The Kingdom of Secrets and Ruin

Dalliah

I made it to the garden. I got to see the roses my mother planted, the vegetables I’d dig to earn my keep, and the blue sky looking down on me for one last time.

It’s easier to make peace with the fact that I’ve been caught now, I don’t care so much for the rough grip on each of my elbows, or the way I’m pulled forward faster than I can walk. I’m going to be with my mother again soon, and I can only hope she finds it in herself to forgive me for the wrongs I’ve done her.

But even if she can’t, I’ll just have to spend an eternity making it up to her because we’ll never be parted again. That thought gives me strength.

My hair has come loose from the pins I’d carefully placed earlier to hold it back and out of my way. I must look wild to the people seeing me being escorted through the halls, something I know my father would hate more than my actual fate, which makes me laugh to myself.

His forgiveness I can live without.

We’re back in the room I fled from, but I’m no longer afraid, I am okay. I will remain okay and keep my head high. As the last of my name that has to mean something, right and I’d like to honour my mother by not flinching when the time comes.

Ruairi opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out, not that I care, as I turn to Marjorie with a glare.

“You’ve broken the blood oath made to my family, you might not suffer for it in this life, but expect repercussions in the next. I only hope they have mercy on you, as you did save my life that first night and I’ll take pity where I can.” I speak no longer as a girl begging favours, but as the woman my mother spent hours training me to be.

There’s no use hiding all of that now. I am a royal, a princess of this land whether they treat me as such or not, and I will go with dignity and grace.

Marjorie’s face pales, not expecting to hear as much now that her part is done, but I don’t care. I’ve said what I’ve got to say and I’m ready for what Ruairi has in store.

“You really are a Leverer.” He swallows hard, like trying to remove a lump that won’t budge.

“And you are a killer,” I answer coldly.

A sharp pain of regret courses through me, reflecting on how close I let him get, what we did and what I might have felt, but I push it down and lock it away. Now is not the time to make it any worse for myself, as I need to keep strong.

“That I am,” He nods, taking it. “And is what you say about this woman true? That she made an oath and broke it?”

I tilt my head to the side, “I’ll let her answer that, since she’s so bent on telling the truth today.”

My words are cruel, I realise as I hear them coming out of my mouth but I’ll have time to repent on the other side. The part of me still hurting from her betrayal wants me to hear her admit it out loud, not that it will change the damage done.

Besides, he’ll probably reward her for taking such drastic measures to win his favour, that is if he can forgive the secret kept this long.

Marjorie remains silent, staring at the floor and I feel disappointed.

“Did anyone else make this oath?” Ruairi asks.

“No.” We both answer at the same time, not even hesitating to try and protect the rest, as after all they kept their mouths shut and he might not spare them now that he knows.

“So there is.” He muses to himself.

“I said no.” I snap and he raises his brows, processing my attitude now that there is no reason for me to restrain myself anymore. He is not my king and he never will be.

“And I don’t believe you Doll.” He answers patiently and I have to hold back a scream.

What has Marjorie done? It’s not going to take a genius to see how Ingaret was the one who introduced me downstairs, ate with me and looked out for me the most. He could kill her, probably will kill her, all because of my mistake and her inability to think ahead.

“If you hurt them I swear with all that I have that I will haunt you, you will never know peace for the rest of your days, and I will make it my mission to ensure that you remain miserable.” I practically spit at him, not caring that the panic shows on my face because I mean every word and he should be able to tell that too.

“Haunt me?” He looks at me like I’m speaking riddles.

“What? You think you can just kill me and that it’ll all be over? Never, not if you hurt the ones I love, the ones still alive.” I vow, glaring into the green eyes I once thought I could care for. It’s a good thing I know better now.

“You think I’m going to kill you?”

The look on his face is that of hurt, but I’m no fool, he’s the Red King and he said as much himself the first day he addressed his new court. I was there and can remember it like it was yesterday.

“I don’t care what you do, as long as you leave my people alone.” I try to keep my voice steady, suspecting that my time is nearly up now that we’ve been arguing for a while.

He’s probably already sent for his men Avery and Tedric to join him, maybe they’ll all kill me together, maybe he’ll just do it himself, but it doesn’t matter, they’re all just details now.

“So this is what you think of me?” He locks his eyes with mine, like that will do anything to change my mind.

“YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!” I scream, hoping to get him to understand the pain and hatred I’ve felt. Mind games won’t work here anymore, I refuse to forget what he’s done.

He runs a hand over the back of his neck, closing his eyes while thinking to himself before turning back to me, “No, I didn’t.”

My heart skips a beat as I pause for a second, almost caught in his snare again, but thinking the better of it, “Stop lying, she’s dead we all know it, you killed her and the rest of the royals of this continent, own it you monster.”

“I will own it, your father and brothers all died of my sword, but your mother… and your sister, did not.”

Maud. I haven’t thought of her in so long. Even when alive, her memory hurt at the thought of her rejection of me and just like my mother, she was innocent in all of this. We might not have been as close as I was with my mother, but there is an overwhelming feeling of guilt at the fact that I’ve not held her loss as close in my heart.

“If you didn’t kill them, then who did?”

He hesitates for a second before answering my simple question, “Your father.”