Gifted To Darkness

His footsteps jolted me awake. I recognized the rhythm of his steps as he they stopped at my door. I sat up from my bed as the keys unlocked the massive doors that kept me prisoner in my room and watched in confusion as my father, King Hector Priam stepped in.

There was something unusual about the way he entered my room. I could see the urgency in the way he stood. Everything about his presence felt wrong, especially how early he came to see me.

I was not usually let out of my room until late in the afternoon for at least an hour before I was returned back and locked away from prying eyes.

Ever since I was a little child, I had been a caged princess because I was deemed to dangerous to out in public. As I grew up, I had no choice but to become familiar with the four walls of my large chamber. No friends, no lover, nothing. I was used to the silence and loneliness.

Father's gaze was hard and cold as he watched me from the door way. His silence was even louder. Three maids silently walked in with their heads bowed and waiting for father's orders. What was happening? I asked inwardly as I stood up from my bed and bowed.

"Good morning, father," I greeted, wondering why he was even hear in the first place. Father never came to my room. Never. So, I knew that something was wrong.

"Bathe her, thoroughly and dress her in her finest of clothes and jewelleries." Father ordered the maids, entirely ignoring my greetings. He took another cold look at me before he left me with the silent maids.

The maids refused to look me in the eyes as one of them gestured politely towards the door. Still confused, I was led to the enormous steaming royal bath. It was built with shiny marble floors and a wide pool with blue hot water. I took off my robe and let the maids slowly dip me in the pool. It was hot and soothing against my skin.

The quietly went to work as they administered sweet smelling liquid soap on my body and long midnight black hair. They were not allowed to speak to me as they went about their duty. No one was allowed to speak to me.

I was led back to my room after I was done with the bathing and all through that time, my mind was racing with different questions. What was going on? Why had father personally come to wake me himself? I was distraught with confusion as I stepped back into my cage. The maids helped me into my dress and they gently placed a neckless with precious stones on my neck and ears.

I looked at myself in the long oval mirror and was a bit startled at my appearance. Elegance. That was the word that came to mind as I assessed myself. What was the occasion? I asked myself as the maids led me out of my room.

"I will take it from here," said Elric, with a mocking smirk etched on his face. Elric dismissed the maids with an arrogant wave of his hand and he eyed me up and down like I was for sale in a market.

"Not bad," He said, his smirk getting wider. "You clean up real nice." I could hear the unhidden mockery in his tone as he led the way to the palace. Elric was the second son of the family and I came after him. He had no love for me and had always maltreated me any chance he got. He walked with a slight majestic limp as we reached the court.

Even though Elric was a full-blooded werewolf, his left leg had never healed properly. It was one of the main reasons he hated me with passion. I had maimed him permanently and it had not even been my fault. When I was eight and he was twelve, he had pushed me down a flight of the spiralling stairs in the palace. My left ankle broke as I tumbled down the stairs.

Of course, he had never been punished that day and I cried myself to sleep with a bandaged ankle that night. The next morning, Elric woke up with a terrible scream. His left leg had been twisted horribly to an odd angle. It never healed properly and whoever did it was never found.

Elric believed that I had something to do with. So did my father and so did my mother. Everyone did. It was one of the reasons I was always kept under lock and key.

I noticed that Elric was also happy as he led me to the table where father, mother and my elder brother Marcus sat. There palace was devoid of people and only the servants were up and about. A wave of power washed over and I almost stumbled before I quickly regained my posture. It came from a large thick and muscular man with cold blue eyes who sat across father and Marious as I approached the round large table.

"Cassandra," Marious said curtly. "What the hell kept you?" I could sense the impatience in his voice. Marcus was the eldest son and first prince. He rarely paid me any attention since he was too busy being father's shadow in the palace. It made sense because he was the next in line to throne of Abalus.

"Sit," Father ordered and I obeyed. I peered curiously at the large man who had a look of disdain etched on his face. I could tell that he did not want to be here.

"What is going father?" I dared to ask.

"You will speak only when you are told to speak, Cassandra," Marius curtly said and my face heated up in embarrassment.

Humiliated, I looked at mother for comfort but there was a bored far away look on her face. Queen Anya Priam was mentally unstable and her presence was just for royal appearance. She was never going to speak nor was she even aware of where she was.

I hoped she would not urinate on herself like she did the last time we all sat together to eat. Mother just did not care anymore. That was what the palace physician had told father. Her mind was gone.

Who was the huge man? My mind was racing again. That uncomfortable feeling that something was wrong kept tugging at me.

Father turned to the huge man. "Prince Styx, I am aware of what I owe your kingdom and I know that I would not be able to pay you back on time," Father said. My stomach fell as I looked from Marcus, to Elric and to Father. Mother still had the dead look on her face. She could not care even if she wanted to.

"Cassandra here will stand in as a collateral until I can pay you back in full," Father said.

My stomach dropped and I almost fainted. I held on the table to keep from falling. Collateral? What was happening?

