Luna has been feeling insecure lately. It's been one week now, yesterday she lost three of her minions due to the elimination. She decided to charm her way to the emperor's heart.
She goes to meet him in the courtyard. A guard informed Azriel about Luna's arrival. "Your Majesty it's been a while" Luna said with a sweet smile. Azriel didn't spare her a glance.
"I've missed you so much" Luna said. Azriel didn't say a word. Some days are like that, Azriel won't talk when he's not in the mood.
"Actually I want your help with something. I want you to help me get rid of someone" Luna spoke again, she sits beside Azriel. "It's just that I want you to help me get rid of Guinevere" The moment she said that name Azriel looks at her.
"She pretends to be so righteous but she's actually the devil. I want you to help me get her eliminated" Luna said. Azriel raised an eyebrow. "You want me to get rid of someone?" Azriel finally spoke. "Yes"
Azriel took a sip from his wine. "I don't have the power to eliminate someone if they worked diligently to secure their position" Azriel stated calmly. "She didn't work hard for it, she just manipulated her way in other for her to stay. I even suspect she bribed the teachers" Luna said.
"That's a strong accusation, do you have evidence to back it up?" Azriel asked. "Not yet but I will" Luna said in determination. "You are violating the rule of no cheating. You think I'll help you get rid of someone, are you jealous of this person?" Azriel asked.
"She wishes I do. I know her too well to know when she's pretending. She claims to not want the throne but still fights hard to stay" Luna said. Azriel remembered what she said last time.
"I was taught how to read the hand writings on the wall, I am only here because I don't have a freaking choice. It's either this or...." What was she about to say?
"Your Majesty are you listening to me?" Luna asked. "I don't have time for your girly games. Go sort this out yourselves" Azriel said.
Later in that afternoon, the girls were taken outside the castle. "Today, you will be tested on how well you can work together and also trying hard not to die" Mrs Harper said. Each carriage stopped at the required destination.
Anastasia stepped out of her carriage, observing her environment. She noticed Azriel sat on a throne far away from them. The place was covered in grass, it reeked of damped soil and dead animal carcass.
"May I have your attention. The rule of this game is simple, whoever can survive or learn a moral lesson from today's friendly game wins a surprise" Mrs Harper said.
Ladies whispered among themselves. "Are you ready?" Miss Sunshine asked. There wasn't an audible answer. "Release the lion" Mrs Harper said. "Wait did she just say lion?" A lady asked.
A loud roar was heard, Anastasia felt stuck. She doesn't know why but for some reason this was too familiar to her. Everyone ran for their lives, there wasn't a place to hide properly.
Anastasia heard screams of girls being devoured. "What kind of a sick game is this!!" Anastasia asked. Luna hides behind a tree. A girl ran passed Anastasia she unconsciouslly stepped on a landmine.
"Gabriella don't move!!" Anastasia yells. {How was I able to hear the landmine when I wasn't close to her}
The lion circled around the field, it found the carcass and began eating it. "Gabriella you are stepping on a landmine, if you move you'll die" Anastasia said.
Gabriella panicked. "Hey look at me" Anastasia said. "I can't... I don't want to die. Rita is dead, I don't want to die..." Gabriella sobbed. "I'm not letting you die, I promise. How about we count sheep's together" Anastasia said.
"Now?" She asked. "Yes" Anastasia replied. "One sheep, two sheep" They both counted. Anastasia searched for something, she found a rock.
She picked it up. "Ten sheeps, eleven sheeps, twelve sheeps, thirteen sheep" Gabriella said in a shaken voice. Anastasia weighed the rock, she looks at Gabriella. "Do you trust me?" She asked. "Yes" Gabriella replied.
Anastasia slowly placed the rock on the landmine, pressing it hard. "Take your foot slowly" Anastasia said. Gabriella obeyed, immediately Gabriella pulled her legs. Anastasia pushed the mine, she used her weight to take Gabriella's place.
"Run, hide now!!!" Anastasia said to her. She ran leaving Anastasia all by herself. "What am I doing? The plan was to remain a ghost, now they'll all think I'm seeking attention again. I couldn't watch her die. I wasn't able to save everyone but at least I saved one person" Anastasia said to herself.
Another roar interrupted her. The lion saw Anastasia. "Shit" Anastasia cursed. It charged towards her. {This is where I finally die and end this suffering}
Azriel who sat on his throne was silently begging Anastasia to run for her life. {Why is she just standing there? Why did she take the girl's place?} Azriel thought.
The lion was so close to Anastasia. "My life was fun while it lasted" Anastasia said. "Guinevere no!!!" Charles yelled. She lets go as soon as the lion was near.
The explosion was massive. Anastasia slowly opened her eyes, her ears were ringing. She could see the lion had already been blown up to bits, and Charles saying something.
