To the East

I wasn’t so sure if it was my own blood stained my wedding dress. I was so sure that I bathed in crimson as I tried to catch my breath. I held my chest as I can feel the pain for the bullet thoroughly tormented my flesh. My vision was blurry as I tried to see my groom with his devilish look while pointing a gun at me. I’m sure he already fired it, as I tried to stop the blood oozing from my chest. Tears rolled down as I recalled how happy I am at his grand proposal. How he whispers the endless “I love you” to me. How his lips brushed mine as he held me in his embrace. How sweet his smiles as it were purposely painted like the sun on clear blue skies. Hugo. I looked at him with bitterness as I tried to brush off my tears. I don’t understand why our love ends up like this. All the love I had shattered as I looked this unfamiliar man in front of me. He walked towards me and he pointed the gun he held in his hands earlier. “My sweetest Jane.” He planted a departing kiss as I tried to talk back but my lips won’t move. My body was trembling with fear with the monster that is willing to end my life. “I know you must be shocked at this state.” As he played few strands of my hair as I tried to reach him to retaliate but my trembling hands landed at his face, stained his handsome face with the blood from my chest. My tears won’t stop from flowing as I watch him laugh hideously; he held my hands and feels it in his face. I could still feel the warmth in his face. “Hu..Hugo…Please help me.” Trying to survive and plead. I wonder if one touch could appease his anger and withdraw his gun from my head. “Shhhhhhh….. Don’t cry love. You won’t be alone in your afterlife. You may join your beloved parents, what do you think?” My parents, their faces flashed in my mind as they were supportive in my wedding with Hugo. They were the one who arrange this whole thing as their only cherished daughter. I trembled with wrath as I grabbed his collar with my might. This cursed creature! “What did I do to deserve this!” I shouted with all my voice that left with me. I couldn’t let him go as I gather my strength to get even for my parents. My naïve parents who blindly supported me to be with him. He laughed evilly and I couldn’t know him. I stood in silence as I listened him laughed in my state, Hugo have you ever loved me? Thought crossed my mind. “You were too stubborn to believe that I loved you Jane. You were easily deluded that I need to get rid of you.” So this must be the most hurting words I heard. I let him go from my grasp. I know he was waiting seconds to end my life it was that I am a bit impatient. “Indeed I am deluded Hugo. I regret falling in love with you wholeheartedly.” I pulled the trigger from the gun he pointed at me and I fell into darkness. Everything was a lie. Before I totally lose my senses, I could hear a woman calling Hugo and stood toward his side. I could still gaze at the approaching shadow and it became clearer and clearer. I clenched my face of what I saw. It was my sister, Allison and behind her were my parents. I wanted to laughed with the twist of events. Nobody know I could still heard them talking in my dying self. I could feel my mother’s hand wring my neck to sure that I will die. I could not resist. My death was stage. My death was….

KMEnd · History

Not enough ratings

7 Chs

Misunderstanding

Everybody knew in Rudin empire how Maia madly loved the crown prince. Even she was engaged to the duke, she kept on bugging her parents to cancel the engagements year after year. She kept on stirring her household to appoint meetings with the crown prince even if it could taint her reputation as well as her fiancée. Her behavior today is way suspicious to anybody the moment she never cast a glance to the man she fancied.

"What changed her heart?"

The orchestra started to play the waltz and the entire crowd paved way for us. It was the first dance of the couple after reunited for 6 years. I placed my dainty hand on his shoulder and held his hand to the other. I shivered the moment he placed his other hand to my waist that it was helpless to breathe. He noticed that he whispered in my ears.

"Are you nervous that the prince is watching you?" it was all sarcasm. I knew that even I held his hands and choose him over the prince; the suspicion still lingers in him.

"I am not nervous of His Highness, my Lord. I am afraid I may tarnish your reputation for I am lacking in social grace." I replied to his trap. I stared at him and no one else. He leads me in his dance as we locked our eyes together.

"It is been a while." I was surprised for him to say this nonsense remark. I must not let my guard down.

"Yes it is been a while my Lord."

"I heard my fiancée is lurking the attention of the crown prince while I was away and defending the borders. I am afraid I'm starting to doubt my lady's faithful oath." He really knew how to start an argument for me to bother. I smiled at him to challenge his premise.

"I am afraid I am too young to fancy someone else. Besides my fiancée was away too long that I started to fancy anyone for I missed you."

"Should I be flattered my lady?" he tighten his embrace and smirked. We both look like an intimate couple that sharing a dance to the crowd. They were enthralled with our brawl.

