Blood and Swords

Meribella's whole body trembled as if she were on the brink of disappearing from existence. Her breath hitched and her fingers curled tightly against the fabric of her dress. The smooth silk felt foreign against her clammy palms.

The king's voice was cold and absolute, hanging in the air like a dark prophecy.

She barely registered the paper in his grip or the way his sharp eyes bored into her with an intensity that sent her nerves spiralling.

'What is the meaning of this, Lady Meribella Faye?'

His words were sharp like a blade dressed in velvet.

A command to speak! A demand for an answer! A death sentence if she kept her silence!

Edwyn turned to face Meribella, searching her eyes for any sign of deceit. But all he found was paralysing fear.

He turned and approached the king. After giving a respectful bow to his father, he took the letter from the king's hand.

The king's gaze continued to bore into Meribella's soul, rooting her to the spot like a deer caught in the blinding lights of an oncoming doom.

Meribella's lips parted to speak of her innocence, but no words came out. She could barely breathe, let alone speak. Her throat tightened as if invisible hands had wrapped around her neck and suffocated her.

'This was a nightmare. It had to be.'

Reading the contents, Edwyn's body stiffened in indignation. His gaze shifted back and forth from the letter to Meribella. The handwriting was undeniably hers.

'This is her handwriting,' he thought doubtfully. They had shared many letters before. Could she have sent a letter to the King of Lords too?

Meribella felt her strength fade as she saw her knees buckle. She desperately looked at her parents, who returned worried and warm glances.

Her father, Harald Faye, held his breath and took a brave step towards the crown prince.

"Crown Prince, may I see the letter?" he asked.

Harold's reaction was just like the crown prince's, which only intensified Meribella's sense of dread.

She clutched her dress, swallowed hard, and descended the steps where her fate would be determined. But her progress stumbled on the second step. Just before Edwyn could reach her, Raze Azkariel stepped in to support her, grasping her hands tightly to steady her.

Meribella immediately withdrew her hands, not wanting to be touched by the man who claimed her as the rightful bride of Ravencrest.

'Bride of Ravencrest? Was she supposed to marry the land or what?' She thought bitterly.

However, she failed to maintain her balance and fell right into Raze Azkariel's arms. His arms encircled her waist, and a smirk crossed his face.

'Foolish woman,' he thought, if only she had taken his hand instead of retracting it.

She cursed herself inwardly and, this time, moved away carefully so she wouldn't fall over him again and fuel the doubts of everyone present in the church.

Before she could step towards her father, Raze spoke softly,

"Meribella," his voice so gentle it could rival the softness of cotton candy.

Her breath was caught in her throat. Why... why was he calling her name in such a familiar way? Meribella cursed him heartfully. He was only making things worse for her.

She snapped at him, but no words escaped her lips to scold him. She stood there, shocked as if her voice had been stolen away.

Edwyn's heart burned with pain. He couldn't understand how Meribella could betray him. He had heard rumours of her being a witch and yet had accepted her despite her fallen noble status.

"Meribella," Raze called her name again with the same tenderness. "I have come here to take you to where your heart truly belongs. I am here to save you from this forced marriage. You do not need to worry." He gave a quick look at the King and the Crown Prince, "No king or crown prince can harm you or force you to marry without your permission. You have my word."

Ignoring Raze, Meribella turned to Edwyn. Her voice barely rose above a whisper. It was fragile and desperate, "I...I did not..."

Her words died before they could take form because Raze moved before she could finish.

His presence darkened the already tense atmosphere as if the very air bent to his command. His following words carried a warning that sent a ripple of unspoken terror through the room.

"If anyone attempts to prevent me from taking Meribella," he declared, his voice calm yet carrying an edge as sharp as a blade, "be prepared for a blood sacrifice."

And then a single sound sliced through the suffocating silence like a metallic ring. Six red-hooded figures drew their swords in unison and were ready to unleash chaos upon everyone in the church.

Meribella's complexion paled. The villagers quaked, and the noblemen felt defenceless without their own weapons.

"I... I did not send any letters, Lord Azkariel." She inhaled, forcing strength into her words. "I do not know what you are referring to. You must be mistaken…"

Raze raised his hand, and a hooded figure handed him five rolled parchments. Raze caught them effortlessly before his golden eyes flickered as he held them up for her to see.

