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.