Heart of darkness

Chapter Twenty-One

I heard the sound of Calia's footsteps behind me as I crossed the ballroom floor, looking for Damian. Since he was "worried" about me, I might as well see what he wanted.

"Aurora, we can't go to war. It's... it's insane." Calia said as she reached me.

"I don't think there's any other way King Garret or Damian will stop." I responded as I spotted Damian on the dance floor with a girl no older than fourteen. For some reason when I saw him with her, it sparked a feeling inside of me, jealousy, disgust? I decided on the latter feeling.

"How do you even know if the witches will help? After all we've done, I doubt they'll do it willingly." Calia said, snapping me out of my annoyance and disgust toward Damian.

"We'll just have to try." I said and walked onto the dance floor.

I swayed in between couples and dresses, until I finally reached where Damian and the girl were. I cleared my throat to get their attention. When the girl turned around, I saw surprise that soon turned to guilt flash through her eyes. I wanted to reassure her that I wasn't angry, but was concerned with why she would dance with him.

"Oh, your majesty... I'm.. we were just... I..." she stuttered and I began to feel sympathy towards her.

"It's alright, you two were just dancing. There's nothing wrong with that." I smiled and saw her relax a bit. I looked up and saw a cruel smile plastered into Damians lips.

"Run along, Erica." Damian said and the girl instantly fled to a food table, where it looked like her mother was waiting for her. Suddenly, I felt his rough hands on my waist, pulling me into the dance he had just been doing with the girl, Erica.

"Let go." I demanded and tried my best to free my hand and waist from his hold. But of course it was impossible, he had a death grip on both my hand and waist, and it wouldn't be loosening anytime soon.

"I'm sorry love, but I have a few questions to ask." He said. "How did you get that knife."

I suddenly realized that I had left the dagger on the balcony. A sudden panic went through me, but I kept a relaxed composure. I wouldn't allow myself to look that way in front of him. Though that didn't stop my voice from betraying me.

"I... I..." I mentally scolded my stuttering as I thought of my excuse.

"Was it my mother?" He accused, I couldn't get the answer out quick enough before he made up his mind. "I never thought that my mother would try to kill me. Though she has been distant and disobedient lately."

"It wasn't-"

"I don't need you to explain. It was her, it always has been her." Damian said with hatred.

"No-"

"Shut it." He ordered and I felt my mouth snap shut. Thoughts about what he would do to me filled my head as we continued this forced dance. I saw Calia as we spinned, I was frightened for her, what would he do? I doubt Damian would kill his own mother, he had to have a bit of love for the person who brought him into this world.

I felt myself growing tired as the night slipped away. Damian introduced me to lords and lady's, dukes and duchesses. As I talked to them, I found that they were all like the king. Heartless, ruthless and vile. I had thought that maybe the women would be like Calia, kind and generous, forced into a loveless marriage where their husbands had beaten them until they were broken and submissive, but no, they were just like the people they had married.

"Thank you for joining us this evening." King Garret announced. "As you all know I am welcoming a new member to our family. Aurora Whitmore. The soon to be bride of my dear son Prince Damian."

I felt everyone's eyes turn to me as the king continued his speech.

"I hope she feels welcome and safe here." My stomach twisted into knots as I thought of all the things that have happened in the past two weeks that have made me feel unsafe and unwelcome. My heart thundered in my chest, the lies the Kind told seeped into my mind.

"I am glad that everyone has had a good time. Unfortunately it is time to bring this night to a close. I hope everyone has a safe trip home." Calia chimed in and I watched as the guests were escorted out of the ballroom.

I felt Damians hand slip under my arm and he lightly pulled me along with the crowd of people. I looked around and caught a glimpse of Cas, he was staring at me. His eyes filled with rage as he saw Damian beside me. I wanted to run into his arms, to hear his heartbeat and his soft voice. I wanted to run away with him, to do all of the things he had suggested to me only a few hours ago. But I couldn't, not until I finished this.

I shot him a warning look and I watched as Cas''s expression turned worried.

"I'll be fine." I mouthed the words to him and he gave me an uneasy nod.

Damian pulled me out of the crowd and towards the stairs. Though my body went with Damian, my heart was with Cas, taking it far away from here.

Far away to the place he would go, wherever the witch's hideout was. It pained me that I couldn't go away with him, but someone had to stay here to try and try and help the captives from the Redburns abusive hand. That led me to think of Damian, his rough hands on my arms, dragging me back to my dark and terrible room. What had happened for him to be this way? Had his father done the same thing to him as he did to his mother?

"Why are you like this?" I whispered, letting out one question that was supposed to stay hidden in my mind. Though now that it was out I stood behind it, wanting to know the answer.

"What?" Damian said, despite hearing my question.

"I asked, why are you like this?" I asked, seeing his expression turned annoyed.

"I have no idea what you mean." He responded as we neared my room.

"What I mean is, why do you think that it's okay to treat people the way you do? Why do you think you can abuse people and not have any consequences?" I questioned.

"I am not answering that." He said, standing in front of my door. I heard anger and annoyance in his voice.

"Is it because of your father? Did he.. did he hurt you?" I asked, my mind was telling me to stop before you get yourself killed, but I continued to speak. My mouth seemed to not be connected to my brain.

"I said, I'm not answering." I heard more anger.

"Damian-"

"Shut up!" He yelled, I saw the rage in his eyes and the fear in his voice. "You have no right to talk to me like this, and I know that you want me to be different, to have some light side, but I'm not and I don't. This is who I am, I'm evil, vicious, vile and I know it. I happen to like who I am and there is nothing you can say to change that. There was nothing to cause this side of me!"

My mouth was glued shut by his outburst. My heart was beating with fear. I slowly backed away into my room and he slammed the door. The force of it causing the stone walls to shake.

I felt tears start to stream down my cheeks and I crawled onto the soft mattress of the bed. I didn't want to try and take this dress off, not with what had just happened.

Why did I insist on wanting to know what made him the way he is? What did I have to prove? Maybe that he wasn't so bad after all, that maybe he had some part of him that was good.

I want it to be true. But something inside of me said that it was impossible.

That night I fell asleep half crying and half wishing.