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Chapter Fifteen

"Are you sure you're not ripping her hair out?" Lucia asked, staring boringly at her nails.

"Don't be silly," Peter said incredulously. "Of course she is."

"Oh shut up, you morons!" Yasmine waved them off, finishing off her golden braid and wrapping it up with a silky ribbon. "Don't you like it, Julie?"

"Oh I love it!" Juliette admired her work in the mirror. Yasmine left some loose strands to frame her face. "It looks so pretty!"

"The craft of my divine hands."

"Heyyy those are my words." Gregg scowled, leaning against the doorframe. "Looks like everyone's here." He said bowing to Mabel.

"And apparently," Lucia said, pointing to the pastry with shiny white frosting. "We were waiting for you to celebrate Juliette's birthday."

"With the cake I made?"

"You're the only chef we know." Juliette laughed nervously, and Gregg found his eyes trailing the long golden braid that rested now on her shoulder.

"Nice try," he grinned, joining them.

"Well it worked." Her fingers wrapped around the bracelet her aunt had given her. It had tiny azure and emerald beads, matching the turquoise necklace she always wore. She wondered if her aunt purposely picked the same gemstone her mama used to wear.

"So tell us, my lovely, how have you found your life in the castle so far?" Aunt Mabel initiated as Yasmine sliced the cake.

"I-I think I love it here." She confessed. Even though she missed her mama dearly, it was the first time she felt at ease. She had lived her entire life in the farm house, and she had never met anyone besides her mama, her aunt and the boy who used to bring them goods from the market.

She was always accustomed to tending the flowers in her garden, and taking care of the little sheep she and her mama raised, and feed the little ducks that crossed the pond near her farm.

She remembered chasing a small duck outside her farm once, and calling out to it cheerfully and almost getting lost in the forest hadn't it been for her mama.

You wretched girl! Her mama chastised, pulling her back from the back of her dress. You want to leave your own poor mama on her own? Don't you know what awaits you in the outside world?

Juliette didn't leave her farm house for two weeks then, not because she was a bad daughter, no! She could never leave her mama and she wanted to prove her that. Her mama was protecting her, and she always knew what was best for her well being.

I know I raised my daughter well. She'd say proudly, brushing her long golden hair and staring at her reflection in the mirror. My good Juliette, She'd caress her softly on the back, and she could feel her anxiety disappearing at her soothing words, who would never leave her poor mama alone.

"Of course you do," Peter nudged her on the shoulder playfully. "We are the fire to your woods,"

"The air to your lungs," Yasmine continued, scooping a bite from her plate.

"What would she do without you guys," Lucia was the one who spoke this time, rolling her eyes.

"Probably die." Yasmine aimed to smack Peter teasingly, but he instantly dodged her blow.

"–From joy." Gregg snorted. Juliette scooted over a little so he could sit beside her on the bed. They were all gathered inside her chamber to celebrate her nineteenth birthday and she the happiest she'd ever been.

It had only been two months since she had moved into the royal castle, yet her living in her old farm house had seemed like it was ages ago. She would never have fathomed that she would one day be away from her little cottage, and live in the gigantic royal castle she never dared to visit.

Life in the castle was actually growing on her, and as as she tried on the yellow dress Yasmine and Peter had brought and matched it with the pastel pink ribbon Lucia had knitted, she suddenly didn't believe being outside her farm was as bad as her mama claimed to be.

They had celebrated for two hours that day, and as she accompanied her aunt to her own chamber that late afternoon, she decided it was time to ask her about the feelings she's been too anxious to let out.

"Auntie Mabel," she began shyly, studying the warm atmosphere of her aunt's chamber. Everything about her aunt was warm and cozy, even the bed covers and pillows seemed very inviting.

"Yes, my lovely sweet girl?" Her aunt had now tied her hair into a neat bun, and she hummed a little tone softly, arranging some of her stuff inside the tall wooden armoire. Juliette couldn't help but see her mama in her aunt's blue eyes, and the gray streaks in her hair. They looked oh so similar, almost identical had it not been for the henna her mama used to apply on her hair.

She threw herself on the squishy mattress of the bed, her hands slowly reaching for her golden locks. "I-Is it wrong for one to be in love?" She swiftly blurted out the words, then buried her face underneath a pillow.

An awkward silence filled the room followed by a little laugh. "Of course not, my dear, who told you such thing?"

