Heart of darkness

Chapter Eighteen

Fear crawled through me as I looked into his eyes. I could see no trace of kindness or happiness in them, though I doubted there was any before. Just dark orbs of emptiness. The dark green seemed to compliment his black hair and I felt as if I was being sucked into his gaze and I couldn't look away.

"Aurora, I've been told that you are giving this prisoner food. Is this true?" Damian said. All of my courage I had while talking to the guard was gone. I was helpless, like lamb that was being carted off to soon be slaughtered.

"I was just... she's... I was..." I stammered. Wondering what he would do if I told the truth.

"Guard take the food away." Damian said and I watched as the guard took away the tray Lizzy still seemed to be picking at. Though now she stared in anguish at the disappearance of her meal. "Come Aurora, we have to prepare."

I saw the cell door open and Damian stepped in. He took hold of my wrist, his grip tight and cutting of the blood flow to my hand, and pulled me away from Lizzy. My arm felt as if it would come to break off as he pulled me out of the dimly lit dungeons and into a stairwell.

"Let go of me!" I said and pulled my wrist free. I tried to run back into the dungeons, but the door was already closed and I was trapped. The Prince stalked closer and closer to me with every step.

"There's nowhere to run." He said, a grin spreading across his lips and of course he was right. "Come now love, in a short week we are going to be married, it's time that the kingdom meets you as the next queen. And it's time you should be treating me with respect."

I felt bile rise in my throat as I thought of spending the rest of my life with him. Remembering what Calia looked like and how the light in her eyes had vanished whenever the king or even her son approached. That couldn't be my life.

"Never." I spat.

"Come on darling, we've been over this." He said and walked closer to me, placing a hand on the wall next to my head. His head leaned in closer to mine, close enough that our breaths intertwined and our eyes were leveled with each other. I hadn't realised how much taller he was than me. "You are going to marry me and there's nothing you can do about it."

Damian brushed a stray hair behind my ear and I felt a shiver run down my spine. The way his finger gently touched my face, causing me to suck in a breath and cause my heart to start beating like the wings of a hummingbird. He stared into my eyes and I stared back, as if wanting to challenge him. In that moment I felt weak under his gaze, his dark green eyes held power and dominance that I couldn't begin to imagine. He was the hunter and I was the prey.

"Now love, you must get ready for the ball tonight." Damian said, stepping away from me and walking away.

I let out the breath that I had been holding and almost fell to my knees, my energy was completely gone. It was strange the effect he had on me, at one moment I would feel strong and confident enough to take him on, and the next I would be powerless and weak. I stayed on the floor and after a few minutes, a couple of girls came down the hall and almost carried me back to my room.

It seemed when I reached the dark red room, I wanted to be back in the dungeons. For some odd reason, the dungeon had felt more safe than this luscious, insidious room. I thought of Lizzy and how she had made me feel comfort in the cold, dry underground room. Maybe that was why this bedroom felt so foreign to me despite my time spent in it.

"Are you ready for your bath m'lady?" One of the girls said, and I saw a bit of disgust as she took my hand. I wasn't surprised, I hadn't had a proper bath in a week. With my injuries it had been too painful to even move let alone have a bath.

I gave the girl a slight nod and she brought me into the washroom. The bath was already drawn, with warm water. The steam made my already tired eyes almost drop close. Once I was in the tub and the girls left I let sleep take me. It's warm arms embracing me and bringing me to a land filled with dreams.

~~~~~~~

I awoke laying in a field of grass, the smell and feel of the meadow reminded me of the at hom. My secret meadow I would go to when the weight of the world was too much for me to bare. The trees above me canopy over the small meadow, almost covering the midnight sky. Despite this I could see everything. The light of the stars illuminated the field in my peripheral vision. The stars above painted a masterpiece over the sky above. My heart ached to be one of them. One far away from this earth, far away from the problem that plagued my consciousness and subconsciousness.

"Aurora?" I heard a small voice say.

I shot up and looked around. My eyes landed on a figure near the forest's edge. It stepped out into the meadow and I wanted to jump up and dance around in happiness.

"Lizzy!" I smiled and got up. She walked towards me and we met in the middle. For a split second I felt the need to hug her.

"Aurora, we don't have that much time." She said and took a dagger out of her pocket. When I saw the blade, warning signs went off in my brain. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use it. You are."

She had caught my obvious concern from the dagger. Though I had no idea what she wanted me to do with it.

"What?" I questioned. More warning signs went off.

"I called you here Aurora. I'm using my witchy voodoo magic, now as I said we don't have much time. Take this." Lizzy said and placed the dagger in my hand, it's intricate designs felt as if they would be carved into my hand by the strength in her exchange."You know what to do."

I felt the false reality slipping away as I started to call out Lizzy's name. I had no idea what she wanted me to do with this.

"Lizzy!" I shot up in the tub. Water splashed everywhere and I felt my pulse racing. Where was I?

Looking around the room I realised I was back in the washroom. Not in the estranged meadow that looked mysteriously like the on from home.

"M'lady?" A girl asked as she rushed into the room. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm alright." I answered and began taking deep breaths to calm my racing pulse.

"Good... we must be getting you ready for the ball." She said in a shy tone. I nodded my head and she left the washroom.

I went to get out of the tub, but before I could, I felt something in my hand. Lifting it out of the water, I saw the blade Lizzy had given me in my dream. I studied it, the beautiful markings were only things of witches. The deep red colour complimented the markings and I could read one word.

"Freedom."

I sucked in a breath, the realization of what Lizzy wanted me to do, of what I had to do, hit me and I felt the same weight hit me. The weight of the world and what would happen to the world if you failed to do this one thing.

"I know what I have to do." I whispered and hit the dagger under a pile of blankets.

I have to kill the Prince.