Married to the Beast

TERRIFIED

Kadmus had never seen a woman so beautiful before. It was her facial expressions, the way her face was animated to show all her emotions. Her innocence was baffling and she clearly wasn't pruned or brushed by the outside world.  He was like a moth drawn to a flame. 

Her brown hair now shone like gold and her now porcelain skin glowed as if still radiating the light. He reached her in three steps mesmerized as if in a trance. He had to touch the light. There was still a faint glow in the center of her chest. 

“May I?”

“Will you hurt me?” she asked fearfully. 

“No” he said, almost rolling his eyes.

He placed his hands between her breasts and he could feel her heavy breathing and soft skin beneath the green cotton. Golden, innocent eyes stared up at him. He wasn’t a man to waste time with his words. 

“ Are you a virgin?” he asked, his voice deep. 

She started to blush from embarrassment. That is none of his business or there’s as she could feel all the men’s eyes on her. The Golden Hall became uncomfortably quiet. This is humiliating. She spent most of her time with her father and sister on his little farm and didn’t experience that much of the world especially since she had just turned eighteen. Plus she was saving herself and she had an idea of what she wanted her man rather husband to be like and Rose would not take anything less. She would be happy and madly in love. She wanted love that made her heart feel like it was on fire and laughter that would take her breath away.  

He arched an eyebrow at her waiting for her response and she averted her gaze and let out a deep breath. 

“Y-y-yes”

“ Good girl”

He dropped his hands and signaled the guards. Rose looked around in confusion. 

“Where am I going?” Hands pulled her backwards.

“ Where am I going?!” she screamed.

If Rose was to die. At least she’d die with some courage. 

He looked at her surprised she had the courage to ask so boldly. 

“To my chambers” 

She definitely was going to die. Rose was horrified. He was a big man, she was a virgin with no experience and he was not a man who looked like he would be gentle. She couldn’t survive. She saved and maintained herself for eighteen years for her husband to be deflowered by a man who had no right to her?!  Life had a way of biting you in the ass. 

What could she do?

What would sleeping with her do?

 Sure he was an attractive man but this is by means no way in which she planned to lose her virtue. To his chambers?! The audacity, she thought of her father and sister and tried to think of a way out. 

This isn’t happening. She wanted more than anything to cry. She was still being pulled.  

“ But your highness!”

He flashed her a dangerous look. 

“ What am I to go to your chambers for?!”

She dared to question him? This peasant thought she could question him. He tried to restrain himself, she was annoying him. Maybe these visions and dreams didn’t have to materialize, he could guide his own destiny. The guards stared at each other. Kadmus was known to be ruthless to those who didn’t do as he said. They waited in the piercing quiet each moment passing like the countdown to an explosive going off.    

“ Get her out of my sight”

She felt the coldness of his words and he waved her off as if she was a petty nuisance.  As they led her through the large doors Rose felt the room starting to spin, her legs gave out beneath her and she felt herself falling and everything went black. 

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“The seer is never wrong!” 

Kadmus’s uncle shouted. His voice booming to match his nephews. 

“ If I am to marry this girl he better not be” He seethed through his teeth. He ran his hands over his hair slowly pacing back and forth. He had to control himself. 

“ What are you worried about, if the seer is right which he is you’ll be happy. Do you not want to be happy Kadmus?” 

Barathemus’ eyes softened at his nephew and his anger dissipated. He had grown so big and fierce even he was sometimes afraid of the boy’s temper but he never showed it. Mostly what kept him from not running was the comfort in knowing he would never hurt him. He reached forward and rested his hand on his shoulder. 

“Do you not deserve that at least?” Barathemus questioned the man whom he loved like a son in front of him.

“Some of us were born to suffer”

“Well if you are to receive any small measure of happiness then take it!” 

“ And have it ripped from me, happiness never lasts, it just never does. Every time something good happens then something terrible comes along. There's no happiness in this world for me.” There was a sadness to his tone and he shrugged off his uncle’s hand to walk away. 

“ Then what will you do with the girl?”

“What I must”

His uncle flinched. 

“Is there no other way?”

Silence answered the question and Kadmus disappeared through the door frame to head down the dark corridors. 

**********************************************************************************************

  Rose woke up in a room almost as big as the Golden Hall. She sat up and tried to remember what happened. She frantically started looking around as everything rushed to her and then she moved her legs. Okay she was fine. Everything seemed intact and she let out a breath of relief. 

This room was very different from the Golden Hall but still beautiful. It was decorated with sheer gold and rich deep colours. It was grand and had a large bed, massive walking space combined with a plush sitting area by the windows. She was sitting in one of those large plush chairs and she smelled the same scent as him when he walked up to her earlier in the Golden Hall. She could still feel the burn of his hand on her chest and she rose to go to the window and looked out at the evening sky. The view was magnificent.

“Don’t jump out just yet” came a deep voice.

She turned around and saw him entering the room closing the large doors behind him. She peered out the window and ;looked down. The descent was treacherous and there was nowhere to climb. Well now she must choose but she couldn’t or ever. She must survive, she had to make her way back to her father and sister. She could survive anything. She had to survive anything.

Kadmus saw her standing there and wondered if she would truly jump. If she did could he reach her in time? 

She turned around to face him and there was sadness in her eyes.

“Could you be gentle? It’s my first time”

Rose swallowed and prayed that he at least had an ounce of decency in him. 

He parted his lips and his brows furrowed, his collar was open and she could see dark hair peeking through. 

Rose went and sat on the bed as he continued to study her. It was surprisingly very soft and she wanted to lie down more than anything due to the day she had and sleep so she could get out of this nightmare if even for a while. 

Kadmus strode over to the windows and closed them and then walked over to the girl who looked beyond terrified and stretched out his hand.