THE SUBSTITUTE BRIDE

I can hear it.

The cheering, the crowd. It’s too loud, too noisy.

I can feel my system being fueled maybe adrenaline

Damn.

I 'm doomed.

The noise is now vibrating within me, and recognized by my pounding heart.

"You ready?"

I turned to the man standing at the end. A familiar soldier of the royal family. But I know him, he lives in the town where I come from.

There's a different royal group in Greece, I'm now in the house of the Cueridos, the most powerful Royal circle of the north.

I stared at him, I could see the concern on his face.

if I say no.

Never. Will he give me the chance to run away?

"Stay alive Thalia."

I took a deep breath.

"Thanks uncle Sebastian. Open up."

I wore the thin cloth that hid half my face. My eyes are the only visible.

I heard the irritating noise made when he slowly push the tall gate. A blinding light meet my sensitive eyes, the crowd became aggressive, I can hear drums and trumpets, some people cheering

"Baubax" is our district.

"Go now Thalia. Stay alive."

I need that, I need to get home.

Uncle Sebastian gave me a worried and reassuring stare.

"I'll try. And I have to."

And I started to walk briefly, out of the darkness.

"Anthalia Alivares from Baubax!"

The speakers are too loud, so do the crowd. The screams of the people were deafening.

I stop looking in the middle, there’s a huge stage 12 ft from the ground where I am.

sitting royally are the royal bloods of the north and their councils.

They're even shining with those fabrics and Jewelries glistening from the Sun's light. Damn good looking I can't help but smirk.

Pain in the eye.

In the middle there's the King Arthur watching me intently, everyone is. I looked at the man sitting to his left with those brown warm eyes looking at me intently, with a frown like damn curious if I just mistook entering a door, I knew immediately who he was.

The King Arthur Titus son Prince Ezekiel, he's the rebel son, he doesn't even look like a prince at the moment, he is wearing a normal pants and white long sleeves, he got long messy hair and ragged look, his eyes are bored and sleepy, on the right is the worrying queen Elize, there's the princess Erine too

the Royal family.

The shits who enjoys sitting and watching this shit of a tradition to happen.

I saw the queen whisper something to the king who answered with

"let it be"

"Mariano Capule from Satorni district!"

The familiar sound of the opening gate echoing, the cheering crowds became more aggressive.

"Capule" I smirked. Surname of the great warriors of the north. Damn it.

Do I have a chance?

I saw a big man slowly walking towards me. His holding an ax, he looks damn serious and scary, he's probably six ft tall, I'm feeling small at my 5'6 height.

He sigh "what? Are they crazy?"

"Doing this as a tradition, they are."

He stiffened, and smile.

"Yes, .. Is it really you?"

One of us has to die. Only one will remain standing in this arena. I can see hesitation in his eyes. That's the mechanics, kill or be killed. The bravest and greatest warrior will remain standing.

That's the trend of their game.

I hate to be part of it.

"I can't believe too." I smirk.

He smile, with a strange sadness

"Then as early as now I apologized"

he gesture his left hand and place in his heart and bow.

Its our way of saying apology and showing respect. He is a gentleman.

But .. I need to stay alive.

"Let's not take this long then."

He looks like A hungry warrior who's looking intently at a prey

"Let's the ..tournament begin!"

Hayyyyss

I bet this gonna be the longest day of my life

The man violently walked towards me, I just knew then he won't hesitate to kill me on the spot. In his eyes that seemed to be on fire to kill me, I knew the game would be difficult.

"I'll do you a favor. It won't be mercilessly. I'll kill you no more ado."

He started to attack me with his ax, there's the cheering crowd. I blink twice, when he's about to slashed it in my head I sit and hit him there,

In His sensitive part and he groaned crazily there's some more aggressive cheering,

I pulled out the small dagger stuck in my sock hidden in My long skirt.

While sitting I pointed the dagger at the man's side.

He's shocked, but didn't seem to feel the pain with my attack.

He just stepped back, smiling.

"I didn't expect you to be capable of fighting. I thought you're just ... Some skinny normal teenage girl."

"Have you heard the word amazon?"

"Hmm, they're the bravest and ... Dangerous."

I am.

He took something out of his pocket, I didn't even see the quick thrust of what was on my shoulder,

its ... A knife.

Feeling the pain made me gasp.

My blood ooze, I pulled out the pocketed knife, and the blood slid down my shoulder. I was distracted for awhile because I didn't notice him running towards me,

He grabbed my neck

And I was out of breath, I could feel the blood not flowing to my head.

His grip was too tight .. I. I can't die here, I need to .. Get out alive and claim my prize ..

My senses were blurry now, I roam my eyes around to ask for help. I saw and can hear the cheering crowd, then my eyes went to those shits watching me from not afar.

I saw the Prince arguing with his father, the queen too is in converse with the king who kept watching me.

Eyeing me, like he's telling something I can't understand ... He look down, he's staring at something below me ... As if telling me to look at it too ..

Then I felt it. Suddenly I felt and remember it. There's a cold and wet with thick blood in my left hand.

The knife.

I was about to completely faint but I managed to bring my hand up.

With all my remaining strength ..

I dig the knife damn so deep in my predator's chest.

He groaned, and I mange to pull off from his hands,

I cough when I feel the air flow again in my body. My eyes still blurry and I'm in head ache but one thing is clear.

Everyone's cheering "Baubax"

I won.