A Curse Of Blood And Sorrow

Chapter Thirteen

Avery

"Rebecca said something that I don't think is true but I need you to confirm it or deny it. Are you falling for me? Or were you?" I ask. He swallows hard. Maybe my questions aren't as easy as he thought they were going to be.

"What she said was true. I was falling in love with you. Until I found out you were the one who murdered two villages and your own family." I flinch. Even Rebecca has never been this blunt and harsh with me.

"Why haven't you left yet?" I question.

"Because Ave, despite everything", he sighs like he doesn't want to be having this conversation, "Despite everything, I don't want to see you hurt and I also want you to explain what happened because I don't think you'd choose to be the beast on purpose. I know you enough to know that you wouldn't want to hurt people the way the beast does. I haven't left because I want you to trust me and to keep me as a close friend. I don't want to lose you."

I nod a little, at least he's honest about what he wants. I take a deep breath and instantly regret it. Putting a hand to my stomach I look at him properly.

"Your sword fighting skills are much better than when you started. I've got to say, I'm very very impressed." Blake has the decency to look a little sheepish.

"Just so you know, I am very sorry about that, it wasn't my intention to hurt you, Avery. But it was my intention to hurt the beast. If I had known it was you, I would've tried something else."

I smile a little. Blake is a good person. He is a hero and he shouldn't be wasting his life around me. It will only ever end badly for him.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I demand.

"Yes. Ave, I'm very sure."

"Okay then but don't say I didn't try to warn you."

"I would never suggest that." He says as he starts to get more comfortable in his seat next to me.

"I was 15 when it happened." I say quietly.        "My father had been in a meeting when she first appeared at the castle demanding to see him. I don't really know the details of what happened when he spoke to her but apparently she was pregnant with his child. I couldn't quite believe it, I thought my parents had a good marriage. I thought we were safe. I was so wrong." I chuckle humorlessly.  "For compensation for the trauma she experienced when sleeping with him, she wanted me. For herself. Obviously my mother refused and wouldn't even let my father anywhere near the woman for fear that he'd bow to her every need like he'd done once before." I take stock and look at Blake. He shifts uncomfortably. "Are you sure you want me to continue?" I ask.

"Of course. This is your story Avery. It's about time you told it to someone who has never heard it. But if you want to stop, that's okay too." He replies easily. Like we're not talking about one of the darkest days in Astrother's history.

"That night whilst wandering the castle after everyone went to sleep I bumped into her." I continue after finding my strength. "Her name was Aaliyah, she was pretty but not as pretty as my mother, no one is as pretty as her. Not even me. Long black hair curled and pinned against her head, bright red lips and blue eyes. She was everything my mother was not, everything my father wanted but couldn't have. You see, at the time my parents were trying to conceive but couldn't. My father wanted another heir to the throne. I didn't know how bad things were until after. Until after I killed them, Rebecca was the one to tell me. I immediately hated her. She kept telling me all these awful things about my father, how she wasn't the first person he had cheated with. That was when I made my first mistake. I threatened to kill her if she didn't immediately leave the castle. I just wanted her out. I didn't want anyone else to hear the horrid things she kept telling me about my father and most importantly, I didn't want to believe them. Smoke started to surround me, I could barely see. Then I felt it. My bones breaking all at once, muscles tugging on my skin, expanding. The pain was excruciating. Like nothing I had ever felt. All at once I wasn't myself anymore. I was a monster. I was the beast I've come to be known as. Fangs appeared at the side of my mouth, wings sprouted from my back, claws extended my fingers and toes, my clothes ripped from my body. I wasn't myself. "This is a curse of pain." She had said to me, "Of pain and suffering. I can't get what I want so I will ruin this kingdom. I will ruin your family. And I will regret nothing. You will remember the name Aaliyah The Great and you will fear it." I take a deep breath and take his hand. "I'm sorry if I've scared you Blake." He drops my hand and gets up, pacing the length of my bed.

"You...you were cursed. You are cursed?" He asks in a condescending tone.

"Yes. And if you don't believe me, you can get out right now!" I yell, not in the mood to deal with someone who thinks I'm a liar.

He doesn't hesitate. He walks out of my bedroom without so much as a second glance.

A few minutes later, Rebecca walks back into my room. "I take it telling him didn't go very well then." I shake my head. "If it's any consolation, he looked sad and dejected walking out of your room. He was on the verge of tears."

"That doesn't help at all!" I yell at her. Why would that help? That just makes everything worse.