2 Howling Winter

Soon, the king's men marched through the once formidable halls of Embercliff Citadel. The air was heavy with trepidation as they cautiously navigated the desolate chambers, each step accompanied by the echo of their own unease. The grand citadel, once a symbol of power and grandeur, now exuded an aura of death and despair. The remnants of a kingdom in turmoil lay scattered around them like ghosts of a forgotten past.

As the guards ventured further, they discovered a harrowing sight that sent shivers down their spines. Lifeless bodies of Andromeda's loyal subjects lay sprawled across the floors, their hearts brutally removed from their chests. Horror and revulsion etched on their faces, the guards could hardly fathom the depth of savagery that had occurred within these walls.

"What kind of monster could do such a thing?" one of the guards exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief and disgust.

"Truly, it's the grand duchess, a heartless demon," whispered another, fear evident in his wide eyes. The captain leading them pressed his lips together tightly, a mixture of disdain and dread lurking behind his gaze. He was the mole planted by the current king beside Andromeda for years. The man who had help the King orchestra her downfall. And the reward was the uniform and the phoenix on his chest. He had taken Andromeda's place.

Moments later, the chamber door burst open, revealing a squad of stern-faced guards encircling the deposed grand duchess. Among them was Captain Valerian, a familiar face that had once stood at her side, now twisted by betrayal and hatred. He had overseen the sealing of her elemental powers, a betrayal that had shattered the foundation of her trust.

"Andromeda Ruelle Bethel, by the authority vested in me by the crown, you are under arrest for treason against the kingdom and its sovereign," Captain Valerian declared with a cold detachment, though his eyes betrayed the bitterness beneath.

Andromeda's response was defiant, a low growl escaping her lips. "Treason? It is I who was betrayed, not the other way around. The king and my sister, the queen, they took everything from me. And you, Captain Valerian, are you being well taken care of after your services?" Her eyes glowed like a predator, sharp and piercing.

Her words provoked a disdainful sneer from Valerian, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "Go and check those bastards thoroughly!" he barked at the other guards, his command resonating with animosity.

But as the guards moved to follow his orders, Andromeda's eyes held an eerie calmness. "Don't you dare touch the corpses of my men and my consort. Leave them be," she commanded, her voice carrying the weight of authority even in her downfall.

Though unsure of how to respond to the woman they once revered as their commander, the guards heeded her words, leaving the fallen to rest in peace. Valerian's frustration grew, but he knew better than to challenge her authority in this moment.

"They were my loyal soldiers, and he was my man. I held the right to their lives the second they gave the oath," Andromeda asserted, her voice unwavering. "But you wouldn't understand. You betrayed me, Valerian. You broke your oath."

Valerian's grip tightened on his sword, his eyes narrowing with rage. "A villainess like you has no right to judge me! Were you going to carve my heart out as well if I had stayed under you?" he retorted bitterly. Andromeda continued to glare at him, as if refusing to back down even now, "Drag her away- Show no mercy!" He barked out and this time the guard moved.

As they began to drag her away, Andromeda offered no resistance, knowing that her fate had been sealed in the eyes of those who once followed her. The iron shackles on her wrists felt heavy and cold, a cruel reminder of her loss of freedom and agency. Yet, she refused to cower, clinging to the last fragments of her indomitable will.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, laced with irony and pain. "I served my kingdom with unwavering loyalty, only to be cast aside like a traitor, how despicable," she retorted, her voice a mix of anger and sorrow, "Do not think that this fate would be mine alone! All of you will burn in hellfire." Her curses echoed in the empty chambers, a haunting reminder of the fiery spirit that still burned within her.

As the guards escorted her through the castle's crumbling halls, Andromeda's eyes caught sight of a portrait of their family, once a symbol of pride and unity, now weathered and torn. "The Saintess of sacred flame – Delphinia," it proclaimed, a name she now spat at with venomous disdain. "You fake Saintess!" she exclaimed, her anger directed at the woman who had been part of her undoing, "I should have killed you in our childhood! You will pay for what you have done!" The guards continued to drag her away , getting chilled by her piercing cries and hatred.

The snow began to fall as they finally dragged her out, adding to the bitter chill that embraced her. Andromeda had never been fond of snow, but now it seemed like a cruel reflection of the cold fate that awaited her. As they led her away from the desolate chamber, her gaze lingered on the lifeless bodies of her loyal men. Her emotions churned, torn between the anger she felt at the betrayal they faced and the sorrow she felt for their tragic fate.

Amidst the crumbling walls and the echoes of her past, Andromeda's thoughts were a tumultuous storm. She wondered if there was a chance for redemption, if she could ever find a path to atone for the darkness that had consumed her. But for now, as the snow fell gently around her, she was led away, a shadow of her former self, her fiery spirit still burning within despite the chilling chains that bound her.

As they reached the castle's courtyard, a somber spectacle awaited them. The once majestic fortress of Embercliff Citadel, now a mere husk of its former glory, stood tall against the falling snow. But the guards, under Captain Valerian's command, had no intention of preserving the remnants of a tragic past. Instead, they conjured their fire elemental powers, igniting flames that danced with fury and vengeance.

Andromeda watched in stoic silence as the once-proud citadel became engulfed in an inferno. The crackling fire consumed the wooden structures, devouring tapestries and crumbling the stone walls, reducing everything in its path to ashes. It was as if the flames mirrored the rage and pain in her heart, an uncontrollable force that sought to obliterate all that had once been her home.

Captain Valerian approached her, a wicked smirk curling on his lips as he witnessed the destruction. "You see what your defiance has brought upon you?" he taunted, as if reveling in her suffering.

Andromeda met his gaze with unwavering determination. "I do not fear death, nor do I regret my actions. This castle and its memories were tainted long before these flames. Let it burn and cleanse the sins of its past," she replied, her voice steady and unyielding.

Valerian's expression hardened, his irritation palpable. "If you beg for mercy, I may spare this place, at least for the sake of your fallen consort and men," he offered with a twisted sense of benevolence.

But Andromeda shook her head, her eyes ablaze with defiance. "I will not beg for mercy from the likes of you. Let the flames consume it all, for it is a fitting end to this wretched chapter."

With that, she kept her gaze on the castle, refusing to show any weakness in the face of her impending doom. She had no intention of giving her captors the satisfaction of seeing her break.

The journey to the capital was grueling. Andromeda was confined to a small cage, exposed to the elements, the freezing cold seeping into her bones. Her lifeless legs felt no pain, but her spirit remained unbroken. As the guards forced her to sit on the cold floor of the cage, she seemed almost detached, her eyes distant, as if stuck in the sight of her burning castle.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they reached the capital.