A heavy silence descended on the room as Valdym And the crown prince looked at each other involving themself in some sort of staring contest, Evgenia didn't understand what was going on between them and as she continued to watch on curiously a frown appeared on her face she looked back down at her hands as she folded them together in her lap.

Her thoughts were brought back to the conversation her companions had earlier, 

"You are not to speak unless spoken to " Masha had told her "You must not ask questions, not even if they look like the answers are needed or important."

After hearing her words, she knew exactly what was happening between them, they were plotting something, something bad. Something really bad

she felt nervous and self  as  she felt nervous and self  as she  stared on as they kept silent and not speaking any more than necessary to one another as the time went on,

She felt her heart start beating faster as she heard the soft sound of footsteps echoing throughout the hall,

she kept on playing with the hem of her skirt she didn't know why but all she could do was just sit there in fear waiting for whatever it is they would do next to come. Her heart beat fast, she wanted to ask them so badly to stop what they were doing but she didn't have the courage to do so, she knew that she shouldn't be here, she shouldn't even exist right now.

After what seemed like hours,

she  looked back up at her two friends and they both seemed to know it as well, they also noticed the worried looks and worry written all over their faces.

It was now only a matter of who would talk first, and who will say what.

Finally it was the crown prince that spoke first breaking the silence.

"So what is the purpose of your visit here?"  He asked once again sounding irritated 

Vladym deeply bowed her head and spoke

 

"We seek asylum your grace.....," she paused for a moment "The union has been hunting us relentlessly and killing many of our people, we fear for our lives and our children's lives if we stay in any one place longer than a moon."

Valdym then explained their quest of returning to the kingdom of Arden and asking for assistance,

"You're a brave and wise leader." said the crowned prince looking at them all intently "but can't aid you in getting back to your homeland" the prince spoke in a soft voice

Vladym, Evgenia, and the rest of their group all deflated after hearing this response, it hurt, it hurt so much that they wanted to cry, but as soon as they felt the tears forming they forced them back, they couldn't show any weakness right now, they had to remain strong and determined. Just as they were about to ask Why the prince spoke up again

"But I can provide you asylum and protection from the union if you can pay the price

Everyone's faces brightened at this as they tried to think of what kind of compensation the prince was offering. They all agreed in an instant

"If you agree to protect us your grace we will pay whatever price you wish," replied Valdym.

The prince broke out in loud booming laughter

"Oh, I like y!" He chuckled as he stood up "Very well, then my friends let me warn you though, I am not like plotting scheming at every turn neither do I have years of experience under my wing like you, I’m basically a simple man. I just want to take care of myself, So it’s always a problem for me when I get caught up in the plots of some scheming mastermind who can engineer the downfall of civilization with just a few words whispered in the right ears here and there. 

 “The obvious answer would be to just kill people like that right away, the moment I find out about them.”

Evgenia flinched as she saw fear in Valdym eyes for the very first time  since she first met the leader of the spell slingers

 

“But that would just make every schemer in the world my enemy, which isn’t a healthy situation to be in. So instead I’ve adopted a simple strategy I call gain and bane. As long as you seem to be dealing in good faith, and I don’t think you’re secretly working against me, I’ll be completely honest and straightforward with you. We can trade favors whenever the need arises, and walk away with a mutual benefit every time. but in your case, I want you and your group's absolute obedience"

Suddenly magical pressure emanating from the people around the prince enveloping Evgenia and her companion causing them to shiver and tremble and even fall down to the ground. The air filled with a dense smoke of darkness that seemed almost tangible to touch.

They looked at each other and nodded knowing there was no choice,

"I don't kill innocent people, not unless I have to, but the people of the land will eventually do something which leads me to murder, so the moment I catch you trying to screw me over, that’s it. I won’t mess around with asking for explanations and give you a chance to weave some artful lie to convince me it was all a big mistake. I’ll just kill everyone I see, with no remorse in my heart for it or even regretting my actions because, in the end, all that matters to me is justice. So if you do anything I don't like I'll know it was done knowingly or unknowingly by someone who's close to you and therefore my enemies, and I'd personally tear off your heads and feed them to my dogs, you understand?"

"Yes." Valdym and everyone said agreeing and nodding their head repeatedly.

"So let me tell you about the price," the crown prince said as the cloud of magic disappeared disappearing.

"For starters, your family and friends, your whole group, everyone else who is dear to you, including your kids, will move onto my private island south of here, and I would require a dozen or so Highmaster guards "

"What?!?!" Vladym shouted at her incredulously.

"Don't worry they will be treated right I want them for my protection, you can do this much since I would be fighting the union for you I'm not taking any chances, I already lost enough people," said the crown prince.

Valdym sighed loudly then nodded at the crown prince, "As you wish My lord"

Crown prince let out a sharp laugh before shaking his head

 

"Cleaver woman," the crown prince mumbled "Then whenever I give an order You and yours shall mobilize your entire group to fulfill my order and at last I Want her" The crown prince finished by poi who looked at him with wide eyes, she was afraid of him....so much more afraid than she thought she should be.

"As You wish my lord" Vladym agreed simply

Evgenia felt her heart thudded in her chest. Her hands shook. Her feet tingled. Her vision was disfigured as if she were looking through a fish-eye le. Everything sounded distant, muffled like it was coming from far away, and her throat grew dry, She could barely breathe...what could be happening? What were they planning? Why was it happening?

