[ IN WHICH SHE IS A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS ]
From the frying pan to the fire.I ran from the market, and fell right into the hands of three hungry men, who then spiralled me into the trap of the King. If I had stayed at the harmless market a little bit longer, I wouldn't be in the fire right now.My eyes are glued to the man in front of me. I shift on my feet, uncomfortably, unsure of what to do at a moment like this. I didn't expect to cross paths with the King this way. And now that I have, what do I do?“Are you really the King?” I ask, breathless.“Why do you ask?" He tilts his head. "You do not think I am the King?"My eyes rove round the forest, looking for a route to run through if he tries anything suspicious. But I doubt I'll get that far with huge wings like his.“Let's just say it'll do us both some good if you aren't the King.”"And why is that?" His arms are folded across his bare chest.He takes a step closer, but I step back, cautiously."Because I think the King is dangerous.""What makes you think he is dangerous? " He lifts a dark eyebrow.The space between my brows crease as I stare at the grey eyed man. "He kidnapped me, and killed my friends!" I scream. "So, if you're him, you better hope I don't attack you right now."Despite my harsh and haughty tone, the man before me remains calm as he speaks in a kind tone, enunciating his words perfectly."Those were never your friends." He tells me. "You may not understand this now, but at times, protecting one comes at a cost.""Protecting?" I scoff. "If I need protection, it would be protection from you. You cannot justify evil! You ordered for those people to be killed! There's no saying what you would do to me next."He breathes heavily. "I would never hurt you.""That's funny, because you already did that by bringing me here."He doesn't say anything after that. He just stares into my brown eyes in silence, almost like he's lost in some trance. And that annoys me."Why am I even wasting time speaking with you?" I search around for some weapon to threaten him with, and ensure my safety, but all I see is a twig. The small and thin branch lays beneath me. Eyeing the man carefully, I quickly pick it up before he gets a whiff of my plan. I wield it like a machete and point it at him. "You are going to show me the way back home."The corners of his lips curl upward, but he licks his lips and soon, the smile is gone. He takes a step towards me, letting the twig poke his bare chest."And if I do not?"I swallow hard. There's something about him that makes my heart jump at the slightest movement he makes. I quickly shake my thoughts off and move closer towards me, close enough to intimidate him. "You do not want to underestimate me."He moves much closer. The twig makes a crack sound as it pierces him slightly."You will not hurt me." He says, confidently.I grip the stick tighter. "How are you so sure about that?""The same way I will not hurt you."With that, he snatches the twig out of my hands. He breaks it into two, throwing it behind me, far into the forest."Take me home!""You are home."Angrily, I throw my injured arms around. "This hideous creation of yours—" I wince when my shoulders hurt. "Is not my home." I complete.My body already hurt from falling out of the mansion. But they hurt even more after running a distance, in order to get away from those bloodsucking vampires. The King seems to notice I'm in pain, because he grabs my wrist gently, and pulls me towards him."Hey, let go!" I protest, even though electricity sparks through me from his pleasing touch. "I didn't say you could touch me, you asshole."He places me atop a tree stump, letting me sit comfortably. Without wasting time, he goes down on one knee, aligning himself in front of me. He reaches for the ends of my royal blue dress. He's about to pull them up, but I quickly grab his hands.At the contact, a cold shiver runs down my spine, and heat storms through my body. It seems he feels it too, because his eyes turn darker, filled with emotions. An unspoken conversation takes place within the next few seconds, and our eyes tell each other the words without a sound being made.Swallowing again, I slowly let go of his hands, letting him do what he wants.Unhurriedly, he lifts the ends of my dress, exposing my legs. He stops when my knees are exposed. The dark sky doesn't give my skin the usual glow, and that makes me a little self-conscious in front of the King. But, he doesn't notice that. He's concerned about something else."You are injured." He refers to the bruises, and the purple skin around my left ankle.I feel an unexplainable emotion as I gaze down at him. Trying to hide my emotions, I say, "Well, no shit, Sherlock."He snaps his head up. "I do not appreciate the use of curse words."My eyes widen. "Oh, fuck! I had no fucking idea. What the hell was I thinking? I'm so fucking sorry, I won't say shit like—"The King cuts me off immediately. He slaps his hands beside me on the tree stump, moving closer to me. I hold my breath when his face is inches away from mine. The sight of his grey eyes makes me tremble."We have only just met, but know this now. There are two things I do not tolerate: disobedience and disrespect," he says, getting back on one knee. "We need to get your wounds healed."