89: What will it be?

What will it be?

Anastasia's hands shook as she stood in front of a door, with Madame Minerva standing beside her. She said, 

"I thought I needed to be trained before I would be expected to service anyone." She was sure she would get at least a few days of respite before being pushed into servicing men. She offered an excuse, "The wounds on my back haven't healed—"

"For someone who didn't speak, you certainly have much to say," Madame Minerva interrupted her, their voices low. She said, "Normally this doesn't happen. But Mr. Langston holds a prominent position in the court and has been instrumental in expediting orders through the Elder ministers. I mentioned that you were inexperienced, but he still wants you. So it seems you may have to learn the ropes quickly. The first time is scary, but you will get used to it."

Anastasia's body refused to open the door and step inside, where the sleazy man waited for her. In a state of panic, she vehemently protested, 

"I am not ready for this. I want to go back to my room!"

However, she managed to take only a single step back before Madame Minerva grabbed her arm in an iron grip that made her wince in pain. The older woman glared down at her, 

"How dare you refuse to service him when it is your job now? Be grateful that you are here instead of scrubbing footprints from the floor, or else it won't be long before your head hangs on the wall, mounted on a spear."

Anastasia despised terms such as courtesan and concubine, which fueled deep-seated hatred within her towards the woman standing before her and the inhabitants of the palace. She gritted her teeth and said, 

"Then I would rather choose death than stoop so low." She knew she was digging her grave by saying this, but she was left in a tight spot. Whichever option she chose, it wasn't one she wanted, and no one understood her predicament. 

Madame Minerva let out an exasperated sigh before looking up and down the new courtesan. Her lips twisted in displeasure, and she stated, "It looks like the lashes you received yesterday weren't sufficient. King Maxwell was kind enough to elevate your position, as was Queen Maya, and instead of being thankful, you rebel. I have seen enough individuals like you in my time, and I have remedied their defiance. I cannot wait to rectify your behaviour."

Suddenly the door before them opened, and Mr. Langston smiled, looking at the young courtesan. He commented, "I thought I heard some voices." 

Madame Minerva's displeased face quickly transitioned into a pleased one as she offered a bright smile to the man. She said, 

"It is Anna's first time, and she is a little worried. I told her that you would take good care of her." At the same time, a servant arrived carrying a tray with a jug of rose and lemon sherbet, along with a glass placed beside it. The older woman took hold of the tray and shoved it towards Anastasia. "I shall leave now, Mr. Langston. I hope you have a wonderful night," she offered a deep bow, leaving the corridor with the servant. 

"Pour the juice for me. I am thirsty," Mr. Langston ordered Anastasia.

When she stepped inside the room, pouring the juice into the glass, she heard the door lock behind her. Offering the glass to him, she noticed him staring at her as he drank the entire glass and gave it back to her. He then said, 

"You should drink some too. You will feel more relaxed."

"Thank you, Mr. Langston, but I've already drunk some and am full," Anastasia lied. Her stomach churned, and she feared that drinking or eating anything would lead to her throwing up. But then, on second thought, she wondered if that wasn't a bad idea. 

Anastasia tried to stay three steps away from Mr. Langston, but the man attempted to close the gap with a smile. He said, "You have beautiful skin, Anna." Her hand moved behind her to get an object to be used to hit his head or face to stop him from advancing any further. He continued, "Makes me… makes me want to… run. Ugh—I feel like my head is—" Suddenly, the man collapsed. 

Her eyes widened on seeing the man lying motionless on the ground, and apprehensively, she called out, "M—Mr. Langston?" But the man didn't move. 

"You can leave him be." 

Anastasia's eyes snapped to the room's open window, and she noticed Prince Dante sitting on the sill, his eyes on the man sprawled on the floor. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she asked, 

"How did you get in here?" A few seconds ago, he wasn't in the room. 

Dante climbed down from the window before making his way to where Anastasia stood. He noticed the anxiousness in her eyes running wild. He brought his hand to her face, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear. He stated, 

"I told you that no man would defile you, didn't I?" His fingers gently brushed down her neck from the back of her ear. As brave as she tried to look, it was obvious that she was frightened at the thought of what could have happened. "The thought of anyone touching you makes my blood boil, even if it's a woman."

Anastasia bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Prince Dante… For keeping your word to me." 

Dante stared at her, his midnight eyes piercing her gaze. and he said, "As you have refused to be my concubine, a simple thank you won't suffice, Anastasia."

Anastasia's hands tightened into fists, and she asked, "What do you want?"

"You," Dante's answer rolled out of his mouth as he watched her. "Every part of you. Body, soul, and mind."

"Prince Dante—"

"Dante. Try it," Dante pushed her to follow his lead. 

His mood had been darkening with each hour that passed since yesterday. Especially after finding out that his grandmother had lost her second seal, as it was nowhere in her room, making things difficult for him. Without the seal, even if Anastasia now agreed to become his concubine, the order that would need to be passed to make it happen would have to go through the people who would reject it. 

He could steal her away from here and take his mother along with them, but his rash actions would cost the lives of his grandmother, Emily, and the others. Seeing Anastasia safe, Dante's mood felt more at ease. 

"Go on," Dante coaxed her, his voice sweeter than a minute ago. 

Anastasia's lips quivered when they parted, and she called his name, "…Dante."

