Tempting Darkness

Chapter One

"And that is why, you'll be meeting your fiance-to-be today," your father told you sternly. You were the Princess of Aristoka, and like every princess does, you had come of age and were to marry a suitor. You knew from a young age that this day would come so you'd done what you could to prepare yourself. But you weren't like other girls, you didn't want to marry some handsome, rich king you'd never met before.

You sighed and tried to dismiss yourself to your room. But were interrupted by a sneering voice.

"I'm glad y/n will finally be leaving soon, that way I won't have to deal with her." Your step mom sneered while she twirled one of her silky, black locks of hair around her finger. You shot her a look but did nothing else to further instigate. Your stepmom, Lucinda, had always been like this. Ever since your dad married her. She was technically your aunt. Your mother died giving birth to you so he had to remarry, and what better bride was there than the sister of his dead wife.

Your father and Lucinda started to talk about the future you never consented to. Seizing the opportunity you snuck back up to your room. You had about six hours before you needed to start getting ready to meet your fiance. The perfect amount of time to take a nap (you weren't very lady-like, you took naps).

"Y/N!! It is much too late in the day for you to be sleeping!" you were awoken by the frantic voice of your maid. She was sweet, but vanilla in certain settings. She quickly ushered you out of bed and sat you down in front of your vanity while you continued to wake up. You looked at the self in your mirror, meeting the bright blue gaze of your reflection while she brushed out your golden locks. You'd always been told you were a spitting image of your mother- you wouldn't know of course, you never got the chance to meet her. You could take their word for it, however, seeing that you and Lucinda unfortunately shared the same, crystal blue eyes.

Once your maid, Becca, finished your hair she guided you to the fitting room so she could shove you into a corset. You always hated wearing dresses but seeing that you were a princess, you never had very much of a say in the matter. Sometimes you wish you'd been born a boy, that way you wouldn't have to worry about dresses, or balls, or husbands, or fancy forks, and especially not corsets.

Finally, you went downstairs to see your fiance waiting. He was a tall, slendered, gray-haired man. It would not be difficult to find him charming. He was accompanied by a shorter man who wore thick, chunky glasses, and had bright orange hair that ran down his face in the form of a beard and mustache- kissed by fire if you will.

"Hi" he spoke, "I'm King Rothbart." Naturally, you offered your hand which he graciously accepted and kissed. "May I say, your beauty leaves me speechless. No other girls at my castle on a hill can even compare your beauty."

"Thank you, your face is nice- I guess," you offered in return and did a courtesy. You glanced at your father who was anxiously eyeing your fiance to make sure he acted accordingly.

You could not help but take notice of the shorter man standing a bit too close to you.

"Oh, my apologies, allow me to introduce my brother, Prince Ed, Ed Sheeran."

"Hi," Ed finally spoke up, licking his lips.

"Oh um... hi."

"Might I take you for a carriage ride?" Rothbart interjected, smiling at you.

"Yeah okay."

"My apologies, my lords," a man you recognized as Rothbart's personal apothecary interrupted, "and lady." He finished, taking notice to you. "But I must speak to Rothbart, alone."

Rothbart turned to you at least bothering to act apologetic, "I'm terribly sorry my lady. Please, allow my brother to accompany you for the evening instead."

Seeing that you did not exactly have a choice, you agreed.

Ed took you on a very scenic carriage ride, some girls might have called it romantic- but you weren't like them so you didn't. You asked to stop by your favorite jewelry shop to see if they had anything new in stock. Of course, Ed gave you an obedient, "yes m'lady" in return.

Before you and Ed could get inside the store, you were grabbed and dragged into a nearby alleyway. You shrieked as a knife was pressed to your throat.

"Give me all of your precious gold," a deep, somewhat erotic voice demanded.

"Take whatever you want, kill me while you're at it, see if I care," you sighed. You'd just now come to the conclusion that Ed was boring and you didn't care to marry anyone related to him.

Almost as quickly as he appeared, your attacker had vanished.

"Lady Y/n! Thank goodness you're okay!" Ed came running to your "rescue" too little too late.

"Uhuh, thanks"

"Here, let us go back to the carriage."

The ride home was incredibly uneventful, to say the least.

"Perhaps a song would help to calm you?"

"Nah, I'm fine don't worry about it."

"A song it is then! Don't worry princess, it's no sweat off my back, I actually enjoy singing, and long walks by the beach." Ed started to sing. It was some song about some party he didn't want to be at. The ride home took even longer.

"You lost how much money?"

"I didn't exactly lose it, Lucinda- it was the money or my life."

"Better you than our gold."

"Honey that's enough!" your father finally interrupted. "I know you don't mean that. Y/n, we're very glad you aren't hurt, you've had a long day- why don't you go up to your room."

"Mhm, night dad." you bumped shoulders with your step mom on your way upstairs.

You couldn't sleep. You didn't know why. Surely it had nothing to do with your attacker earlier. It definitely had to do with the damn wolf that kept howling- strange considering you thought every wolf had been hunted from your kingdom ages ago. But you absolutely were not laying in bed awake thinking of the seductiveness of his voice. Who knew "Give me all of your precious gold" could send chills like that down your spine, making you heat up in ways like never before... You were almost too preoccupied with your thoughts to notice the sound of your window being opened. Almost.

You shot out of bed- wide awake now, startled at the noise. Maybe it had just been the wind, you tried to tell yourself. You were proven wrong as you saw the outline of the intruder in the shadows.

Before you could scream for guards the intruder lunged at you- quick to cover your mouth. You were... terrified to say the least. You wholeheartedly believed that this was the end. You didn't know that the strange man wanted but surely it would end with you dead. You closed your eyes and prepared for the pain that was sure to come.

The pain never did come though. Instead, your eyes shot open in shock when the intruder began kissing you. After what seemed like ages, or maybe not long enough, the man pulled away. You tried your best to make out any defining features of him as he pulled back. However, it was dark and unfortunately all you could see was a pair of charming gold eyes.

"Remember me, Princess." he spoke.

That voice... it was the same as your attacker from earlier! You tried to ask him to stay when he made his way back towards the window- but your kiss had left you speechless, stunned.

Once he was gone you lit a nearby candle and tried to catch your breath. Did that really just happen? You looked around your room to make sure it hadn't been a dream. That was when it caught your eye. A single purple handkerchief that had been left behind in a little too-obvious way to be accidental. Almost in awe, you picked it up to inspect it. It was made out of a fine, silky fabric- something only a nobleman could afford. But that wasn't what intrigued you. In the bottom left corner of the cloth, embroidered on was a golden "P."