... [he said i couldn't curse in front of him, but he didn't say i couldn't curse him in my mind, so i did just that every time he annoyed me.] ..."There's no first aid here, so we can't treat it." I try covering my legs back up, but he doesn't let me."Your wounds will not heal with that in this realm. And the first aid from the human world does not exist here."My eyebrows furrow at his last statement. "Human world? Then what is this place?"As expected, he ignores my question.He gently grazes the bruise on my ankle, causing me to tense up. "Do I have your permission?"I frown. "Permission for?""For whatever."It takes a moment to understand him. I scoff at his question. "Birdman," I say. "I don't think you understand what's going on here. I do not like you." I glare at him. "Not even a little bit. So, no, you don't have my permission for whatever."I get up on my feet, but he pulls me back down."Your wounds will not heal without my touch. Only my touch can heal you in this realm, without it, it will only get worse."The way he speaks of a realm causes goosebumps to spring out of my arms. I want to leave this forsaken hell. I stand up again, staring him down. "Then, I'll choose dying over your touch."... [i had a big mouth. i knew that. and my words ended up slapping me hard in the face, because a few days after, i begged for his touch.] ..."You are making a mistake," he says, slowly getting up to his feet.I put some distance between us, to slow my heart rate. "Tell me. What do you want from me?" I ask him. "The faster I get you want you want, the faster you can let me go, right?""Sure."I'm unsatisfied with his response. "The faster I can go back, right?" I repeat."You know, November."I shiver when he calls my name, a sensation running right through me.... [that was just a fraction of what i'll feel when he eventually calls me by my real name] ..."You do not need to hide your attraction beneath a thick blanket of hate and resentment.""What?" I feel like a deer caught in headlights. "You think highly of yourself, don't you? I'm not attracted to you." I scoff at his joke."I never said it was me you were attracted to."Huffing in embarrassment, I turn around, and begin tracing my way out of the dark forest."You are injured. You should not be walk—"I cut him off. "I can handle myself, birdman. I have been fine for the past nineteen years.""Are you sure you are nineteen? From your behavior, one would guess you are at the age of four."I stop, turning to glare at him. "You do not want to provoke me. I have acrylic nails."He smiles, letting his eyes light up for the first time since we met. "And you do not want to resist me." He pauses. "It will only cause you to beg for more."I swallow. My throat suddenly feels tight. A blush crawls up my face, and I quickly turn around to hide myself from him."Stop."His deep voice reverberates through the forest. It holds so much authority that I'm forced to stop walking. I slowly turn around. He's sauntering towards me. And before he approaches me, his wings shoot out of his back, creating a force similar to when waves collide in the oceans. I flinch at the power the wings hold. As he moves, he causes the trees to move with him, making the forest roar in acknowledgement of the presence of a powerful being.The next thing I know, he picks me up in his arms.Bridal style.I gasp as I am being lifted into the air. "What are you doing? Put me down." I slap his shoulder."If you do not want to meet any more of these hideous creations, as you have called them, you might want to return to the mansion as soon as possible. It is getting darker, and the majority move at night.""I can walk."He ignores my pretense."Wrap your arms tight. I know you get air sick."That is his last warning before he launches into the sky at full speed.[ IN WHICH SHE ASKS FOR MUSIC ]The thick walls of the mansion echoes with screams. It echoes violently with the screams of my abductors — Jacqueline and Atlas. After I left the forest with the King, we got to the mansion in no time, where I had to fight the intense urge to puke for the third time. He then ordered for his maids to escort me back to my chambers, where I got dressed in a fresh set of clothing, and was given supper. But before I parted ways with the King, I heard him call for Jacqueline and Atlas. The two followed him into a red room by a corner.And ever since then, the two have been letting out clamorous and ear-splitting screams. It's been two hours, and they still haven't stopped. My heart skips a beat at the sudden knock on the door. Sighing in distress, I call the person in. The door carefully opens up, revealing who's behind it. It's the tall, lanky man from earlier. The one who walked in with dozens of dresses on clothe hangers. He still hasn't told me his nam
[ IN WHICH SHE MEETS THE KING ] The doors are pulled open by two guards standing on each side, and I step into the throne room. I'm first greeted by the aroma of food. My eyes then falls to the long, rectangular table, separating the King and I, keeping us at a distance of at least two meters. On the table, different kinds of meals have been arranged. The insane amount of food available is more than enough for just two people. I begin to wonder if there's a third party joining us soon. Or maybe he does eat this much. Having wings grow out of your back must require a large intake of food. I look to the King seated on his throne. He has no crown on, but he has a shirt on this time. I ask myself: why doesn't he have a crown on? How long has he been on the throne? Who put him in the position of King? And is anyone going to take over? So many questions left unanswered, hopefully for now. Something flashes in my peripheral vision, and my eyes snap to the left. That's when I notice the
