Fated to the Beast

Chapter 3: The King and the Chosen Ones

The morning finally arrived, and I abruptly woke up when I stumbled out of the closet. Startled, I quickly rose to my feet, fearing that someone might be lurking in my room. To my relief, I found myself alone. With a heavy sigh, I concealed the dagger under my skirt. Slowly, I made my way to the bed and sat down weakly, gazing out of the window.

How much longer can I survive in this place?

I kept repeating that question to myself over and over again throughout the years of surviving in this horrid place, but I realized it wouldn't benefit me to dwell on it. I needed to take action to further train my body and mind before it was too late and I fell victim to one of them.

In that moment, I remembered Estefan, who had entered my room the previous night. He came like the grim reaper in the night, holding his sword covered in someone else's blood, looking like he was asking for my life to be taken... But why didn't he take it? The question prompted me to rise from the bed and hasten to the bathroom to freshen up. I needed to talk to him about it, but I felt hesitant.

Do I even have the courage to approach that man?

What if he killed me when I attempted to do so?

As I approached the bathroom door, I paused and contemplated my next steps.

What if he was helping me survive this deadly game?

But why?

He had no apparent reason to aid me. We are defintely not close to each other. He is older than me and I even barely see him in the palace, which is why I desperately needed to confront him. Whether he was on my side or not. Summoning all my courage, I finally decided to head toward the bathroom and clean myself up. After undressing and immersing myself in the water, a sharp pain drew my attention to my hand. It was then that I recalled having a wound there from the previous night. I stared at the wound for a few moments before standing up from the tub and moving toward the mirror.

The wound had ceased bleeding, but I carefully wrapped it with a clean piece of cloth torn from my dress. Afterward, I covered myself with a robe and left the bathroom to change. I wanted to wear one of the clothes I had received for my birthday last year—the only present I had received that day. It might have been given to me by my father, and thus, I had worn it repeatedly.

Upon donning my clothes and shoes, I looked in the mirror and noticed blood seeping through the cloth. I must have inadvertently hit the wound while changing, failing to notice the fresh bleeding. Hastily, I covered it once again with another clean bandage.

Once I finished tending to the wound, I retrieved my dagger, concealing it under my skirt and left my room.

As I walked, I observed the servants tidying up the palace. The path I treaded still bore traces of blood, nauseating me as I recollected the events of the previous night. Though I had never witnessed the murders of my siblings, their images haunted my mind, vividly depicting the merciless children responsible for their deaths.

I quickened my pace, heading toward the palace's training grounds, hoping to find Estefan there. However, upon my arrival, I found the grounds empty. Undeterred, I resolved to search for him outside. I often caught glimpses of him heading toward a meadow from my window. But to my dismay, he was nowhere to be found. It troubled me deeply, as this was the first time I had failed to see him outside.

Could he be injured from last night?

At that moment, without understanding why, I started running back toward the palace. Unbeknownst to me, children began to gather in one area. They chatted and laughed, seemingly oblivious to the horrors that had unfolded here the previous night. Unable to hear the news that our father had summoned us, I arrived just in time, avoiding punishment. I chose to stand in a corner, away from their gaze.

A few seconds later, silence fell as people began entering the room. It was the King, the four princes, and the princess. I spotted Estefan among them, bringing me a sense of relief, as I had feared he had been harmed. Though I had no right to worry about anyone but myself, there was no harm in caring for someone, or so I believed. My gaze returned to the figures in front of us. Even from a distance, the stark contrast between those children and the rest of us was evident. It came as no surprise that they held those seats.

"We are honored to be in the presence of our King and the chosen five," everyone chanted in unison, myself included. Immediately after they took their seats, Father began speaking.

"It appears that another one has perished," he stated with a bored tone. It was always like this. He cared little for any of his children, and yet, everyone yearned to be near him in order to survive in the palace. After all, father is not someone we could easily eliminate.

"Eloise is gone, father," Lucius, the crown prince responded, and I watched as the King nodded.

"Bury her alongside her mother," the King declared, causing me to freeze.

Mother?

So, not only Eloise but also Karla, her mother, had died that night?

"Yes, father," Lucius replied, and the King sighed.

"Let us conclude this gathering. I am in need of rest." the King declared, and as he rose from his seat, so did the others. We made way for them to exit the room. However, before Estefan, in particular, could leave, I grabbed his hand—a reckless move that made me realize the gravity of what I had just done. I had foolishly dared to act in such a manner, a move that could potentially cost me my life.