"Mama used to say." She answered guiltily, sitting back on the bed. She must not be a good daughter now, talking badly about her mother! Her mama's voice echoed back in her head, did I not raise you well? Sorry, mama. I did not mean it. She could feel the disapproving face of her mama directed at her again, and the urge to fix everything rushing into her senses, do you not care about your own poor mother being left on her own? The mother who dedicated her whole life for you. She could feel her throat tightening and her nails digging into her palms, as if they could stop the words from flowing from her mama's mouth. Cruel and selfish Juliette. What kind of daughter are you?

"What's wrong, sweetie?" She hadn't realized she'd been crying until her aunt's hand nudged her knee softly.

"I don't," she murmured slowly, "I don't want to be a bad daughter, auntie." She wiped her tears with the end of her palm, letting all the fear and anxiety flood within her.

"Oh, honey you have the biggest heart in the entire world." Her aunt said softly, pulling her closer. "Your mama was only scared that you give it away to the wrong person."Her little niece looked up at her with round saucer eyes.

"Is that so?" She sniffed. She was protecting her all along.

"Of course, my dearest." She caressed her golden blonde hair, her braid had come uncoiled down her back. "Now, now, my sweet girl, tell me, who is the lad troubling my lovely little niece?"

"He's–" Juliette said hesitantly, "He's a soldier, auntie." She decided to remove the personal guard detail. She would tell her the excess details later, for now she wanted to know what to do.  

"A soldier?" To her big surprise, her aunt didn't hold the disdain in her eyes as Gregg did when she broke the news to him.

"Well?" Her aunt pushed. "That surely can't be the only thing you know, ma petite."

"Well–he's–" gets scary when he's mad she thought remembering Gregg's comment when they were sitting on the bench the night of the festival. Now, I'm no expert but I don't think a nice guy would send someone's face bruising within one punch. How did you get yourself with someone so dangerous?

Her aunt nodded in understanding and encouraged her to continue further.

"He's nice most of the time." She finally concluded. Besides he never really hurt her or had his anger pointed at her. It was always towards someone else. She shook her head as she remembered poor Peter.

"I like him auntie but," she nervously picked at her bracelet. "My friends always warn me to stay away from him."

Her aunt leaned back into her chair. "Do they know the boy?"

"I-I don't think so." Juliette sighed.

"Then they have no good reason to turn him away." Juliette's eyes brightened at her aunt's words. She's been bottling up her feelings for so long, and Peter's innuendos have only made her more anxious. Then Gregg's comment crossed her mind again.

"B-but auntie Mabel, Gregg used to be in the army." She said reluctantly.

"Oh, honey, don't listen to that silly Gregg boy. I work in the maids' wing, it doesn't mean all the maids I encounter are good." She winked at her playfully then added, "Bad people could be anywhere." Juliette relaxed her posture in relief. Her auntie did have a point.

"And sometimes, it's your closest ones you should be careful around the most." Her aunts' eyes refocused and nudged the chair closer to her.

"And have you forgotten, my dear, your papa was once a soldier in the army." Her attention sharpened at her aunt's words.

"R-really?" She asked a bit in awe, her body turning rigid.

"Why, your mama did not tell you?" Her aunt asked, a bit taken back.

"She always used to avoid talking about p-papa." It felt almost like a crime whenever she would touch one of her stuff, whether it was maps, bijoux, or shrouds of long forgotten memories.

"She told me he died in war." She was three years old at that time, and she only had the swift memory of pale golden locks and forest green eyes to hold on into.

"He was a brave soldier." Her aunt said proudly. "He fought for the kingdom with honor."

"You have his golden locks and goodness of heart." She continued thoughtfully. An idea popped in her Juliette's mind.

"Did you know him, auntie Mabel?"

"Of course I did, honey." She waited for her aunt to say further, but instead she moved towards her small vanity, and rummaged through her small jewelry box.

"Here," she held her a necklace, it was long and from it dangled a dark green emerald. It was beautiful. Her hands instantly reached for the turquoise gem she always wore around her neck. It was exactly the same had it not been for the blue color.

She eyed the bracelet her aunt gave her again, and stared at the turquoise and evergreen beads and compared them to the necklaces. They match, she couldn't help but think.

Juliette made her way back to the maids' chambers in uplifted spirits.

She was relieved her aunt assured her she was not a bad daughter and she learned that she should put her own thoughts and convictions before anyone else's– including her friends.

She was happy, she was brave then she realized someone was behind her as a dark shadow loomed over.

