Riona pov

I settled into my seat at the close end of the table away from the house of zenith and the actual banquet host, though not too far from the clumsy merchant that Adonis was talking to, now sitting at the far end. 

The table was dressed in smooth silk that hid away the table's nakedness while the fine goblets sat on top carefully arranged with the flowers. I sat beside Adonis, trying to maintain my posture and not slouch with Madame Noelle’s constant reminders ringing in my head. I was already struggling to keep my eyes open but now I had to be a pretty doll, sit straight, and smile. For some reason the cold winter air felt heavier as if my body was being pressed down, the air was thicker as it wrapped around me tightly slowly making me melt. The warmth was suddenly an unbearable coldness whilst I drowned in a sudden wave of hunger. 

“The food shall now be served,” A servant announced, dressed in decent attire, at least better than the servants that I saw frantically hurrying all over the place.

With the arrival of the food it also meant the same unpleasant odour had arrived. Human food didn’t taste bad. I remember the days when Vincent and I would exchange snacks. He would melt in delight as he engulfed elves' treats and I would do the same so shamelessly, so happily, so carefree with human food.

“Vinny!” I called out. The three of us sat in our usual hideout in the sunflower field.

“The red gooey stuff is what you guys call tam right?” I laughed as I helped myself to a second with bits of it on my cheeks. 

“Jam,” he corrected sternly while he carefully stroked Audrey’s blond braids, her head resting on Vincent's lap as the tall sunflowers provided shade for her black sensitive skin. 

“It's the same thing,” I rolled my eyes then proceeded to change the wind direction at him to mess up his hair

“Name the price, I would do anything to get more tam,” I groaned as I filled my belly with the sweet food Vincent bought.

And I paid the price with the blood of my people, red like jam, I trusted a human, I took him into the sacred forest and enjoyed the treats and laughter Vincent bought regularly all for it to end with the sorrow and cries he brought. The earth gifted me with a best friend, Vincent who was like a brother to me, but the earth also betrayed me as it hid away and embraced the corpses, once alive but then slain by Vincent and his knights, buried with my own hands.

The roast chicken was grand, the head of a turkey laid in the center with other side dishes as the pungent smell that was meant to be wonderful filled my lungs.

The coronation was meant to be grand, the heads of my fellow people scattered everywhere on the floor along with their intestines- their hearts, guts, mana vessels, - all gushing out filling the place with the disgusting smell of blood that strangled my throat as blood slipped its way into my mouth as I hurled and hurled trying to rid myself of the food I enjoyed. Blood. Blood. Blood. All the same colour of jam. Was this the price I had to pay? 

When I see food I’m reminded. Of the food I foolishly enjoyed, of the blood, of the intestines spilling out left and right. I open my mouth as I clench my fork to eat. I pause. The tongues of the previous humans that owned me that defiled my body and filled my mouth with their dirt, salvia. I ready myself again. I can feel the scorching hot rod deep down my throat, the starworms that crawl down my throat spilling out its poison as it ate away my mana.

“Is it not to your liking?” Adonis moved closer, as his warm breath tickled my ear covered by my hair.

“It's really yummy,” I laughed softly trying to hold up a smile.

“You know lying doesn’t seem to be one of your charms,” he claimed. 

“I am not lying and if I don’t have any charms then you must be-”

“Blessed with charms? Yes I know and you are aware you haven’t taken a bite out of anything?,” He cut me off

“Then you must have poor eyes,” I scoffed annoyedly before taking a bite of the cut-up chicken. I chewed quickly trying not to throw up just yet. I couldn’t just easily go to well and throw up like I wanted in the estate. I took another piece. Another bite and then another side dish and another.

I looked down at my plate like someone had magically refilled my plate. I can feel my stomach twisting in all the places I wish it didn’t, no matter how much I ate I couldn’t see the amount decreasing. I turned to Adonis again, catching him looking at me.

Adonis had a glimpse of surprise on his face as he stared at me for a brief moment, his eyes cold and dark like everything else, a world without colour. His eyes were almond-shaped with his creased lower eyelid slightly and subtly rounder than his upper eyelid, his gaze was sharp and fox-like.

“What is it?” I questioned as he stared at me. His thoughts were unreadable and I hated that the most.

“Don’t force yourself to-”

“So Adonis it’s been a while since you’ve attended a ball…at least of your own according,” someone pointed out redirecting the focus on Adonis and I.

“Well with sense anyone knows that monster hunts ordered by the court leaves little time to mingle,” Adonis shot back as he took a sip of his drink in one gulp as if he was trying to swallow the question leaving no trace nor room for more questions. 

He was ordered by the court? I wonder what caused such a noble like him to be ordered such work.

