Playing with Fire

VI - Princes and Princesses

The following day, I once again discovered myself in the garden, relishing the peaceful ambiance as I sipped tea under the gentle caress of the warm breeze. Engrossed in contemplation and strategizing my next steps, I became aware of a group of individuals heading in my direction. Their unhurried gait and apparent malicious intentions became unmistakable.

"We have an uninvited guest, your highness," Penelope whispered quietly, leaning close to my ear. I acknowledged her words with a nod and set my tea cup down on the table, preparing for their arrival. As they stood in front of me, five pairs of eyes scrutinized me from head to toe.

"You must be the adopted princess," the woman in the red dress remarked, her fan covering her lips. It was clear that she did not trust me, assuming that everything I would say was a lie. This must be Emma Rizalden, the second princess of the Rizalden Kingdom. Realizing there was no point in engaging with them, I remained silent.

"Dare to ignore us? A lowly princess from the war?" the man in the middle sneered. His blonde hair is just like that of the crown prince, Richard Rizalden, the youngest of the Rizalden princes.

"She must be taught a lesson so she will never make the mistake of ignoring us again," the woman in the peach dress chimed in with a smirk. She was Isabella Rizalden, the third and youngest princess of the Rizalden Kingdom.

"You better follow us," the other man insisted. His brown hair and green eyes marked him as Elijah Rizalden, the second prince of the Rizalden Kingdom. There were only two men in the group, and it was apparent that they were like spoiled brats from my world. I was about to rise from my seat, but Penelope intervened, holding my hand to stop me. Through her gestures, she urged me not to go with them.

Despite her concern, I brushed her hand away and said, "Don't worry. I will come back later." Penelope seemed worried for me, but I wasn't ready to fully trust her yet. After all I had been through, I couldn't afford to let my guard down and place my trust in anyone so easily.

Reluctantly, I trailed behind the princes and princesses, who led me to a far more magnificent palace than my own. The sheer size and opulence of the place suggested that one of them must be its owner. The maids acknowledged my presence but deliberately turned away, well aware of the mistreatment that awaited me. Their loyalty to their royal masters was unwavering, even if it meant disregarding the suffering of others.

Eventually, we reached an empty hall adorned with marble, and a feeling of dread washed over me as I knew what was about to unfold. Melantha had endured countless instances of bullying and abuse from these royals throughout the story. Despite the torment, she never complained or fought back, fully aware that any act of retaliation would only jeopardize her life further. These royals not only enjoyed the favor of the king but were also adored by the people.

"Hold her," the previously silent woman in the black dress, whom I identified as Eva Rizalden, finally spoke. As the first princess and eldest among the Rizalden siblings, she couldn't inherit the throne in this patriarchal society. I desperately wanted to change this injustice.

In a forceful and unyielding manner, Elijah and Richard seized my arms, compelling me to kneel upon the unforgiving floor before Eva. Using her black-laced fan, she lifted my chin, her malevolent grin hinting at the torment about to unfold. Emma and Isabella proceeded to lift my skirt, while the two princes maintained their firm hold on my arms.

Without any warning, Eva began to mercilessly whip my legs with a whip. The pain was unbearable, and I could feel the warmth of blood trickling down my feet. In that moment, I realized that this was the same anguish Melantha endured so frequently, and it ignited a fiery anger within me. The lashes kept coming relentlessly, and with each strike, my strength gradually waned until I found myself slumping against the prince on my right.

"Stand up straight! Don't you know you're heavy?" Elijah scolded, as he smacked the back of my head.

Finally, Eva declared, "This should be enough," tossing the bloodied whip into a corner. They released their hold on me, but the wounds made it impossible to stand upright. I collapsed to the floor.

"You can go back now," Isabella sneered, kicking my hand dismissively.

"Can you manage that?" She asked and they all laughed in unison. With that, they all left, and only Eva remained.

She gave me a chilling glare and warned, "Don't even bother to open that pretty mouth of yours," before exiting the hall, leaving me broken and bleeding.

