The Winter King's Bride

CHAPTER5

Princess Elohra

His hands were warm against my face, "You're overwhelmed."

"Your High...."

"Tonight has been too much and I understand." He cut me off softly.

I sighed, disappointed that he wouldn't listen to me.

Well, there wasn't anything meaningful to listen to.

There was no way I could explain to the Prince that something felt wrong without sounding mad.

So I did not bother to argue, hoping that this feeling in the pit of my stomach was because I had too much Solarach wine.

"I'll take you to your chambers," He took my hand.

"You should rest."

"I'll tell our parents you felt a little tired and had to rest."

I nodded, allowing him to guide me back into the hall.

As we moved through the hall, Velorians continued to celebrate, as if reminding me that my Kingdom was still alive.

Cassian escorted me to my chamber and helped me get into bed.

"Try to sleep," he brushed his knuckle against my face.

"I'll return once the celebrations settle."

"If you need anything, let the guards know. If you need me, send a word and I'll be here."

I smiled and nodded.

He placed a soft kiss on my forehead before abandoning me, leaving Solarach guards at my door.

I do not know how long I slept but when I woke up, I woke up screaming.

My sheets were damp with sweat and my lungs burned as though I had inhaled smoke.

I shut my eyes, panting while trying to calm myself.

That was when I heard it, loud screams.

It did not sound distant.

It did not sound as though I had imagined it.

It sounded so real.

I bolted upright just as my doors flew open with so much force.

Thick, suffocating smoke rolled in, clouding my vision.

I watched for a few seconds as many of the palace workers ran by, screaming and.....burning!

"No," I say on my bed, too shocked to move a muscle.

"No,"

"No!" I screamed, finally snapping out of the shock and scrambling to my feet.

I ran out of my chambers and almost ran back in when I saw the fire licking up the palace walls.

I paused and looked around- chandeliers had burst in flames and shattered, people were running, burning, screaming, guards were barking orders louder than I had ever heard them.

As I began making my way to the balcony, my heart hammered so fast, I struggled to breathe.

"No," I fell to my knees when I saw my Kingdom.

Veloria was burning.

Not a house of fire, not a*****e on fire.

No.

My entire Kingdom was burning in wicked, red, relentless flames.

Red flames devoured the silver decorations, smoke swallowed the once cool and peaceful atmosphere.

I watched my people run for their lives, I watched them burn.

I heard my people crying and screaming for help as their roofs collapsed and the streets turned into rivers of flames.

"What happened?" I grabbed the arm of a guard staggering past me.

When he turned, I gagged.

Half of the armor that once covered his face, was burned and melted into his skin.

"Someone set the Kingdom ablaze." His voice was raspy.

"How?" How could the whole of Veloria be on fire?

"The Hall..... everyone was there......then...." His eyes was wild with terror as if he was reliving the moment the fire started.

"It came from nowhere."

How was that even possible?

"My mother," I suddenly remembered that I had left everyone at the hall.

"Where is the Queen?" I choked when another burst of fire exploded, breaking a part of the balustrade.

The guard quickly grabbed me and wrapped his arms around me protectively.

"The Queen and the Solarach rulers are at the Aurelian Hall along with the nobles." He answered.

Suddenly, he began choking, coughing up blood.

"Hey!" I caught him just before he would fall to the floor.

"What is happening?" I shakily took off the other part of his armor only to see blood coming out of his eyes and nose.

All of a sudden, his body went limp in my hands and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Hey, look at me." I held his face and shook him gently but he did not move.

"Look at me!" I screamed, tears running down my face.

I continued to shake his body and even sat him up against the wall but nothing changed.

He was dead.

A Velorian, a guard of my palace had died in my own arms and I had not been able to do anything to save him.

I rushed back into the palace but there were no signs of my mother, King Elion, Queen Helizah or Cassian.

The Solarach guards Cassian had placed by my door to guard me, laid on the floor.

Dead.

Burned.

I did not think. I did not wait.

I stole a horse from the lower stables and rode to the Hall.

Tears rushed down my face as I rode through the dying streets of my Kingdom.

I watched buildings I had known since childhood, crumble to the ground in flames.

The jewelry store, my favourite baker's shop as a child, every single thing was gone.

Streets I had rode in yesterday were littered with bodies.

I watched my people mourn their family.

Some clutched the burned bodies of their loved ones, some ran through the dead streets, searching for their families.

And I could not do a single thing.

I could not stop the fire,

I could not give life to their families again,

I could not save the Kingdom I had vowed to protect,

I could not save my people.

By the time I got to the Aurelian Hall, it was barely standing.

Bodied were littered around the ground like dust, the air was heavy with cries, screams, smoke and the smell of blood.

I dismounted and bile rose in my throat when I saw the bodies up close.

Velorians who had come masked and joyful to celebrate with me, were now reduced to ash and ruin.

I tried to scream but nothing came out.

Inside the hall was much worse; the altar my mother had performed the Benediction ritual was broken into half, decorations were destroyed.

Nobles and guards dragged the injured through smoke while being injured themselves.

That was when I saw them; my mother, King Elion, Queen Helizah and Cassian,all alive.

I exhaled shakily, breaking into a run.

"Elohra!"

Cassian screamed my name, reaching for me first.

When I got closer to him, I saw how his face was smeared with soot, blood covered his clothes and a few cuts now covered his face.

"Are you hurt?" He gripped my shoulders, his hands shaking as checked my body for injuries.

He touched my waist, his eyes widening.

"Not mine." I shook my head, referring to the blood of the dead guard from the palace.

"Elohra," My mother staggered toward me.

For the first time, her crown was gone.

Part of her dress has been burned, her hair was undone, covered in soot too.

And just like Cassian, she had also sustained a few injuries- possibly a knee strain from the way she limped.

"Mother!" I fell into her arms.

"What happened?"

"The fire started without cause." Her voice was hoarse from the suffocating smoke and loud screaming.

"People bled and fell to death where they stood. It was like the air itself had turned against us." Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked around at the the dead bodies of our people.

Bled and fell to death.

That was exactly what happened to the guard at the palace.

Without asking any further questions, I joined them in dragging out survivors and trying to put out the fire.

I looked around and noticed the nobles were complete, yet, incomplete.

It was like there was a space in the room that should be filled yet, wasn't.

"Mother," I turned to my mother.

"How many nobles were invited to the ceremony?"

She frowned, confused but answered anyway,

"Seventeen."

"Why?"

I did a head count of the nobles, identifying them by their distinct attires.

They were seventeen- the exact number my mother had mentioned.

However, they were still incomplete.

A certain pale haired noble was nowhere to be found.

Their masks were all off now and none of them had those eyes that looked like they were staring right into my very soul.

My heart dropped when realization dawned on me.

That noble-if he was one- was never invited.

"Were you attacked?" My mother's voice brought me back.

"No. I woke up to the entire disaster."

"Then why is your neck bare?"

I looked down, touching my neck.

It was indeed bare.

But I had not, not even for a second, taken off my jewelry.

Before I could react, something yanked me backward, hard.

I left the ground and was sucked backward.

Fingers like iron closed around the back of my neck, lifting me effortlessly into the air.

I clawed at the hand choking me, kicking my feet uselessly beneath me.

He released his hands a little as if to give me room enough to stare at him.

I turned to the right and saw him by my side, hovering above the ruined hall.

His mask was gone, his pale gold hair whipped around his face.

When he looked at me, his pupils had divided vertically into two and all four of them burned an impossible blue.

Then I noticed what was around his neck.

My jewelry, my firestones.

They glowed like they were alive.

They were more red now, almost as red as blood.

Bloodstones.

"Elohra!" Cassian screamed my name below us.

The amused on his face when he looked at me burned into anger when he looked down at Cassian.

He stretched out his hand and fire poured right out of it, slightly missing Cassian.

"I won't miss next time, Your Highness." He warned Cassian.

When he looked at me again, the amusement on his face returned.

"I almost came to find you, Princess."