Poison

Ever since he was little, Daren had been praised by his teachers for his brilliant intelligence. They complimented him all the time, declaring that he would make a perfect emperor. Even his mother, although in the end she did it only for her own benefit, kept repeating to him that he was a genius, superior to everything and everyone.

Precisely because of this reason, because he had always been convinced of being an intelligent person, Daren found himself more confused than ever, because he couldn’t understand Candace intentions.

She alternated a polite behavior with moments of pure eccentricity, and she seemed helpful and kind to some and showed hostility to others, even though she didn't know them at all.

Daren had asked her several times why she had implicitly accused Lady Erika of handling poison, but Candace always replied with a smile, saying that she hadn’t accused anyone and had simply made an observation.

“It's interesting to observe people closely, you might discover things you don't expect," she had said, staring at him with her usual penetrating gaze.

Daren was also bothered by the incident of the ghost, and when he had brought it up again with her, Candace had replied with an innocent air: "The ghost you say? It was a nice idea, wasn’t it? Not very original since it was also used by Shakespeare in one of his tragedies…"

Daren had no idea who Shakespeare was and what tragedies she was talking about, but he was beginning to fully realize that Candace was unlike any other, and that he could never understand what was going on in her head.

At that point, it no longer mattered whether she was human or a demon, but what she was up to.

She didn't seem to show any hostility towards him, on the contrary, she did everything to keep her distance and respect his space, just as she had promised.

The servants seemed to have taken a liking to her, and Jared never missed an opportunity to converse with her. The most suspicious of all was Eldan and, perhaps for this reason, he and Candace rarely spoke.

Even Marcel, who had decided to extend his stay, didn't seem to appreciate the girl's arrival, but Daren was convinced it was only because he was worried about him. His cousin knew how much the idea of ​​marrying annoyed him, and he must have been shocked by his sudden decision.

Despite all this, it had now been a week since Candace arrived at the palace, and Daren was beginning to get used to her presence.

There was another problem that particularly afflicted him: although the first day of winter had now passed, the incarnation of the Goddess of Creation had not yet manifested. It had never been so late before, and the assembly of sages began to fear that it was a bad omen.

That afternoon, just after finishing the meeting with the sages, Daren had retired to his private study to discuss the matter with Eldan and Jared.

When he finished talking about the problem, Eldan spoke first: "It's certainly not a good sign."

"Couldn't it be that the goddess incarnation has manifested herself but just doesn't want to be recognized?" Jared suggested.

Eldan looked at him sideways. "And why? The incarnation of the goddess is always treated with all respect and honor, she would have nothing to lose but everything to gain."

"Maybe because of this? Because she's not interested in honor or anything like that and just wants to live a peaceful life?"

Eldan seemed to think about it for a while, then turned to Daren. "He might be right."

Jared's eyes widened and he approached the other, placing a hand on his forehead. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Eldan dodged him. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because you said I'm right! That's a worse sign than the goddess incarnation didn't show up!"

"Even a broken clock marks the right time at least once a day," Eldan retorted, looking away.

"What do you mean? What does the clocks have to do with this?"

Daren cleared his throat to get their attention. "Excuse me for interrupting you, but this wasn’t the subject of our conversation..."

Eldan pulled himself together immediately. "Right. Like Jared said, it's possible that the chosen girl doesn't want to be recognized."

"But If she doesn’t reveal herself, the population will start to get more and more alarmed. Can't anything be done?” Daren asked.

“Maybe we can try to find her and reassure her?" Jared suggested.

"The power of the Goddess of Creation should manifest in some way, there's no way it can be keep completely secret..." observed Eldan.

Daren thought about those words for a while. "Do you think that, just as there is a chosen one who wields the powers of the goddess... there may also be one who wields the powers of a demon?"

He had asked that question without thinking too much about the consequences. His mind had suddenly been invaded by the figure of Candace, by her words and her infernal eyes...

The other two remained silent for a while, staring at him with a lost expression.

"A demon?" Eldan scowled. "The mere presence of the blessing of the goddess on Intial is supposed to ward off any kind of evil. There's no way such a thing could happen. Men gave up magic for this very reason, because the goddess blessed them and rejected evil."

"Right, that was a stupid question."

"Are you worried, your majesty?" Jared asked. "Are you afraid that the absence of the goddess could mean the arrival of demons?"

Daren shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Ours is a strong country, and the fact that the soil is fertile even now that it's winter, shows us that the goddess is still on our side."

Eldan nodded. "I agree."

"However," the emperor began to say, "I think Jared is right, we could try to find the predestined one and try to reassure her. Jared, organize small expeditions around the country and see if you can find any clues."

The man nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"Can I do something to help too?" Eldan asked.

"Yes, but in another way..." Daren stared at him seriously. "I'd like you to teach Candace a few lessons."

Eldan looked confused at that request.

"Lessons? What kind of lessons?"

