CHAPTER NINETEEN 'As always'

When Violet woke up, the pain had disappeared and she felt pretty warm inside. She wiped off the blood across her lips and saw that Poison wasn't unconscious across her.

If she could survive a backfire by her own powers, how could Poison die from it?

She sighed.

It was still her fault the Queen died. She would take the punishment without complaint. 

With that, she dragged her feet through the snow, humming a melody as she passed.

It was hours and there didn't seem to be an ending to the snow covered mountain. She was tired and thirsty. 

The snow didn't quench her thirst and now, her stomach was beginning to growl from hunger, it pissed her off.

But she didn't want to complain. She'd vowed to take the punishment.

She kept going until she couldn't.

There was no night in the mountain and it scared her. She began to doubt her intellect. It was no doubt that the night time existed as much as the dark time.

Soon she found herself craving for the night time but it never came.

She was losing her mind.

She cried, screamed, went unconscious and came back to live but the weather was still the same as the warmth in her chest disappeared and replaced with chills.

Hours passed and she couldn't calculate how many days had passed, she only remembered that her heart had once been warm.

***

Thestryn kingdom was slowly starting to pick up due to the new queen, Dinah. She was frugal with huge ambitions and high expectations for everyone.

The warriors now had to train twice as hard because the new queen had plans of expanding their territory and she was going to start with Lagsu. The only clan that separated them from Keitan. 

Dinah knew that well and she had an interesting plan in mind. One so perfectly articulated and expressed with so much charm and of course, pain. The device that would help them push their plan through was simple, Violet. 

She'd rest the cosmos and make her decision. Violet or Xenia would be her weapon.

It didn't matter if she was a god. She was practically useless in her godly realm but on earth, it was different.

It didn't matter if she caused an upheaval and make many people die. As long as she could push her agenda and dominate the entire continent, she didn't care who they sacrificed.

With Violet by her side she would be unstoppable. But first, she had to make some changes to Violet's punishment. A rough one that would make her forest anything good.

One that would completely damage her soul. When she freed Violet eventually, she'd be a puppet to be controlled.

***

Violet's eyes were half-closed as she laid on the snow, half-dead. 

The heat had come back and devoured her so bad she couldn't even move. Her legs were shut without the bit of effort and it hurt her but she had no strength. She just let the feeling of lust envelope her in its cage and torture her. 

Suddenly, two feet appeared in front of her face. The woman was wearing golden sandals and a short skirt.

As Violet looked up, she caught a whiff of rosemary perfume. It was Anya.

Anya simply stared down at her, eyes filled with pity.

“I'm sorry, Violet. I thought you'd be free today but the new queen said..”

Violet exhaled, “The new queen?” Her voice was raspy.

“You know her. She's Thea original offspring, Dinah.”

Violet restrained the urge to scoff. Dinah had always been jealous of her in looks, talent, skills. Everything. 

She was average, how could she be queen.

“So?”

“She asked that you be freed..”

“Really?” Violet was surprised. 

Wasn't Dinah throwing away the chance to punish her? She was also the one who killed the late queen.

How could Dinah be that benevolent?

“Yes.” said Anya. “But your mother disagreed and decided you'd have to receive one more punishment until you'll be forgiven.”

Violet did not say a word.

“I'm sorry. I know you've managed to hold on here for over a year but now you'll have to..”

“A year? How long have I been here?”

“One year, eighty three days.”

Violet yearned to cry. 

A year and eighty three days and her mother still hadn't forgiven her.

Anya turned the magic stone in her hand and they appeared in front of a gate. Through the gate, one could see what it was. Void.

Pitch black.

It was over.

Anya opened the gate and without warning, tossed Violet in and turned away.

Violet let out a scream as she heard loud voices of little children begging her to die.

Other voices crossed through her ears, some begging her to give up her body, some laughing at her for being on heat.

Her body was consumed by darkness. The harder she tried to get back down, the further down she was dragged. 

The voices mocked her.

“Aren't you a god? Save yourself. Don't say please..”

“why are your legs, wet?”

“How could you be aroused in this state, whore?”

Violet cried out loud as something bit her back but she couldn't see anything. It was all dark that she thought she was blind.

Soon, she became used to the voices and gave in to the darkness. But she didn't die.

She only floated wherever the darkness took her and whenever she felt something bit her, she didn't react no more. She became numb.

But as time passed by, the bitings turned to thunder strikes. She'd get hit multiple times until she was spitting blood.

In a row, she'd get a hundred and sixty three thunder strike then, she'd feel her body be sucked further now. As soon as she was dragged down well enough, she'd receive double the thunder strikes.

That soon became routine and she got used to it. In fact, she embraced the pain. 

Not that the thunder strikes became less painful, she became numb. Creating a world in her head where she'd kill thousands in creative ways got her attention instead. 

She remembered Lilly Agatha Senora, the woman that birthed her and felt nothing but a urge to spill blood.

