Chapter 104: 104: Free To Go
Barely an hour later, Anna was summoned by the council.
A heavy stone settled in her stomach.
The council chamber was freezing. Anna didn’t know if that was because the temperature was low, or if it was a result of the seven pairs of eyes staring at her with such vitriol she had never experienced before. She shivered, hugging herself as she still forced herself to keep her chin up and not back down.
For one second, she had the scary idea that they council was going to attack her.
They stared down at her, like crows on a high tree branch, and she was the helpless prey. Even councilor Valor, who had been so vocal the last time she was here, bursting at his seams with aggression, kept his mouth shut, his eyes dark and grim.
The king didn’t look at her, his face cold and stonier than she remembered. The Queen sat beside him, her face pale and streaked with tears, a handkerchief pressed firmly against her trembling lips. She looked at Anna briefly, then turned her head away as if the mere sight of Anna hurt her physically.
"By unanimous decree of the Royal Council," the King began, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings, "you, Princess Anna DeMarchess, are hereby stripped of your name, your royal lingeage, and your title as Princess Orchid. Your crimes against the crown, against your sister, are beyond pardon."
Anna didn’t blink. But she gripped her hands together, picking at her thumb. An old habit she believed she had overcome.
"You have three days," The King continued, "to leave the Eastern kingdom. If your feet should touch the eastern soil after the third day, you will be executed on sight as a traitor to the kingdom. Furthermore, you will depart with nothing. No gold, no cars, no guards, and no servants. You will leave exactly as you entered this world, with nothing but the clothes on your back."
"Has the council considered my divorce with General Leon?"
The King moved, his eyes flashing. "What is one more crime, no?"
Anna exhaled a breath of relief, one tht shocked the council. They expected her to throw a tantrum, deny the charges, or worse, refute the order. Instead she’s relieved? This only turned their hearts against her. They believed she had no remorse. Of course, why else would she be relieved?
Meanwhile, Anna was glad that she was finally free of Leon.
"Do you have anything to say?" the King questioned.
"My other husbands, may I leave with them?"
"If they please."
Anna nodded, relieved at first, then the doubt came in. what if they don’t want to come with me? besides I have nothing now. no name, no crown, no wealth.
Nothing... Anna thought, a strange and hollow sort of relief washing over her. No royal duties. No public scrutiny. Most of all, no villainess act to keep up.
A small smile tugged up the corners of her lips.
She bowed and said "Thank you, royal council. Thank you, your majesties."
"Why?!" the Queen suddenly wailed, rising to her feet. "Why did you have to commit such wickedness?! Your sister! Why did you hurt your sister!" the raw anguish in her voice made anna’s eyes water.
"I’m sorry mo—"
The queen raised a shaky hand. "Don’t. don’t ever call me that again. Go. I never want to see you again!"
Anna bit her lip to prevent her from crying out. She bowed again, took one last look at the King and Queen, imprinting them into her memory forever, before she turned and walked out.
As she walked back to her room, the shift in the atmosphere was instant. The news had spread like wildfire before she was even out. The servants who used to bow and hudle together out of fear now stood boldly in the halls, whispering and laughing.
"Did you hear? She finally got exiled."
"I’m surprised it took this long. She tried to kill Princess Lotus."
"Can you imagine? She dared hurt our Princess Lotus! She was jealous, that’s it. She will never be like Princess Lotus."
"Never. She’s always going to be a rotten woman. She’s a monster."
"Thank the gods. Now we don’t have to worship her anymore."
Anna ignored all of them. She kept her eyes straight ahead as she kept walking. Till she got outside the palace and to her lab. The only place she felt safe in.
However, she’d barely settled in before the door opened and Kai walked in. his eyes, normally so bright and remnicent of the ocean, were dark and clouded with panic. His shoulders were tense as he closed the distance between them in five long strides. He opened his mouth to speak, but the door opened.
Ray walked in.
His dark eyes fixed on her, unreadable yet intense. Not up to seconds later, Azul arrived, spotting his fur coat, his eyes cold as ice.
