I watched as Marcus' grave was slowly being lowered into the ground, and I felt my heart drop. I still couldn't believe that I had just lost my first love. I felt my knees give away and I was about to fall when Luca's arms went around my waist to support me and prevent my fall. But my heart had already fallen, and I was not ready to fall for any other man yet. I had wanted Marcus and now he was gone. As everyone slowly left the premises, I felt the air become heavier and when it was just me and Luca, I broke down and cried once more. I forgot how to breath in that moment as I felt all hope leave my body. I cried so hard I went breathless and dizzy. I fell into Luca's chest and cried myself to sleep. I felt Luca carry me and place me on my bed. Before he could leave, I held his hand.
"I'm sorry about everything. Marcus, and yesterday. You shouldn't have taken the wound for me."
"I will take a thousand more stabs for you Anna." He says grasping my cheek gently, "please rest, you haven't had enough sleep." He said, slowly kissed my cheek and left. When he did I slowly replayed the previous night's events.
When I was taking a shower, I saw a pair of red eyes approach me and I was scared. I didn't know what exactly to do at the moment because I was naked. Once the figure came closer, I could make out a man's silhouette, then finally, he came into the light and I recognized him almost immediately.
"Councilor Mathew?" I asked, still scanning my surrounding for something I could cover myself with.
"Anna, Anna, Anna. I've always known you were hot, but now that I can almost touch you, I realize how incredibly enchanting you are." On his hand was a ridged blade.
"So Luca was right. It was you, you killed Marcus." I stutter a huge relief washing over me as I finally found proof to back up my trust on Luca.
"I did the dirty work, but he was the one who is really the mastermind behind this. He wants to destroy any family you have left so that he will be your only hope." He said, now inches closer to me and the mere smell of his breath near me made me shudder.
"Seriously Matthew, you can't come up with a better lie? I know everything." I say trying to convince myself, but he smirked as if he knew something I didn't, and that scared me.
"Believe me Anna, he sent me. He even told me to kill you finally, so that he can rule both lands, and in return he would give me Mayvna. Come to think about it, no one else would know that you were to spend the night here right? Sadly I'll have to kill you whether you believe me or not. But before I do, why don't we have a little fun?"
Suddenly, he jumped into the tub and I tried to fight him, but he was unbelievably and unnaturally strong. As he tried to pin my hands, I resisted initially but then my mind made a move and I got an idea. I gave in, and in his quest to pin my arms, he dropped the knife he was holding, when he did, in a swift movement, I picked it up and quickly stab him in the stomach. The pain make him release me immediately, and when he did, Luca came rushing in, seemingly just waking up from a knockout. I quickly stand and he immediately puts his coat around me, eyes never leaving mine.
"Are you okay Anna?" He asked before I could answer, he swiftly moved me behind him and the assassin who I hadn't noticed was on his feet ended up stabbing Luca instead. Enraged, I grab a vase and hit him with it hard across the face, making him pass out. Before he could make another movement again and wake up, the guards rushed in and took him away. But as they did, Luca fell to his knees and I yelled for the physician, who arrived in a jiffy. I was still in Luca's robe only hence all the guards were ordered to leave us for the sake of my privacy as I remained with Luca, hoping he would wake up.
"Sorry your Majesty, but the king was stabbed with a poison laced dagger and if we cannot prepare an antidote for him then he will die."
"What is the antidote?" I asked ready to get it.
"I am not sure, as I don't know the poison."
Seriously? It has been a mere hours since Marcus' death and I have already been attacked and my fiancee has been stabbed. I was fuming with rage. That bastard who tried to attack me must have the antidote.
"Guards assemble the family of Counsilor Mathew, right now to the courtroom, bring the counsil to the meeting room let no one else find out about this meeting. In the next two minutes, they should be there. I quickly put on my nightgown and head to the meeting room. When I arrive, I find Mathew in chains and his wife, two daughters and two sons there before me.
"Well now that we're here let me cut to the chase, Mathew poisoned my fiancee and the king of Damaria and I know that if I ask him nicely he won't give me the antidote." I say, "please give me the antidote Matthew." I say, looking at Mathew with a hope I really don't want to do what I am about to do, but again, sometimes one must rule with an iron fist to get things in order.
"As you said even if you killed me I wouldn't give it to you." He said with pride.
"Mathew, your family is on the line. Give.me that antidote." I say enraged.
"According to the law you cannot punish the innocent." He say with a smirk, and I smirk back.
"According to the law anyone that practices magic should be executed alongside the next three generations of his bloodline to purify the blood of the kingdom, correct?" I announce and he didn't see that coming.
"If I am correct, Mathew that locket around your neck is definitely not religious, rather it belongs to a cult and that leads me to believe that you and your family have been involved in witchcraft, correct?"
"But his Majesty the king have me permission."
"Oh really? Do you have proof?"
He went silent. Everyone went silent.
"Moreover, killing an king of Damaria will get you and your family torture till death as it is considered treason. So I shall punish you severely then hand you over to damarin law. You and your next three generations. Isn't that a fair trial according to the law?"
"No, please your Majesty, here is the antidote, have it please just spare my family." With that, he gave me a vile which I immediately had sent to Luca.
"Please now spare my family."
"Okay. I shall spare your family, I hereby take back all their privileges as a Counsilor's family, and ban them from the castle untill my next three generations have passed and if they break this law they shall be immediately executed. As for you Mathew, you are hereby sentenced to death through slow poisoning by the same poisoning you gave to his Majesty the king. You shall be locked up in the darkest dungeon and shall be subjected to torture and hard labor untill the day of your passing. This is to be effective tomorrow. In the time being he is to be guarded to prevent his escape, or him trying to commit suicide. That is my word, and my word is the law." With that I stand and so does everyone in the room. I walk out as soon and the tension in the room is replaced by moans, pleas and screams. But I can't be shaken now. He tried to kill the king and that cannot be taken lightly. I quickly head over to Luca's room and I find him conscious but weak.
"Anna, are you okay? Where is that man? Did he hurt you?" He asks stressing out. I take his hand,
"He is where he belongs now. Don't worry. You just take rest." I say.
He nodds and I leave his room. This has honestly been the worst night of my life and I don't even want to think about it. So I just jump on my bed and force myself to sleep as tomorrow is going to be the worst day of my life.
I wake up to someone knocking the door. Before I could answer, Luca walks in and sone servants follow closely bringing food.
"Good morning, princess" he says, standing at the edge of my bed.
"Good morning, your Majesty. Why are you up? You are not well." I say getting up to bow, but he stops me midway.
"Anna, I am okay, and I want to be there for you today, so please let me." He asked, ever so sweetly. I nodded and I sat down to eat as he sat beside me.
As we walked into funeral procession and through the service, I could tell they Luka was still sick and a bit weak. But still, he was there for me till the end.
I got back to the present and I decided to go to bed. As I was thinking, and replaying the days and previous nights' events, I noticed a detail, one that didn't make sense. And this detail made me sit up quickly. As I thought about it more, I felt my heart race and I felt anxious. Oh good heavens. I really hope it wasn't what I was thinking.