“W-WHAT!? N-NOO! NOOO! D-DON’T DO THIS, ZORDAN!! THEY ARE INNOCENT!! THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG!” Hearing his cruel declaration, Gabriel broke out in tears as she screamed in panic. She kneeled down before Zordan and grabbed his legs as she sobbed bitterly with helplessness.
“I beg of you! I am your enemy...I am the one who disobeyed you! Then why, why are you doing this to them? Just kill me instead! Give me the worst death possible and I promise I won’t even squirm! But please...the Zordan I knew before would never harm an innocent being! Then why are you being so heartless right now? Why are you doing this to me? Just give me death and end my suffering, please…”
Zordan stood still like a rock, keeping a cold, stiff expression prominent in his face hearing her miserable lament. However, he curled his other hand into a fist and glared at the guards who still seemed confused at his sudden unexpected command.
“Why are you still here!? Do I need to repeat my command again?” His raised pitch sounded like an uproar, flinching both of them hard.
“Y-Yes, Your Grace!! W-We will leave right now!” Both the guards quickly bowed their heads before him, preparing to walk out of the room.
However, Gabriel was badly panicked inside but watching them attempting to leave frightened her from the core. She grabbed his leg tight as her teardrops fell on his boots while she shrieked, “I beg of you, Your Majesty!! Please stop them! Just kill me instead, please, give me the most brutal death anyone could have! But spare their lives please–”
“It was your decision to choose, Gabriel. Don’t fret, you will be executed too as soon as they fulfill their task. Now, move aside.” Zordan coldly answered her as he shoved her arms away around his leg. He didn’t fail to notice either her tears had stained his black boots, which left a blank gaze in his eyes.
“No…Please…This can’t be happening...” Mumbling and sobbing, Gabriel turned her neck around to see the guards had almost walked out of the doorstep of the room. Not only them, but Zordan was also about to march ahead, only leaving her distressed alone behind.
Clenching the hem of her gown, the second she recalled the smiling faces of Master Rupert Melhood and his wife, Clara, painful tears swelled in her orbs. Her heart sank deeper in despair to imagine their ultimate tragic end, all because of her one decision!
‘How…Just how can I accept this insane murderer after I saw what he did to my father!?’ She bit her lower lip, bitterly conflicted inside her mind. But as she turned around her head to watch all of them leaving, her throat parched dry in fear and suffocation.
‘I…I failed to protect my father being foolishly blinded by his fake kindness. But, now that I have seen his real self, if I still stick to my choice, Master Rupert and Lady Clara will die! No…They are innocent!
They gave me shelter and warmth…even helped me forget the bitter betrayal that I received from Marcus! I can’t repay their kindness in this life! After Mother and Father, they were the only ones whom I have regarded as my family.
I can’t let this happen to them! N-No… If this situation is a pit of sacrifice, rather, I will be the one to jump in the hellfire.’ Clenching her fist tight, Gabriel swallowed her tears as she stood up from the ground holding a distressed look on her pale face.
“I ACCEPT IT, PRINCE ZORDAN!! I ACCEPT YOUR CONDITION!”
All of a sudden, her loud ardent declaration caused a strong echo amidst the walls of the room, halting everyone’s motion ahead. Not only the two guards but also Zordan paused his march and turned around to peer a deep gaze at her. His steep brows frowned as he appeared a little perplexed, “Huh?”
Tears streamed down her eyes as Gabriel clenched the hem of her gown and uttered those words with the utmost difficulty. “I…I will marry y-you and become your omega. S-So now, can you please consider your decision? You can spare their lives, right?” Her stifled voice sounded immensely painful.
Baffled at her sudden submission, the guards exchanged confused glances with each other, whereas Zordan stood awestruck for a brief moment. His brows curved deeper as he walked a step near her and grumbled, “Just a moment ago you were pleading to me for death and now, you are willing to get married to me? Have you given this a proper thought, Gabriel? This is not a joke.”
“I am not joking either…” A painful arc of smile trembled on her lips as she didn’t waver her gaze away from him. “I still do prefer death rather than accepting a heartless man like you. But, I guess you know me too well to give me such a pathetic choice. You do know I would do anything to save my cherished ones and thus, you have won, Zordan. I accept my defeat.”
Her wrecked, broken voice didn’t fail to convey the immense pain she was carrying inside. While staring at her tearful eyes for a moment, Zordan exhaled another heavy sigh and sneaked a glance at the guards behind.
“I am withdrawing my command, so don’t do any harm to them. And, leave us alone.”
His cold declaration further confused the guards but they couldn’t oppose his decision. Bowing their heads, both of them left the room leaving them behind.
As they left, Zordan walked a few steps closer to Gabriel and peered a deep gaze into her tearful eyes. He didn’t fail to notice her expression of bitter disgust and pain towards him as he further answered in a calm voice, “I am glad, you have finally made a better choice, Gabriel. I will arrange the wedding ceremony sooner as possible.
But before that, tomorrow before dawn, I will prepare a proper funeral for your father. So, get some rest before that.”
His answer flared a tremendous surge of bitter anger in her heart as Gabriel rushed near him and grabbed him by his collar, glaring into his dark pupils.
“How…Just how the fuck can you be so calm while saying all these to me? How can you still pretend as if nothing happened? Since the guards are gone and we are left alone, what if I wish to seek my vengeance?”
Her irked words sounded hoarse as she sneaked a dark glance at the sword buckled around his waist.