"You never told me today is your birthday." A deep familiar voice spoke just as she took a turn towards the hall leading to her chamber. Her body went rigid then her shoulders slowly relaxed, a small smile stretching over her lips. Tonight she was going to come out to play, tonight she was going to free herself a little.

"You never asked." So she told him playfully, avoiding his eyes. She could feel his hand reach for her chin and tilt it up so she could face him. She always forgets how dark his eyes are, the color of a starless obsidian night.

"Would the Mademoiselle allow me to escort her to the village for one night?"

"What sort of night?" She played along, then widened her eyes as she realized she might have said an unintended meaning. Her face reddened fiercely and she quickly freed herself and turned away from him in embarrassment. Maybe trying to act confident was a bad idea after all. Darn her for winging it with him, she thought, frustrated.

He took her distraction to his advantage, and placed his hands on the wall on each side of her head, caging her between the wall and his body. Why does he have to be so tall, she grumbled as she turned around and slammed into his chest. He wore a guard's uniform with the kingdom's symbol etched across it; two large crossed swords with a lion and a crown faded into the background. If only she could call to Yasmine and show her the uniform so she could believe her.

She finally found the courage to tilt her neck up and meet his eyes and to her utter embarrassment he was watching her in amusement, an evil glint glistening in his dark eyes. "I-m-meant," she stumbled with her words, noticing his slightly grown beard. It made him look more menacing. "Where. Um, yeah. That's what I meant." She uttered quickly, and ducked underneath his grip but he quickly seized her by her waist.

"So eager to leave, eh?" Despite his teasing tone she was tempted to explain herself.  She couldn't deny that he looked like the scary soldiers her friends warned her about. Then she eyed his eyes again and saw the amusing glint he only seems to have with her. She slipped away from his grip.

Xander held out his hand for her but she took a step back reluctantly. She took another and another with each step he made.

She held her breath as a frown clouded his features. She could feel her heart starting to beat frantically against her chest, her fingers searching for golden strands to wrap around. Her thoughts turned into a chaotic mixture of comments she had learned to hear, her mind echoing voices she had yet to learn to detach them from her own. Peter's still in the infirmary, Juliette. Gregg's voice reverberated in her ears. She was back in the kitchen, getting chided by her friends. If from what you described- it's the same soldier whom I saw when you were leaving the forest. I'm telling you–he, he licked his lips in frustration. He is not to be trusted.

How did you get yourself with someone so dangerous? Her unease increased, toying with her again as if she was a muppet. Cruel and selfish Juliette, what kind of daughter are you? She backed away from him even further.

Anxiety surged in her mind as Xander's playful gaze vanished, replaced with a cold stare she was not used to have it targeted at her. His muscles were tensed, his biceps bulging against his uniform. "You're still scared of me." He said more to himself than her. She could have sworn she saw hurt flash in his eyes for a spilt second before it vanished and was replaced with a harsh expression. Her chest tightened as she saw the shift in his demeanor.He wasn't acting like himself anymore, he was now a scary royal soldier she shouldn't temper with.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, Mademoiselle Juliette." He growled out bitterly, his tone unusually formal and authoritative. It seemed familiar for a second, but her thoughts disheveled as he bowed dismissively. "It will not occur again." He did not wait for her to answer and made his way outside the darkened hall.

Guilt and nervousness fluctuated in her mind again. Did she not decide to take control of her own thoughts? Xander was nothing but sweet to her-despite what her friends claim- and he troubled himself to visit and wish her a happy birthday, in spite of him having royal tasks to finish. Besides, he changed King Maxiumus' decision about her staying in the castle and saved her life countless of times. Did he not give his word that he'd never harm her, after all? The man who captivated her dreams and possibly her heart the night the fiasco happened in the dining hall, how come she is now pushing him away?

"X-Xander wait!" She called out shyly. He froze mid way, his back still facing her.

"I-would like to." Juliette murmured softly but he must have heard her because his shoulders relaxed a bit.

"Mademoiselle Juliette," his tone was cold and she hated how he still used his formal tone with her. "You should know that one thing I despise is people doing favors for me out of compulsion."

"I'm not scared of you." She tried to sound as courageous as much as she could. Within a swift movement, he was pressing her against the wall.

"Is that so?" His voice was rough and his face was almost barbaric with the darkness of the hall. His eyes seemed to have lost all the lights in them, they were utter and complete dark matter. She could get lost in them and never be found.

"It's exactly so," she bit out shyly. It reminded her of the first night they met, but she knew he wouldn't harm her. A little courage ignited inside of her.

