A Horrible Gift

“W-what? You cannot say that—”

“Why can’t I? Your father is a murderer,” he growled at me with rage in his eyes. His lips pursed against his teeth, and I could feel the malice in his every glare. “He killed my parents long ago and I was just lucky I survived! He annihilated my whole pack and there is no way I could ever let him live after what he had done to my Clan!”

I stared at the enraged expression on Aster’s face and I can see how much he has been waiting for this moment to avenge his family. I couldn’t say anything because I have known about this story every time my father boasts it to his colleagues while he was drunk most of the time. Subconsciously, I looked down at my hands and my dress and I could smell the disgusting metallic scent of blood all over me which must be from King Richard when he was stabbed in his chest and his stomach while we were dancing. My body trembled as I embrace myself, remembering the horror of cries and shrieks of the innocent lives killed in that banquet.

“You killed all of those people!” I screamed at him and threw my face on both of my hands and cried, scared for the lives of the people I care about and Helaena is on top of them. But Aster remained stoic and cold as if there is no remorse in him for what he did. But there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes which confused me.

I can understand the pain and anguish in Aster’s eyes. I can feel the same emotion in him every time my father makes me feel like I am just a thing to him that he is ready to sell with anyone who could bring great fortune to his Empire. I am a piece of token to broaden his lands and the murderer of his late wife, my mother, who died while she was giving birth to me.

But he is still my father no matter how evil he is. No matter how much I despise him for making my life so miserable, I cannot let these people kill my father. I had learned to love him from afar and just thought that maybe, the father is not just good at showing his emotions to me. If my father will get killed, I will be the last Wycliffe that will be left.

“Look, My father is too slow and fat to kill anyone, especially your parents. You must have been mistaken!” I cried, trying to convince him. He is my mate! Maybe he would consider not killing my father, “I-I will do anything! Tell me! Just don’t kill my father!”

 He squinted his eyes at me full of hatred. His lips stretched into a mocking grin, and I looked at the blade in both of his hands. There is this evil aura in him that made my stomach sick.

“I am not the forgiving type, Your Grace. Bring all of them here!”

My eyes widened when I heard a metal door slam open and the guards dragging four men, forcing them to get down on their knees in front of my prison cell. One of the guards smacked the one on the head and it fell face down on the cold floor with a groan, begging for them to stop.

Wait… These are not just some random men. These are my father’s advisors!

“Aster, Your Grace, we beg you! Spare us!”

One of the guards kicked the old man in the gut. He rolled down with his forehead on the floor. The others tremble in fear as they bowed their heads and shut their mouth.

“Enough of that!” Aster stopped the guard who kicked the man and it stepped backward in line with the other guards who were standing behind their quivering captives that are kneeling on the floor. Aster glowered down at them and asked,  “Just tell me what are the vile things that the Emperor did and I’ll think if I’ll spare your life or not.”

I watch in horror as one of them kneeled forward to Aster. It was Advisor Thompson, the coin master who manages all the wealth of the Empire, “Y-Your Grace, it is true that the Emperor was the one who sent all those men to annihilate the Bentham Clan, resulting in the death of your parents. It is w-well known in every corner of the Empire after he brought the head of your father here and displayed it in the pike for everyone as a warning for those who w-wanted to oppose the regime,” Thompson stuttered. His hands were both shaking while confessing everything to Aster.

Traitor!

While listening to the old man, Aster’s eyes were on me as if he was examining the reactions on my face. The malevolence I see in him was enough that there is no hope for me to get out of this place. 

“And—and the princess! The princess is just as vicious as her father, your Grace!” the one beside Thompson cried while pointing his finger at me. “She was behind some evil plans of her father!” 

The accusation he did made me feel like someone has poured me a pale of ice and water.

Even Thompson’s eyes widened at the reproaching behavior of the man. I was expecting him to defend me but Thompson just averted his eyes and shut his mouth in fear that he might get hurt if he even talk.

“T-That’s not true!!! He’s lying!” I cried, grabbing the metal bars and putting my face between them, just to let Aster know that the allegation of the man was not true, “I am nothing like my father! I have never hurt anyone! Please! Believe me! He’s a liar!” I screamed between my sobs in fear for my life.

My knees just got weak and I fell on the floor, sobbing terribly. I cannot take this anymore. Why is this happening? Why do these people still want to take me down after all the hatred they have for me which I never deserve? All I did was show them kindness but they treated me like a slave to the throne and never saw me as their princess.

Aster gestured for his soldiers to take the men out and he looked down on me with an icy glare, his eyes glinting from the light of the torches. I never want to look at his face again but something pulls me to him and I cannot help but raise my face smudged with both blood and dirt and stare back at him.

“I cannot believe you just begged me to spare your father’s life and now you’re telling me that you are not like him. A savage, unmerciful murderer.” He uttered disdainfully. His tongue felt like sharp knives stabbing me in my chest as he said the last four words slowly and sharply. 

“But it’s true…” I murmured in my weak voice. 

Can he feel my agony? My pain?

“I cannot believe the Moon Goddess gave me a mate as heartless as you.” he looked at me in disdain and all my hopes just evaporated in the air.

“But I am telling the truth. I am never like my father, please believe me!”

“Emyr, bring me the box please…”

A blonde handsome man in a green coat appeared from the shadows and handed Aster a box. Aster passed it on to the guard who opened my cell and forced the box on my lap. The second it landed on my skirt, I could already smell the blood and my heart pounded in my chest frantically and I feel like my head is going to burst.

“Open it,” Aster smiled at me while looking down at the box.

I opened it slowly with trembling hands and I feel like my soul just left my body. All I could do was scream at the top of my lungs when I saw the head of my father inside.