[ IN WHICH SHE MEETS SIN ] Once his name is said, a voice rings in my head. The same way it did with Lake back in the chambers. At the very back of my head, there’s a loud voice screaming the name, “Sin”. I recognize the sound of my own voice. The voice in my head is definitely mine calling out the King’s name, that part is clear. What I’m unclear about is why I’m having these memory flashbacks. Memories that don’t seem to be mine, or are they? My eyes are focused on the man sat opposite me. The harder I concentrate, memories flash before my eyes. However, these memories are different from Lake’s. The voice in my head moans his name in different occasions, while in others, she screams his name in agony and pain. I flinch from the feeling. He notices this, and clears his throat. “November.” He calls my name, his voice dripping with concern. “Are you okay?” I nod, weakly. “Sin?” I ask. “Your name is Sin? What is that? No one is named Sin.” “You did not understand what I said, did
[ IN WHICH SHE SINS ] I cannot fall asleep. I've laid in my bed for hours, but sleep evades me completely. I can't find the means to rest. I’ve been restless ever since my last interaction with the King—well, with Sin—since that’s his real name. My mind keeps replaying our last encounter over and over again. I simply cannot get him out of my mind. The truth is, it’s not just the sight of him cutting his flesh open that perturbs me. There’s something else. After feeling my body up close with him, I can’t help but desire for more. Helplessly, I let out a wary sigh. I’m currently awake, because my mind won’t stop creating fantasies about a man I’m supposed to resent; a man whom I’m supposed to view as a nuisance. … [it was only natural to feel that way. i was experiencing an attraction so intense towards the one i had been fated to, but i didn’t know that, so i suppressed my emotions, which only made them worse for me, and someone else] … I gaze through the white curtains and out t
[ IN WHICH SHE IS STRANGE ] It's the crack of dawn, and I haven't gotten a shut-eye. As expected, I didn't fall asleep.I've been at the edge of my bed for about an hour now, sitting in my bathrobe. I refuse to move from my spot, terrified of what's coming for me next in this very eventful realm. Listening to the silence of my chambers, while basking in the daylight streaming through the windows, I have gotten a sense of comfort that I haven't felt all night. Previously, a total of ten maids came over, and fixed me a nice, warm bath which was supposed to help calm me down, but instead, it did the opposite. The warm air from the bath reminded me of the heat that spewed from Sin's room the previous night. I still cannot get the image out of my mind, it's forever engraved on the surface of my cerebellum. The maids brushed my hair, fixed my face up, but I didn't let them dress me up, as there was no need, since I will never be setting foot out of the confines of my bedroom, like ever.
[ IN WHICH SHE SPOTS A TRUTH ] Something definitely feels off. Something is going to happen soon— I know it, I just don't know what exactly is going to happen. The rest of the mansion clearly knows, but they refuse to say anything to me.Sauntering down the halls of the mansion, I explore areas that I haven't seen before. I've been too preoccupied with resenting, and trying to escape this building that I haven't really noticed how glorious it is. Last night, after tracing the unholy sounds, I realized this mansion is much bigger than it looks. It has staircases, doors, and rooms leading to diverse and interesting places. Maybe if I want some answers, I should start by searching the mansion. With more than half of the guards gone, I can use this opportunity to the fullest. But obviously, the guards in charge of my safety will not let me out of their sight."Miss. I'm sorry, but you can't go further than that." I ignore the male guard as I walk towards the balcony. "I think I can.
[ IN WHICH SHE IS ABOUT TO SUFFER ]"Is Sin a fallen angel?" The guard's eyes widen in shock. He stutters repeatedly like I had just said something mind blowing. I see his brain's turning the wheels as he thinks of a way to dodge the question. "Sin is exactly what he is. He is Sin." I tilt my head. "Are you being for real?"He snickers, holding his laughter. The urge to smack him nearly takes over. Does he think I'm some kind of joke? Fortunately for him, Lake runs in before I hit him on the head. "You shouldn't be here, November," Lake says, panting hard after running around, searching for me. "Please, come back to your chambers." "I'm not going anywhere." "Come on, November." Lake sighs, tiredly. I roll my eyes at Lake. "Enough, Lake! Stop bothering me you useless, piece of shit." ... [it was starting. acting, and saying things i normally wouldn't, was the first phase. it was the first thing that needed to happen before i felt the pain] ...Lake frowns. "What's with you toda
[ IN WHICH SHE SUFFERS ]Eirene is the first to move. With his sword gripped tightly in his hands, he swings blindly at the door. Of course, he misses. “You can't fight what you can't see”, and that statement ends Eirene in a bulk load of pain. The woman averts her gaze from me instantly, snapping them to the blonde man. Before Eirene's sword smites her, she sets her palms out, slamming them into Eirene's chest as he gets close. I feel the impact as I hear the cracking of bones— most likely Eirene's. He flies in the air a second later, propelled by the force. His back smacks against the wardrobe, causing the wood to shatter, and then gravity brutally pulls him back down, causing him to fall face flat onto the ground. The clanking sound of metal fills the room as his sword tumbles out of his hands.I gasp at the violent scene. With heavy pants leaving my lips, I sit up, gazing scared at Eirene. Lake leaves my side and rushes towards his friend. His eyes peer at the door. He picks the s