Beasts Of Blackcastle

Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Walking right into the beast's lair and flaunting to be his meal

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“I am no longer a princess, I was stripped of my title and royal status.” Venia nervously said. She was not going to let them convince her. She couldn't for her sake.

“That is nonsense,” Iyene uttered passionately, “your father was the king, his father was the king, your bloodline is royal, you are much more of a princess than we'll ever be.”

“That was before they framed me as a ruthless murderer.” Venia replied. “Please go on without me… just look at me, I'm no princess.” Venia eyed the dirty gown she had on and cast her stare down.

“I understand that you'll be too ashamed to present yourself in such a condition. It's just not right. We would not dare let you go out in the more than undesirable cloth you're wearing. I'll borrow you one of my gowns, I'm pretty sure it'll fit, we're the same size I'm thinking.” Bess offered with this hopeful look in her eyes.

The princesses circled Venia and smiled so sweetly at her she felt her defiance crumbling. After more sweet urging and irresistible sweet words, Venia eventually agreed even though she was terrified of the predicted severity of king Ian’s reaction.

She was indeed very curious and wondered to no end what was going on but knew that the council is not here so this is not what this was about. Iyene brushed her hair while the princesses discussed what their father could be summoning them for.

Venia suggested that she thinks the issue is regarding the upcoming Svore Ball and that is when Iyene commented that if it is that, then she has as much right as they do to attend the ball. The ball was one big, organized dating scene, there was no way Venia could get an invitation to potentially meet anyone.

After much consideration, Venia refused Bess's gown, fearing punishment from king Bale because he will know that the gown does not belong to her and might accuse her of stealing it. After the king accused her of stealing the staff, her clothes were burned except the gown she had on the very night that she woke up here. She had heard from others that it was her mother's gown. During the search she had hid it under her bed so it remained safe and was not confiscated. The gown however was dirty and had some small blood stains from the time she bled during her punishments and was also a bit wet because she had foolishly tried to wash off the stains.

“I don't understand how father can be so cruel to you.” The youngest princess cried out and took both of Venia's hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. “I will not allow father to keep treating you this way. I promises you that I will work very hard and I will find a prince or king to marry me at the Ball so I can take you away from this kingdom.”

“If she does not succeed that night then I promise you that we will.” The first princess assured her and they all told each other that they love each other.

It was such a touching moment that Venia felt she did not deserve. She dried up her tears and told them in a trembling voice, “Everything will be okay. I will be fine and even if I am not, please put yourselves first.”

The maid from earlier returned and made the princesses aware of their father's impatience and while riddled with nerves, the four young women hesitantly left the room. What annoyed the princesses even more was that they had to seperate themselves from Venia. Keeping a distance from her was all for the sake of avoiding king Ian's suspicion that they came from her room and that they've been treating her kindly because they do not want her to be sent away. King Ian had threatened them with giving her away to the monsters more times than they could count.

The maid announced their entry and the four women walked into the throne room and the princesses immediately noticed Arsix and their stomachs clenched in fear because they all know who he is and of his reputation. Again like it had been happening, Venia had a memory of the beast king and was as deeply terrified of him. She knew exactly who he was and what he stood for.

The beast king Arsix was infamous and had established himself a perfect status as a monster. He was known to be a ruthless, merciless, heartless brute who will not hesitate to rip apart anything in his path to shreds. He was the danger, he was the most frightening thing in all kingdoms and realms and he was the worst monster in the history of all monsters; because unlike the dark legends, he lived and existed in their time. The beast king had conquered and annexed many kingdoms and his pack was unstoppable.

The young women knelt in front of both men and Venia almost immediately felt the beast king Arsix's eyes follow her but she kept her stare downcast because someone of low rank like her looking him in the eyes would be insulting him and undermining his eminence.

King Ian could not believe his eyes. He had requested for royal maidens and his daughters to be summoned so what was the meaning of this? Before anything could proceed, king Ian immediately grimaced in digust and voiced out his anger at the sight of her,

“What is the meaning of this? What is she doing here? How dare this piece of filth enter my throne room!”

Princess Bess was quick to come to Venia’s defense and she spoke quite boldly. “Princess Venia is here because she is of royal blood as well-”

The princess also had a lot of cheeky retorts, but before she could get to that part, her father quickly warned her to hold her tongue,

“Bess! I never addressed you so I expect no words from you. You will not speak unless spoken to, do not make such a mistake again.”

The king reprimanded his daughter and then proceeded to rudely order for Venia to leave, but before she could gather herself from the ground, the beast king Arsix shocked the soul out of king Ian with his unexpected utterances,

“No, she should stay. She is the one I want.” His words were firm and the look in his eyes ever dark and cold.

An immediate, deafening silence befell the room and a look of terror was etched on each of the young women's faces. Venia was horrified, to a point where she could not hold her tongue anymore.

“Want for what?!” She blurted out and was immediately made to regret it.

Venia was immediately punished by the lashing tongue of the king and as always he left her feeling worthless and insignificant. “How dare you open your filthy mouth in my throne room?! You will lose that tongue, don't test me.” King Ian's attention shifted back to the enigmatic alpha king who was continuing to make his life very difficult. “My king, the girl is no longer a princess. She is nothing but a wicked, devious being. She is a murderer and has been reverted to nothing but a worthless slave. I had set her execution but spared her because death would be too good for her. Do not let her beauty deceive you, she is an unpredictable, despicable w***e. You can pick from any of my three princesses. My daughters are the best matches for you, my king, if you want a gift worthy of a king such as yourself, then my Bess, Iyene or Vye will be the best. They are women of the highest grade-”

Another guttural growl silenced king Ian. King Arsix mordantly warned him to never doubt his judgement again before he uttered yet another shocking question.

“Is she is chaste?”

Venia gulped uneasily. She did not know if it will be a good thing if she is not or if it will be to her advantage if she is. She did not know about the true owner of this body, but in her world she was very unlucky in romance and had never even gotten her first kiss from a male.

King Ian provided a prompt reply, “No, she is not, like I've mentioned, she is a w***e. I might even say she is the biggest w***e in the whole kingdom. She is filthy and uses her beauty to lure and seduce men.”

“THAT IS NOT TRUE!” Vye shouted out in exasperation and before her father could silence her, her sister snapped the same.

“EVERYTHING YOU SPEAK OF ARE LIES. How cruel of you father to insinuate that she called upon the abuse she suffers from your repulsive, depraved servants on herself. You are the one responsible for the condition she is in.” Iyene was barely done when Bess interjected heatedly.

“Tell the truth, father. You've only been a king for one full moon and you already crave popularity as a dishonest king. You and everyone else out there know that princess Venia, the rightful heir to the throne you now seat on was unmarried and-”

“That is enough!” King Ian bellowed, his voice coming out as strongly as a wrathful roar. “Fine, I will say it. I know my laws are well known. The girl is chaste, your highness, but she is NOT my daughter and that her status as a maiden does not excuse her filth. She cannot be trusted and will only bring upon you, dark, heavy curses.”

The alpha king’ s eyes burned into him as he snarled at him, “Enough of your nonsense. You are pathetic and an even bigger fool for questioning my judgement. I do not care what you have to say, she is the one I want.”

“BUT WHY? WANT FOR WHAT?” Venia screamed inwardly. She had never been more bewildered and more terrified her entire life because in that moment she knew that this beast king, that this notorious king of monsters had decided her fate.