16 SIXTEEN

Celeste's own loud breaths echoed in her ear. She struggled against the two men holding her but to no avail. She stared at the block of wood in front of her, chest burning more with every pant. The crowd cheered on, shouting for her death.

"Please" Celeste whimpered. The two men shoved her to her knees.

She stared at the block of wood, horror taking over her. She struggled against the men holding her, screamed, and lashed out.

Footstep echoed behind her. A figure in a cloak stopped near her, an ax glinting in his hand. He pulled the hood back.

Celeste gasped.

"Gabriel" She begged. "Gabe please"

Gabriel only stared at her through lifeless eyes.

"You left us Celly"

Celeste woke up with a start, breathing heavily. She was too distorted to remember where she was. She focused on evening her breathing. Her eyes watered as the pressure behind them intensified. The awful choking feeling in her throat intensified. She bit back the cries that threatened to pool out of her. She felt something wet on her cheek and raised a hand to touch it. Celeste realized she was crying.

She could hear Karen's steady breathing and the boys' soft snores.

Celeste laid there for some time, staring at the grey sky as it gradually turned to blue. The fear and the panic after her nightmare slowly subsided, leaving restlessness and sorrow behind.

I will not cry more, Celeste thought. She repeated it over and over again. And she stood by it, no matter how many tears gathered in her eyes she did not let them fall again. Gabriel's face haunted her. It seemed to be everywhere... In the clouds, the trees, the grass.

His voice rang in her mind over and over again.

She wished that it would stop. She wished that all of it would stop. She wished the pain would go away, how could it?

She wished more than anything, to wake up without the burden of her sorrows choking her. To wake up without the reminder that her family was dead and she let them die.

She had spent all her life trapped in castle walls resenting her responsibilities and hating her titles. The old Celeste fell asleep staring at the ceiling of her room, praying she would wake up somewhere else. And now Celeste would trade away all her living days just for one day of her past life. Just for one day, she would wake up to Talisa's voice. She would walk through those halls innocently, just for one day she would have her father smile at her. Her mother would scold her and Gabriel...

Gabe would laugh at her and ruffle her hair.

Celeste would marry any arrogant prince or royal man no matter how ugly or how unlovable he was, just to get that one day of her old life back.

She slowly at up, dismissing all her thoughts. It would do her no good thinking about all that.

She grabbed the sword she had nicked from Rick and then tiptoed into the trees trying to make as little noise as possible. She also made sure to not go too far in case someone woke up and missed her.

Celeste sighed, turning the sword over in her hand. It was a little too heavy for her liking, it didn't feel balanced. It wasn't a very good sword as far as swords go, Celeste found herself missing her old sword Druendai.

Celeste was twelve when she got Druendai. It had been a particularly excruciating day for her as she had been forced to spend time with Arina Bridestock, the daughter of a rich duke. Arina Bridestock wasn't specifically nasty to her but of course, you can't just be nasty bluntly to the king's daughter. It was the condescending tone in which she talked in which made Celeste want to drown her in the pond. She watched Celeste with such judgment in her eyes that it made her feel uncomfortable in her own skin. But it was only for one day, Celeste told herself. By nighttime, she and Gabriel would be making fun of Arina's ridiculous last name. Celeste remembered how lonely she was those days, so desperate was she that she tried to seek a friend in Arina. She tried hard to find a common ground.

" What about books?" She said. Arina only looked at her like she had said something very unintelligent.

" I've never read anything besides table etiquette" Arina had said boastfully. " My mother thinks pretty ladies shouldn't waste their time on silly things"

Her message was clear by the emphasis on pretty. Arina Bridestock may be dumb, but she was the definition of beautiful with her golden locks and violet eyes. Celeste had never been one to fawn over looks but with the constant attention on her every day, she couldn't help but feel insecure.

All the stories she had read about princesses described them as breathtakingly beautiful.

Celeste had squirmed nervously in Arina's sharp gaze before standing up abruptly and saying that she had to go. She knew her mother would give her an earful but she had been perfectly polite to Arina and had received nothing but judgment in return. Celeste had felt incredibly downhearted as she strode to the gardens in search of Gabriel.

She heard him before she saw him. Gabriel's laughter was known to be infectious, it was light and joyful. Celeste stared at her brother as he trained with Ben. Both were sporting wooden swords as they fought each other, occasionally laughing. Gabriel's blond locks fell to his brows, his tunic was covered with mud and she couldn't help but feel envious of him. Although she told herself Gabe had it harder than her what with being the crowned prince and everything but he could go where he wanted. He could ride to town and he could wear what he wanted. And he had friends. He made being a royal seem effortless whilst she was always making a mess.

Celeste had always liked to watch Gabriel train. She would always sneak into his practices and study his technique.

The thing she was most envious of was that Gabriel was allowed a sword. She had dreamed of it every night, herself tight in armor holding a glowing sword like the hero of a story

" Let me have a go," She said abruptly. Gabriel and Ben both froze, turning towards her.

" Celly what are you doi-"

" Let me have a go with the sword" Celeste interrupted her brother.

Gabriel stared at her confusedly.

" Why would you want to do that?" He asked.

" Why do you?" Celeste crossed her arms.

" I'm a prince. Sword fighting is a must for me. Have you ever heard of a prince who can't fight?" He chuckled.

Celeste glared at him, all that anger building up inside her. Oh, the unfairness of it,

" I said I wanted to have a go with the sword" She snapped. " You could fight me"

Ben and Gabriel looked at each other for a moment, then both burst out laughing.

Celeste clenched her jaw tightly, shaking with fury.

" I'm not going to give you my sword Celeste" Gabriel finally managed to say. " I don't want you hurting yourself"

" What about what I want?" Celeste cried suddenly. She had been keeping her mouth shut for years but now it was pouring out of her along as tea poured out of a broken teacup. " Why does what I want never seem to matter to anyone? Is it even fair to call if my life, when all I do is what everyone wants! Celeste do that, Celeste wear this, Celeste whatever you do just don't act like yourself!" She spat as Gabriel stared at her dumbfounded.

" I can't even have the things that make me happy. And I'm sick of it. I don't want to stuck like this for my whole life, being pushed around like a fucking puppet"

And with that, she dramatically ran to her room. Don't blame her she was twelve. She had spent all day there, sulking on her bed. Gabriel crept into her room at night. He was holding something wrapped in a cloth.

" Before you bite my ear off just hear me out okay?" He said and sighed. " I didn't want to make you unhappy, I wouldn't have even objected if I had known you wanted this so badly. I know this sucks Celly, I know everything sucks right now ..." Gabriel trailed off as Celeste stared at her feet now feeling remorseful for snapping at Gabriel.

" But me being the good brother that I am, I got you a little something"

Celeste gasped as she unwrapped the sword.

It was beautiful. She should probably be mad to call a sword beautiful but it was. Celeste inspected it as she snatched it from Gabe who was telling her the story of how he stole, it from the armory. It had a ruby in its hilt which was cold to the touch, the sword felt just right in her hand as she traced the engravings on it.

" No one can know Cel or I'll be hanged" Gabriel stressed.

Celeste nodding excitedly, grinning as she threw her arms around her brother. He chuckled as he hugged her back.

" I'll give you lessons whenever I can" He promised.

" I'll hold you to that promise," Celeste said, her eyes still fixed on the sword, her sword.

" All swords should have a name, Celeste. This one is called Druendai, the enduring"

Celeste stared at the sword in her hand as she whispered to herself

" Ira" She whispered to herself. " Wrath"