On that fateful day.
The prince took a sip of his wine and he swirled the liquid in the cup feeling escatic. He was so intoxicated.
He stood up, already feeling lightheaded. His words were slurred, unintelligible and barely making any sense. He stared at the lords who were present and erupted in sinister laughter.
Taking a mere step and almost stumbling to the floor, his body felt weak and heavy, unable to even move. His guards immediately rushed to him and helped him back onto his throne.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" The prince's captain of the guard asked.
He lifted the young prince into his arms and took powerful strides towards the prince's chambers. Once inside he gently laid him on the bed.
Nigel had a concerned look on his face, he gently shook his head before he left the room.
On the other side of the kingdom.
That same night, the king had a nightmare, one that made him shake vigorously on his bed.
His body was sweating profusely and his brows were creased into almost thin lines as he let out soft growls.
He sat up abruptly, his eyes open and his heart pounding at a rapid pace.
"No. No. No. It can't be. My son. My kingdom"
He slid into his robes and in a minute he was out of his chambers.
``I can sense a bad omen,' his wolf informed.
*********************
Ariel woke up the next day to the already risen sun and a headache. The council had already assembled for a very important meeting and he hated to be disturbed both mentally and physically. Despite that, he took his tired body towards the meeting room, regardless of the fact that he was still in his nightwear.
"Where are they?" He asked.
The steward that has been sent to fetch him hesitated before he answered.
"In the throne room my prince".
A heavy sigh of frustration left his lips as he turned and made his way down to the throne room.
He sneered as he saw the subjects he had been dragged out of sleep to attend to.
He already felt repulsed by their poor and ragged appearance. He was surprised to see all the eight lords present, almost like they had been waiting for him.
The king was still alive, but he was critically ill.
The young prince was waiting for the death of his father so he could take his place but the old man didn't seem to want to die anytime soon. For now he had been sent to this small town to oversee some of the affairs his father had here, and so he had to get this done and over with before the permanent good health of his father.
A smirk flashed across the prince's face when the lingering thought of having dominion over the people of Agaville came to his mind.
Ariel wanted to rule and be the man he always dreamt to be.
Ruthless and powerful.
He would put the people in their place. He despised the gentle and soft-hearted man his father was.
With a smile, he turned to look at the man and the woman who were probably the reason the council had assembled this morning. They both wore similar clothes, gray colored and dirty, made out of cotton, their clothes were torn and there were specks of mud on them.
The woman seemed a little bit older than the man but both of them were old enough to disgust him.
Their appearance was pitiful, they looked disheveled and unkempt. Ariel almost gagged after a careful scrutiny of the two old people.
"What are two beggars doing here?" He asked, his tone disgusted.
"Your Majesty..." The old man spoke while fidgeting with his dress, he folded his hand into a tight fist, almost scared to speak.
"Speak or leave" the prince commanded, his voice harsh yet commanding.
"I'm sorry your highness, but we have come here to plead on our village's behalf, the small village of Agraman...".
A flash of recognition crossed the prince's face and he leaned back to speak to the steward.
"Is this about that village I want to build a brothel in?"
The prince's steward nodded. Ariel smiled and looked at the older people.
"Then you better keep your lips sealed because I have plans for that village other than your useless rural lives".
The old man paled.
"Your Majesty, please don't do this to us, that's the only land we have, we have nowhere to go and your soldiers have come to create havoc, killing our sons, our daughters, and livestock. We won't be able to live at this rate." the man stated in desperation.
Ariel was unfazed by the older man's pleas. He had already made a decision and his decision was final. He couldn't care less about the lives of those people, the only thing that he wanted at the moment was to have the village for his benefit.
Lord Quintus, one of the eight lords in attendance, felt a huge lump in his throat when he noticed the desperate pleas of the two people. He wished he could change the situation at the moment and make the prince change his mind.
He knew he couldn't, but he could at least try.
"If I may speak your Majesty, can you please give the people the grace of having their land back, i can find a...."?
"No more words, Lord Quintus, your suggestion is not needed, let his highness do as he pleases"
Without bothering about what the opposing lord was saying, The honey haired Lord turned towards the prince in an attempt to change his mind.
