There was a knock on Anastasia's door. "Who could it be at this hour?" Hannah asked. She opens the door to see Charles and Rose in front. "Your highness, good evening" Hannah said.
"Where is Guinevere?" Charles asked. "She went to the...." Anastasia walked into the conversation. "Is everything alright?" She asked Hannah, her gaze shifted to the people standing by the door.
"Your highness', what brings you here?" Anastasia asked. "Is Adeline here?" Rose asked. "No, Isn't she supposed to be in her room?" Anastasia asked. "We've searched everywhere but she's nowhere to be found" Charles said.
"There's a search party in the castle" Rose said. "Give me a minute" Anastasia wore her shoe and ran to the door. "Let's go find our baby girl" Anastasia said. The trio went outside, Anastasia found everyone including the emperor searching and yelling for Adeline to come out.
"Adeline!!" Anastasia yelled but silence greeted her. Rose sobbed, she began to say crazy things out loud. Like "if you come out I'll buy you that dessert you like"
"Why are you yelling that?" Luna asked. "Because she often hides like this, if you tell her something she finds fascinating then she'll come out of hiding" Rose said.
"I'll buy you the horse I promised you" Charles said. Everyone said a lot of things but Anastasia felt awful. If only she just held her and told her the truth, she wouldn't have ran away.
"You seem awfully quiet..... Don't you care about Adeline?" Luna asked making her voice loud for people to hear. Anastasia remained calm. "This is all your fault.... If you hadn't manipulated her, she wouldn't have run away" Luna said.
Anastasia knew making a scene would only make the matter worse, She took a lamp, slowly walking to the edge of a cliff where no one would hear her.
"Adeline.... I'm sorry. I can never hate you. I was shocked that you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth and for that moment I thought you must have told everyone about our promise." Anastasia paused but she knew she had to continue
"I should.... I should have pulled you in for a hug... I should have assured you that everything would be fine... I should have looked at you. Please don't punish everyone because of my mistake"
Three hours passed away in a blur, it's three in the morning. Adeline still hadn't come out. Rose eyes had swollen from crying. Azriel is growing frustrated by the minute.
"I'm sorry.... This is all my fault...." Anastasia said to Rose who trembled in Charles' embrace. Anastasia slowly walked back to the cliff in a daze. "Adeline I understand you hate me right now. So to prove how sorry I am.... I'll...." Anastasia paused, she couldn't finish her sentence.
She looked at everyone around her who didn't pay attention to her. "Goodbye Adeline" Anastasia said. She leaned back and falls backwards. "Guinevere!!!" Adeline appears on the cliff. Anastasia could see Adeline but she closed her eyes accepting peace.
Finally she gets to die in peace. Now she can end the suffering. Anastasia braced herself for death, she fell on something hard. Anastasia could still hear her breathing and a loud heartbeat against her ears.
She looks up to see Azriel holding her firmly. She gazed into his pale eyes that looked like diamond under the moonlight. "Your grace" Anastasia said in a whisper.
"Have you lost your damn mind? Why would you do something so reckless?" Azriel asked with anger but there was a hint of concern. "I'm sorry, I felt dizzy" Anastasia lies. Of course she had to lie, he looked like he would lock her in the dungeon.
Anastasia waited for Azriel to put her down. She instinctively sniffed his neck. "Your cologne is intoxicating your grace" Anastasia said. The proximity made Azriel's breath hitched.
He isn't putting on cologne. "What does it smell like?" Azriel asked in curiosity. "Like alcohol, ginger, honey and a hint of...." Anastasia trails off as she sniffed him again. "Expensive wine" Anastasia said with a smile.
How can she smell my scent? Only those who are destined for each other can smell their partners scent. But that is just a myth.
Anastasia has no idea what's happening to her mind, she feels drunk. Azriel smells Anastasia, he noticed she smelled familiar.
"Let's get you to your room" Azriel said calmly. "I want to smell you..... I want to sleep with you tonight" Anastasia said. Azriel stares at Anastasia, her eyes are now closed. "Great she doesn't know what she's saying" Azriel muttered.
He took her up the cliff. He met everyone rushing towards him. "Is she alright?" Adeline asked. "Yes... Turns out she was exhausted from being up all night that she fainted" Azriel said.
Adeline let's out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry Guinevere" Adeline said. "Everyone return to your rooms, it's been a stressful night. Competitions are cancelled in the morning, you all can use it to sleep and regain your strength" Azriel said. People left quietly.
Zain approached Azriel. "Let me take her to her room" Zain said. "No, you may leave" Azriel said. Zain eventually left. Rose asked a maid to take Adeline to her room while she discuss with her brothers.
"She isn't letting go" Azriel said. "What?" Charles said in surprise. Azriel tried to break Anastasia's grip but she held it tight saying. "I want to smell your scent a little bit longer"
"Your scent?" Rose asked. "For some reason she can smell my scent... She seems to like it" Azriel said. "Does this mean the myth is true?" Charles asked. "You've found your soulmate bro" Rose said.
"That's not possible.... Anastasia is the one my soul accepted" Azriel said. "Why did you jump off the cliff with her?" Rose asked curiously. "I don't know. It felt like my mind moved before my body could react" Azriel said.
