Heart of darkness

Chapter Nine.

I saw the curiosity in my father's eyes as he picked up the sword that laid at his feet. My fear for him consumed me as he turned his gaze to the Prince.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" He asked. It was obvious that my father had never held a sword before. The blade sat uncomfortably in his hand, even his eyes said he was oblivious to fencing.

"You are supposed to fight me with it." Prince Damian said, clueing in on my fathers knowledge. "If you truly want your daughter back, you must defeat me."

I could see the fear I had formed in my fathers eyes. He knew of his awareness of swords and knew that if he decided to go through with the fight he would die.

"Father please, don't do this." I whispered to him, knowing he could hear me.

"It's okay Aurora, you will be alright." He said to me and faced his opponent.

The pleasure in Damian's eyes was unmistakable as he ran for my father. I could see that my father wasn't ready for the sudden attack as he quickly jumped out of the way, missing the fatal hit by mere inches.

"Fast reflexes, you would make a fair guard, if I wasn't about to kill you." Damian said, twisting the sword in his hand as he focused again on my father.

To my surprise I watched as my father took the opportunity to lunge at the Prince. Though this didn't seem to fase Damian as he easily blocked the blow. He continued to fight in a defensive mode as my father continued to strike, though each time only hitting Damian's sword or nothing at all.

"I guess not then." Damian said, backing up as my father's attacks weakened.

I could see beads of sweat falling down my father's forehead as he walked with Damian.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my arm, yanking me up right and someone pressing a cold blade to my throat.

"Drop your weapon, peasant." The King's voice rang in my ear as he pressed the dagger harder against my throat, causing me to flinch from the slight pain.

"Father, we were just getting started." The Prince pouted and I heard the clank of my father's sword falling to the floor.

"Damian, we don't have time for this. You are wearing out Lilura with this silly nonsense." He said, gesturing to my father and his son. "Now leave this man alone and bring the girl to your chambers."

I could see a bit of fear in Damians eyes from his father's sharp tone. But he did what his father had said, letting the sword fall gently down from his defensive position and walking over to where the King still held me in his grip, the dagger still pressed against my throat.

"Is the dagger really necessary?" Damian asked when he reached us. I felt the King lower the blade and push me to the Prince, where I fell into his threatening hold.

"It was the only way to get you and that idiot to stop playing with swords." The King said and I looked over to my father, his eyes blazing with anger and rage. "Now bring the girl to your chambers while I deal with the guests."

Damian's hand gripped my arm as he pulled me along with him. I used my free hand to beat against his chest.

"Let go of me!" I yelled and I could see that it had sparked something in my father.

I watched as his anger towards the Prince rose and he couldn't contain him anymore. He picked up the sword that lay dormant at his feet and charged at the Prince.

"Let my daughter go!" He chanted as Damian looked to where my father was running.

I could see that he rolled his eyes and held up his sword. My father didn't have enough time to stop as the blade plunged into his stomach. The life drained from his sky-blue eyes and he fell lifeless to the floor.

My screams echoed around the ballroom as I pulled my arm free from the Prince's hold and fell against my father's dead body. I knew instantly that my mother had awakened from her trance and had seen the killing of her husband. Her cry of pain echoed with my sobs as I heard her fall to the floor.

My tears fell freely down my cheeks as I held onto my father. I couldn't let him go, I wouldn't let him go. My father was the only one who had truly understood me, who had raised me from a baby to the person who I was today.

His blood now soaked into the fabric of my dress as I continued to hold him. My heart felt as if it were to pour out in my sobs. What had my father done to deserve this? Try to save me from a future I had no interest in taking part of? Protect his only child?

I couldn't breath as I thought of all the things that he had done to not deserve this. There were so many things, he was the kindest and generous person I had ever met. I loved him and this is where it got him.

"Get up." Damian said in a harsh tone, but I wouldn't move.

Leaving, my father was the last thing I wanted to do. His blood was still seeping from his wound onto my dress. The dark red stained the midnight blue, turning the soft fabric purple.

"Get up, damn it." He said, taking a suffocating hold on my arm and forced me to stand, though my knees instantly buckled as if I were a rag doll that couldn't stand on its own.

"Just kill me." I sobed. Taking hold of Damian's hand that held the bloodied sword. I pressed the sharp tip to my chest, begging him to kill me just as he did my father."Please."

"I'm sorry love, but you're too special to be killed." Damian said, tossing the sword to the ground. "Kai, take the girl to my chambers, I have a mess to clean up."

I saw a guard walk towards me and grab me roughly by my arm. Though I kicked and screamed, he continued to pull me. I felt Kai pull me up the stairs and out of the ballroom. I say a small glimpse of my mothers body laying on the floor, it were as if she didn't care if I was taken away.

My heart broke for her as the ballroom doors closed and I was taken away from my family, maybe forever.