IMPRESS.

Chapter Forty-Two: Rose Petals, Love Letters.

[A/N: sorry for any errors in this chapter - still need to read over it]

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"Impossible..." Queen Melisandre's eyes were wider than the circumference of the castle ballroom as she registered my unexpected entry into the dining-room.

Okay, time to keep the mask of confidence and fearlessness.

"Well you see your grace, it's not very impossible if I'm seated here with you all," I swept my hand across the table, motioning at the breakfast served upon our eyes with a snide smirk.

"-Yes it is, we all watched you die!" Ella emphasised with a freaked out expression whilst lowering herself back down into her chair like the other Ladies and Lords after me and the royals had seated.

I rolled my eyes unable to bear the sound of her traitor voice, "stop talking Ella, you are much more tolerable when you are mute," Zac said rudely, the insult and dig at my cousin very evident in his words.

The way my heart leapt when his scary dark voice protected me from my cousin's wrath, only made the mocking smirk on my face grow. I watched Ella's hand fly up to her chest offended, her mouth hanging open only a tiny bit until she shuffled into her seat and cleared her throat.

HAH shut it GodzElla!!

The King lowly chuckled- his chest vibrating shaking the table and ultimately catching all our attentions, "You've been missed, Lady Ascelyn. Apologies on behalf of my son and wife. I'm glad death was your friend."

"Or maybe she is just not as human as we think," Queen Melisandre mumbled, her comment immediately sending chills through me. I try not to hesitate to look up at Ella who had also processed Queen Melisandre's comment.

I then turned back to the Queen who was curiously studying me.

When I was about to respond with something pretty risky, my brother whom I had forgotten was stood nearby me and right beside Cathryn - a princess who had not yet uttered a word about my entry, jumped to my rescue... "My Queen, I can assure you my sister is more human than anything across Asten."

I smiled over at my brother and he did the same me, a giant smile of I MISSED YOU forming on his lips.

"I beg to differ," Ella muttered and I tensed slightly. However, my shoulders soon relaxed a little when no one heard her a little slip on words. No one but Prince Zac who although had heard her, did not question her on what she meant...

I was thankful he didn't ask questions at the table but a small part of me was scared for the questions that would come later tonight because Zac certainly did not let Ella's words go unnoticed.

"That is quite hard to believe seeing as she died right in front of our eyes and appears at the table like nothing happened," the Queen continued to express her surprise with a hint of hatred through her voice and body language.

Zac sighed heavily and agitatedly said, "mother, why do you have to be so difficult?"

Melisandre scowled, "and since when did you start defending this human?" She grimaced at the word.

The tension was rising and I could see Zac's fingers instinctively clenching into a fist on the table top. Ok, I have to stop this mess before he abuses his own mother.

I stole a plate from the middle of the table, whilst everyone carefully eyed my actions. I averted my attention to the fascinated eyes around me and shrugged, "anyone want any eggs?" I smilingly offered.

Scanning the table, I found Cassandra's right hand slightly raised and the other hand clutching on the two ends of a silk beige scarf wrapped around her neck. Why is she tightly holding onto her scarf like her life depends on it?

Seriously her knuckles were beginning to whiten. "I'll have some eggs, Natalya," she softly accepted my offer and I happily passed her the plate after serving myself. The smile on my face may not have been showing it but I was curious and concerned.

This was not the Cassandra Pierce I had seen or spoken to in the past. Something was wrong and I just knew, what followed confirmed it. "And like our King has spoken, you've been missed by many, especially by me," the foreign words fell from her mouth so genuinely it hit my heart.

My observant self-noticed Cassandra's traumatic eyes glimmer with panic and flicker very briefly at Zac who sat to her left. I vigilantly watched the subtle interaction between them and clocked the annoyed, hardening glare Cassandra was receiving from Zac.

His arm moved at the same time Cassandra winced and it didn't take a genius to know that he was roughly gripping onto her thigh underneath the table. "Thank you..." I replied, "I like your scarf," I purposely add and she swallows nervously under my scrutinising gaze.

