69: Curse of the Blackthorn

Curse of the Blackthorn

Music Recommendation: Ragnar Recruits- Trevor Morris

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For a few seconds, Minister Aziel was taken aback by the Mother Queen's revelation, but his shock was quickly replaced by a thrilled smile, his lips stretching wide as if they had just found pure gold. He exclaimed, 

"Isn't that good news, My Queen? Prince Dante will turn out to be the most powerful man of Versailles." Excited, he said, "We can now bring Lady Sophia and the others back to the palace… but you don't look happy."

The Mother Queen glared lightly at her minister for not paying close attention to what she had just said. With a frown marring her forehead, she responded, 

"I am not. Because things might get difficult."

When she caught sight of some of the ministers walking near the garden, the old woman waved at her minister to follow her while making sure no one would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation. She said, 

"Many aeons ago, three powerful demons climbed out from the depths of the underworld. Each one possessed its own motives and mind. The first demon to emerge was tired of the underworld and came to the realm of the living with the thought of seeking peace. He later ascended to the throne as the King of Storm. The second demon to follow him was the demon of mischief, who ventured forth to ensnare pure souls and drag them back to the fiery depths of Hell. The third demon was the demon of destruction, who became the King of Versailles."

"I didn't know the bloodline of the demons ran through the Blackthorn family." Unaware of its origins, Aziel had previously believed that the family had been blessed with abilities, like other people across the world, without comprehending the true nature of their lineage. 

"Did you think the family was magically blessed?" The Mother Queen softly chuckled with dry humour upon noticing the minister's awkward smile. 

Aziel then asked the Mother Queen, "So the demon was trapped in the plant and finally manifested itself by being born as Prince Dante?" 

"Hm," the Mother Queen nodded. 

"Does Prince Dante know about it?" The minister asked, and the Mother Queen, looking into the distance, shook her head before turning back to look at the minister. 

"No one alive knows about it, and you will not tell a soul. It has to be kept a secret," the Mother Queen cautioned him to receive a quick nod of agreement. 

"Of course, Mother Queen. I will take it to my grave without uttering a word about it," Aziel offered his deepest bow, swearing to protect the secret of the only queen he had faithfully served until now. He then asked, "If Prince Dante is one of the first demons, who bestowed abilities upon the Blackthorn family, then why has his Crux not formed yet? Maybe he isn't the demon, considering his compassionate nature and empathy towards others." 

The Mother Queen's lips were set into a thin line as she stared at the palace from the corner of her eyes. She said, 

"Dante is the demon of destruction, because what's happening now aligns well with the events of the past." 

"Mother Queen, if I may ask… and I do not mean to be rude, but if he is going to bring chaos, isn't it better to control the damage in advance?" Aziel's words were subtle as he made his proposal to the Mother Queen. 

"Did you not see what happens when a person tries to approach the Blackthorn rose? The recent consequences were relatively minor compared to what happened in the past and what could unfold now. It would be equal to hastening the process of Dante awakening his demon side, and things like these need to be handled with the utmost care, for the curse needs to be broken."

"By reviving the plant," Aziel stated, and the Mother Queen nodded. 

"Yes. Once the plant revives to its original state, the desert will become more habitable," the old woman said, taking a deep breath before releasing it. She continued, "Did you know my ancestors were once scholars in this kingdom, Aziel?" 

"So you have told me, My Queen. Highly esteemed scholars who served in the royal court of the king. It is how you were able to meet the king so soon," Aziel had heard the story from the woman's mouth before. 

"Yes, it is said that they were brilliant. One of them was on the verge of being appointed an advisor, but unfortunately, the Vizier's ancestor took over the position in his place," the Mother Queen softly harrumphed, hinting at her lack of regard for the ministers who had served her son and now her grandson. 

Getting back to the subject they were talking about earlier, as Aziel needed to depart for the old palace again, the Mother Queen said, 

"When the curse first took hold and the demon was trapped, it was told that the demon would be reborn within the Blackthorn family, lacking a Crux. Consequently, when sons and daughters were born into the royal family, showing evidence that they did not possess a Crux, even if they were innocent children unrelated to the demon, they were ruthlessly beheaded without mercy. Murdered immediately out of fear that the demon would return to reign over the land again."

"But the curse had to be broken, which was something that the people didn't understand. If not broken, anything and everything the demon has touched will eventually perish one day. People. Land. Even the very air we breathe. In response, my ancestors began eradicating any trace of the curse's existence, destroying records, burning them to ashes, and leaving no evidence behind. After a while, no other child was born without a Crux, and people began to forget, only associating their lack of ability with them being cursed, without knowing the reason why."

"Did you always know that Prince Dante was the demon?" Aziel wondered if that was why the queen had treated him with such caution, ensuring not to provoke him. 