She didn't know, she just sat frozen in shock unable to comprehend anything. Was this her fate, to die at the hands of the royal family,to become food?

Would she die without ever experiencing freedom, happiness, love?

Or would it be painful and terrifying, like being burned alive by fire, or having your heart ripped out? Would she go mad?

Would she forget herself and lose control and kill all those within arms reach, and then her own brother and father?

Would they all suffer?

All would most likely die as her mind played its cruel tricks.

No! No! She couldn't think like that; she wouldn't accept that outcome!

She wouldn't die!!

She'd rather live than be killed, and by these people, who could possibly want her dead?!

She'd sooner be taken to prison and  be given a quick death if she was being completely honest.

The mere thought of it made her sick and made her feel like throwing up, but at the same time, deep inside she did feel a little bit scared, but she was able to put the feeling aside, putting a brave face on for her mother, for her brothers and sister, for everyone. For the people who would never know how truly terrible her fate was.

That's the one thing she refused to admit to herself, the idea of living forever without ever getting to live a happy life, without ever being loved, without ever being loved by anyone

What did he want? She couldn't stop thinking about these questions over and over until darkness took her.

 

*****************************************

 

Crown Prince Aleksander watched in mild amusement as the sweet girl fainted he couldn't help but chuckle lightly at how she acted.

He had wanted her since the moment he laid eyes on her and she was everything that he wanted, he knew she would make a perfect plaything to pass the time, he found himself filled with lust as he began to imagine her scream, as he thought about what he might do to her later when alone, he wondered what her body would feel like pressed tight against his.

She was beautiful and would make a great whore

 "Your majesty" The Cleaver woman kneeled before him with her head lowered

‘She’s pathetic’ thought the prince as he watched her. He didn’t like her at all but the thing was she made him feel weak and vulnerable.

We waved his hand and dismissed them, they left in a blink leaving behind the girl, he once again found himself looking at the sweet thing, her glancing white skin, pale golden hair, delicate features, her lips...his hands began to itch.

How he wished he could run his fingers across her smooth silky skin...her breasts...he imagined them full and round...his eyes wandered down the column of her slender neck to where the delicate collarbones began to peek out His hands became restless as he clenched and unclenched them. The sight brought a smile to his face as he remembered when he had put them together. It was amazing how such fragile things could become so powerful.

His mind began to wander, what face would she make when I cut her open, her skin, her beautiful white skin, she's got nothing to hide, she's pure and naive and yet she hides herself like some shy maiden.

He wondered what he could do to break those innocent walls that she had built up around her soul so carefully, he wanted to hear her moans of passion…and her whimpers of pain.

His blood began boiling in his veins. How was it possible that such a tiny creature could cause his cock to harden, how was that even possible? This feeling, this feeling of lust was unlike anything he had ever experienced before It felt wrong, disgusting, and exciting it made his skin itch, and his body burn.

He motioned for his guard to come near him,

"Take her to the hidden Quarters and prepare her and tell me the moment my bothered leaves he told the old warrior who bowed

With a curtsy, the servant turned and walked away leaving the prince standing alone.

"My king" a voice whispered from behind him.

He spun around quickly to find the woman he had asked to join him standing with his cloak covering her lower half as well as her face so that only her nose and mouth were visible

“You came” he smiled at her in anticipation

"Of course, I came my king. I would never miss a chance to serve you"

“Well it’s about time I had some company in my bed he said with a wicked grin “but don’t expect me to go easy on you because after we are through, I might have to give you another punishment.” he purred as he pulled her closer to him by the waist making the cloak cover her even m

She blushed crimson red,

“As you wish, my king”

*********************

 

 

Kesala licked her lips slowly and gently licking off the traces of sweat that had formed on them. Then, letting out a soft sigh as she leaned back into the warm cushions of her chair she reached for one of the glasses in front of her.

She lifted the glass and took a sip, savoring the taste of the cool water. Looking out of the window at the sun beginning its descent in the west. She let out another sigh.

Everything that had happened had gone without a hitch so far but she still had failed, the body in front was a hollow shell without any intelligence or emotion, or personality it wasn't even an animal it was simply a breathing corpse.

Decades of research, years of wealth spent like dirt, and a fortune accumulated through many generations, are now reduced to nothing. The man she loved so dearly was reduced to mere lifeless clay.

She threw the glass of water down on the table with a loud smash.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down, but the thoughts wouldn't leave her mind, and all of a sudden she felt tears begin to roll down her cheeks.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t control the emotions inside her.

she had no idea how to progress from here on out. Everything she had learned was going and she was running out of time she needed a new body, but her granddaughter was not yet ready, she needed to go through training if she wanted her body she needed her to be strong enough to hold her own so, and that meant training hard and learning more, but the girl was still too young to undergo any sort of physical therapy, not after her recent experience and al She needed help that could actually train her physically and mentally. But unfortunately, there was only one man she knew with that kind of power she was willing to work with, her anger flared again if only her daughter hadn't killed herself she would've taken her place.

That's when she heard a noise at the door;

It opened slowly revealing a middle-aged man, his dark brown curly hair was long and wavy, his hazel eyes shining brightly in the sunset rays.

Kesala gave him a slight nod signaling that she understood the prince was calling her and she would see him now,

As soon as the door closed behind him, kesala sighed heavily as she got u, wiping away the few drops of tears that had fallen and walking briskly toward the mirror she started putting some perfume on.

Once she finished applying her perfume she began to change her clothes into different ones. Finally, she was ready to meet the prince.