"I princess Anna of Mayvna, agree to this arrangement, and I would like for my people to know so. But I have a request that I ask the King grant me." I say, measuring each word I spoke with utmost precision.
"Ask for my crown, or my head on a silver platter, and I shall give it to you. I shall give the world to you, my queen." He responded without stuttering, and that made my heart break more.
"Before my mother's death, she wished for me to stay in Mayvna, and rule them as their queen. I do wish to spend all eternity with you, your Majesty, but I can never break the promise I made my mother. If you are unpleased with my decision, then I would humbly accept it with a heavy heart." With every word, my heart broke. He was a good man. He was the husband I've always wanted. Just when I had gotten true happiness in my life, fate had decided to snatch that away from me too.
The whole room felt silent as Luka's eyes, still fixated on mine, reflected hurt, then determination. He was cooking something. Marcus just looked at me pleadingly, but then lowered his gaze almost immediately. The tension in the hall was so thick, you would cut it with a knife. Then out of nowhere, Luka's eyes flickered, a ray of hope emerging from his long train of thought.
"I would give the world, and my kingdom for you. But I can neither let the heavens,not the earth come between us. Since we are bordering neighbors, I suggest we merge the kingdoms. That way, we can both have what we want. I will move my capital to Mayvna, it's strategic and most of all, you'll stay by my side. " He said with a bit of excitement lacing his tone. "Anything else my lady? You don't have to request me ever so formally. State it and it shall be yours."
I was astonished, everyone was. This king hadn't even been with me for a day, but he would already give anything and everything just to be close to me.
"Majesty, why would you make a huge decision like that for me? I am just but a mere maiden, you would have found another, probably more beautiful..."
He shushes me with his finger.
"Anna, no one is like Anna. You have the fire of a raging volcano, in those emerald green bewitching eyes. I can't get over them. You have something in you that I cannot begin to describe, but it is there. And I don't care if it gets prettier, but this is what I want. You are what I want. I have granted your request. Now please, grant me mine." He asked holding my hand.
He was not just some king, his kingdom overshadowed ours a hundred fold. In his hands was the biggest empire of the time. I couldn't believe that this man, who was so kind and polite was feared by many. He was as ruthless as he was kind. And that scared me.
"My lord, your wish is my command." I respond. The thoughts running through my mind were countless. What could I possibly give him? He had it all.
"You. I want you. You will belong to me for all eternity. I want us to take a sacred blood vow where we will always be each other's. I want you to be mine for all eternity. Please."
This man is not only weird, he is really into me, and part of that scared the living hell out of me. Marcus had left at that point.
"Sure thing My King. Your wish is my command." I responded, bowing my head, but he lifted it to face me.
"You have bewitched me with those eyes. Never lower them for anyone, even me. I've never bowed before anyone else before you and I shall never bow to anyone after. I am all yours." He says. The intense look in his eyes set my heart on fire, and I could feel my breath get faster. He leaned closer and once again time stopped. As I looked into his eyes, I felt all my senses escape me and I couldn't think straight. What on earth was he doing to me ? Whatever it was, it was working because his every touch felt like fire to me.
No. I can't lose control like this. I snapped out of it.
"Excuse me." I said almost running to the secret chamber behind the kitchen.
I stated to breath too fast and I felt all the air leave my lungs. I then just broke down and cried. A moment into me sulking in my depression and poor critical thinking skills, someone opens the door and takes me in his strong arms. The fear and insecurity I once had faded away like the wind. I hold on tightly to him like my life depended on it. He softly carresed my hair and I couldn't help but reduce my cry to a soft sob. He's touch was so calming. It was the complete opposite of Luka's touch. And I wanted that. I wanted calm and soothing.
"Marcus, I don't like what I'm feeling. With either of you. I don't want to hurt either of you. If I pick a side one of you will get hurt. And I know that you will say that I shouldn't care, but I do. I do and that's what matters. Once I take that oath, it will be over for us."
Marcus just looked into my eyes with so much love, I swear it hurt.
"Anna, I know it's hard, but I am here, I will handle everything. You don't have to worry about anything, okay? I have loved you for years Anna, and nobody will ever take you away from me. Not even death, you understand? Don't worry. Okay. I am always and will always be here for you." He said holding on to me even tighter. I felt my whole world just rely on that one word from him. I knew he would make things right.
"But before that, our plan has been set in motion, and in a few minutes, one of your mother's murderers will have paid the price."
I had almost forgotten about that. He leads me to the king's room where the king and Earnest were arguing.
"What did you do?" I whispered to him almost excited.
"Your emotional brother is too young to understand complex administration and politics. So I made him believe that your father was keeping you here so that he can make you heir. Being the hot tempered emotional boy that he is I knew he would cause a scene. If a fight erups and the king kills the crown prince...."
"He will have to declare me his heir. I would torment him for all eternity. And if the crown prince kills the king, then he would be slaughtered for treason, and I would ascend the throne." I say as I slowly pieced together what Marcus had accomplished. It was a brilliant idea. Just before I could say anything, we heard a muffled scream, and we both turned to look.
From where we were we could tell that someone else was in the room but we couldn't see who. He or she grabbed Earnest's sword and slit his throat open without a second thought. I felt shivers run through my entire body. I expected this to play out differently. Earnest's cold eyes stared at me as the stranger dropped his head to the cold concrete floor. His eyes were filled with fear and shock.
"Please..... No.... Spare me... I'm..... sorry, please...." I heard the king stutter. The stranger then grabbed him by his hair and he faced the same fate as his son. As his blood splattered on the floor, I felt something. Fear. No one I knew was this bold and fearless except mother. Before anything, the stranger took my father's sword and put it in his hands and did the same with my brother's as well. He then began to inflict wounds on their corpses. I didn't understand what he was doing at first but then it all made sense. He wanted it to look like a brawl that ended in death. The realization that there is someone this daring in my kingdom made me shiver.
After planning the scene perfectly, he left.
"Marcus, did you see what I did? " I ask Marcus fear I'm my eyes for the first time. I was running out if breath, and sobbing. I was down right horrified. He wrapped his huge built arms around me and I put my head in his chest as I slowly started to process what just happened.
"No one will ever harm you, whether I am alive or dead, okay Anna? I will always protect you." He said and I held on to him tighter. As a feeling of calm slowly set in, the question then made me shiver. Who was that stranger?