The Cursed Prince

Note: You girls are so creatively evil with the punishment for Ellena XD. I am taking notes.

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Mars looked at his wife deeply. He could tell that Emmelyn was feeling conflicted. She had such a kind heart. So, maybe she couldn't stomach a severe punishment for Ellena?

He pulled her to his embrace. "You can think about it later. No need to give me your answer now."

Emmelyn pursed her lips and looked behind her shoulder at Ellena who was whimpering on the corner. She was still hugging her stomach after being tossed to the floor by Mars earlier.

Being here in the same room with Ellena made Emmelyn feel nauseous and wanted to vomit. She buried her face on his sturdy chest and whispered, "Yeah... please take me out of here."

Mars was surprised to see his wife's sudden reaction. She looked really pale all of a sudden and her body trembled.

"Are you unwell?" Mars asked Emmelyn, looking really concerned. "Let's get you out of here."

He quickly lifted her and carried her in his arms. As he walked past the guards, he shouted orders to them to lock Ellena's cell. Kira stayed behind, crossing her arms on her chest, and she looked at Ellena with contempt.

"You are the ugliest woman I have ever met in my life. You are ugly on the outside as you are ugly on the inside. How could you think the king would even spare you a glance?" Kira raised a brow.

Ellena clenched her fists and looked up to see the woman who came with Emmelyn earlier. She was offended by Kira's words and this anger gave her a new vigor to get up and face the presumptuous woman.

"How dare you..." Ellena held on to the rails behind her and walked toward Kira. "You don't know what I have been through... to be in this situation..."

"Oh.. really?" Kira scoffed. "You think too highly of yourself. Don't think I can't recognize a snake when I see one. You are NOT a victim. You did everything to hurt other people just to get what you want. You even hurt my friend and her baby. That's despicable. Even we pirates don't hurt babies!"

"You..." Ellena's eyes bulged. "Did you say you are a pirate?"

"I did." Kira raised a brow. "Got a problem with that?"

"No... actually no," Suddenly Ellena's voice became gentle. Her heart pounded and her evil mind quickly thought about ways to save herself. She was a good judge of people and she could tell that this woman before her was not an ordinary woman.

Before, Ellena didn't know who she was, but Kira looked scary. There was something about this woman that sent chills down her spine.

Now, she realized it was because Kira was... a pirate.

"I know pirates only think about money. What about you? Do you like money too?" Ellena looked at Kira with a pleading gaze. She quickly added. "I know where my father keeps all his money. You will be rich that you can even buy your own small kingdom."

Kira tilted her face and looked at Ellena with interest. "Go on."

Ellena swallowed. "I know where he hides all his treasure. He showed me the place once. I know where he put the keys. I don't want to rot in this place for the rest of my life..."

She kept pleading. "Please, I will tell you all about the treasure. You won't need to plunder any cities or rob any ships in the future. You can live surrounded by wealth for the rest of your life.. and even generations to come."

Finally, a wicked smile curved up on Kira's face. "Very well. You've got my attention. What do you want?"

"Get me out of here..." Ellena begged her.

Kira looked around them and shook her head. "Soon, the guards will come here and lock the cell. I won't have enough time to get you out of here. So, even though I love money that much... I am not that dumb to take your offer."

"No... but, you can find ways to get me out of here..." Ellena bit her lip and exerted her brain. "Wait... what if you suggested to Mars a punishment that requires me to leave this cell? What do you think?"

Ellena's heart pounded harder when she saw Kira didn't outright reject her proposal. That means, there was hope for her to get her freedom. She didn't care if she had to give Kira all her father's wealth. She wouldn't have the use for it anyway if she rot here in prison.

Besides, that wretched old man deserved to be robbed of all his possession because of what he did to his own daughter.

He didn't acknowledge Ellena as his daughter publicly even though he didn't have any other offspring. Instead, he asked his wife to claim that Ellena was her sister's daughter and they wanted to adopt her.

Ellena felt resentment because of that. She thought if only she was born a male probably Duke Preston would not mind giving her the status she so deserved. She hated her father then and she hated him more now that he washed his hands off of her.