"She will soon be empress, and I would like her not to embarrass the royal house. She will have to lead a private life, without causing me any problems. You need to teach her what she can and can't do, like a good counselor would."

Jared timidly intervened: "Forgive me, your majesty, but you speak of her with such coldness... she’s your future bride, isn't she?"

"Indeed. But I chose her out of duty and for no other reason."

Eldan heaved a long sigh. "Now everything is explained. It seemed strange to me that you choose a bride..." he commented. "But why Lady Candace? She's not even the rightful heir to the Roliands..."

"I know it!" Jared exclaimed. "Because Lady Candace is a sympathetic person!"

Daren frowned. "Sympathetic?" he asked. Associating that word with Candace seemed very strange to him.

"Of course! I noticed it right away. It's clear that she has your well-being at heart. She understands how you feel and always stays to the side so as not to annoy you. She's quiet and well-mannered, in short, she's the ideal person for you."

Ideal person for me? Daren felt outraged by those words, but at the same time he couldn't find the strength to deny them. In the week they'd been together, there hadn't been a single time he'd felt weighed down by Candace's presence, and it was something he had never experienced with any other woman.

"Maybe it will take some time, but I think you two can get along well. When you arrived at the castle together you looked like a fairytale couple!"

Eldan stared at Jared with an amused smile. "Who would have thought that the great and illustrious chief of the castle guards was actually a romantic..."

"See? I'm a man full of surprises!" Jared said proudly.

Eldan rolled his eyes, then turned to the emperor: "I have no idea what the real reason you chose Lady Candace is, but she doesn't convince me, for me she has something suspicious. However, I will satisfy your request, it will also be a way to understand what kind of person she is."

Daren smiled a bit. "Thank you, Eldan."

The emperor then took his leave and went into the living room to wait for dinner. Evening had now descended on Intial and small snowflakes had accompanied the setting of the sun like fine confetti dedicated to the shining star.

When he set foot in the hall, Daren found Candace sitting in front of the fireplace. She wore a simple red dress with silk laces on the bodice, and she had a shawl around her shoulders. Her hand was open and little red drops were falling on the floor, staining the fine carpet under her feet.

Daren strode across the space between them. "Are you hurt?"

Candace watched in surprise as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and placed it on her hand. The white fabric was immediately stained by that scarlet color, and the girl smiled.

"It's beautiful."

"Beautiful?" Daren repeated.

"The red of blood. It's a beautiful color, and it is even more so in contrast to this candor.... but it’s also so cruel." She withdrew her hand. "Thank you, your majesty, but it's nothing. I just cut myself with the paper cutter while opening a letter."

"A letter? From whom?"

"Nobody important, your majesty."

Daren sighed and ran a hand through his white strands. "I already told you to call me Daren, didn't I? Yet you still don't."

Candace motioned for him to sit next to her.

"There's no reason for me to do something like that. We are not close after all. We’re together only because we have an agreement."

Daren shrugged and looked away. For some reason that he couldn't explain, Candace’s answer had bothered him.

"You're worried," The girl said after a while. It was not a question, but a simple observation.

"I am," he replied. He didn't want to go into detail or explain why, so he hoped she didn't investigate further.

"You need the incarnation of the goddess to appear, don't you? I can help you if you want."

Daren stared at her, dumbfounded.

What had she just said?

"Do you know where the chosen one is?"

Candace began to twist a strand of hair around her fingers. "Perhaps. After all, demons and gods inevitably attract each other..." Candace reached out a hand towards the flames with a mysterious smile. "I'll help you, but you'll have to trust me."

"Trust you?" Daren clenched his fists and gave a nervous laugh. "How can I? You're the most suspicious person in the whole kingdom, I don't even know how I can sleep at night thinking you're here," he said sharply.

Candace giggled. "Actually, you're right. I too would think like you in your place. But Daren..." She stopped, staring at him with her magnetic eyes. Daren was always in trouble in front of that gaze, and if at the beginning those eyes had seemed to him those of a venomous snake, now he saw them more like two brilliant and tempting rubies.

He suddenly remembered his mother and the way she looked at him, so cold, cruel and calculating…

Candace was quite the opposite. Her gaze was full of life and in the reflections of her irises a thousand unsaid words vibrated with kindness.

"... know that I would never hurt you."

He stopped breathing. For some reason he sensed the absolute sincerity of those words and couldn't help but believe them.

"You swear it?"

"I swear."

"Then I'll give you a chance."

Candace smiled, visibly pleased. "Then, let's make another deal… if I'm really going to help you this time, then you'll trust me with one more thing."

Daren grew wary and found himself wondering if her every word hadn't been calculated from the start. "It will depend on what it's about."

Candace shook her head. "You have to promise me, otherwise I won't be able to help you this time, and you will never find the girl you're looking for."

Daren sighed. "I don't know what you want to achieve, Candace, but you will bring me to ruin... I already know."

"How could I? Am I wrong, or did I tell you that I would never hurt you? Try to believe in your future empress, okay?"

