Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Hell

Inside the Palace

“Careful Angel”

Zachary smiled and guided Diana through the stairs who was staring at the Grand Palace in awe. The beautifully designed interiors were decorated with unique and specially designed artifacts, from a mere mattress to the grand throne, everything was embroidered with jewels and gold. Her eyes dazzled with the luminance of the flamboyant chandelier and the silver mirrors hanging on the wall.

“I thought you live in a cave but your house is so beautiful. No marvelous. No, it isn’t a house, it’s a mansion but it’s bigger than mine. How come you’re this rich?“, she kept talking to herself. Zachary guffawed and looked at Diana. She looked deep into her thoughts and continued debating with herself. He chuckled at her innocence and lifted her blue gown a bit, saving her from getting tripped.

“Sorry for being more powerful than your brother, your majesty”, he grinned. Diana narrowed her eyes at him. She slapped his arm only to hiss in pain, “Oww!! Mad prince, are you made up of iron?”

Zachary instantly grabbed her burning palm and started rubbing it gently. He planted a soft kiss on her red palm, “Don’t hurt yourself again. Next time, I’ll punish you.” He scolded her as if she was a kid. Diana rolled her eyes at his childishness but before she could understand, Zachary bent down and scooped her in his muscular arms.

“Oye! Put me down. We have to meet your parents”, she glared at him. Zachary shot her a playful smirk, “I am taking you to them.”

Her eyes widened, “WHAT!! No Zac, this is disrespectful. I wouldn’t greet them this way. What would they think of me?” She couldn’t even imagine meeting them while lying in his arms. No way!

But regardless of her pleas, Zachary kept descending the stairs and continued teasing her, “That you’re my Queen and how much their son cares for her.” He said and pecked her lips. Diana scrunched her nose in disapproval, “Tut Zac, put me down-”

“No need to. We both know that he never listens.”

A crisp bone-chilling voice rang in the air making Diana jump in fright but Zachary remained unfazed. He diverted his gaze to the front only to see Delphyne glaring at them both. He knew his mother still had ill feelings against Diana and would act harshly with her. Which he won’t tolerate. Not at all.

Therefore, he instantly wheeled around and started climbing up the stairs. Diana panicked when she analyzed the way. He was taking her to his room.

“Zac, let me go.”

“NO”, he hollered startling her.

“ZACHARY, COME BACK HERE!!“, Delphyne shouted from downstairs. Zachary’s grip around Diana abruptly tightened. She looked at him. He was shaking in anger.

Diana slowly grabbed his face in her small hands and made her look in her eyes, “No one can harm me if you’re with me. Calm down Zac, please.”

Her dulcet tone instantly soothed his raging nerves down. His shoulders slumped but still, he didn’t let her go. Diana shot him a pleading look. Her imploring eyes moved his heart. Zachary let out a groan and closed his eyes in defeat. Sighing, he placed her down and helped her to stand on her heels. Wiping her tears with his thumbs, he kissed her forehead and turned around.

Wrapping an arm around her waist protectively, Zachary then made his way down to his mother who was gaping at the duo in shock. Diana looked at Delphyne and slowly moved away from Zachary whose jaw instantly got ticked by her little stunt. But she ignored his fierce eyes and moved towards Delphyne who was looking at her with a questionable gaze.

Delphyne was shell-shocked by his son’s softness, she didn’t let herself sway with it. She had never seen him behave this gently with someone and here he was pampering his beloved like a child. She continued sizing the gorgeous princess up and down but her eyes almost bulged out of the sockets when Diana bowed in front of her and gave her a benign smile.

“Your Majesty. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Delphyne was dumbstruck while Zachary stared at Diana with admiration. His chest swelled in pride as he looked at his mother with a smug smirk. Delphyne shifted her gaze to him only to find him smirking. She read his eyes.

′Saw my choice? Isn’t she better than your witch?′

Zachary was mocking her decision for choosing Kiora for him. His amused expressions only fuelled up her anger more.

No doubt Delphyne was spellbound by Diana’s breath-taking beauty and her manners only added more golden feathers in her hat but she still wasn’t convinced. She shifted her eyes back to the beautiful angel who was waiting for her response impatiently. Suddenly an evil idea popped into her mind. She looked at Diana and let out a dry chuckle.

“Trapped my son the same way?”

The complacent smirk that stood proudly on Zachary’s lips got dropped as soon as he heard his mother’s snarky comment. On the other hand, Diana froze as she hadn’t anticipated that. But unbothered by their befuddled expressions, Delphyne took a step forward, her high stilettos making a sharp clanking sound.

“What? Did I say something wrong? Come on, you might look cute from outside still your warble can’t hide your hideous self, pathetic creature. Tell me how did you seduce my son?“, she grated out and crossed her arms over her chest.

Diana gasped in disbelief. Tears rushed down her eyes as she was beyond mortified. Zachary, on the other hand, growled viciously. He quickly grabbed her left forearm and pulled Diana behind him before glaring at her mother ferociously.

“HOW DARE YOU?? IT WAS ME WHO CHASED DIANA LIKE A LOVESTRUCK BOY. I WAS THE ONE WHO FORCED HER INTO THIS MARRIAGE YET SHE ACCEPTED ME. I WAS TOO HARSH ON HER BUT SHE CONTINUED CONDONING MY MISTAKES!! AND EVEN AFTER DOING SO MUCH FOR YOUR SON, THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER?? DO YOU KNOW MOM WHAT SHE HAD SAID TO ME THE DAY I ARGUED WITH YOU AND DAD??“, he bellowed. Delphyne frowned at his words.

