The Divine

My mom broke free from the soldier's grasp and rushed toward me, but he quickly caught her again. 'Please don't take my daughter away, I beg you! Please!' Her tears fell to the ground, a few still left to spill, while mine had long since dried.

'I'm so sorry,’ I murmured, turning away from them. Deep down, part of me had longed for this moment.

'Do you want her to end up like the others?! She can’t go with you!' a man shouted out—not a soldier, just one of the bystanders eager to witness the ordeal. His words jolted my mom back to reality.

I stepped into the carriage, casting her one last smile. 'Pray for me, mother.'

The soldiers muttered quietly among themselves while the carriage jolted over rough terrain.

'What are you all whispering about?' I asked, breaking their focus.

They all turned to look at me simultaneously, their expressions incredulous that I had dared to speak up.

'Do you even know who you’re talking to?' one soldier challenged.

I brushed him off, turning my gaze to the side and folding my arms.

"Sorry", I ended up murmuring.

I intertwined my fingers and shut my eyes, my head facing up, “I promise to tidy up, be orderly, and pretend to be the perfect child. Just grant me the chance to join a royal family.”

Opening my eyes with a smile, I nodded, “Amen.”

“Violet.”

“Yes?” I answered, uncertain of who was calling me.

“The palace is in chaos, and this kingdom is on the brink of a curse.”

My expression turned to one of confusion. “Huh?!”

The man faced me directly. “Will you assist us in stopping this?”

“Assist you with what?!” I questioned, my bewilderment growing. “And why is the kingdom facing a curse?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he replied, turning his attention back to the driver.

Just like that, my fate seemed sealed.

But in truth, if death was their intention, I welcomed it. I longed to reunite with all twelve of my siblings again.

The carriage halted in front of a striking black and gold castle, and all the men disembarked. As I tried to follow suit, the commander—the one who had called my name earlier—reached out his hand.

“I can manage by myself,” I asserted.

“It’s my responsibility to assist you,” he replied firmly.

"Do I look like I give a-" I took a deep breath, stopping midway, then I accepted his hand.

He guided me toward the building, with the other men leading the way ahead of us.

"You're going to a place that doesn't require a stubborn attitude, so do your best to fix that part of yourself," he remarked, not bothering to meet my gaze.

"Where exactly am I going?" I asked, bewildered. As before, he chose to simply overlook my question.

Once we entered the building, I noticed two men seated at a table, munching on sandwiches. They wiped their mouths the moment they spotted us and hurried over.

"Where's the girl?" one of them inquired, directing his attention to the commander.

The commander glanced in my direction. "That's her," he stated.

The man, sporting blonde hair, blue eyes, and glasses, resembled the awkward third wheel in a classic friends-to-lovers scenario. He stifled a laugh, covering his mouth as he spoke to the commander, "Could I have a moment with you, please?"

"Of course," the commander replied.

The commander previously held onto my hand, probably to keep me from bolting, but I didn't dwell on it too much.

Keep an eye on her," he instructed one of the soldiers as he moved aside with the man.

Curious, I turned to the soldier tasked with 'watching' me. "What do you think they’re talking about?" I probed. His expression was stoic; he didn’t meet my gaze or anyone else’s.

"You don’t have to play nonchalant", I remarked, rolling my eyes in frustration.

I edged a bit closer, straining to catch snippets of their conversation.

"You know the kind of person we need. That girl looks like she hasn’t eaten since her birth.."

"She’s got what it takes."

"Did you even ask for her consent?"

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean NOT EXACTLY?!"

The commander sighed and began to approach us, prompting me to hurriedly retreat to my original spot.

He stepped toward me, wearing that charming expression I once found irresistible at sixteen.

"Miss Violet, do you accept this?"

I tilted my head curiously, "Accept what?"

"To aid us in breaking an impending curse?"

"I don't know where I'm going but..

I rested my hand on my chin, a playful smile forming as I stepped closer. "Let’s see… Will I end up dead?

"Not likely".

I stepped closer, "Will I lose a body part?"

"Not likely".

I dared take another step, "Mental harm?"

"Probably not".

And then I almost closed our distance, "Do I get to have dinner with Commander Rafael?"

"No".

I turned away and squeezed my mouth, "Then forget about it".

He seized my arm and spun me around to look him in the eye. "I apologise if I'm mishandling this, but we’re discussing the kingdom! If I were a woman, I would have taken action myself!”

“Mishandling?”

He clenched his jaw. “Are you even listening to me?”

I yanked my arm free from his grasp, anger suddenly filling up my chest. “You want me to offer up my life for a kingdom that has only ever betrayed me!”

My voice rose, pouring out all the emotions I had kept bottled up. “I’ve watched my siblings wait helplessly for death, and I’ve seen it take them one by one. I’ve done unimaginable things to ensure they survived while I could easily be the one to perish!”

I sank to the ground, tears streaming down my face. “But Death just won’t take me, Commander. Do you have any idea what that’s like?”

He crouched beside me. “I—”

I shook my head. “You don’t understand, Commander. I can tell you want to say you get it, but you don’t. Because if you truly did, you would never ask me to give to a world that has taken so much away from me.”

"I'm not asking you to give anything to anyone", He said. "I want you to do this for yourself".

He got up, dusting off his trousers, "But I made a mistake, I should never have-

"I'll do it".

The entire room looked at me, my eyes staring at the floor.

"I promised someone to be a good girl, I can't go back on my word", I laughed as I thought about it, it was better to exit earth with 'I saved the world' than 'I starved to death'.

The commander raised me, "Miss Violet, are you sure-

"She already gave her tragic backstory, I think she's ready", He got cut off again, by the second guard now.

He nodded at me, "We're not really close, but I promise we'll have dinner... whenever you come back".

"You really have faith I'll come back, don't you?"

He chuckled, "You don't even know where you're going".

"I have a hunch".

The two guards began to open the gate they were guarding, nodding at me to go in.

"Guess there was no use in my tantrum".

With every step, my heart kept beating faster, I held my chest to control it but...it just wouldn't stop.

"I hope I live long enough to get that dinner".

Then I stepped through the door.