The night grew colder as the prince walked through the corridors toward his room in the dim lighting of the chandeliers. He walked in, quickly taking off his coat and shirt before tossing them on the floor. The space in the room was more than he would ever need, a nuisance. The lavish lifestyle, the riches, and the glimmer were no stranger to the prince, however, he had no fondness for the things his title bestowed upon him.
The wind caused the windows to shiver and the flames of the candles to sway swiftly. Through his peripheral vision, the prince saw the silhouette of the girl sleeping on his bed, covered with a comforter. He walked closer to the bed. The dim light cast a candescent radiance on her, perfectly highlighting the shape of her face. The prince was surprised, but not shocked, to find someone in his bed.
Against his better judgment, he alleged her to be an intruder with ulterior motives. His previous encounters with infatuated girls had formed a prejudice in his mind. When he met girls as a young boy, he would be courteous, chivalrous, and polite, until he learned of their devious motives. He would sneer now at anyone who tried to get close to him. It's difficult to blame him, his father’s court had said.
The prince sat on the chair, patiently waiting for her to regain consciousness. And a few minutes later, the bed sheets ruffled and the girl’s lip quivered slightly, giving the impression of a bad dream. She awoke with a start, a gasp escaping her mouth before her eyes adjusted to the low lighting prior of the room. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. Her eyes finally landing on the unknown man sitting shirtless on a chair to the right side of the bed.
She exclaimed, "who are you?" clutching the sheets closer to her chest.
He leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees.
"Who are you?"
His voice was soothing, so soothing that it sent chills down her spine. The air suddenly felt thin.
"No, who are you?" she questioned yet again.
The young man rose from his chair, and in two steps, was over to her side of the bed. He placed his hands on the headboard, propped one knee on the soft mattress, hovering over her, and brought his face closer to hers.
Willow's breath caught in her throat as she slid on the surface of the bed to get away from him, but she was trapped. She looked into his beautiful grey eyes before lowering her gaze to his abdomen, which, on second thought, seemed like a bad idea. She returned her gaze to his before gulping. Dread and a sinking feeling.
"A question filled with mocked levity," he said calmly, "considering you are the one invading my privacy, lying on my bed. Wouldn't you agree?"
Her pupils dilated, lips parted as she sucked in a quick breath before her rebuttal.
"I was invited here, so technically, it's not my fault. Now if you get off of me I shall be on my way home," she said, feigning nonchalance.
"You must be among those girls desperate for a royal. I've seen people like you before. Who did you deceive to get a two-minute conversation with me? And how did you get into the palace?"
He stroked her cheek with his finger.
She glared at him and grabbed his arm, pushing it away. He stood up straight and took a step back until he was in front of the chair, hands lazily shoved in his pants pocket.
"You must be pathetic and lonely to conjure up such an assumption," she exasperated. "Sorry to burst your bubble but I don't know who you are, I have never seen you before, and even if I had, I don't think I would stop to give you a second glance."
He had a deadpan expression for a few seconds before laughing. When he moved closer to the bed, Willow panicked and shifted to the other side.
"Don't come close to me! I'll scream!"
"Hey... relax," he said softly, continuing huskily while surrendering his arms in the air. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Willow's breathing returned to normal as she stared hypnotically at him.
"I understand," the prince said as he circled the bed slowly. "I understand you must have been lost, you must know someone who lives in this palace and that someone invited you in. You happened to end up in my bedroom, by chance, and this was entirely coincidental."
He spoke while slowly moving closer to her, almost hovering over her on the bed again. She listened to him patiently while gazing into his captivating grey eyes. She noticed his lips moving smoothly, uttering a subdued tone. The sinking feeling subsided and she no longer felt threatened.
"You are right," she admitted. "That is precisely what happened. I apologize for intruding, but I got lost and it is a strange story of how I ended up here. I am willing to explain."
"I'm sure it is a strange story and yes you will explain," the prince assured as he swiftly handcuffed her to the headboard.