There was a brief silence that lingered with looks exchanged before a familiar face, dressed finely, wrinkles decorating his face, and jewels carefully attached all over his clothing. If I remembered correctly he was the head of the house of Zenith.

“It is time-consuming to be on monster hunts and serving the kingdom so obediently, your father would be proud that you finished what he couldn't,” he croaked with a sly smile alongside many others. 

Adonis slightly rolled his eyes, sighing in annoyance. His father would be proud? And what exactly did he finish? Whatever it was only empowered those above Adonis.

“Although it seems you are working to restore the house of Axel to its prime when your father was the head, it didn't work out for your father in the end,” He added, slowly slicing up his food maliciously. 

“Thank you for your concern but-” 

“But perhaps you should focus on your fiance if you can't restore your house. Perhaps it's best if you live quietly with love,” The duke suggested chewing on his meat just like he chewed out Adonis. 

It seemed as so that Adonis was truly at the bottom of the ranks slowly waiting to be devoured yet it appeared like they saw him as a threat too. If that was the case I must sharpen this threat so that I can conquer and slay these vile devils.

Slowly, lightly, and softly I let my fingers trace Adonis' knuckles as he gripped the goblet ever so tightly. 

“Oh Adonis I can't believe you are setting out soon to obtain me a shadow gem your love for me warms my heart,”  I whispered loudly, sweetening my voice sounding like a mere child in love, I couldn't speak out in a place filled with male figures but all they had to do was take the bait. To see Adonis as a bigger threat.

“A shadow gem?” A voice with a thick foreign accent spoke up as he turned his head to us staring from the far end of the table, Amir the Elysium kingdom representative.

Laughter erupted from a few nobles obviously not taking my claims seriously. 

“I see Adonis is trying to find what even a thousand troops couldn't find,”  Sir Leone Dimitri spoke.

“Well there is evidence it exists and my love for Riona is enough to give her my body and soul,” Adonis spoke up, going along with my statement. 

“Yes it exists but no matter how many wretched elves we tortured it wasn't enough to get out the information. We tortured infants in front of their mothers, worked them like the vile creatures they are,” responded Duke Zenith, annoyed and so… guilt-free. Why must people be so power-hungry…so blinded by species when we all bleed red?

My people were loyal, I knew that but to imagine their pain, suffering, and pleas, my pain was nothing compared to theirs for my suffering was merely to atone for my unforgivable sins. 

My heart pounded as my mind raced, everything was so hazy, so blurry, so dark and lonely. When I was a slave they made me do all of the things: licking their boots, dirt, eating raw meat, eating animal waste for food but I deserved it. Not my innocent people, I have truly failed them as a queen. My stomach slowly tightened, pushing up the food while I forced myself to push down. 

I had to smile while they discussed such torture my people went through. I had to sit up straight and smile. Because I was fine. If I am not dead I am alive and well. 

I am fine.

I picked up my fork and continued to smile as for brief moments everything went hazy. 

“So how do you plan on finding the gem?” Amir questioned, his voice filled with curiosity.

Adonis spoke but everything just blended together in a blur. 

I leaned closely to Adonis and whispered “I shall excuse myself to the privy,” quietly getting up from the seat trying to be as smooth and discreet as possible trying not to fall. 

Everything was blended together or at least that's how I saw it whilst making my way to the privy. 

One foot in front of the other. I just had to hold out. I clenched the side of my dress tightly while I suffocated inside, keeping up a smile even if no one was near. 

I looked around the hall surrounded by black and white there muddled up together whilst I closed the door of the privy chamber slowly. The walls were thin and probably wouldn't be able to conceal the sound of me. Throwing up to my heart's content regardless of the hunger that I felt because this was just a punishment. 

I pulled the bowl closer before I began to hurl, emptying everything, every bit that refused to come out, sticking out my tongue making way for the vomit leaving a bitter taste like always,  sending shivers through my body. My fingers trembled picking up the bowl before tossing it out. Cleansing sign of what just happened yet my sins and the blur lingered. 

I hurried out like a rag doll with a loose smile walking with caution or at least I tried to.

“Oh,” we both groaned as I bumped into her.

I looked up quickly apologising “Please forgive, it has been a long night,”. I retained my balance as my vision worsened, my heart beating like a drum.

“My apologies,” she spoke softly while her long hair sat high up on her. She had a strange ominous aura. Then I saw it. A soul crystal styled as a pendant carefully on her attire while she cast her eyes on me as if she were staring into my soul before walking off.

I sighed in relief as she left, my body froze at the sight of the soul crystal, slowly shutting down. 

I couldn't pass out right now.