Rose's Birthday 2

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I rushed outside the building and towards the servant quarters, I caught a figure crouching down against the flower tree. I walked closer and got a clear glimpse of Athena, she was lost in thoughts again, I crept towards her and jumped at her with a loud boo! In an attempt to scare her, she didn't even flinch.

"Hey, Rose." She said after glancing at me.

"Why don't you ever flinch at least pretend if you have to," I said, pouting my lips as I sat beside her, resting against the flower tree.

"Where were you? " She asked as she played with her hair which was now shoulder-length short.

"I went to give the King his night tea..." I said and before I could complete my words Athena suddenly grabbed my hands, staring keenly into my eyes with her intimidating moonlike orbs.

"Rose, I don't want you in the same room with the King, do you hear me?" She said sternly and I nodded like a lizard. She let go of my hand and stood up, dusting her skirt.

"Let's go, we need to wake up early tomorrow." She said outstretching her hand and I grabbed a hold of it as we walked hand in hand back to our room.

"What's that?" Athena asked, finally noticing the magic in a jar.

"It's a gift from the Princess," I replied.

The next day

Athena woke up before Rose, she did a quick set-up while Belle brought in a tray of Baked cookies and milk into the room as we waited for her to wake up.

As soon as Rose's eyes fluttered open...

"Happy Birthday Rose!!" We shouted at the top of our lungs and she sat up with the glowing Jar still in her hands, did she sleep with it?

"Heavens, You startled me," Rose said panting hard.

"Thank you." She said again with a sweet and appreciative smile.

"Look who is turning Sixteen?" Athena said grabbing a cookie from the Tray and taking a bite.

"I thought that was mine," Rose said when she noticed Athena taking the first bite when it should be her since it was her birthday, and all these were clearly made for her.

"I took it from the counter, I don't think Aunty will notice," Belle said.

"Let's eat," Rose said and the two girls jumped on her bed as they devoured the cookies.

The door flung open as if it was kicked and Maidservant Esther came in with two Soldiers.

"Aunty Esther!!?" Belle said standing up immediately, Knowing her Aunty did notice the missing tray of cookies.

"Those Cookies belonged to the king, who dares commit theft to the supreme one?!" The fat witch Esther asked, Fuming with anger. Silence reigned in the room and Belle bit her lip while trying to stop her fingers from trembling since she knew the punishment for theft against the king, but what she didn't know was that this scanty-looking tray of cookies belonged to the King.

"If no one admits all of you will be beheaded when this matter gets to the King." Soldier 1 said.

"It was me, I stole the cookies," Athena said, stepping forward.

"You again, I figured it'll be you...Take her." She said to the soldiers and they withheld Athena in their grasp as they dragged her out.

"No, it wasn't her, it was me!!" Belle confessed as she held Esther's hand when she was about to leave.

"I took the cookies from the counter, it was not Athena," Belle said pleading to the Fat witch.

"I knew and you should thank me for protecting you," Esther said in a cold tone and Belle gazed at her in shock. She knew, then she had expected this and wanted Athena to take the fall. Why must Athena be beheaded for something she didn't do, and something as silly as a Cookie? Why were they so hell-bent on making Athena suffer?

They dragged Athena to the torture yard and proceeded to whip her, and then physically assault her by punching and kicking her while she coughed out blood and cried in pain but still did not deny stealing the King's meal.

Ethan, The soldier-in-charge of the torture yard grabbed a handful of her hair.

"The penalty for theft against royal blood is death, you will soon be beheaded as soon as the sun sets." He said and pushed her head back to the ground as she let out a pained grunt. He grabbed her and tired her against a dead tree without food and water. She took a peek through her disheveled hair and saw Rose and Belle along with some other gossiping servants. Her little sister was supposed to be happy and smiling on her Birthday but here she was, crying her eyes out. She gave a weak smile and then passed out her head dangled.

"Rose, please talk to me, you haven't said a thing to me since." Belle pleaded as she watched Rose pace around and giving her the silent treatment.

"What do you want me to say, Huh... This is all your fault, you should have told the truth."Rose yelled angrily.

"I did tell the truth Rose..."

"You should have said it sooner, who knows if you had confessed to it sooner, they might spare you because you heard your aunt right, She was protecting you, by finding a way to get my sister killed!!" Rose said, her emotions came in an outburst.

"I need to help Athena...I need to find a way to help her." Rose said,shaking her head as she went to find Princess Evie.

~~

"You stole from me and yet you glare at me like I'm the criminal here?"King Epirius said tucking the stray strands of hair behind her ear as she glared at him.

"Just say the words,I can help you with a snap of my fingers,'i submit myself to you,my King' thats all I want to hear." King Epirius said again, expecting Athena to finally say the word he was dying to hear, considering the terrible state she was in.

"I submit...I Submit nothing, you bastard!" Athena said in a weak tone and spat on his face as the soldiers gasped in shock.

"Go ahead and torture me,or better still,Kill me, because I will never agree to be your sex slave!" Athena said and Epirius smirked as he pulled away,wiping the spit from his face and then his gaze turned deadly.

''Behead her before the Sun sets,and hang her head on a stick at the Town square." Epirius said and walked away.