1 O N E (1)

The street lights brighten up the dark alley as the cold night invaded the busy town. The place was noisy as it was in the day, a woman has been chosen for the king to marry, yet the town folks know nothing about it.

Is she an earl? A marquis? A daughter of a duke? A countless? She could be one of those, but she may not be.

The metal gates slid open, allowing the horses to pull through, a minute later the clacking and clicking of the carriage has come to a stop and so was her breathing. She had arrived to the place which might be the place of her demise, and if she's lucky, she might be able to see the sun rise again.

It's terrifying.

She could hear her heart beating loudly, as if screaming to run away, runaway from the huge and dark mansion owned by the king she never met but heard a thousand stories. No one in town knowns how their king looks, how he talks, all they know is that he live in his castle far away from the town, doing his job as a king, to rule his kingdom.

"Madame, we have arrived" said the coachman. The carriage door open, revealing the huge mansion.

The young girl gather her skirt with her delicate hands and step down the carriage, the cold wind touch her bare skin softly. Her eyes roam the feature of the castle, just like any fairy tales she read, it was huge, surrounded with roses, but unlike the books, this castle looks so empty.

The double door opened, revealing an old man in a suit. "Your Majesty, I am the head butler of this manor, together with ten other maids, we will do our best to serve you well" The young girl gave off a slight smile, "Please follow me to the dressing room" and so she did.

She walk behind the old man without any questions. She doubt to receive an an answer so she stayed silent.

The corridor filled with beautiful decorations felt empty and lonely as the two of them walk, only their footstep was audible. She felt a sort of relief when they didn't encounter any servant, she doesn't want to be welcomed by any of them, to greeted as a queen. She scoff to herself from such thought, the thought of being a queen. She doubt that she's suited for the role, she's just a young girl living in the woods, and oh god, it was peaceful until those men knock on her small, oak, door.

The old man stop in front of a door which seem to be the dressing room. Knock, knock, knock, and the door was open, revealing a young girl in a maid clothing. "Your Majesty, this is the handmaiden, she'll be assisting you from now on" The old man, with his hands on his chest, bowed down and left, leaving the two young girls alone. "Madame, please do come inside." And so she did.

The room, despite being called a dressing room, was insanely huge. It was painted with white and red with a touch of gold from the corner, a huge floor to ceiling window was on the opposite direction which she was standing with a huge red curtain attached to it, paintings on the ceiling and a chandelier hanging on the middle. The place was magnificent, but it wasn't enough to convince herself on staying.

The handmaiden did her job, despite being uncomfortable, the young girl let her change her clothes. She wanted to insist doing it by herself, but she doubt she'll win the argument and so she stayed silent like a good girl that she should be.

She stared at herself on the mirror as her handmaiden braid her golden hair. "I haven't receive your name did I?" She look at the handmaiden who was baffled by the sudden question. "Oh, forgive me your majesty, my name is Arees" The young handmaiden continued her work and she watched her through the mirror. She looks so young, maybe she's at the same age as her, or maybe younger. She let out a soft yet short chuckle, "No need to be so formal with me," A soft smile, yet full of sorrow was etched on her face.

The wedding ceremony started with only a decent amount of visitors from the king and she knows none of them, nor can she make a clear view of them because of the veil that covers her and the the people around her.

Lords and ladies, count and countless, duke and duchesses, high people that are close to the king were present, it was just a day ago that they received an invitation that the king, the man who rule the estate is getting married to someone they know less. Oh sure they know who the lady beside him, but only by the information given to them by the king, they have known about her existence long before, but they only know her name, and a little of her background, just like every other lady in town who are chosen as the king's woman.

Fear have invaded her mind, she was told before she came in this place, that she will die the morning comes. She's scared, but what soothes her mind is the fact that she will no longer have to live in such a hell of a place.

