73. Orchid of Ashes

The word spread across the corners of the world, but not to the dungeon inside the ice castle. Las Oajar passed its verdict to the queen of Ayruzglow to invite brides from neighbouring kingdoms upon the bride selection of the crown prince of Ayruzglow, who was alleged to be crowned as king of Ayruzglow with his queen.
With her ambiguous mind, Nora was filled with a poisonous desire to ruin every ounce of charm Akshara bought. Nora was determined to make Akshara become the rumour that echoed over the icy walls of the Ayruzglow kingdom.
"I don’t know who else I have to fight with to get Dev. First, it was the witch from Frozen Crescent, and now its random brides from allied kingdoms. I can’t tolerate Dev being with anyone." Nora decided to update her torment to include Akshara.
"I intend to destroy the charm that engrossed my Dev towards her," Nora said, breaking the glass with her bare hands. "I made her starve. I toiled here. I did everything I could to expunge her charm. No matter what I did, her charm doesn't wear off."
Nora hit the fruit bowl with the hands of Indigo, and the metal bowl rolled across the floor and made a clinking sound that startled every dragon maid in her room. She eyed one of her dragon maids and asked, "Am I beautiful?"
Everyone nodded in fear. Nora asked them again, "Am I more beautiful than the dungeon girl?"
Every head in Nora’s room nodded. "Then what’s so special about her that fascinates him?" Nora asked, and silence spread across her chamber. "Bring her," Nora ordered her maids.
Meanwhile, Nora walked to the orchid, recalling the day Dev made the orchid for Akshara, along with a small display of their intense love. Nora was amazed and shocked to see the life in every blossom and leaf of the orchid.
"How can she and her orchid be so fresh after such a devastating event?" Nora turned to her dragon maid, Indigo, "Did you water them?"
"No, no, why would I water them when I wanted to destroy them?" Indigo replied in a trembling tone.
"Then," Nora lifted her gaze and looked at the orchid through the bridge of her nostrils. She walked, crushing the saplings under her feet. The chill of the little blossoms tickled her feet. She looked at the orchid with flaring eyes and smirked, "Time to feed my fires."
In a fraction of a second, Nora used her flames to burn the orchid. She turned the greenery orchid into ashes with her purple flames. The blossoms and twigs burned down to ashes while the big tree in the orchid shed its leaves with burnt bark. The fragrance from the lovely buds turned into the pungent smell of burnt smoke. The colours that gave a pleasant view to every passer’s eyes became the ashes.
Nora burned down the orchid into the mound of ashes. She stood in the middle of the orchid and let out a manic laugh at the pyre. Her beauty had faded away in her wickedness and jealousy. Her dragon maid, Indigo, couldn’t see the beauty in her as she was now fully transformed into a beasty wicked woman herself.
The other maids tried to pull her out of the pyre, but none could enter the blazing fire. Indigo looked worried at Nora and lamented to one of the maids, "Her love is becoming more toxic to herself. If she doesn’t stop now, it will cost her her own life."
Akshara was worried and shocked to see her orchid was on fire. She rushed immediately towards the orchid to smother the fire. She was more shocked to see Nora was in the middle of the fire. "Nora?"
Without a second thought, Akshara jumped into the fire to pull Nora out without resenting her for being scorched or burnt. Indigo was touched by Akshara’s quick action and stood still like a statue in the corner looking at Akshara.
Akshara succeeded in pushing Nora out of the flames, but the fire surrounded Akshara. Nora's outburst was in the wrath of being pushed by Akshara. She stood up in anger and told her to show her mercy with more fire.
"I couldn't wait to burn her like her orchid," Nora said as she attempted to kill Akshara with her fire flames. Indigo, however, stopped her.
"Leave me alone, Indy. How could she possibly touch me? She has no right to pressure me. She must die today in my hands, regardless of the repercussions." Indigo was well aware that Nora was not on her mind when she poured out her deadly remarks.
Indigo persuaded Nora with random remarks that sprang to her, "It's time for the brides from our allied kingdoms to arrive. Why don't you join them in the procession and demonstrate to our kingdom that you, too, are eligible to be his bride?"
Nora appeared to be persuaded by Indigo's statements "That's right. I must demonstrate my suitability to be his bride. This is my only opportunity." She stopped for a moment before saying, "You look after this witch, Indy. I'm going to join the procession."
Indigo nodded and signalled for the maids to accompany Nora. Akshara was heartbroken when she saw her lovely orchid turn to ash and screamed out in despair and pain.
"It's the Devil's sole gift to me. The breeze from the big tree helps to soothe me in his absence. After he left, I found these blooms to be more compelling. It helped me to visualize him. This orchid exudes his scent. Now, it's no longer there."
Akshara's thoughts quickly conjured up an image of Dev and her kneeling over the large tree. "Devil!" she said, grasping the amulet.
Nora stopped by her way and hapless to show her more evil, Indigo was shocked and worried for both Akshara and Nora. "My lady," Indigo called out.
Nora said aloud and exited the orchid. "Now I may join the parade with a peaceful mind."
The fire set by Nora was shaped into a dragon, which stretched its wings. It was instructed to destroy Akshara, so it rolled its eyes over the burning orchid and halted at Akshara, who knelt before the big tree crying.
The evil dragon eventually grew bigger, mirroring Nora’s rage over Akshara. It spits fire bolts at her and Akshara escaped a few bolts, screaming the name of Dev as DEVIL.
But when the biggest third fire bolt was coming on her way, the heat scorched like a flaming sun, and she couldn’t do anything to stop the bolt. Akshara closed her eyes and screamed in pain when her skin was ripped off in the fire. She was freaked out that she might die in the fire. Her mind quickly processed her death wish, and she voiced, in a low tone, inwardly, "Devil."
The amulet around her neck emanated cool blue flames that originally formed a protective shield around Akshara. The shield worked in two ways: it healed Akshara's wounds while also emitting cool blue flames that moulded into the white dragon that could eat the roaring fire and the wicked dragon that hungered for the lovely orchid.
Akshara couldn't see anything outside of the protection shield since her mind was engrossed with Dev's thoughts.
She visualized Dev and her thoughts voiced as loudly as they could "I don't know whether I'll possibly make it to see you, Devil. You once asked me whether I would still choose you if I had my memories restored. Yes, in my honest opinion. (She froze.) I choose you. I have chosen to be with you."
Indigo was astounded to see what was going on right in front of her eyes. Akshara continued her declaration of love, "No matter what occurred in my past, no matter who I was in my prior life, I still love you and will never stop loving you. You offered your dragon scale, ripping it from your flesh as a token of your love; I give you my heart in exchange, with or without my memories. I'd like to fall in love with you for the rest of my life."