Anna left her room and met with the guards.

With them was the king and two councilors Anna recognized as Valor and Sparrow.

The moment they spotted her, they all took steps backward. That was because of the cloud of wispy purple spores floating around Anna.

Her posture and facial expression was spotless. No one could guess what she was secretly thinking, and she liked it that way. Seeing the fear rush to their faces gave her a high better than seeing her strawberries bloom.

"Yes?" She spoke, pushing fallen strands of hair over her shoulders. She looked at the king first, a honeyed smile on her lips. "Father, why ever do I owe this visit?"

The king swallowed, clearing his throat. He didn’t want to show his worry and fear, lest everyone think he couldn’t even control his daughter.

So he stepped forward, trembling slightly. "Anna," he started. "This kingdom is forever in its debts to you. Your contribution has never been recorded in centuries, it is safe to say that the Eastern Empire won’t be what it is today without you."

Anna sweetly tilted her head to the side. "Then why have you accursed me with guards, father? Is this how you now treat your national treasures?"

The king looked around, at the councilors then at the guards. All of them avoided his eyes.

"The army threatens a revolt." He said, meeting Anna’s cold eyes. What he found there terrified him.

Anna nodded. True, she could hear the chants and shouts of the soldiers outside, thanks to her outstanding hearing. They all screamed for her blood and demanded her head on a spike.

"One of them tried to kill me this morning, Father. And I graciously spared his life. This is how they repay me?"

"He will be brought forward and punished. In the meantime, we have to keep them in line."

Anna opened her mouth to reply, then she paused.

The words she had been speaking truly dawned on her. How natural they came to her, she didn’t even need to think about what to say. It just happened.

For a few seconds, her mask of composure slipped and cracked. Before anyone could notice, she regained her grip.

She understood the importance of the army to the kingdom. What she had trouble figuring out was what Princess orchid would have done when faced with a decision such as this

Would she have accepted? Let them take her away? I don’t think it would have been that easy though.

"It’s only for a moment," the king said. It sounded like he was pleading. Anna took one look at him and saw his fear, his hesitation, his guilt.

Is he guilty because of what he’s about to do or because he feels he could have prevented this?

Anna inhaled softly. "In that case—"

"No." A calm but resonant voice called out.

All eyes turned.

Ray walked up to Anna and stood before her. Bowing, he said "your highness. I will not stand by and watch them take you away."

Anna blinked, startled at the tone of his voice. "That is not for you to decide, Ray."

He lifted his head, bottomless black eyes staring into hers. Without another word, he turned to the king and bowed.

"Your majesty. I was the one responsible for poisoning the General."

Silence enveloped the small party.

Anna’s jaw hit the ground as she blinked rapidly. Did I hear him right?

Everyone had looks of shock all over the faces. Even the stoic guards.

"It was you," a new voice said.

Anna turned to see Leon. He was back in full regalia, looking every inch the arrogant General she hated. His eyes filled with anger, although he looked tired and pale from the poison, those intense eyes pinned on Ray.

"How dare you?" He growled.

The king raised a hand and everyone’s breaths halted.

"Ray, I understand you’re doing this to protect your master." The king said. "Lying to the crown is a criminal offense, punishable by death."

"I did not lie, your majesty," Ray said and pulled out a small dark green vial with a gold cap. "This is the poison I used. If you doubt me, have the head doctor compare it with his tests results."

Anna gasped.

It was true. Leon was truly poisoned. But Ray? How could Ray be behind it? That didn’t make sense to her.

The king looked at Anna. "Does he tell the truth?"

"He does." Anna announced. "He acted on my command. I was behind this."

Ray resisted the look to glance at her. Did she just...defend him? The Princess? Defended him, the one she barely acknowledged unless she needed to use him? His fists clenched and a strange emotion rose in his heart.

"Regardless of whether he acted on your actions or not, he poisoned the General. He must be punished." The king commanded with a snap of his fingers. Two guards advanced, their faces stoic, their hands reached out to grab Ray.

Suddenly, a gust of purple flared out in the air.

The guards jumped back, coughing violently and covering their noses with their arms.

"Lay a finger on him and you’ll lose all your fingers." Anna said, her voice chilling and yet soft at the same time.

The councilors moved quick, pulling the king out of the blast radius. Even Leon stepped back.

"Your highness!" Valor called out. "You must stop this!"

"No." Anna replied. "Perhaps you have forgotten the crimes the General has committed against me. Just last night he threatened my life, again. Haven’t I been merciful? Sure I poisoned him. But look at him," she gestured to Leon. "Is he dead? Who do you think made it possible for him to stand here right now?"

Leon shifted uncomfortably, his collar growing tight. "Your Majesty, this was only a personal misunderstanding. I’ll talk to the soldiers and make everything right."

"You had better." The king hissed with disdain. He turned to Anna, walked up to her and gently cupped her face. His eyes turned remorseful as he said , "I’m so sorry, my dear."

Anna forgot how to speak.

His hand on her face was warm, large and conforming. His touch brought back memories long lost to time, the gentle touch of her face. His face was a mass of blurs, she could hardly remember him anymore.

But the king standing before her, looking at her like she was his real daughter....

Her heart skipped a beat. Her throat clogged up with unshed tears and she slowly nodded.

"It’s okay, father." She said. In that moment, she wasn’t talking to him.

The king, unaware of her internal turbulence, thought his hard hearted daughter was finally smiling at him. So he smiled back before he stepped away.

After a stern warning issued to Leon, he left, flanked by the guards and the councilors.

Anna exhaled a large amount of air. "That was nerve wracking!" She gasped, doubling over and grabbing her knees. Her heart raced like crazy and her vision blurred.

Each time I pretend to be her, I end up feeling drained! It’s like I’m being possessed by her evil spirit.

Wait....what if that’s it?!

[Hostie, this is not that kind of story. Also, you did really well. Your acts of kindness only served your villainess image. Well done!]

A soft touch brushed up on Anna’s elbow. "Your highness, are you okay?" Ray asked, his brows pinched together and his voice soft. He helped Anna stand up straight, careful like he was handling a flower.

Anna beamed at him. "I’m okay, more than okay."

Footsteps walked up to her as Leon stood before her. She turned to him, her lips curled into a sneer, insults on the tip of her tongue.

"I’m sorry for last night," he said with a bow.

The insults recoiled into Anna’s throat, cutting off her air supply.

"And for today, I am sorry. I spoke rashly and without discipline. You were right to pull me off the General seat."

Anna stared at him, his hair draping over his shoulders, his head bowed to her.

And one thought, only one thought came to her mind.

Anger flooded every nook and cranny of her skull. White hot, blinding. The kind that left no room for negotiation. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"You bastard," she hissed before lunging.

Grabbing his shoulders, she held him in place as she rammed her knee into his bowed face.

It took two seconds.

He stumbled back, groaning in pain and clutching his nose. Blood poured from the gaps of his fingers in rapid spurts. His eyes filled with confusion as they met Anna’s.

But she was far from done.

She lunged at him. Threw her entire body weight. He was already thrown off balance by her knee punch, and easily toppled over to the ground.

Anna attacked. Straddling his body, she rained blows everywhere her fists could reach. All over his face, his chest, his arms. The sounds echoed into the air, whack after whack.

"You bastard! Just how much will you make me suffer?!" She screamed in frustration, grabbing his hair and pulling.