Beasts Of Blackcastle

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six : In no sooner a time, it came

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Helpless against the ever expanding tides of time, the princess availed herself to the fate that had painted her with bewilderment. So monstrous was this beast before her, wild and untamed they claimed but just as she bent to the will of time and her fate, the beast bent and succumbed to her light. " You're my fate, just as much as I'm yours," it said to her.

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The worst days of her life had ticked by as though time itself had been given the script and understood that it had to serve as the other forces did; to make her suffer. Venia had never ever in her short life ever had such a long week. Each second felt like tenths of minutes and minutes felt like hours and had she not been kept very busy by King Ian, she would have most definitely lost her mind to her consuming anxities. As of this moment, she had to avail her time to a b***h of a woman called Slyra and my oh my was she as hideous and distasteful as her name.

Slyra had been the royal jeweler for the past thirty years and had been her father's prodigy and most talented apprentice hence why when old and worn out Forley retired at the fossil age of three hundred and twenty seven, Slyra immediately took over and quickly built quite a reputation for herself. Unlike her rather patient and understanding father, the woman was a dragon ready to run rampant and burn the world to ashes at the slightest mistake. Venia did not know about the prowess of the princess in working with gold, but she sure was having the most difficult time making these crowns and armour. King Ian surely wanted her to suffer more while she is still in his custody because why would a princess have to labour in such manner? Why would she have her endure such heat in this blazing oven room?

The conditions she was working under were awful and extremely dangerous to say the least. She imagined as she carried a long rod with a hot iron container with the molten gold that that bastard king must be having a blast imagining her burning her arms off or ruining her beautiful face with fire. Venia had never had to be so careful in her entire life! After pouring the gold into the mould, she still found a way to burn her wrist with the tip of the rod despite how careful she was being.

"Awww!" She yelped out in pain, immediately dropping the entire structure and examining her wrist. Before she could even assess how badly she'd scalded herself, another form of pain was introduced to her body.

"You useless moron!" Slyra's calloused hand smacked the side of her face hard again, this time she struck her with enough force to show her off her feet. Once she was at a lower level, the bitter woman kicked at her thighs and began spitting like an enraged serpent. "Look at the mess you've created! Do you know who the king is going to blame for this? Do you want me to suffer because of your stupidity? Ahhh…I see, you must think you're special now that you have been sold off to that beast king and you are trying to get me in trouble! King Ian made it very clear that nothing is to happen to you until the beast king comes for you and you burnt yourself on purpose to get me in trouble. I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget." Slyra had always had a temper as fiery as her trusted gold smelting ovens and she always let it get the better of her.

The slave princess who was not to suffer a even a tiny bruise at anyone's doing was now suffering injuries twice as intense because of her. Slyra kicked her like a dog while she whimpered and yelped but did nothing to defend herself. Venia was only wise enough to curl up and shield her upper body and face from the woman's brutality.

"I'll end you right here before you end me!" Slyra hissed, bending her back and reaching for a fistful of her luscious, midnight black hair. Venia only then coughed up some words as she realised that she was about to get dragged across the coarse, dirty floors and into god knows what.

"I'm sorry, madam, I'm sorry, it was an accident, I was reckless-" Venia cried out imploring and a glimmer of hope shone upon her cowering form when the woman let go of her hair and straightened her hair.

Slyra wrinkled her rather pointy nose and looked down at her with unmistakable disgust that reflected boldly in her tone as she spoke,

"Quiet! Stop being so pathetic, murderer. I don't think you've learned your lesson yet, I'm going to-"

"Ahhh!" Venia gasped,,jolting up in fear when a metallic stake pierced through her skull and shattered it. The stake had carried so much force with it, it impaled her between the eyes and made a dramatic exit, carving out a piece of her brain and leaving the rest to scatter as her limp body collapsed in a heaped mess.

The one who had ruthlessly murdered Slyra was right behind her. Venia trembled with fear, constantly reminding herself not to turn around and face the barbaric monster who was too good of a shot. She had thought about it while in the first phase of crippling panic and it was too late to play dead. She could not exactly run either, the exit was behind her.

In the throes of panic, Venia's heart raced wildly in her chest and then with a blink of an eye, there was nothing. All the fear had suddenly, miraculously been dispelled. Her heart beat calmed to a slow rhythm and her eyes gained even more clarity. In that moment a bewildering, unexpected, inexplicable sense of peace overcame her and she just sat there and found herself embracing her fate.

She was embracing death. The feeling of sweet relief was the most gratifying and the most acceptable in the last minutes of her life. It was a small gift of mercy from the goddess. This was it. Maybe death was the key needed to undo all this terror. Maybe death will grant her the freedom she has long been begging for. Death was her salvation. Death was the kindest to her. It was just about to save her from the alpha beast king. Sweet damnation, I welcome you, take me and do as you please. She thought to herself as she became aware that the owner of the imposing, dark shadow cast on her figure was right behind her and had spared no distance at all.

Venia exhaled lightly as the figure crouched down and she closed her eyes and braced herself for a brutal death. She only hoped he'd be kind and merciful enough to grant her a quick death like he did Slyra. The last thing Venia expected was for the henchman of death to speak to her!

"My princess," her last and grandest doom spoke in a dealthy deep, dark voice with an unmissable rasp intensifying each syllable and confirmed her suspicions; it was a man. She just knew he was a man. A large, hulky one at that. "My princess, are you fine? Are you badly injured? I would never dare put my unworthy hands on you, but may you allow me a moment to examine you so I know the extent of your injuries?"

Venia was stunned to death. Wait, what was going on here? The man didn't sound like any of king Ian's guards and a man under the instructions of the bastard king would have never addressed her so politely and gently or even asked for her permission to do anything. Venia was rendered speechless for a moment too long, the man grew too apprehensive and presented himself before her eyes. The man who looked very beastly in nature had a strongly contrasting look of gentleness and benevolence in his eyes. To make himself appear less threatening, he had knelt in front of her and seeing him on both knees just did not look right in her eyes.

The last time a man bent a knee in her honor was… Venia quickly dispelled that thought from her mind.

Her wavering voice nearly distorted her utterances but at last she had managed to speak.

"N- NO…no… thank you, I'm fine… I've been through worse. Don't worry, I'll stand on my own."

"I do not mean to doubt your word, princess, but are you sure I need not to call a doctor for you? I've traveled with the best royal doctor who will always await the honour to serve you." A doctor? Venia frowned at the beastly stranger's words.

No one had ever cared enough to call the best royal doctor for her. What was with this special treatment? What was she going to have to pay for it? Could she afford it - probably not.

"I'm fine," Venia urged him yet again to remove himself from his knees and he finally did so. Wow he was extremely tall! Built like the toughest of warriors as well! "I won't bother anyone for such mild aches, I'm fine, really. I don't mean to be rude but who are you?" She had surely never seen him before in her entire life and he carried a scent that was unfamiliar to her.

"I am Haryx, my princess," he bowed his head as he introduced himself. Even his name was new to her. "I was assigned to you by our great king Arsix. I am here to take you home, the alpha king has been waiting for you. I have already instructed the maid to help you pack up everything you'll need. If you may, princess, come with me."