"How could you have two soulmates? Is that even possible?" Rose asked. "I don't know... I need to take her to her room" Azriel said.
"Unfortunately now that she can smell your scent it means your body wants her to feel protected, perhaps from the ordeal tonight. If you leave her alone, you would suffer terribly tonight. So just sleep on the same bed with her" Charles said.
"What?" Azriel said in surprise. "It's just for one night.... We would summon Luke first in the morning" Rose said.
Azriel took Anastasia to his room, placing her gently on the bed. He sat by the edge giving her space, this is the first time he brought a lady to his room. Anastasia stood up abruptly, sniffing the air. With sleepy eyes she used her hands to search for something in the air.
She got to the other end of the bed reaching but didn't see anything, she leaned forward about the fall off the bed. Azriel caught her just in time. "What are you doing?" Azriel asked. "There you are" Anastasia said with a smile.
Azriel noticed her eyes are still asleep. He sighs in exhaustion. "Come to bed" Anastasia said. Azriel didn't know why but his body obediently got into the bed. Anastasia rapped her hands around Azriel and sniffed him one last time before she drifted off to sleep.
The next morning Azriel left the bed, he met his siblings and Luke in his private library. "Your Majesty, Charles has briefed me on the issue" Luke said. "Do you have an answer?" Rose asked. "Having two soulmates is impossible... It's either one is an elusion and one is real" Luke said.
"Are you saying that this Anastasia is just an illusion?" Charles asked. "Most likely" Luke replied. "It's not a dream, I heard her voice.... She felt real" Azriel said. "Yes, maybe you just felt sorry for her that day because of her sad stories" Luke said. "That girl in my room can't be the one from the prophecy" Azriel said.
"It's time you accept the truth your majesty, no woman has ever felt your smell. Don't be misguided by your mind" Luke said. "How can he be certain she's the right one?" Rose asked.
"Judging from what happened last night, their souls are now intertwined together. They shall fell each others pain, happiness and every emotion" Luke said. Azriel ran his hand through his hair. After some many minutes of discussing the situation.
Azriel felt his eyes sting, be blinked twice and something warm falls out. He touched it and noticed it was blood. "Azriel are you alright?" Rose asked in a panic. "Why is he crying blood Luke?" Charles yelled. "I think there's something wrong with the girl" Luke said.
Anastasia slowly opened her eyes. "Lord have mercy, my head is killing me" Anastasia said as she massaged her head. She looks at the cover over her, she quickly realized this wasn't her bedroom. She sat up straight, scanning the room. "Where am I?" Anastasia asked herself.
A maid entered the room, she had a bright smile. "Good morning, my lady you're awake" The woman said. "Where am I?" Anastasia asked. "You're in his Majesty's room" She replied.
"I'm in the room of prince Charles?" Anastasia asked. "No, the emperor's room" Anastasia felt her throat dry. Why is she there? She only remember falling off the cliff, the rest memories are foggy.
She jumped off the bed in a hurry, the room spun around. The maid rushed to Anastasia. "You need to rest in the bed. His majesty asked you to stay putt" The maid said. "I need to get something from my room I'll be back" Was all Anastasia could say.
"I'll ask someone to get it for you" The maid said. "I just want fresh air... I'm not a prisoner after all" Anastasia said. "Alright... My lady" The maid finally gave in.
With her hands on the wall, she slowly walked to her room. Her vision blurred with each steps to her room. Anastasia paused to catch her breath, she rested her hand on her head.
Hannah spotted Anastasia struggling to walk. She ran to her and helped her into her room. Hannah gently sat Anastasia on the bed. "What happened? Did the emperor take advantage of you?" Hannah asked.
"I don't think so.... I don't remember anything at all" Anastasia said. "I've prepared your bath" Hannah said. Anastasia took her bath in a daze, got dressed, brushed her hair. "The emperor called off class for today" Hannah said.
"I wonder why" She muttered. Anastasia stares at herself in the mirror, her head still throbbing so hard and her vision blurry. Hannah picked up a basket to leave. "Where are you going?" Anastasia asked. "I need to get the laundry" Hannah said.
"I want to join you" Anastasia said. "Are... Are you sure?"
"Yes... I feel suffocated right now" Anastasia said. Hannah agreed, she took Anastasia to gather the laundry. Anastasia quietly watched other maids moving around. She never knew there was another life behind the competition.
There are maids, cooks, knights and soldiers moving vibrantly here. It was like this is their personal world, where no one fought for the emperor's attention. They are just existing.
She watched Hannah move effortlessly. Hannah has gotten use to this life while Anastasia is forced to be someone she isn't.
Anastasia felt her chest tight, she felt nauseous. Her head is still throbbing. Something warm dripped from her nose.
She gently cleaned it with her fingers, she saw blood. "Hannah" Anastasia said in a whisper as she collapsed. Hannah left the basket as she ran to Anastasia, calling her, shaking her but nothing happened.
Azriel appeared from nowhere, he saw her laying on the floor lifeless. She had blood on her nose. Azriel cursed internally. Hannah could only follow Azriel from behind.
She paused by the door when Azriel asked her to wait in her room while the wizard examined her.