Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Ah, it's dark. I took a deep breath trying to keep my legs from falling apart while I walk through the pile of snow. The winter covered the evergreen forest in white and the moon makes it shines like silver. 'What a majestic view' I thought. I let out an exasperated laugh as I stroll down the memory lane from a couple of months ago, how did things went wrong?

"Logan, I can't wait for a whole year!" I flinched when I heard an unfamiliar voice echoed through the garden of the palace. This was a secret spot that only I, my brother, and Helix knew. I remember setting up an appointment with him but why are these people here?

"Hush, Maureen we're on the inner palace."

"That's exactly because we're in the inner palace, this garden was never used anyway, Who would hear from us when there's barely any people around."

I lowered my hat and quietly hid myself among the bushes. Confused as to why my fiancé, Duke Logan and Lady Maureen of house Astrid is meeting in the garden of the inner palace. This garden is one of the five gardens inside the inner palace where the royal family resides and this one is my favourite spot because it has a secret garden within its maze and it's specifically secluded that despite being well kept, almost everyone forgot about its existence.

Logan sighed at her remarks and gently held her in his arms.

"I told you, after my wedding with Asiana I'll feed her with poison and she'll die of an 'unknown disease' she was loved by her family and they'll mourn her death heavily that's when we'll strike the throne and you'll be my Queen." He whispered although it still reached my ear. His soothing voice can make anyone fall for it except that his words we're filled with dangers.

My eyes went wide with what I've heard, this is crazy! My heart clenched with sudden bout of betrayal. Shaking, I covered my mouth with both of my hands as I try to hide myself more in fear of being discovered. I have never been this afraid in my life, not even when an assassin points it's sword on my throat, not even when I'm on the verge of death from poison. But this scene that unfolds before me strike a new kind of fear as surge of different emotions flowed within me, summarising it all in all through my tears.

"Why do you even have to marry her if you're going to kill her anyway? Besides she's immune to poison because of that nanny your father recommended. Just stage an accident for her!" impatience was visible in Lady Astrid's voice as she tried to get away from Logan. The former shook his head in resignation as if it was pointless to talk about it.

"An accident will call for an investigation, plus I'll be less suspicious if she died after our marriage, who would think of murdering his loving wife?" Anger, frustration, and betrayal all of these feelings are urging me to come forward and give them a piece of my mind. These bastards are planning about my death as if they're talking about wedding plans, talking about treason as natural as breathing. Lady Astrid raised both of her arms as if surrendering and Logan smiled then whispered sweet nothings in her ears.

Calm down Asiana, this is not a bad thing. Consider this a blessing from above you definitely dodge the bullet there. I kept trembling unsure whether it was because of what I've heard, or with the autumn air.

"After her death, our ally from Eclates will help us seized the throne. Of course it's a two way system we'll have to help them too."

Eclates… the neighbouring country south of Avalon, a two day ship ride from here to think he'd made an alliance with a country twice as big as ours. Logan, how long have you been planning this? Are all those smiles and memories we shared are fabrication in order to gain my trust and affection? I was a fool to think we love each other despite our engagement being political.

My breath, were laboured and my eyes were blurry from all those tears that doesn't seem to stop from falling. As if to mock, a strong gush of wind hit us enough to almost blow away my hat.

"Ah!" I flinched when I accidentally let out my voice while I tried to catch my hat. Thankfully, the spot where I'm hiding is far enough for them to notice me right away, but close enough for them to be alerted. "Who's there?!" Logan screamed while walking to my direction, I look around in panic as he gets closer when a pair of hands snatched me away.

"What's wrong?"

"There's nothing here, must be our imagination. Let's go."

I literally stopped breathing until their footsteps were far away from where we are. A pair of hands engulfed me in a warm embrace a familiar scent hit my nostrils.

"Helix…" a pair of green eyes meets my blue ones and Helix's face is darker than the night. My tears which stopped in a moment of panic, once again began to fall when Helix's arms wrapped around me. He said nothing and just watched me cry while he patted my back. When I came to, we are already on the deeper part of the maze garden, in my confusion I forgot about the dog hole behind me that leads to the secret garden. If Helix was a moment late, my death may be earlier than planned.

"Sol…" I shifted my gaze to the person who just spoke, my brother, Sancho, have an angry look on his face almost as if he was ready to wage a war.

"You must've heard everything." I muttered silently.

Helix lets go of me and helped me up, guiding me towards the gazebo.

"I saw the hem of your skirt through the dog hole, and you were standing for too long we thought something was wrong." Helix opened his mouth for the first time his expression were grim and his voice was laced with killing intent.

"What do you mean something is wrong? Everything is wrong! Have you heard what those bastards are talking about?" Sancho can no longer contain his anger and screamed at Helix who seemed calm yet brimming with murderous aura. For a moment, I almost forgot the reason why we decided to meet together in this secret spot where we always played as kids. It was supposed to be an emotional and touching bonding moment with the two best mans who always loved and protected me since we're in diapers we are supposed to dig up our time capsule in celebration with my incoming wedding with the Duke of Asval. It was still an emotional meeting though, everyone is mad beyond relief.

"Calm down." I held Sancho's arm and looked at Helix.

"I am calm." Helix's voice, were firm as if to assure me, but that's exactly why I need him to calm down. Marquess Helix de Marso is our childhood friend and my brother's close aide, he had always been the calm and collective type but the more calm he is, the scarier it is. Once when we were twelve, I suddenly collapsed due to gradual poisoning my nanny add to my tea, everyone panicked but Helix was calm and even had the gall to smile, the next day, the said nanny who poisoned me was found beaten to death near the coast of Avalon boulevard and Helix visited my room with an envelope of evidence and confession in his hands. At this rate, Helix might launch an assassination on either Logan or Lady Maureen.

"Helix." At this point even my brother Sancho called him out. Helix sighed in defeat and held his sword tightly.

"I know, I won't be launching an assassination on either of them." He answered as if he read what was on our mind.

"We need to think of a plan." I said, I was often told that for a princess, I am quite reckless that lacks a sense of danger, but of course I don't have plans to die, nor I have plans to let other people ruin our family. But this is the only way I can think of.

"What do you have in mind?" both of them asked in unison.

"Brother-no, Crown Prince." I corrected myself my older brother was fond of me and treated me with care the moment I was born. He was an exceptional man with talents far superior more than anyone else in the kingdom and there are only two people who can be considered on par with him. That'll be Helix and me. No matter how reckless and stupid my plan sounds, he should understand the weight of my words especially when I refer to him as his highness.

"No." he said as if he had a hunch on what I am about to say.

"Sol!" Helix rose from his seat with eyes wide open.

"You know this will throw their plans in disarray and will give us time to gather our forces." I calmly said I can see a hint of frustrations in their eyes. There is only two months left before my wedding with Logan. A wedding in the cold winter- truly how chilling our relationship is.

"Princess Asiana Soleil de Avalon will die."

I said and both of them stood cold.