Five

Chapter 5

Hope

My lips parted as I tried to assimilate Darius' words. Consummate this marriage? My throat felt dry and a scary shiver ran down my spine.

I watched as Darius took a step into the room and locked the door behind him. My heart dropped at the act. He ambulated towards me like a predator going for the kill. Once he got to me, he gripped my wrist, raising it to his chest, and I gasped at the sudden act.

"Strip." He commanded, my heartbeat race sped up.

"Your Majesty, I can't—"

"I will not repeat myself one more time. Strip." He boomed with a loud voice, and I flinched.

My heart was racing. I couldn't do what he asked of me. My chastity was all I had. If I yielded, he would taint and destroy me. Moreover, I was not supposed to be his wife, Light was.

"King Darius, please. My innocence is all I have. I have never been with a man before." I explained, looking into his dead eyes, hoping to find some shred of sympathy in them but I couldn't find any.

His eyes gave nothing of empathy to my situation. His expression remained indifferent as though my explanation held no water to him. My vision blurred as tears threatened to escape from my eyes.

"Your Majesty, please. What my Mother said, please pay her words no mind. Light will be found soon and you'll have no use for me. If you take me, I'll be tainted and I won't be able to get married to another. P-please." I choked on a sob at the end of my explanation before I broke down into tears.

I couldn't contain myself any much longer. My tears must have irritated Darius because he immediately let go of my wrist, flinging it away. Though my eyes were blurry from my tears, I could still make out the displeased scowl that formed on my husband's face.

"Is that all you can do? Cry?" he questioned, and I drew back a sniffle, using the back of my palm to wipe my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But I can't help myself." My words came out as blubber but I was sure that he understood me.

"Useless. Useless." He muttered to himself, and tears welled up from my eyes again as my lungs felt constricted.

He was not the first person to refer to me as Useless, but that didn't make the blow of his words any less harsh. I hated how weak I was. He hadn't even known me for a long time and he could already tell that I was nothing but a weak Human.

"I can't believe that I'm temporarily chained down to a crybaby," Darius said to me in a spiteful tone, and I averted my gaze to the ground.

"I'm sorry." I croaked. He hissed through his teeth, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And to think your Mother said you would make a good wife. I now have to go seek pleasure from whores over my wife."

His words felt like a harsh slap to my face. My lips trembled, and heavy tears ran down from my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, hoping the words would do something to ease his anger but they didn't. Darius was still angry at me and I still felt pathetic.

"Save your apologies for someone who cares." He said, then left my room.

In his absence, I fell to the bed with a heavy thud and I let the tears flow from my eyes in peace. I couldn't believe I angered him within only half a day of being married to him. I was so useless and stupid.

I cried and cried until my eyes had no more tears left to cry and I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

*****

I woke up to someone prodding at my face. My eyes snapped wide open and I saw a pair of doe dark brown eyes staring down at me. I yelped in shock, pushing my body to the other side of the queen-sized bed. My reaction seemed to have amused the woman as she barked out a loud laugh.

"Silly Human," she remarked to herself, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye and I frowned.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" I asked her with a cautious tone and her features sobered up.

"I am Talia Daggers, the wife of the King's second-in-command, and the commander of the King's army. You will refer to me as Commander and nothing else, you got that?" she said, and my lips puckered into a pout.

If she were such things then why was she in my chambers waking me up? As though she heard my thoughts, she leaned her head down.

"I'm here to give you a tour of the castle. Get dressed, Princess. You have a whole day ahead of you." She clapped her hands, and I pressed down my lips, then looked down at myself.

I was still wearing my undergarments from yesterday. I forgot to take the bath that I sought after the previous night. My goodness, I did not like Moratia very much. I missed my home and my sister.

Sounds of loud clapping pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see that the Commander was glaring at me. I raised a brow in question and a scowl formed on her thin lips.

"I thought I told you to get dressed? Stop wasting my time and put on some clothes. I have other things to do!" she snapped at me and I felt like a fool.

I cleared my throat and stood up from the bed, covering my feet with my slippers before I moved to the bathroom. It would be the first time that I would have a bath without my maids. It felt awkward and lonely but I thrived. Once I was finished, I left the bathroom wearing a silky robe.