"Your Majesty, you really have to reconsider the well-being of the people, they need your help..."
The prince shot him a look.
"No more Lord Quintus, you need to keep your mouth shut; your suggestion is not needed"
Ariel turned to look at the two people who were at his mercy before he delivered his verdict with a commanding tone. It was full of power and anger.
"I'll advise you to leave, and leave those lands, I'm giving you the opportunity today. If you don't leave, I'll be left with no other option but to do it the hard way".
"Your Majesty. We can't live like this!!!".
The pain in the woman's voice was evident but yet all the men in the room looked mildly disconcerted.
The prince looked outright enraged. Women are not allowed to speak in the courtroom, especially in the presence of royalty. For her to have uttered a word in his presence, that was an act punishable by law.
Ariel seethed as the old woman stood up confidently from her kneeling position.
She stared at him directly in his eyes, anger evident in hers and her eyes assumed a glowing shade of red.
She was furious, it was clear enough. Her eyes were full of killing intent.
"You are not the King yet, you're but a prince, and for you to have made such a decision..."
"Guards!!!"
Immediately a set of guards came in, but before they could even reach the old lady, they felt an unknown power crushing their insides. They all stumbled back.
Some of them spat out blood and the rest passed out.
The wolf in the minds of all gathered in the courtroom whimpered.
Most of the lords and some of the guards still conscious felt an eery feeling running down their spines.
The prince was now frightened and everyone in the courtroom was terrified.
The old woman stared at all of them and at the wicked prince.
She could not stop the tears that fell out of her eyes. She didn't want to do this but the prince had forced her hand.
"For you have chosen to tread the wrong path young prince, this is your curse" she stopped talking and removed a dagger from the side of her dress so she could slice through her wrist. The blood trickled down to the ground before she looked at the prince and shook her full head of gray hair.
"You shall live alone in this castle, this building will be a place of nothing but torture to you, you will feel nothing but sadness, living will feel like a burden. Worst of all, you will be damned, you will lose your beauty and be left alone like a monster, no one will admire you or look up to you. We have begged and begged but yet your heart is set in stone. There should be no mercy for someone like you, but yet.........".
Her words rang out with undisputed power and she stopped talking before she turned to glance at the honey haired Lord. He stood stiff and terrified.
"Because of the kindness of this lord, i shall grant you this respite"
She looked at the rose embroidered on Lord Quintus's vest.
"Only a rejected rose and a suffering heart can free you of this curse. This curse shall stand till the end of time, no power on earth will be able to break it."
In a flash she was at the prince's side, and her bloodied palm was on his face.
Cursed with the blood of a witch and bound to the earth until the curse was broken.
Ariel felt something shatter in him. The screams that left his mouth were nothing short of unnatural.
He screamed as his bones cracked violently and his skin tore.
The pain ripped through him from the inside and he watched as his lords shrank back, terror in their eyes.
A new voice rippled in his head, and for once, for once in his life, he knew what it was to tru;y be afraid.
The prince shifted, not into his sleek black wolf, but into a grey haired and bleary eyed monster.
He was now the cursed prince.
