Chapter 2

“Since the ceremony is yet to be concluded, it would be better if others don’t see you,” Ronald said as he gripped the head of the wolf shaped statue and spun it thrice. A section of wall slid open, revealing a narrow passage. “Umm… It might not be very comfortable to walk through this hidden path, but don’t worry, it will take only a few minutes.”  

“Alright, please lead the way.” Allure followed him into the passage without any inhibition. “I believe that Prince Regan must have his own reasons for giving such a command.”

The air was thick with mustiness, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the narrow passage. Their footsteps echoed, creating an eerie ambiance. The faint smell of mildew lingered in the air, adding to the sense of unease. 

“Interesting.” Allure’s eyes lit up, and she looked around with fascination. “I didn’t expect Prince Regan to be such a romantic.”

“Huh?” Ronald faltered in his steps and turned around to look at Allure in complete bewilderment. “Prince Regan asked me to lead you through this gloomy passage. How is the world is that considered Romantic?”

“My father once told me that the former Lycan King had constructed a series of hidden tunnels so that he could meet his beloved without being caught on the cameras. If I am not wrong, there must be a waterfall at the end of this tunnel, right?”  

“This….” Ronald was rendered speechless for a moment. “There is indeed a waterfall at the end of the tunnel, but we won’t be going that way.”

“That means we will be walking past the execution grounds before entering the main hall from the backdoor?”

The colour drained from Ronald’s face, and his gaze flitted to the fork in the tunnel. “How about we… umm… just go back the way we came? I will take you through a different route?”

“You went into so much trouble, leading me all around the palace and then walking me into the gloomy tunnel, just so I would pass by the execution ground.” Allure crossed her arms across her chest and smiled. “Now, you want to take a different route? Aren’t you afraid of being punished by Prince Regan?”

“My lady, this….” He lowered his gaze and spoke in a voice that was barely audible. “I was just following orders.”

“You just addressed me as ‘My Lady’ didn’t you?” Allure clicked her tongue and patted Ronald’s shoulder. “Since you have already accepted me as the lady of the house, I won’t make things difficult for you. Let’s go and see what’s brewing in that so-called execution ground of yours.”

“My Lady, you had better not go there,” Ronald blocked her way anxiously. “I… I will make up some excuse later. I can… umm… ask my men to blow up this tunnel or something.”

“You worry too much.” Allure waved off his concerns and took the lead to walk further. “This lady of yours is not some pure white flower who will faint just because she sees something gruesome. There are very few things in this world that can overwhelm me.”

After walking for another ten minutes, the passage widened and opened onto a large ground, revealing the scene of an imminent execution.

A dozen or so guards surrounded an old woman who was kneeling on the ground. Clasping her thighs with both the hands, the frail woman could barely keep her body from shaking.

“Edmund, how can you be so cruel? How can you kill me because of such a slight mistake?” Tears brimmed in the old woman’s eyes and her voice became hoarse. “I… I have served his majesty for twenty years. If he finds out that you are acting arbitrarily, he won’t forgive you.”

“Do you think Prince Regan cares about that? He doesn’t. All he cares about is perfection. Since you are no longer capable of serving him without making mistakes, you don’t need to exist.” The man in the white uniform pointed a metallic crossbow at the woman. “Do you recognise this weapon?”

The woman’s face wrinkled as she frowned and leaned forward to take a closer look, “Isn’t this the Wilfred Crossbow his majesty carries on him all the time?”

“Since you recognise his weapon, you must have also understood what he wants.”

The woman’s shoulders slumped in defeat, and she closed her eyes. “Since Regan doesn’t want me to exist, I can only fulfil his wish.”

“I… I am sorry, My Lady…” Ronald fidgeted uncomfortably and he turned to face Allure. “If I knew that Prince Regan was going to execute the nanny who brought him up today, I would never have brought you here. Let’s leave now. You don’t have to watch this.”

Allure ignored Ronald's concerned rant and walked over to the man holding the crossbow. 

“Your name is Edmund, right?”

“Yes, Mrs. Smith,” He turned towards Allure and gave her a curt nod. “If you are here to stop me, you might as well save your breath. I won’t go against Prince Regan’s order.”

“Who said I am here to stop you?” Allure shifted her gaze to the weapon in his hand. “I just felt that this crossbow is quite fascinating.” Stretching her hand towards him, she added, “Do you mind if I take a look?”

“Umm… sure….” Startled by the sudden request, Edmund handed over the crossbow to Allure reflexively. “This crossbow belongs to Prince Regan. He lent it to me just because he wanted to give Mrs. Deborah a painless death.”

“I have heard that Wilfred crossbows have impeccable aim.” Allure ran her fingertips along the metallic body of the crossbow before aiming at the woman suddenly. “Mind if I give it a try?”

Zip! The five inch long dart zipped through the air and hit the old woman’s shoulder.

“You!” Edmund’s expression turned pale, and he gasped, “Why in the fucking hell did you shoot her?”

“Weren’t you going to execute her? What’s the big deal with me firing the first shot?” Handing the crossbow back to Edmund, she patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I didn’t hit any vitals. You can still shoot her chest and claim the credit for this execution.”

Pin drop silence! For the next few minutes, nobody spoke or moved. They were all just too stunned to react.

When Allure couldn’t take the discomfort of the oppressive silence anymore, she finally spoke up. “Ronald, how about you take me to the main hall? We have been wandering through these tunnels for a long time now. I am feeling a bit suffocated.”

“Of course, My Lady…. This way, please….”

Ronald led Allure out of the execution grounds. The scene that was supposed to intimidate Allure ended up stunning all the guards instead.

Once Allure left the guards broke out into a peal of animated chatter. Some crticised her, some called her a shrew. Some others commented on her calm and carefree nature. There were even some who appreciated her impeccable aim. Whether it was good or bad, Allure had left a deep first impression on the guards of the palace during her first appearance. 

“Finally, I can see some colours,” Allure commented as she sauntered into the main hall. “If you hadn’t taken me through the secret tunnel and allowed me to experience the thrill of using Wilfred Crossbow, I would have thought that Prince Regan was a boring person.”

“My Lady, please wait here. Prince Regan will be here soon.”

Allure sent him off with a wave of her hand and turned her attention to the ornate tapestries that covered the wall. One particular image caught her attention. It depicted the aftermath of the great disaster that had rocked the world twelve years ago. Amidst the broken weapons and dead bodies was a young boy with golden curls. Despite the dire circumstances, his eyes were shining with determination.

“Now that I have changed so much, I wonder if you will recognise me?” Allure muttered as she drew closer and ran her fingers along the contours of his face. “I wonder if there are moments in your life when you forget about everything else and just think about me, like I do?”

A veil of silence shrouded the room as Allure stood there like a statue, her eyes glazed, her fingers lingering close to the boy’s lips; as if she were reminiscing about something important to her.

“Don’t you think you are too presumptuous for a hostage?”

Startled by the sudden, deep voice, Allure spun around. Her gaze landed on a man who towered over her by an entire foot. His strong jawline, cherry red lips and that typical cold expression, added a strange charm to his commanding presence.

The moment Allure’s confident gaze met his piercing blue eyes, she realised that the game had just begun. Prince Regan wasn’t the kind of person who would lay his cards on the table so easily. But that’s what made everything even more interesting.