The King's Beloved

And so, Rania succeeded in obtaining the medela flower, gaining cute sprite friends while she was at it. She went back to Meracus together with the sprites who decided to follow her from now onwards. Rania couldn't say no to their cuteness so she allowed them.

Upon returning, she immediately saw the trio at her living room, indulging themselves with food and wine. Lily was there too, without any signs of illness, alive and kicking.

"I'm back!," Rania greeted them.

"Oh, you're alive!" Iris welcomed her with her irritating tone of fake worry.

"We thought you're a goner," Rose added.

"I got the medela flower...but….it seems that Lily doesn't need it anymore." Rania replied as she smiled bitterly at her remarks.

Lily laughed horribly. "You really believed them when they said 'I' was sick?"

"Hahahahaha! You're as stupid as you are kind, Rania".

"Anyone would have seen through it but you didn't. You're really foolish".

"Well, good thing you got the flower, congratulations, but - you can throw it out now since it's no longer needed."

"It's a shame, we're actually hoping you would die".

"Yeah, what a pity".

"Those rumors about monsters in the Forbidden Forest was a complete hoax isn't it?"

"You got that right".

On and on, they went blabbering towards one another, not caring that Rania was hearing them out loud.

The sprites that were with Rania went furious. But Rania shook her head and asked them not to be angry and that she was okay.

"- I….,' Rania interrupted their conversation.

The trio looked at her maliciously, thinking what else could they do to make her cry.

"Actually… I've always known that you were lying".

"Huh! As if you knew," Rose snorted.

"I knew because I noticed Lily hiding in the closet".

"So you knew, but still decided to go? What's with that?" Lily rebutted.

"Yes, I knew. But still….I chose to trust you all".

"- a very, very, awful choice," Iris interrupted.

"Maybe, who knows?," Rania spoke gently.

Then looking at them straight in the eye, she continued.

"Rose, Iris, and Lily. I've always known why you're like that - keeping to yourselves, not letting anyone else inside your circle - you never trusted anyone. You couldn't care less about the others...you only cared about each other."

"Get to the point! I hate mumblings," Rose raised her voice.

"What I meant is…

Humans…

or anyone actually…

could only 'give' what they 'have'…

And it's not like you're incapable of trust, since you have each other, but more like…

….maybe, nobody else trusted you aside from yourselves.

So I….

I decided to give you trust,

…. so you could trust others in return".

Rose clenched her fists. She was...taken aback by her words. Iris and Lily, too.

As if moths to fire, they couldn't help themselves but be drawn by her kindness and never ending grace.

Though they lied to her, she continued to trust them.

Though they stole from her, she continued to give.

Though they plotted against her, she continued to forgive.

Many times, they tried to hurt her, but she continued to show grace.

Until, they could no longer deny the sound of the breaking walls that started crumbling in their hearts.

The heart that they've kept hidden and protected all those years from pain.

Rose, Iris and Lily shared the same sentiments for they all grew up as childhood friends. Friends deprived of love, trust, and care by their family. They only had each other and stood up with each other ever since.

Without anyone else speaking, night came, and they all parted ways silently. They went back to their bedrooms to lay and sleep. But no one was really able to sleep. They were kept wide awake by different thoughts in their heads.

Few days passed before the trio went back to Meracus. But this time, instead of usually ransacking the place, the three grew gentler towards Rania. They started conversing like normal people, without the mockery and sarcasm. Rania welcomed them with open arms and more days passed as they spent time with each other.

Truly, change doesn't happen overnight. But not much longer, Rania managed to influence them and…. "change" them.

These girls who used to wear moss-green, tea-length dresses, changed their colors.

From dark green, to moss green, to light green. And now, a pearly beige.

This caused a commotion between the houses. The leaders couldn't decide what to do at first so they tried transferring them to other houses. They started transferring them from the house of Pémptos to Tétartos. But even in Tétartos they seemed different. The trio also began seeing the many sprites surrounding Rania for the first time. According to the sprites, only the pure-hearted could see them thus, proving further their change of hearts.

Rania then requested the head maid if they could stay at her palace instead. The head maid reported it to the king who simply agreed to the request - since it was Rania who wished for it.

Thus, Rania gained her first housemates in Meracus by the name of Rose, Lily and Iris.

Losing four ladies in total, the house of Pémptos has now decreased to sixteen.

This infuriated Selena.

"Who does she think she is?!"

With burning rage in her eyes, Selena stormed her way to Meracus, one silent evening.

She was determined to ruin Rania.

"That girl, I really hate her!"

As Selena travelled, she met two, drunk, young nobles in their fifteen. Ignoring them, she continued walking hurriedly, with only Rania's ruin in her mind. This angered the two men because what she did was considered rude by the Magi, even if she was a candidate.

With a flick of a finger, she was now floating in thin air.

"Let me go! Put me down!" she yelled.

"And why should I, you disrespectful bitch? You're just a human and you dare pass us without even greeting? Where have you learned your manners?" angrily shouted by one of the men.

"Green dress? Hmf! Clearly, Malum did not teach her anything," mocked the other as he noticed the color of Selena's Pandora's dress.

"Now, now, what should we do with you?" the guys smirked.

"I'm feeling quite cold tonight, why don't you warm my bed?" The other guy laughed horribly.

"But she's a candidate - "

" - Surely, the king doesn't even know her, so he won't bother. One less candidate is no difference. Plus, I heard they're virgins."

Evil grin filled with malice and lust could be seen in the faces of these two young nobles. Nobles they are, and yet they think of such horrendous things.

Hearing this, Selena trembled.

"No! I have to escape," she thought to herself. Then, she reached for her stiletto and threw it to the guy making him float.

