Ayano's Plan

I stepped out of the shower, my hair still damp and my skin flushed from the heat of the water. I put on the clothes that had been left for me, still feeling strange wearing such clothes on a body that wasn't meant to be mine.

As I walked down the hall back to my assigned room, my mind raced with a single thought: “Albert… tomorrow will be the end of you.”

Opening the door, I found the room silent, lit only by a lamp. I sat on the bed, closing my eyes. Every scene from the past few days seemed to swirl in my mind: the massacre, Yukiko's exposure, Margarida's betrayal, Masahiko's death, the humiliation before the king… and now, Ayano .

“Act normally,” I said. A simple order, but one that hurt more than any physical wound. Tomorrow would be decisive. And for the first time, I wasn’t sure I could hold it together until then.

Night fell over Argarill 's palace . Outside, torches lit the walls, while the moon bathed the golden rooftops. Inside, the stone corridors echoed in near silence, save for the distant clatter of armor and the footsteps of guards on patrol.

I walked slowly, trying not to attract attention, until I returned to the room Albert had given me. The walls were covered with tapestries embroidered with the king's coat of arms, but none of it brought him comfort. Sitting up in bed, he took a deep breath.

Ayano 's words still burned inside me. How could I act normally when my body wasn't my own? When Margarida would be executed the next day? When Albert laughed at me as if I were just another toy?

I got up and went to the window. Below, I saw the inner courtyard, guards training even at night, servants carrying boxes, and an unusual movement near the underground cells. I narrowed my eyes; something was happening in the heart of the palace.

Suddenly, there were three soft knocks on the door. I turned, alert.

—Who's there? — I asked.

The door creaked, and a servant girl entered, carrying a lamp. She was young, with plain features, but there was a strange glint in her eyes. She bowed respectfully.

— Milady Anika … — she said, calling me by the name Albert gave me.

—Forgive my boldness, but I must tell you… don't trust anyone in here. — the maid continued speaking.

I narrowed my eyes.

— Who are you? — I asked.

The maid took a deep breath, approaching.

— Just someone who hates the king as much as you do, — she replied.

She couldn't have been more than twelve, but there was a seriousness in her wide eyes, almost as if she carried a burden far beyond her years. She approached quickly.

"Miss Anika … you must save Princess Margarida tomorrow. At any cost," she said quietly.

I frowned in surprise.

— What? How do you know that? — I asked her.

The girl didn't answer. She simply placed a thick cloth bag on the floor. When I opened it, I saw exotic clothing, colorful veils, waist and ankle ornaments—traditional belly dancer costumes.

"The king... has ordered you to come to his room tonight. He wants you to dance," the maid said , almost whispering.

My heart raced. Belly dancing? That was something I only remembered seeing on TV shows back home.

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling humiliation creep through me. But when I opened them, I just sighed deeply.

— I understand. — I said.

The little maid looked at him with eyes filled with an urgency that belied her age.

"Be strong... and remember what I said. Tomorrow, save the princess," said the maid.

Without waiting for an answer, she turned and left silently, disappearing into the hallway.

I stared at the clothes in the bag. I clenched my fists, my mind screaming with rage, but I knew I had no choice. I put them on, each item feeling like an extra weight of humiliation.

With firm, silent steps, I walked through the corridors until I stopped before the king's door. My heart pounded in my chest.

I took a deep breath, and then walked in.

Albert was standing with his back turned, looking out the window. When he noticed me enter, he turned slowly. His smile was venomous.

— Ah, my beautiful Anika … finally arrived, — said Albert.

I then danced the belly dance that Albert had ordered me to do, after which he asked me for a kiss and I gave it to him.

“ You can leave now and go back to your room,” Albert said happily.

I then went back to my room and went to sleep.

He was still tired from the night before, but he held his own. After breakfast, King Albert personally came to fetch him from his room.

— Come on, Anika . — said Albert imposingly.

"Today I want you by my side during the execution of that useless Margarida," Albert continued , saying with contempt for his own daughter.

I obeyed silently, hiding my anger. The two walked side by side down the palace corridor. Torches illuminated the cold stone, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in an oppressive silence.

Suddenly, a soldier ran desperately towards us, sweating and panting.

— Your Majesty! — he shouted , almost stumbling.

“Princess Margarida… she’s gone!” he continued.

Albert stopped immediately, his eyes widening in fury.

“What?” Albert’s voice roared, reverberating through the hallway.

"Can't you guys take care of ONE girl in chains?" Albert punched the wall, cracking the stone, as the soldier trembled.

—USELESS! — Albert shouted at the soldier.

The king slowly turned his head toward me, and I instinctively hardened my gaze. Albert eyed him up and down, like a predator who's just scented prey.

— So that's it… — said Albert, in an icy tone.

"You had something to do with her disappearance, didn't you, Anika ?" Albert asked angrily.

I remained silent, trying to maintain control.

— If you're not going to talk… — Albert smiled sadistically, holding my arm tightly.

—Then you leave me no choice but to play with your body. — Albert continued .

I felt my heart race, but before I could react, Albert pulled me roughly, already dragging me towards the royal bedroom.

It was at that moment that a piercing whistle rang out in the air. An arrow streaked across the corridor and struck Albert in the chest, burying itself deep within. The king's eyes widened , he staggered, and before he could utter a command, he fell to his knees.

— Agh … poison… — Albert muttered, his face turning pale.

With a dull thud, Albert fell to the ground, dead instantly.

I, still stunned, turned to the direction the arrow had come from. There stood Ayano , her bow still raised, her eyes cold and focused.

—Wrong time to play king, don't you think? — he said. Ayano sarcastically.

I blinked a few times, still not believing what I saw.