"Flattery is not my thing my Lord. Concerning the crown prince entanglement with me, I am afraid that I admit my unfaithfulness. Due to your absence my Lord I started to look someone yet my heart is still empty. It cannot be replaced by mere fantasies. I do not dare to involve with the prince anymore now that you are here with me." Throwing cheesy lines are my thing I am a novelist after all. I know for a fact that Czarrino will not buy it but I just blurt them out to counterattack his arguments.

He laughed while we danced and I smiled as well. We looked so in love but we were playing our parts. It brightens the mood since it was the first time the duke laughed. He was known for being cruel to anyone that no one would dare to seduce him. Most of the noble ladies envied me as they sigh looking at the duke.

I only know beneath that expression, the duke wanted to wring my neck any moment. No matter how he abstain himself to get enraged like the previous banquet, I myself know how monstrous this man I danced with. I manage to rebut his entrapments with choice words that he himself laughed out of fascination for my rebuttal. I wonder if this is even a good thing to survive.

"I am still doubtful for my lady's claim. I wonder how my lady assures my heart that I am the only one she truly cherished." The music stopped and we both curtsied and he led me towards a certain figure. He linked his arms with mine and gone towards the crown prince.

"I give my toast to His Highness for his thoughtfulness in attending this banquet." Czarrino and I made our way as he grabbed the wine served by the servants. I tried to calm myself to prepare from the duke's tests. He is surely shrewd.

Prince Mavier smiled as he congratulated Czarrino and looked at me. I held my anger as I unconsciously tighten my grip in the duke's arms. I wonder if even the Duke could notice.

"I heard of the Duke's forthcoming marriage, I didn't know that the most beautiful noble lady of Gremoire was your fiancée." He said in a casual tone as if he truly cared it at all. Even his face was an exact copy of Hugo. Beneath those kindness and warmth was a demon. His wickedness stenches that I wanted to get rid of him. People are watching and still waiting for my reply as they expected that I flustered and stuttered from his shallow mockery.

"She is indeed."

"I am afraid I am receiving too much compliments from the Crown Prince. This lady is indeed betrothed with my Lord." I cannot give him the exact retribution for now.

Most of the noble ladies gathered to where we are as they tried to swoon the crown prince with their tricks.

"I'm sorry to interrupt His Highness but I think Lady Maia has huge sentiments towards you. I remember how she chases every noble lady who had fancied you." It was Lady Rebecca from the house of Marlin stepped in. I already know her animosity towards Maia. She fancied the crown prince as well. She wanted to secure my downfall; even her cronies nodded and discussed them among themselves.

It is time to step up the game while the Duke himself waited for his evidence. I smiled as I gather my thoughts. I looked at the prince and them then locking my eyes at Duke Czarrino. You better prepare.

"I believed I had done a grievous mistake Your Highness, I was too naïve to fancy you in the absence of my fiancée. I misconducted myself and behaved ill towards all the noble ladies as I tried to shoo them away from your presence." I looked at the noble ladies and continued "I even pressured my whole household to have appointments with His Highness for I wanted to ask my Lord's situation in the borders he defended. I have heard that the crown prince himself is the direct contact of my Lord that creates misunderstanding to the whole empire. I do not dare to have sentiments towards the crown prince for he belongs to the empire. I hope I cleared some misunderstandings towards my ill behaviors and scandals. I will personally receive punishments His Highness would give me."

I looked at the Duke if I could give him satisfaction yet he just shrugged it off as if there is nothing he heard off. He just smiled as if he nodded in agreement.

I just brushed off the idea of satisfying his doubts. I'm just wanted to end suspicion that could end me back to death.

"Mere words cannot clear up the suspicions circulating my lady. Evidence is much more tangible to everyone. Give me the evidence that you do not fancy me and I will decide whether to give what you deserved. Do you not agree Duke Czarrino?"

He is truly showing his true nature. He smiled at me as if he wanted to see himself if I could have lingering feelings towards him so that he could use me to get information from the duke. I looked the Duke's darkened expression as if the suspicion was laid again to be gossiped. I cannot take it anymore.

"Then forgive me my Lord for my boldness."

I face Czarrino and looked him in the eyes. You will get your evidence here and now. I tiptoed for he is tall and placed my arms in his shoulder. I placed my weight to the earth for him to bend then suddenly I brush off my untainted lips to his. I just closed my eyes as I kissed him. It was a just peck from his lips. Most of the guests could not believe from what they have seen for it was indecent and vulgar. Most of them flustered to my boldness. I release the duke and I looked away from him due to embarrassment.

"I give my Lord my lips that tainted my reputation right now. I hope you were all satisfied from the evidence you were all asking. Forgive my rudeness Your Highness." I run towards the exits for me to recover my mental state. It was necessary. It was for survival.

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