The Deathly Scream - 𝟙

༒ Sixty-six ༒

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We lost thirty-five soldiers in that war. Each and one of them, gave their life to save yours'.

My father stands on the tribune, answering all the questions our citizens had for us. He was trying to explain the story, but only part of it. It had been three weeks since the last war had ended, we called it a test because apparently that was all it was. A test. The newspaper was overloaded with stories about me, my reputation little by little build up again. I could remember the headlines after the war.

'Princess Rosalia fought for her Kingdom'

'Princess saved candidate from the Selection'

It all sounded pleasing but there were also others. Journalists that claimed I had lost my mind, that I was suicidal. Every citizen believed the story they wanted, at least the riots had stopped.

The staff had helped us to clean the Great Hall, other soldiers were building houses for the ones who had lost their home. It seemed that now, everything went back to normal. At least for the people who didn't know about the threat of the unknown kingdom. Ivory was planning something bigger for us, they would come after me this time and there was no way my father would risk my life on that battle field again.

He had made himself clear over the past weeks. We had come up with a whole plan already, it all depended on who we trusted. We had to be careful.

'What about the markets that are burned down? How do you expect those people to earn money?' Another annoyed journalist shouts through the Great Hall.

'We are doing everything we can. These things take time but I can assure you that everything will go back to normal', my father explains calmly. On the side of the tribune, I sit in between my sister and brother, all of us worried. We had decided to tell Elliott what was going on. I couldn't lie to my little brother.

In the audience, the three candidates stare in front of them looking at their king. I could see the fear in Theodore's eyes, realising that it might be him on that place one day. I could only wish my sister would choose a sweet guy like him.

'Are you even sure the war is over?' Someone yells out of nowhere. We look around in the Great Hall, seeing an old thin man standing up in the crowd. I had never seen him before. My father sighs, clearly not knowing how much of the truth to tell when he looks up again. The old man still looking mad at him.

'We are figuring this situation out. We know it wasn't Syrilia ....'

'Then who was it!' The old man yells again.

'We don't know, I ....' Everyone starts mumbling in disbelief, except for the people we had trusted our secret to. August and Madame Orsini were our confidants, of course we had to tell Levi and Jade also, just like Olivia and the other maids and court ladies. They all had a duty to remain silent.

When other people start yelling my sister stands up, doubting herself for a moment until she walks to our father, glaring at anyone.

'This interview is over', she says calm and brings our father to the side. The guests leave the room one for one until most of them are only familiar faces.

Cameron looks up at me for a moment, a soft glance in his eyes when Ezra takes him along to the corridor. I stand up, followed by Elliott who doesn't seem to leave my side when I walk to Val and my father. Both of them arguing desperately. Val and I hadn't talked since the moment I had fought.

'Father ...' I start but he turns around and disappears in a side door without looking around.

'Val what is going on?'

'I think it is better not to tell you', she mumbles and follows him also. Elliott lays his hand on my shoulder, not understanding anything of this either. We had agreed on working together, trying to protect my life until we had found a way to find Ivory, or at least the Shadow Woman. Who the hell she may be.

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'The wound healed properly. I think we can take the bandage of for good', Jade says when I sit on the side of my bathtub. My arm had been hurting horribly over the last days, but I couldn't complain. There had been people who lost a part of their body during the test, others had lost their lives. I could handle a scar.

'The funeral of our lost soldiers was rather simple, wasn't it?' I remark, thinking back of that dark day. The soldiers had to dig thirty-five holes in the ground, to put their friends to rest. I hadn't known anyone of them, not even recognized the names they shouted.

'I believe your father hadn't the time to arrange a big funeral. He was afraid he had lost you', she whispers thoughtful after taking the bandage of my arm. Finally able to feel air on that place again.

'Elliott told me he was mad when he found out I was gone', I whisper.

'Maybe because he was afraid. Honestly Rosa, I don't know your father that well but I can't imagine him not being concerned'. I nod a little and walk back to my room.

'I have that same scream as my mother had. I am a danger to this castle', I notice more to myself but Jade had heard it clearly.

'You can't say that! We all want to protect you. Although, that is a lot harder when you risk your life'. I turn to her, a grimace on her face when our eyes meet. She could tell me whatever she wanted, I knew she had been impressed about the situation.

'I can scream and kill people. That has to be worth something', I notice.

'But not your life', Jade adds. We don't say anything after that, I had to think about a lot. My father and his advisers made clear we had to think about a solution to protect the citizens. Except for me, they were the first priority and I wanted to help them. The only question was how I was going to do that.