Rose of Deception

Eloise

“Do you know who I am?” Wasadonian best swords girl asked as she skidded across the field deflecting the blade of her rival.

“I know but that doesn’t matter because you won’t live long enough to serve your king.” I felt the best talent go hesitant beneath my blade. Obviously the young lady was confused of how a stranger knew she was going to meet the ruler.

Blade went flying in field of wheat.

Indeed a talent. I thought after she left me armless.

“Look who is talking.” Eloise, the swords girl replied, holding the pointer of her large blade to my neck. I who may have lived longer than the king himself. Not to judge by appearance.

My identity being kept a secret for good. The young girl did not know that the one on the ground had been in the exact moment before. That today I was here to steel her identity.

I propped myself up, elbows digging in the soft soil. My smirk stunned the captive. Only naïve showed their expressions so soon.

I kicked the blade up as I stood up from laying on the ground, holding the hilt of the sharp beauty.

Another soul that was going to stain me, name that was going to enlist at the bottom of the ones that were the victim of my sharp moves.

I never wanted to be like this. But the world had never given what one needed. And hence it had no right to complain to what I had become. So lost in the melody of my desires that I was too ready to stand on the verge of the cliff if it meant I got to get what I needed.

REVENGE.

On the son of the man who killed my mother. Was that too much to ask after my endless days in the torture room where I nearly lost myself.

“Your name will look stunning on me.” I spoke to the swords girl, hatred blazed in her eyes.

“You will regret it.” Eloise cursed.

“Honey, I am the definition of curse.” I smiled and before the swords girl could argue more I whipped the blade in the air. Blood seeping from her neck and in the span of stars twinkle her neck fell to the ground.

Blood splashing on the soil. The scent fresh and warm that she almost craved the taste of the crimson in her mouth.

It was weird how I did not pity the fallen legend. Sometimes I questioned myself if my dad wouldn’t have locked me up how of a personality I would have. Would I be a good daughter? But none of that mattered now. Because all was different, my father turned out to be a perfect villain of my life who killed my sister and let my mother out in the battle field just so she could lose her life.

Now I didn’t even know where my mother was preserved.

Before I cleaned the blood from Eloise clothes off of the blade I looked up at the sky, taking in the air. The air that was breathed by humans and elves.

The air that belonged to my enemy. I assumed it was a sin to breathe same air as my enemy but nothing was stronger than the feeling of vengeance I gave birth too.

“Land of Ambra I come to destroy your sacred descendant.” She looked in the eyes that had lost the life. So colorless and breathtaking. It was never the life that kep humans alive but the person keeping her. I took myself and the one I killed as an example. How I had been forgotten while I got to live while this swords girl will be still alive, her name was what was known to the people of Wasadonia. A legend that will live for hundreds of years even after the ruthless death she witnessed.

“Eloise.” I tested the name on my tongue. “Not bad.”

And I entered the city gates of Wasadonia as the champion Eloise Indra, the girl who never lost, the girl who never gave up and the girl who was proud to be a local from Wasadonia.

Too bad I had to kill the horse that lady rod. Because he wasn’t too cooperative with the sight of her throat being cut.

Shoes of my horse ticked on the gray cobalt stones of the city streets. Everybody stared at the lush mare with a gaze of desire.

But I cared less to stop by and let them consume the full draft of my baby. Or where they consuming my visual as Eloise Indra cause I felt they seemed to know whose arrival was expected.

Breeze drew back the hood I had draped over my dark hairs. The weather was quite well as compared to where I came from. But it could be a lie because I haven’t visited my homeland for a while and it doesn’t take time for the climate to change.

At the far end I notice the towers of the castle, not too close and yet my hairs had almost escaped the braid leaving nothing but a thin strand coiled up till the end.

Just as I was so in my thoughts the guard stopped me before I entered the gates to the house of royals.

“Miss,” the guard was bald I could tell it even though he wore the uniform cap.

“Yes sire.” And there I was thinking from where this all gratitude arrived from. The blank expression on the man’s face told that he needed to be given the identity to enter the palace. “Eloise Indra, the king must have informed you of my arrival.” And the guard’s expression changed like a whole new world and he spoke with such sugar in his voice that she doubted he was the same person.

“You may dismount the horse. It will be taken to the stables while I’ll accompany you to the king.”

They walked in to the castle, stairs after stairs and he said they were finally in the right corridor. It was huge, the murals were just too stunning to describe. I never took interest in art but it really caught my eyes. The one tale that I had not witnessed but heard off.

Battle of blood valley, the one that took my mother away from me. And I recognized the man opposite to her. The king of Warkniles. Father of prince Keres.

I wished I was not locked up in the torture room when my mother was declared dead after the war. I wished I was free to see her for the last time but I never got the chance. The only deed my father did was send a guard to me to inform of my mother leaving this world.

“My lady, are you okay?” the guard asked.

“May I know who this lady was?” I wanted to know how the tales had spun over the years.

“We are not allowed to talk about our former king.”

