Candela

It was a sunny weather. Candela and Primo were sitting under the shade of the tree. Their eyes are fixed on the ground where there are knights scattered. Despite the sun’s bright and blazing light, they weren’t sweating because of the wind breeze blowing. Blowing their hair causes it to be a mess.

Few hours had passed and they’re still there. Talking about the ball that happens to not witness by Candela. Since she woke up and headed on the first floor to start her day, almost all of the maids including the knights were talking about something that she couldn’t relate to.

Well, how can she relate if she’s just laying her unconscious body throughout that night? If it’s not because of that prince. That prince who she deeply loathed for doing despicable things to her.

And oh, has she forgot what he has said to her that time? That she was being marked by him. Fuck him!

‘Mark my ass, asshole’

Lucky for Candela that they didn’t encounter each other again. Because if that happens? She won’t promise to take her revenge on him for doing that to her. How dare Lord Blade mark her? How dare that arrogant and gruesome jerk drink from her?

The thing he did… fuck! That’s considered a sacred thing that anyone should think about before doing it so. And then the shit happened to her. She was being marked by an arrogant prince who also happens to be a part of the family whom she despised with all her heart.

Candela heard Primo yawned beside her before laying on the grass. Primo’s hands were under his nape with his eyes closed. She did the same thing. She laid down beside Primo and rested her nape on her other hand while the other one is in her stomach. She fixed her eyes on the tree’s leaves and then as the wind blows, several leaves fell down.

One leaf fell exactly on Primo’s nose that makes the child sneeze. Candela smiled, secretly. For staying beside Primo almost of her days here in the palace, she found out some details about Primo. He’s allergic to pollens, to flowers, or even on a leaf. She also knows what did Primo wants and doesn’t.

To be honest, she rarely thinks of who he is whenever they were together. Candela sometimes forgets who she is and what is her reason for being in the Crimson Palace. Every time that Primo is with her, she can’t do a step to start her plans. Only when she’s alone…

Another is, from the time that she ate with Lord Magnus, that was the last time she has able to see him. The following days and so on, no Lord Magnus shown up. Only his wife, Lady Lorraine who she with inside the library.

“What happened to you, Candela? Where did you get those bites?” That was the first time asked about the things that happened to her. Will she answered it truthfully or will she closed her mouth shut?

She never glances at him. “That bite… uhm, I was in my room when I heard something creaking on my window. And when I opened it to see what’s outside… a bat fly over me and then, it bites me…” hope he’ll take that excuse.

Candela knows that if ever she told Primo what really happened to her, he’ll be angry again. And thinking of Primo, fuming mad? That’s sort of trouble… and of course, she doesn’t want that to happen.

It will put her in the hot seat. Her name will become the main topic of others’ humor every morning till night. That will put her into a delicate situation where it will be hard for her to take action of doing her plan.

‘Plan?’ she asked herself inside. ‘Do I still have my plan? Do I still sticking to it or I have forgotten that already?’ She took a deep breath.

“As soon as Liam let me know what happened to you, all come into my mind of who did that is my brother,” Primo said.

She was taken aback. Does he think of that? Well, he’s not mistaken. “Ah– it’s not him. In fact, I didn’t see him that time. So, it’s impossible for him to do that horrible thing on me,” she lied.

Primo pulled his self out of the grass. “Well, I can say that I’ve mistaken him for doing that to you. I just thought that it was him but that time, when Liam called me for the urgency, he was with Curly all the time. And he even did a scene.”

Her brows furrowed. “A scene?” she curiously asked.

“A scene. It was supposed a whole night of happiness but he sent havoc that night. He fought with Liam…”

Candela’s eyes widened. Shock and surprised, she turned to Primo. Was it real? Did he fight with Liam? Oh, poor Liam…

“How’s Liam then?” she’s very eager to know. “Does he lost his position?”

“Lost his position? Oh, no… Dad won’t let that happen. Liam isn’t just the head of knights, Candelita. I forgot to tell you, he’s also a prince…”

And that makes her mind goes crazy. Liam… that so-called Mister Head of Knights? He is a prince? A dumbass prince…? Oh, holy gracious! What she have done? It makes her regret how she treated Liam? She even beat him and shows her rude behavior well, in fact, she’s facing a damn prince. Can someone slap her for being dumb?

It was late in the afternoon when Candela decided to go out of Primo’s room. The young lord is sleeping now peacefully after getting tired of playing almost the rest of the morning. Primo requested a bedtime story even if it’s still not nighttime and the right time for that. But since she’s just a maid in the palace, she’ll follow what her master told her.

And now that he’s sleeping, it’s about time for Candela to do the things that run in her mind while staying in his room. Since she wasn’t able to search on that night for the knife she’s been looking for, this is the time for her to find it. She already searches for that thing in the whole first, second and even on the third floor but still, she couldn’t find it.

So, here she is now. Walking in the peaceful and tranquil hallway of the fourth floor. She’s walking silently with a sense of preparedness as stepping on the fourth floor of the palace is quite forbidden. Only the allowed personnel who’s able to step there. And in her case, she doesn’t belong to them.

‘This is sneaking, Candela so, be fucking careful!’

Hours passed of wandering around, still, she can’t find the silver knife. But when her eyes landed on the closed door in front of her, at the end of the wall… her feet seem to have their own life.

She started to take steps until she reached the door. That’s when she realized that the door wasn’t locked. So, it became easy for her to step inside. Soon as she stepped in, a dim room welcomed her. Only the light from the small window is only able to support light for the whole room. But what catches her attention the most is the glass box, located in the middle of the room. Surrounded by two armored statues with its sword crossed above the glass box.

Candela step forward. Few inches from the glass box, she saw what’s inside of it. It was it… the silver knife she’s been looking for. The silver knife was used by Lord Magnus to killed her beloved parents.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Candela didn’t notice that her tears started to fell down on her cheeks as her eyes only focus on the knife. She remembers it. The memories of the past came back to her mind. Her mother. Her father. Her parents were soaked in their own blood.

“Mom… Dad…” she tearfully mumbled.