The scent of jasmine, usually so soothing, felt cloying tonight. Princess Liana paced the terrace, the hem of her silk gown trailing across the stone. Three months. Three
agonizing months Kieran had been gone. Three months of forced smiles and hollow
pleasantries. Three months of waiting, her heart a trapped bird fluttering against her ribs. She clutched the water lily he'd given her, its white petals now slightly bruised. A symbol of their love, he'd said. A bitter taste rose in her throat.
A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air, shattering the fragile peace. Before Liana
could react, a harried guard burst onto the terrace. "Your Majesty!" he gasped, his face
pale. "The kingdom… we've been betrayed! They've breached the secret passage!"
Before the King could respond, the terrace erupted in chaos. The clash of steel, the
screams of the dying, the thunder of charging feet ,the sounds of war had arrived at their doorstep. Liana's heart hammered against her ribs, a cold dread creeping into her bones.
Her father, sword drawn, rushed past her. "Liana, to your chambers! Now!"
But it was too late. The terrace was swarming with soldiers, their faces grim, their swords dripping crimson. Liana saw a guard fall, an arrow protruding from his chest. She saw another cut down, his screams abruptly silenced.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the throng of fighting men. Tall and handsome, with a
familiar smile that now twisted into something cruel, it was Kieran. He moved with an unnerving calm amidst the carnage, his sword a blur of deadly motion. He cut down a royal guard with a casual flick of his wrist, his eyes never leaving Liana's.
He approached her, his smile widening. "I told you I would return," he said, his voice
smooth as silk, yet laced with a chilling menace.
Liana stared at him, her mind reeling. "You… you did this?"
Kieran chuckled, a cold, humorless sound. "Of course, my dear. Did you think I was truly
gone on a diplomatic mission? How naive you are."
He gestured to the chaos around them. "This kingdom is mine now."
Liana's blood ran cold. She understood. The three months, the forced smiles, the water
lily , it was all a charade. A carefully orchestrated betrayal.
Before she could speak, Kieran grabbed her arm, his grip like iron. He dragged her
through the blood soaked terrace, past the bodies of fallen guards, past the terrified
faces of her ladies in waiting. She saw her father, his face contorted in rage, fighting
valiantly against overwhelming odds. But even his skill was no match for the sheer
number of traitors.
Kieran shoved Liana into a cold, damp cell. The heavy door slammed shut, the clang of
metal echoing through the prison. She collapsed onto the straw covered floor, her body trembling. The sounds of battle still raged outside, a constant reminder of the horror unfolding.
Hours later, the cell door creaked open. Kieran stood there, his face devoid of emotion. Behind him, Liana saw her maid, Elara, her eyes filled with tears.
"My lady," Elara whispered, rushing to Liana's side.
"Elara," Liana sobbed, clinging to her maid. "My father…?"
Elara shook her head, her tears flowing freely. "He… he fought bravely, my lady. But…"
Liana knew. She saw the answer in Elara's eyes. Her father was dead. Kieran had taken
everything from her.
Kieran watched them, his expression unchanged. "You should have known, Liana," he said, his voice flat. "Power is all that matters. Love… loyalty… they are merely weaknesses."
He turned and left, the cell door slamming shut once more. Liana huddled with Elara, the weight of her loss crushing her. The gilded cage had shattered
Just then, a new figure appeared at the cell door. It was one of Kieran's concubines, a
woman Liana had seen flitting around the court in silks and jewels. Now, her face was
contorted with malice, her eyes glittering with cruel amusement.
"Well, well," the concubine sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "The princess. How the mighty have fallen."
Liana stared at her, numb with grief and disbelief.
The concubine laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "Did you really think he loved you? Did you really think he would choose you?"
She stepped closer, her eyes raking over Liana with disdain. "He has six wives, you know. Six! And I… I am his favorite. You were just a toy, a fleeting amusement."
The concubine placed her foot on Liana's outstretched hand, her heel pressing down on Liana's fingers. Liana gasped in pain, her fingers crushed beneath the concubine's
weight.
"Such delicate hands," the concubine mocked, grinding her heel harder. "Perfect for holding flowers, not for ruling a kingdom."
Liana cried out, the pain searing through her. Tears streamed down her face, not just
from the physical agony, but from the humiliation, the sheer cruelty of it all.
The concubine laughed again, a triumphant, mocking sound. "Enjoy your prison,
princess," she hissed. "It's far more fitting than a throne."
She lifted her foot, leaving Liana's hand throbbing and bruised. Then, with a final,
contemptuous glance, she turned and left, the cell door echoing shut behind her.
Liana lay on the floor, her body shaking with sobs. The concubine's words, like poisoned
darts, had pierced her heart, adding another layer of pain to her already unbearable grief.
The humiliation, the blatant disregard for her feelings, was almost as painful as the loss
of her father.
Elara rushed to Liana's side, her face etched with worry. "My lady! Are you alright?"
Liana shook her head, unable to speak. The pain in her hand was nothing compared to
the pain in her heart.
The silence in the cell was broken only by Liana's muffled sobs. Elara held her close, stroking her hair, whispering words of comfort that seemed to fall on deaf ears. The world Liana knew had been ripped away, replaced by a brutal reality of betrayal and loss. Her father, the kind and just king, was gone. Her love, Kieran, was a monster. The gilded cage had become a tomb.
"My lady," Elara whispered, her voice thick with tears. "We must be strong. For your
father's memory."
Liana shook her head, her despair overwhelming her. "I can't," she choked out. "I can't do this. He's taken everything from me."
"He hasn't taken your spirit," Elara said firmly, her eyes flashing with a spark of defiance. "He hasn't taken your right to justice."
Liana looked at her maid, her loyal companion, the one person left in the world she could trust. Elara, despite her own fear and grief, radiated a strength that Liana felt she herself lacked.
"What… what can we do?" Liana asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"We survive," Elara said. "We survive, and we remember. We remember what he did, and we make him pay."
The words, though simple, resonated with Liana. A tiny ember of resolve began to glow
within the darkness of her despair. Revenge. It was a dark thought, a dangerous thought,
but it was the only thing that kept her from succumbing to utter despair.
"How?" Liana asked, her gaze fixed on the cold stone walls of the cell. "How can we
possibly fight against him? He has the army, he has the power…"
First, we must escape from here," Elara said, her voice filled with a quiet determination. "Then, we will find a way. God will give us a solution, I'm sure of it."
Liana looked at Elara, a flicker of hope beginning to ignite in her heart. It was a dangerous situation, fraught with peril, but Elara's faith was a beacon in the darkness. It was something to cling to in the face of overwhelming despair.
"But how will we escape?" Liana asked, her gaze sweeping the cell.
Elara's eyes fell upon a loose stone near the back of the cell. She approached it
cautiously, examining it closely. "This… this might be our chance," she murmured. She
began to carefully pry at the stone, testing its stability.
"Help me, my lady," she whispered.
Liana, her despair momentarily forgotten, joined Elara, her fingers working alongside hers to loosen the stone. It was slow, painstaking work, but with each small movement, a spark of hope grew within them.
After what seemed like an eternity, the stone finally gave way, revealing a narrow
passage behind it. It was dark and damp, but it was an escape. "It's a tight squeeze," Elara said, "but it's our only way out."
Liana hesitated, her gaze lingering on the straw-covered floor, the place where her world had shattered. She took a deep breath, steeling her resolve. She would not let Kieran break her. She would not let him win.
She nodded to Elara. "Let's go," she said, her voice filled with a newfound determination.
As Elara slipped through the opening, Liana followed close behind, a single thought
echoing in her mind "Revenge". And a silent prayer "Guide us".