She's alone in such luminous room,the moon shining bright in the dark sky. The wedding ended not too long ago and she was told to stay here and wait for him. The papers on her hands were the women who have died in his hands, she's quite amaze that they were able to keep these things from the people. She's also given the names of the people who knows about these. The lords of the neighbouring countries, some count, countless, dukes, duchesses, and some people's names she knows she will not remember, basically the people who works under him, which are commonly the noble people.

She look out the window with the papers still by her hands. She didn't know if it's normal but she kinda felt like she's calm and at ease, she didn't knew that she was this obsessed with dying until now, or is she?

The footsteps outside the room broke the silence, and she knows it was his. Her heart beating is fast and she let it be. She didn't realize that she was already clutching on the papers so she laid them down by the table beside her. She's kinda disappointed by herself though, she's calm as death comes closer and if she dies tonight, another woman will be killed a week after, or maybe a day, yet look at her, can she even call herself human or is it because she knows that she was already helpless long before after her parents left her? She just wished that the next victim will forgive her, she really do. She finds it funny though, earlier, when she was in the carriage, she was so reluctant to stay, yet the closer her death comes, the more she is calm about it.

The door creak open, revealing a tall, with slender body young man. His eyes were black and so is his hair, his lashes were long and straight, his lips were slightly pink and thin, his skin is white and soft looking, his figure, with no doubt, is perfect for a king. The room became colder, yet the young lady didn't seem to be bothered about it, neither did she have goosebumps. The king sat opposite her direction.

"Good evening, my lord"

She wasn't looking down, nor she showed any fear. No, she wasn't trying to look brave or anything, its just that, she's tired, to the point that even her emotions left her for the time being, and she's kinda glad about that. She scan his features and it took her a moment to realize that he was quite a good looking man, she didn't really notice his looks at the wedding ceremony since they were both covered with the veil. Oh she hope that one day, a woman will change him, save him from whatever that causes him to do such cruel and unacceptable thing.

"This is the first" His eyes were on hers, lifeless. "Pardon?" His reply surprised her but what surprise her more was the fact that she was given one, she thought she'll be given cold shoulders.

"None of those women have greeted me after knowing they will have their demise."His voice was deep and it matches him.

"I see." Oh he doesn't even need to explain to her why, it was self explanatory, and it was also pretty obvious. If she was as scared as earlier then she would've stayed silent or probably begged for her life to be save, just like those women did.

"May I ask something my lord?" She knows that the more she talks, the earlier she dies, but she didn't seem to care at all, at least she'll be able to have a decent conversation with someone after how many years, or can it still be called decent?

The king was slightly baffled with the young lady's actions, she's not showing fear nor trying to act all tough, she's basically prepared for her death and it pisses him off, nevertheless he gave her an acceptable answer, "Go on".

"I probably have only an hour or less before you end my life, so can you tell me something about you, and I know you wouldn't care but in exchange, I will share little about me" She said, diverting her eyes to the starry sky. "That is unnecessary. You will die tonight so knowing me is pointless, My love." Despite his tone being firm and full of declaration, the endearment caught her off guard, she quite didn't expect that. "I wish to not have a boring death so a little talk between you and me wouldn't hurt so bad" She stared at his black orbs with equal reserve. The young man wanted to finish this fast, "If it makes things faster, then I will my love" Again, with the endearment.

"What made you do this?" Giving off such question right if the bat was a wrong decision and she felt that the second after the words left her mouth but it was already too late to call it back now. Everything around him suddenly became dark and the air suddenly became heavy,

"What could be the reason of doing these my love, you will eventually die so why bother?"

"Because I just thought that none of them even cared about asking such." She knew that her answer will bring to her demise with no minute to spare, and she's fine with it, it was only a second but his facial expression change and she knew she said something true, how heartless it may seems for the next victim and to others, but at least, before he kills her, she manage to leave something behind for him to remember her.

"Sweet words won't save your head from rolling down on your shoulders, love" He took the blade hidden in his shirt.

With a genuine smile on her face, she look at him, "I know, my lord, and I do not wish for my head to be saved" and his emotionless expression firmly indicates that their conversation is now over.