Desperate bargain
Alexia walked aimlessly in the rain, devastated by her grandpa's recent passing. The responsibility of taking care of her brother, now rested solely on her shoulders, but the mountain of debt left behind by her grandpa had drained all of their resources. With no money to feed her brother, Alexia found herself considering desperate measures, but she quickly pushed those thoughts away.
As she walked through the rain-soaked streets, she stumbled upon a brothel. The idea of selling her body crossed her mind, but she dismissed those thoughts just as quickly. However, before she could turn and leave, a mysterious figure in a black cloak appeared before her, his face shrouded in darkness.
Startled by his sudden appearance, Alexia tried to maintain her composure. She inquired, "Who are you, and why are you blocking my path?"
"I know why you're here, and I'm willing to help you," the mysterious figure stated, his voice sending chills down her spine.
Doubtful of his intentions, Alexia replied, "Thank you for your offer, but I don't need your help."
The figure persisted, emphasizing, "I'm not asking for your permission, Alexia. I'm simply informing you or maybe you don't want to see your brother again."
The mention of her brother sent a wave of fear through Alexia. "Tell me,What have you done to my brother?" she demanded, her voice tinged with panic.
The figure remained cold and said. "I haven't harmed him...yet. But if you refuse to comply, I will not hesitate to do so."
Shaken by the threat, Alexia hesitated before asking, "What do you want me to do?"
The figure's tone softened slightly. "Now that's a good girl," he said, reaching a hand out towards her. But Alexia instinctively recoiled, her instincts warning her of the dangers that lurked within the shadows of this cloaked man.
The man didn't seem to mind her reaction as he simply withdrew his hands and stood back, his piercing eyes fixed on Alexia as he revealed his plan.
"I want you to assassinate Demos, the third prince of this kingdom. Your task is to infiltrate the palace disguised as a male trainee. You have two months to carry out this mission. If you succeed within this time frame, your brother will be released unharmed. However, if you fail... your brother's lifeless body will be delivered to your doorstep," he declared with a venomous tone.
As the gravity of the situation sank in,Alexia felt a wave of fear and dread wash over her at the mere mention of treason and murder. She was on the verge of protesting when the threat regarding her brother's life cut her short. She paled even further but clenched her jaw in determination. Her brother was her sole remaining family, and the mere thought of losing him made her blood run cold.
In a voice trembling with emotion, she reluctantly said "I agree," as she bit down on her lips, a silent testament to her inner turmoil.
With a nod, the enigmatic figure disappeared into the shadows, leaving Alexia to grapple with the weight of her decision.
Alexia broke down as tears flowed freely from her eyes. She knew she was trapped between a rock and a hard place. If she killed the prince and it was discovered,the king would definitely have her and her brother's heads chopped off. But did she even have a choice at this point? Either way, her brother would possibly die and she wasn't ready for that. She just stood there letting the rain wash over her mixed with her tears, She then began pondering how this man even knew her and her brother. Had he been following her? Why did she have to be the one to complete this mission? Why was it now that her had grandpa passed away? Why, just why? Was she really a curse, as her father had always told her? Was she truly destined to be left alone in this cruel world? All these questions kept running through her head, and before she knew it, her breath became haggard ad she became lightheaded and finally fainted on the cold floor.
