Chapter 2: His Rule

"Become my wife?", Aria pushes the hunk man away from her with full desperation. She cannot find any words to say about what the man has just said. "Who the hell are you?"

"Me?--Can't you tell where you are right now?"

The man sits on a chair surmounted by a canopy, and set on a dais-like golden walnut seat characterized by a raveled carving of a wolf stamping on its preys. The man lays his head on his wrist crossing his legs and looks at Aria in the eyes. "Now... Can you already tell who you are talking to?"

Aria bluntly lays an eye on the man shortly and instead, let her eyes explore the entirety of the room. She notices the structure of the room clearly as the once dark, now lit up place displays its form.

"You're kidding, right? I can't--" Aria feels devastated realizing the situation she got into. The room is classic and meticulous with the round red king bed placed on the center and the King's throne on the right side facing the balcony. There are shelves of books and a wardrobe with all the King's cape. One thing that has confirm the man's identity is the crown hanging on the left column of the bed.

"I know crossbreeds has no home they belong to. If you agree..."

"Crossbreeds are strong. You people fear me--"Aria made argue hoping to lift up one steel of her prison cell.

"Hmm-mm...Yes, yes, yes! But-" The man stands up and went to her again. He raised her chin using his index finger tip and whisper, "Can you defeat an outlaw King?"

He let go of her and walks to the balcony. "I know you can't still control your powers. I can help you with that. Crossbreeds are wild and uncontrollable. That's why they are to be killed in an instant thinking you are a curse that will bring destruction to the utopia."

"What are you trying to imply? I can still protect myself from you and everyone else!" Aria bravely walks through him and plans to jump from the balcony to the ground full of manticores and deadly beasts roaming around.

Suddenly, a howl of wolves in pack shakes the air and the beasts run off trying to hide from something. Aria back off with a frown forehead, "Wh-why are they r-running away?"

"Oh, that?" The man went back to the room and went to his wardrobe. The alexandrite stones covered the open balcony and slowly changes to emerald as the first ray of the sun casts upon it. Aria was stunned witnessing the beauty of the crystals changing its colors.

"The sun has come out and Neitheria will turn into pure abyss. Darkens can't stand light. They become more aggressive and wild."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Aria starts to feel the agitation again. The man picks up a red cloak from the wardrobe and cover himself with it.

"Neitheria is an outlaw land. The low level beasts hide their fangs and the strong ones -remains in the surface. But, all of them... they only follow one ruler. And that ruler only has one rule -run from the King or you'll be his prey..."

"A-are you t-telling me...that those w-who just run off are hiding from someone? And...That someone is the strongest, right?"

"Yeah, exactly!"

"Is th-that someone h-here?" Aria's voice starts to crack and tremble realizing the situation she is in to at the moment. 

"Hm-mm...Yes and you are talking to that someone right now."

Aria quivers in horror that is eating her inside little by little. With her less experience in fights because she only knew how to escape, her mind couldn't think of any options to save herself now except one...

"A-are you-u...sure you're g-going to help me...(clears her throat) you're going to help me c-control my po-power?" Aria picks up all her courage to bring herself out of danger. The man smirks while fixing himself with the cloak...

"Should I take that question as a YES for my question...my Queen?", grinning, the man faces her straightly waiting for her response. Aria then nods and paints a forced smile on her pale face.

"Good! By the way, I am Conri the Vanargand, King of the netherworld."

"I'm A-aria..." 

"Your name is beautiful!...come with me. I want to show you our realm." Conri grabs her hand and then transforms into a werewolf. He let her ride on his back and drove out of the room. 

Conri is monstrously big and demonic. His wolf appearance is as white as the snow with his eyes bluer than the blue oceans. It is enchanting and Aria couldn't be more astonished by its scent escaping from his fur, sweet and interesting.

They arrived at the main hall and Conri transforms into human again. He holds her hand and enter the big door where what awaits them is the throne of the king. The servants greet them in awe upon seeing the beautiful maiden with their king.

"Welcome back, our liege!", The servants form a line with a path between align to the King's seat. Aria, worried enough, feels anxious of the situation. She tries to erase her mortal scent as much as possible and adopt Conri's smell.

"Behold your new Queen-" Conri sits to the throne bigger yet the same as what he had in his room as Aria stands beside him, trembling in her knees. The servants gossip with other that cover noises in the hall. Everone is shocked for it is the very first time that their king brought a lady not as a food or a prey but as a wife.

"...Aria the Shadow Brandish!", The people cover the hall with applaud. But everyone knew...'Run from the King, or you'll be his prey-' the maiden will suffer from a tragic fate of no escape.

Is there love mixed in his words when he said to marry her? This thought never came to the minds of the ignorant servants. And Aria seems to notice it that made her more anxious but a part of her believe his words. She believes that despite the rule Conri bestowed in his people, he doesn't have a wolf brain who will trick her to prey on her hopelessness.

"Deliver this message to every clan of the beasts. The wedding will occur on the festive night of the red moon, gather in the castle to join the big feast." The deadly beasts growls in joy; everyone is drooling with amusement and excitedly exist the hall.

Aria looks at them with despair, "Am I in great danger right now?" Aria throws a glare at the King beside him wanting to clarify her safety for the coming nights. The man only grins at her and sits kingly in his beloved throne...