"I do not understand father," I croaked.

This was why Elric seemed to be in a good mood. He was happy that he would not have to see my face again.

"You are not required to understand anything, little sister," Marcus said, the scar on his face gleaming with excitement. The scar that I had unknowingly given him. "What you need to do is obey."

"And you care about the economic situation of your kingdom, do you not?" Father demanded more than he asked.

I looked at mother who did not even blink at what was about to happen to me. why was she even here?

"I...I do, father but,"

"Then it is settled, you will leave with Prince Styx, immediately," Father coldly cut me off.

I was dizzy with despair as I watched the triumphant look on the faces of my brothers. They planned this!

The prince said nothing as all this took place. His eyes on the other hand never left my place. There was no sympathy in his gaze just a sort of bored interest.

'This is for the scar you gave me; you bitch!' Marius sent his vile thoughts in my head.

'I hope they kill you wherever they are taking you,' Elric mentally echoed. 'You have been nothing but a stain on our family name! good riddance!'

Tears streamed down my eyes as Father grabbed mother like a rag and pulled her towards him, she neither said a word nor protested as she left the palace with my cruel father. Marius and Elric bowed before the huge prince and left me alone with Prince Styx.

Elric sneered at me as he left with Marius.

I gasped in shock and fear at the evil smile plastered on the face of the prince as he watched me with his cold hungry eyes.

The deadly gaze of the prince promised things that made me shiver in fear. I watched him as he undressed me with his proud arrogant eyes. We were the only two remaining in the palace hall and what followed was an uneasy silence. I could not think of anything to say because I was still reeling from the shock of being given away. Discarded. I gulped nervously as I fought back tears. I was feeling a pain that was hard to describe.

"Wipe your tears, princess," Said the prince. His voice was abrupt and jolting. It was very cracked and vibrant but it held a deadly edge of a being who was used to being obeyed. "You have no reason to cry yet," he added.

I numbly cleaned my eyes with the back of my right hand. The prince rose to his feet and headed towards the entrance without a word. There was nothing left to do except follow him, so with great reluctance, I got up and followed closely behind.

I was awestruck by the long line of carriages waiting outside. The carriages were attached to the most magnificent of horses I had ever laid eyes on. They were black in colour and shiny. Even more amazing were the heavily armoured men with giant swords strapped to their sides. The prince brought a small army with him.

The prince led me to the biggest carriage located in the middle of the royal convoy and entered first. I stepped up the stairs and walked inside. It was surprisingly spacious inside and the interior was made with soft velvet sheets and cushion. I sat across the prince and the door of the carriage closed.

I heard the sound of whips and the neighing of horses. The carriage began to move as the steel wheels began to rattle on the hard cobblestone floors.

The aura of the prince was over powering and almost chocking the space between us. It was very difficult to ignore him as his eyes never left me. He looked at me like he had all the right in the world. And in a way, he did.

I looked out the window of the carriage and for the first time saw just how barren the land was. The grasses were brown and the trees were withered. I saw the villages and some handful of old farmers hopelessly bent over, toiling away on the soil that they knew was going to yield nothing.

I understood why father did what he did but I just could not accept how cold he had been. I swayed in the carriage as it trudged through my kingdom. It was really bad.

"You look surprised," The prince said, shattering my inner thought.

"I had no idea things were as bad as these," I found my voice, although I could not look him in the eye.

The prince raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "You sound as if you have never stepped out of your palace," he said.

My face heated up in shame and I looked down. "No, this is my first time," I whispered.

"You are telling me that all your life, you have seen your own kingdom and its people?" Prince Styx asked in disbelief as he watched me with renewed curiosity.

"All my life, I have been locked away in my room," I replied in a shaky voice.

"Interesting," Prince Styx murmured.

Nothing was said for a while as we both swayed to the movement of the carriage.

"So, this means that you have not been...touched?" Prince Styx abruptly asked me.

"I...don't know what you mean...,"

"Do not lie to me, Princess, it will do you no good," Prince Styx warned.

I nodded, too humiliated to speak. His question was an intimate one and it was so uncomfortable to talk about.

"Perhaps you are worth something after all," The Prince said with a sneer. "Come sit by me." he said as he gently patted the seat beside him.

I was sitting across him by some feet apart. This was because there was abundant space in carriage. With great reluctance, I stood up unsteadily because we were still in motion and swayed left and right before I reached his side.

I sat down with a heavy plop, wracked from head to toe with nervousness. His presence was affecting me more as I sat near him. I could feel the soft hum of the power coming off him. Even my father did not elicit this kind of aura.

Before I could fully settle in, prince Styx grabbed my jaw and brought my face closer to his as he looked me over. He turned my face to the right and to the left, as he closely examined me like I was a thing he just bought from the market. In a way, he did buy me. He let go of me and I massaged my jaw as it ached from his hard grip. His hands were gloved in a white leather.