She slowly opens her eyes, her entire body hurt. Her hands were bandaged, she tried sitting up. "What happened?" Anastasia asked. Hannah hugged her with tears in her eyes. "Not too tight" Anastasia said. "What were you thinking?" Hannah asked.
"I'm sorry, I don't know. My mind wasn't in the right place" Anastasia said. "You could have gotten yourself killed" Hannah said. "That was the goal. {Sigh} I just wanted to die, I wanted to end my misery, my pain and be free. Why am I awake" Anastasia asked with tears in her eyes.
"What?" Hannah asked in confusion. Anastasia looked way. "You deliberately took her place just to end your life? ..." Hannah was speechless. Mrs Harper and Miss Sunshine entered the room.
"Excuse me" Hannah left. Anastasia is aware that her confession broke Hannah but that was nothing but the truth. She no longer wanted to live, she craved for death.
"We are here to apologize, we had no idea there was an active landmine in the area" Miss Sunshine said. "If you knew would that have made a difference?" Anastasia asked. That question left both woman stunned.
"I didn't do it just so I could be praised or rewarded. I did it because that was the right thing to do, anyone in my shoes would have done the same" Anastasia said. "You're covered in bruises, the emperor sends his regards" Miss Sunshine said.
Anastasia remained quiet. "Who saved me?" She asked. "Prince Charles was the one who brought you here so the royal physician could attend to you" Mrs Harper said. "The royal physician said that you were lucky the explosion didn't hurt your face" Miss Sunshine said.
Anastasia looks at both her hands. "It hurts like crazy" Anastasia said in a tiny whisper. "The physician left an ointment you can apply three times a day" Miss Sunshine said. "We shall take our leave now, you need to rest" Mrs Harper and Miss Sunshine left the room.
Anastasia sat on her bed replaying the events of today. She broke down in tears. "What was I thinking? Why did I play hero? Why am I the only one now suffering for the kindness I showed? My life sucks" Anastasia said.
She stood by a mirror. "I look like a mummy out of its catacomb" Anastasia whispers. She grabbed a long scarf to hide her hands, she went to look for Hannah.
She found her in the kitchen. "Can we talk?" Anastasia asked. "I don't have the right to refuse my lady" Hannah said. "You don't need to say that" Anastasia said. Hannah stepped outside the kitchen.
"Let's find somewhere quiet" Anastasia said. Hannah led Anastasia to an abandoned building. Anastasia leans against a wall. "Annie I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking" Anastasia said. "Why? Because that's the truth?" Hannah asked.
Anastasia couldn't look her in the eyes. "That wasn't my intention at first. I tried helping her before thinking about ending my life" Anastasia said. "Why? Why do you think you can save everybody Anastasia?" Hannah asked.
"Because no one ever tries to save me, because I know what it's like to be helpless. Begging others to save you but they end up spitting on your face" Anastasia said. "Anastasia that doesn't mean you'll be able to save everyone"
"I know but I was only trying to save a soul even if I watched five others killed today. Annie, I don't want to wake up every morning knowing I would never have power or will over my own life" Anastasia said.
Hannah cupped her cheeks. "I'll always be by your side no matter what happens"
"Annie please I can't drag you into my mess. You have a lot ahead of you, I can't tie you by my side" Anastasia said. "I'm already entangled in your mess, weather you like it or not Anastasia" Hannah said. "I will never be reckless any longer because I have you" Anastasia said. They both went inside.
Later in the evening. "I was informed Guinevere is awake" Charles said. "Who?" Azriel asked pretending not to know her. "The girl from the explosion today" Charles said.
"That's good" Azriel said. "Don't you know her name?" Charles asked. "Charles there are about a hundred and ten ladies in my castle, how do you expect me to know them by name?" Azriel asked.
"You are so tiring" Charles said. Azriel clears his throat. "Do you know a girl named Anastasia?" Azriel asked. "No" Charles flatly replied. "I mean maybe one of the ladies might bare the name" Azriel said.
"Why are you curious about this person" Charles asked with an eyebrow raised. Azriel remembered receiving a letter from his younger sister, pleading with him to get something from her castle she abandoned.
He got there, that was when he heard a voice. "Why? Why do you think you can save everybody Anastasia?" A voice asked. Another gentle voice answered. "Because no one ever tries to save me, because I know what it's like to be helpless. Begging others to save you but they end up spitting on your face"
Azriel could feel the pain behind that gentle voice. Zain approached Azriel, he whispers something in his ears. Azriel had to attend to the issue at hand but when he returned there was no one there. It felt like he was hallucinating but that gentle voice couldn't be a dream.
"Hello? Earth to Azriel" Charles snaps his fingers. "Find out who this Anastasia is" Azriel said.