***

"Alaric, Derek. I won't be a minute, I just need to speak to Cassandra for a second," I notified my brother and guard who had engulfed me in their arms straight after the royals had exited the dining room. They wouldn't let me go and their smiles, their ecstatic smiles were the best bit.

Princess Cathryn instructed me to meet her back in her bedchambers and she kindly added that she would personally hunt Xander down and bring him to her room before I got to there. I had been wondering where he was? I don't know if he knew I would be back.

I don't even know if Xavier, Chris, Douglas, Terrence, Dario and Aaron were aware of my presence back in the castle. Well, that leaves the fun for me to shock more people than I had already done.

In my heart, I still felt bitter towards the fact all these people I thought saw me as their 'friend' watched me die, under Zac's order. It just shows how much power the royals and their laws have over everyone else.

After I had left my brother and Derek momentarily, I caught up with the IMPRESS girl I was in desperate need to speak to, "Cassandra!"

I halted in my steps, seeing Cassandra's stop walking towards the exit of the ballroom and hesitantly turn to face me. When I realised she wasn't going to walk to me, I walked towards her.

Standing facing Cassandra, I folded my arms over my chest and swiftly scanned the dining room, making sure no one was left wandering and eavesdropping. When I was certain no one was here with us, I refocused on the broken girl.

"What did he do to you whilst I was- you know, dead?" I didn't shuffle uncomfortably and kept my composure, inhaling and exhaling whilst awaiting her answer.

Cassandra frantically stirred, looking around to double-check Zac wasn't listening in on my suspicion. "I don't know what you mea-"

"-Yes you do. Cassandra, you are better than this, don't lie to me because what good fortune will come to any of us from lying," I snapped quietly but, my words seemed to hit her hard because she nodded agreeing to what I had said. What good did come from lying in any situation?

Cassandra frowned whilst unravelling the scarf around her neck, "it was like he snapped, Natalya, snapped because you were gone. Honestly, I have never seen him so upset but at the same time angry and violent."

My hands flew up to my mouth straight after a gasp had sounded at the sight she had revealed to me... "Oh my God," I muffled into my hands and fearfully grimaced at the missing chunk of her neck. A missing chunk that left a result of a ghastly, horrifying gash of bloody flesh.

"I know, it still hurts, he compelled my body not to heal until he is satisfied and honestly I am too afraid to ask him to. After what he did to me, I couldn't help but imagine the way he must've tortured you ten times worse," Cassandra shivered re-wrapping the silk material around her neck, and her trembling voice breaking my heart.

I have always said it, since day one... Prince Zac was a monster, Satan's spawn. What kind of cruelty could drive a man so mad?

"I'm so sorry Cassandra, I wish I could have been ther-"

The hand that was reaching out to her shoulder was shrugged off when she turned around to hide her watery eyes. "-He loves you."

I denyingly shook my head although she wasn't facing me, "no he doesn't-"

"Yes," Cassandra hissed through tears interrupting me, "he does, Natalya... He said it himself whilst he-"

"Wh- whilst he what?" I shakily asked, fearing the answer.

"Abused me..." She sobbed out, "physically, emotionally... sexually."

I couldn't stand here and watch her cry, it wasn't right and therefore, I did the best thing that came to mind. I wrapped my arms around Cassandra and pulled her head to my shoulder so she could cry for as long as she wanted.

My thoughts were flying and I didn't know what to say. Cassandra took my silence as an indicator to finish her story.

"Natalya, he tortured me. Beat me with a whip, strangled me, fucked me. And as he did so, he kept saying how much he regretted killing you, how good you made him feel, how good he made you feel and ultimately, how bad he was falling for you," she spilt with her whole body vibrating from the tears she shed.

He did all those things... What the fuck.

Zac deserves to be lonely.

I pursed my lips and rubbed her back, "he is a repulsive monster and I promise you, he won't win."

Cassandra lifted her head up, her puffy wet and red eyes coming into view as she furrowed her eyebrows, "what do you mean?"

I sighed, "I mean he will never have me, he can't have me. I am not part of IMPRESS and I think I have fallen for another, so he can try but he will never and I repeat EVER, have me. He has done way too many horrible things to the both of us, he belongs to someone just as bad as him, and you and I, aren't that."