He removed his gloves and reached for me again. I inched away from him in fear. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "You had no problem with me touching you earlier, princess, what changed?" he asked.

I could not answer him. I had no idea if he would believe me. I did not even know how I was going to explain to him. But what I knew was that it was dangerous if he laid his bare hand on me.

His hands shot out and he grabbed neck in a hard grip, chocking me.

"Never recoil from me again, Princess," He growled silently. "You do not have that option."

As I chocked, I felt pins, plenty of them of them prickle into my skin.

This was how it always began.

My Curse was taking a hold of me again and it happened whenever I made physical contact with someone.

My eyes rolled back into my head and a terrible convulsion took over my body. I began to violently shake as a horrible vision came to me.

I saw the prince dying a horrible death.

Something monstrous tore out his heart and he fell on his side dead with his eyes opened. I could not clearly see what manner of creature sent the prince to his untimely death but I could feel its immense power even though it was going to happen somewhere in the far uncertain future.

I gasped for breath as I felt the prince jerk back in terror, his face white with fear as he glared at me in shock. I was back to normal but still felt the pain of needles on skin. I was cold and shivering as my breath returned to normal.

"What did you do to me?!" Styx demanded in a tight terrified voice. His big frame was pressed far against the wall as he watched me with abject fear.

I coughed and held my neck.

"Answer me, you witch!" He thundered impatiently.

"I did not do anything to you," I said helplessly.

"Do not lie to me!" Styx retorted angrily. I jerked back in fear from his angry tone.

"I am many things, my prince but I do not lie, I have no reason to." I replied fearfully.

"Then what the hell happened just now?" He demanded. "Answer me or I will have your head cut off this instant!"

I knew that what he said was not a threat, I could feel the certainty in his words.

"It's a vision...it is what happens anytime I touch someone," I said in the best way I could.

Prince Styx said nothing for a while as we both swayed gently in the carriage. He watched me intently as if he was seeing me for the first time all over again. He nodded in a way that told me that he had figured me out.

"This was why they kept you locked away," He said with a finality in is voice. "You are cursed and they dared to give you to me."

I could not bear to look at him due to the intense humiliation I was going through.

"Your visions, do they ever come to pass?" Styx asked me in a low serious tone.

"Yes," I whispered.

"So, my death is certain," he replied. I said nothing.

"How do I stop it?" He asked. I slowly shook my head. "I do not know, my prince."

He grunted angrily and I knew that he was fighting the urge to put his hands on me. He wore his gloves and put his left hand outside the window of the carriage. Movement immediately slowed to a halt. An armoured soldier on a horse stopped beside our carriage and bent down to look inside.

"My, lord?" The armoured soldier asked.

"Remove this thing from my sight and place her with the load carriage," Styx coldly ordered. "And make sure you or anyone else must not lay as much a finger on her."

The door of the carriage opened and I stood up in haste wanting to leave his presence as quickly as I could. I got down from the carriage and was led down to the end of the convoy. I was ushered into the last carriage filled with loads and chests that I suspected were filled with gold and precious stones. It was tight, uncomfortable and I had to squeeze myself in before I could even sit.

The journey began again and I was left alone to my thoughts. I cried. I shed so much tears as I swayed to the movement of the box I was kept in. I realized with great despair that I was nothing but mere property.

I had not even reached the final destination yet and I had already revealed what sort of cursed freak I was to the first person that paid as little as an attention to me.

I calmed myself and wiped my tears again for the second time. There was no point in shedding tears, so I began to think about the vision that I saw of Prince Styx.

What could he have done to deserve such a terrible ending? I knew he was a powerful Lycan so whatever it was that was going to claim his life had to be more powerful than him.

From what I read from father's old library, Lycans were a different and more noble breed of werewolves. Much more powerful, stronger and they tended to live more longer than regular werewolves like father and I. It was why they at the top of the supernatural food chain. Being near one had revealed to me just how powerful they were.

My head swirled with question as the journey continued and I fell asleep.

I jolted awake immediately the carriage pulled to a stop. I was not a deep sleeper. The door of my small carriage was opened and I stepped out. The sun was already setting and it would be total night fall soon. I stretched my limbs and adjusted my dress.

My eyes widened in shock at the sight before me. Thousands of soldiers armed, heavily armoured with swords and spears all took a knee before the prince. It was a very enormous palace ground with towering buildings so it only made sense that there were plenty of men.

The prince beckoned to me and I walked closer to him. Together we walked among the bowing soldiers as they parted for us.

Ahead of us on the shinning marble steps that led to the magnificent place stood a large heavily bearded man with thick long hair and a very beautiful mature woman beside him. Mere looking at them, I knew that it was the king and queen. I noticed that a man a bit younger looking that Styx stood by the king. He was handsome.

By the queen's side stood two very beautiful ladies. They resembled the queen and I assumed them to be the princesses of the palace.

Prince Styx leaned close to me and whispered in my left ear.

"Say nothing of what happened today or else, you will not live to see the next morning."