I saw Commander seated on my bed, flicking her nails. That was not the only thing I saw when I came out of the bathroom, I also saw some kind of clothing sprawled out on the bed.

It was a buttoned, long, wine-colored tunic with dark blue trousers. My lips parted at the sight. Was I expected to wear that? I couldn't possibly. I had never worn trousers in my entire life before. To think of it, the Commander was also wearing trousers but she was a soldier so it was expected.

"That attire is for me?" I asked cautiously and she slowly looked up.

"Who else would it be for? Get ready and stop being a brat." She said with a distasteful tone.

Why was she so mean to me? Why were all the people that I had encountered in Moratia mean to me? They were supposed to be nice and welcoming. At least that was how Light said they had treated her.

I swallowed up all my questions and uncertainty before I moved over to the attire. I was a bit shy to disrobe in front of the Commander but fortunately for me, she turned her attention away.

I let out a soft sigh of relief before I put on the clothes and advanced to the dressing mirror. The attire was fitted on my body, too fitted even. It showed all the curves that I had which were often hidden by puffy gowns. A bit of my cleavage was on for show and the tunic was sleeveless. I felt so exposed.

Was this the way I was supposed to dress every day from now on?

The question was on the tip of my tongue but I refused to ask it. I braided my hair in a loose tail and threw it over my right shoulder. There was nothing available to adorn myself with so I wore my face pure.

When I was finished, I called the attention of the Commander and with a sigh, she stood up and started to walk out of the room. I chased after her immediately. Now in broad daylight, I could see how beautiful the castle was.

"This is the hallway for the royal rooms. Down the hall is where Darius sleeps. My husband and I reside in the room that is to the left of him. Do not disturb us if it's not a life or death matter." Commander said with a bored tone as she walked.

I noticed how casually she referred to the king as Darius. Perhaps they were close friends because she didn't correct herself afterward. And who was her husband? My lips formed into a small frown. Why would I ever seek her out when she was being so rude?

She continued the tour, taking me downstairs and introducing me to a few workers in the castle. Inputting insults and sly comments now and then before she ended the tour at the dinner table.

I saw Darius, the rude Lycan who led me to my room last night, along with some other large intimidating Lycans. I turned to Commander to see that she was already strolling to where her fellow Lycans were.

I swallowed down a huge gulp of my saliva before I trailed after her and sat on the furthest chair away from Darius. It turned out to be a pain because I found myself in between Lycans who looked like they wanted to squash me.

"You're late." Darius' voice boomed all over the dining room and I flinched a little.

"I gave your little Human a tour of a castle," Commander spoke in a drag and I looked up to check the expression on the Lycan King's face. He was not pleased.

He turned his gaze to me and scrutinized the half of my attire that he could see. His eyes gave nothing of appreciation before he said, "Let us eat."

Everyone began eating immediately. I turned to my plate and saw lots of eggs with meat. Back home I was never allowed to eat such things. Mother said they would make me fat and that no man would ever want to marry me because of that.

I didn't know why but that mean guy last night seemed to notice me. "Why aren't you eating?" he asked with his mouth full, and I pushed down the urge to tell him that eating with a full mouth was inappropriate.

"I don't eat eggs and meat," I said awkwardly, and I could see several pairs of eyes that cast their gaze on me.

"What?" Commander asked with an incredulous tone from the other side of the table.

"My mother said oil and fatty meats aren't good for me." It sounded so stupid saying out loud but I had to tell them.

"Overprivileged brat," Commander muttered aloud, and I bit my tongue.

What was bratty about what I said?

"I don't care whatever those slyish Human parents of yours told you. While you are under my roof, you eat what is provided for you and you do not complain. This is the first and last time that you will ever repeat those words ever again." Darius said and I felt my throat clog up.

The other Lycans around the table added their opinions on the matter and started to badmouth my kind. Since I could say nothing, I just turned to my plate and forced the food down my throat. Not that it was bad or anything like that. It was the best thing that I had ever tasted in my life but I was scared what Mother would do to me if she found out I ate eggs and meat.

The rest of the breakfast went by without any further drama. Once it was over, I waited for the Lycans to leave the table before I stood up since it was the polite thing to do.

As I was about to navigate my way back to my room, I saw Darius standing right in front of me with his lips pressed into a firm line.

"You stupid Human…"