Zorya is a wild and a beautiful, pagan princess who loves spending time in the depths of her forest, side by side with her wolf, becoming one with a nature.
Darius is a cruel, and dark Christian King, feared by many, with a tragic fate, who comes t...
The halls of the castle were mesmerizing, and Zorya couldn't keep her eyes of the beautiful decorations that were surrounding her. The flowers was arranged so perfectly, together with the torches that provided the light for the beautiful rooms, where the music was already playing. The unknown instruments played by the true artists filled Zorya's soul with the unknown melodies, that she could listen forever. Unlike pagan music, that could always make imagine like she is conquering the whole world with her axe and loyal wolf by her side, music from Walnia was quite calming and hypnotic in some delightful ways.
Zorya tried her best to keep her head up high, and not to look around and study all those weird looking people that were waiting for their King and future Queen in the hall. Everyone looked so fake to her, she was sure that their lavish dresses and remarkable suits were representing a mask, to hide their insecurities from the rest of the world.
The music was playing as Darius and Zorya walked among the crowd, the throne in front of them was covered in gold and many different stones, unlike throne in Gora Nevskaya, that was made of wood and decorated with the most beautiful flowers, this throne looked cold and not so comfortable.
But before King and Queen sat on the throne, the music became slower and suddenly everyone looked at the two of them as if they were waiting for something.
"My princess, may I have this dance?" Darius asked with a slight smile. Zorya felt her heart race, nobody showed her much about how people in Walnia dance, but she sure remembered that their dance was nothing like at her home.
"O..Of course." Zorya nervously answered immediately curing herself for stuttering in front of all those people. Despite the music Zorya could already hear every single one of them whispering something, she felt as if their presence was suffocating her.
Darius took her hand and pulled her body closer to his own. Zorya shivered when she felt his body against her own, she couldn't allow herself to simply relax, instead she tensed afraid of making a complete fool of her.
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"Don't worry princess, I got you." Darius whispered, almost making her jump when she felt his hot breath on her ear and neck.
"I am going to sacrifice you to Svarog once this is over I promise." Zorya mumbled loud enough only for him to hear, making him chuckle and pull her even closer.
"I can't wait." Darius said slowly moving his body in the peaceful rhythm of the music.
"You seriously call this a dancing?" Zorya asked.
"And what would you call this my dear?" Darius asked amused.
"I don't know, our dance is more spirited even on the funeral." Zorya said earning a chuckle from Darius.
"Savage." Darius teased her.
"Boring, old Christian." Zorya teased him back with a smile.
For a moment, people were shocked to see their King being so tender with a woman, almost laughing, with that clumsy, wild princess that was trying her best to do something that looked like dance. The other noble woman felt jealous enough to decide to break the confidence Zorya barely had when it came to being one of them.
As soon as the dance ended, the two of them were rewarded with a loud applause and Zorya followed Darius to the table where the food was served. The smell of food was just amazing, and Zorya wanted to try everything. The servants came pouring the wine for all the nobles who earned their place by the table where King was eating.
"Do you maybe have some ale?" Zorya asked servant.
"Of course my princess..." Servant answered with a visible frown on his face. It was not common for woman to drink such a male drink. The woman sitting near Zorya were shooting her with a weird looks, especially when Zorya grabbed her ale and started drinking, she needed something to make herself relax, and she was drinking her ale quite fast...
"You maybe want to slow down." Darius warned her.
"I had my first ale when I was 12. I know what am I doing." Zorya said, unaware of how her acting was unladylike. Soon everyone were eating and casually chatting, Darius was having a conversation with a man beside him, that seemed to be getting on his nerves quite a lot.
"My princess, this must be really hard transition for someone like you." One of the woman sitting near her commented.
"I mean your customs are probably a lot of more different than ours." Other woman mentioned.
"Have you already accepted Christianity? I can't help but notice that you are still wearing a sign of a devil around your neck..." The first woman said again.
Zorya was struggling to understand what they were saying to her, and then again she felt her brain struggling to keep her temper in order and reply to their provocations, but she simply couldn't find the right words.
"She can't even understand what we are saying..." One of them giggled.
"I don't even understand what our king sees in her, she is not even pretty." Other one answered.
"He is marrying her only for the sake of the Pagan land, he is probably going to have so much other woman beside her." Both of the woman silently giggled.
Zorya could not take it anymore, her brain was getting dizzy from the alcohol, and from all the jugging looks she was receiving, and those comments were truly painful for her. Zorya was quite aware of the fact that Darius is only marrying her because of the land, and that she will always be compared to his first wife.
"Please excuse me." Zorya said while getting up from where she was sitting.
"Where are you going? Is everything alright?" Darius asked her. He was too busy while talking with the noble people around him, to notice that Zorya wasn't quite enjoying the conversation she was in.
"Все хорошо, я сейчас вернусь. Мне просто нужно убить кого-то своим топором." Zorya answered in her own language, hopping that nobody could understand what she was saying.
Darius frowned, but before he could answer anything, Zorya was already leaving the castle, she couldn't stay there even for a moment more, she felt as if the walls were closing around her and trying to trap her, this place truly was nothing but a beautiful cage.
Soon she found herself outside of the castle, and immediately started running to the backyard. The lonely place where she decided to tie her loyal friend to spend the night looking beautiful and being humiliated by the strangers.
"Kreshnik!" Zorya yelled and her wolf jumped happily after seeing her, trying to run to her but the chains were stopping him. Zorya rushed towards him and hugged her wolf, feeling as if that animal was the only one who could understand her now.
"Looks like they decided to put us both in the chains, just my chains are a bit prettier than yours." Zorya said looking at the dress and her ring. That night, she took the chains off her wolf, she hugged him tightly and soon she allowed herself to fall asleep right there, under the stars, hugging her wild friend.
*Все хорошо, я сейчас вернусь. Мне просто нужно убить кого-то своим топором (vsye horosho, ja seychas vyernus. Mnye prosto nuzhno ubit kavo to svoyim toporom) -everything is fine, I will be right back. I just need to kill someone with my axe.
Hey there guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter of my book! What do you think, about Zorya trying to live in the castle? Please vote and comment! Thank you a lot for your support! Stay safe!
