《Glace》


 Prologue

    The winter ball of the year started off with a bang.


    A trusted man named Henrik brought ornaments and gadgets from far away, and presented them to the King of Belle, King Etienne Kohl the first. One of the gadgets he claimed, could light up the sky.


    "Your Highnesses, allow me to present what I shall call, fireworks!"


    Lights in colour burst all over the sky to signal the start of the winter ball. The theme was masquerade, and everyone entered wearing masks of all kinds. There were lace and feather masks, with the most gorgeous gowns of the season.


    All this, to impress the son of King Etienne, for this year he was to find and announce his bride at the end of the ball. Prince Erick gazed at all the people from his high throne. He slouched and threw his head back against the back of the throne. He played with the tips of his jewel-encrusted crown, his cold countenance intimidating all who dared to steal a glance.


    How boring, all of these ladies trying to impress him but they all looked and sounded the same...except for one.


    She was not like the rest. Her hair was a fabulous bright red, falling in perfect curls around her shoulders. It was custom for ladies to wear long puffy ball gowns, but this fair maiden was wearing something that fit her figure so he could see all the parts that made him twitch. Her generous bosom, and her tight buttocks were on display in her sparkly green dress.


    She dared to come here dressed like that, and alone? Prince Erick wondered who let her in dressed like that. She had a gorgeous mask on, a light cream feathered lace mask. The mask covered her whole face so he could only see red lips and dark enchanting eyes. She looked straight at Prince Erick too, which broke another of the kingdom''s laws.


    The king and queen didn''t even seem to notice this woman. When the prince tried to make eye contact with his parents they were talking to each other. So the prince got up and went to the woman standing by the refreshments table. The crowd parted for him, everyone curious as to where the prince was going but trying not to be obvious. Ladies nudged each other giggling, while others looked in jealousy to the girl at the table.


    "And to whom do I owe the pleasure of beheading?" Prince Erick kissed the hand extended to him.


    "Lady Merryn, of Fairfield." gods, even her voice drew him closer.


    "Why am I being beheaded?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, her cleavage showing.


    Prince Erick tried his best to not stare at her body, and looked into her eyes.


    They swirled with a sort of mischief instead of fear, and Prince Erick was, for once, stunned.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "You jest. You know why." Prince Erick said, but a smile formed on his lips. She was a dead woman, and she had the nerve to be playing with him. So he accepted the challenge, to be the cat chasing the mouse tonight.


    She laughed, her laughter was holy to him.


    "Dance with me." Prince Erick''s eyes smouldered as he gazed upon Merryn''s eyes.


    They danced, and danced, and danced. By the third dance, Merryn was laughing with abandon, and Erick held her closer than was appropriate.


    "Lady Merryn, would you do me the honour of joining me later tonight by the balcony?" Prince Erick asked.


    Merryn was about to take his hand, when a force shoved Merryn from the back. Merryn stumbled forward and tripped, falling to the ground. Her mask loosened and fell on the floor. There were gasps from every corner.


    Lady Merryn had scars and pock marks all over the sides of her face. There was a gash on the side of her upper cheek that looked quite fresh. Her violet eyes opened wide as she looked around the room to everyone shrinking away from her.


    Even Prince Erick stepped back instead of helping her.


    "An abomination," Prince Erick whispered.


    "You fooled me," Prince Erick said.


    "Guards!" the king called.


    People shunned physical imperfections in the Belle Kingdom, especially in the royal castle. Whoever had scars and marks were seen as less, and even imprisoned if the king wished it so. The guards came to get Merryn.


    Merryn thought, she was different. She thought Prince Erick would see beyond the imperfection. But he was just like the others. He would receive no mercy, just as he gave none.


    On the floor, Merryn laughed, but her laugh was different. Deeper, more sinister, manic.


    Merryn stood, and increased in size by double. Screams resounded around the ballroom as she welded icy blue lightning in her hands.


    "You humans are all the same. This kingdom be damned." She declared.


    ¡°In the name of Hecate, I curse thee, Erick Kohl. I curse you for ten winters. You and your household will all be under the curse. If someone has not fallen in love with you by the last drop of snow on the tenth winter, you and all your household will perish.¡±


    ¡°No, please, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Erick went down on his knees.


    ¡°Lies.¡± The witch¡¯s eyes blackened.


    She had seen enough. Erick¡¯s heart was tainted by lust and selfishness. He would not bat an eye at evil or make space for someone he deemed unworthy. It would be a miracle if someone fell in love with him. Especially after the Lore curse.


    Her hair flew back with the static surrounding, as Witch Merryn waved her hands twice. Her dress melted and turned into an emerald cloak and the scars and pock marks disappeared. She was indeed, a beautiful woman. A woman most would desire, were she not a witch. Were she not the witch who was the curse bringer.


    Everybody who remained at the ball froze as soon as her hands moved. Ice covered every particle in the room aside from the witch. Once the ice dissipated, this castle would become the Lore castle.


    With one last look at all that remained, Witch Merryn whipped her cloak and left without looking back.

 Rhea

    They warned me.


    They told me the fables about the beast who¡¯d come every winter and steal one of the fair maidens away. That the maiden would disappear and never come back. They tried to keep the beast away but he had some kind of power to disguise himself as human. So there was no way of telling until the beast struck.


    I didn¡¯t believe the stories, they were silly fairytales told to keep ladies away from the men. I just wanted to have my perfect season debut that night. Naturally I wanted to be wooed, and charmed by my future husband. I wanted to have children and be the perfect wife. I knew I could be, at least in physical terms I was pretty enough to get attention. I had dark brown hair and greenish yellow eyes. Petite, polite, prepared.


