Fang Three

“What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laughter were really tears?”

I lost my appetite at the thought of having my country eradicated at the snap of one man's fingers, but then again, the thought crept into my head.

Didn't they all deserve that?

No, I know I mustn't think that way, but knowing that my parents chose Daphne over me was overwhelming.

"Eat quickly so I can give you a bath."

I knitted my brows against each other, wondering if this there weren't any maids to do this kind of work, and who exactly was this woman.

"I'm Penelope, but everyone here calls me Pen." She said, practically reading my thoughts. I nodded in acknowledgement and began drinking of the soup she brought me.

It was tasteless. But I had to endure it, heavens knows what my future would come to if the king went on a rampage.

After I finished eating, I stood up and hung my black cloak over the white wedding dress, pulling it's hood over my blonde hair.

Penelope raised a brow and folded her arms across her stomach, "what?" I asked noticing she remained seated on the dresser.

"Where do you think you're going?" She asked in a plain tone.

Judging from her demeanor, I could guess that I had made some sort of blunder of some sort. She shook her head from side to side, then sauntered over to me, till she was standing behind me, her head resting on my shoulder.

"Aren't you just a little tempter?" She whispered into my ears, I felt my cheeks flush at her erotic choice of words.

"I don't know what his highness was thinking by bringing you into this castle, but if you want to keep on living, I suggest you stay put and never leave this tower." Penelope declared, sniffing my neck as she spoke.

"Then how am I going to take a bath?"

*********

"Strip down everything." Penelope sternly said for the upteenth time, holding a moist towel in her left hand and a jar of green liquid in her right. Standing in the middle of the room was a small bath bowl and two full buckets, brought here by Penelope.

"Don't you have maids you bathe and dress you up? This should not be an issue for you."

Her weary eyes were proof of how slowly her patience was running thin.

However, the problem was far deeper than being shy of stripping my clothes in front of another woman. In truth, it was my insecurity.

"Or do you want me to do this forcefully?"

At the slight detection of her change in tone, I tugged on the sides of the dress and slowly pulled them down, keeping my gaze focused on the window the entire time. Penelope noticed this almost immediately and sent me a questioning stare.

I had stripped till I was wearing only my undergarments, and still she had an expectant face, waiting for me to take off more article of clothing.

"Can we stop here?" I found myself begging, half whispering, half whimpering.

"Why?" Her straightforward response made my insides melt.

"It's just that...I can't have sunlight...if by accident those drapes fall off, I'll be completely vulnerable if I'm naked." I explained, keeping my eyes peeled to the wooden flooring as I spoke.

I waited for her to laugh at me, or Maybe even pull down the drapes just to tease me. I could already envision the mental image of having to crawl back frantically, fear stricken and tear choked, away from any ounce of sunlight.

"I understand, keep them on then, I'll have curtains put up here tonight." Penelope said then dipped the towel into one of the buckets.

She shook the jar a bit then emptied it's content into both buckets, scrunching her nose in disgust from the strong herbal scent exuded.

I didn't know why, but I felt something warm course through me when she passed me an understanding glance, and even offered to place up curtains.

I stepped into the bath bowl in my silk undergarments, Penelope set to work, cleaning each and every ounce of flesh she could lay hold on.

After a long bath, she helped me into the dark blue off shoulder dress and helped to comb my hair for me. I reeked of the herbal concoction she had added to the bath, and when I tried to ask what it was she simply said...

"To mask your scent."

After she had personally cleaned up the chamber, Penelope returned but this time with what appeared to be books.

She placed them on the dresser wearing a proud smirk, "I figured you already found your stay here boring, so I sourced for some books for you to read." She had relit the candle on the chandelier and added another, brightening up the chamber.

Why was she being nice to me all of a sudden? Was she ordered to or was this out of pity? After being tricked by my parents so cruelly, it was only natural others would look down on me.

"Thank you." I said staring at the pile of books she had brought, a frown crept upon my face.

"What?" She raised a brow.

"It's just that...I don't know how to read." I confessed with curled fists of embarrassment.

Penelope had a face of disbelief, "aren't you a princess? How come?"

"No one ever bothered to teach me." I told her truthfully, without looking at her, I could tell she had a pitiful expression on her face.

"But...I can play instrument." I announced straightening my back, "my parents insisted that I know a thing or two, so I learnt how to play the harpsichord." I explained.

She seemed to understand but frowned nonetheless, "we don't have that here..." She took a pause and widened her eyes, perhaps she remembered something.

"We do have a spinet, if you're fine with that." She offered, "I'll have it cleaned and brought up here before night fall." Penelope eagerly told me, her full lips curled into a smile.

*Night*

Not only did Penelope fulfil her words to place a curtain in the room, but she made good on her promise in regards to bringing a spinet.

I watched earnestly as she brought a spinet into the tower, thankfully the door was gone, so she could easily push it through. Though I was tempted to ask how she singlehandedly brought it up I stairs, I silenced my curiosity.

She seemed to be a genuinely nice person.

"Here, try it, I had someone tune it and here are some sheet music." She pressed them into my hands, grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you so much, you should have gone through the trouble at all." I wanted to tell her that I only knew three songs and couldn't read the sheet music at all, but at the same time did not want to place a damper on her effort.

"It's already late, his majesty will not be pleased if he sees me alone with his bride." She said, turning to take her leave.

So this was all done on a whim I suppose?

"Will he be coming back to the tower tonight?" I mustered up courage to ask, Penelope had been receptive and made me forget for a moment that I was under the roof of such a scary man.

"I don't know, but wouldn't it be better for your country if he did? Although he's exceptional, it'll take him more than an afternoon to burn down your entire kingdom." Her words were a harsh reminder of my reality, my life was hanging on a loose thread.

And the king was the only one who had the power to cut that thread in two.

Penelope left shortly after, and I set to work, excited about the curtains and spinet, it was a good thing my instructor made me learn the harpsichord and spinet together.

I played for a good number of minutes, replaying all three songs repeatedly, it had been two years since I last played, so of course I had gotten quite rusty.

"I should rest my fingers." I thought, stepping away from the spinet, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. My fingers instinctively found their way to my neck, the swelling from being nearly strangled to death still remained.

"He won't come here..." I chanted to myself however selfish I might have sounded, I wished inwardly that he would chose to punish my family than take out his wrath on me.

But my prayers were ignored bitterly, as the sound of troubled footsteps marching up the stairs sent my heart flying!

Out of instinct, I hurriedly hid behind the curtain, praying that he wouldn't care enough to look for me. A nervous line of sweat formed across my pale forehead, as I heard him walk into the room.

I clenched my eyes and placed one hand over my mouth, then left the other resting on my chest. My heart was pounding nonstop as his footsteps stopped directly in front of the curtains.

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his intimidating presence, he pulled the curtains apart and held my chin in his cold hands!

My eyes opened immediately, and the sight in front of me left me stunned out of my wits!

Splattered across his majesty's clothes was fresh crimson red blood and hanging out of his mouth were sharp blood stained fangs. I deflected my frightened gaze towards his eyes, and found myself paralysed when my blue and brown eyes locked with his emotionless black orbs.