“She scolded me for breaking your hearts and persuaded me to apologize to you both. Preached me not to misbehave with you cause you’re my parents, the ones who brought me up in this world, and here you’re humiliating the girl who even refused to marry me because she didn’t want to become the bone of contention in a happy family.”

Delphyne though was taken aback by his words but kept her face blank. This was something unbelievable and new for her. Things were changing so was her mind but somewhere deep down something was forbidding her to give her consent.

Zachary scowled when he noticed his mother’s cold eyes. He thought his words would have moved her heart but she didn’t bat an eyelid. Instead, she grunted in response and clapped her hands, “Wow!! So generous Angel. You didn’t tell us, Zac, you’re bringing a saint to my house. Sorry to burst your little bubble son but this ain’t gonna happen until and unless I am alive.” She spoke sarcastically. Zachary fumed and looked straight in her eyes that were gleaming with mirth.

“I am not going to let you or this pauper destroy my kingdom” Delphyne gritted and then looked at Diana who was trying hard to stifle her cries, “Listen and better ingrain this in your mind witch, we are devils. We hate you and your entire fucking community. Heaven was once ours and soon we are gonna snatch it back from you. You better start counting your days because they won’t last long.”

Diana gasped in horror. Zachary also stared at his mother incredulously, “THE FUCK YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT??”

Delphyne only smirked in response but her last words were enough to snatch the ground beneath their feet, “This was your father’s dream son which you will fulfill and make your parents proud. The marriage is next week. Preparations are already done. Everything is set. Now no one can stop you from getting back what was once rightfully ours.”

She grinned and turned her heels. Zachary stood frozen on the spot so do Diana. He kept staring at his mother’s retreating figure until she disappeared from his sight. That’s when he came back from his daze. With the speed of lightning, he turned back only to be met with Diana’s accusatory gaze. His heart twitched in pain.

She looked scared.

He quickly raised his hand in the air to grab her but before he could touch her, she slipped away from his fingers. Zachary panicked when Diana vanished in thin air leaving behind a light silver smoke.

“N-No, DIANA!!!!”

Meanwhile

Moonland

Rose’s P.O.V.

“It’s still time Jasmine. Calix will kill us once he comes to know about this. Let’s leave”, I cried while Jasmine tied the strings of my white gown.

After doing the knot, she finally lifted her head and met my eyes, “Listen, Rose, I know you’re against this but it’s the only option left in front of us. You and I both know we can’t harm a single hair of that Devil and only a diamond can cut diamond. We need someone powerful to save you and George is your only hope.” She explained to me and averted her gaze while I only huffed in anger.

As soon as I exploded the bomb of a devil chasing me on her, she got so horrified that without my knowledge she told everything to Ariel who came up with the most illogical and nonsense idea.

Marry George

And the best part was that they expected me to accept this wholeheartedly. But no longer they told me, I blew my top. I fought with these two crazy ladies as they are not only ruining my life by asking George’s help who is the son of the rival of our kingdom but at the same time, they are putting Diana’s life in danger as George’s brother is heartbroken and enraged King, Theodore.

I am very well aware of George’s obsession with me because he immediately agreed to marry me. It’s a complete win-win situation for him but not for me. This step would only invite trouble as Theodore is like a broken shard of glass who is waiting for an opportunity to stab the one who tried to destroy him. He only needs a chance to invade our kingdom and use someone as a pawn to grab Diana. Right now, that pawn is George, his brother.

I tried to convince Ariel but she ensured me that no such thing would happen as Diana is Zachary’s responsibility who is thousand times powerful and stronger than Theodore. She kept blabbering but I didn’t but her lies.

I wasn’t born yesterday; I know the reason why Ariel is being so magnanimous to me. She is still against Zachary and Diana’s wedding and is weaving traps to get this marriage canceled. And I can bet that this fact isn’t hidden from anyone now. She is simply using me to get Theodore’s help but she should know by now that it’s a wild goose chase.

Heaven no matter works according to Theodore but he isn’t the King of Heaven. There are still some rebellious groups who don’t follow his commands and are waiting for chances to overthrow him while on the other hand, Zachary is the rightful King of Hell. There’s no match in their power, authority, and strength.

That’s what I tried to make her understand but all my efforts went down the drain when she decided to end the play and showed me her real self.

I know I am betraying my best friend by being a part of her sister-in-law’s wicked plan but I am helpless. I am doing everything to save my sister from the lady whom I mistook as my well-wisher...

Ariel

Flashback

Two days before

Caressing the brown locks of my little sister who was sleeping soundly in my lap, I sighed and lifted my eyes. A small smile crept on my lips as I stared at the full moon which was swallowing the darkness of the sky and enriching it with its sparkling light. I lowered my head and looked at Jasmine. My eyes got filled with heavy tears. She is my moon, the light of my dull life. I can do anything to save my sister from all the evils of this world.

My heart suddenly jolted when Calix’s smirking face flashed in front of my eyes. I have to do something about it. After thinking deeply about this issue, I came up with a better solution.

Maybe I should try talking to him. I know it would sound stupid but Calix can’t be that heartless. I’ve seen the way he treats Diana. There isn’t much difference between Diana and Jasmine. Both are kiddos. Also, you can’t extinguish a fire with oil, it needs water. In the same way, I need to handle Calix calmly. Maybe that way things would work out.

Slowly placing my baby’s cute head on the pillow, I stood up and covered her body with a quilt. I wore my slippers and exited her room while closing the door quietly.

I made my way downstairs to get myself a glass of water when a knock on the door made me flinch.

“When did people start visiting me this late?”

I placed the glass back on the table and peeked through the peephole.

“Ariel?”

‘What’s she doing here?’

Though my heart was restraining me to open the door, I went against it.

‘Which turned out to be my biggest mistake’

*****