"On our journey to Ravencrest, I can help you remember, Meribella."

His voice softened, but the mocking edge remained. "There is no need to feign ignorance." He took a step closer to her. His gaze was unwavering. "Remember, you are safe with me."

'Safe?' The word twisted in Meribella's chest. 'Safe with him?' The man who had turned her wedding into a battlefield? The same speaks of keeping her safe. 'What an irony!', she thought with a bitter taste spreading in her mouth.

Meribella bit down hard on her lip to maintain her composure in front of others, even though every ounce of her wanted to yell at Raze Azkariel, the man who derailed her wedding.

"Will you come willingly?" He extended a hand. Not in kindness. But in dominance. "Or must I force my hand and spill blood to free you from your guilt of being judged by these people?" Raze watched her struggle and promised silkily. "Will this please you, Meribella?"

Her throat went dry. 'It was a trap. Definitely a devil's trap.'

Was he planning to make her a virgin sacrifice for Ravencrest? Was that why he called her the rightful bride of Ravencrest? Those thoughts only added to her mounting panic.

She shook her head in denial. "NO! It does not...Let me see the letter first," Meribella demanded, her voice trembling with both fear and defiance.

King Godric's hand clenched into a fist as his patience unravelled. He was not present to watch a disgraceful melodrama unfold at the expense of the royal lineage. They would all pay with their blood.

"Let's see if you can try to take her…..Ravencrest dogs!" King Godric's voice thundered in rage. "I would rather end her life here, in front of all, than let her disgrace the Crimson Crown."

Raze's smirk widened, and Meribella's heart sank into an abyss. King's statement sucked the air out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for the air.

But she had not lost hope—not yet. She turned frantically to Edwyn to defend her and stand by her side.

His shoulders were squared, and his sword was drawn with a posture that reflected every bit of the noble knight she had always admired.

She kept waiting…and.....waiting, and with each passing second, her hopes were wethering. He said nothing but remained silent.

Watching Edwyn stand still, his gaze averted and not looking at her, meant only one thing. He trusted the letter—the damning, fabricated letter—more than he trusted her words. And the heart wrenching realisation struck her like a cruel dagger stabbing deep into her heart mercilessly.

She trusted him, adored him and always believed in him. So why would he not return the same trust? Does his loyalty to his father outweigh his love for her? She wondered.

"Edwyn... please look at me. I —" she pleaded but was cut off again.

"Crown Prince Edwyn, Miss Meribella Faye," King Godric declared formally. A clear warning for her to hold her tongue.

"King Godric, your threats are like a child waving a stick in the dark," Raze's voice rang out deeply across the room as if this were a casual discussion rather than a conflict teetering on the edge of violence. "Death….isn't a punishment, but the liberation for the soul."

He then turned his gaze back to Meribella and locked onto her greenish-blue eyes. His expression softened even more.

"Meribella, don't fear what's destined for you. Every soul has destined time to serve on earth, and yours is far from over."

He assured her with the poise of a philosopher rather than a warrior as if he weren't the one who had spoken of spilling blood first. This sudden change in his demeanour left Meribella bewildered.

Meribella couldn't help but think that he was a lost cause, a mad lord with a disordered mind. He was speaking of destiny and souls as if he were a disciple of ancient wisdom, rather than the very instigator of the chaos that surrounded them.

Raze continued, "I have not come to bring ruin but to reclaim what's rightfully Ravencrest's. However, if blood must be drawn, let it then," he declared before, with a dramatic flourish, he drew his sword.

"Stop! Stop! Please, no bloodshed!" Meribella screamed.

The thought of her villagers and family dying because of her was unbearable.

She wanted to restore her parents' noble status, but now it was gone because of a stupid fabricated letter—all of it because of her. That burden was already overwhelming her. She was not ready to carry another weight of people being stripped of their lives in the hands of the mad lord.

King Godric's patience was exhausted. He raised his sword up in the air, aiming for Meribella's head. And with fierce, he brought it down with the speed of sound, slicing the air with a sharp 'whoosh', only to feel his sword slice through empty air; his strike failed.

Meribella, the King of Lords, along with six red-hooded figures, in an instant vanished before everyone's eyes and soon the whole church was enveloped in thick dark black clouds.