"Good girl," Dante praised her with a pleased expression on his face. He then said, "So, which one will it be? An experience for the body or binding of the soul? Or perhaps the mind, so that I occupy it all."

"Mr. Langston will hear us if he wakes up." Anastasia quickly deflected Dante's words. 

"He won't wake up," Dante stated, unbothered about the man, leaving Anastasia to suspect that he had done something to him. He calmly explained, "I told him that you were unavailable, but he seemed to have a hard time understanding it. So I poisoned him."

Anastasia was staring at Mr. Langston while Dante spoke, and her eyes slowly moved to look at him. She stuttered, "You—You killed him?" 

"He didn't leave me much choice, and it was a good time to discard him so that it breaks off communication between the king and the ministers, even if it's only for a day," Dante's words sounded nonchalant. It made Anastasia question whether the persona the first prince presented to others truly reflected who he was or if there was a side to him that people were unaware of. 

Was he really someone who followed the rules of the palace? Anastasia questioned herself. 

Worried, Anastasia asked him, "Won't people question how he died?" 

"There will be questions only if the body is found, hm?" Dante looked away from the dead man, whom Anastasia had thought was merely unconscious. He noticed she was bothered by the dead body; a look of disbelief was etched across her face. He said, "No one will come to disturb you, so stay here until I return. Can you do that?" 

Anastasia nodded and watched Dante throw bedsheets over the dead man before wrapping them around him and boldly carrying the body out of the room as if he wouldn't be caught. She waited in the room for several minutes, glancing at the door every now and then. 

When Dante returned, Anastasia asked him, "Didn't anyone see you carrying the man?" 

"No," Dante replied, and this made Anastasia curious. She was sure that even though there were no guards in the corridors near this room, there were a few in the other corridors, and there was no way the prince would have gone unnoticed. 

"Where did you put him?" Anastasia asked, worried. 

"Tucked away somewhere, safe and sound. If someone asks you, you tell them that you ate and drank and fell asleep. And nothing happened." Dante locked the door and stepped further inside the room. "You don't know what happened to him after you fell asleep. Do you understand?" 

[Music Recommendation: Forever Star- Hidden love]

"Yes," she replied. She saw him walk towards the table and pick up an apple from the basket. He then turned to ask her, 

"Did you eat?" 

Anastasia shook her head and replied, "I am not hungry." She hadn't eaten anything since this afternoon. 

Suddenly Dante tossed the fruit for her to catch, and he said, "Eat it." He also chose one for himself, and picking up a knife, he came to sit on the edge of the bed. When he noticed she hadn't taken a bite yet, he asked her, "Do you want me to feed you?"

Anastasia quickly brought the apple to her mouth and took a bite. 

And as she chewed, she saw Dante cut the fruit into thin slices before putting it in his mouth. He motioned his head towards the empty space beside him, indicating for her to join him. As he sat in the middle of the bed, she took the side closest to her and continued to eat the apple in her hand. 

After a few bites, Anastasia pulled the apple away from her mouth and asked, "Prince Dante… how did you poison him?" But Dante was busy cutting his apple and eating it, paying no attention to her. "Dante," she uttered his name while dropping his title, and he turned to look at her.

"You served it to him yourself," Dante replied, and Anastasia noticed his jaw move as he chewed. "The sherbet."

"I almost drank it and would have died!" Anastasia was left flabbergasted as she gawked at him. 

"I had the antidote for it. I would have brought you back. I did promise to keep you with me," Dante said confidently, watching the expression on her face change like the colours of the sky. He added, "You didn't touch anything at the Hall of Mirrors. I guessed you lacked an appetite because of the stress you were feeling earlier." 

So he had noticed it, despite the other courtesans dancing throughout the entire evening. She had been a nervous wreck, but she was finally able to breathe, even though a man was dead because of her. She was glad the prince seemed to have forgotten his earlier talk about his desires. She said, 

"I was thinking about how I should view my current position as an opportunity."

Dante, who was in the middle of chewing, paused, and turned his gaze towards her, his eyes slightly narrowed in response to her words. Anastasia hastily clarified,  2

"I mean, not to learn to pleasure men but to see if I can find any answers regarding my sister's death." After all, she had only delayed her escape to find out the truth behind her sister's murder. Maybe she would find some answers? If not… she would at least have closure on the matter. 

Dante wasn't too keen on Anastasia being inquisitive about the matter because the murderer could be one of the courtesans, and whoever it was had made sure not to leave any evidence behind. He asked her sarcastically, 

"Don't tell me that Mr. Langston encouraged you to think of it in a positive light?" 

Anastasia smiled awkwardly and shook her head. She said, "I thought about it after you took him out of here…" 

To think that if Dante hadn't poisoned the man and come to her rescue, she would have been forced against her will. She trembled at the thought of it. She was more than grateful and looked over at him, taking another bite from the apple that she held with both hands. 

But when Dante looked at her, the intensity of his gaze made her fumble with the bite, resulting in the apple slipping from her hand and dropping to the ground. At the same time, the fruit's essence dripped from the corner of her lips and his eyes zeroed on it. 

Before Anastasia could wipe it away, Dante reached over and stopped her hand with his own. He leaned in and sensually traced his tongue along the liquid on her face, moving upward until he reached the corner of her lips. 

pqdm.com