Willow took longer than usual to process what had transpired with a shocked look on her face."What... what the hell?" she said flatly, trying to get her hand out of the cuff. "You cannot do this. Let me go!"The prince reclaimed his interrogative position on the chair."You have two choices. Speak the truth now, or I'll throw you into the dungeon, where you'll have no choice but to speak the truth. However, I must say that the latter would be a far harsher and more violent option. How did you gain access to the palace and my room?"Willow's mouth was left hanging."How dare you! You are severely violating my rights," she agitated. "How can you call yourself a human?"He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. His brow furrowed slightly."I... don't," he said after a brief pause. "Enough with the deception. I want the truth. How did you find out where I was staying? How long have you been spying? Which kingdom do you belong to?"She waved her free hand in the air to stop
Time slowed as her heart rate increased. In her vision, the golden interior of the throne was woven into threads that could potentially be tied around her throat. Willow stood in the middle of the room, not to be scrutinized in this manner. The golden throne room exuded an aura of opulence and grandeur. The walls were adorned with intricate golden filigree, depicting mythical creatures and elaborate patterns that catch the light and cast a warm, inviting glow.The centerpiece of the room was a majestic golden throne, elevated on a dais and embellished with precious gemstones. Its tall backrest is adorned with golden motifs, creating a sense of authority and power.The room is spacious, with a high ceiling supported by golden pillars, each meticulously detailed. Crystal chandeliers hang from above, casting a sparkling radiance throughout the space. The polished marble floor reflects the golden hues, creating a mesmerizing effect.The king, dressed in his expensive bejeweled robes, sat
"Stay here," he said as he walked away. She was too tired to argue and instead chose to sleep on the comfortable bed. That is until she heard a knock on the door a few minutes later. Even the smallest noise woke her up. She opened the door to find Ava standing outside and moved aside to let her in, but Ava remained standing. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right," she explained. "Are you sober?" Willow asked. "Yes. And I assume you're fine." She was still tired and dizzy. For some reason, she realized Ava would not enter the room, so she crouched until she was sitting on the floor, her back against the door frame. Ava sat down as well, her knees hugging her chest and her regal gown spilling around her. "I don't think that's appropriate for a queen," she said. "Don't worry, I am not your queen. And it's all right as long as no one sees." Willow sighed as silence fell between them for a moment. "Am I a prisoner?" Ava cocked her brow. "Believe me, you wouldn't have to
What do you say to someone when someone close to them dies? I’m sorry? Are you okay? Here’s 10 million dollars to make it all go away. No, no. That’s definitely not it. She deleted the last line. A day before she entered the land of vampires, Willow was on her way to the university. The sun blazed down on the blooming wildflowers growing along the side of the road. She walked beside the swaying leaves, brushing a stray strand away from her face. A lovely day to contradict the somber subject of her article. Death. She deleted the entire note and switched off the phone’s screen. The walk uphill from the bus stop to her college was peaceful and scenic. A calm that couldn't be replaced by anything else. Willow had moved to the city of Syllton after getting her heart broken by her childhood best friend, Maxon. After crying for days, she abruptly took her college acceptance letter, packed up her things, and left her old life behind for a better future. And even though her decision
Willow resumed her work and was too preoccupied with her screen when she heard the dreadful clicking of heels. “My office now,” her boss said. She quickly stood up and followed her. On her way, she noticed Maxon exit the elevator and walk to the opposite side of the office. Even at a lower level, he was practically her boss because the company was owned by his father. Willow quietly knocked on the boss’ door before entering without waiting for confirmation, and she returned to her cubicle in seven minutes. She sighed and opened the Word document. “What did she want?” Zack, who was sitting in the adjacent cubicle, inquired. “She wants me to write an article about CC Drinks,” Willow grumbled. “Uh ha, and what’s wrong with that?” “CC Drinks is the worst!” She tried to whisper because she was afraid someone would hear her. “They are harmful to the environment and to your health. All of their products are loaded with sugar! And they
Willow squinted her eyes and held her breath. She couldn't comprehend what had happened. One moment she was all riled up, talking about wanting to leave, and the next she found herself pressed up against the wall, with Wes pressing his lips against her cheek, merely missing her lips by a centimeter.She could feel the air getting thicker around her. The tension was palpable. The heat emanating from his lips awakened every nerve of her body. She had never known this feeling before and it scared her.She heard the door close, not realizing there was a stranger in their vicinity.Willow pushed him away from her. He didn't protest. In fact, he willingly obliged.She walked slowly over to the bed, reaching for the vase on the side table, then letting go of the vase and picking up the pillow. She returned to where Wes stood and forcefully swung the pillow at his head.His face moved in the direction of the hit, but he remained standing and did not try to avoid the attack."I deserved that,"
Willow was sure her cheeks were stained red. She pushed herself away from him and said, “I won’t run!”The prince walked out of the palace and to Aurum's hut, which was not far away, before going to get clothes for her. It was hidden in the hills behind the palace. The prince walked right in after knocking twice because the door to the hut was left open.Aurum sat in a cushioned chair. He returned his gaze to an ancient book he was reading before motioning for the prince to take a seat on one of the chairs. If anyone else had seen the prince walk in, they would have stood up in respect and greeted him. However, Aurum, while respectful, had a friendly relationship with Wes, which could not be said for anyone else."May I serve you some tea?" Aurum asked but did not wait for the prince to respond as he poured some tea from the kettle into a cup. He held the cup in his hands, and steam began to rise from the tea within a few seconds.Wes took the cup from Aurum's grasp before sitting acr
Willow sat in silence, contemplating the latest discoveries. Would she be okay without this memory? Coming into the kingdom by accident, meeting Ava, and meeting the prince... It was straight out of a fairytale. She examined her dress and stroked the fabric. Yes, it was clearly from a fairytale, and fairytales aren't supposed to be true. "I suppose it's for the best. I should forget about this," she said, her tone was oddly calm. "I'm still operating under the assumption that everything is a dream." Wes tapped his fingers against the chair's armrest. "So, what happened next?" she inquired, referring to the story of the kingdom's formation. "That concludes the story." "Are you telling me that this happened centuries ago and that nothing prominent has occurred since then?" The prince appeared to contemplate whether or not to reveal the kingdom's affairs. He tried to conceal as much as he could. "After all the vampires were inside this barrier that the healer had created, it took