The guards shoved Simina into a carriage, and they rode out of town. One guard rode in the carriage with her while the other drove. Simina hung her head low. Doom possessed her every fiber. They were taking her to the Dark Prince Nar, and she could do nothing about it. What was he going to do to her? Simina shivered at the thought. She could only imagine. What if he put a curse on her? Or worse, what if he killed her? Simina tried not to think about it.
The ride to the castle was long and dreadful. Or at least it seemed that way, but it really didn't take that long for them to get there. A few minutes later, the sleigh pulled up in front of the castle. Dread washed over Simina at the sight. In an instant, the guards pulled her out of the carriage and into the cold. Holding Simina firmly by the arms, they trudged through the snow up to the castle doors.
Simina shook her head. She did not want to go inside. She stared at the castle with terrified eyes as her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, and she fought against the guards.
"No! No!" Simina kicked, flailing her limbs. She shook her head wildly about, neck spinning. "Don't take me there! Please don't take me there!" Simina shrieked, panic overwhelming her. The guards shoved her forward, shoving her hard in the back.
"Get moving, girl! We don't have time for this today!" the guard yelled at her. The hardness of his voice intimidated Simina and she shut up. Lip quivering, she slumped her head forward. With limp legs, She trudged forward through the snow.
Once directly in front of the doors, one guard pushed the grand double doors open with a heave. They walked in and the doors slammed shut behind them with a loud BANG!!! Simina was dragged up the grand set of stairs that went up to the landing, to the set of double doors she'd run out of just a few weeks ago.
Simina recalled the events that occurred in this room. This is the room he destroyed, where he'd almost killed her. Upon entering, she looked wildly about. The destruction of a few weeks ago was gone, like it had never happened. Everything was perfect and pristine. There was nary a crack in the walls to be seen. And above her, the chandelier hung beautifully, secured safely to the ceiling.
How could they have repaired such damage in such a short amount of time? It was impossible. Even with magic, a feat of that magnitude would be difficult. Someone would have to be very powerful in order to channel and use that amount of magic. Was the Dark Prince really that powerful?
Up ahead of her, Simina saw the throne, and it was occupied.
Simina saw him sitting there on his throne, just like last time. He sat relaxed, with his legs slightly spread apart. Simina wondered how someone so evil could look so elegant and beautiful. Much to her chagrin, a giant tidal wave of admiration swelled inside of her. She hated it.
Even though Simina admired him, she was also frightened of him in a way beyond belief. Nar saw the guards bringing her forth, so he stood with a grand flourish. Finally, Simina stood before him but turned her face away, willing herself not to look in his eyes. The guards forced Simina to her knees, and she grunted.
"Here she is, your majesty. Is this the young lass who stole your royal stead?" the guards asked, bowing his head. Simina stared at the floor beneath her, listening to her mouth panting out each of her breaths.
A gentle hand tilted up her chin. Nar lifted her face so he could see her and Simina found herself staring into his beautiful amethyst eyes. Simina lost her breath and a strangled gasp blew from her. A whimper shuddered out from between her lips as their beauty entranced her.
Nar stared at her face and observed her for what seemed like the longest time to Simina. His purple eyes saw right into her soul, tearing it apart, ripping it to shreds.
He stroked a finger down her cheek, gently brushing the side of her face. His touch, soft as a feather; she almost leaned into it. Simina wanted to. Her eyes fluttered. Nar smirked, beguiling eyes seeing her innermost desire.
"Yes. She is the one," Nar whispered. He stepped away from her, putting at least a foot of space between them. Simina blinked, knocked out of her daze, her mind cleared of its fogginess.
"What do you want us to do with her, your majesty?" the guard asked Nar. Nar smiled, eyes mischievous and glimmering.
"Take her..." He seemed to think about it for a while. "To the dungeon." Nar didn't once take his eyes from her. As soon as the words left his mouth, the guards began dragging her off. Rage filled Simina and she lunged at him, but the guards held her back. Simina growled at Nar's receding face.
