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XV
XV – A Crack in the Mask
Eden Brighton has always known (even if she thinks that the rumors about her highness are so far-fetched by now and she was so ashamed at how she once readily believed them when she was younger) that Princess Aria wasn’t really what someone you would deem to be… normal.
Physical appearances aside, the girl has always been different, has always felt different enough that no animal would voluntarily come near her without bristling or dare to attack her point-blank should she deigned to come closer in a bid to touch them. And as her personal handmaiden, Eden has always been subjected to her highness’ presence, so she always felt it, that being in the Princess’ presence, for some reason… has always felt so cold.
No wonder the Princess always has the fireplace lit, always had it b
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Corruption XVI
XVI – Dead Dove: Do Not Eat Without a warning, the Princess all but grabbed Eden by the hand before the Queen could say more as she brusquely slammed the door shut behind them. Eden thought her highness would have released her as soon as they stepped out of Her Majesty’s chambers but… but no, the Princess’ grip remained firm and true as she continued to drag Eden far and far away until they were all but running, now in the familiar, empty halls of the west wing, the sound of their footsteps the only noise, reminding Eden just how late it was right now. “Did she hurt you?” The handmaiden was alarmed when she realized that the younger girl’s hand was actually trembling, “Milady,” she called, eyes wide in concern, “Is… are you alright–?” “Did she hurt you?” &nb
Corruption XVII
XVII – A Hymn to Redemption As the handmaiden continues to envelop the Princess in her arms with her entire body slightly rocking back and forth over and over again to soothe her crying… until the younger girl’s trembling faintly stills, sheknows. (As Eden hears the young girl sobbing and crying her heart out so hard that her voice practically breaks off and eventually dies down into the tiny whimpers, hiccupping here and there with the barest traces of sniffles… The sound was breaking her heart too, bit by bit, and Eden thinks she might be crumbling alongside her mistress as well. There were silent tears and dripping blood still streaking down her highness’ pale face as she coughs and hiccups so badly, which Eden shushes and wipes away with her hands, gently brushing her fingers thr
Corruption XVIII
XVIII – The Concept of Mercy When the Princess was way much younger, she often dreams of dying (with the idea of staying dead still fresh in the back of her mind) whenever she wakes up screaming her lungs out in odd hours of the night. No one hears. No one comes. Back then, she didn’t mind. Back then, she thinks she was better off that way… let no one see or hear just how much her stepmother had gotten under her skin because at least, in the safety of her chambers, she can pretend that she was still whole and unbreakable, strong, still in control. (She was wrong.) Because all along, the Princess would have been fooling no one but herself if she claims outright that she had come out unscathed when her stepmother had poisoned her when she was
Corruption XIX
XIX – After the Rain Jin Sanscroft’s fingers ghosted through the fine velvet that the ribbon was made of as he admired it in the dim glow of the candlelight. It was the shade of a rich, dark purple, glimmering so prettily as he turned it amongst his fingers this way and that–the color of royalty as one of his old tutors from the North had told him–soft and silky to the touch, rippling like molten lilac in his hand. He would have been so pleased at how well it turned out but… He had missed Aria’s birthday. But that’s okay, he thinks, trying to look on the bright side, looking over at the silver chest filled with books (mostly novels and collections of poetry he had bought that he knows she’ll like) sitting on the top of his bed in their home in the South, a fond smile tugging gently at the corner of his lips just at the thought of his friend.
Corruption XX
XX – Cauterize the wound Jin still hasn’t come back. And Aria… has never felt so exposed, added by the knife-like feeling of humiliation, of feeling less-than human in her infuriatingly short and miserable life before, during and even hours after the ‘examination’ (for a lack of a better term) and although the Princess was more than aware that Eden had only nothing but her best interests at heart, the experience was just as life-scarring as it is. She knows Eden’s mother–is Mrs. or was it Doctor Brighton the proper name to refer to? –was not even at fault too and had been doing her job and moral duty to a patient and to her princess but Aria, no matter how irrational, how petty, and childish… she still couldn’t find it in her to quell the licks of fiery resentment bubbling up on her chest. &nb
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XXI – Letters to Death Winter turns to spring and it turns to summer, summer turns to autumn, autumn turns to winter again in the seasons’ hour glass. The cycle continues on and on and on. On and on, it spins. * * * * * A year had passed by since then and the young Princess of the Northern Kingdom has practically grown up to become an infamous beauty throughout the land of ice and snow as the fairest just as the Queen’s mirror had foretold the girl shall come to be. But be warned for her beauty is a kind of beauty that only a wildfire can possess, for it can only be admired from a safe distance. Snow-like skin and ebony hair with blood red colored eyes.
Corruption XXII
XXII – The Rightful Heir The next morning, Princess Aria very nearly crushed the delicate porcelain teacup she had been holding in her hand when she heard from her father during breakfast that Sir Edward of House Sanscroft has passed away in his sleep peacefully last night. And so, out of respect for Sir Edward Sanscroft–and to her father–Aria forced herself to attend the morning meal (despite wanting to get the hell away from there as soon as possible, run to Jin’s arms and mourn with him, she'll allow herself to mourn for Sir Edward herself behind closed doors much, much later because right now, her friend needs her more than ever) and listen to King Arion lament of his friend’s past endeavors and bravery during the entire meal. Her father looked like he was this close to tears but managed to keep it together as he hold his chin up as proud as any k
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XXIII – Danse Macabre Darkness was the first thing he sees. Everything was black, nothingness. Jin blinked. Why was everything so dark? Confused, he blinked again. And that was when the world righted itself once more when he found that he was somehow, in some way… lying in the middle of a garden filled with the choicest of flowers that the earth could ever behold. Pink, yellow, white, blue, violet, and red… Each and every single one of the flowers around him seemed to dance to the invisible tune of a soft, summer breeze. Blinding s
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