~

After enduring an hour of agony, I mustered the strength to stand upright, attempting to conceal the wounds from Penelope, even though deep down, I knew it was futile. She would undoubtedly spot them when she brought my clothes to the laundry maids. In my world, such wounds were not unfamiliar to me due to my involvement in numerous fights, and I made a firm decision to wash the dress on my own the following day. Upon reaching my room, I discovered Penelope sitting on the couch. As soon as she caught sight of me, she hurried over, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you alright, your highness?" she inquired.

"I'll be fine. You can retire for the night. I'm tired," I replied, wanting to be alone. It took a moment before she responded.

"Then, good night, your highness," she said and left the room, closing the door behind her. I carefully sat down on the couch and examined my wounds. They were still bleeding. Letting out a deep sigh, I gazed up at the ceiling.

"Should I just escape?" I whispered to myself.

"I don't know what to do anymore," I admitted, closing my eyes and surrendering to a deep slumber, seeking solace from the tormenting reality around me.

~

At the break of dawn, I rose early and wasted no time making my way to the palace's laundry room. Finding it deserted without any maids present yet, I quietly sneaked out through the back door and headed toward the nearby river, where they usually washed my clothes. Carefully and meticulously, I scrubbed the portion of the dress that was stained with blood, fully aware of the challenge presented by cleaning such a large and heavy garment. Once done, I left the dress to dry by hanging it on ropes in the expansive area designated for washed clothes.

As I toiled away, my red and irritated hands served as a stark reminder that Melantha had never experienced this kind of manual labor. Despite the discomfort, my resolve to conceal the evidence of my mistreatment before Penelope's arrival remained steadfast. After spending about an hour washing and hanging the dress, I finally allowed myself a moment of respite under a nearby tree, feeling the weight of exhaustion starting to take its toll. Though I knew I needed to return indoors soon, I recognized the importance of this brief moment of rest to recharge my energy.

~

After a brief rest, I collected the slightly dried dress from the laundry area and headed back to my room. The absence of maids caught my attention, and it seemed peculiar given the sun's already high position in the sky; they should have been attending to their duties by that time. An unsettling feeling crept over me, but I tried to push it aside and proceeded to my chambers. However, to my astonishment, Penelope was nowhere to be found. The customary morning meal I usually received was missing, and my dress for the day had not been prepared. A mix of concern and confusion enveloped my mind, leaving me unsure of what could have transpired.

Where could she be?

Is she perhaps sick?

I carefully set the dress on the laundry basket and, seeking solace, went to the balcony for a better view of the palace. However, what unfolded before my eyes was nothing short of horrifying, leaving me trembling with fear. The palace grounds were engulfed in a nightmarish scene of bloodshed and chaos. People were crying out and desperately pleading for their lives, while a man remained eerily composed as he callously severed their heads, one after another. Amidst this terrifying spectacle, I spotted Penelope, kneeling with her eyes tightly shut, bravely refusing to beg for her life. Before her, five others stood, and the man demanded to know the whereabouts of the princess. The entire sight was utterly distressing and left me in a state of shock and disbelief.

Filled with courage and unable to stand idly by, I bravely stepped forward to confront the man, questioning him with a trembling voice, "What is the meaning of this madness?" As I approached, Edmund, the man responsible for the gruesome scene, glanced briefly at me before swiftly coming closer. He tightly grasped my arm as if attempting to restrain me, clearly not willing to entertain any interference.

Frustrated, I raised an eyebrow and asked him, "What are you doing?"

"Where did you run off to?" he questioned, his hand tightening around the blood-stained sword.

With a nonchalant tone, though fear simmered within me, I retorted, "Why should I expect an answer from a madman like you?" To my surprise, Edmund responded by pressing the sharp edge of his sword against my neck, attempting to intimidate me. Despite the terror I felt, I refused to show it. Instead, I mustered my strength and quickly grabbed his hand, applying pressure to the blade against my neck, causing a wound to open, and blood to trickle down. Miraculously, he released his grip on the sword, seemingly caught off guard by my unexpected resistance.

With determination in my voice, I declared, "Next time you create such chaos, remember not to do it in my presence, your highness." I offered a bow to the crown prince, leaving him utterly dumbfounded by my audacity. Though my heart raced with fear and adrenaline, I refused to display any weakness as I walked away from the horrifying scene, determined not to let Edmund's actions break my spirit.