She'd killed many to free the weak ass woman but she made only a mistake and the woman didn't hesitate to send her to hell. She laughed loudly. She was the fool to think she deserved to be punished. 

She even refused to be helped because she thought she needed to receive the punishment whole-heartedly to be forgiven. She'd been a fool for so long as her kindness was taken for weakness. 

Never again.

Violet cackled as a thought crossed her mind.

The void sucked her in again and she laughed even louder at the voices whispering rubbish in her ears. 

She laughed loudly at all of them and gathered the energy in her chest, opening it to suck the darkness into her.

“Let's die together!” She laughed.

She'd been hanging on to life for so long. It was no use.

Alive, no one knew her or appreciated her. In death, no one would mourn her.

She laughed louder at the realization and felt a rush in her veins as she devoured the darkness and spirits around. The energy began to stretch in her chest and soon, the energy started engulfing her soul and she let it.

As she closed her eyes, the energy within her exploded and she lost consciousness as her body hit a cold brick.

***

“Your majesty! There's huge news you need to hear.”

Dinah who was patiently sitting in the throne room raised an eyebrow, “Oh? What could that be?” she said, tapping the sides of her throne?

“Violet passed through the punishment alive. She has landed in the ice cave.”

Dinah lips went up in a smirk, “Is that so?”

“What have the council agreed on?”

“Setting her free. It's been three years. The council must have decided to forgive her.”

Dinah chuckled, “Of course. But the real question is if she's forgiven them.”

Anya sighed, “Your majesty, what is your decision? You can't let the council always have their way. You're the queen yet they do not consult you in these matters, it's inappropriate. They must think you're too young to make wise decisions.”

“Watch your tongue, Anya. Although I promoted you as my personal guard, you mustn't think you're free to discuss matters like this.”

“Forgive me, my queen.”

Dinah waved her hand, “Don't bother. Thestryn will be going through major changes soon. By then, there will be only one word. My word.”

“I should go and escort Violet back on your behalf, my queen.”

“Don't bother.” Dinah said. “They did not inform me of their decision so I shall not partake in it.”

Anya smiled, knowing the queen probably had something else in mind.

***

“Will you fetch Violet here yourself?” Alex asked a rigid Lilly who was taking a look outside of her window.

“I'd rather not.”

“Don't be so stubborn Lilly! It's been three whole years. Today.. Today is Violet's nineteenth birthday!”

Lilly clenched her fists. “It's been three years since Thea's death and it's all her fault!”

Alex shook her head, “You know I did my research and discovered that even Violet's so called friend had nothing to do with Thea's murder. Why do you still blame her?! Do you know we even punished her unjustly! What will happen when everyone finds that out? They will lose their trust in us Lilly!”

“I don't care!” Lilly snapped, “Don't bother me, Alex. Do whatever you want with that girl!”

Alex sighed, shook her head, then walked out.

She took quite a number of sisters with her to the ice cave. When they entered the ice cave, she saw some other warriors surrounding a purple haired woman lying naked on the ground, unconscious.

Alex eyes widened at huge dark scars all over Violet's skill. She ran passed the sisters and sat in front of an unconscious Violet, placing a finger in front of her nose.

It was faint..

A tear rolled down her cheek at the scar-covered skin. None of her body had a skin spot and it tugged on Alex's heart.

The poor girl had suffered unjustly!

“Carry her to the healer!”

The warriors hesitated. 

“Weren't we supposed to finish her off here as soon as you got here?” One of them asked. “She looks dead anyways.”

Alex breath hitched in her throat. It was sad that the council no longer agreed on the same things.

“No. You're not supposed to finish her off.” She implied, “You are to take her to the healer so she can receive proper treatment.

The warriors hesitated.

“B-but she's so ugly and dirty.”

Alex turned to look at the warrior that had spoken and carefully stood on her feet before heading towards the guard who now had her head bowed.

Alex pulled out a pin from her hair and held the warrior female by her chin while forcefully encircling her left eye with the pin. Blood formed on the circle around the warrior eyes but she did not dare to complain.

Alex looked at the warrior as though to say. Next time it will be your eyes..

Scared, another warrior removed her coat and wrapped it over Violet's body before carefully lifting her.

Together, the woman walked out of the ice cave and Violet was taken to the healer's home.

As Lady Demi saw the situation, she immediately ushered Alex and the warrior carrying Violet inside.

Once Violet was settled in the room, the warrior left, leaving Alex alone with the healer.

“Please, do your best, healer.”

Lady Demi slightly bowed, “As always.”

She was a slightly chubby woman in her seventies yet she preferred to be referred to as a Lady.

Alex stepped out, leaving Violet alone. She felt somewhat optimistic that Violet would be alright but she feared Violet would develop self esteem issues because of her scars.

So she decided to start searching for herbs that could cure her. 

Alex herself had basic education about medicine so it was alright for her to search for medicine.