"Milady, Bishop is here... his holy highness is here..."

Valérie's face brightens up instantly when she hears the hitched words of her maid. She had always waited for this day_since her marriage day to now no-one has ever visited her. She lifted her heavy gown slightly and ran barefoot all the way through cold corridors like a bird has recently tasted freedom.

"Father-in-law, I..."
Her words struck in her throat when she saw the royal knights in her palace. They were all armoured and were standing in a serious stance. Her body tensed up , she couldn't understand the meaning of this.

Were royal knights here to deliver her father's orders or were they here to take back to capital. And before she could realise anything , one knight cuffed her hands behind with iron chains.

"W-What?"
Valérie gazed apprehensively at the knights.

"Princess, you have brought shame on us..."

These disheartening words of Bishop pierced her heart deep, confused by sudden imprisonment she instinctively threw herself on bishop's feet.

"F-Father-in-law... Please don't abandon me...I beg you."

She pleaded despite not knowing why she should plead. The feeling of getting abandoned has always stayed in her heart like a needle , penetrating her the very moment arousing her fear of losing loved ones. She held the feet of the bishop, her priceless tears washed the bishop's polished shoe while she begged for mercy but maybe her fear won the bait.

Two knights stepped close to her and pulled her away from the bishop.

"No... Father-in-law please listen to me..."

Her words were silenced by coldness in the bishop's eyes. He turns his back on her and walks out of there. Every step of his made her realise she was once again abandoned. Ten years of family relationship ended in a few minutes.

A tiny regretful smile played on Valérie's soft red lips. After All what she can expect from a contract marriage_a marriage done for alliance between two powerful opponents. She was just playing a role of a thin rope which tied the both forces together in faint relatives.

She was dragged out of the cathedral palace in chains , her maids stared at her with their pitiful eyes. Valérie twitched her lips and shouted,"Stop giving me pitiful looks."

She can't let her pride hurt by them , she can never let them see her broken. She was a strong woman and she will be strong forever , nobody is allowed to pity her. Whatever fate she meets, she will accept it proudly. She was royal blood , her pride is everything she has.

______

After a few hours of travel, Valérie was brought into the royal court. Her eyes darted around , the familiar faces she was witnessing after ten years. Her step siblings , her step mother and on top of the throne her biological father, emperor Nickolas de Floyen.

He didn't even change, his golden hair and jewelled blue eyes still stands out among the nobles, the family trait of royal blood. And Valérie was the only one who managed to fully inherit her father's genes. She could see her step sister Hélène smirking evilly at her.

She ignored her and looked straight in her father's eyes and asked sarcastically.

"What is my crime?"

The court silenced for a moment. Without even greeting the emperor, looking straight at the emperor , the princess rudely questions his majesty. The nobles and judges shivered inside imagining the consequences of such disrespect towards the emperor.


The emperor clenched his hands, his lips tightened as he tried to suppress his anger. That act of emperor made Valérie laugh.

The grand court was brought into a suffocating death atmosphere. Everyone gulped nervously , staring at the fearless Valérie.

"Valérie de La Perrière.."
The emperor's deep voice echoed in the court, making everyone's heart raced but Valérie stood there like a cold statue who had no drop of emotions or fear of anything.
She seemed like she was fully aware of her crime and was ready to get her punishment.

The Emperor's thick brow furrowed, he turned his face to the other side and declared her crime.

"Y-You're accused to have murdered your brother's fiancee...All suspects are on you and evidence is clear..."

Valérie took a deep breath and accepted her crime. She didn't even try to oppose his majesty's statements.

"From committing such a crime against the royal family you're sentenced to death, Valérie de La Perrière."

The emperor gave his order and stood up abruptly to leave the courtroom. Valérie saw her father going_the man whose eyes only had coldness for her. From her childhood she has only wished to make her father look at her with affectionate eyes like how he did to her other siblings...but she received the hatred glance of his.

Soon she was dragged all the way to the royal dungeon and imprisoned in one of the dark rooms.

Valérie kneeled down on the cold floor , her heart suffocating in pain and grief. She knew all hated her but why they hated still was a mystery. The cold , lonely dark walls of the dungeon were just like her... enough to make her feel pitiful of herself.

CLACK CLICK CLACK CLICK

The heavy metallic footsteps reverberated in the damp silence of the dungeon. Valérie's body gets stiff , her throat dries up in terror. And why not ? She was also a human who was afraid of death.

SQUEAK

The iron gate of her cell opened with a squeaking sound. She lifts her face and a heart threatening view gets captured in her sight.

The faint reflection of moonlight which was flowing through the small window of the cell made that tall silhouette figure visible in the darkness and she clearly recognised the figure of man.

That man stood there with his unsheathed sword like a vicious slayer, his silver armour shone brightly emitting the sense of purity.

Valérie makes eye contact with that man , his eyes sparked crimson red hue_she felt the chills down her spines.

He was frightening to her , she could never face him.. she broke eye contact and gazed coldly in the darkness. The heartless man of her life...who never did his duty as her husband... never visited her once in these ten years of marriage... Left her alone in the lonely palace to suffer from unfulfilled desires.

He broke her and watched her bleed. He saw her fail to eat , fail to sleep and he kept her caged in the cathedral palace increasing the level of cruelty as much as he could.

After all that what can be possibly left underneath her_the untouchable part of her soul, the girl he never even thought about...the girl he never showed affection...


to be continued....

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