Cromwell was walking in the direction of the palace dungeons when he noticed someone was following him. He turned around to see a skeptical Alexander walking towards him.

"What a surprise Your Majesty," he said trying to hide the shock.

"Indeed it is," Alexander said irking that cunning smile of his. He walked around a stiff Cromwell like a predator surrounding its prey. "I can’t remember seeing you hear before." It was more of a question than a statement.

"I can’t remember seeing you as well," Cromwell answered. He had his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to attack at any moment. Alexander on the other hand had nothing to defend himself, but his thoughts were enough to send him to hell.

"I guess everyone is conversant with me," Alexander replied. He narrowed his eyes at the man. If his suspicion turned out to be true, he’d rip this guy’s heart out.

Cromwell simply nodded. "If you’ll excuse me, I have something to do," he said and started walking in the opposite direction but his hair stood still at the cold aura that enveloped the place. With renewed determination, he feigned courage and continued walking when,

"You can fool everyone else but me," Alexander said coldly. Cromwell stood still before slightly tilting his head to look at a now indifferent Alexander.

"I don’t know what you are talking about," he mumbled some words yet his tone betrayed him. He saw Alexander take a step forward, his hands on his back like the king he was.

"Don’t make me do this the hard way," he smiled yet the threat in his voice was evident. "Show yourself!" He demanded.

Cromwell’s face turned all shades of dark before his lips curved into a cunny smile. "You’re kind of observant, bastard!" He complimented which Alexander accepted with a coy smile.

"Yeah I am," he said talking a step forward and before Cromwell could react, he was already pinned on the rough wall. Alexander lifted him a few feet off the ground and grind his back through the rough walls of the dungeon before throwing him hard on the cold floor.

And though he had landed hard, not a bone or a scratch was on his face. He got up quick and stood in a defensive stance.

"That’s not enough?" Alexander asked raising a brow. He had to admit he was quite impressed by the toughness of Cromwell. A normal Crescian would have broken a bone or two in such a situation.

"Show yourself and I might consider sparing you," he offered, his hands still on his back as if he had done nothing in the first place.

Cromwell laughed instead. He knew those were just but empty promises. "You killed our people and we’re going to do the same. Each and everyone of you," he pointed at Alexander to assert his words.

"That is if you’ll be alive," Alexander said, and before Cromwell could unsheath his sword, he had swiftly moved in what could be termed as a blur and ripped his heart off. Cromwell stood at the same spot, hands on the hilt, while a pained expression took the better part of his face. He looked at his chest to find a hole in it, while a no nonsense Alexander stood on the other end of the hallway holding a beating heart! 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Alexander heard Cromwell’s body fall with a thud before it went limp. He turned to see his face and body change to someone else’s. Anger built in him before he walked out of the place filled with mirth. He was going to kill the damn beings, all of them!

*****

Newton was surprised when he heard Roselyn sobbing. Damn it! He cursed. She had heard everything, all of it! But he was going to tell her anyways. At least Isadora had saved him the energy of explaining the matter to her. And even though he had agreed, he didn’t know how he’d start.

He touched her back to comfort her but that only acted to make her cry more. Her uncontrolled sobs filled the room making Newton clench his teeth.

"I’m sorry," he said rubbing her back softly but the crying machine was nowhere close to coming to a stop. He wanted to hug her but she was coiled on the bed. For a while, he just let her cry her heart out and it eventually worked. She mellowed down after a while before her sobs got replaced with awkward silence.

Roselyn stared the wall, her eyes a living testimony of what she had been through. They looked swollen and red, devoid of any emotions. If she could see her heart, if she had one in the first place, she could imagine how ripped and shreaded it was just within a month. Her once peaceful and joyous life as a princess had turned into a living hell. And now, the only person she had known as a father had died overnight, because of her at that! What could be more ugly than being the cause of someone’s death? She refused to forgive him when she had the chance!

She wanted to cry yet no tears came out. All this was her fault! And yet she was here, living freely while her mother was about to receive the worst news in her entire life. And given how softhearted her mother worse, she couldn’t imagine how she’d take the news. She had once passed out when a friend of the family had been reported dead. Now this was her husband! She could only imagine for the worst! All this, because of her unforgiving nature.

"It’s all my fault," she finally said after a long period of silence. "I caused Father’s death!"

Newton moved slightly in the bed to look at her but all he could see was sorrow and guilt.

"No, It’s not," he retorted.

"You don’t know," Roselyn said biting her lip. Bitterness filled her mouth, her heart feeling so heavy that breathing turned out to be a difficult task this time. On noticing that, Newton poured a glass of water and offered her which she gladly accepted.

And as if she had remembered something, she paused midway to look at him. "The letter! Where is it?"