"You are right," Cassandra sniffed up and wiped her eyes before cracking a grin, "and did I hear right, you are falling for someone else?"

I think I am.

I don't care what the rumours say and I don't care that I had only met him once, but the way Preston looked at me like I was the only girl he had ever laid eyes on- it wasn't something to ignore. And the way he made me feel, it was something far beyond special. I may have felt sparks with other men in my time living in this castle and back in Icilia, but, I felt and saw fireworks with the Demon King.

"Yeah I am and he is far more worth the while than that monster is," I spitefully said with a scrunched up face of disgust.

"I am happy for you," Cassandra faintly smiled.

"And you will be happy with someone or even without someone soon, I assure you..." I went to hug her again and this time silence arose and we both just remained enveloped in each other's arms for the longest while.

***

"And when no one's blood would awake you, the whole castle went into a frenzy," Derek exaggerated, recreating a bomb explosion with his hand expressions.

I amusedly smiled, "well, death wasn't pretty so I am happy to be back and really touched that you missed me. I know you were powerless in the situation we were all thrown in and I forgive you, both."

Once again Derek was cuddling me ever so protectively, "you won't die on my watch again, I promise you this now."

"I believe you," I said hugging him back.

"Brother, don't let guilt ruin you, you thought you had a plan. It failed. Don't dwell on the past, what is done is done and all that matters is, we both live," I released Derek and pulled my brother until my head was resting against his chest and my arms were wrapped around him. "You don't need to send me away to keep me safe, it won't work."

"I won't send you anywhere you don't want to go," Alaric held me tighter, "your ladies are safe by the way, the safest place I was able to place them was the kitchens. You will find them there."

The kitchens weren't the best of places but if that was the best he could do I am glad. At least they weren't killed or put under the same trauma as Cassandra whilst I was absent.

"Thank you," I huffed, "anyway I have to go speak to Cathryn and Xander, then get ready for this dinner Zac insists on having with me. Think he might actually want to apologise for his idiocy."

Sorry not sorry.

"Think he might, be careful and listen to him. You might change how you feel towards him once he tells you his messed up intentions of why he did what he did," my brother spoke and I shook my head.

"I doubt it. But we'll have to see."

***

"Told you she'd come back," Xander bragged, "Natalya is stronger than I think anyone else realises, after experiencing my training and care, nothing can defeat her, not even death."

It had been ten minutes since I had come to speak to them, and already a friendly and warm mood had taken over the shock that still remained.

"I hate to say it, but I should have believed you, Xander... I'm so happy you are back, Natalya. I'm sooooooo sorry I wasn't able to stop what happened the other day, all I thought I could do in that moment was scream and cry," Cathryn apologetically said.

Before I drowned, I remember hearing screams coming from outside the tank and only now, have I found out it was Cathryn trying to stop the situation. "For the past three days, I couldn't even look myself in the mirror because of what had happened to you. I barely left your side as you lay dead in your bed."

"Cathryn, stop... I accepted your first apology and that wasn't even a verbal one, it's just that literally saw the sorrow in your eyes when I arrived at your bedchambers."

Cathryn's lips tilted up and her mouth morphed into a beaming grin as she ran over and hugged me like an excited bunny.

"Chris and Xavier are going to be very very happy to see that you're alive when they wake up that is. I'm sure you've heard what happened last night?" Xander queried and I bobbed my head as Cathryn released me.

"Yeah, I heard..." I admitted, "Zac was pissed and I'm sure your father is fuming himself, behind the scenes anyway."

Xander nodded, "it's way worse than you think. A war is coming soon and no one is safe, we have no idea what Oberyn is planning to do. All we know is Ashira, the leader of witches is planning to attack with an army."

A question that was floating in my mind was, did Xander know that Ashira and the other witches were the ones I was with all this time or does he just think I was with the black witch?

Mmmm.

"What army?" I played dumb to the situation, "why do the witches want to attack you guys, is it because you locked up Oberyn?"

