Beasts Of Blackcastle

Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Virtue Of A Maiden

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Once with the night, the princess sang a song, her voice as sweet as a siren's, her soft whispers echoing through the night like a seductive symphony. Irresistible she became and thus with a mighty gust; the night awakened to finally meet her.

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His eyes were upon her, she could just feel it. Even with her eyes closed, princess Venia could feel a presence and strangely, against her better judgment, she awaited it.

Those unearthly eyes drank her in like sweet nourishment and as much as it unnerved her, she never dared to open her eyes. There he was, in the darkness of the corner, at the very edge of the room, just gazing at her. Princess Venia took a deep exhale, her chest heaving and dropping dramatically to accommodate her laboured breathing.

If she was to speak what would she say to him? Her unearthly visitor who made her stomach churn without even lifting a finger. A gasp nearly escaped her parted lips as she heard steady, heavy footfalls and an imagery was projected before her. She could watch him before her closed eyes as though he was on film; he had no form, only a presence, he was but a shadow but he was very real. He stalked closer to the bed in a predatory creep, each step calculated and the darkness of his aura intensified the nearer he got to her.

It was only a matter of time until his form descends upon her, he had never came to her in such a manner but she knew what always happened to her. Princess Venia slowly peeled her eyes open as she felt the end of her king sized bed dip. A sizeable weight had caused a much felt depression and she could not bring herself to imagine the proportions he must pride himself in in order to carry such force. The princess' amethyst eyes opened and beheld a sight that left her frozen and bewildered.

A dark, peculiar shadow of terrifying mass was cast on the wall before her and it reached the ceiling and curved slightly. Princess Venia's eyes darted around the room, covering as much of it as she could in hopes of saving herself from her own mind. This was surely a product of her imagination; but no matter how hard she searched for a logical explanation, she just could not trace the shadow back to any object or furniture in the room. Nothing could project such an enormous, thick shadow. The shadow was a figure on its own, it was not a reflection, it was the very being she was looking for.

For a fleeting moment the figure retreated, taking a more convoluted shape as it did so. At one movement it was an irregular shape she could not name, then at the other it sprouted what appeared to be wings made of flames. This was all so strange and unsettling and despite feeling threatened, the princess could not bring herself to make a single sound. She had been rendered speechless, like her voice had been stolen and her throat had been sealed.

She tried to scream but nothing came out, not even a throaty yelp, when the figure drew forward and cast a cold cloud over her. Trapped in her bed, the princess could only move her hands in response, she fisted the silky sheet beneath her and held it as tightly as she could as the figure approached and an inexplicable density overwhelmed the atmosphere. The shadow now fully covered her but she could not feel it on her skin. What would it do to her? What form would it suddenly break into? A million questions raced through her mind until the jealous figure demanded her attention.

In very unfashionable abruptness, what felt like large, calloused hands groped her thighs and yanked them open. An inaudible gasp flew out of her and her eyes widened with terror. What was it doing? Princess Venia's abs tightened as her entire body stiffened in reaction to the frigid touch covering her unblemished flesh. She squeezed her eyes shut as the figure eagerly caressed her inner thighs, it's cold fingers ever so slowly nearing her heat.

Just as she braced herself for contact and her walls throbbed and clenched, she instead was pulled out of the blankets and the filmly gown she had own flew over face and covered it, her legs kicking up in the air. Before she could remove the gown blinding her, it was ripped from her face. In three forceful motions it was torn asunder and on her body remained enough fabric to cover just above her belly button. A gown so exquisite laid in tatters on the floor and without it her lower region and her femininity were entirely exposed. She gulped uneasily as her thighs were spread once more and as though she was not shocked enough, the figure stunned her by producing a voice.

"Where is your groom?" It spoke with a voice so deep and domineering, she felt it hit her core.

For the umpteenth time she tried to speak but nothing came out. Groom? What groom? Her mind was a hazy mess and she had none a clue how things would proceed.

"You think I'd let you to another?" Oh the voice got more sinister and the fingers far too bold and interested in her heat. Perhaps it sought the warmth to thaw its icy presence. Perhaps it simply desired to take her breath away.

"Where is your groom?" The figure purred, his cold finger circled her engorged bud and she clenched her butt, arching her back and heaving from the bed. As sudden as the transition was, something ruthlessly possesed her and she regained her voice.

"You are, play with me." She purred, opening her eyes just as a head began to form-

"Princess? Awaken, princess." Vye's voice pulled princess Venia out of the most strange of dreams.

For a moment she was confused and did not know who she was or where she was but when her eyes met Vye's emerald green ones, a sense of calm overcame her and she recognised her bedroom.

"Is anything the matter?" Vye asked, her soft palm laid on the princess' cheek as she closely studied her face.

"A man visted me." Princess Venia muttered musingly, thinking out loud and her lady- in- waiting was immediately panic stricken.

"A man? How? How did he get in here? I will alert prince-"

"No, don't tell my brothers," the princess cut in before Vye could lose her mind with worry, her eyes were already brimming with tears, "he visited me in a dream. I was a bride…"

"You really had me worried," the young woman held both her hands, sobbing lightly, "I'd have never forgiven myself. I wondered how-"

"It's okay, Vye. I love you and your caring heart." The princess took her in a comforting embrace, stroking her hair as she spoke. "I'd like to tell you about it, if you don't mind." After prince Eclix rejected her, Venia's embittered spirit did not let her savour the taste of freedom. Her brother tried to sweeten her and bring her to smile, but as long as he was not giving her what she needed, what she was burning for, all his efforts were in vain.

