Cursed Union

{8}

Her first few days in Sleyisea, Eliana was taken on tours around the castle on royal grounds by the knights. Estelle, the then Queen of Sleyisea had often accompanied her on her expenditures.

She had the kindest soul Eliana had ever come across. Her smile was known to set the darkest streets of Sleyisea alight, including the depraved soul of the king. Estelle, unlike Eliana had married out of love, and that had altered the history of Sleyisea. A land, once known for the beasts crawling over it, had found some sort of light in the form of a queen, and Eliana had as well.

One day, they were in a remote wing of a mansion near the castle belonging to a Lord who hosted a feast in her honor. Eliana was quietly getting ready in a guestroom, alone apart from two maids who were helping her get dressed, when the door of her room had been violently opened.

She was expecting no one but the Queen, and so, she ignored the feeling crawling up, whispering down slowly that something wasn't fine. Heavy, aggressive footsteps approached her, making her turn around sharply.

In a matter of seconds, the two maids were heaps of bodies on the floor, and a firm hand had been pushed against her mouth, keeping any voice from escaping. Brutal blue eyes came into the view, eyes belonging to a man with bright white hair and face adorned with scars. His eyes were devoid of any emotions, and stared up at her as if she were a mere object that he was to wield to fulfil his promises.

Two men were at his sides. One of them was bulkier while the other was taller. The white-haired men gave a small yet unmissable signal, and the two men grabbed Eliana's fragile, flailing arms. The white-haired man's hand was replaced by the bulky man, covering up a portion of her nose as well, inhibiting entry of air.

The white-haired man's hand came down on her camisole-the only piece of clothing covering her body and her gripping it's front and pulled it, tearing the thin piece of clothing, leaving her bare. His hands came on her thighs, and only one thought rang in her mind,

Alex, Alex, Alex.

She merely had to touch her bracelet, yet it was difficult with the iron grip of the two men. She channeled all her strength in a single tug and managed to curl out her fingers from the hold of the tall men and used them to touch the cool metal dangling against the wrist of the same hand.

A part of her screamed that perhaps the gift was only sentimental and that perhaps it bore no magic, and wouldn't sumoun Alex, yet somehow, she chose to believe.

She chose to believe as rough hands grabbed her, touched her everywhere prior to pulling apart her legs before leaving her altogether to pull down the pants of the white-haired man. One second, the men around her had their eyes glinting with malice, the next, there was nothing in their eyes, and their bodies were heaps on the floor, lying beside the lifeless maids.

The Prince stood in front of her, his chest rising and falling in an uneven rhythm, her eyes depicting nothing but rage as they moved all over the scene. Realization dawned upon him in a fraction of a moment and he took off his jacket and offered it to her, his gaze casted on the floor.

She slowly wrapped it around herself before folding her arms around herself before a sob escaped her lips. She let herself fall to the floor as one after other tears drove past her lashes and dripped against the marble. If her mother were to see her, she would scold her and call it out of etiquette for a woman of her standing, but Eliana couldn't find it in herself to care.

Alexander got to his knees beside her, and his first reaction appeared to be to reach out to her and hold her cheeks, yet he seemed to think otherwise when Eliana flinched away from his touch. He pressed his eyes close and in a few seconds, Estelle appeared in the room, running towards where Eliana laid on the floor.