••• Cinzel •••
Bipolar, bipolar, bipolar
Prince is bipolar, changing from a ruthless beast to a lost soul in a matter of heartbeat is becoming his specialty.
"I couldn't control myself in his presence." I sighed, standing beside Zaniel on the rooftop.
"That Prince hasn't even given you a phone or else we could talk conveniently." Zaniel hissed, pissing me off. I don't care about talking to a trickster like you!
"I just want to run away." I sighed, not showing him my ire from his jejune talks.
"Don't worry, I am here for you. Let’s make this place better where we could become one." I barely managed to control myself when he smiled.
He is using me again! Because if I get immersed in the Dark World there's no way out.
Humming, I turned again. "I have noticed something."
"What?"
"Prince only gets outraged when we talk, my jailers have seen us, they will tell him and I have to prepare for his intimidation now."
Exhaling, I acted cool but my soul tried to give up on me to think of facing his impassive jealousy.
"Cinzel." Zaniel called me hesitantly, "What?"
"Has Prince… done anything?" His voice was slumped in dejection while asking, I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "I am his Wife." I told him, walking away.
“I don’t want you to be scared anymore…”
His unwanted words are echoing in my mind. Arousing unwanted anger. The more I tried to let it slip out the more his words knocked upon my hollow chest.
‘Why don't you want it when you are the one who terrifies me the most?’ I thought sorrowfully and seeking answers, I went to see Astrid.
"Astrid." I called her.
"Yeah?"
"How was Prince's relationship with his late wife?" I asked casually.
She was taken aback at first, "What?" I asked, perplexed by her reaction.
"This is the first time you said Prince. Just Prince." Her face lit up in glee, praying it to be the arousal of a memorable start.
"He made me- no, he forced it out of my throat." I chuckled drying, crushing the flower in my hand and throwing it away.
"Their marriage occurred to form an alliance between the Ayle family. Their daughter Dania Ayle married at our home and sister Penelope married Theo." She explained.
I made an 'o' face, humming in response indirectly telling not a captivating love story they had.
"Then, doesn't it piss Theo off to find me in his Sister's place?" I asked.
"He is a strange man. No one knows what he is thinking."
"Just like Prince." I mumbled, turning away.
"What?"
"Nothing.. So how was he- Wait, wait, before it. They both got married at the same time, right?” I asked, having a strange realization.
“Yeah…”
“Zaniel is twenty four. Prince is thirty six. By the time Zaniel would be born Prince must be… Twelve! Did he have an underage marriage!?” I whisper-yelled, jaw dropping but she only chuckled at my reaction.
“No. Yes, he was twelve, we were young. But she had Zaniel before marriage. Sister Penelope is a decade older than Brother. She was twenty two then later they got married.”
“I see.. So Zaniel attended his own parents' wedding. What an experience.” I muttered, chuckling to myself.
“Yes.”
“So umm.. with her? Like, you guys live under the same roof, of course you could see how he treated her and how old he was?” I asked, curious to know.
“He was twenty five. Sister was thirty five and Zaniel was thirteen.” I had no interest in knowing about Zaniel or his mother anymore. I wanted to know did he love her deeply or not also-
“Sky is six-”
“Brother refused to have a child with Dania for a while. He thought he was not ready plus she was internally weak. Doctors told her she might not make it.. And Brother loved children but he sacrificed his wishes for her. He wanted to give them time, just them, to grow, to fall in love.” She told me quickly, hesitantly.
“Then…?” I asked sadly.
“Then knowing how much Brother wanted a child yet never taunted or forced Dania about it. She wanted one knowing the risks, for him. He refused but she insisted and here we are now…”
…I didn’t know why it pricked me. She died so why would I care? Even his daughter is mine now.
It hurt. I shouldn’t have asked…
“Did he love… Zaniel?” I asked dryly, hoping it would divert my mind or else it would increase.
She laughed a little, “Love? Brother gave Zaniel everything he pointed his finger at. Before Zaniel and my kids. Zaniel being the only one was adored the most.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ever became possessive or obsessed in the future.” I muttered under my breath.
“Um… And if you don't mind, what happened to.. Your husband?" I asked.
Her cheeriness vanished, lowering her eyes with a glint of shame, "Brother killed him."
"What?!"
To say I was shocked to hear would be an understatement, I couldn't fathom his reason to do this to his Sister.
A tear rolled down her cheek, curling her lips upward, "Hadith was his Best Friend. I loved him… a lot. Brother was against our marriage but was defeated before my stubbornness and guess what? Hadith.. He.. Betrayed Brother and here, the punishment of backstabbing is death Regardless who you are." She told me in a low, depressed tone.
Pricking a needle in my heart how hurt it must be for her and Prince to find someone close to their heart plotting against them.
I am so- We are so dead. Prince, who was maddeningly subtle sometimes if came to know- he would kill us.
"Cinzel..?" Astrid called me, shaking my shoulder a little.
"It must be hard." I immediately responded.
"It has passed, don't worry about it." She smiled, giving my shoulder an assuring squeeze. Smiling back, I nodded.
"Cinzel!" Sky's voice came, running and hugging me instantly after coming back from her school.
She was still in her uniform, even the backpack and water bottle was in her hand but holding me, she began to cry.
"What happened, Sky?" I panicked by her sudden sadness, hugging her back.
"Hey, don't cry. Tell me. What is it?" I whispered, kissing her head, wiping her tears.
"I don't want to go to school ever again! Jessie makes fun of me! She.. She scares me." She whispered, hiding her face in my chest.
"What did she do?" I asked, taking her to her room but not letting her go.
"She.. She said.. You will take Papa away from me. She said ``Step-moms are bad, you will lock me in the b-basement." She sobbed, clinging onto my arms.
My heart sting but then I remembered my parents who knew my reality but brought me up with endless love. My parents were not biological either.
But I was loved deeply too.
I smiled and put her on the bed, bending on the ground, holding her hands. Kissing the back of her palm, "Do you think I will hurt you?" I asked.
She sniffed and shook her head no, "Good. Then it shouldn't bother you, I am here for you. You are my strong girl. Your Papa will be infuriated by my advice nevertheless if she does it again, smack her face. I will handle the rest." I winked as we both giggled.
"Papa always told me to avoid fights." A murderer counseling to not kill was hilarious.
"Leave Papa. I am telling you, don't let anyone weaken your heart. Learn to speak for yourself, A princess should know how to fight back, understood?" I asked, holding her hands. Her innocent eyes flickered in admiration, nodding.
"Good girl. Now freshen up, I will bake a cake after lunch."
"Yay! You are the best." Chirping, she hugged me.
"And yeah Cinzel can you come as my Mother to parents day? Papa never had time but will you come?" She asked expectantly, hearing as her Mother gave me strange sensations but I smiled.
I couldn’t be on her unfavorable terms and nodded, "Sure. Now you get ready and come down." I said and left.
Time passed and Prince must be about to come, the alone thought sent shudders to my core. I don't know why I frantically fear him; it was not in my control the intensity of it.
And then the thought of how he was with his wife evoked.
‘Shut up, dammit. Don’t think about a dead person.’ I scolded myself.
I waited for the master of my fears.
It was disgusting to think how my body would like his touch but the way my skin clasped perfectly around his finger… it.. felt.. Good.