Chapter 2 - Get You TomorrowThe celebration tly called off by Father, and upon the nobles' return, he became quite irrational. Uo maintain our posure in the face of the King's ridiculous yelling, the boy—or should I say, His Highhe Prince—left the royal residence as the staff frantically attempted to tidy up the damage and soothe the King. The following day, there were mutters going around about how a fn prince broke into the Pace right in front of the Father. And he cealed the gossip about my temerity in addressing the ba. -Amoria Pace; Luxana's Room- Luxana's room in Amoria Pace was a curious blend of faded grandeur and lingering mencholy. The tall doors of the baly, framed by tattered drapes that had long lost their luster, allowed slivers of moonlight to spill into the space, illuminating the dust motes that danced iill air. The walls, once adorned with vibrant tapestries, now hung limp and faded, their uted to ghostly shades of gray and brown. Fragments of a stories could still be glimpsed iricate patterns, but they seemed to whisper of a past that had slipped away, leaving only echoes behind. In one er, a rge four-poster bed stood as a relic of opules opy sagging and the fabric frayed. The mattress, though still somelush, bore the weight of tless nights spent iless dreams, and the pillows were lumpy, remnants of their former softness. A writing desk, once a pce of inspiration, was now cluttered with dust and fotten scrolls, the ink pots dried up and the quills brittle. A cracked por vase sat atop it, its surface chipped and stained, holding only a few wilted flowers that had long since lost their fragranbsp;The air was thick with a sense of abando, a lingering sadhat seemed to seep from the very walls. The distant sounds of the pace—echoes of ughter and the rustle of silk—felt like a world apart, a reminder of the vibrant life that had ohrived here. As I settled into a worn chair in the er, its upholstery faded and threadbare, I felt the weight of the pace's history pressing down ohis room, though a sanctuary from the chaos outside, was steeped in the ghosts of the past, a bittersweet reminder of what had been lost. Here, I sought refuge, yet I could not escape the feeling that I was merely a visitor in a pce that had fotten how to be alive. "Princess!" shouted a maid, entering the room without permission. "The knights are here". "Hmm..." I uttered unbothered, tinuing to read the book in my hand. I had a hunch they'd e after heeding Father's tempered orders. Because everyone believes I'm to bme for the misfortunes of this try. How unjustified. "They say the King has ordered your Presence". reported the maid.-Amoria Pace; Outside the Entrance Courtyard- I stood atop the grand staircase leading into the Entrance Courtyard, the imperial knights gathered below me like a pack of hungry wolves. The polished marble beh my feet gleamed in the soft dlelight, its surfaooth it felt like walking on gss. T ns lihe perimeter, eatricately carved with delicate floral motifs that seemed to dan the flickering light. My eyes narrowed as I surveyed the knights, their armleaming dully, their faces obscured by the shadows cast by their helmets. I could feel their eyes on me, burning with a mix of curiosity and disdain. They were Father's loyal dogs, ready to do his bidding without question. I lifted my defiantly, my voice ringing out clear and strong, "I do not pn to heed to my father's will. If he desires to see me, rey to him, that I shall not foresee him until he foresees me foremost in my Pace." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but I refused to show any weakness. As I turned on my heel areated back to the safety of my room, I could feel the weight of their stares on my back. The air was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the soft cliy heels against the marble floor. I refused to look back, to show them any sign of fear or uainty. I sank down onto the plush cushions of my bed, my heart pounding in my chest. I had defied Father, a dangerous game to py in a pace where loyalty was everything. But I refused to be cowed, to bend to his will like a puppet on a string. I would find my own way, even if it meant walking a path that was fraught with danger and uainty.Mother had a longstanding e with the Duchess of Valentine in her earlier stages of life, so Father had reason to believe that I was the one whht Prince Cillian. And not everyone knows about Mother's e with the Duchess except Father and I. However, it viotes logic for Prince Cillian to suddenly materialize and murder those individuals. Furthermore, based on their dissimir facial traits, the sin individuals were most obviously not Dominions. They are alleged to have had a sinister scheme. One of my thousand theories is that they had something to rey to Father, since Elmir and Domino have been on unequal terms since geions. So probably they were plotting revenge against Elmir by leaking some information?-Helia Pabsp;As the grand doors of Helia Pace swung open, the Entrance Courtyard revealed itself as a breathtaking expanse of polished marble, its surface gleaming uhe soft glow of deliers hanging from the ornate ceiling. Tall, intricately carved ns lihe courtyard, each adorned with delicate floral motifs that seemed to e alive in the flickering dlelight. The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackled as the knights awaited their orders. To the left, a set of gilded doors led to the Royal Study, a chamber bathed in the warm light of a crag firepce. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with aomes, their spines glowing in hues of gold and red. An ornate mahogaook ter stage, its surface scattered with part scrolls and a golden quill, hinting at the important decisions a alliances made within the fines of this chamber.Richly upholstered armchairs were arranged around an intricately woven rug, providing a fortable space for intimate discussions and strategiing. The soft rustle of part and the tig of a grandfather clock echoed through the room, a stant reminder of the ever-tig sands of time. A rge, detailed map of the kingdom, dotted with colored pins, hung proudly above the mantelpiece, showg the read power of the royal family. The study room of Helia Pace was a sanctuary of knowledge and intrigue, a testament to the delicate bance of poolitics that shaped the course of the kingdom. The King, seated on his chair, radiated fury. His face was flushed, and his fists ched tightly against the armrests, knuckles white with rage. "UGH! That i creature. Who does she think she is to order ME, the KING OF DOMINO around like that? All she knows is to create problems every now and then!" the King bellowed with furiousness. The nobles surrounding him exged nervous gheir expressions a mix of and fear. They knew better than to provoke the King further, yet they could not help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the Queen, whose eyes darted around the room, searg for a way to diffuse the situation. In the Helia Pace, the atmosphere was heavy with distent. The Queen, her brow furrowed, leaned closer to the King, her voice a mere whisper, yet ced with urgency. "What we say? After all, she's the daughter of that witch!" Her disdain alpable, a sharp trast to the elegance of her gown, which flowed around her like liquid silver. The other courtiers remained silent, their expressions a mixture of shod agreement, unsure of how to navigate the tempest brewing before them. "If she doesn't want to e, we have no choice but to use force, Your Majesty." the Queen added. "I did not ask for your opinion, Daleyza. Do not interfere in my correspondeh my daughter!" remarked the King sternly as calmly as possible as to avoid any further plication of the matter at hand. "Your DAUGHTER? Your ONLY daughter is Isabel!" yelled the Queen. Enraging the King, the guards were summoned, "Guards, take her out of here, this INSTANT!" The tensioed. The Queen’s protest echoed in the hall, her voice rising above the murmurs of the assembled nobles. "WHAT! You 't do that!!!" she excimed, her indignation clear as she struggled against the guards roached her. "Hey! Stop! Who the hell do you think you are to touch me!!!!!! YOUR MAJESTY YYyyyyyy......." The guards, stoid unwavering, exged gheir expressioraying ion as they executed their orders in full forbsp;"Haaa....I don't have time for this nonsense anymore. I am yet to find out the enigmatic motive behind the Prince's murderous as st night". muttered the King, his voice below a wispher.-Amoria Pace; At Night in Luxana's Baly- "It's the night of the Full Moon, huh? Every year.....*tears falling* on 21st of August, you're always the only one who wishes me *smiling with tears rolling down her cheeks*.As for my wish, I.......................I..........................I'd like to escape from this Hell." "Alright, I'll grant you your wish. But of course, with a price to pay iurn." said a voice from the garden below my baly. As I leaned forward to look down, someone leaped up to the baly. "Greetings, My Royal Princess" he said standing on the railiween my hands. I was taken aback by his sudden appearand regal demeanor. His fident stand charming smile left me speechless for a moment. "Prince of Valentine..." I whispered with superior eyes, gritting my teeth, while there were still tears falling down my cheek. "You may have caught me off guard, but I will not be swayed by yraures," I decred, trying to maintain my posure despite the overwhelmiions. Deep down, I couldn't deny the immense surge of bitterness within me. For that reason, there have been rumors that I was the one whht the prio the ba. "Oh, so you remember me. What a pleasure!" opihe Prince as his voice was smooth and full of amusement, making me realize that he was enjoying my disfort. I khen that this enter had an ulterior motive.

  "That does not justify your presence, sir." I excimed with eyes that would sh out any minute."But it does grant your wish, ma'am." he replied smiling like an i child, who ABSOLUTELY was not involved in the murder case less than 24 ho. What a charming impostor. Haa...I for one, do not specute how he mao pull it off. "..." "What's in the Annex o the Helia Pace''? he questioned with a straight fad skewed eyes filled with determination to find out. I suppose he heard the rumors of the secret meetings and destiivities taking pce there, fueling his curiosity. The answer he received only deepened his intrigue, leaving him determio uhe truth behind the Annex's mysterious purpose. "..." "So, you won't answer"? "..." "Don't make me resort to violence, Princess. And besides I'm the only one who save you from this hell. I suggest you start cooperating before thie further. Trust me, you don't want to see what I'm capable of." "..." Who exactly does he think he is to decide who I'll be trusting and sowing out to escape this hell with? He's got quite the nerve. "Sigh. Happy 15th Birthday Princess, on this special occasion, would you grahe honor of knowing who or what exactly resides in the Annex of Helia Pace, pretty please"? he said with a pleading voibsp; Stunned by his sudden ge of attitude, I smiled mischievously, with eyes twinkling with secrets. "I'm afraid I ot reveal that information, My Dear Prihe Annex of Helia Pace holds mysteries that are meant to be kept hidden." He smirked. "Very well then My Beloved Princess, I believe you give me no choice." he said as he raised a Seraphine jeweled neckce as a threat. "Do you wish for this accessory to meet it's end right here and then"?

  My eyes widen in disbelief.....Where'd he find that? I've looking for that for years on end now. That neckce was my mother's only keepsake! "Fine, if you hand that over, I'll trade you the information you require iurn.""All of it." he added."Fine," I said unwillingly. "There's a o, which was the reason the nobility would gregate in the perplexing, abandoned ahe King would be drinking in his hidden chamber, and behind him would be the old artifacts and jewels that were supposed to hold great power and fortuhis would be the case for those who were regur ers with great influence or held great power, or for those who won and made a lot of money in illegal activities down there. These gatherings were frequently used by the King te retionships and trol his visitors for his personal be. The secretive nature of the underground o was enhanced by rumors that the annex was haunted." I fessed arbitrarily. "Good Girl". He excimed as he threw the neckce towards me. "I will e to get you tomorrow, please wait for me." he hinted, smiling softly as he leaped out of the baly. As I rushed to see where he's off to, he disappeared. "Get me tomorrow?" How intriguingly odd…To be tinued...