"The royal marriage shall carry on!"
A middle-aged man in extravagant attire commanded, adjusting the crown upon his head.
"But Father, the people are dying, di!"
A maiden dressed in ruby red protested, her face painted with horror and despair.
"I won't listen! The marriage is sacred and must continue! I bestow my decree, di!"
He reluctantly looked away from his daughter, his demeanour utterly unforgivable.
"Father! The east is in flames, and we have done nothing to help our people!"
His daughter cried out, falling to her knees as she desperately begged the ruthless man she called Father.
Her long golden hair, streaked with silver hues, brushed against the floor as she lowered her head until it nearly touched the carpet.
"Please... Father."
She sniffled, tears streaming down her face as she clung to the carpet in desperation.
The old, daunting man spared her a single glare- one laced with hatred and disgust- before walking past her.
The knights surrounding the grand hall hurried forward to help the princess to her feet. Yet she kept her head lowered, unable to stop the endless tears that flowed from her eyes.
She parted her lips and sobbed.
"But they are dying, di..."
"Princess... please turn a blind eye, just as we have."
One of the knights spoke, guilt heavy in his voice.
She buried her face in her tiny palms, feeling utterly useless.
"I've killed them all, Sir Sivex..."
The knights cautiously exchanged glances and swallowed nervously, having no idea what to do.
They were mere puppets—trained only to obey commands, never daring to voice their own protests.
One thing they knew for certain...
The Princess had to be taken away.
"Oh, my Princess! You look magnificent, di. Your beauty is incomparable to all!"
The maids gushed excitedly around the depressed princess beneath a long veil.
The veil concealed her petite silhouette and hid her beautiful blonde hair.
Beneath the delicate fabric sat a princess whose eyes had grown weary and whose trembling lips remained sealed in silence.
The quiet only deepened.
And so did her despair.
Her face darkened with every passing moment.
"Princess..."
A soothing voice called out.
"Sir Sivex... you were meant to be my life, yet look at you... giving my hand to another man, di."
Her voice shattered beneath the crushing weight of duty.
Sir Sivex remained silent before signalling for the maids to leave.
Once they were gone, he stepped closer, each footstep heavy with burden.
He intended to commit treason for the love of his eternity.
Slowly, he knelt before her and gently took both of her hands into his own.
His gaze brimmed with emotions too difficult to comprehend, while his brows twitched ever so slightly.
"Are you ready to become a Queen?"
Her eyes widened in disbelief, only to meet the unwavering, ominous gaze of the man she loved.
***
"All rise for Princess Sasha Di Conrial."
The people stood as she entered the grand hall, every pair of eyes fixed upon her.
The bouquet resting in her hands had already begun to wither.
Yet she chose to carry it today.
Gradually, she came to a halt before the man standing opposite her.
A man nearly twice her age.
The man she had been ordered to marry for the kingdom's political ties.
Unlike Sasha, he wore a grin stretched from ear to ear like a ravenous beast.
Sir Sivex clenched his fists from the corner of the hall, his pitiful gaze never leaving her.
Silent tears slipped down the knight's cheeks unnoticed by all.
Meanwhile, the fat king sat proudly upon his throne with a smug grin, unable to contain his delight as he rocked happily in his seat.
"Do you, Princess Sasha, take the Duke of the South, Sir Metaloaf, as your husband?"
Silence.
The court whispered.
Silence.
Only the rustling of fabrics and the hushed murmurs of the audience filled the hall.
And then-
Suddenly-
Sasha let the bouquet fall to the floor.
Before anyone could react, she seized a nearby knight's sword and sprinted towards the throne.
Though her petite body often refused to comply with her will...
Today-
She was a roaring beast.
"KNIGHT'S STOP HER!!"
One desperate scream left the King's mouth before-
With a single swing, she drove the blade straight through her father's chest.
Blood erupted from the wound.
No one dared move.
The old man cried out in agony like a frightened child.
And like a true warrior, she stood upon the steps of the throne.
Her once-pure white gown was now stained crimson.
Her expression rivalled that of a Hydra.
The knights froze in place.
Even Sir Sivex stood motionless, his eyes widened in astonishment.
"I am the sole daughter of this kingdom. As the previous King has fallen, I am the rightful ruler of this throne."
She slowly raised the blood-soaked sword.
"My knights..."
"Pledge your loyalty to your new Queen."
She commanded, her ominous gaze sending terror throughout the hall.
As blood trickled down the marble steps, not a single soul dared move.
However...
One man did.
Sir Sivex stepped forward until he stood before her.
He knelt on one knee, placing his sword beside him.
"I, Sivex, pledge my loyalty to the new Queen!"
His voice thundered throughout the hall.
Within seconds, the remaining knights followed.
"We pledge our loyalty to the Queen!"
The chant echoed endlessly throughout the grand hall.
A proud smile finally appeared upon Sasha's lips.
She swung the bloodstained sword high into the air as her eyes fell outside the palace. A giant trident hanging from the air, far due east. Her lips trembled and she pronounced.
"Prepare to rescue the east!"