Silenced

Days passed by, and the wedding was only hours away.

The Princess looks at her reflection in the mirror and thought of the Butler immediately. It was days since she got to spend time with him because he was so busy tending to the young Prince from the foreign kingdom. She knows the Butler could not refuse the order of her father, the Duke, but is it truly necessary to obviously avoid her?

The Princess had been trying to talk to him, and she tried waiting for him under that huge tree where they would always read books together but no matter what she did. The Butler seems determined to avoid running into her for good.

But maybe... it was for the best.

The wedding will proceed as planned and there will be no delays unless the Princess herself hesitates to come to her own wedding.

She could run away, and convince the Butler to elope with her but she wasn't sure that she can do it. In the first place, she isn't even sure about the Butler's feelings towards her.

He never answered her confessions properly, and now he doesn't even try to meet with her.

It would be a fool's errand to try and convince him to run away now because he might take her for a Princess who finally turned crazy due to the pressure of marriage.

"If only I wasn't the Princess...", the words escaped from her lips and when she realized what she had said, tears started forming on her eyes.

The feeling of restlessness, and being trapped in a situation that she never wished for slowly creeps inside the confused Princess's mind.

It was her duty yet her heart was being torn apart by the feelings she holds for the Butler. She loves her people, she loves the city and the Duke.

She tried her best, and worked hard for her exiled brother's part too after he was gone. She endured the Duchess's cold gaze, and her way of 'taming' her to become a refined young lady. She stayed silent when her step-siblings would hurl abuse at her. She endured everything, and bottled everything so that the Duke would have no need to worry about her.

The scars on her back was proof of the things that she kept silent about even lying to the Butler whenever he would ask why she was almost always under the shade of that tree to read when there was the royal library inside the palace. She would joke, and plaster on a smile on her face even if she was in pain because of those scars and even if there were nightmares, and she could hear the whip latching on her skin over and over again.

She would laugh her heart out.

So that they wouldn't know.

So that they wouldn't worry.

But more than that, it was because she did what she have to do, out of love.

And, now her heart is being shattered because of that same love. It's so painful that crying her heart out would not be enough anymore.

The Princess knows fairly well that there was no one that could save her from this pain inside her heart. It was hers, and hers alone to endure.

And, just like in the past, she would hide everything behind a perfected facade.

A smile that is worthy to adore the face of a Princess.

   The Prince looks outside the carriage's window just like when he first arrived at Emerald City, only, the sky seems darker and the City felt estranged. He knows it was his wedding day, and it is supposed to be a joyous occasion but he cannot find it in his heart to be happy. Instead, all he can feel was dread of what will happen after the wedding.

Before the day of the wedding, he received an anonymous letter that is likely from his father. The raven arrived along with the sealed letter, and in it was his father's new orders.

The letter stated that after the wedding he was to return immediately, and the princess is to return with him to his homeland. It was a direct order from his father but the little boy could not fathom to even try and separate the princess from her home. He's also aware of the Princess's reluctancy towards this marriage just like he does but running away wasn't one of their options because it would mean that they neglected their rightful duties as a prince, and princess.

The Prince is well aware of his father's intention as to why he wanted the Princess to come back with him. It was to make sure that the Duke will stay faithful to his word, and to ensure that no tricks under the table will pass the King's watchful eyes.

In other words, the Princess was to be held hostage. In case, the Duke tries to betray them.

The young Prince has no clue whatsoever as to why his father all of a sudden decided to do this but the situation felt off. It wasn't like his father to doubt the Duke's intentions because of his well-known generosity, and, loyalty to his duties and his people.

"No matter how I look at it. My father's decision is rash.", he thought of getting information about his father but because of the wedding, the Prince's moves were restricted and even inside the Palace he can feel that there is a certain pair of eyes that is always watching him.

He doubted the Butler, and the Princess at first but the two of them proved to be innocent. An informant his father planted ahead of time inside the Emerald City carried out his duty well and the Prince found out most of what he wanted that ensured his safety before stepping inside the  gates of the Duke's prized city.

The only thing that piqued his curiosity was the gloomy Duchess that would carry herself with arrogance whenever their paths intersect inside the Palace. He observed her from time to time with the excuse of wandering around the Palace to know more about the City and all he could figure out was that the Duchess does not do her duties, and would indulge herself.

The informant told him that the Duchess would frequently gamble, and bring different men inside her chambers but other than that the informant thought that there was no relevant information anymore to pass on.

But something about her doesn't feel right. The Prince felt it the moment their gazes locked with each other. It was as if, something much more sinister was hiding behind the Duchess's character.

Deep in thought, the Prince was startled when the carriage came to a halt in the middle of nowhere. He was just about to return from a personal trip away from the City, and to take the fastest route the coachman along with a few of his guards decided to travel through the infamous dark forest where much fables, and ghost stories were inspired from.

It was the crack of dawn yet the sky remained dark with gray clouds covering the sky.

"What happened?", The Prince asked when one of his guards riding a horse came closer to speak with him.

"The horses seems to refuse to go any further, your Highness. The coachman seems to be quite startled too."

The Prince shifted from his seat, and opened the curtains of the carriage's window.

"The horses senses something hence why they refuse to move forward. Check what it is, and stay vigilant.", the guard slightly bow his head, "I receive your orders, your Highness."

The guards got off their horses, and with their blades in hand they slowly walked forward, while their eyes keen, for any movement inside the forest.

The rustling of the trees, and the cold breeze enveloped the guards as they go further the path. There seems to be nothing of note, and when they are convinced that the horses was just seeing things they turned their backs to report back to their Prince.

A mistake that was paid for by blood.

Shadows emerged with blades glimmering in the dark at hand. And, before the guards could fend for themselves the shadows were swift and precise, cutting them down with clean movements.

The guards could only scream, and one of them who holds a lamp in his hands ran for his life upon seeing his peers dropping dead one by one in front of him.

The Prince felt danger approaching, unaware that the predator only inches closer to its prey. The men with black capes draw their arrows directed towards the Prince's carriage. The men held their breath as they find the right timing to release the arrows, and end the young Prince's misery but their plan was immediately spoiled when one of the guards reached the carriage.

But before he could warn the Prince of the situation, an arrow shot him through the heart, his blood spraying on the horses that were already frantic. The horses surprised by the blood, were out of control and even threw the coachman out of balance.

The coachman, old and feeble with age was thrown off his seat and the horses sent him flying to the ground.

The horses neighs like it was a cry out of fear, and when another arrow was shot to silence the poor coachman, the horses ran leaving behind its master and with them, the confused Prince inside the carriage.