He did not understand what the night did to her. He did not understand how desperately she needed to be touched, to be held and made to sing.

After ten minutes of ambling and refusing her a swim in the crystal lake, the prince led her back to her prison.

Upon returning to her room, she found Vye sitting on her bed, a look of dread plastered on her face but with a bit of charm and her silver tongue, she managed to convince her lady- in- waiting she was just in the painting room and eased her worries and suspicions.

Then princess Venia sat next to her and locked eyes with her. Her demeanour was mysterious, unreadable but her question was very simple. At least she thought of it so.

"Why does the Beast want to take me as his own?"

Vye's gaze gained intensity as though the question had hit her right in the heart. Her slender fingers caressed her luscious milk white skin as she admired her ravishing beauty.

"How could he not? Your birth brought upon an eclipse, even the moon became shy and hid behind the clouds when you first opened your eyes. He wants you because you there is none as beautiful and as pure as you, princess; your eyes sparkle brighter than any gem I have ever seen, your skin is the softest I've ever felt, every inch of it is perfect, your puckered lips, so pink, of such perfect size remind me of rose petals. Till this day I look at you and I'm put to wonder, it doesn't matter how many times I've seen you. If the Beast was ever to see your beauty, he would make sure no one else ever sees it. You are exactly what he was ruthlessly denied and has been searching for for centuries; a beautiful maiden unlike any other."

"What makes me a maiden?" The princess questioned, she had been given an answer to this question before and it remained the same still.

"You are untouched, unblemished, pure and perfect. Very perfect." Vye uttered impassionedly.

"And what if I was to no longer be a maiden? Would the Beast not want me then?"

Vye stared at her peculiarly, as though she was threatened by her frame of mind, nonetheless, she gave a response. "The legend does say he wants a maiden."

"Well perfect!" The princess exclaimed, that daring look in her eyes that worried Vye so, so bold and fiery. "Help me, Vye, lift this curse from me. Tonight I'll lose virtue as a maiden and neither you, my parents or my brothers will ever live in fear of the Beast coming for me ever again."

The young woman frowned, nervously wringing her fingers. "You are yet to be betrothed and without a groom your virtue remains."

Princess Venia huffed out disdainfully- did everything really have to depend on her finding a husband?!

"Neither Prince Eclix or Prince Eclair will propose to me, so tell me, Vye, do you think an engagement will fall out of the roof and slap me in the face?! Don't be ridiculous; this does not require an engagement, only a capable man and I know of one who will not reject me."

"Please, princess-" Vye's pleas for her sanity were silenced before completion. There was no reasoning with her when she was this determined, Vye knew this very well.

"There is a man at the end of the hallway, a dutiful man who'd never disobey a princess or deny her anything. Bring him to me and I swear to you that no one else will find out. I only require a few minutes with him, that's all." The hulking guard was suitable enough of a candidate. She'd memorised his face and stature and she did find him to her liking. Not as much as prince Eclix but he'd have to do.

Vye had begged for some time to muse over her demand and seeing her in such a perturbed state left the princess so guilt- stricken that she eventually agreed and granted her a full night. The clock was ticking.

"This shadow.. what made you convinced it's a he?" Vye inquired.

Quite an unnerving dream had been narrated to her and as much as Vye was undoubtedly unsettled by the details, she just could not help but think the princess had conjured up this Shadow figure in order to push her to help her in her illicit plan. King Thorton would have her head if he was to find out a mere, lowly guard enjoyed his only daughter, the future queen.

She could never let that happen either. A man so unworthy could never touch even a strand of her hair! She grimaced in disgust at the mere thought of it.

"I don't know how I knew, but I've always known that he is a he and he'd never spoken before until…" Princess Venia drawled, still grasping with the intensity of that strange dream.

The Beast's eyes could not see beyond the wall, it'd be impossible for him to know of the many castles in the royal field which one she resides in. With that reasoning, Vye put her mind to ease.

"Such is the nature of dreams sometimes, they're strange and make no sense whatsoever. You said you wore a bridal gown in the dream and that is a future yet to be realised-"

The princess scoffed dryly, "You mean that is a future I will never have. No wonder my mind conceived that scene, 'where is your groom?' I didn't have an answer because deep down I know, Vye, that I will never be a bride. Only you can change this, only you can be my saviour." She suddenly grabbed both her hands and her eyes pierced into hers, relaying such intense emotion. "I love you, Vye, you care so deeply for me, you've cared for me since I was a child. You were just fifteen and yet after twelve years your diligence and caring heart have not changed. Please, I beg of you, grant me this one thing and I'll be indebted to you for the rest of my life. All I want is freedom and a chance at a normal life. You know what you have to do, bring him to me-"

"He won't be able to make it through the barrier the witch Allura spelled-"

"Then take me to him! A few minutes is all I need and I'll be rid of this virtue. Please, Vye, I know you are capable. You love me, don't you?"

Vye let out a shaky breath, battling to find strength within her not to cave in, "I do, princess, so much it fills my eyes with tears. That is why I cannot risk you-"

"The only risk is that of my life being nothing but loneliness and misery until my death. I will never sit on the throne if we do not break this curse, don't you get it?"

Those eyes, how could she resist those eyes?

Vye slowly nodded her head, her glassy eyes softening, "Okay. I will try my best to help you, if it means you will find happiness."