Married to the Beast

HEART BREAK

“ I don’t rape!” his voice boomed out loud and I almost jumped off the bed. 

“ I’m sorry your grace, I meant no offence” I quickly sputtered hoping he wouldn’t hurt me in any way for my misjudgement. 

 He withdrew his hand and walked off and I started wondering what was going to happen next. Men in positions sometimes used their power to carry out their sadistic desires on innocent girls and I prayed this would not be my fate. 

“Follow me” he said icily and I hurried after him.

He grabbed the lantern hanging on the wall and a scroll from the bedside table and pushed open two large doors  leading out to a balcony.

As we were walking out I couldn’t help roving my eyes over his back. He towered over me, the muscles rippling beneath the dark shirt he wore, the sculpted spectacular broad shoulders and the way he walked. He emitted this very powerful aura and it was hard to think straight. He was a man you could just stare at for hours, he didn’t even seem real.  I entered the balcony and he placed the lantern on the wall. 

The view was breathtaking. The stars sparkled like jewels in the night sky and it felt like I could see the whole world from up here. If I focused I could see my village from here and there was a sudden pain in my chest. What happened to my father and sister and what state were they in worrying about me? I could only imagine my poor father and what this was doing to his health and state of mind. My sister was always strong and I hoped she would offer him some comfort. 

Under the light against the wall was a table with two chairs.

“Sit” came the deep authoritative voice and I sat quickly. 

My heart was beating so fast I couldn’t even swallow and I stood there trying to calm myself.

“Are you going to faint again?”

“N-no your grace” I blushed harshly.

He sighed annoyed and I realized then looking at him in the golden light that his black eyes were rimmed in gold and I felt like I could swim in them. His tanned handsome face had a light beard, high cheekbones and his lips looked unbelievably soft and perfect. He was magnificent. This man literally had the world. 

He looked up to catch me staring at his lips and his features hardened. I pray he couldn’t see me blushing fiercely in the yellow light. 

“ Can you read?”

“Yes your grace”

“Here”

He placed the scroll on the table. His hands were large and I paused wondering what they would feel like. I realized I was gawking and I hurriedly reached forward and took the scroll.

“It is fated that we are to be married in order for the kingdom to survive. Prophecy has it we will be powerful and have very powerful children” he summarized for me. 

I seemed to lose the ability to speak, I was beyond confused. This couldn't be for me. 

I opened the scroll quickly and read 

“ Recorded under the rule of the Great King Magnus by the seer pertaining to his son Prince Kadmus. When the Prince has ascended to the throne he will marry a virgin Aura who has come of age. Together they will be powerful. Light and dark must combine and they will produce the greatest and most powerful rulers to ever live. If this marriage does not happen then the King will die and kingdom will fall into ruins and the people of  the Mystic kingdom will be nothing but ashes .”

I dropped the scroll as if it were burning my fingers and I sat there for a few minutes in silence under the harsh gaze of the King trying to take everything in. I whispered more to myself. 

“But I’m just a farm girl”

There was a heavy sigh from the King.

“ Don’t worry, I’m just as excited as you are. Let’s get this over with” sarcasm dripped on his words. He sounded tired and angry.

“ In the next two weeks we will marry, we will bed and then have children.”

Tears were brimming my eyes and this felt like a nightmare. I was to be bred like a horse. 

“ You will be queen and you stay out of my affairs. You will do as I tell you when I tell you. If I say jump you jump. You do not question me, you do not speak when not spoken to. You will do your duties and look pretty” His voice sounded menacing. How could such a beautiful man be so cold? 

 This couldn’t be happening. I thought I would be married to a man I Ioved, one who made me laugh until I had no more air left in my lungs, who would make my heart feel as if it was on fire. I saved myself and waited patiently for this?

I could feel my heart breaking. 

“What about love?” I manage to croak out.

He braced forward, hands folded on the table and looked at me with disdain. 

“ Love?" He scoffed. "What about it? I have none to give especially not to someone like you.”

The tears started to fall, I couldn’t control them. I started panicking, trying to think. 

“ What if I’m not th- the right aura?”

He sighed as if tired of my stupidity. 

“ You just turned eighteen?”

I shook my head.

“ The seer confirmed you with a vision. That is how we found you. Plus there hasn’t been an Aura recorded in the past thousand years. Aura’s have the ability to remain dormant in the blood line and passed down from generation to generation only revealing itself in true pure souls” 

His voice started to sound distant. I couldn’t do this. My life was perfect before even though my family was barely getting by. I had to get out of this. So I tried the last thing I could think of with the remaining dignity I had left.

“ Please your grace this must be a mistake, please send me back home, this isn’t me! Please!” 

I started begging cupping my hands, I couldn’t care less. I just wanted to be home far from this cold handsome man. I wanted my father and sister more than anything. I just wanted to go home. 

He eased back in his chair. 

“It is final. Leave, the guard outside the room will take you to your room. Also none of this is to leave this room” he sounded bored. 

She could feel her heart breaking to a million pieces of what was to come. She willed her legs to move, wiping her tears and got up walking to the door. He did the same but instead went to further out to the balcony, looking out over his kingdom. 

“Oh before you leave” His back was turned to her. 

“ If you do not comply I will torture your dear father and sister and bring them to you piece by piece as gifts. Understood? ” He drawled the words out for effect. 

I stood there not being able to breathe. I couldn’t let anything happen to my little family. Come on Rose breathe I told myself as I tried to gulp for air. I managed to steady myself and softly replied. 

“ Understood”

As I left him on the balcony staring out at the world beneath him. I decided then and there that he was the most cruel man I had ever met.