9 I KEPT MY PROMISE

Normally, that cold expression would mean trouble.

Ah, no.

It was funny how Callum needed to correct himself multiple times this day.

That expression meant calamity, not just trouble. The way his eyebrow relaxed, but his eyes narrowed down in disgust. The way his lips tilted into a subtle angle and the way his jaw tightened...

The first and last time Callum saw that expression was... the day before he witnessed the Massacre of Monoceros.

Callum wanted to run away.

"Please excuse me, Your Majesty," Callum made his voice as small as possible as he slowly backed up.

"Callum."

Callum Zoran grimmaced. He froze on the spot.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He closed his eyes, bracing for whatever was coming.

"Get your men out of this kingdom. Now."

Callum's eyes wavered as he heard it. Why was that the reaction the emperor made? Wasn't he mad at the Princess and her Knight?

But Callum was just an insignificant aide. He could only say...

"Y-yes, Sir."

***

Since it was built, the garden was a somber place, with each twist and turn leading further into a labyrinth of black rose bushes.

The sky above was ashen and overcast, and the sun's rays struggled to penetrate through the thick clouds. A solemn hush filled the air, save for the distant sound of the wind sighing through the branches of the trees.

As one walked deeper into the maze, the path eventually opened up into a small clearing. In the center stood a simple black stone marker, surrounded by freshly dug earth.

The marker was blank, with no name or inscription, but the weight of the grief that filled the air made it clear that this was a place of mourning.

For Isla to kneel and grieve.

The black roses that grew around the marker swayed gently in the breeze, their petals soft as velvet. The wind carried their heavy, almost sickly sweet fragrance through the air, mingling with the damp earth and the distant sound of bells.

"Where did she say to find her after she's gone?" Isla asked.

"With you," Adam, who stood behind her, answered. "She loved you more than me, and we know that she will certainly follow you around as a spirit."

Isla turned to him and smiled. "Not that. What I mean is the poem she wrote."

"Ah."

[Beneath the starry heavens I'll make my bed,

When from this mortal coil, my soul has fled.

No longer shall I bask in sunset's hue,

But in the midnight sky, I'll shine anew.

Amidst the twinkling stars, I'll be thy guide,

When grief and sorrow doth thee thus betide.

My spirit shall roam free and unconfined,

In the night sky, forever enshrined.]

"The stars," Adam said. "She... had always been the brightest constellation the world had ever seen."

"But I do think that she preferred to stick with you," Adam smiled and chuckled as he let Isla hug him tight. "The stars might seem bright and perfect, but they are so far away from each other that they will be lonely."

Adam couldn't help but feel Isla's grief. He knew even though it didn't look like it, she was the most devastated of them all. It almost felt like Adam had no right to grief... since he gave the least sacrifice.

Isla turned her head up. Her smile caught Adam's eyes as he noticed Ava's smile in it too. "Let's watch the summer midnight stars near that hill she adored. You can bring your guitar, and I will make us a light meal and hot chocolates."

"Sure," Adam nodded, "After we settle everything, let us go."

A small tribute for their lost half, in the place where the three of them ran and laughed together.

***

The sky hung low and gray, an endless blanket of clouds that threatened to suffocate the land beneath.

The rain fell in fits and starts, creating a hushed melody as each drop hit the metal armor and weapons of the soldiers marching with an unyielding determination.

Their faces were stoic, emotionless masks that gave no hint of their thoughts or intentions. The sound of their boots hitting the damp ground reverberated through the empty streets, a steady beat that seemed to signal the presence of an ominous force.

The smell of cold steel and damp earth mixed together, creating an oppressive scent that hung heavily in the air, suffocating any trace of warmth.

As the army marched on, the people of Cassiopeia cowered behind closed doors, casting fearful glances at the unwelcome visitors.

The children trembled with terror while the adults watched on with simmering anger and distrust.

The sound of the marching boots was the only noise that echoed through the city, drowning out any other sounds and creating an eerie, unsettling atmosphere.

The sky seemed to grow darker with each passing moment as if even the heavens were rejecting these invaders.

All activities in the city had ground to a halt, frozen in time by the presence of the army. The only movement was the occasional twitch of a curtain as someone peeked out with a mixture of hatred and fear.

"See."

Isla heard his voice. A sturdy arm slithered, coiling around her waist, as a looming shadow enveloped her from behind.

"I kept my promise," he whispered in her ears, his lips in between her hair and her jewel earring. "What more do you want? I can give them to you as long as you ask."

Any land, any riches, any kind of plaything. Toys, pets, something that could sing, dance, run, or scream... "Any kind. Just ask."

Isla stared coldly into that castle window, overlooking the march leaving her kingdom. She answered, "I want your heart on my dinner table."

Sebastian's face lifted in a dark smile. He buried his excitement into the crook of her neck. "What a picky girl."