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To live or to love 60
FLASHBACKThe man had fallen from one of the windows high above them, no doubt tumbling through the air in a cruel twist of fate before landing on the cobblestones below with a sickening thud. His limbs were twisted at odd angles; his neck bent unnaturally to one side; his face frozen in an expression of shock and pain—all evidence that he had not gone quietly into death’s embrace. Aurora felt tears sting her eyes as she looked upon him.The royal maids and guards around them were similarly stricken, some of them openly weeping as they looked upon the body with a mixture of grief and surprise.One by one, the servants began to fall silent until only a few whispers echoed through the courtyard. Soom, the show ended with the man's body being carried away and others dispersing. Aurora similarly made her way through the Royal Arena, back to her chambers, when suddenly she felt a jolt as someone bumped into her. She was caught off guard and stumbled a bit before catching her balance.
To live or to love 61
FLASHBACKMiranda stood in front of the door to Aurora's chambers, anxiously fidgeting with the hem of her dress. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door, hoping the guard on the other side would let her in.A gruff voice answered from behind her . "What do you want?""I need to speak to Aurora, it's important," Miranda replied, trying to sound confident.The guard hesitated for a moment,. "I'm sorry, but Aurora is not to be disturbed at the moment. Please leave and come back later."Miranda pleaded with the guard. "Please, I really need to speak with her. It's a matter of life and death."The guard scowled."I said no! Now leave before I have to use force.""Please, just a few minutes. I promise I won't cause any trouble."But the guard remained firm, pushing her away from the door. "I don't care what your reasons are, you're not allowed in."Defeated, Miranda stumbled backward and turned away from the door. The guard's grip was firm, his large hand encircling Miranda's
To live or to love 62
Derek anxiously waited in the corridor outside the physician's chambers as the physician approached him with a small pouch of herbs."Here you go, Sir. As you requested, a pouch of herbs," the physician said, handing over the pouch to Derek.Derek hesitated for a moment before opening the pouch and inspecting its contents. He felt a wave of sickness wash over him as he realized what he was about to do. He knew he had no choice, but the guilt was still weighing heavily on his mind. Slowly, he examined each herb, hoping that there was some way he could back out of this. But he knew that he couldn't. With a heavy sigh, he closed the pouch and looked up at the physician. "I hope it won't hurt her health," he said, trying to sound as confident as possible.The physician reassured him, "Oh no, Sir. These herbs are completely safe. They will only terminate the pregnancy in her womb, nothing more. She might feel some minor pains for a day or two, but that would be all. Her health won't be a
To live or to love 63
Derek's heart was pounding as he saw the maid preparing to pour the herbs into Aurora's drink. He couldn't let it happen. He walked over to her quickly, grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from the drink."Okay, hands off," he said, his voice low and urgent.The maid looked startled, but she didn't resist as he took the pouch of herbs from her hand."I'll do it myself," Derek said firmly. "You can leave now."The maid nodded and quickly left the room, looking a bit confused. Derek watched her go before turning back to the drink.He took a deep breath, trying to steady his hands. He knew what he had to do, even though it made him sick to his stomach. Derek's heart was pounding so hard that he could barely hear anything else. His mind was in chaos as he held the pouch of herbs in his hand, staring at it as if it held the fate of the world. He walked towards the window.As Derek opened the windows, a gust of wind rushed into the room, blowing his hair back and ruffling the paper
To live or to love 64
Aurora's hand shook as she clutched the belly knife tightly, her fingers turning white from the pressure. With her heart racing and her mind set on her plan, she lifted her skirt with her free hand, exposing her thigh. Taking a deep breath, she quickly sliced the blade across her skin, wincing at the pain but determined to carry on.The wound started to bleed profusely. The blood flowed out of the cut and dripped down her thigh, staining her dress and pooling on the floor. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and Aurora felt lightheaded from the loss of blood. She tried to stifle a gasp of pain and clutched her thigh with her free hand to slow the bleeding. The blood was thick and dark, and it seemed like an endless stream. It flowed out of the wound in a steady trickle, forming a small puddle on the floor. The sight of the blood made Aurora feel nauseous, and she had to steady herself against the table to avoid falling. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm herself do
To live or to love 65.
Derek entered Aurora's room, and as soon as she saw him, she sat up on her bed,.“Derek…”Derek said nothing, instead he walked quickly over to Aurora.His arms wrapped around Aurora's small frame, pulling her close to his chest. She could feel the strength of his embrace, the warmth of his body radiating against hers. It was a familiar feeling, one that made her feel safe and protected.She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was a calming sound, and she found herself slowly relaxing in his arms. The scent of him filled her nostrils, a mixture of leather, musk, and something uniquely Derek.Aurora closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of closeness with him. She could feel his fingers tracing patterns on her back, sending shivers down her spine. His touch was gentle, but she could sense the underlying strength behind it.For a moment, they remained like that, wrapped up in each other's arms. It was a peaceful moment, one that Aurora wished c
To live or to love 66
Zen, Gasher, and Furo trudged on in the dense woods, still in search of the elusive Black Cave of Oints. The atmosphere was eerie, the only sound coming from the rustling of leaves underfoot and the occasional snap of a twig. The towering trees cast deep shadows, and the only light came from the occasional beam of sunlight that filtered through the leaves.As they walked, Zen noticed that the forest had grown increasingly quiet. "Have you guys noticed how silent it's gotten?" he asked, his voice hushed. "It's like everything's holding its breath."Gasher nodded. "I don't like it. Something feels off."Furo, ever the optimist, tried to lighten the mood. "Maybe it's just because we're in a part of the forest where there aren't many animals. Or maybe they're all taking a nap!"Zen gave a small chuckle, but the tension remained. They walked on in silence for a while longer, the oppressive quiet weighing heavily on them.Suddenly, Gasher held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. "Do you
To live or to love 67
Zen, Furo, and Gasher were forced to kneel next to a blazing bonfire, the flames licking the air and the heat causing sweat to bead on their foreheads. Black sacks had been thrown over their heads, muffling their senses and making it difficult to breathe. They had been captured by a pack, and the sense of danger was palpable in the air.Gasher strained to hear any movements nearby, but the only sound was the crackle of the bonfire. He could feel the heat on his face, the smoke stinging his nostrils. His heart was pounding in his chest as he wondered what was to become of them.Zen's mind was racing, trying to formulate a plan. He tried to focus on his surroundings, feeling the heat of the fire on his skin and the coarse texture of the ground beneath him. He could hear the muffled sounds of the pack members talking nearby, their voices harsh and guttural.Furo took deep breaths, trying to remain calm and centered. His senses were heightened, and he could feel the tension in the air. Th
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