Chapter 45 - 44 - A Bride Stolen at Dusk
Ashtoria peeked from the shadows of a building, her eyes following the figures of Riven and Mira as they walked farther away. A small sense of relief settled in her chest when she saw that the man was conscious. Her gaze shifted to the woman slung over her shoulder like a lifeless sack. The woman’s face was beautiful, adorned with flawless makeup, but beneath that beauty, there was a clear look of fear.
She wore a long, layered white gown that nearly brushed the floor, cinched at the waist with a belt. The inner tunic, a chemise made of linen, clung gently to her skin.
Ashtoria glanced back at the woman’s face—frightened, but forcing a nod of obedience. For a moment, Ashtoria lowered her head, holding her breath, then spoke in a sharp, cold tone.
"Looks like I don’t need you anymore."
The woman froze, seemingly unable to believe what she had just heard. Her expression, once tense, now twisted into visible panic.
"Your Majesty... please don’t kill me..." she stammered, her voice trembling, nearly in tears. "Today is my wedding day... I—"
Ashtoria, clearly growing irritated with the whining, let out a long sigh and dropped the woman roughly to the ground. Her movements were decisive, her gaze sharp as a blade.
"Return," she said, cold and without compromise.
The woman stared at her, stunned, not believing it at first. But the certainty in Ashtoria’s eyes made her step back. After a few seconds, she lowered her head deeply, whispering her thanks again and again in a trembling voice.
"Thank you, Your Majesty... thank you..."
She turned and hurried away, pausing only once to bow again in gratitude before disappearing down the street.