his bed, motionless. Some how, seeing his father like this, Mark felt hopeless and powerless. He had gone to Greece to study to be a physician but had failed his father; nothing he did, all the treatments he tried had failed. The king had gotten worse and had eventually died. 

A shiver ran down his spine as he stood before the bed, a soft cry escaping his lips.

“Rest well, Father” He said as he ran his fingers down the king's face, shutting his eyes.

Looking at his Mother sitting helplessly on the floor, he reached down, and drew her trembling form to her feet, wrapping her in his arms.

“I am sorry” He whispered, smoothening her hair. “Mother, I am so sorry.” She crumbled in his embrace and they wept together. 

****

Staggered, Raphael hurriedly jumped to his feet. He had not expected the Princess of Celin to be that strong. In truth, he had not expected anything from her but she had succeeded in over powering him and escaping.

Might he pursue her? He shook his head. She wasn't worth the chase. Dead or alive, his mission had been fulfilled; she would never accept Mark. Whether or not he kills the princess, he would get his revenge on Celin and he would be king of Graceland.

Author's Note
Hey! Like I said, I'm doing my very best to bring this story to a wrap.
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