Chapter 3 First Encounter with her captor.

Judrith knew how dire the situation was, but the only thing left of him was his pride, so he wore a dirty smirk on his face-

A façade to hide his fear.

"So? You're going to throw me into the dark dungeon as well, eh?" he taunted.

Damon shook his head.

"No, Judrith. That would be a waste of my plan. Your life is worth not a coin to me."

He took slow, predatory strides toward him.

"I'll take everything that matters to you, Judrith. Everything. You'll remain the king of Badrith but you will rule under my every command. Your reign has waned. Badrith will be nothing but a pawn for my revenge."

Judrith's nose flared with rage.

"You bastard! How dare you! I shall not live to be your puppet!" he spat.

Prince Damon yanked hard on the princess's hair. A scream tore from her throat.

"Let her go, you bastard!"

"From now on, the princess will be my property-my pawn. Mine to break. Mine to kill. She will go with me to Zandia, and you, Judrith, will do nothing except obey my orders. Your daughter, from this moment, is my hostage."

Judrith roared, thrashing against the guards.

"You monster! You will do no such thing to my daughter!"

"A monster you created," Damon snarled. "Now you will bear the consequences."

He slashed his sword across Judrith's shoulder, opening a deep wound.

"Aaah!" the king cried out in pain.

"Father!" Princess Sabrina screamed. "Let me go!"

Damon pulled her hair harder.

"You will stay still!"

"You bastard!" Judrith groaned, blood pouring from his wound.

"From today onward, Badrith will exist by my command," Damon declared, his voice ringing through the hall.

"This kingdom will run by my words. My rules."

He paused, letting the silence stretch.

"If any of you dare to defy me..." his gaze swept across the court,

"I will have you and your entire bloodline wiped from the face of this earth. Mark my words."

"From today... Badrith is under my rule."

"King Damon!"

Every soul in the hall dropped to their knees in submission-

To their new monarch.

A new beginning for both kingdoms.

---

-

Sabrina huddled on the cold, bare floor of her cell in Zandia.

Five days.

Five days of emptiness, of silence, of slowly losing herself.

She wanted to escape–·needed to escape–but there was nowhere to go. Her body ached, every inch of her sore and heavy.

Worse still, her heart clenched with so much hurt.

She had lost everything.

Her title.

Her home.

Her life.

Could she truly survive as nothing but a hostage?

Especially when she didn't know what life without being a princess is.

Fear coiled tightly in her chest as the sound of footsteps and rattling chains broke through her thoughts.

The door creaked open, and a guard stepped in.

"Stand up, Princess. The king requests your presence," he said mockingly.

Humiliated, she dragged herself to her feet, shooting him a glare.

He returned it without hesitation.

She scoffed.

Once upon a time, no guard would have dared look at her that way.

With a heavy heart, she straightened. Her disheveled hair framed her face, yet her poise remained.

She had been a princess for twenty-two years.

That could never be taken from her.

The guards led her through the palace.

Insults was hurled at her.

"Daughter of a monster!"

"She should be ashamed!"

"Look at her still being proud!"

"Dirty whore."

She kept her head high.

She would not give them the satisfaction.

"Get in," the guard snarled.

Sabrina stepped into the room, pausing only to throw him a sharp glare.

The room was dim.

Her pulse quickened as her gaze swept across the shadows.

Then she saw him.

King Damon.

Even without seeing his face clearly, she knew he was watching her.

Silence stretched between them.

Heavy and suffocating.

She pressed her lips together, trying to steady her nerves.

"You called for me," she said finally, her voice firm despite the tremor beneath it.

No response.

Her anger flared.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

A low groan echoed.

"You have quite the nerve for someone who is a hostage," his voice cut through the darkness, cold and sharp.

A chill ran down her spine.

She scoffed.

"I am no hostage. Not to you. Not to anyone. You do not own me."

Silence again.

A flicker of candlelight illuminated the room.

Now she could see him.

Cold.

Dangerous.

He rose.

Each step he took toward her was slow, deliberate and predatory.

Power radiated from him.

Her pulse raced, but she did not look away.

She would not break.

"It seems you still haven't grasped your situation, Princess," He sneered, the title dripping with disdain.

His hand settled on her shoulder.

She stiffened, his fingers trailing up to her throat.

Then tightened, knocking out her breath.

She gasped.

"You are not a princess here, Sabrina," he said, his grip tightening.

"You are in my kingdom. My territory."

She clawed at his hand, struggling for air.

"You speak when I allow it," He continued coldly.

"You breathe because I permit it. And if you defy me..." His eyes darkened,

"I will punish you."

His voice dropped lower.

"I own you now, Sabrina. My hostage. My property."

He leaned closer.

"And there is no escape."

He released her.

She staggered slightly, clutching her burning throat.

Her wound had reopened, blood seeping through.

Still, she held his gaze.

Defiant and filled with hate.

He hates her.

She can see and feel it.

And she hates him just the same.

He is a monster and a destroyer.

"If you wish to live longer than I intend," he said, eyes burning with loathe.

"Behave."

"Cole.", He called, his voice a levelled rumble.

The door opened immediately.

A man stepped in, bowing.

"Yes, my king."

"Take her back. She is not to leave her room unless I say so." He held her gaze as he spoke.

"Yes, my king."

"And inform Indiana I sent for her."

He turned away.

"Follow me," Cole said.

Sabrina obeyed.

The moment she stepped outside, she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

King Damon...

He is dangerous.

He hadn't even begun to unleash the full extent of his rage.

But she had seen enough. His hate is so raw and deep.

He would destroy everything in his path to get his revenge on her.

And now, she had to survive him.

Survival.

She has no idea how to do that.