4

Killed as an example

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It had been a week since the time Navir encountered his mate and for one, he was restless.

Even though he had said he would forget it and it was maybe a theory of his, his body couldn't lie that it didn't miss that spark, the tingling sensation he had felt that night in the woods.

For some Reason, he wanted to feel it again, he wanted to at least see the woman who he felt that bond with even though it was just once.

He sighed as he brushed the topic off to the back of his mind.

Looking up to see it was barely the break of day, he grabbed his sword, sliding it into his waist belt before making it out of his chamber.

Out the main castle towards the training ground where his men were already assembled and ready for morning petrol.

Not like they enjoyed it being this early but Navir had a habit of making his guards wake up early even though it wasn't patrol day just for practice or morning exercises which included sword fights.

They unsattled their horses and out they went for morning petrol.

 ************

"Ahh! You witch! what have you done?" A tight slap landed against Razia's cheek, making her thumb to the floor.

Fina, who had given the slap, towered over her, looking angry and hateful as always.

(Her dress which she had anticipated on wearing out today had accidentally gotten stained by tomato juice which was held by Razia who immediately tried getting rid of it but made it worse, therefore, earned a slap from Fina, her step sister.

Tears brimmed down her eyes as her palm rubbed the stinging pain coming from her cheeks.

"Mother!" Fina's high pitch voice could be heard followed by the opening of a creaking door where Elen, a middle aged lady walked out from, lazily dragging her feet as it seemed she just woke up.

"Mother!" Fina raved while flashing the dress in front of Elen who was still rubbing off her eyes.

"What is it dear?" 

"She ruined my dress!" She answered. Pointing a finger towards the barely stained area of the dress, her mom could only sigh tiredly, it seemed she wasn't totally awake seeing as it was barely the break of day yet and most people would still be in bed at this time.

"Mother I planned to wear this dress today but look what she did."

"Aie Fina, just wear another." The lazy voice from Elen who looked exhausted.

"But mother…."

"It'll get washed later....pick another and stop tearing this house with your screams."

"And you, " Her voice became stained as they focused on Razia who was already up from the ground, both hands clasped in front of her while her head bowed low, staring at her feet.

"G-good morning mother." Her voice sounded cracked due to the fact that she just cried.

"Go to the market and get some groceries for breakfast, I wouldn't want fina's first day of work to be on an empty stomach." Elen spouted in a stainfully hateful tune to Razia who simply replied with and walked off under the watchful gaze of Elen who bore nothing but envy.

Other than the fact that Razia would be said to be four times more beautiful than her daughter, especially with her exceptionally piercing blue eyes.

She was the child of the man who Elen was supposed to be with, but instead of choosing her, he had chosen her sister.

Elen had fallen for him a long time even before he had met her sister and whether it was of his exceptional beauties as a witch, or whether she was Bewitched by him, she didn't care, she had cherished him, adored him and given him everything, even her first night, but at the end, he had chosen to be with her sister rose.

Rose had gotten pregnant but at that time was the period when witches were being hunted in vetrish so he had no option than to flee, whether he was killed or not, no one knew but her sister had become the next target as she harbored a witch's blood in her.

So when she had given birth, she pleaded with Ellen to look after Razia before she was killed.

Elen never wanted to take care of Razia, she had thought of ways of getting rid of the child but unfortunately, when Razia was proven a weak to non existent witch by the village wizard at the age of four , Razia couldn't be executed as a witch cause she wasn't one so instead, Elen took Razia in as a servant to her as her daughter.

To the outsiders, they appeared as a loving family, but indoors was where the real deal occured of the maltreatment they gave Razia.

 **************

With a small hand woven basket by her side, Razia walked through the market, her head bowed low while ignoring people's gazes, going into only stalls she needed to buy things for.

She was making wild reet porridge and she would need wild nuts as well so walking steadily towards a nut stall which was stationed alongside other stalls in the market.

She brought out her change bag which was given by Elen, grabbing out few Nik pieces.

"Uhm, sir? How much are these?" Her voice sounded so tiny but sincere you would think a child was speaking.

"That would be five nickel milady."

She sighed as she grabbed one more Nik from the bag adding it to the four she got earlier.

She stretched out her hand in order to pass the nic pieces to the seller who instead of collecting, bowed his head.

A frown ached between her brows as she wondered what this man was doing.

"Uh, sir?" She called but the man remained stationed.

Confused, her eyes looked beside her only to see the other stock sellers as well as two other girls not too far from her also bowing their heads.

What was going on? Razia couldn't comprehend and just when she turned around, she froze in her spot when her eyes came in contact with the royal prince of vetrish.

On about eight horses, sat a few other royal guards behind him.

His eyes were transfixed , staring tensely at her and when Razia realized she was also starring, she quickly bowed her head in fright of the disrespect she had just shown and only prayed she wouldn't be killed as an example.