Roxanne walked along the long pathway and she smiled to herself. She glanced at her bundle of coins in her hand, the lingering thought of what to buy with them came seeping into her mind and she drew in a deep breath as she reached the market. She felt excited as she glanced at the people who were there, those who were buying and the ones who were selling. She walked steadily towards the man who was selling some vegetables and she greeted him curtly. "Good evening mister, I'd like to buy some cabbage and green sprouts" she said while smiling broadly. For the first time in a long time, she felt free, her heart churned at the slight thought of what she had experienced in her past village. Being the descendant of someone the whole kingdom knew as a traitor was not easy, sometimes she could barely get food to eat, even when she had the money to pay for it. That being said, her order should have been taken and delivered by now. "Please what's the matter?" She asked, concerned. The
Roxanne stared at him for a while. His aura was one that demanded respect, his icy blue eyes bored into hers but yet she couldn't see his face. He was wearing a mask. One that covered his face so completely that it looked like he had draped some essence of night and shadow around him. His inky black hair managed to cascade down his back in straight silken strands. His hands had gloves on them and he even wore black boots. Everything about him seemed dark. Roxanne found herself walking back, scared by just his presence. Behind that mask could be a scary face. The rumors she had heard made her know it was a face she wouldn't want to see. She turned to leave, telling herself that she had never met him, she didn't want to ever meet him. "Everything will be just fine. I just have to get out of here." Roxanne couldn't help the effect he had on her, it made her even more scared than she had anticipated. When she saw that no one was chasing her anymore, she decided to walk freely in the
Roxanne muttered the name silently. She hoped she could calm down. She felt oddly drawn to that name and she felt satisfied with the outcome of the situation. It made her lips curve into a smile and she turned to leave. Again she was suddenly grabbed and she felt her hand being roughly pulled. She felt so scared, thinking that it was one of those who had earlier held her captive. She turned to see who it was and she was momentarily relieved to see it was nobody else but Lord Alex. Realization dawned on her and her heart palpitated. She looked down, feeling scared, but for a totally different reason now. She wondered what Lord Alex would do to her now. How did he even find her in the first place? "My lord, I...I can explain" Lord Alex stopped dragging her and he turned to look at her. His golden-flecked eyes always managed to catch her by surprise and it was the most commanding part of him. Those eyes were glaring at her now. "What can you possibly explain, Roxanne? You have me
When Roxanne noticed Lord Alex and heard his words, she felt overwhelmed with emotions. She wanted to throw her hands around him and gave him another tight hug, but she knew she had to withhold herself. She smiled with the tears still dripping out of her eyes and then she knelt on the ground. "I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness, Lord Alex, but I'd want you to forgive me and give me a chance to prove myself worthy" she begged. Her voice was hoarse and her throat felt dry. The older man only smiled at her and he extended a hand to her. "Stand up Roxanne, I've come to realize that I was a bit selfish. I was thinking about my family, about how they would survive if my business was not moving forward, but you are also family, and family sticks together. I'd appreciate it if you stayed with us and didn't leave. " His words made Roxanne's eyes well up with tears, she was a bit emotional, she couldn't help the dreadful feeling when she had noticed the blazing anger in his eyes and
Ariel's wolf howled in his head from late that night till early the next morning. He felt like he was going crazy. For once in his life, he felt sorry for actually wishing his wolf came back. Now that it had come back it seemed determined to drive him mad with howling. "Will you shut up!" The birds that perched on the window sill of his castle fluttered away in a flap of wings. Pigeons. They were part of the reason the castle was so filthy anyways. Ariel scrunched his face under the mask he wore as he looked around. This was the first time he was granted a reprieve in decades and his castle was filthy, his room was a mess, and his wolf didn't see the need to stop howling. He truly was cursed. He let out a crazed laugh at that thought. Like he hadn't been made aware of that fact for the past two hundred years now. He had to live and watch everyone he knew die. All the lords that were in attendance the day the curse was cast were killed off, He had killed them himself. The
The sun hit Roxanne directly on the face and for the first time in a long time, she had a smile on that face. "Hey, sit still, will you?" Roxanne giggled as she sat down more firmly into the chair. It had already been a few days since she had the encounter with the cursed prince and she was already trying to cast the incident out of her mind. He had simply helped her out. Nothing more. It didn't really matter that he had given her his name and it didn't matter that she couldn't stop thinking about him. The way his mask had given him an aura of mystery and danger might be the reason she couldn't stop. That was probably it. Roxanne sighed looked in the waters of the clear stream she had her feet submerged in. She would have to go into it almost totally later on but that was something she would think of when the time came. Annabelle had insisted that they come out here to dye her hair. She said Roxanne could put herself halfway into the small river and she would sit on the ri
