The Crown of Sun and Shadows

𝒯𝓌𝑜

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"No."

It was a simple word that made Avyanna's back go rigid, her arms resting in her lap when the iron door swung open, the door that was a mockery of her family line. Arwan had known who she was that day, the princess apparent, and two days later, that iron door was placed in his office, in case her magic went rampant, and she tried to blow him to pieces. She'd thought about it so many times, every time his mouth ghosted over hers, never meeting her lips, but just a reminder that he could if he wished. He could take whatever he wanted from her, he made her, he owned her. Avyanna was a no-one, and normally she would be okay with that, but today, when he commanded her, smirking when he watched her seethe, she wished for the days she was a princess. She hated the word no, hated that it came from Arwan so often it was etched into her bones.

Arwan was stalking across the room, his hand on a dagger as he aimed for the Crown Prince. Killian didn't move, didn't show fear, but Avyanna was moving, so quickly that the prince's guard dog stumbled back. She raised her hands up when she moved into position, catching the dagger between the chains and yanking Arwan forward, sending the blade skittering across the room. And before Arwan was able to react, her arms were twisted around his throat, the iron chain he loved to leash her with pressing against his jugular. "One move Master," Avyanna spoke, her voice full of promise of an icy, painful, death, "And I will end you just as you have taught me."

"Let go of me princess," His voice was in her ear, and no one was able to hear the mockery of her title. Magic had been banished, locked away years ago, but sometimes when Avyanna was angry enough, she could feel the flicker of it in her veins. Akosua's blood poured through her veins begging to unleash, and it was another reason for the iron shackles around her wrists and ankles, iron was one of the only things that could keep her at bay. Arwan's hand slipped around her hip, a silent claim as his eyes stayed on the prince, who hadn't reached for that dagger at his side. Her family dagger and Arwan knew, because he clicked his tongue, "It seems you have managed to leash my prodigy," Arwan squeezed Avyanna's hip, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop the whimper, one day she would kill him, for everything he's made her do. She wasn't worthy of her crown anymore, he ruined her. "Pay me for her. She's better used warming your bed than mine I suppose."

Avyanna's knees gave out, sending both her and Arwan to the tiled floor, the sound of iron and bone against terracotta made her ill. But Arwan chuckled, amused that such a statement could bring her to the ground. "My, if I knew that the mention of you in my bed sent you to your knees in submission, we would've saved ourselves so many lashing sessions," A strangled sound left Avyanna at Arwan's words. At eight she accepted this proposal, to be his assassin and spy, just so she had a place to sleep. She was in the heart of her enemy's city, her brother, mother, and father were all dead. But ever since that day, she had regretted every moment of being Arwan's knife in the dark, because he had used her soul in ways she would never be able to explain. She was everything to Arwan and nothing to anyone else. She used to love the fact that Arwan only seemed to care for her, but as the years went by, and his touches became stronger, bolder, even in public, Avyanna wished the kings men had killed her the day she plunged into the ravine, she would've at least been happy.

"How much?"

"You would actually pay for her?" Arwan let out a dark laugh, one that made Avyanna flinch, his mouth right on her ear as she still had her shackles around his throat. "Do you not see how violent she is prince? She would flay you open like a fish with her anger."

"What I see," Killian's voice was strong, not that of a shy prince, no it was the voice of a future ruler, of a king in the making, "Is an assassin who just stepped in to save my life as a madman charged at me," Killian's gaze dropped down to where Avyanna looked at him, his face hard. "Release him and stand before me."