The Magic Behind Her Eyes

Chapter 13: The Face, the Name and the Words

A loud scream echoed through the castle walls, nearly shaking it to its core. A middle aged woman, with grey, ragged clothes fell onto the floor, wailing her eyes out. The guards stood in a line side by side, the same masks covering their faces. 

The woman continued screeching, banging her fists on the red carpet floor, leading to a large throne. Shining. Made of gold. On top of it, sat a man with a long red cloak, his blond hair brushed neatly to the side, his eyes barely reached the woman on the floor. 

After a few long minutes, he gestured one of the guards to take her away but she wouldn't budge.

"I said give me back my son!" She screamed.

The guard glanced at the king's direction who gave a sigh of almost defeat. He got up from his throne to which made the woman immediately stop crying. The fear in her eyes.

He slowly made her way towards her, and closely examined her face, "How many children do you have?"

She stared at him, her body still shaking. Then barely a whisper, "He was my only child."

"And who does he belong to?" He asked.

At that the woman began to cry once again.

"Me. He belongs to me," he gave a low growl, "Do you not remember? I gave your people food. Clothes. Shelter."

He got up and looked down on her, the wind blowing away the hood of his cloak, his eyes revealing the empty soul in him.

The face.

"I gave you names."

And suddenly, the hope in the woman's eyes began to slowly disappear.

"Your Highness," A third voice echoed through the room. A man, dressed up similarly to the other guards but unlike the rest, had no mask, "If I may interject-"

"You may not."

"Please, please give him back. He's just a little boy, you can take me," she begged.

"Your Highness, please," the man was the only one who had the courage to speak.

The king shot him a glare, which surprisingly didn't faze him as much as he wished it did, "Seven."

The name.

"Take her away. Now!"

When she realised there was no way out, the fear in her eyes were gone and her voice no longer shook. "You really think we belong to you? You bastard," she spurted out, "You know very well what will happen to you, you know full well about the prophecy."

The king flinched, surprised by her sudden act of bravery. No one would have the courage to speak to him like that.

"That's right. May you be ruined!"

"What are you waiting for? I SAID TAKE HER AWAY NOW!"

She was immediately taken out of the room. This time no matter how much she struggled, the guards held her firmly and dragged her across the floor.

"Joy to the day you are ruined! Ruined!"

And the door shut on her face.

The words.

"You are all dismissed," He gestured to the guards who all left the room in a straight line. He stared into the floor where the woman was crying and groaned, "Seven!"

"Yes your Highness, I'll get that to be cleaned right away," The only man that was left in the room, standing next to him as he gave him a slight bow.

"No. Not that," the king shook his head and sighed, "Where is the boy?"

"He is in the waiting room."

The king stared into the glass windows for a moment, lost in thought. It was clear that the woman's words affected him greatly. Even Seven noticed the deep train of thought in his face but said nothing. Instead, he stood there quietly, patiently waiting for a response.

"The boy. What is his name?"

Seven quickly hid the shock in his face, "You never ask for their names, Your Highness."

"You call me by my name when there's no one there."

"You never ask for their names, Victor," Seven repeated.

He continued staring in the window, scratching his head, his fingers fidgeting with themselves.

"Do not listen to anything she said, no harm can come to you."

"It's not that..."

"As for the prophecy-"

"I said it's not that!"

"My apologies."

His breathing, heavy.

"She's just...Not like the other mothers."

"The more you concern yourself with them, the harder it will be for you. There's a reason why we agreed to not discuss their names."

The king knew he was right. He took out his wand, the light in the room dimmed and the window curtains shut, "You're right. Bring him over to my room now," the king finally decided.

They walked over to his room, a dark, empty place. There was an empty bed, neatly done in the middle where he would sleep. The candles around the side were the only light flickering through the darkness. 

He took off his cloak, revealing white clothing underneath. And a little boy, was taken into the room. His eyes frightened but he couldn't speak.

"You made him drink the No-speak potion?"

Seven nodded. The guards left the room soon after, and the door was closed behind them. There was nothing else that could be seen except for the king's shadows, transforming into a large beast. 

That changed her life forever.

A growl.

A scream.

And so it began.

The day that cursed the nations and the blood that the castle was really made of. The secret which wasn't really a secret and the throne which wasn't really a throne, but a pile of angered souls. Weeping. 

The sound of bones breaking and the blood that gushed through the little boy's neck, struggling, crying and yet the potion in his tongue wouldn't let him shout for help and within seconds, the castle walls had quietened again. No more screaming. No more pain. Just the sound of munching and slurping. And the shadow of a beast devouring the little boy alive.