Chapter 2: I Will Not Cry

Alora POV

I wait for Evanora to leave the room before I attempt to get out of bed.  Much to my surprise, I do feel better.  Her words ring in my ears about it not benefiting them to kill me.  I have so many questions about the years I was asleep, and without knowing where the sisters are, King Leonidas is my only hope for answers. 

Gingerly, I get to my feet and cross the room to a mirror.  I close my eyes as I approach it, not wanting to know what three years of sleep has done to me.  Opening one eye at a time, I look into the mirror, and I am shocked by what I see. 

I look fine.  My raven hair is a little tangled, but everything else looks the same.  I expected my skin to be sallow and my eyes dull, but I look like I had a restful nap.  Glancing behind me to make sure I am alone, I lift my arm and sniff my armpit.  I don’t even stink.

Fear washes over me as I lower my arm.  Someone attended to me while I was sleeping.  I was touched while I was sleeping. 

A knock on my door frightens me further, and I press myself against the mirror.  Keeping my eyes glued to the door, I wait for someone to walk in.  A mess of natural red curls peeks around the door, and a beautiful woman smiles brightly at me.

“They said you were awake, but I didn’t believe it,” she says as she invites herself into the room. 

She closes the door behind her and walks quickly in my direction.  I turn my head to the side and wait for the strike to come.  The sisters warned me that if the Lycan King ever got his hands on me, I would be tortured.  They described the Lycan King as a savage who had ruled over his Kingdom for hundreds of years.

The woman stops a few feet shy of me and cocks her head to the side.  “Are you afraid of me?” 

“I do not know you,” I respond.  “How could I be afraid of you?” 

“I am Sabrina,” she says sweetly.  “I have been caring for you for the past three years.” 

My jaw is tight as I look the woman over.  Her red curls are wild all over her head, and it appears she has made no attempt to tame them.  Her green eyes are otherworldly.  I am sure she is a lycan. 

“I am Alora,” I finally whisper in her direction. 

“Everyone knows who you are,” she chirps as she heads through a door at my side.  “You are the fae princess.” 

Sabrina comes back out with a golden ball gown in her hands.  I reach out and touch the fabric.  It is smooth and glitters as it shifts in the light.  I have never worn something so extravagant.  There was never a need for it at the cabin.

“Is this for me?” I ask. 

“Of course,” she says as she lays it on the bed.  “Only the best for a princess.  Do you not like it?” 

“It is lovely,” I mutter.  “Perhaps a little too lovely.  Do you have anything a little less formal?” 

Sabrine grits her teeth together and forces a smile across her face.  “King Leonidas prefers a formal dinner.” 

“Oh,” I hum.  “I have never attended a formal dinner.” 

“Just show up,” Sabrina replies.  “You are beautiful.  No one will pay attention to the rest.” 

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and sigh in frustration.  Sabrina is rocking back and forth on her toes, waiting for me to make a decision.  I always knew that the Lycan King taking me prisoner was a possibility, but this is not what I expected.  I expected a cell, bread, and water, not a formal gown and dinner. 

“I won’t go,” I spit out.  “I have just awoken, and I am not ready.”         

Sabrina steps away from me and whimpers.  “Please.  You have to come to dinner.  I will be punished if you do not.” 

“Punished?” I ask.  “For my decision?” 

Sabrina pulls up the sleeves of her uniform and shows scars that line her arms.  Each one is deeper and thicker than the last.  My eyes widen; the sisters weren’t lying to me about the Lycan King.  He is cruel and brutal.  Tears rush to her eyes as she covers the scars, and she keeps her eyes on the ground. 

“How does one even wear something like that?”  I ask, gesturing to the dress.

Sabrina looks up at me and rushes over to the dress.  “I can help you.  Take off your nightgown.”

“Could you please turn around?” I ask meekly. 

“It is nothing I haven’t seen before,” Sabrina reminds me, and a shiver runs down my spine.  I had almost forgotten that I was attended to while I was sleeping. 

Reluctantly, I pull the nightgown over my head and toss it to the ground.  I wrap my arms around my chest, trying to give myself some sort of modesty, but Sabrina isn’t paying attention to me. 

“How many people attended to me while I was sleeping?” I ask nervously.

“Just me,” Sabrina responds in a carefree tone. 

A lump forms in the back of my throat.  “Did the king ever visit me?” 

Sabrina looks up with a confused look on his face.  “Why would the king visit you while you were sleeping?”

I wrap my arms around myself tighter.  “I don’t know,” I whisper.  “I was just asleep for so long.”

“Princess,” Sabrina rests her hands on my shoulders.  “Your door was locked until this morning when Evanora saw you would awaken.”

Sabrina begins to dress me, but it is a daunting task.  Layer after layer of fabric is placed over my head or around my waist.  When she is completed, I am sure I weigh an extra ten pounds. 

Sabrina is putting the extra touches on my hair and humming lightly.  I watch her carefully.  She seems respectful and sweet, but beneath the surface, she is nothing more than a monster like the Lycan King. 

She catches me staring and stops humming.  “Is there something you need?” 

My face flushes with embarrassment, and I rush to think of something to say.  “Is Evanora the only witch in the castle?” 

Sabrina sighs.  “There is another, but she is a traitor.” 

“Traitor?” I ask. 

Sabrina lowers her mouth to my ear and whispers.  “Many years ago, there was a coven in service to the Lycan King.  Three witches broke off from the coven and gave a false prophecy to the Fae King.  They were determined to start a war between the realms.” 

I shake my head uncomfortably.  I know the three witches she is talking about.  They are the sisters that raised me.  “Where are the other two witches?”  I try to ask casually. 

“Dead,” Sabrina states.  “King Leonidas killed them when he rescued you.” 

“I was rescued,” I say flatly. 

“Yes,” Sabrina smiles.  “I can’t imagine the horrors that you endured at their hands.” 

I am unable to lie and tell Sabrina that I had a wonderful childhood with the three sisters, so I press my lips into a thin line and stare down at my hands. 

“Please don’t cry,” she begs me. 

“I will not cry,” I assure her.  “Show me the way to the dining hall.”