Sofia x Hugo The Arranged Marriage

Chapter 23

3rd Person P.O.V.:

"Mama, look what I found!" The little boy exclaimed ran up to his mother proudly,

"What did you find, my petal?" His mother answered, bending down to take a look.

He giggled, opening his hands, inside a ladybug crawling around.

"It's a ladybug!"

"Oh, how wonderful, now go put it back where you found it." his mother directed, giving his head a little pat.

The little boy trotted off, gently placing the ladybug on the leaf.

Alex shook his head, sighing. "Why am I thinking of such useless things now?"

He sat on the floor in front of a cauldron, mixing positions around, he had been sitting in this position for three days now, his arm was so numb from mixing the cauldron that he couldn't even feel the pain anymore. He was so close to finishing his potion and these thoughts were not helping him finish his potion.

Now normally, he wouldn't bother sitting in front of a cauldron for three days, but if it meant revenge, then anything was worth it.

"Adaria wait for me..."

Alex grunts, annoyed that her name popped up again. But those memories did not stop, his childhood kept playing in his mind.

He remembered what they had to say. He just wanted them to stop, but they ran through his mind.

"Poor thing."

"Goodness, what a horrible event has taken place."

"He's only five, how tragic."

"What's going to happen to him now?"

"The poor boy, his whole family gone with the flames."

But none of them actually dared stop and help, they all looked at him like he was the plague. Those eyes of hatred. What had he done to deserve this? His family has done nothing to deserve this. And her... he hated her more than anyone else. He thought that if anyone would be there to help it would be her. She made them outcasts. And for that she deserves to die. His mind smiled thinking about how he finally did it, but his heart hurt, but it faded as quickly as it came.

His mind wandered off once again, thinking about his childhood.

"Mamaaa, looook! It's Adaria, she came to visit again!" the little boy shouted, jumping for joy.

"Your highness," his mother bowed.

"Please, while I'm here I'm just a humble child, no need for formalities." Adaria tells Alex's mother.

"Come with meee! You have to come see the worms I found," five year old Alex said, grabbing Adaria's hand and dragging her away.

"Alex, you can't-," Alex's mother started to scold, but the two had already run off.

Under the setting sun, the two giggled as they reached a clearing, they kneeled amidst the cabbage field, they watched with wonder as earthworms wriggled and writhed beneath the moist soil, each tiny creature a marvel of nature's design. With eyes wide with fascination, they marvelled at the intricate dance of life and death played out in the miniature world at their feet.

The two quickly lost interest and began knitting stories of dragons and knights, running amok chasing lizards and birds alike. They ended up by the river, fireflies and stars lit the sky creating a calm atmosphere.

Alex marched around Adaria telling her stories of old tales and myths that his mother would tell him before bed. He ran around demonstrating characters and monsters all together.

Adaria would always come down to visit from time to time, and once in a blue moon Alex was allowed to visit Adaria in the castle, when his father would come down to deliver fresh produce.

But one day it ended. The visits stopped, and Alex hadn't seen Adaria in over months now. He thought that was painful enough, being abandoned by his best friend. But it got worse.

Alex returned to the night hanging heavy with the scent of smoke, a dark omen that heralded the unravelling of Alex's world. Flames licked at the sky, casting grotesque shadows that danced like demons in the inferno consuming his family home. He had spent the day in the river on the far side of his family home, where he had been fishing. Never would he have imagined walking back to flames. Those flames had devoured everything in their path, consuming the walls that had once echoed with laughter and the halls that had borne witness to a lifetime of memories.

"Mama! Papa! Annie!" Alex cried out running towards the last of the flames and in their remains laid burnt wood and ruble.

His heart was heavy with dread as he searched for any sign of life amidst the chaos. His family, his blood, lay scattered amidst the ruins, their faces frozen in expressions of terror and despair. And as he knelt amidst the rubble, tears mingling with the ashes that stained his hands, he knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

But no one cared, no one did anything to stop the fire, no one offered condolences, just their fake pity. When he demanded to see Princess Adaria, he was denied and thrown back out of the gates. And for that he hated her more than anything in the world.

Alex screamed as the memories ran through his mind, he hated thinking of them, he shook his head blocking his ears, trying to escape from his reality.

But Adaria's death was not enough, if he wanted to get even he had to give her an eye for an eye. He calmed down at that thought and kept stirring. If he wanted to make sure he was able to attack her son as well, then he had to focus. Finally his potion was ready.

"Yes, finally, after three days, it's finally ready!" Alex exclaimed.

This would allow him to possess the mind of anyone, changing their personality, permanently. There had only even been one case able to break free. He knew that his chances of winning over Hugo were high, he just had to make sure to muddle with his emotions, giving him an even easier chance of making sure Hugo would be under his spell for a long time.

Without hesitation Alex sculled a shot, and smiled as he felt the potion pumping through his veins. Tomorrow will be the first day. Tomorrow it will start.

He wrapped a message around his owl's leg and sent it flying into the Mystic Isles, where his leader awaited him. Tomorrow would be the start of a new world, a new rule. The start of the real thing was just beginning, Alex couldn't wait. Alex was glad with himself that he had chosen to team up with his leader. He prepared himself for tomorrow.

As Alex cackled away, what he didn't know though was how Adaria had been sent away for years, and never knew what had happened to her dear friend Alex.