Devil's Imposter Bride

As I stood at the edge of the cliff, I realized that it was getting late. Being the princess of a faraway kingdom, if someone caught me here, then I might get into real trouble. So, I decided to go back to my room. However, before leaving, I thanked the man in front of me once again for saving my life by pulling me up from the cliff. 

But as I was about to speak, the man interrupted me and asked, "What were you doing here at the cliff, Your Highness?"

I was taken aback by his audacity to question a princess, especially since he was just a servant.

However, I reminded myself that I was a princess of a faraway kingdom and had been wandering around at night. Perhaps the servant had become suspicious of me, so I decided to answer his question.

"I couldn't sleep," I said truthfully, "so I went out to the garden to clear my mind. That's when I saw an injured rabbit and ran after it. Unfortunately, I didn't know that there was a cliff here, so I stumbled upon a rock and fell down."

The man chuckled at my explanation and shook his head in amusement. "I see. Well, I'm glad I arrived just in time to rescue you. Let me take you back to your room, Your Highness."

I nodded, relieved that he wasn't suspicious or doubtful about my behavior. Otherwise, it would have been quite harmful to Princess Amelia's reputation. As we began to make our way back to the castle, I couldn't help but study the man beside me curiously.

There was something odd about this man. He was quite handsome, and his personality was cheerful. He was wearing the clothes of an ordinary servant, but there was something about him that didn't let me treat him as a servant but as a superior.

Despite the smile on his face and his easy-going nature, his aura was that of someone with a higher status. Or, maybe I was thinking too much...

Finally, I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer and asked, "May I know your name, sir?"

He smiled warmly at me, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "My name is Arlo, Your Highness. I serve as a guard in the palace."

I nodded, taking his name in. It was a nice name. "Thank you, Arlo. I am Amelia," I introduced myself with a small smile.

"It is an honor to meet you, Princess Amelia," Arlo replied, bowing respectfully.

Once we reached the gardens, I suddenly stopped and looked back. Arlo, who was walking next to me, raised his eyebrows with a puzzled expression and asked me if something was wrong.

I shook my head slightly, "I-I... I can go back to my room from here on."

Arlo looked at me with a concerned expression. "Are you sure?" 

I nodded with a small smile. 

He smiled and took my hand, kissing the back of it gently. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Princess Amelia. But there is one thing that I need to remind you, Your Highness. Please don't go out roaming in the night. It's quite dangerous. You never know what kind of creatures might be lurking in the dark."

I frowned slightly at the mention of a dark creature. I wondered what kind of creature he was talking about - perhaps a wild animal, or something even more sinister?

Suddenly, a pair of dark, familiar eyes flashed through my mind, and a cold shiver ran down my spine. I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched and that something dangerous was lurking in the shadows.

"Your Highness?" Arlo's voice brought me back to reality, and I looked at his confused gaze and forced a smile. "I'll keep that in mind, Arlo. Thank you for escorting me back."

'"Good night, Princess Amelia."

"Good night, Arlo," I returned his farewell, gathered my gown, and departed. I sensed Arlo's gaze on my retreating figure, yet I did not turn back. Stealthily, I returned to my quarters and exhaled in relief upon finding my maids in deep slumber. Careful not to rouse them, I tiptoed to my room and gently shut the door.

But as I turned to face my bed, I froze on the spot.

There, sitting on my bed, was a dark figure. My heart started racing as I tried to make out who or what it was. Fear gripped me as I took a step back, my hand reaching for anything that could serve as a weapon. That's when I saw it - a vase sitting on a small table beside the door.

I quickly grabbed it, my knuckles turning white as I held onto it tightly. "W-who? Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

The figure didn't respond but let out a low chuckle. This sent shivers down my spine, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

I repeated my question, my grip on the vase tightening.

The figure finally spoke, and to my astonishment, it was a voice I knew all too well, one that would forever be etched in my memory. "Impressive, Amara. I had not anticipated your completion of the first task with such swiftness."

"To think you could so convincingly impersonate a princess and bravely enter this castle is truly remarkable. I always knew I had selected the perfect person for this job," he said with a chuckle. 

"It's you," I said through gritted teeth, my hands balling into fists.

"Indeed, it is I," the man replied with a laugh, and with a simple flick of his finger, the room was bathed in light. "And you, Amara, have brought me great joy." 

My eyes narrowed at the cloaked figure perched on my bed as I demanded, "As you asked, I've fulfilled the task you set before me. I have done what you asked. Now release my brother."

The man's laughter echoed once more. "Release your brother? How utterly naive!"