It was never difficult for me to access out the information from others, if not this stupid guard than the prince of Wasadonia.

“It is fine. I can understand.” I smiled at him.

“We must hurry. The king must be waiting.” They paced towards the last door on the floor and he pushed it open allowing me to walk in.

The dark interior was formal and may be uncomfortable to the person sometimes who spent most of his time in it. Curtains were drawn away allowing the natural light to seep in to the room. Shelves that framed the walls were loaded with books that looked to ancient to date back to the Empress Ambra.

I doubted even I could not read a lot of them due to their ancient language.

“King Arthur.” I didn’t bow, I never did.

The man looked up from the papers, chocolate brown eyes peeking through the lenses that were set low on the bridge of his nose.

“Miss Eloise Indra.” A smile so polite played on his lips. He guided me to sit on the chair opposite to him, desk in-between.

“I didn’t expect such a rare talent coming from young generation.” He spoke with such respect.

“Experience doesn’t always comes with age king Arthur.” And he chuckled at the statement.

“I truly agree with you, being the one who was given a responsibility I was not ready to take at a very young age. Well, I must not bore you with the history.”

“That is never the subject to put you to sleep. Some fools may not take interest in it.” The flicker in his eyes was undeniably the answer that he too though the same.

“You must be escorted to your chamber. The ride here would have been tiring.”

“Stays are more exhausting than rides. But I came here to stay, didn’t I?”

“That I cannot say because it depends on your performance with Prince Keres Aphelion.”

“It depends on how hard I get him.” The king obviously ignored the statement because he looked too bored in the papers he held.

“Zayn,” the king called the guard on his right. “Show her chambers around the building. Tell them to make the sheets of the room she fancies. It seems like she will be here for long.” The king turned to look at her before he looked back at his guard.

I was excited but I eagerness was connected to the urge to meet the prince. I could kill him in a split second but that won’t give me the satisfaction.

Walking through the corridors we stopped by every door to be pushed it open by Zayn and every time I rejection he sighed, not saying anything. After all the rooms were examined he climbed on the stairs me following him, opening to a new floor which was similar to previous one.

No murals stained the walls instead structured paint was all over the long barriers.

“No guest has ever let me climb theses stairs.” He claimed and I went head over heels laughing out.

“I am no guest, and believe me the next time we come across I will be more of a fuss.” He smiled at me.

He pushed open the door to the last room and before I could peek in he spoke his mind. “It was only one guest in the past that I opened this door for.” I wanted to ask to it might be but I was too stunned by the interior and the view of the garden from the large window that I forgot the every second thought that might have taken birth in my mind.

“I take that as a yes.” He silently left and after a couple of minutes the maids came in carrying fresh pair of sheets and curtains.

The girls giggled on something they were discussing but I was never the curious type or was I?

“The prince and the king seems to take you with respect.” I started.

“Oh, yes. He is very nice and cooperative with the workers here. Half of the girls in the kitchen have crush on him.” The one elbowed her and she resume her talking. “I may have talked more than I should.” She put a hand on her mouth.

“It is okay. You can talk freely.” I replied, wanting to know more about the prince. Before I even meet him. While the room was being cleaned I walked out in to the empty hall, no one live here I noticed. Maybe because it was the top most floor with spooky hallways that were rarely walked through.

Once I changed the attire to my liking I climbed down the stairs.

“Three ninety four.” I stepped on the ground floor with a sigh.

Exploring the castle for some open air I found the hallway that was deeper and guarded heavily as compared to the others. That must be where the royal family resided.

After a whole tour I found the ball room and to it was connected the garden. I had forgotten how beautiful the flowers looked when they were grown at the same place.

A swimming hole so big and deep carpeted the center, stones laid at the corner to give it a natural look. I bent down, dipping my hand in the cool water. It was nice how it felt, so fresh and lively. Standing back I stepped back without moving, her back knocking in to something rather someone and I was stepping on the person’s foot.

“My apologies.” I turned around to see the person behind me. Ash blonde strands fell over his forehead following bottle green eyes and thick lips. Beautifully tan skin. The young man reminded me of the snake prince I met years ago. The boy who promised a life with my sister but was he him?

No it could not be. His features slightly differed, nose being sharper than this young one who stood across me.

“Ase… Eloise Indra.” I stretched out my hand for him to take it. And he did, his lips pecked her knuckles.

“Prince Keres.” He looked up from her hand. “I have never seen you around.” He tore his fingers through his hairs, brushing them away from his forehead. Actions that people did when they were nervous to start a conversation, I assumed.

I noticed the scar across his brow, it must be the doing of a wolf.

“Nice meeting you Prince Keres.” I said casually.

“Me, too.” Was he showing me his attitude? His posture was stiff and so were his shoulders. Why was he so tense?

“Is someone watching us?” I whispered to him.

“No. Why would you say so?”

“Because you are uneasy at the moment.” He did not reply to my statement which kind of was weird because no one ever did this and was not on his knees.

