The Virtue

The Life of A Lie

(Theme song is Call Out My Name by The Weeknd)

Nova's POV

They shove me in a small abandoned chamber by the side of the passageway as I fall onto the ground. They all stand in front of me like pillars.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I ask as I shiver

One of the man takes off his mask and kneels down. I immediately recognise him in the dim light.

"Adrian?" I murmur as my heart comes back to life but he kneels expressionlessly

"I knew Aslaug released you, why did you return to the castle. It's not safe for you to be here" I say as my eyes are filled with hope

"Why Nova, why?" he says with anger in his eyes

"Why what? I don't understand" I say as my eyes go back and forth between Adrian and the three men

"Why did you agree to marry that heathen and that too willingly! He killed my mother" Adrian's eyes begin to water

"Our mother..." as I say, Adrian interrupts me and screams "NO!"

I am baffled

"No , No , No. My mother, Eric's mother not your mother. You bastard!" He screams as I am left shocked, I try to connect the dots in my brain but I just can't.

"Adrian... what are you saying?" I say as my voice cracks

"You are not Catherine's daughter Nova! You are a BASTARD! My father messed it all up. He had an affair with a pagan named Medusa and had you with her!!!" Adrian howls as tears start streaming down my face and I begin to shiver

"No, no. what are you saying?" I cry

"WHAT I AM SAYING IS THE TRUTH. YOU WERE A MISTAKE MADE BY MY FATHER AND NOTHING ELSE. LOOK AT YOU! YOUR DARK HAIR AND DARK EYES. YOU ARE NOT ONE OF US. YOU WILL NEVER BE ONE OF US. YOU WERE A MISTAKE MADE BY MY FATHER WITH A GYPSY WOMAN, THAT'S ALL" He screams as he gets up in anger, as I move a little backwards in fear

It...was...all...a...lie?

"WHAT DO YOU THINK A HUH? CATHERINE NEVER REALLY LOVED YOU, SHE WANTED TO KILL YOU BUT THOSE BLOODY PAGANS PROTECTED YOUR LIFE. THAT WHORE MEDUSA WAS GIVEN A PLACE NEAR THE CASTLE SO THAT YOU CAN CONNECT WITH HER! DON'T YOU THINK WE KNEW ABOUT YOUR SECRET MEETING WITH HER?!" Adrian screams as he pulls his hair and paces back and forth around the room

"You are lying!" I scream

He kneels and stares right into my eyes.

"Oh trust me. I am in no mood of lying or playing games" he continues, "That heathen took everything away. My family, my home and my mother, and you have the audacity to walk down the aisle with him?!" Adrian spits on the floor

I stay mute, I don't have any words to say anymore. It feels that through all these years I was living a lie. Everyone lied. I am numb.

"YOU HAVE PAGAN BLOOD, THAT PAGAN PEOPLE ARE IN MY CASTLE BUT THE HEIR TO THE THRONE WILL NEVER BE PAGAN. I WON'T LET A PAGAN TAKE YOUR VIRGINITY" Adrian screams again, the intensity of his voice shakes me

"What did you think huh? I will let you live happily with that devil worshipper after both of you destroyed my family and my reign? NEVER!!" Adrian scoffs

"Stop it Adrian you have lost your mind!!" I say and Adrian walks towards me and puts his face close to mine and says

"Since the day you were born, you have brought nothing but bad luck to our family. First my father died, then France was taken away from us and then that heathen killed my mother Catherine" he stares at my eyes and continues with his jaw clenched, "Now I will hurt you Nova, I will take my revenge on you and on him. Your virginity is precious huh? Then I will make sure a catholic man takes it and a catholic heir is born. You will be destroyed and that pagan will never touch you again".