Panic filled her as she saw the people walking towards them. It was the same group of men that had tried to rape her that day, and they were coming for her. Roxanne's stomach roiled as she realised she wasn't alone this time. The men were coming for them! She whipped her head around, frantically searching for Annabelle with but Annabelle was nowhere to be found. She had either fled or vanished into thin air. Roxanne would be satisfied with anyone of the two. As long as her friend was out of danger. Panic filled Roxanne as she contemplated her current options. "Oh shit." She was in the river. She hadn't bothered to put on anything except a simple white frock, and it was one that would definitely cling to her body now that it was wet. That would be like giving the men more motivation to come get her. They would take one look at her dress clinging to all her curves, and they would run crazed with lust. Why did they have to appear at this time? Roxanne felt frustrated. The
The water in her lungs was the first thing that urged Roxanne to go above the surface of the water.The water here was ice cold, almost like the forest itself. There was something about the chill that had settled over her that she didn't find natural.Maybe it was the water or maybe it was the fact that she was almost drowning. Roxanne didn't know.She cried out as her leg hit a sharp rock and her toe sent a flare of pain up her body. Dry land was just a few paces away from her. Roxanne could hear the water and smell the flora of the forest. The trees were thick and the sun had retreated into the clouds. Everything looked darker.Roxanne pushed herself to maneuver her way to dry land. The shore was just a few paces away. If she could just use her last remaining bit of strength to get there.Something hit Roxanne on the head again and the sound of laughter was the only thing she heard before the world blacked out.Roxanne dreamed.She was on the beach now. The sun is shining warm on h
Ariel walked into the stable hand's salon and the minute he did, a deathly silence washed over the place. Everyone seemed to be frozen in their seats and only one man stepped out from his former position behind the counter. He gave a small bow and gestured for them to go outside. He received a small nod in return. Ariel followed the aged old man outside and he felt something boil in him at the way the man directed a kind smile at him. He was never scared of him. Instead he was always full of smiles and sympathetic looks. "Back for your horse Mi Lord?" Ariel nodded and tried not to sound gruff or rude as he spoke. "I'll need an extra one too. One that isn't too wild." The old white haired man was named Arnold and he felt surprised. He didn't hide his emotions and his surprise was clear on his face. Ariel sneered underneath his mask. "I'm not planning to eat any of them, and I'm in a hurry. I also need a saddle and harness. I'll pay for everything in full." The older man nodd
"No?"Ariel nodded at Roxanne."No. I will not agree to you carrying anything we don't need.""How the hell do we not need clothes? Do you intend to sleep naked!"Roxanne immediately regretted the statement the moment she said it. Her mind pushed an image right in front of her and she felt her cheeks redden.What the hell was wrong with her? Wasn't it enough already?Her blushing only lasted for a moment before she regained her composure and stared at the man in front of her. He was making her feel like a fool. She had spent all night searching for clothes with the aid of a lamp! He couldn't be bothered to light any of the chandeliers and she hadn't expected him to. She had taken on the task of searching for clothes suitable for the both of them herself and she had even taken on the job of mending the tears on them.All because she wanted to feel good that she had done something for him too.Okay, getting some clothes for them was more out of necessity than anything else. Even if she
Annabelle stared at the goon she had hired and she chuckled softly. An incredulous look had overcome her features and she didn't know if she was to cry or to sneer. "I'm sorry but I don't quite get what you're trying to say." The goon stared back at her with a hardened look on his face and he said one word. "No." Annabelle felt like screaming. What kind of answer was that supposed to be? "No?" "No. Look, I might be short on money but I'm not foolish enough to throw my life away." Annabelle sneered at that statement and turned away. What was the life of one thug worth anyways? She had taken great care to make sure that she didn't get any of those fat dirty thugs from the village. No, the one she had asked for especially was a young man. With a tall stature and brown curly hair. He looked rough at the edges, but that was the kind of person Roxanne would fancy the most. A man who looked like he needed tending to. In her opinion, all men were animals anyways, and Roxanne seeme
