CHAPTER 16

Wearing a white cape she covered her face with cloth as she ran through the corridor in hope of sneaking without anyone's notice. She took every step smooth as silk. Though she ran bare foot to avoid any noise her heart was producing song of melancholy __ as if singing in her father's death !

Her eyes mourning and shedding tears continuously. She thought of nothing and of no one. Striding through the left corridor which she thought would lead her to the main gate of castle, reached the jade garden. Heard the thump of foot steps and noise of silver armour, the guards were on round perhaps searching her. She stepped back but at once hid her behind the bushes a few steps far. To avoid any kind of scream she placed her hand on mouth even stopped breathing for some moments until the guards went some far !

She just wanted to escape from these weird people who brought her here in this strange place, where everyone was calling her a princess. She didn't wanted to be any , didn't wanted to stay with the murderers of her father. Fearing that they'd kill her too, she sneaked from her bedroom in hope of an escape !

Took a deep breath when the guards went out of sight. She stood up and peeked through the bushes to analyse where was the exit.

"Trying to escape my love ?"

The guy whispered in her ear from back, who appeared from nowhere. But was leaning close to her face, his eyes full of questions and mysteries.

She pushed him back with all force and ran to the other side in fear. Frightened__terror was on her mind along with the view of her father's dead body.

Her legs didn't stop she ran fast as she could. Far away as her heart said. Stopped when saw two men standing in front of her. Not armed, not giving dangerous vibes but still they're perhaps involved in murder !

"Do you know how much we got worried upon your disappearance  ?"

The one with long white beard said.

Saavi leaped back to run backwards when saw Ashton standing there, hands folded with a stern look on face.

"She doesn't care master Valos as we don't mean anything to her, our efforts to protect her doesn't matter to her, am I right your highness ?"

He was aggressive in his tone as he mocked upon her act.

Saavi argued back with courage in a loud voice.

"Yes why do I care about you when you all are murderers of my father !"

"Father....pftt ! The man standing there is your father Saavi not the one who died."

Ashton pointed out towards king Salvatore who was standing besides master Valos__gloomy, seeing his only daughter being rebellious.

"Tch.....you're a liar. And you're the one who killed my father. Let me go. Otherwise I'll call police !"

Saavi was still not in the position to listen to anything or anyone. She believed in what she saw earlier.

"Listen to me young lady, you don't want to believe that I'm your father then don't. But as a king of this kingdom I order you to marry prince Ashton."

King Salvatore burst out in rage. He wanted to replace the original princess with that fake one as soon as possible. Before the situation worsens.

"I'm not going to marry that animal !

He's a murderer, you want me to marry such an evil person. What kind of king are you ?  Don't you have any sense of justice !"

Saavi crossed her limits which provoked king Salvatore to take a strict action.

"Guards take this disobedient lady to her chamber !"

He yelled as the guards appeared just in a blink.

They stood.

As she was a princess and their king's daughter. Confused upon the first order they stood still for a second one !

"What are you waiting for ? I said take her.

& prince Ashton tell the maid servants to get her ready for marriage ceremony  !"

King Salvatore ordered again.

One of the guards leaped forward to take her by arm when she cried taking a few steps back. The guard tried again when Saavi pushed him back with both hands and__

And a flash of beam appeared which threw the guard 6 steps away from her. Though her magic wasn't that perfect and strong because of suppression but at that moment it came out.

Terrified __Saavi looked upon her hands.

"My lord !"

Master Valos stared towards king Salvatore in hope that now Saavi would understood that she was one of them.

"Ww....what have you done to me , you freaks !"

But she wasn't thinking that way.

"What do you mean ?  We haven't done anything, you stupid girl. You're one of us and your magical powers are coming out naturally."

Prince Ashton yelled.

"It can't be. I'm a normal person. You must have tried something on me !"

Saavi shouted gazing at her hands.

"So why don't attempt second time ! "

King Salvatore was becoming annoyed at her stubborn behaviour.

"Master Valos you're an expert , revive her past memories regarding prince Ashton. Maybe then she could understand anything."

"Yy....yes my lord"

Masted valos started uttering some verses. While saavi stood there in horror,legs trembling.

A beam of light appeared from master Valos which took Saavi inside. It was like a passageway of light only master and her were there. Her head became heavy she knelt down crying in pain. Held her head with both hands and__

"No, stop it.....No !"

And that light disappeared in a flash. She was kneeling in garden again , with all of them around.

"What happened  ?"

King questioned.

"I'm sorry my lord, she's rejecting my magic by force. I'm unable to revive her memories."

Master was disappointed.

"TCH ! It's ridiculous that you're denying reality !"

Aston was also now hopeless. He lost her for__ forever.

"Then we'll do it by force."

King Salvatore summoned a chain from magic spell around Saavi which stopped her from moving an inch.

Within a blink they all were in her room. Where the king ordered the maid servants to help her getting ready.

Saavi sighed, wept and wondered about her future ! She stopped struggling as there was no way to escape from those people !

@~~@~~@

Ashton entered the room hopeless, disappointment visible on his face. He sat by the corner of bed when Lucia crawled near to him.

"How it went?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"She's not listening to anyone & rejecting every magic."

He sighed exhaling a puff full of despair.

"Don't worry she's a princess after all & she loves you. She'll understand everything __soon."

Lucia was lively, placed her head on his shoulder.

After a silence Ashton spoke in a low voice.

"King Salvatore is forcing her to marry me. In a few days you'll be replaced with her. I'll tell you when to stop taking that magic potion so that you can return to your own self."

Lucia kept quiet, though she was aware of everything __she started loving Ashton. Despite various tries not to like him she fell in love with him.

"Ww...where shall I go ?"

She stuttered and that was all she could say. She just wanted to stay with him.

"I'll take you to kingdom Rosalind a day before her arrival. And will bring you back here when you'll turn to your own self. As you're the only one who can explain everything to Saavi. Then you'll stay here with me....as .....!

He paused.

"As your father is no longer in this world. King Snape killed him as he was the one to present that marriage proposal."

Ashton looked into her eyes.

Lucia tried not to cry but after all he was her father.

"Mm...."

Ashton hugged her and she cried out , the tears she was holding back !

"I'll stay here forever, I just want to be by your side.....I'll be her maid servant !"

Lucia said what was in her heart. While Ashton just caressed her without replying anything.