"I wasn't sure until I confirmed it with the news of the revival of the rose's stem," the Mother Queen and the minister began to walk, their footsteps slow as they took a stroll in the garden. "I made sure to get rid of every book or whisper about the triad of demons. Just like my ancestors did."

The minister was struggling to imagine the notion of the first prince harbouring the soul of a demon. Or the fact that he was the very demon. By the look on the Mother Queen's face, it seemed like hell would be unleashed upon their realm once the demon awakened from its dormant state. 

"Minister Aziel," someone called from the other side of the garden, and they turned to see Princess Niyasa strolling through the garden with her maids trailing behind her. "How are things in the old palace?" 

"Princess," Aziel offered a bow while the Mother Queen's eyes met her granddaughter's, who eyed them suspiciously, wondering what they were up to. "It has been quiet without your presence, Princess."

"I didn't know I was being missed," Princess Niyasa smiled, one corner of her lips rising higher than the other. 

"Where is your mother, Niyasa?" The Mother Queen inquired of her. 

"Somewhere inside the palace, doing queen stuff. You should know better, Grandmother," Niyasa softly laughed, and she commented, "It seemed like I disturbed something important?" And instead of leaving, she started to make her way towards where they stood. 

"It is good that you are here, my lovely Granddaughter," the Mother Queen smiled, welcoming Princess Niyasa and said, "I would like to get your opinion." 

Minister Aziel frowned as he stared at the Mother Queen, while Princess Niyasa raised her eyebrows curiously and asked, 

"About what?" 

"I was thinking about making Aziel my partner. A new grandfather figure for you," the Mother Queen stated with a straight face, while the other two wore expressions of horror on their faces. 

"What?!" Princess Niyasa exclaimed in shock, turning to look at the minister and proclaiming, "You will be immediately beheaded for even entertaining the thought that you could marry the Mother Queen." 

"Leave Aziel out of it. He doesn't even know that I have these plans running through my head." The Mother Queen offered her a vibrant smile and asked, "I was reflecting on how some of you weren't able to spend time with your grandfather, and now with your father gone, I thought this was a good decision." 

Princess Niyasa's eyes widened, and she looked repulsed by the very idea of it. With her face scrunched up in disgust, she said, "I will tell Mother about it right away." Aziel looked pale at the thought that he would be beheaded without having done anything to deserve it. 

"Good. It saves me the time of having to explain it to her personally," remarked the Mother Queen, watching her granddaughter depart along with her maids. 

"Mother Queen…" Aziel began in distress. 

"You will be fine now that my position is secure," the Mother Queen said, raising the parchment the minister had handed her earlier. "You won't be punished for my mere words."

"I hope so," the minister muttered. If she wanted to drive her granddaughter away from them, she could have said something else rather than throwing him into the fire. 

Unbothered by her nosey granddaughter, the Mother Queen directed her focus towards other pressing matters that needed attention. The respective bloodlines were bestowed Cruxes during the time of the golden moon because it coincided with the opening of the passage to the Lair of the Underworld, where the abilities originated. 

Upon hearing about this special place that granted abilities, many commoners embarked on quests in search of it, only to find nothing but barren stretches of sand. 

Far away from the kingdom of Versailles, somewhere deep within the uncharted desert where no man ventured, stood the lost town in its dilapidated and eerie glory. The moon had begun to wax, and the moonlight cast its glow on the sandy landscape and the desolate town. Amidst this scene, a bonfire was lit inside the ruins, while four individuals gathered around it. 

"It is cold here," Princess Emily murmured as she rubbed her hands together. 

Prince Aiden, who sat beside her, commented, "I told you we should go inside and light a fire there. Not like anyone will mind, but you insisted that we make a fire here." 

"There are things talking in there. I feel like I am losing my mind," Princess Emily drew her knees closer to her chest as she looked around. "I think Anna is the only one who is spared from hearing the voices." 

"I don't think so," Prince Aiden said, while looking at one of the farthest buildings from them. 

"Whose?" Princess Emily asked.

"Her sister's," Prince Aiden replied, before realising he had revealed something that was supposed to be a secret. 

Anastasia saw Princess Emily look at her with concern, and she said, "I didn't know you had a sister. She must have died when you were young. I am sorry for your loss, Anna." 

Anastasia offered a small bow and was happy she didn't have to speak for once, or else she would feel guilty about lying to Princess Emily. Aiden came to the rescue, saying, "It was long ago."

"You seem to know her better than I do," Princess Emily pointed out before asking, "When do you speak to her?"

"For your information, Sister, I learned the language of signs," Prince Aiden lied and said, "It is how I understand what Anna says."

Princess Emily pursed her lips as if to reply to her younger brother before she let it go and asked, "What are these creatures that we hear?"

"They are called the Whisperers," Dante answered his sister's question. "A type of lesser demon that steals souls and drags them underground, while occupying the person's body to exist in the living world."

