### Days | Cold Sleep [UPDATED]

[Stagborne, the Grand Capital of Florentia]

Night had graced the Grand Capital, bringing a calm and quiet veil upon the city, with many of its denizens having returned to their dwellings to rest... leaving only a few still burning the midnight oil.

And one such place was the heart of the capital itself—the Grand Castle of Florentia, where the Crown resided.

Bathed in silver, its towering spires reached toward the heavens... basking in the moon's gentle embrace. It was the pinnacle of regal splendor... yet, beneath its beauty...

A solemn stillness lurked within, leaving the castle itself... restless.

And deep within, past the great halls adorned with banners of Florentia's crest, lay corridors draped in darkness.

The only light that touched these empty halls came from the moon's glow, slipping through the tall, arched windows.

Clack, clack, clack.

The sound of heels tapping echoed through the dark corridor—a shadow advancing through the large passage all alone...

But under the moon's glow, the 'shadow' of a person emerged... their golden locks reflecting the silver light.

A blonde woman.

Her golden hair shimmered under the moonlight, strands catching the glow as she moved with quiet grace.

Her expression was difficult to read—serene, yet... distant. But when the light graced her face... a small frown could be seen upon her lips.

The frowning beauty continued to walk through the almost lifeless corridor... until she reached her destination.

A large door flanked by two of the Castle's Guards.

They stood in silence, yet their presence and unyielding posture imbued them with authority and an air of unwavering vigilance.

They were the pinnacles of the kingdom's knights themselves, proving their worth as those who would protect the Crown...

Yet, the door behind them radiated a greater presence—an aura that carried a heavy, suffocating weight... an unseen force pressing upon the soul.

The very thing that had caused this Grand Castle to be restless.

Finally... or rather, they had already noticed the blonde woman's approach, straightening their armored figures in response... then offered a respectful nod.

"Lady Luciana," one of them greeted. His tone was formal, yet unwavering. "Do you wish to meet with His Highness?"

A question asked out of duty... despite already knowing the answer.

Luciana, the blonde woman, gave a solemn nod.

At once, the two guards shifted to the sides, stepping away from the massive double doors. Then, in perfect sync, they pressed their hands against the grand entrance, pushing it open.

A deep, resonating creak echoed through the dim corridor as the doors parted, revealing the chamber beyond.

A dark chamber.

Luciana did not speak. Without hesitation, she stepped inside.

And as her figure disappeared into the shadows, the doors behind her shut once more—closing with a loud, resounding thud.

Now engulfed in darkness, her gaze wandered across the barely lit room... before settling on the large bed at its center.

She held her hand up for a moment... as magic gathered at her palm.

"Wind Arcana..."

Then... with a flick of her wrist and a soft whisper...

"...Silence."

...the air shifted. A faint hum of magic pulsed around the room—sealing away all sound within its walls.

When she confirmed that her magic was working as intended... she moved toward the large bed in the chamber.

Her eyes gazed upon the grand bed... and soon found a man lying upon it.

A blonde man.

His face was peaceful, undisturbed—as if he had not noticed the loud entrance nor the magic surrounding his chamber...

He was lost in his slumber, unaware of the woman now standing beside his bed.

But how he slept did not matter.

What did... was the knife buried deep in his chest.

Right through his heart.

A slow, pulsating glow coursed through the blade, its crimson veins throbbing with an eerie light. Yet, despite the weapon embedded so cruelly within him... the man remained still.

Silent.

As if the pain did not even reach him.

As if he was lost in a sleep he could never wake from.

"...My prince," the blonde woman muttered under her breath, her voice soft—aching.

Her hand trembled as it reached for his, fingers brushing against his pale skin. Cold. Always cold now... yet she still sought his warmth.

She slowly fell to her knees, leveling herself to the 'sleeping' prince's form as she gazed upon the quiet—breathless—expression he wore.

"My love... you were supposed to be mine..." she whispered, her voice quivering as her grip on his hand tightened.

She mourned for his 'death'...

And yet...

Her expression twisted.

"...Tch."

A deep frown marred her delicate features... before it curled into something else entirely.

Rage.

"Damn you..." she hissed, her voice laced with venom.

Her fingers traced the edge of his hand, almost tender—until her nails dug into his skin.

"Damn you...!" she spat again, the venom intensifying—! "Damn you, you redheaded bimbo bitch—!"

Luciana's breaths came out ragged—her whole body trembled with rage!

"You had to get in my way... you just had to—! How dare you disturb my prince's route—my path to our happy ending?!"

Her lips quivered, the rage twisting into something far darker—a desperate, clinging possessiveness.

"You don't love him... not like I do," she hissed under her breath. "You never did... so why—"

Her eyes burned with unbridled fury as she tore her gaze away from the prince's lifeless face and onto the cursed knife buried deep in his chest.

Her teeth clenched.

"No matter how many times I try... No matter how much divine magic I pour into you... you still won't wake up..." she whispered, her voice shaking before it twisted into a snarl.

Luciana's hands shot forward—letting the prince's cold hand slip from her grasp—before wrapping around the knife's handle.

She pulled with all her strength—!

But the blade did not budge.

It was stuck. Embedded into his chest like a sword in stone.

Luciana's lips curled in frustration.

"PURIFY—!" she shouted, her hands glowing with brilliant light as she grasped the knife, pouring her magic into it—!

Nothing.

The blade did not move.

The crimson veins did not disappear.

The prince did not stir.

Her breath hitched—livid from helpless rage.

"You won't even budge—?!" She yanked at it again, her fury spilling over.

She continued to pull, pouring divine magic into the blade...

But it was a hopeless endeavor. The blade remained buried deep within the prince's chest.

"...Agh!!!" She screeched in sheer frustration before tearing her hands away from the knife's handle.

She reeled back from the bed, her breath ragged as she braced herself on trembling arms, still kneeling.

She continued to glare with pure contempt at the very thing that separated her from her prince's love...

Before her voice cracked with bitter hatred as she seethed.

"Fine—! I'll just wait for the day I hear the news of that bitch's demise...!"

She stood up, anger still painting her face... before she steadied her breathing.

Her expression turned serene once more... yet, the small frown upon her lips never disappeared.

Luciana raised her hands over the prince's body—ethereal golden light swirled around her fingertips.

"Revive."

The glow enveloped him—slowly, it seeped into his flesh.

Color returned to his skin. The coldness left his body.

Warmth returned—

—but he did not breathe.

Luciana's eye twitched.

"...Tch." She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Her hand fell to her side as she turned away from the prince's still form.

Her steps carried her toward the exit—but at the doorway, she halted.

She glanced back; her expression unreadable... yet sorrow flickered in her gaze.

"My love..."

Even as her lips parted, her voice was cold.

"I'll find a way to bring you back..."

Her eyes darkened.

"...Even if I have to rip the heart out of that witch."