Annabelle stared at the goon she had hired and she chuckled softly. An incredulous look had overcome her features and she didn't know if she was to cry or to sneer. "I'm sorry but I don't quite get what you're trying to say." The goon stared back at her with a hardened look on his face and he said one word. "No." Annabelle felt like screaming. What kind of answer was that supposed to be? "No?" "No. Look, I might be short on money but I'm not foolish enough to throw my life away." Annabelle sneered at that statement and turned away. What was the life of one thug worth anyways? She had taken great care to make sure that she didn't get any of those fat dirty thugs from the village. No, the one she had asked for especially was a young man. With a tall stature and brown curly hair. He looked rough at the edges, but that was the kind of person Roxanne would fancy the most. A man who looked like he needed tending to. In her opinion, all men were animals anyways, and Roxanne seeme
Roxanne was scatterbrained for the rest of the day.It was like someone had forced alcohol down her throat and now she was drunk, except she wasn't. She was just surprised.So the cursed prince could be so emotional and touchy feely? How could he be a monster then?In a way, she knew that Ariel wouldn't allow just anyone touch him, he was a prince after all and coming into bodily contact with people would have been something he was never used to in the first place, but that would mean he had made an exception for her and hugged her especially, which was really strange.Strange enough that she refused to accept the fact. She had almost melted in his arms.Ugh!It was like coming into contact with the warm sun on a cold night, or dipping one's leg into a warm stream while out foraging. Ariel had been warm and his hair had smelt heavenly.His personality always made her believe that he would be a cold and unfeeling person, both on the inside and on the outside, but who knew his charact
Ariel could feel his heart taking him back down memory lane as he listened to the words the lady in front of him spoke. She was reading his letter to him. A letter he had read countless times himself now and in which he only saw one thing. His father's hate for him. He had been a very bad child. A really bad one who had even wished his own father death once. He had been rebellious, wild, unwilling to listen to anyone and without fear or favor of anything. He had been renowned for his looks once, but after the curse, that beauty turned to shame and he couldn't look anyone in the eyes again. He had read this letter a million times now, but never had he heard the words like this and never had he seen those words in this light. Roxanne was changing his father's words. That was what she was doing, but at the same time she was keeping it as it really was. He could hear his father's displeasure in the way she spoke. He could hear the anger and the disappointment his father had expre
"Do you think we should go to the capital?"Ariel was pacing the length of the kitchen as the lady behind him continued with her task. She was cooking for them, again, and even if he didn't really need her food, he still enjoyed eating it.There was a huge gash on his chest now, the curse had manifested8884 while he was asleep and he slashed a claw against his chest.Roxanne helped him clean it and bandage it, but for some reason she seemed out of her element today.She looked sad.Ariel found himself letting out a sigh and turning to face her."Is this about the letter? I thought you'd have forgotten about that?"Roxanne tried her best to smile but she failed."I have, I just don't think it's fair."Ariel shrugged."The world isn't fair."Roxanne nodded glumly and went back to stirring the contents of the pot."I can see that now."The sunlight pouring in through the open windows did nothing to alleviate the sadness she was feeling. She was trying her best to feel better, but it just
They argued again.Roxanne sighed as she dropped her bag back into the room she resided in. It was on the main floor of the castle. The place had probably been a storage room.It annoyed her that Ariel was so determined to see himself as a monster. Yeah. he was cursed, but that didn't mean he was a total monster.It would be almost a week now that she had been living here with him and she hadn't seen him shift into his cursed form once. The only thing he complained of was a headache, and even that seemed to have subsided."Roxanne?"Ariel's voice made the frown on Roxanne's face disappear and she turned back to face him. He was holding something out to her. An envelope. She recognised it immediately. It was the same one from this morning.It was almost noon now. They had spent a whole day arguing again.Roxanne found her heart sending a weird emotion through her and she sighed as she took the letter from him. She hated arguing with him.He probably wanted her to help him open it
Roxanne refused to say anything. She started packing her things instead. She didn't come with much anyways, but the little she came with seemed to be scattered all around the castle now and she had to look for each one of them. Coming here was a mistake. Coming to this darned town alone had been a huge mistake. She had to go. '"I'm still waiting for my answer Roxanne. You won't leave this castle unless you tell me what I want to know." Roxanne raised her head to look at the prince and she gave him a bored look. "You'll kill me if i don't won't you?" Ariel seemed miffed by that and Roxanne tried her best not to feel amused at how he opened his mouth and closed it again. She failed miserably. "I'm not joking Roxanne. I mean it. I could end your life and forget I even did it." Roxanne ignored the prince and picked up the comb she was looking for. That was the last of her belongings. "I'll be leaving now Prince Ariel." Ariel blocked her path and Roxanne glared at the masked p