ZakkuIsJustTrash This is a bit of a "What if Jezebeth was alive" thing. Btw y'all who dunno what I'm talking about good because blind experiences are the best :)
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It doesn't take long for the halls to fill. The only people who were late to arrive were the preists and preistesses, who rang the bells for sundown in our chapels. Everything glitters against the matt dark colour of the blood red walls. Red is our royal colour. It stands for everything we are as alliad. Silver delicately flows on the banisters and twists on the decór. The metal twinkles in the lights studded with diamonds and glass. If I had not been used to them, I would have been blinded.

"Good evening, dear sister." the voice I associate with the most wicked snake hisses behind me.

"Evening, Seth." I turn to my brother. My brother. The crown prince.

"It's absolutely beautiful, isn't it Mara?" he waves a gloved hand at the swirling guests, chittering among themselves. It's not just nobles. My mother likes to give commoners the chance to marvel at something they cannot have. And they call it a blessing...

Even the peasants here are not poor. They can afford survival and just a tad bit of luxury. Social injustice was never known. All because of my late father. But my castle, these corridors with numberless candles and yet still so cold, houses our most precious resource; ruber. Ruber is the key to our wealth. It has a different name in some worlds. The earthens call it ruby. It isn't as valuable as gold to them, but to the alliad, it's rarer, and hard to extract. It's why our kingdom's banners fly red. Because we cherish ruber to the point of obsession for some.

"Any of these fine men catch your eye?" Seth glances at me again.

"... I am keeping myself open." I reply hesitantly. "Surely you are willing to pursue some of the women here, correct?"

"Bah. None of those dolls could call themselves ladies. Willing to throw themselves at my feet just for a chance to look me in the eye..."

I am surprised by Seth's reaction. As much as filth as he is, is he above seeing women as objects purely for gawking at their husbands?

"No, I need a woman willing to work with me, not for me."

There it is. Seth wants a woman just as much as a schemer as he is.

"Excuse me, brother." I nearly spit the last word. "I'm going to see Mother." I make off. My pink rose ribbon bounces on my dress pinned to the front, which is a shade of purple. The ribbon means I am available for marriage. When I am getting married, I will carry pink flowers for my bouquet and a single pink rose in it. Pink means love in our lands since red means royalty.

Suddenly someone bumps into me. They don't apologise, meeting my eyes for a moment before doing a double take. A young man about my age. His hair is dark like mine. He looked bored, but now confused.

"Mara?" he blinks.

"Lady Mara." I give him a cold stare. Talk about disrespectful.

He opens his mouth to speak, but I walk away quickly.
___

My mother stands up high in front of the crowd in all her beauty. Despite her age, her face is an image worthy of a hundred paintings. Her hair curls perfectly, going down her back. She is regal yet morbid in her black dress and silver crown, silver gloves up to her elbows. So much silver...

"Ladies and gentlemen. You know why you are all gathered here. Tonight, one of these beautiful young women will be chosen as the next queen of Derais. And furthermore, my daughter Princess Mara will choose a man to take her hand in marriage!" Jezebeth raised her hands a bit in a celebratory gesture. The crowd clapped and cheered.

"As of now, let the celebrations commence!" Seth cried out. A few girls swooned at him. I rolled my eyes. The young man from earlier is staring right up at me from below.

What in the world is his problem?

Suddenly my mother leans towards me.

"Go out there. And don't forget your place." her tone is icy.

I reluctantly head down the stairs.
___

Everyone is dancing with partners at this point. I'm swapping between different men when someone catches my wrist.

"Hello, sweetheart." that same man from earlier, again? He then begins to start dancing with me.

"What do you want from me?" I frown.

"You seriously don't recognise me, Mar- er, Lady Mara?"

"Good work on my title this time."

Suddenly his eyes drift down.

I try to shove him away, but he realises I got the wrong message.

"Hey, I'm not staring at... that... I'm looking at this!" he places a hand where my neck is.

"My necklace? What of it?" I snap.

"Honestly, not a bit of recognition? Who gave you that?"

Then it hits me.

