The Bastard Princess

39.

-HER-

I was still inside but I could feel the tension outside the temple. After his threat, the whole building grew silent. The low murmur of rain could be heard outside. It was the only thing audible accompanied by the whispers of the chilly night wind.

"Get her," It was the head priestess who broke the silence. Shortly after I heard footsteps enter the temple. I was still frozen in my place, pale and shocked by the situation.

Theto appeared in front of me. Her face was draped with a veil of calmness as she spotted me frozen at my place. She slowly approached me and said, "Arsinoe, he's here," Her voice was gentle and calm as always but her eyes were now hard and pensive.

"Arsinoe," she called for me again when I didn't move. I snapped out of my terrified daze when she placed a hand on my shoulder. It seemed heavy to me due to the disappointment and danger that I had brought to them, "You must go with him,"

She spoke sternly, making it clear that there was no room for argument. Gone was her motherly stance. She now seemed more distant and colder. Panic was slowly rising in me. I already knew that it was too late for me to run.

"Please... Theto. Don't send me away with him, please..." I pleaded, holding her hands. My voice wavered as my eyes swelled up with tears. I wasn't ready to see him yet. I never wanted to see him again after what he had shown me in the woods.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were married?" She demanded. There was no remorse and softness in her tone. She did nothing to hide her distaste in me for betraying her trust. It only increased the panic inside me.

"Because I am not married," I sobbed, clutching her hands. My cheeks were wet and my body trembling with fear. Her eyes softened for a moment before the sternness was back on her face. She tipped her chin up and looked down at me warily. The fact that she was a few inches taller than me made it more obvious.

There was something off about the way she was looking at me. She didn't seem to be a servant anymore. There was something regal and powerful about the way she stared me down. Her gaze made me want to descend to my knees and bow my head in front of her.

For the moment, I was left staring at her. I was searching her face for something... an emotion, sympathy, mercy... anything would do for me then but there was nothing. Just when I had been distracted from the gravity of the situation, we were interrupted by a growl that shook the temple.

"Theto!" The head priestess shouted from outside, the urgency in her voice bounced off the temple walls. Time was ticking away. They were waiting outside; he was waiting outside... for me.

Theto peeled my hands off her before she walked to the room that I occupied in the temple. She soon stepped out of there with my basket. It contained most of my belongings. She gave me a pointed look before she picked up some fruits that were saved for tomorrow's offering and put them into my basket.

"Here, go with him. He will not hurt you," She assured me as she handed me the basket. More tears streamed out of my eyes as I shook my head at her. She didn't know him. She didn't know what he was capable of.

She didn't know what she was talking about.

"Please... Theto," I sobbed but she pressed her lips in a thin line and continued to stare me down, "Please... don't send me away with him,"

"You must go with him, Arsinoe. I don't want to risk their lives for y-" Another powerful growl interrupted her. It was louder and more guttural than the previous one.

"Why are you doing this?" I broke down into more tears. I was clutching her hands. I was pleading but she was not listening to me anymore. She simply held my hand and took me out to the temple steps without saying anything.

When we finally stepped out, he was the first thing my eyes fell on. His haunting silver eyes regarded me with intensity. Rage and determination were painted on his face which was covered with beard. His curly hair was long and looked wild.

He looked very different.

His fine royal clothes were gone. He wore a dirty white linen shirt and a pair of black trousers. His feet were naked and muddy. His clothes were drenched in the rain. He looked like a mad man but even then, he managed to emit the regal aura that could bring anyone down to their knees.

His eyes never left me as I was made to climb down the stairs. I was visibly shaking, clutching my basket as if my life depended on it.

Everyone watched me silently. Except for Theto, all the priestesses looked scared and terrified of the man in front of them. I was possibly more terrified of him because I had seen his most dangerous side. It was the subject of my nightmares and soon they were going to turn into reality.

As soon as I stepped down the last stair, he stalked towards me and clutched my arm almost painfully. A whimper slipped past my lips while I heard the woman gasp behind me.

I felt a strange sensation emanate from his touch before it coursed through my whole body, almost shaking me from the inside. I looked everywhere but at him. The intensity of his eyes was already leaving scorch marks on my skin.

No one dared to utter a single word as he almost dragged me into the dark woods. My heart drummed so loudly in my chest; I wouldn't have been surprised if it echoed into the silent woods.

As he took me deeper and deeper into the woods, I was scared beyond words. I could feel myself turning pale and cold like a corpse. His hold remained firm around my arm.

I was scared to even whimper in pain. I looked over my shoulder to find the trees stepping between us and the temple.

"I told you I'd come for you," He growled at me. I trembled at his words, suddenly realizing that the woods were so empty. It was only me and him. Not even a single living being dared to cross his path. They knew his rage now.

"Where are you taking me?" I finally whimpered. His fingers dug into my soft flesh, threatening to draw blood out of my arm. It was throbbing with pain but I couldn't muster enough courage to complain about it.

"Somewhere I can deal with you alone," He growled in my ear. I cried out loud before I finally started my struggle to get out of his hold. He made it worse by congealing it even more.

"Let me go!" I cried when the pain was too much for me.

"Why should I let you go after everything you've done? Why should I suffer alone?" He spat angrily. I was now sobbing. I didn't know how long we have been walking or in which direction we were walking. The darkness didn't let me see much.

"What are you going to do to me?" I cried and continued to struggle. He now had to drag me forcefully. We were soon into a clearing, at the centre of which was a lake. The water was so still that it reflected the night sky very clearly.

"Make you suffer with me," He muttered before he dragged me to a house just beside the lake. It was small and seemed abandoned. When we got closer, I realized that he was living there. He opened the door and pushed me inside first.

Next, I felt him step behind me as he shut the door behind him. I noticed a small ladder in the darkness and ran towards it soon. I climbed it without thinking much while he grumbled something behind me.

It led me to a very small space between the ceiling woody and the tiled roof. I waited for him to follow me but he didn't. I clutched my basket and waited for the rest of the night but he never came for me.

...

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