"Unless you're so eager to leave, eh?" She quoted him back innocently. His warmth breath fanned her face and he was silent, his dark obsidian eyes scrutinizing her. Then he kissed her.

He kissed her vigorously, fiercely, his hands reaching for her legs and wrapping them around his waist. She instinctively clasped her hands around his neck, butterflies exploding in her stomach as he pulled her closer to him.

"Good." He finally spoke, his voice deep. He buried his face in her neck, and she closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of him planting soft kisses along her neck.
"You shouldn't be scared." Then he set her down softly. "The next time you misbehave I'll make it last longer."

"I don't like the punishment kisses policy." She pouted, and crossed her hands in resentment hoping it'll divert his attention from her tomato red face.

"Well that's too bad, isn't it?" He grinned, his hand wrapping around her waist, leading her towards the spiral staircase. She hated when he stood at his full height, it hurt her neck so badly to always look up to be able to see his face.

"Where are we going?" She finally asked, now that they made their way down to the ground floor. It was entirely deserted for some reason. He pulled her towards the back of the building, where a little iron gate leading to the forest road awaited them.

"To my side of the village." He answered, his tone light again. She noticed a black horse standing outside the gate. Where they going by horse? She hoped not as she never got to ride one and she was scared of falling to her death. She always heard how serious injuries were when it comes to falling off a horse.

She stared at the stallion in awe as he opened the iron gate for them. It was magnificent, huge and beautiful, the kind of animal only owned by royals. Well he's the King's guard after all.

"My personal horse, Lėon." He pet him on the back proudly. The horse seemed to be excited to meet with his owner.

"He's b-beautiful."

"The fiercest I've ever trained."

"N-no," she ground out, as he prepared the saddle.

"What's wrong, Juliette?" He glanced back at her in concern.

"I-I don't know how to ride."She stammered nervously.

"You can hold on into me," he winked, his hand patting the horse's mane. "Your chance has finally come."

"Hey," she pouted, "This is not my magnificent plan in case you've forgotten."

"Fine." He stalked a few steps towards her slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "It is mine." His gaze was intense. She held her breath for a few seconds as he stared down at her then before she knew it, he slammed her into his shoulder as if she was a sack of potatoes and headed for the huge horse. Sheesh, he was distracting her! She yelped at the sudden height she faced and started to wriggle only to find him setting her softly on his horse.

"Steady," She realized he was saying this to his horse and he quickly jumped in and positioned himself in front of her. She found herself clinging to his back as if she was holding on to dear life.

"You're not going to fall, Juliette." He laughed, as she probably seemed like some clumsy koala attaching herself to him. "I won't allow it." His hand reached for hers and squeezed it tight.

The ride to the village wasn't very long, as it was situated just on the border of the royal castle. It barely took ten minutes in the forest before Xander headed for a road leading to the eastern side of the village. Xander said it usually takes him less time but he had chosen to ride slowly to ease her fear of riding. She was grateful and relieved.

Soon enough, they entered a large square with a huge stone fountain in the middle, filled with little goblin statues holding out what seemed to be coins. Xander lead Lėon to a little road in the far right corner. To her surprise, the village wasn't that crowded, with only a few passersby that didn't seem to notice them.

"No one likes to go out at this time of the night in my home village." Xander told her, as if reading her thoughts. "Many old villagers can be superstitious. They often speak of legends of monsters and beasts."

"Are they true?" Juliette asked innocently, her grip tightening around his waist.

"They're to keep children at bay." They took another narrow road and Juliette stared in awe at the closed shops crammed next to one another. It reminded her of the time she and Yasmine went shopping for dresses, but this village had a different air to it. It was more ancient, more magical.

"But also," he added. "Some bandits and muggers lurk more at night."

Before she could collect her thoughts, Xander stopped them in front of her a large red roofed house that had a little garden filled with roses. Juliette wiggled her feet in excitement at the sight of flowers that she hadn't noticed that Xander had gotten off his horse. He wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her down softly.

"Alexander!" A man's voice was suddenly heard from inside the garden. A short stout man finally came into view, followed by a little boy, around thirteen years of age. The old man had a little moustache and had small patches of white hair on each side of his bald head.

"I missed you, my son!"The man boomed excitedly, looking at Xander with such joy in his eyes. Was he his father? It can't be, they look nothing alike. And why didn't he tell her his name is actually Alexander? Maybe he prefers to be addressed with a smaller name.

"How are you, Oscar?" The little boy lead Lėon inside, probably towards some stables Juliette assumed.

