The Lady and the Beast - Chapter 2

Martina was enraged, and at the same time, overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness that crushed her whole body. She wanted revenge, but she could not hide into the Capital city where she had no allies. Martina instead wished to die honorably, inspired by her mother’s courage. But ironically, it was thanks to her mother’s military teachings that Martina survived.

Daughter of Owen, the evilest witch.

The Blanche soldiers had acknowledged Owen, but it never crossed their minds that her daughter, only 17-year-old at that time, would have been as hugely talented in the fighting art. They offered Martina to the Crown Prince as a mere plaything. The Crown Prince, intoxicated with victory, put Martina into his bedroom. Waiting for the occasion to strike, Martina held her breath and acted like a terrified mouse.

Putting the Crown Prince’s contribution to the suppression of the rebellion forwards, the old King proclaimed him once again as his true successor. He was already senile. But they were not empty words, and the real succession soon followed.

It was one night after the crowning ceremony, while the banquet was still going on. Taking advantage of a loosen-up guard watch and the cover of darkness, Martina went to find the 2nd Prince who was detained in his palace, waiting for his day to die.

She said:

“Theodore Shen Blanche. You, filthy Blanche blood, I will save you, lend me your strength as a price for your life.”

“I don’t have any influence anymore, young witch. The disgrace of your clan has followed me, and here I am in this sorry state, falsely accused.”

“I will kill the King.”

“Did you lose your mind after seeing your mother’s limbs being ripped apart?” mocked the 2nd Prince.

“I am the last daughter of the Leta tribe and its very own sword of revenge. Take me as your vassal to avenge our dishonor”.

Martina’s eyes were shining with determination. Only speculations remain about what intentions Prince Theodore had in mind when accepting this deal. At any rate, Prince Theodore was sharing the same life and death situation as the Leta tribe. There was no meaning in sharing his last breath with Martina, but her proposition was not unreasonable.

Above all, it was indeed some significant food for thoughts.

Arrogant as he was, the new King wanted to show off a symbol of his victory. On the last day of the banquet, he called for Martina and ordered her to execute that sword dance that the Leta tribe was so proud of. It was shameful for her to show that symbolic dance as a simple attraction to the very enemy that had exterminated her tribe! Some respectable nobles opposed his offensive behavior, but their protests were a joke to him.

“Savage girl, show us your sword dance.”

The King threw at Martina the sword that had cut Owen’s head. He was pleased when he saw Martina look down in shame. Nothing was more entertaining than a beautiful girl throwing herself at his feet to stay alive.

With shaky legs, Martina started to dance clumsily. She had no strength to hold the sword, and her skinny body looked like it would give out at any second. The knights, who briefly got nervous at the sight of a witch holding a weapon, soon cracked a smile. They loosened the grip over their swords.

At this same instant, Martina sprang out towards the King.

Before the knights could draw their swords, five of them had already died. As for the ones who successfully unsheathed, she had claimed their lives in one attack. Her red hair fluttering in one spot, she was relentlessly spilling the same colored blood. Terrified by her appearance, the nobles screamed and fled from the hall.

The knights from the guard tried to rush to the King’s rescue, but then the 2nd Prince’s army rushed from outside the city in the nick of time. Its number of soldiers was not nearly enough to overthrow the country, but sufficient to take care of the city’s standing force.