They dragged her away, back the way they came. Back in the foyer, they turned right down a dark and dank corridor Simina hadn't noticed before. The guards pulled up a barred caged door on the floor. Its rusty hinges creaked and groaned from old age, the sound grating in Simina's ears. A set of old, cracking concrete stairs led down, down, down, down, until arriving in a terrible, odorous gray concrete room.
The odor of rotting bodies and fecal matter eroded her nostrils, magnified by the dank quality of the air. Her nose crinkled, the mustiness seizing her lungs as the strong odor slowly made it difficult to breathe. Simina coughed. The guards undid her shackles. Attached to the wall were cuffs for the wrists. Bound by another set of cuffs was a real skeleton, cuffed to the wall. Simina screamed. She knew it wasn't alive, but it still frightened Simina nonetheless.
The guards shoved her against the wall and made her sit. They lifted her arms, put her wrists in the cuffs and fastened them. They were tight around Simina's wrists and she winced from the rigid confines. Without doing or saying anything else, they left her there, going back through the barred cage door.
Simina sat there alone, wallowing in sorrow. She hung her head low, so low that her chin touched her chest. The backs of her eyes burned until finally, the tears came and Simina wept.
Simina was locked in the dungeon for a little over an hour and spent the entire time weeping and feeling sorry for herself. She sniffled, cheeks feeling quite sticky from her tear stains. Her stomach growled with hunger. A sad little whimper escaped Simina.
The creak of the caged door perked Simina's ears. A moment later, she heard footsteps walking down. Simina did not look up. She didn't feel like it. Nar entered the dungeon and came to stand before Simina. For a moment, Nar thought she might be sleeping because of how she held herself. Then he heard her sniffle, as if she'd been crying.
Nar crouched down in front of her, but she did not lift her head. Nar raised a hand toward her and lifted her chin. When Simina saw Nar in front of her, she no longer possessed the energy to hate him or feel anger. Nar took in her sad, sorrowful expression. Her eyes were red from crying, her cheeks held a pinkish blush, and her lips were turned down, sad and pouty.
Nar brushed a few gentle fingertips across her jawline. Nar admired her beauty. She's too pretty to cry.
"Answer something for me." Nar kept his voice soft. Simina stared at him, saying nothing. Nar continued.
"How were you, of all people, able to mount and ride my horse?" His voice sounded calm but also slightly unnerved. Simina didn't understand the question he posed to her. She swallowed and licked her lips.
"W-what do you mean?" Simina's voice trembled, scared as a mouse.
"My horse is enchanted with a spell. No one else can mount my horse without being thrown from it. My only question is how you could ride my enchanted horse," Nar explained.
Simina just shook her head.
"I just got on it and rode it like any other horse."
She swallowed, and her body shook. Simina didn't feel good. Her wrists hurt, and she whimpered. Simina stared at Nar with pleading, desperate eyes.
"Are you going to kill me?" Her lip quivered and tears brimmed in her eyes. Her chest began to heave, and Nar watched a tear leak from her eye and trickle down her cheek. Simina looked so pitiful, Nar garnered a touch of sympathy for her. He brushed a tear away with his thumb.
He chuckled darkly, amused. "Do not be absurd. Why would I kill a perfectly good servant?"
Goosebumps sprouted all over Simina's body at his words. "W-what?"
"In exchange for your freedom, you will work for me. You will help Matilda maintain the castle," he stated.
"For how long?"
"As long as I say."
Gulping, Simina nodded. "Okay. I'll do it."
"You have to. There is no choice in the matter. Do not try to run away. I will find you," Nar said, voice eerily calm. "And next time, I may not be so forgiving. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand. I won't run. Just please let me go," Simina begged him. Nar smiled. Hearing her beg was a pleasure, and she looked especially pretty when she did so. Nar stood and released the cuffs on her wrists, unbinding her. Once free, Simina sighed in relief and rubbed the sore red marks on her wrists.
"Thank you so much," Simina breathed. She stood and stretched herself.
"I will send a royal carriage for you every day, providing safe passage to my castle with protection from my Royal Guards," Nar told her. "You start tomorrow."
"Follow me. My guards will escort you back home," Nar said. Simina went with him, leaving the dungeon. He took her out to a waiting carriage, where two guards also waited. Simina got in and soon they rode away.