"Oh, very good, my dear son." She could see a faint blush taint Xander's cheeks and Juliette giggled in surprise only to blush back in return when the man turned his attention to her, his freckles more noticeable up close.

"Ah, and who is this lovely young lady, you brought us?" The man clapped in excitement and bowed down in courtesy.

"Ahem," Xander cleared his throat and for some reason Oscar widened his eyes in surprise.

"Yes, of course, of course, come in, my son and beauty." The man looked so eager and happy to see Xander, she could almost feel him resisting the urge to hug him.

"How's the kingdom, m'lo–son?" Oscar choked, and she glimpsed Xander roll his eyes.

"Fantastic." He muttered, "his royal majesty is keeping things under control." Juliette smiled at him in awe. He must be really close with the King to be able to know what's going inside the kingdom and change his opinion and all.

"Of course, of course," the old man lead them further inside the garden. "I have to admit when Sir James sent out to me the order, I was a bit of a mess. I can only hope I managed to please you, my dear son." Finally, a large balcony came into view.

It would be large enough to fit at least thirty tables across it, but instead there was only one round marble table in the middle. Vines wrapped around the columns positioned on each side of it, and little candles rested on the balustrade, illuminating the scenery. Beyond the balcony were all kind of roses and flowers, and a soft freeze brought some red petals across the floor.

Juliette stared in wonder. "I'm-I-m out of words. This is so beautiful!"

"You did a fine job, thank you Oscar."

"Anything for you, your ma-y dear son." Xander wrapped his arms around her as soon as Oscar left the scene.

"I'm glad you like it." He whispered, then pulled the chair out for her to sit when they reached the table.

"Before I became-," Xander cleared his throat as he took the chair opposite of her. "I used to work here before joining the royal castle."

"Really?" She asked him curiously, her big doe eyes staring at him in wonder.

"In my free time," he continued, scratching his chin. "Oscar always welcomed me into his place, didn't matter if he wasn't in need of labor workers. He would always make room for me to make extra coins." He leaned back into his chair. "He's a good man. Considers me as his son, too." Juliette couldn't help but giggle as she remembered him blush. So she was right, they weren't really related.

"That's really kind of him." Then she found herself asking, "B-but what made you join the royal castle?" For the first time ever, he seemed unprepared for a question.

"I-" he ran his hand through his hair, rendering it into a mess. He looked so carefree in that moment, as if being away from the castle detached him from his soldier role. "I fought in the war the kingdom faced a few years back," Juliette was young back then but she could never forget how her mama would look outside frantically and get a lot of letters from her auntie telling her news about the kingdom. "My father," his hand balled into a fist for a split second, "had provided me intensive training growing up. This allowed me to increase my rank in the army." He explained and she had to fought back the urge to ask him about his parents.

"I became one of its main leaders," Juliette widened her eyes in awe. Gregg's voice was fighting again to resurface but she quickly blocked it, scared it might toy with her again. "And soon enough, I was appointed as one of the King's personal guards." He finished, just as Oscar was back again with a few dishes on a large tray. Juliette was about to stand up and help the old man but he refused and insisted she'd sit.

"How kind of you, lovely young lady." He said while he furnished the table.

Oscar had served them a little Buffet and two glasses of a drink she surmised it's wine due to its dark red color. They thanked him and he excused himself, without wasting the occasion of calling Xander his dear son, of course. She found it entertaining.

"But it must be so hard and tiring," she admitted, pushing away her glass when he grabbed his. She didn't want to get a taste of these drinks. They could make you sick and foolish, her mama would say.

"I like to know what happens inside the kingdom." She somehow thought there was more than he was letting on. Her thoughts were forgotten as soon as she took a spoonful from her plate. It was divine, and reminded her of Gregg's tasty deserts.

"I want to know more about you, Juliette." He finally said.

"About me?" She asked him softly, placing a strand of hair behind her ear nervously.

"When did you start working in the castle?" So she told him about her garden and the little ducks she used to follow, her mama and how they used to tend the garden. The little wild tulips that seemed to grow out of nowhere. And of course, of her aunt and how she managed to get permission from the King around two months ago to let her work inside the castle.

"You seem to be close to him." She commented timidly.

"The King?" He smiled at her question, the light from the candles reflecting in his charcoal eyes. "Him and I are more similar than you realize." It made sense since he appointed him as his personal guard.

"H-He can be a bit scary, you know." She admitted thoughtfully, resting her chin on her hand as she reminisced what happened at the dining hall. Shivers ran down her spine.