    My mother repeated these words to me growing up until now and I could never forget. Being the eldest of three girls, there was a lot of pressure for me to perform well this debut season. My younger sister Elena was two years younger, and my youngest sister Celine was four years younger. At eighteen, I looked the part, but on the inside I still felt like a youngling.


    As I got ready, Elena sat on my bed, testing the springiness of the mattress.


    She spoke, ¡°Sister, are you sure you want to do this? Surely you¡¯re afraid of the beast? Florence said her sister knew the girl who was taken last winter. Horrid affair.¡±


    I bit my lip, trying to keep from bursting in my irritation.


    ¡°If all you¡¯re going to talk about is that silly beast then I prefer you do not talk at all.¡± I told her, as one of my maid servants did my hair.


    My sister shut her mouth, going back to reading her book. It was a book called Miss Gowns Rules of Etiquette. God knew that my sister hated learning how to be petite, polite, and prepared. So my mother made her read all the time, or else she¡¯d punish her with a slap or two.


    There was one imperfection about me that I hid from everyone. Nobody knew except my maidservants, and I was more afraid of people finding out, than of the so-called beast. The story that he came back to the same place every year just did not make sense. Why would a beast come to the same place and take a woman each year? If he were truly dissatisfied he would not come back at all. That must mean he needed someone to satisfy him and therefore kept looking for a new woman. But there were other kingdoms, other places to go. Why would this beast only go to one place?


    That one place was the Grand Hall in the center of Belle.


    We had a king and queen, but they went on an expedition ten years ago and never returned. So there was a big argument of sorts, and then the next in lines became king and queen.


    Duke Joseph of Harcourt was having a ball for his fifth wedding anniversary with his duchess Elizabeth. They were family friends of my parents, so this was going to be the night for me to debut. Duke Joseph and Duchess Elizabeth owned the Grand Hall, which was rumored to be home to mystic creatures in the past. The Grand Hall was shut down for renovation and only recently opened again.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    My dress was the most beautiful royal blue. Coupled with sapphire earrings, a thin pearl necklace, and a pair of sparkling blue glass slippers, I was ready for the ball after hours of preparation. On the carriage ride, I wrung my hands together in my lap, anxiety began to play on my mind.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, my Ree? Are you well?¡± My father asked.


    ¡°Yes, yes she¡¯s fine. It¡¯s most likely first season jitters. I got them too,¡± My mother dismissed.


    My father agreed with her but still kept a close eye on me. They didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say anything, so I tried my best to keep my eyes down, posture straight, dress neat and everything tidy.


    We arrived.


    My father beckoned me to take his hand and we started moving. I was feeling petrified, the feeling crept its way onto my skin and settled on my chest and throat. Everything felt so tight, and constricted.


    Oh, no. I couldn¡¯t do this.


    I wasn¡¯t good enough. I did not have the body of a goddess, I did not have the mannerisms of a princess, I would never be the perfect wife. How could I think for one moment that anyone would ever...


    As I was considering running away from the Hall right at the top of those steps, I made eye contact with a dashing gentleman standing with a glass of wine in his hands.


    He wore blue and gold, and I couldn¡¯t entirely put a name to it, but he reminded me of the night sky. Like the canvas of the sky and the stars as the subject on the canvas. His face-perfect in every way. Muscly veins stretching on the side of his temple, angular jawline, round lips, and a smoky enticing look in his blue eyes.


    Our clothes matched in color and style. He was tall, heavens. Almost one and a half heads taller than me. I considered myself tall already. He smiled and the smile dancing on his lips pulled me forward. Yet I noticed a despondent quality ghosted his features, the way he stood, the way he moved with tense broad shoulders. As if he knew grief, as if he knew what imperfection does to a soul.


    I was smitten. I continued descending the stairs with my father. My father was relieved that I didn¡¯t make a run for it, and I could tell because of the stronger hold he had on my arm, as if trying to keep me from running away for good.


    The gentleman stopped right in front of me and my father.


    ¡°To whom do I owe the pleasure?¡± He asked, kissing my hand.


    I was about to reply when an electric current traveled between his lips, his hand, and my hand. I had never felt anything like it. Exquisite, intense tremors spread from the tips of my fingers to my belly and downwards, fissioning into parts all over my body.


    We froze, and the moment in time suspended.


    ¡°Mate,¡± he whispered.


    I stared, not comprehending his words. But I understood, when he bared his teeth to others around us, revealing a set of fangs. I realized his hand was extremely cold to touch, and his skin was quite pale compared to everyone else.


    Murmurs of surprise and gossip around us morphed into fearful shouts and screams of desperation.


    ¡°It¡¯s the beast! Run!¡± Someone said, as they pushed aside others to escape. The Grand Hall became a human stampede with everyone trying to get out of the Hall.


    ¡°Rhea!¡± My father called my name, reaching out for me.


    ¡°Stay back!¡± This man, no, the beast-hissed.


    He wrapped an arm around my waist, and suddenly we weren¡¯t in the Grand Hall anymore. A warm fire crackled in front of us. The beast let go of me in haste, like he couldn¡¯t stand to be touching me.


    ¡°Dry off. The servants will show you to your room. You may go anywhere except the North wing of the castle.¡±


    I sank to the ground in shock as the beast started walking away from the fire.


    They warned me about the beast, but I didn¡¯t listen.