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Chapter 2

Audrey was still crying when a rope was thrown into the pit. She was delighted and she quickly climbed up from the pit. Finally standing on the green grass again, she fainted but into somebody's arms.

"Silly girl." The man whispered coldly.


The chirping of birds woke Audrey up as she laid her head silently on the round stone table, her eyes flickered and she opened her eyes to see the worried eyes of Claire, she pursed her lips.

"Your highness, we looked all over for you, gosh what's with this dirt?" Claire looked at the dirty hands and some stains on the princess dress, she shook her head.

Audrey kept quiet as she observed her aunt. She looked around but she could only see her aunt and maid.

When she saw her maid, a flame of anger was ignited instantly and she immediately sprang up from the stool she sat on and walked to the maid before giving her a crisp slap. The maid fell to the floor and quickly begged for mercy.

"Forgive me, your Highness. I left to find some kind of help but when I came back I didn't see you again" the maid cried as she immediately knelt on the floor her head bowed.

Audrey chuckled, "You left for 5 hours. What freaking person would go asking for help in that five hours. You will be punished for your indolence,." Audrey yelled coldly and her words sank into the maid who was still shivering and begging for mercy but Audrey was too angry to listen to anything.

A white fur coat was dropped on her shoulders and she flinched and flipped her head to look behind her when she saw her smiling aunt.

Audrey broke down crying as she laid her head against her aunt's shoulders. Today's experience was too much for her and for the first time, she felt like seeing nobody.

This was not the first time she experienced something so traumatizing, but what if he didn't come to her aid? Her fate would’ve been sealed?

Audrey and her aunt went back to the palace together where her aunt decided to part ways with her.

"Take care of yourself, this is where we say our farewells." Claire mentioned as she kissed Audrey's cheeks. The latter was still brooding about the fact she was trapped in a pit by a bunch of kids.

Claire didn't care about that and quickly boarded another carriage set for her. When Audrey came down, she was not expecting to see her mother waiting for her.

"I’m so glad you are safe. You made your mother worry." Queen Adelia beamed, her face looking half tired. Seeing this made Audrey’s heartache and she immediately threw herself in her mother's arms and sobbed hard.

Queen Adelia frowned and patted her daughter's head. She perceived the dead leaves on her daughter’s hair and her face contorted. She immediately withdrew from her daughter, as the smell was extremely annoying to a woman of high class.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Audrey asked as she wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand. Queen Adelia pursed her lips.

"We will talk after you wash," she said as she turned around and walked towards the royal palace court. Audrey raised her arms and sniffed her sleeves, the foul stench she perceived made her frown and she quickly dashed to her chambers for a quick wash.

On reaching her chambers she turned and looked at her maid and the mere sight of the young servant made her pissed off. She raised her hand and slapped the maid again, as she coldly looked down at the maid who had already knelt down again.

Five red handprints were plastered on the servant's face and she clutched her cheeks painfully. Audrey just stood there watching the maid with cold eyes.

"I told you to leave, didn't I?!" she yelled at the maid as she tilted her head. The maid didn't answer and just bowed her head lower, Audrey seeing this, left the maid there. The poor maid didn't dare stand up and she remained kneeling on the cold floor.

Returning to her room and informing the maids to prepare a bath, she remembered what that kid said to her and pieced the information back to what happened three years ago, when she was proved to be abnormal by her blood. Her parents looked at her differently and so did her friends.

From that day, she wasn't a princess to be looked up to. She was named a witch with different blood, but that didn't change the dreams her parents had for her. Thinking about her parents, she quickly washed up and went to the royal palace court.

She wore a black dress, that was loose, at least the only people in the court were just the three of them. The other people had been ordered to step out.

"Little Audrey, welcome" her father breathed out in a gruff voice, as he smiled warmly at her. Audrey shivered when she heard that voice, she always didn't like talking to her father, it's like he had changed from a different person after that three years began.

"Greetings to you, your Majesty!" she bowed politely like it was not her parents who told her to come. Adelia frowned as she noticed her daughter's odd behavior, she then looked at the king and she noticed that both daughter and father were observing each other.

"I heard that you were trapped in a pit, I hope you didn't sustain any injuries?" The king inquired. He knew that was not the important thing but he wanted to be a caring father once in a while.

"Father doesn't need to worry about anything as I did not sustain any bruises and I am okay now," Audrey replied calmly as she brushed her wavy length with her fingers. The king nodded seeing that, he was glad she was well and okay.

"Your mother and I discussed and we think it's best your tutors start coming to give you some lectures and directions on how to be a great leader," he proclaimed as he took a book and opened it, reading through some names.

Audrey thought she did not listen attentively, and stuttered... "Wh–what?" but it was not heard from the father's side, but the mother pursed her lips in a thin line, she knew that her daughter never fancied power but this was for her own good.

"Audrey dear, you will be the next ruler of the seven kingdoms, you have to be proficient in all seven languages, know your etiquette as you know yourself, learn to speak well, know the dressing codes of each kingdom, and even memorize the map"

The King spoke, every word was like a heavy hammer pounding on her chest, she could not believe it was her own parents who despite knowing what was going on, they would choose to ignore it?

"But father!! you know my situation, the whole town labels me a witch, not a ruler. I refuse to sit down on a throne of a kingdom where I am considered as an outcast!!!" she screamed in a throaty voice. The king got enraged and quickly slapped his palm on his armrest. He knew this daughter of his was very stubborn and rebellious that was why he dismissed every servant in the court so they could have the time to battle with each other about this case.

"Audrey, this is your fate and you have to accept it. This throne belongs to the Conrad family, and you are the only heir to the throne so why do you insist on defying me?” he asked in a loud and angry tone, and Adelia had to use a rub in the back to quell in his anger.

"I don't want to accept whatsoever fate. I won't be the ruler of a godforsaken kingdom. I cannot do that and I will never do that," she said as she walked out of the court without turning back.

Despite the orders from her father she kept on running and running until she reached a building, she coughed because she felt stuffy, hot tears fell from her eyes and again she felt she didn't belong there.

she felt like leaving everything aside, and just living with nature, and again she wanted to end her life and live a stress-free life without doing anything, she stopped crying after a while, and then she heard a voice...

Maybe it was because she was not in her right state of mind but she heard the voice again and this time louder it was some kind of song...

But that same song was drawing her towards a sitting spot in that alley, her eyes turned brighter and she walked steadily into the spot but for some unknown reason, she snapped out of it...

"We need to talk!" A voice from behind Audrey echoed in the alley the latter turned to look back and she saw her mum, she walked straight towards her and with her head up high, she knew that walking out on the king was a high offense.

But she would clearly prefer to die than be the next ruler of the seven kingdoms.

"I don't want to talk to you mother" she flashed a warm smile as she tried to walk past her mother, but the latter held the arm down.

"You will speak to me..."

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