"Like an exchange," Princess Emily murmured.  1

"They say not to spend more than ten minutes chasing their voice,as it might make you stray away from reality, and before you know it," Prince Aiden snapped his fingers, "Poof! You are gone."

"How do you even know about it?" Princess Emily demanded, her eyebrows furrowed. 

"I read about it in the Storm Palace when I visited it," Prince Aiden grinned, adding, "Funny how they are so into it, while there's nothing like that in our kingdom. Makes you think we don't believe in it."

Or don't want anyone to know, Dante thought to himself.

Anastasia turned to look in the direction where she had heard her sister's voice. Cheerful, yet filled with woe. The truth was that she wanted to reach out to the voice that had spoken to her. To feel that her sister was still in this world. 

"Aiden told me that the three coffins in there belong to the demons who bestowed the first Crux. Is that true?" Princess Emily asked her older brother with curiosity, and Anastasia listened to them with the same interest while feeling the little heat from the bonfire. "When I placed my hand on the coffin, it was as if I could feel it, but it wasn't there at the same time."

"All the three of them?" Dante inquired, and Emily shook her head. 

"No, just the one on the left," she answered him. 

"I couldn't feel a thing and thought Lily was playing a joke on me," Prince Aiden said, giving his sister the side-eye. It was also why he was looking at the skeletons earlier, wanting to know if they came from the underworld or belonged to the once-living. 

Dante held a grim look on his face and said, "Come with me," and everyone followed him inside the building, where the three magnificent coffins lay. He asked her, "Which one did you feel?" 

"The first one," Princess Emily pointed to the coffin on the left. "It feels full, the second one feels half-full, and the third completely empty."

While Princess Emily was replying to Dante, Anastasia heard her sister's voice call her once again, 

'Anna.' Anastasia tried not to turn around or pay it any attention. But the voice spoke again, 'I have been suffering, Anna. Come here, where I await… Don't you want to hear who killed me?'

Anastasia's heart dropped upon hearing the last words. 

Unable to keep her eyes forward, she turned to look behind her, and at the far end of the corridor, she noticed a shadow.

Dante remarked, "It is said that one of the three triads forced the other two demons back into the underworld, before sealing the path and the coffin. But it looks like only one was sent to hell." 

"Does this mean the other two evil demons are roaming somewhere around here?" Princess Emily's eyes widened in fear, as it seemed like ghosts and demons did exist!

"They aren't here," Dante said, looking around. He could sense the evil minions around, but nothing big. He turned to notice Anastasia looking towards the corridor, her eyes wide and lips parted to take deep breaths. 

As if feeling his gaze, Anastasia turned to look at Dante, her eyes moist from hearing her sister's voice. She felt a deep loneliness, a longing, and an emptiness in her heart that were hard to put into words. 

"Aiden?" They heard Princess Emily call, and when they turned around, they noticed the third prince missing from there. 

"Aiden!" She shouted before starting to look for him, and Dante and Anastasia joined her. Not finding him in there, they stepped outside and noticed Prince Aiden standing next to the horses. "I should stuff you in the coffin for scaring us!" 

Prince Aiden laughed, "I just came here to check on our horses after hearing them neigh. They seem restless. Also, I didn't want to hear our father's voice anymore..." he added, looking uncomfortable. 

Anastasia walked closer to the horses, and when she came to stand next to the black horse, who kept pacing back and forth, she placed her hand on its neck—gently caressing it the way Prince Dante had done. 

Dante noted how Oasis calmed down at Anastasia's touch. He remarked only for her to hear, "Looks like you are good with horses. I should keep a closer eye on you." 

It was a warning as well as a compliment. Feeling the horse lean into her touch, Anastasia smiled. Her heart felt more at ease now than when they were inside the building.

Back in the main palace of Versailles, Aziel asked, "Is there no way to deflect from the oncoming event?" 

"We can only hope and pray. Pray that nothing bad happens and when the demon awakens, it is in a good mood," Mother Queen Ginger answered, before walking towards the garden exit, and the minister followed her. 

"How can the curse be broken, Mother Queen?" Aziel asked the wise old woman. 

When they reached the garden exit, the old woman stopped and turned to meet her minister's eyes. She then said, 

"The demon of destruction was cruel and sinister in his ways. To stop the demon, one of the people stepped up. As the demon was too powerful, a curse was put in place. A curse where the grass would turn to sand. The person who cursed the demon said, 'Your ability will be taken away for you to go through tribulations, your soul will be halved, and to break the curse, you will have to make one of my kin love you for who you are. Both the good and the bad.'"

"Soul halved?" Aziel asked with furrowed eyebrows. 

A sigh escaped from the Mother Queen's lips. She said, 

"Dante might have a soulmate in the future, but he is the only one who will feel it. The other person won't feel the same pull, so he has to naturally earn her love." 

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