He blamed everything on Ellena and avoided being associated with her and her crimes at all costs.

So, yes, Ellena didn't mind giving Kira the secrets to her father's treasure, if she could get her freedom. She really hoped this pirate woman could be bought. Kira didn't have any direct interest in seeing Ellena died, did she?

Whether Ellena died or not, it didn't affect Kira. So, Ellena decided to try again and push her luck.

"Here... take my jewelry. They are worth ten gold coins," she said hastily and took off her necklace and bracelet and gave them to Kira. "What my father keeps can fill your biggest ship with gold, silver, and precious stones. He is the wealthiest man in this kingdom."

She added, "I can also give you all the evidence that will incriminate my father. He planned a treason a while back and he did help me to hurt Emmelyn. I am sure Mars wanted my father gone but he lacks evidence."

Kira smiled more broadly when she heard Ellena's last words. This was what piqued her interest, more than the treasure that Ellena offered her.

The pirate princess snatched the jewelry from Ellena's hand and patted her back. She said, "Fine. If you insist. I can only accept your offering."

"So.. does this mean, you will get me out?" Ellena asked, looking hopeful.

Kira kept the necklace and bracelet in her pocket and replied to Ellena, "I will keep you updated."

Then she turned around and left. Ellena felt her heart drop to the floor. Somehow, she believed that Kira would keep her word. She was not sure why. As she thought, she was a good judge of character.

Whether Kira wanted Duke Preston's money or his head, Ellena could give her both. She could tell that Kira was truly interested and would find ways to get Ellena out of the prison.

Once she got her freedom, Ellena would think about ways to escape in case Kira didn't keep her promise and still wanted to kill her. What mattered was Ellena could get away from this wretched prison.

Her knees became weak and Ellena dropped to the cold floor. She wanted to cry but her tears were already dry from a long time ago. Now, she could no longer shed any tears.

***

Gewen looked relieved when he saw Kira stepping out of the prison. Even though initially he wanted to follow Mars and Emmelyn to see Ellena in prison, together with Kira, he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to just wait outside.

Even though he knew Ellena was evil and had done so much crime, he couldn't bring himself to come and see her in this situation. They were such good friends in the past.

He suddenly remembered all the good times they had together and their friendship as he walked toward the prison. And in the end, his steps halted. Tears started forming in his eyes.

Even from last year he often asked himself, how did they end up like this?

Call him a coward, but he couldn't force himself to do it. So, he motioned Mars to keep going and he would stay there, waiting until they were done.

He saw Mars walk out half an hour later with Emmelyn in his arms, but there were no signs of Kira. He realized Kira might stay behind to wait until all the guards came to Ellena's cell and locked it. So, Gewen waited anxiously.

When Kira finally came out, he quickly walked to her and held her arms. "Are you okay? What took you so long?"

Kira smiled at him and shrugged. "Nothing."

"How was she....?" Gewen asked Kira haltingly. "Is she..... uhm, okay?"

"She is in prison, Lord Gewen," Kira chided him. "Do you think anyone in prison will be okay?"

"No... of course, not." Gewen rubbed his hair in frustration. "Sorry, that was a dumb question."

"The king asked Emmelyn what kind of punishment she wants for Ellena, and she suddenly felt unwell that her husband had to carry her out," Kira explained. "I think Emmelyn is too nice to ask for the cruelest punishment for Ellena. So, I will do it on her behalf."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. I just got an idea. I will suggest Mars parade Ellena around the capital to make an example out of her. So, people will know the crimes she had committed toward the royal family," said Kira. "Then she can be beheaded publicly on the town square. I cannot think of any punishment? more fitting for her."

Kira lied. She could think of several other worse punishments for Ellena. However, she didn't want to scare Gewen.

The man didn't need to know what she was planning. Gewen talked too much and would probably ruin Kira's plan with his big mouth if she told him.

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So, yeah... I took notes of your suggestions and we will see Ellena get her proper punishments. XD

PS: Sorry I am feeling unwell these days so I can only write 1 chapter for TCP since yesterday.. I will try to write more tomorrow.? Take care!