She raised a hand and placed it on Daren's head, stroking his hair with a natural and delicate gesture. She had never taken such liberties and had never invaded his spaces. That was the first time she had touched him on her own initiative.

Daren, speechless, couldn't pull away. He was so confused by that sudden contact that he didn't know exactly what to do.

At that moment, Marcel entered the living room and his eyes widened in front of that sight.

Daren, on the other hand, remained impassive. It would have been useless to step aside and justify himself, telling his cousin that he had never allowed that contact and that it was Candace who had touched him on her own initiative.

Candace withdrew her hand and smiled at the newly arrived man. Then she stood up and bowed, retiring to her chambers.

Silence reigned between Daren and his cousin for a while. Finally, Marcel decided to speak: "You are really in love with her..."

“I'm just doing my duty to accept a bride for the sake of the kingdom. Is that bothering you?"

Marcel shook his head. "It doesn't bother me. It was just unexpected." He sat next to the emperor. "The incarnation of the Goddess of Creation has already manifested?" he asked, changing the topic.

"No," Daren replied. "But she might do it soon..." he added in a lower voice.

"What does that mean? Do you know anything?" Marcel looked alarmed.

"I don’t. Anyway, why are you so interested in the affairs of a country that is not yours?"

Marcel let out a long sigh. "You know I love this country. I grew up here as a child. Your father used to host me every summer. He was a person I admired and respected... and I would like his kingdom to always prosper without problems."

“His kingdom?” Daren repeated. “This is my kingdom, Marcel,” he clarified, suddenly irritated by the conversation.

His father had been dead for years, he was just a memory, a corpse in a grave. Daren himself had watched him die and had buried him.

The previous emperor no longer had any power, neither over him nor over the kingdom.

Marcel apologized. "I know, you're right. I only spoke this way because I respect his memory."

"I know… that's okay." Daren tried not to sound too angry.

Marcel lit a cigar, and the aroma of tobacco filled the hall. "You know? Erika told me she loves this place too, you really gave us a wonderful welcome," he said, probably to change the subject again.

"Will you marry her?"

"Not immediately, but soon. First I'd like to assure her a stable and prosperous future."

"You are the future ruler of Belsia, aren't you? What more could you give her?"

Marcel didn't answer, his gaze was fixed on the previous emperor's painting, hanging in the room. Daren hadn't been able to remove it, out of respect for royal etiquette, but there wasn't a day he didn't wish he could burn it.

Marcel smiled. "You are right."

At that moment Erika arrived in the room and bowed to greet the emperor. " Sorry if I interrupt you, I've come to let you know that dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Erika." Marcel got up and walked towards her, taking her hand.

"I'll go ahead," Daren told the couple.

"Oh, your majesty! Do you know if lady Candace will dine with us tonight?" the girl asked.

Daren shook his head. There hadn't been a time when Candace had attended meals with them, and Daren couldn't understand why. Perhaps even that behavior was in order not to annoy him with her presence. "I have no idea. Candace is unpredictable."

"Then, please ask her. I'd like to get to know her better... Our first meeting was a bit unpleasant and I'm sorry about that. I haven't been able to fix it in any way these days..."

"Sure, I'll ask her."

At that moment, a scream was heard echoing through the corridors, along with the sound of something shattering. Daren stormed out of the room, sword in hand.

Jared was already beside him. "Your Majesty, it may be dangerous, leave it to me..."

But Daren didn't listen. He knew where that scream had come from, and it could only worry him. He reached Candace's rooms in a flash and saw Galiel coming from the opposite direction.

"Your majesty, is everything all right?" the butler asked, but Daren ignored him. He flung the door open and entered. In front of him he found one of Candace's assigned maids with a teapot in hand. A cup lay shattered on the ground along with its contents, and nearby was Candace, pale and motionless.

Daren’s heart stopped in his chest at that precise moment, while his mind realized what was in front of him. He brushed aside the maid unceremoniously, and took the girl in his arms, shaking her.

"Candace!" he called. He had never raised his voice like that for anyone.

His heart was pounding now, and he couldn't hear anything going on around him. His eyes were fixed on Candace's lids, hoping they would open and reveal the red irises he feared so much.

"Candace!" he called her again, but the girl gave no answer.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and whirled around. It was Eldan.

His adviser came over and wet his fingers with the liquid on the ground, barely sniffing it.

"Poison," he whispered.

Poison.

Daren thought about what that sentence meant.

She was poisoned.

He should have been happy about that, right? It was his chance to get rid of her, to finally be free again.

In his arms now there was no longer a threat, but a potential corpse, one weight less on his soul.

He wanted to rejoice at what had happened, he wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but he couldn't associate the idea of ​​death with Candace in any way, he couldn't accept it. It seemed to him something completely wrong and abominable.

She couldn’t die. Never.

After the havoc you've brought me do you think you can leave like this, little demon?

He turned his head and glared at everyone present.

"Bring the court doctor here. This instant!"