Married to the cursed prince

Chapter one

Ellie pov

The air thickened with a graver silence at the sight of huge creatures before us, that even a drop of a pin would have been heard.

The Anthrika werewolf. There is so much dreadful news about the Anthrika werewolf. They are ruthless, drain their prey of their blood, can cover a hundred kilometers in two seconds, have sharp ears, and active vision, and are very calculative and cunning in their ways.

They are audacious! Lack of deference bowed to no one, and...

"Weak mortals, today we've come to pick the bride for our prince. I hope she's ready cause we've no time to waste here unless you'd be entertaining us with food; food as in noble blood," The man at the left with a burned scar around his right chin spoke, his words interrupting my thoughts, and a predatory smile twisted across his face.

The court jerked and gasped. Including my uncle who was the village Viscount.

After what felt like an eternity, my uncle cleared his throat and snapped his fingers. "Bring her!"

I was pushed forth like a leper, each of the guards maintaining their distance from me.

The other man beside the first speaker twitched his nose as if he was perceiving something then his brows furrowed, and a slight frown cut across his face.

"Whose daughter is this?" His voice rumbled into the court and caused a cold chill to run down my spine.

My uncle rolled his eyes and gave a quick thoughtful expression before he responded. "My brother's daughter. I have no female daughter!" he cowered.

A short silence ensued in the air, then the two delegates were seen whispering amongst themselves, then they canted their head and one among them stepped forward, and power emanated from him.

"Does it even matter if she was your daughter? As long as she can satisfy our prince's dark desires then we will take her, before that I hope she's a virgin!"

His words struck like thunder across the room and my legs wobbled under my feet as I felt several pairs of eyes bored into my soul.

"She is!" My uncle declared.

"If it turns out she isn't, this village would plummet to only ashes and smoke by the time we come back here. Mark my words, human!"

"She is." my uncle snapped, his eyes widened at his mistakes then he slowly bit in his bottom lips. "Ellie,"

Though it was just my name I knew there were different meanings to his tone.

I didn't dare to raise my gaze. I only lowered my eyes to my feet and fiddled with the hem of my veins.

"Is she the first child?"

Fears vibrated up through the soles of my feet, gripping my heart. Not now, please!

I'm not the first daughter. My sister, the intended bride had run off this morning leaving only but a letter of remorse behind.

My father didn't want to do this but his brother the king, had made his decision that I replace Isabella.

"Go on and detect yourself." there was a hint of irritation in my uncle's voice as he spoke. He leaned back and glowered in my direction before looking away.

"Lokika, let's leave. It would be their loss if she isn't the first daughter, the beast would tear her into pieces before she even barely to step her foot in its chambers." The other man looked calm and collected, though the proximity of his voice was scary.

Dread twisted in my stomach, and my eyes blinked in shock at the word 'beast.'

Was I going to die even before my twentieth birthday? I flicked my gaze towards my father, but he looked away.

My uncle kept a stoic facial expression, not even batting an eyelid.

"Take her!" Lokika ordered.

A yelp elicited from my lips as talon-like nails dug into my skin, and I was being dragged away.

When we arrived outside of the palace where their carriage was assembled, a pill was shoved down my throat and that was the last thing I remembered.

They couldn't even wait till we leave my kingdom before they show the level of their cruelty?

~~~~~~

"Once she wakes you know what to do right?"  "instill in her the etiquette and rules of this court."

Though I was lying in darkness I could hear their murmurs in my ears. Inwardly, I prayed they just fucked off so I can be left alone.

"Yes, sire!" A thick feminine voice sounded in the room, filling my ears.

I held my breath waiting patiently for the sound of the door to click before I opened my eyes, and then my eyes peeled open when I heard her words.

"No need to pretend, human! Open your eyes. He's gone!"

I stared at the plus-size woman before me with an askance look. Confusion was etched in my head.

"H-how did... you..." my voice broke as I spoke. Her head angled at me, and a warm smile crept up her face.

"Though I might be of a lower rank of the Antrika Wolf tribe I could still sense a heartbeat from afar. That's one of our abilities." the woman explained in a dulcet tone, at the same, she was folding dresses by my side.

I nodded and struggled to shut tight my open mouth. "So," I tried to say but the words died on my tongue. I was going to ask her if the rumors were true that the beast would tear apart any lady sent to him if they weren't first daughter.

But, I realized that I was a stranger here and I just couldn't trust anyone by asking sensitive questions that would implicate me and my tribe not when the older lord from earlier had threatened to burn our village to ashes if they later found out that my uncle had deceived them.

She raised her eyebrows at me in an urge for me to speak but I gulped hard and flashed a pretentious smile.

I doubt if she wouldn't notice that my smiles were fake. I'll find out about my hidden questions later.

"Hmm..." I swallowed and gripped my hands, eyes fixed on my fingers. "When am I meeting with the prince?"

"Seven days after your ritual bath and have completed every one of the royal rites as a newly wedded bride." the woman answered.

I love how she speaks. Such a melodious voice that would suit for lullaby.

"Can you..." I trailed off while angling my head around as I tried to compose my words.

"Come on, feel free to talk to me. Ask me any questions I'll be willing to answer them."

"Can you tell me about the prince!" I demanded swiftly and her eyes widened.

Swiftly, she glanced over her shoulders to the door before her gaze flicked to my side.

"The prince is cursed. He's a cursed beast!" Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke.

"Cursed?" I drawled as I rolled my eyes at her. And she nodded. "Care to tell me about the curse?"

I bet she would answer me with that smug look that had now sat pretty on her round face.