The man's magic got interrupted and Selena fell hard unto the ground.

"Argh! You bitch!"

Moving fast, Selena ran away from them as fast as she could. She didn't care where her feet brought her. She continued running without looking back.

But the men chased after her. They were faster than her. Catching up to her, they grabbed her hair and pushed her to the ground.

"You worthless trash dare run away?! Let's see what you can do now."

"Heeeelp!!!! Someone! Please!!!" sobbing, Selena cried for help.

Unfortunately, the place where they were seemed totally deserted. The two young men were now beginning to remove her dress. From her back, they began untying her ribbons.

Losing hope, Selena wept miserably.

"Why is she so lucky and I'm not?

We're both dragged into this mess.

She only lost her fiance but I lost my whole family!

Why is she the lucky one?!

Why can't it be me?" she thought to herself as she continued to cry.

Roll...roll…..roll

Something suddenly came rolling on the floor. As soon as it stopped, Poooofff! A thick smoke came out of the white fur ball looking thing. The whole place was now filled with smoke and dust.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Selena by the arm, away from the men who were now hurting their eyes.

"Come! Quickly, run!" a woman's voice whispered to her.

Selena was a bit blinded that time due to the smoke from the fur ball, but she continued running holding the hands of whoever helped her.

For the first time, she felt thankful.

After a minute, the blur in her eyes was gone.

Curious to see who her savior was, though still stinging, she opened her eyes.

And it was none other than…. Rania.

"You!" her hatred came back to her. She stopped running.

"We have no time to delay," Rania told her. "Just one more turn and we'll be at Meracus. Come!"

With hesitation, Selena answered her. "....No!... I'd rather die than be saved by you!"

She then ran off towards the other direction which was none other than the Forbidden Chamber.

"No! Stop!" Rania tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen.

Tap tap tap...

The sound of footsteps and clacking of shoes echoed through the silent halls. One, in front of Rania, belonging to Selena, and the other, at the back, from the two men who were now catching up to them.

Selena stopped in front of an enormous door. It was so big that it almost reached the ceiling. It had a large, circular emblem of a dragon in the middle, with huge vines around it. There were no door knobs for you to hold it or pull it open. Seeing it as such, Selena decided to push the door for it to open. With all her might she pushed the enormous door.

To her bewilderment, the vines surrounding the emblem suddenly grabbed her arms trying to suck her in.

"No!!!! Aaaaaah!" she screamed out loud.

Rania who was nearby at the moment grabbed Selena tightly, trying to free her from the vines. But it was no use, the vines were too strong. The mad guys had also caught up to them.

"How lucky of you," one of the guys ridiculed Selena. "Of all the places you'll run off to, you went to the Forbidden Chamber. Hahahahah!"

"Choose now, we'll help you get out there but we'll fuck you afterwards, OR... die in agony inside. It's called forbidden for a reason."

Sinister laughter could be heard from them once more.

With tears flowing on both of her eyes, Selena cried.

"This is all because of you. I really hate you. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

Rania discerned the reason why she came as she looked at her eyes.

"Do not blame others for your own decision," as harsh as the words maybe, Rania said it with kindness. "You are the sole responsible for any decision you make. Your decision shapes your future. So don't ever say that again".

"I - …." with nothing to contradict her words, Selena continued crying.

"Selena," Rania called her dearly. Lifting her head with her left hands, she told her in a sweet voice, "Don't cry. Take heart and be strong. And with all your might, strive to live and push forward".

Confused, Selena asked, "Why are you saying this?"

"Before I went to you, I instructed the maids to call for help. The king has blessed me with protection and they should be coming any moment now. When that happens, I want you to run towards them".

"Wait - you seem as if… - "

" - This chamber, I read about it. These vines, it only takes one person at a time. That's why we've been stuck here for a while and it's not moving any further. It won't take nor let go but if one sinks in deeper, then the other one will be pushed out".

Selena couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stared at Rania, baffled. Shaking her head she spoke.

"You heard me when I said I hate you, didn't you?" Selene's voice trembled.

"Yes...but…. I don't hate you. You hating me doesn't mean I should hate you back."

In these words, Selena got more bewildered. Her thoughts, now contradicting themselves.

"You're…. stupid! The soldiers, they could - "

" - No, they can't. Just as they can't transport this chamber, they can't do anything about these vines."

"You don't know that for sure. When they arrive -"

"No. When they arrive, they'll just push you in and let me out. I don't want that."

"Then they'll just blame me in the end and I'll die."

"No you won't. I told the maids that I'm saving a dear friend and that they should protect her... should anything happen." Rania smiled gleefully as she said these.

"You! - " Tears swell more in Selena's eyes.

Rania gently smiled at her for the last time and pushed herself deeper to the vines.

Unconsciously, Selena tried to stop her.

The guards were now approaching and the nasty little nobles fought their way to escape.

Beams of light came flying everywhere.

Just a few more and Selena will be fully out of the vines grasps.

Rania was sinking when she saw a knife flying towards Selena. With all her might she pushed herself out to block it.

Selena saw it too and she tried to grab it by her freed hands.

Phhhoooosk!

The knife landed at Rania's back.

Blood came gushing out of her mouth. Little by little her white dress got drenched with red blood. Selena screamed in horror.

"Nooooo!"

"The National treasure!" shouted one of the guards.

As if time stood still, everyone stopped. Horror could be seen on their faces.

With her last strength, Rania smiled at Selena and pushed her out.

Finally released, Selena immediately looked back only to see….

Rania…

Being sucked by the vines…

Until none of her could be seen.

Only her blood stains left on the floor remained....

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