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Seven

Solitary

The Siren tribe of Austeria

The rain drizzled, and the wind blew. She sat with her pack - the sirens. Every voice carries weight - the weight of dependence. She fell to the ground, accepting defeat before the way. She was the center of discussion, but she was barely able to keep going.

"You can't just give up yet, child." Her mother spoke, barely consoling her child.

" But mama, it's all over. Everything."

Her mother bent down to face her child, raising her chin to meet her face.

"Listen, child. You are the only hope for the sirens to rule hand-in-hand with the Demons. If you want our tribe to remain a minority group, then give up. "

"But... He's "

" He's everything you need as a puppet. Trap him with your skills. I'd rather you start using your powers than accept defeat over a powerless competitor. "

"Yes, Mama. " She finally replied, her eyes changing from black to white. "I shall bring to you a ring. "

Her

She sat by the pond, watching the tiny fishes swim. She was back to her old life in Lebington - with no memory of Austeria. She saw the silhouette of a person behind her through the pond. Turning back, she found nobody.

Adrianna stood up, exhausted and deciding to retire to her queen-sized bed.

"Someone's watching you," a voice spoke.

She turned back in fear, but as usual, found no one.

" Is anybody here?" She asks, beginning to get scared. Two maids rushed in,

"Princess Adrianna, are you ready to have a warm bath?"

"Yes, Stacia. That would be great. I need to rest."

" Okay. I'll help you with your dress. "

Inside the warm bath, Adrianna still could not make do with the voice she heard. Suddenly, from behind, someone pushed her deep into the bathtub. This transferred her into another world. A dark, beautiful world.

She was pushed back in time, to when she was five. She found a five-year-old Adrianna sitting on her nanny's lap, learning a song. Adrianna reached out to touch them but her hands would only pass through them, like she was none existent.

"You must never forget the song, dear. You may need it one day." Her nanny spoke, caressing Adrianna's hair.

"Don't worry. If I forget, you'll come to teach me, right?"

"If you need me, I'm just a call away, baby. "

Adrianna smiled,

"Can we sing it again? "

" Just the chorus for now. I'm tired. "

Her nanny yawned, and they started to sing together,

"Love transforms the hardest soul," Adrianna's nanny started. Adrianna closed her eyes, trying to remember the next part of the song. Five-year-old Adrianna joined in on the next part,

" Love alters a demon prone."

Adrianna smiled. The song sank deep into her heart. She did not notice the moment she went along,

"Love is all it takes to win /When love is primary, an angel is sealed. "

A tear drops from her eyes. A song long forgotten - a song filled with memories.


Adrianna jumps up from the bed. Her breathing pattern is irregular. She looked around, she could barely see her own shadow.

"Hello!" She screamed, her voice only echoed. Adrianna had no idea how she got there. The last thing she remembered was Commander Ajax blabbering and the orphidrils strangling her till it became dark. Her stomach grumbled, and her head ached. She promised herself to never try to escape the palace again or go against Eva's commands.

The weather was cold, her lips were dry.

"Get me out of here. Please," she begged. Her voice only echoed.

She wanted to walk around but was too afraid she might touch the orphidrils. She sat down, pressing her knees to her chest. Adrianna knew that her body may not last long in the dark room, so she prayed someone might come and rescue her.

"Eva, please help me out."

Adrianna whispered, shivering still. The solitary confinement now became her least favorite place in the palace. While her chamber was misty and warm, this place was cold and empty. No whispers, no eyes, no orphidrils - she guessed. Empty, void, null.

Adrianna's whispers continued, till she fell back into slumber. Her mind rested on the previous events, seeing Rainier in pain. Adrianna wondered how he'd be feeling at that particular moment.

She remembered Eva's words,

"Your first mission is to seek the Prince's heart."

Was that a metaphor or was it meant literally? How can she possibly seek his heart? Meeting him was quite impossible - how much more having to talk to him, and then seeking his heart.

How can one possibly seek a man's heart? She had no idea what he loved or at least, enjoyed. Do demons even have a heart? According to Eva, he wasn't a demon yet. He was more human than mystical, with frozen powers. Therefore, he had a heart. Which also means he had emotions. But, will he be willing to open up to her, knowing the world is watching them? Will he be able to give his life for her? These thoughts refused to let Adrianna sleep.

" Dreams that follow after this will only serve as a clue on how to go about it."

Adrianna remembered the next part of the sentence. Dreams were a clue.

She had a dream. Would it count as a clue? And what clue would that be? By now, she'd forgotten most parts of her dream - except one - the song. The song that kept playing in her memory.

It was as if the dream was reminding her of the song, and how to sing it again. But since her nanny's demise, Adrianna never tried to sing again. It didn't take long for her to forget the song.

Adrianna cleared her throat, in an attempt to ready herself for the song. She'd forgotten most parts of it, except the chorus she'd dreamt of. She closed her eyes and let the words flow.

"Love transforms the hardest soul," she started, then cleared her dry throat to sing,

"Love alters a demon prone." Tears flowed from her eyes. She was emotional, remembering her nanny's voice.