Her three husbands stood in a semi circle around her, the silence between them stretching taut like a rubber band stretched too far.
"what you heard is true," anna spoke first. "I tried to kill my sister."
No one said anything. They didn’t even look at each other, their eyes focused solely on her.
She inhaled, her back straightening as she clasped her hands in her lap and picked at her thumb again. "I’ve been exiled. I cant leave with anything, not even my title. So I’ve decided to free you all. I’ll remove the collars and you are free to leave if you so choose to."
"Did you really mean to kill her?" Ray asked, his voice quiet.
Anna met his eyes. She didn’t know what to do or say. So she kept quiet.
"Where will you go?" Azul asked.
Anna shrugged. "I’ll figure something out."
"Leon?" he asked.
"the divorce was approved."
"Good," Ray said. Kai remained silent, watching her closely.
"Go ahead then." Azul urged, his voice softening.
Anna got to her feet, walking up to Ray first. She pricked her finger, and using the unlock method she had from Princess Orchid’s memories, unlocked the collar. The black object hissed as it fell to the ground. Ray touched his neck, as if making sure it was really gone. Then she moved to Kai, and finally, Azul.
Here goes...
Azul didn’t say a single word. He didn’t look at her, didn’t spare a glance for Kai or Ray. He simply turned around, his white fur coat billowing behind him, and vanished through the door, his footsteps fading into the corridor.
Anan watched him leave, swallowing the bitter lump in her throat. Of course, why would he stay? The woman that enslaved him was gone. He was free to leave.
She turned to Kai and Ray, biting her lip so she wouldn’t cry. "You should go too," she said. "I have nothing to give you. Nothing. I’m not the Princess anymore, I’m just Anna."
"I’m not leaving you," Kai said without hesitation. He stepped closer to her, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I’m staying with you. No matter what happens."
"Me too," Ray said, taking her other hand and brining it up to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. "I’m staying."
"You don’t mean it," anna said, turning away so they wouldn’t see her tears.
"Cutie please, even with the collar, I stayed." Kai chuckled.
The door to the lab opened again, and Anna didn’t need to turn to see that it was Drax. She turned to him.
"The east is no longer safe for you," Drax said, his voice low and smooth as he leaned against the doorframe. His eyes swept over anna, down to her hands still being held by Kai and Ray. "I can arrange a passage to the south."
Anna frowned. "The South? That’s insane. A lot of people know me there."
"Do you have any better options?"
"The South is good," Kai said. "We should go there."
"Yes, and it’s peaceful." Ray added.
Anna looked between them, unable to understand why they were suddenly in perfect sync. Then she sighed and turned to Drax.
"Thank you."
Drax didn’t have a collar, so there was no need to remove one.
"I need to be alone for now," anna said glancing at Ray and Kai. They both stepped back hesitantly, promising to return later.
Once they were gone, anna picked up the collars and set them down on the table.
She looked around the lab, her mind conjuring up images of what laid ahead for her. With her royal life gone, naturally she’d have to find a job, earn money for her and her husbands. Work again.
Somehow, she found herself looking forward to it.
The crushing weight that had been in her chest since she transmigrated into this crazy world vanished. She felt like life was starting afresh for her. A life similar to her old corporate slave life. But this time in a while new world.
That doesn’t sound so bad.
From her past life, Anna was used to working. It was all she did. She was also used to taking care of others, especially her boyfriend. She paid the rent, and the utilities, and everything else.
It’s nothing new to me. I’m sure I’ll handle it fine.
She inhaled deeply and then exhaled. "Ah shit, I forgot to ask if I could take my suppressants...I’m sure they won’t mind right?"
No one answered.
"System? What do we do now? You’ve not said anything."
There was a long hum in her head before the System finally replied in a cold and professional voice.
[Ding. Act 1 has been successfully completed.]
[Recalibration for new goal in progress.]
[Kindly stand by, host, for further instructions.]