This is Zakku. A boy from my childhood. One who used to call me cute and kissed me one nig-

Don't think about that.

My brother and mother spot me dancing with a commoner. I can feel their stares through the back of my head. Despite them, I still find myself dancing.

"So, finally she figures it out. Give her a hand, folks!" Zakku spins me, a grin on his face. He's grown up handsomely.

"I-I..." I cough awkwardly. I never imagined I'd actually see him again. All hopes of that had been crushed...

"Come on Mara. I have something I need to finish." he whispers.
___

Hand in hand, Zakku brings me outside to the gardens, which is more quiet, with the dull buzz of the party running inside the walls like a machine.

"So... it's definitely been years." he smiles at me.

"I agree..." I say uncomfortably. There's a lot I want to ask, but...

Suddenly everything moves fast. His hands on my waist, mine on his shoulders automatically, him moving in to kiss me-

"Stop."

Zakku looks at me again. "What is it?"

"Just... stop. I've seen you for the first time in years. Don't expect my little crush from before to still be there..." I turn away, moving to go back to the dreaded noise.

"Is it because I didn't come back?"

I stop walking.

"Mara, I swear I wanted to come back to you. But... things happened... and it all got messed up..."

"I don't need a mock apology." my voice breaks regardless of my attempts to disguise it.

"I know that. So that's why I was going to give you something else..."

I turn to him, one hand on my hip. "And what is that?"

He's quiet for a moment. Then he's down on one knee.

Oh, fuck.

He brings out a ring.

Ohhh, fuck.

"Lady Mara, I know it's a bit soon, but... I've always wanted to come back to the girl I fell for so long ago to give her this. You asked when we were children. And I promised it to you. I plan to keep that promise.

I can't stop it. Tears run down my face.

"I was told you never loved me."

Zakku sighs. "Mara-"

"Not just that. Men and boys like you don't want me for me. You want my position. You want a queen, not a girl."

"Mara, that doesn't make sense. You're not even next in line, your brother is."

And I plan to stop that.

"Leave." I turn and walk back inside. I pass a small swing tied to a tree. Naomi used to push me and Mallory here. Before they-

"Mara!" Zakku gets up and tries to grab my shoulder, but I quickly slap his hand.

"Leave. Now. Before I make you get out."
___

Seth grabs me after the party. Everyone wants to grab me tonight...

"You are forbidden from-"

"Seth, I am not stupid. I know I am above men like him, and I know what they intend." I say coldly.

"You are forbidden from leaving these walls."

I pull away. Seth is younger, but he is tall. "What do you-"

"He means you are not allowed leave this castle under any circumstances. Unless of course this place is on fire. Then work away." my mother glides behind me like a ghost.

"What is the meaning of this?!" my eyes move between the two of them.

"Stop fiddling all the time." she suddenly slaps my hand. I didn't even realise I was fiddling with my dress. I do it a lot with anything really, subconsciously. Tapping surfaces, feeling them. I never knew why.

"I think it's time this attitude was locked up, too." Seth's smile may as well had fangs.

"I am not a child!" I resist the urge to strangle him.

"Then stop acting like one."
___

I cannot contain my rage, and it's painted on my face.

They must know I'm going to kill them.

Something taps at my window.

Zakku?!

The window flies open, nearly knocking him off the wall. He climbed on the vines that entertwine on the castle.

"Hey, Mara."

"Leave me alone!"

"Look, I heard everything with your family. They're not the boss of-"

"How did you hear?" my eyes narrow. "... you're an assassin, aren't you?"

"It's a living. Look, Mara, I want to save you from this."

"I'm not some damsel in distress."

"They're going to kill you."

"... what?"

"They know all about your little plot. I heard it. They were going to hang you and make it look like suicide." Zakku says grimly.

"... of course." I sigh.

"Look I'm not asking you to marry me again. But come with me at least where you'll be safe until we figure this out."

He really wants to save my life, doesn't he?

"... fine." I say. He holds out his hand and I take it. The descent is a blur. The next thing I know, I'm being led through the forest around that survival game of a castle.

... his hand is warm.