"We don't know but our army is growing by the second, the werewolves are teaming up with us. And the witches, they have many reasons for attacking, one of them being - taking Asten away from our rule," Xander explained even though I knew all of this already.

Cathryn smiled waving her hand, "you don't need to worry about that right now, all you need to know is that you are safe with us. I promise you."

I'm not the one that needs protecting.

They are.

"I know I am. Thank you, guys. Now wish me luck as I go get ready to have dinner with your lovely brother tonight," I sarcastically rolled my eyes and they laughed.

"He is probably doing this since he regrets killing you out of the competition... because now he is going to be forced to marry a girl he finds no interest in," Xander smirked, "what a shame, I guess he can't have you."

I looked back at Xander with a raised eyebrow when his smirking was almost appearing oddly flirtatious.

He was good with his words, but, not as good as Preston to make me blush the colour of beetroot.

"Yeah..." I questioningly said, "what a shame."

Later...

I had come back to my bedroom which had been cleaned up and organised and had changed into a different dress for the night. Changed back to my favourite colour, a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder, lacy and mermaid-shaped black dress.

And my make-up had been retouched, I now wore a bold red lip and dark liner. Courtesy of my four lovely ladies who I had not long ago, found cleaning the kitchens.

"I'm over the moon that you are back, my lady. It has been a nightmare without you, I don't know what would have happened if your brother hadn't protected us from the prince," Claudia finished tying my straightened hair into a high and tight ponytail.

I smiled warmly, "I'm glad he saved you guys, I don't know how I would've been able to cope with the guilt of losing one of you because of Prince Zac's madness."

"Natalya, you look stunning," Olivia changed the dull subject, resting her chin on her fist and complimenting me in awe.

Leia finished erasing any flaws in relation to makeup on my face such as smudges of mascara. "I have to agree my lady, this is by far my favourite look you have ever worn. It's classy and elegant."

"You might have a problem a specific problem tonight, and that is keeping the prince's hands and eyes off you, my lady..." Kiera teased as she complimented and I waved my hand in embarrassment.

"Thank you, you beautiful ladies," as the thankful words left my mouth, the sound of abrupt knocking startled me. "Okay, I think it's him," I breathed, "whilst I'm gone, you four find Derek and ask him to get you some food and drink. I don't want you to starve any longer."

My four ladies nodded thanking me in unison and on that response, I turned and walked over to my bedroom door, quite anxiously.

When I reached my door, I briefly stole a second to compose myself by inhaling, my chest rising as I did so, and exhaling - feeling my chest drop.

I took my time opening the door, a horrible panic building up in me. Was I scared to face Zac after what Cassandra told me he did? Yes, I most certainly was.

It was anti-climatic when I had pulled the door open to reveal no one.

What the- I swear I just heard- Wait, am seeing this correctly?

As my eyes wandered to the floor, a trail of rose petals had been scattered across the corridor. "Oh my God," I mumbled, "girls come see!" I called my ladies over to act as witnesses to the petals leading from my feet and down the hallway.

My ladies run over to my side and gasp instantly, "so romantic!" Leia swooned, "I mean, he is a monster but I have to admit this- this is-"

"-so lovely of him," Claudia finished, "I think he is actually trying to impress you, my lady."

I agreed with my ladies. This was beautifully romantic, the red petals illuminated by the fire torches hanging on the walls in the dark castle corridor. However, this undeniably cute gesture of his didn't drive me from my feelings of hatred towards him. I despised him for what evil he had done. I also hated that he thought I was this easy.

A few rose petals wouldn't win me over, at this rate, nothing he could do would win me over entirely. "I think he wants you to follow them, my lady," Kiera notified and I nodded, "I know."

I brushed past my ladies and began to move down the quiet corridor, keeping my eyes focused on every petal lying on the floor. It felt if the whole castle had been told to sleep steer clear of the castle hallways because there was an unusual silence in the air.

And a strangely romantic aura surrounding me.

I thought this was only supposed to be a dinner with the prince, not a date with the devil.

I abruptly stop when my eyes landed on a folded note next to a pile of petals. I crouched down quickly swiping the note into my hand and unfolding it.

It read: