Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Diana was walking absentmindedly through the Rose Garden. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying hard. Her face was devoid of any emotions but one could see the agony and hurt hidden behind that blank masque if paid close attention.

Zachary was about to siege her kingdom, snatch Arthur’s position, and destroy the happiness of the denizens of Heaven. But why? Hadn’t he promised to be her protector then why didn’t he refute when his mother broke that sudden news? Why did he look so surprised? It may be that he was also oblivious to it just like her. Diana got that but should she take this threat lightly and get over it?

What if Delphyne was stating the truth?

What if Zachary changed his mind after marriage?

What if this step proves to be a wrong decision in the future?

Her mind all of a sudden jolted back to those days when her family was completely against this marriage. Yes, they didn’t want this marriage to be done at any cost but they never told her the exact reason. What was the main point of all this commotion? And now they give their consent? What’s the real truth?

Diana felt guilt twitching her insides. She was so lost in relishing the new feeling and scared to not let it go that she never tried to find out the real reason why a Demon and an Angel can’t marry?

Is it because of the same reason that Delphyne said or is it something else?

Diana was going crazy with all these dreadful possibilities. Suddenly her eyes flickered witnessing the familiar umbrageous canopy that never fails to provide her tranquility.

Trudging through the green grasses, Diana made her way toward Moria to calm her inner turmoil. Her steps haltered in midway witnessing the sight in front of him. She squinted her eyes a bit to get a clear view but her eyes widened in shock as soon the scene unfolded.

“Rose? George? They’re getting married?”

Her voice sounded foreign to her ears. Without wasting time, she collected the hem of her gown and ran towards them at full speed.

“Now it’s time to exchange rings,” Ariel chirped excitedly and gestured to Jasmine to hand wedding bands to the couple.

Rose lifted her gaze and shot a stink eye to Ariel who deliberately ignored it and busied herself with George who was smiling ear to ear the entire time. He removed the silver band from the case, his eyes roaming shamelessly over Rose’s terrifying form. He then slowly held her trembling left hand and smiled at her but Rose couldn’t return it. She was dying of anxiety. She looked at Ariel and pleaded with her one last time but her hopes skyrocketed when she spotted a small figure who was running toward her.

Rose immediately jerked her hands and ran to Diana taking everyone off guard.

“DI!!!”, she shouted and lunged at Diana who instantly engulfed her in a warm embrace.

“What’s going on Rose? Why are you suddenly marrying George?”, Diana bombarded her with questions but was cut off by Rose’s loud wails. Rose buried her face in her shoulders and tightened her grip around her as if she was afraid of someone.

Diana panicked and started rubbing her back to comfort her. She then tried to look at George when her eyes landed on a fuming Ariel. Her brows furrowed in confusion; she opened her mouth to say something but was startled when Ariel harshly tore a sobbing Rose away. Before Diana could comprehend, George appeared out of nowhere and started dragging Rose back towards Moria where Jasmine was watching everything with a puzzled look.

“NO, DI!!!! HELP!!!!”, Rose was screaming her lungs out while trying to get away from George’s brutal grip who was dragging her like an animal. Jasmine’s eyes darkened on seeing her sister being manhandled by her future husband.

“HEY, YOU CAN’T DO THAT TO HER!!”, she yelled and threw the rings harshly on the ground before attacking George. Diana was too stunned by the ongoing chaos but a gasp escaped her lips when George pushed Jasmine harshly making her fly backward.

“GEORGE!!!”, she roared and immediately marched towards him. Diana then stood in front and blocked his way, “THE NERVE YOU HAVE TO BARGE IN MY KINGDOM, HURT THE PRIDE OF MOONLAND- THE LADIES OF MY KINGDOM AND STILL YOU GOT THE AUDACITY TO STAND IN FRONT OF ME!!” she seethed on his face earning a glare from him.

George pulled Rose behind him before looking straight in her blazing eyes, “And you got the guts to play with my family, promised to marry my brother only to leave him in a lurch at the last moment and elope with your dammit lover boy-“

“I NEVER MADE ANY COMMITMENT, SCRATCH THAT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT I WAS BETROTHED TO THEODORE”

“BUT YOUR GREEDY DAD, THAT JERRICK HAD PROMISED MY FATHER!!!” George bellowed on her face.

Diana gasped in disbelief, “You’re calling my Dad by his name? How dare you disrespect him!!”, she gritted, her eyes shining with heavy tears.

“I know you’re hurt but you forgot the relationship we share? Just because I ain’t marrying your brother you will start disrespecting my family? Did you forget the days when you used to stay at my house and Mom used to make your favorite snacks with her own hands because you didn’t like foods made by servants? You told me that you always craved motherly love ’cause you don’t have one. That’s why Mom used to pamper you as her son. My parents never differentiated between us, treated both of us as their children, and today you’re calling them names? How could you?”, Diana was emotionally broken. Her soft heart which was pure and naive just like her got broken into smithereens by his knife slicing words.

But to her dismay, George remained unfazed by her tears. Instead, he let out a scoff and looked at her with a boring expression, “It isn’t a crime to call a thief a thief. Things were different back then but now you and your family are only traitors in front of us. And what Lord Ernest thinks, the same goes for the entire Heaven. Marrying a demon means to revolt, you can’t break the laws of Heaven which were made by our great ancestors and for that, you need to be punished and I will make sure of that.” His eyes shone with malice.

Diana looked at him with a stern expression, “Alright then do that but keep Rose out of this. Why are you dragging her in this mess?”

George snickered, “Come on Di, we grew up together. You always knew I love Rose so what’s the harm in marrying her? Moreover, you should thank me as I am indirectly protecting her from that demon who is after her like a mad man.”

Diana frowned at his response and looked at Rose who paled in shock, “Demon? You mean C-Calix?” Her voice cracked at last when the realization struck her hard.

That means Calix was after Rose and she hid this fact from her. She looked at Rose who was trying to avoid her gaze. Diana then went towards her and cupped her face in her palms, “Why didn’t you tell me about all this? Why kept me in dark?”, she spoke sadly and wiped her tears.

Her worried tone made Rose cry more, “I was afraid, he threatened me with Jasmine’s life. But I never opted for this freak’s help, trust me Di. Ariel and George are forcing me into this.”

Rose didn’t waste a second and spilled everything to Diana. She knew the consequences could be fatal but it was a do-or-die case. It was the truth that Rose wanted to get free from Calix and save herself but she never offered herself to become the bride of Lord Ernest’s son. And watching Diana save her sparked a new hope inside her heart. Diana was her savior at the moment and she knew very well that Ariel won’t be able to threaten her in front of her.

George raged when he heard Rose complaining to Diana about him. He grabbed her right forearm and pulled her towards himself making her bump on his chest, “SO WHAT?? DON’T YOU DARE GO BACK ON YOUR WORDS JUST LIKE YOUR DEAR FRIEND!! I SPARED DI BUT I WON’T HESITATE TO SLIT YOUR THROAT!!”, he growled ferociously. Rose cried in pain as he was twisting his arms brutally. Diana couldn’t tolerate this inhumanity anymore. She immediately pulled out her silver bayonet that was tucked beneath the belt of her gown and slashed his hand which was holding Rose.

“AHH!!!”, George growled and withdrew his hand. Rose quickly ran behind Diana who stood in front of her like armor and shot a death glare at the bleeding Prince.

“I DARE YOU, TOUCH HER AGAIN AND I’LL SLIT YOUR THROAT FOR HURTING MY BEST FRIEND!!” Diana shouted at top of her lungs.

Ariel marched towards her infuriatingly, “DIANA!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR SENSES? BY HURTING THE YOUNGEST SON OF THE THEO DYNASTY, YOU’VE ONLY BEGGED FOR DEATH, YOU STUPID, LOVESICK WOMAN!!”, she growled and flicked her two fingers in the air which made Diana fell flat on the green grass.

“NO DI!!”, Rose shouted but George immediately pounced on her like a predator and grabbed her neck. Jasmine was horrified when she saw him choking her sister. She tried to run towards her but was stopped by guards who within a second encompassed the whole arena.