"A good leader is better feared than loved, Juliette." Then he leaned in, his eyes gazing at her intensely. "But you shouldn't be scared."

"H-how do you become a good army leader?" She attempted to distract him, trying to avoid his gaze. She was starting to feel really shy again under his scrutiny.

"Through strategies and mastering the art of war, of course. Knowing your enemies' weaknesses and yours."

"And-," She paused. "H-how do you know your enemies' weaknesses?"

"You ask them." She scowled at him. He was teasing her.

"So," His hand wrapped around his glass again. "What are Mademoiselle Juliette's weaknesses?" Xander asked, taking a sip from his drink. The candle lights cast shadows on his face, but his eyes were lighter, warm coffee in a cold bitter night.

"I-I don't know," she searched mindlessly. "B-butter c-cookies?" He chuckled, finding her obliviousness amusing.

"What's y-yours?" She asked back, trying to take his attention away from her. She didn't know what to reply, gosh she probably felt like her face is burning from shyness.

"Treachery, deception," he bit out a bit too seriously then he leaned back into his chair. "–and a certain girl with long golden hair." Her face flushed and she immediately looked down shyly at her plate. She could feel him looking at her with that playful gaze of his. Gosh, does he enjoy embarrassing her?

"A-and what about your strengths?" She fought back, hoping to corner him the way he did.

"A great army, good knowledge," then he flashed her a playful grin and said, "and a certain girl with long golden hair." She didn't notice that he had extended his hand on the table, revealing a delicate golden ring.

She gasped as he took her hand and planted a soft kiss on her palm, then placed the ring on her fourth finger. "Happy birthday, Juliette."

The ring was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she'd ever seen. It was very delicate, and very thin, with a little amethyst in the shape of a flower in the middle. It fit her finger perfectly, and the stone's color seemed to bounce back from dark blue to light purple whenever it faced the light of the candles.

"It's s-so pretty!" She stared at it in awe, and she was sure her face probably was redder than a darn tomato. "I-I Love it, X-Xander. T-thank you."

On their way back to the village streets after saying goodbye to Oscar, the thirteen year old boy came back running and calling to Xander. Lėon was apparently kicking and refusing to walk out. Xander sighed and followed him inside, telling Juliette he'll be back in a minute.

Juliette was actually relieved for a bit. Her shyness after he placed the ring was eating her out, and she was silent most of the time after. She was happy and excited, and she was grateful for not listening to her friends.

She observed the pointed arches positioned on each entrance of the ancient roads while waiting for Xander. She never got to leave her little farm cottage, and she never got to see how her village really looked like. Xander's hometown was beautiful, and it looked like it was out of a fairytale book.

A movement caught her attention in the far side of the road, and she thought she glimpsed two shadows coming her direction. Did Oscar's place had a back door to it?

The two figures stopped midway, still completely obscured by shadows. Juliette squeezed her eyes a little, trying to make out if it's Xander and the boy but with no avail. A hand from one of the two figures waved at her and beckoned for her to come. Juliette smiled in relief and ran to them. She was right, the house had probably a backdoor for the stables.

Her expression immediately shattered as she came face to face with two older men. An uneasy feeling crept through her as one of them snickered, showing a pair of broken yellowish teeth and the other held out a sharp knife against her neck.

"Well, well, well," he hissed, his stinky breath overwhelming her senses. "Look what have here."

Her heart beat frantically against her ribs as she squirmed against his grasp. "P-please let me g-go." She cried as soon as she saw the second one eyeing her jewelry greedily. She inhaled deeply and prepared herself to scream her lungs out but another filthy hand covered her mouth.

"Try to scream and I'll butcher that pretty little neck of yours." He spat, and pressed the knife harder to her neck.

Juliette closed her eyes and wept silently, bracing herself for her end.

•
So, so, so finally some Maximus and Juliette time ;)
Okay but is it really me if I don't end the chapter with a cliffhanger hehe
On the bright side this is the longest chapter I've ever written (17 pages!!) and my evil self was tempted to divide it into two smaller chapters. But nah you guys deserve the best  ♥  love you all sm ♥
I also want to say I get so thrilled when I read your analysis guys! Some of you guys have already decoded what's actually going on :p
As always please pretty pwease tell me your opinion, comment what you think (characters, plot, wachu think is gonna happen), even constructive criticism is welcomed!
I'm eagerly waiting!

I love you guys oh so much and I hope you have a wonderful day ♥

–theladyandthefox