The Disastrous Luna

Mystery and Deception

We have managed to pull off the heist successfully, and we are both feeling a sense of exhilaration and relief as we ran towards my royal room, the stolen report clutched tightly in my hands.

As we approach the door to my room, Mandy bursts through first, calling out to Lauren to share the good news. But our joy quickly turns into horror as we both freeze at the sight before us.

There on the floor lies Lauren, unmoving, with trails of blood covering the floor. Her neck is slit and her skin has turned pale.

"Oh God!" Mandy's voice is high pitched with fear and shock as she scrambles back and away from the scene.

"What happened here? Who did this?" She asks in a terrified voice.

"This must be a f*****g dream!" I exclaim.

My heart race as I run to Lauren's body on the floor. I can feel the panic rising in my chest as I shake her body, hoping to detect some sign of life. But there is nothing, no heartbeat, no breath, nothing!

There is also a gaping hole on her chest that is welled up with blood, like something sharp pierced her.

I winch as if the wound is on my body and crouch next to her to press my palms over the wound and that's when my eyes lock onto the b****y knife lying under the bed. My trembling hands instinctively reach out, grasping the weapon with a mix of apprehension and curiosity as I try to make sense of what I am seeing. Who could have done this to my own maid? And why? Everyone was at the engagement party!

A chilling realization suddenly hits me, given that we are the only ones who were not at the engagement party at the time of the murder and Lauren's body is lying in my room, this might be a trap, a well orchestrated plan to frame us for the heinous murder of our friend.

With the b****y knife in my hands,

a wave of panic surges through my veins, and I scramble away from the lifeless body turning towards Mandy, who is huddled up at a corner, consumed by fear and inconsolable sobs.

"Mandy, we need to leave, now! We cannot stay here any longer. Someone is trying to frame us for murder." I mutter urgently.

Mandy, still shaken and unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation, stares at me with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. It's like the shock has left her temporarily paralyzed.

I rush to her side and shake her, my voice pleading. "Listen to me, Mandy. We have to go before someone discovers us here with the body and the murder weapon. If we stay, it will only make things worse for both of us. Trust me, we will find who did this, but we must escape this room first and now."

Finally, Mandy's eyes meet mine and a glimmer of understanding flickers within them. I quickly grab her arm and hurry halfway dragging her towards the door, but we immediately freeze in our tracks, our eyes widening in shock as the door bursts open and we find ourselves surrounded by the unexpected arrival of prince Hayden, princess Charlotte, a dozen guards and a curious crowd of guests.

The curious onlookers gasp audibly as their eyes fall upon Lauren's lifeless body lying motionless on the floor. The room falls into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sounds of whispers and the thudding of panicked hearts.

This is going to be bad. My face pales as my eyes dart around the room, searching for another way out but there seems to be none.

The look of horror and disgust on the faces of the prince and his guards only confirms my fears.

The prince's face twists with anger as he sees the b****y knife in my hand.

"Care to explain what you have done?" Prince Hayden's voice thunders causing my heart to race even faster.

I try to speak, but my throat feels dry and my tongue feels heavy in my mouth. I look at Mandy, hoping for some kind of support, but Mandy looks just as scared and confused as I feel.

"It's not what it looks like," I finally manage to say, my voice coming out as a whisper.

But the accusing looks from the prince, Princess Charlotte, and the guards makes it clear that they don't believe me.

"She is the killer." Princess Charlotte suddenly says loudly pointing at me, causing a wave of shock and disbelief to ripple through the crowd. She thinks I am the killer because I am holding the knife!

"I am not a killer." I whisper angrily glaring at Charlotte. The prince who is standing beside Charlotte, raises his hand, beckoning for silence. The crowd gradually hushes their murmurs fading into a collective anticipation. The prince's stern expression turns towards me and then Charlotte.

"Princess Charlotte," he says, his voice resonating with authority, "You claim to have heard Princess Isabelle arguing with the dead maid."

Charlotte's face flush with anticipation. as she steps forward. "I may not have seen the events unfold personally," she explains, her voice steady, "but I was passing by the corridor after I ran out of the ballroom, that's when I heard their voices. The maid was begging for mercy, pleading with Princess Isabelle not to kill her."

The crowd breaks into another round of whispers and my mind whirls with confusion and anger. How can Charlotte accuse me of such a heinous act that she know I have not committed? The very thought of harming anyone, let alone my own maid, have never closed my mind.

My frustration boils over, and I can no longer contain my emotions. Anger and disbelief merges into a fiery rage, consuming me from within. With a sudden surge of energy, I lunge at her, my voice trembling with fury.

"You wicked liar!" My voice rings out, filled with a mix of desperation and anger. But before I can reach the princess the prince intervenes.

In one swift motion, he intercepts me, his hand closing around my neck.

The world around me seems to blur as panic sets in. I fight against the prince's grip, desperately clawing at his hand, my nails digging into his skin. The room spin, and my vision dims as oxygen becomes a precious commodity. Each gasp for air is met with resistance, and my strength wane with every passing second.

For what feels like an eternity, I struggle, my body convulsing in a desperate attempt to free myself. But the prince's hold remains unyielding, his strength overpowering my weakened state.

Finally he releases his grip and I crash to the floor, coughing and gasping desperately for air. The pain in my throat is unbearable, and my body trembles with the aftermath of his assault.

"Lock her and her accomplice up!" The prince commands and the guards waste no time. Their hands grip our arms with force leaving bruises in their wake. I wince as the pain shoots through my body.