The Assassin Queen

BK2 |•Chapter 7•|

Later found us in my room, no one questioned the ruined chair, but instead they all got comfortable. And I searched for any sign of foggers in each one of them, and sighed in bittersweet relief; the foggers were gone... the Queen had kept her word. All I had to do now was tell my friends how I had just sold myself in marriage to save Shabina, easy right?

" They're gone" I stated and they all nodded " It was the strangest thing, the guards suddenly came in and set us free by order of the Queen." Remy said from where he sat on the armrest of one the couches in the room.

"Maybe she isn't so bad" Cole commented as he played with the lace of his boots next to Asher, but this only earned a loud scoff from Lucien as his features instantly hardened "Tell them what you did Dasha..." He said through a clenched jaw, and my gaze instantly went down as I suddenly found the hem of my dress mesmerizing.

"Dahlia?" Odessa whispered with concern from where she sat Indian style on the floor—she was gonna be pissed—and the entire groups fully focused their attention towards my bed where I sat.

"I— I did it for Shabina." I stuttered as I refused to look at them.
"Did what!?" Cole growled and I startled, he never, ever raised his voice...and he didn't even know what I had done yet. And through this all, Asher remained very still from where he stood by glass doors, his hands stuffed into his pockets and an expressionless face.

" I agreed to a marriage in exchange for troops and the alliance of Ravkah," I blurted and eagerly looked at everyone for their reactions, pleading for them to understand.

" We don't need troops..."
" Dasha no"
"Who are you marrying?"
"Don't you dare!"

They all blurted out at once, " I had to!" I shouted in response with despair and my heart ached " I'm sure you've figured out but They all know! They know everything..." but I didn't stop talking "The entire kingdom knows I was an assassin, they know about our pasts and they know my parents are died and now Venice knows as well..." I said before finally trailing off awkwardly, and for a few dreadful minutes now one spoke.

" Damn it Dasha! We would have found a way...I would have!" Asher shouted all of a sudden and seemly out of nowhere, looking betrayed to say the least. My face instantly hardened " No we wouldn't have... she threatened to have the King declare war on Shabina, threatened to burn my city to ground and kill everyone!"

Asher truly seemed upset now, troubled even " This wasn't what we planned, you—you were supposed to have a choice after all this! A life away from all these controlling royals, not a life trapped by one!" He snapped and roughly ran a hand through his hair as he began pacing in front of me. And everyone stared at us, at the odd way Asher was behaving, but Cole seemed so, so sad as he watched Asher nearing panic.

"Asher please– you need to calm down...ple–" I whispered but he only stopped dead in his tracks "Calm down?" He asked sarcastically, as though that was the wildest idea he'd ever heard.

" Yes Asher, I know this wasn't the plan, but I can no longer afford that plan. Not when it costs the lives of my people, I'm okay with my decision. " I said and most of it was true except that last bit.

Asher only raised his head to look me in the eyes as his nostrils flared and his eyes hardened " You can't lie to me Dasha" he growled angrily before placing a handover his heart " I can feel it in here, I can feel al–" and right before me, Asher voice actually cracked with barely contained emotion " I can feel all that pain you carry, all that despair... and I wouldn't feel it, not unless these feelings could lead you to harm" he said and suddenly everyone was looking at me now...

This was getting far too personal, and it suddenly hit me that Asher might have known about those times I'd contemplated ending it all...

But before I could say anything Asher shook his head " I'm sorry, you don't need this, none of you do... I need to breath." He said before walking towards the door " Ash don't–" Odessa went to follow her brother but Cole grabbed her wrist and shook his head, and she only watched sadly as he left.

My composer fell then and my face crumbled " I wish i was better at this," and I looked away, not wanting to do this anymore.

" You're doing great Dasha, better than you know," Lucien spoke from where he stood by one of the bed posts, and I merely nodded.

" You don't have to answer, but who are you marrying?" Remy asked quietly for once, tentatively even.

And I answered with a sigh of resignation " Prince Thane of Ravkah"

" Thane... the Prince, the very guy the guards spoke about with bone-deep fear...that Thane?" Remy whispered with down right fear, and I realized with a start it was fear... for me.

And I nodded softly as one lone tear slid down my cheek before I instantly brushed it away and Odessa looked at me with a mixture of pride and anguish, before quietly walking over to me and gathering me against her in a silent hug...and I let her, as the rest of the group remained stunned into silence from the news.

" Whatever comes Dasha, know you don't have to do this alone, you are not alone in this battle my Queen" Lucien was the first to speak up as he came up and stood beside me and Odessa.

Odessa then gently ended the hug and straightened my shoulders with a little smile as she looked at me "And I know I speak for Asher and the boys when I say we stand by what Lucien said, and never doubt you are a Queen Dasha" and I nodded and even managed a smile which seemed to satisfy her.

" I agree, " Cole and Remy both echoed

" they announce my engagement tomorrow tonight " I said finally.

" Then lets make every moment until then count," Cole said " Yes, let's fit a lifetime into a day" Odessa said with a smile.