Chapter 5: Mine

When Roxanne noticed Lord Alex and heard his words, she felt overwhelmed with emotions. She wanted to throw her hands around him and gave him another tight hug, but she knew she had to withhold herself. She smiled with the tears still dripping out of her eyes and then she knelt on the ground.

"I know I'm not worthy of your forgiveness, Lord Alex, but I'd want you to forgive me and give me a chance to prove myself worthy" she begged. Her voice was hoarse and her throat felt dry. The older man only smiled at her and he extended a hand to her.

 "Stand up Roxanne, I've come to realize that I was a bit selfish. I was thinking about my family, about how they would survive if my business was not moving forward, but you are also family, and family sticks together. I'd appreciate it if you stayed with us and didn't leave. " 

His words made Roxanne's eyes well up with tears, she was a bit emotional, she couldn't help the dreadful feeling when she had noticed the blazing anger in his eyes and now she was overpowered with warm emotions at the love she was receiving. For the first time in her life, she felt complete. A relationship bond stronger than that of her real family. She drew in a deep breath while trying to keep calm, but Annabelle's excited squeal broke the silence. Roxanne smiled and curtsied at Lord Alex.

"Thank you for being there for me, my lord". Lord Alex nodded and with a sigh he left the room.

 Annabelle came to stand beside her and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"You still look sad. Is anything bothering you again?".

Roxanne shrugged her shoulders and let out a deep sigh. She couldn't help it. She was thinking about what happened in the market and how the dark prince had stared at her. She wondered why he had helped her. And why did he even bother to give her his name?

So many questions swirled in her head, she went towards the window and she was able to see the faint outline of the castle. It was dark and creepy, like even the sun refused to shine on it.

"What's wrong?" Annabelle asked, coming closer to her.

She saw Roxanne avert her gaze towards the castle. She was baffled by her sudden actions, it was odd of her to start looking at the castle all of a sudden.

"Ariel" Roxanne muttered the name gently. 

Annabelle was a bit baffled by the word.

 "Uh?" She asked.

"Ariel, that's his name. The dark prince, he told me his name", Roxanne muttered.

"Roxanne, are you okay?" Annabelle asked.

Roxanne shrugged her shoulders and she just nodded.

"Yes I'm okay, just that I can't help remembering how something bad almost happened to me in the market. I felt so hopeless when I was back there, but he helped me".

"Who helped you?" Annabelle asked, confused. Roxanne only sighed and looked back at the castle.

"The cursed prince".

She felt the sudden need to go there and see him again.

But she probably wouldn't see him ever again.

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

Ariel sat in the dusty and cobweb-filled throne room. He remembered how he had felt a little bit intimidated by the girl he had met earlier, even though he was the one who had helped her. He envisioned her long rose red hair cascading down her back.

She had stared at him.

She had an intoxicating scent, he had felt the strong need to walk closer to her and bury his nose in the crook of her neck. She smelt like a mixture of roses and sunlight. Like a flower field in full bloom.

Ariel grimaced when he felt his gum itch. It was a bad omen.

He knew he was cursed, a witch had done this to him and he was now useless.

Several times, he had wished for death because he was tired of living. He tried to kill himself, but he never could. His father was dead and all the other lords had died too. It had been over two hundred years ago, but he was still alive, which was odd.

He wondered if he might have become immortal at the expense of the curse.

He cursed under his breath, in hopes of forgetting about the young lady he met in the market. He could still see the boldness in her eyes. He knew no one had ever been brave enough to come close to him without flinching or trembling. He wondered what was so special about her that he didn't think of hurting her or inflicting pain on her.

Ariel stood up from his dilapidated throne and he walked to his room. He took steady strides through the dark castle, he was welcomed by the darkness. He was used to it, all he felt now was the need to sleep and forget about everything.

When he managed to close his eyes, all he could see was her face, the way she smiled softly, and the way her scent lingered in the air.

Ariel opened his eyes abruptly.

"Fuck."

He didn't want anyone in his life, the only thing he wanted at the moment was to die. He was tired of living, he just wanted to take his last breath. The curse had turned him into a monster.

He hated that he had to live for this long and as a monster at that. Bringing a woman into his life would only add more tragedy to his already fucked up life.

Ariel felt despair drape it's cloak around him.

He closed his eyes in hopes of never opening them again. He just wanted to die. He had lived long enough.

"Don't think of dying, because I don't want to lose you" a familiar voice whispered.

Ariel opened his eyes and suddenly he saw he was in a rose-filled clearing. He noticed a young lady, she was running away from the clearing, away from him. He tried to reach out his hand towards her but it was like an invisible force held him back. 

"Please give me hope to live, please don't leave me" he begged. He felt like a part of him was no longer there. He wanted to reach out to her, but she kept on running farther and farther away from him.

"I just want you to believe that I'm always here with you."

The soft whisper came again. He noticed how this place was bright with the evidence of vegetation and he wished to stay here, among the flowers and the sunlight. Something in him let out a terrifying screech and he was once again surrounded by darkness. Ariel sat up, his breathing was ragged and he was sweating profusely. He realized that it was all a dream.

 He would have stood up in rage and destroyed some furniture. He would have hurt himself before he went back to his fitful sleep, but he heard an unexpected word from the wolf that he thought was no longer a part of him.

It was crisp and clear, the sound of dominance and want. It echoed deep within his soul.

"Mine."