"Love is all it takes to win /When love is primary, an angel is sealed. "

She closed her eyes again, feeling the song sink deep into her consciousness. She wanted to continue singing but she felt something tapping her.

Adrianna opened her eyes in shock and found her fireball with her. The place was now a little illuminated and she realized she was in a very deep hole. So deep, she could not see the top of the hole.

Soon enough, the eyes appeared. Adrianna thought she was daydreaming for a moment. But it was real.

"Your punishment has been lifted. Climb up the ladder and you will be free."

"The ladder? Where? "

"At your left. I'll meet you at the top. Enjoy. "

The eyes disappeared. Adrianna wanted to leap with joy and excitement. Why did Ajax free her so easily? Why did he forgive her treachery?

Adrianna's excitement died down when she saw how long she had to climb. Thankfully, her fireball followed her, side-by-side without needing to be held.

Two weeks later, Adrianna was still trying effortlessly to meet the prince. Every day, she returned to her room with little progress. After her punishment, she was able to somehow convince the maids to make her clean only the royal quarters. No one liked cleaning it anyway, unlike in Lebington where maids would struggle and fight to get to clean the royal quarters and get s glimpse of any royal person they found.

At least, Ajax knew her and seemed okay with her cleaning. No one even asked her where she was going when she tried to enter what she identified as Rainier's chambers. She never went to Deville's. Adrianna found out it was the last chamber and also on the top floor - a restricted area - his meditation room.

So far, Adrianna was given access to clean the royal garden, the meeting room, the library - a very scary place she never wanted to go to again - and other important men's chambers to clean. This was easy because they were never around. This time, Adrianna refused to force herself into Rainier's chambers because she was still traumatized by her punishment.

In week three, day four, Adrianna had a dream with Eva. She'd prepared herself for Eva's next command.

"Congratulations. You will be given a chance to meet the prince. However, you have to utilize this opportunity because the next chance you get will be after a month. And with every passing day, his demon is awakened."

That was it, straight and concise. Eva did not follow up her appearance with a memory, or give a riddle-like request. Adrianna jumped with excitement after waking up from her dream. What she noticed was that every day, she was beginning to get used to Austeria. Except for the constant backaches and cramps from the work. It wasn't like Lebington, where her daily activities were repeated. Nothing fun, except if she was invited to a royal ball - which she hardly ever attends.

Once it was midnight, the eyes appeared. Adrianna preferred working in the night because, at least, the moon provided light.

"Today, you will be tasked to clean Prince Rainier's chamber. You need to make sure he has no complaints."

She walked into the Prince's chamber, accompanied by her fireball pet. She didn't need it to be illuminated though - it was filled with several candles. This was the first room she met which was illuminated. She looked around, he wasn't sleeping.

Adrianna dropped the rag and walked around the room. She had three hours, at least. She found him outside, sky-gazing. Adrianna made sure she cleaned half of the room so Incase he attempted to throw her out, she'd ask him to let her continue her work.

"Rainier..." She called out. It was awkward. Adrianna realized she did not practice any speech. She had no idea what to say to him.

"I left the room for you. Do your chores and don't bother me."

She felt a sting in her heart. There was no one there. None she could see. He didn't have to pretend he hated her.

"And, I'm Lucifer here. Not your Rainier."

Adrianna sighed. This task seemed to be much harder. How could she get to his heart without angering him?

"No one's present. You can stop the pretense."

He sighed,

"Go back to your job, child. You don't want me to throw you out. "

"Would you do that? "

Adrianna wanted to slap herself. Of course, he wouldn't mind throwing her out of his room.

"Don't test me, child."

"Can we at least talk? That's the least I'm asking from a husband."

"Don't consider our marriage valid. You can just assume we recruited a maid. "

She walked closer to him, not minding his cruel words.

"I refuse to believe you're heartless. I refuse to believe you're a demon. I know your evil father forces you to do the many things you're doing. I know you feel guilty about most of them. "

"Shut up, Child. Don't make me shut you up! "

He was getting annoyed, however, something made her keep pushing.

"Your father treats you as a puppet and, like me, I know what it feels like to be told what to do every day of your life."

Rainier closed his eyes and walked to Adrianna, giving her a sound slap. This was so loud she fell to the ground. Tears flowed from her eyes.

"Maids do not usually come to my chamber to rant. You better shut up or I drag you by your hair and throw you back into solitary confinement!"

So he was aware of her imprisonment?

Why had his character suddenly changed?

"Why are you so unkind to me? What have I done to deserve it?"

"Get up and leave my chamber immediately! "

She sat up, not minding his cruel words.

" I want to believe there's still a little bit of kindness in you, a little bit of love. I want to believe love can turn the heart of even the most ferocious demon into an angel. "

He knelt, reaching to her level.

"You better start questioning your knowledge, child."

Rainier lifted her from the ground through her hair, dragging her out of his chamber. She struggled and pulled, however, her strength was no match for Rainier.

"You are better than you think, Rainier."

Adrianna's tears flowed like the rain. She couldn't believe she failed - yet she still attempted to try.

Almost reaching the door, her tears fell, touching the bare floor. Immediately the world around them froze - including the time.

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