Diana looked up but she was shocked to find herself surrounded by the guards of the Theo Dynasty. She instantly recognized them as they all were covered in blue clothes which had a white feather emblazoned on them. It was their royal symbol.

Placing her palms on the ground, she pushed herself up and stood up on her feet. Scowling at Ariel who was already glaring at her with piercing eyes, she spoke gruffly, “I can understand you’re upset Ari but I didn’t know you can go up to this extent to satisfy your famished ego.” She blurted out in anger as she couldn’t digest the fact that her lovely Ari was playing so dirty to win this fight.

Ariel was shocked by the bitterness of her tone. It was her first time watching Diana disrespecting her. Deep down she felt a tinge of guilt for going overboard but as usual, she ignored her true feelings and masked her shocked expression with a cold look, “You compelled me to take this step. I can’t save your life but I won’t let every girl in my kingdom suffer because of your mistake. You are free to destroy your life but you’re not allowed to meddle in the matters of my Moonland.”

Diana froze on her spot.

‘My Moonland’

That struck her hard.

The time stopped for her. She felt as if Ariel had brutally slapped her with her venomous words. Wasn’t Moonland hers? It was her family? And what does she mean by mistake? Was she deliberately risking everyone’s life? Was she the reason Calix became obsessed with Rose and started harassing her? Was she the reason that the Theo Dynasty and Moonland which had always shared good relations were today on the verge of a bloody war?

Ariel knew that she was indirectly shattering Diana but again she assured herself that she was doing everything for her good, “This is the truth Di from which you’re trying to run from. Your marriage with Demon King will only open the gates for all those nasty demons to kidnap the maidens, princesses, and queens of Heaven and satisfy their depraved thirst. Your stubbornness is only putting the lives of the girls of our kingdom in danger. Those lecherous sick freaks only want a way to devour the sacredness and defile the purity of Heaven, be it wealth or the treasures of every kingdom, its women. Today is Rose then will be Jasmine and God knows how many? I agree we did wrong by fixing your marriage with Theodore but at least he is an Angel, a royal king who is the protector of Heaven. Your Zachary may be the King of Hell but still, he is a devil. He would never go against his best friend Calix for having Rose. And just like that he will start overlooking the mistakes of each of his subjects and our world will come into danger. Can’t you still understand the gravity of the situation, Di?”

Diana was speechless. Her eyes on their own landed on Rose who was crying profusely in George’s hold.

Diana slowly lifted her head and peered at George who was this time looking at her softly, “Don’t go on our anger Di, try to understand what we are saying. Zachary can appear all good on your face but I am telling you, it’s all his facade. He will one day show you his true colors and then except regretting nothing will be left. After all, a leopard can’t hide its spots. Alright, let’s assume that Zachary is the best man for you but what about Rose. Do you know Calix threatened her not to utter a single word to you or he’ll kill Jasmine? That was the deal between them.”

Diana was appalled by this sudden news. She looked at Rose for confirmation who had her head hung low.

“Di, I-“, Rose tried to explain to her but she was cut off by Ariel who immediately interrupted her, “Now don’t say that I am lying Rose. Even Jasmine knows about it.” She sighed making Rose clench her teeth in rage.

Jasmine instantly bobbed her head in affirmation, “Yes, yes. And Di that Calix wants to marry Rose that’s why I opted for Ariel’s help as we had no option left. But I had no idea that Prince George will hurt her,” she muttered under her breath while narrowing her eyes at George.

George sighed heavily and loosened his grip around Rose but not enough to let her escape, “I am sorry, I got carried away.”

Rose looked at him in disgust. How easily does he justify his cruel actions with a mere apology? Ignoring him, she diverted her attention back to Diana who looked lost. She looked broken and defeated.

Rose knew they were simply manipulating her by taking advantage of her kindness. She again tried to weasel out but froze in midway when her eyes landed on Jasmine.

A guard that was standing behind Jasmine had his sword pointed at her neck in such a way that Diana couldn’t see.

Every cell of her body jarred in fear. Rose looked back at Ariel only to find her staring at her with a wicked smile. She looked at her confounded but her heart lurched out of her chest when she read her lips.

“Breath one more word and your sister dies.”

*****