“I guess I forgot to introduce myself.” She started. “The new swords girl your brother appointed for you.”

“Ok.”

“Are you sure you are alright prince Keres.”

“Why do you keep asking me the same thing?”

“I am sorry if I offended you but you really seam off. Well I have never seen someone who talks so briefly that you start to feel you are talking to yourself.”

“We are not close enough to talk much.” He concluded his idea but I never cared of what others thought.

“It’s better to talk to strangers sometimes.”

“We are not strangers and soon I am going to see you ever day for my practices.” The prince walked away.

An interesting target. Playing hard to get, I huffed.

But what made him so broken, his eyes were like the green wine bottle been broken that was swept away to put the broken pieces together before they were dumped.

I went back in my room as I tried to reassemble the tales I was told after my escape from my father nearly killing me. Years after my stay in the torture cell that one evening that may have bought me back from insanity, when I heard the racing. Wolven paws against the ground rattled the earth and even in the mild daze I knew something big was happening.

I remembered running to the guard at the door and begged him to tell me what was going on but all he did was nod his head in a statement that he did not know or wasn’t allowed to tell.

During the days and night I heard the continuous movements, between me totally losing controls over myself. Days when I saw the most visions that would never relate.

I had lost track of everything, time, my age, and the days that have passed since I started to hear the sounds.

Maybe weeks passed like years and a guard knocked at the door, I knew it could not be my father.

No window or whole to see outside I had replied to the knock and maybe if there was a way to see out I would have not because I had started to hallucinate and my vision had gotten blur.

I did not understand the first part he spoke but once the words of my mother left his lips they echoed in my ears like a dirty siren.

SHE WAS DEAD.

How was I to believe this? With what thought they wanted me to know this. That I would go insane and would never be like my sister who was good. And that I’d destroy their plan of the evil crown.

I wanted to yell that she was never like me. The fear that bought my father to imprison me. I would never want wolves to fall back. I wanted to tell my father that his blood ran in my veins and if it was for my life I would have sacrificed it just to get that crown and become the power to all the blood line that Ambra had given birth to.

Instead he thought that just like my elder sister I was also going to be good with a pure heart that had not tasted the blood of deception.

I sat up from the bed, staring at the mirror. It is the past I reminded myself but will it change the fact that i was no longer a girl I used to be.

I had become the girl who had lost faith in relations and kindness and warmth of a heart. I had lost trust. Those scars of the whip on my back and the pain in the sole from walking on glass bare feet reminded me what I was made. I wanted to scream for how helpless I was back then.

There was knock at the door that bought me back from trance.

“The king wishes to meet you. In the arena.” The maid said.

“Hmm, I’ll be there.” Hearing her reply the maid left. I grabbed the hand towel from the bathing chamber and wiped the sweat that beaded my forehead and how cold my hands had gone. I could not feel the tips of my finger but only the lukewarm water that seemed to burn the coldness.

Walking down the hallways I realized I did not know the way. I turned the corner fifth time since I had started walking.

“Not again.” I was about to change the route when a voice called me from behind and I instantly knew who he was.

“Levi.” I squeaked running towards him.

“You don’t seem amazed seeing me here.” He hesitated for a brief second.

“Should I?”

“Well, no. you shouldn’t. Because it can’t be expected from you.”

“Alright.”

“Why are you here?” he walked me in the open room that was without a door.

“Because the snake queen is just very annoying. When she knew that I was somehow related to you she asked me a million questions and also asked you to come and meet her because there is something important she wants to talk to you about.” He breathed out. “And I explained it all to you in one breath, my lady.” He winked.

“No messing around. How can I go when I just arrived here after killing the real person?” I paced in the room. “I’ll think about it but for now the king called me and I can’t find the way to the arena.”

“I can lead you.”

“You know where it is?” I sounded stunned.

“Yeah I worked here as a guard until last year.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Because the king sent me here.”

“You know I am not interested in the kings business, now will you take me.” Neither of us talked on the way to the arena.

Once I entered the hall I heard the blade cutting through the air.

“I might have called you a little while ago.” The king stopped with his routine.

“I got lost.” I excused.

His sword pointed towards the glass cabinet on the other end of the hallway and I went to pick a perfect fit for me. The middle one was relatively smarter and light than the others.

“Show us what you have got.” The king moved in to action.

I charged at him not giving the hint of my steps but he was fast and had a good sense of predicting, as a king that was his positive trait.

I blocked his blade and he pushed me down before I kicked in his thigh.

“Ouch, miss Eloise.” He dropped his weapon and rubbed the area he was hit. “You are not supposed to use your legs.”

“I know your highness. But you did not address any kind of rules before we started the combat. And that is what make me unexpected with my moves to the opponent and eventually he falls. I know kung Fu too.”

“Miss Eloise, you surely are a gem.” He walked in agony towards the hook on the wall to grab his tail coat. “I’m sure I have found a challenge to prince Keres.” His smile genuine.

“And yes I must return to my work.” I walked with him. My steps as big as his.