Chapter 6 Strip!

"I was worried I would not see you again. I wanted to come to you, to be by your side but you were avoiding me and there was little I could do. So I prayed, I prayed the heavens keep you safe for me and I am happy, the heavens really accepted my prayers", she expressed, tears brimming in her eyes

"I am glad you are safe and I am proud of you, your highness. You don't know what you've done to me by staying safe. I am so so glad ", a stray tear escaped her eyes.

Seeing her again had stirred something in him he thought had died, and now witnessing her cry, something snapped inside of him and he did what he hadn't done in years to anyone.

He wrapped his hand around her and hugged her. Offering her warmth and comfort in his own way.

" Thank you, thank you Damon", she wept, letting out her anxiety and fears she had pent up for years .

He stood still, letting her cry in her arms unsure of how to act around the bawling woman.

All his life, he had lived to survive, lived for revenge and just to accomplish that, he had ignored his feelings. Buried deep, emotions that could cloud his judgement.

As a result of that, he forgot how to feel happiness? Excitement? empathy? He is a stranger to those feelings.

All he had felt and is still feeling is rage and resentment. And that is the only feeling he needed to get his revenge.

His only drive to get what he wants.

The woman unlatched out of his arms, nose red with tears. She palmed his cheeks, her gaze radiating love and affection.

He stilled. The woman ignored his reaction.

" I'll not live apart from you ever again. I'll protect you, Your highness. ", She conceded, a silent plea laced beneath her words .

He stared at the woman that has been nothing but kind to him, since he was an infant, she cared and loved for him like her own. She reminded him of his mother.

His heart stilled with pain, her loud cries of agony as she burnt in fire that night flooded his mind, relieving unhealed pain.

He shut his eyes, a way to block out his painful memories that threatened to consume his all.

" Damon...... please ", she pleaded. " Let me look after you, please"

Pain swirled through him, seeing her in the palace will bring back those memories, those memories he longed to forget . It will hurt and hurt, but he knew he had to let her stay.

She deserved it and more.

She has no one, and she will get a better life here in the palace. He owes her.

His eyes fluttered open, cold and dead. She didn't flinch or react, she just stared at him, expectantly.

" I'll order the servants to prepare a room ", he stated.

Her face broke into a smile, a grateful smile. " Thank you"

He tore himself out of her embrace, taking two steps behind.

" Luke! "

His guard appeared immediately.

" Lady Harriet shall stay in the palace from now on. Have the maids prepare her room, the block behind mine.

" Yes your highness", he bowed and then left.

" I'll leave you ", she said, flashing him a last grateful smile and walked out of his chamber.

____________

He kept running along the dark lonely path of the bush at the same time looking behind him, sharp debris cut into his sole as he ran. They were after him, King Judrith's army.

Damon kept on running, he was running out of breath with time, his legs wobbled, almost giving up - but he couldn't.

They will catch him and kill him .

He ran as fast as his young legs could carry him, but his energy quickly gave out. His pace slowed, he stumbled, and they captured him.

" Little prince ", king Judrith mocked, as he strode into the dark dungeon, a devilish glint in his eyes.

Damon glared at the man that murdered his parents, his gaze spitting fire and resentment.

" You killed him! You killed father! I'll kill you", He yelled, shooting to his feets.

Amusement twisted Judrith's features as he fixed his gaze on the young prince. Then, a dark, raspy chuckle began to snake from his throat, building into a harsh, mirthless peal that sent shivers down one's spine.

Little Damon glared at him.

"Yes,Little Prince. I killed him. And I enjoyed every second of it . The way he had knelt and pleaded for his life, how my sword fit right into his heart. Goodness, I really can't get enough ", He admitted, his chest poked out with pride.

" And killing me? If you aren't dead before you can" he snorted.

" You evil! ", Damon snapped, tears creasing down his face.

Memories of how life had slip out of his father crowded his mind.

" Evil? Oh please. That's no new thing,. Little one. Power is evil. "

"No, you are evil. A devil, that is what you are. And I will kill you!", He cried, running towards the king in full sprint.

He stumbled on something, then fell face flat.

A loud mirthless laughter erupted,"Weakling! Just like your father! ", He snorted.

He took slow strides to the boy, pulled his clothes and jerked his body up roughly.

"Too bad you are weak, young one. I have a lot in for you",

He let go of his dirty ragged clothes, moved two steps behind.

" kneel ", he commanded.

Time stretched , the boy stood, defiantly.

" Kneel", he repeated, his tone stern and warning.

" No", Damon fired, " I shall not kneel before you. I am royalty, you shall not have me kneel",

Judrith smirked maliciously, King Elisha had done well training the little boy, knowing royals shall not belittle themselves before another.

" I shall have you whip. Luke! ", he called " The whip", his hands outstretched, and gaze fixed on the boy who still wouldn't kneel.

His loud wails and painful cries filled the dungeon, as he was whipped and whipped brutally and mercilessly by judrith.

" No please, no ", he cried helplessly.

His loud agonized cries and tearing of flesh as the whip landed on his back echoed through the dungeon.

----

" No, no please", King Damon cried out of his sleep, his hard breathing echoed through the room. Balls of sweat cascade his face. His body shook with fear .

He sat on his bed, head bowed. Hurtful memories and pain seared through him.

He was having nightmares again.He always has nightmares. Those days of torture and hell still haunt his sleep. Taunting him of how weak and a failure he is.

For years, he hasn't been sleeping well, for his sleep was always filled with painful hurtful memories. Seeing Lady Harriet today has triggered him too.

He had caused everyone around him pain.

Rage and resentment coursed through him,

Judrith really broke him . He succeeded in breaking him. He destroyed him.

He is no ten year old prince and now a king, but those memories still felt like yesterday. Judrith had him trapped in time.

The strong urge to kill the evil king intensified, perhaps he should have killed him that day.

He knows he should not have kept him alive, but he wants him to suffer, grovel like he had .

Twenty two years ago, he, judrith, didn't kill him as well, but destroyed him. Those days took his sanity.

And now he will do the very same to him, he will make him beg for death. He will make everyone near him suffer like he had.

He won't hold himself anymore, he will get his revenge. No more stalking time.

He shot out of his bed, threw the covers out of him, pulled on his royal garments and stormed out.

His body was raging and he needed to vent. He needed relief. And tonight, he's going to get it. From judrith's daughter.

----

Sabrina had trouble falling asleep tonight, her mind was restless. She was greatly disturbed. Her mind kept on replaying what she heard the servants talked about

Just around midnight when her mind started to blank out, the cackling sounds of locks outside her door snapped her eyes open.

Someone was opening her door.

She shot out of bed, her hands clammy with fear. Who was trying to get into her room in the middle of the night?

Damon walked in, his face cold and unreadable as usual. But this time with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine.

The man before her looks more of an angry beast than human, he looked enraged, savage. The anger and hatred emanating from his gaze was far more greater than the day he took her hostage. Not that it ever abated

" Get up and strip ",