Page 7 of A Dawn So Dark

The way he said my name so fervently.

The way his gaze bore into mine.

I felt like gravity had increased, pulling me further into my chair, flooding the place between my thighs with an intense heat.

He knew my name.

Pushing myself out of a heated daze, I bite down on my lower lip before I reply “You know my name. Hells, you seem to know everything about me already. Why don't you take a turn, Your Majesty? Why keep me here? My father thinks he wiped Vampires out entirely. Let that continue.”

The King tilted his head, folding his arms over his broad chest. “Who is to say you would not run back and tell Arthur everything you know to barter yourfreedom?” I scoffed at the idea, annoyed he would even suggest it.There was no way Father would go for it, anyway. He was too prideful.“The only reason I would ever dare return to that godsforsakenplace, would be so I could remove my father’s head from his body, mount it on the castle walls, and leave his body to rot in a tower. I would marry my mother off and send Merlin to a commune to live the remainder of his days without magic under an oath to the goddesses.” The words fell freely from my mouth before I could second guess telling my kingdom's enemy such a dark desire.

“It sounds beneficial for the both of us if I send you back. You would solve both of our problems. Why do you hate your own King so deeply?” The King's question made my stomach churn. Or maybe that was due to the fact that I had not eaten in… I suppose two days. “You ask how I know how to fight?” I evaded his question, answering his previous one. “I once wished to be a Knight of the Round Table. I trained my whole life. And then I learned what the Knights really wanted of me. They wanted to get up my skirts. I once yelled at a Knight who asked to be let into my bed chambers when I was fifteen and my father locked me in the tower for months for the offense. He isnotmyKing.” The King's jaw flexed in anger, something I had never seen before. I had only ever been witness to drunken anger. His Adam'sapple bobbed as he gritted out, “The Knight, the one who wanted to be let into your chambers, was it Lancelot?” The mention of his name left a sour taste in my mouth. I was surprised by his accuracy. “How did you know that?”

“I was once an ally of your father, something your people's history books get wrong. We were allies, kingdoms united until your father started the Monster Campaign. Lancelot had a reputation of enjoying younger maidens.” The King leaned forward, waving the topic off. Though, I did not miss the far off look in his eyes, the hurt. “So you ran, and you ended up here in my land.”

I nodded, swallowing hard as I watched him, terrified that he would sentence me to death or send me back. “You are very troublesome, little Princess.” The nickname should have offended me, and it did, but it still made my cheeks flush with heat.Arden had calledme little thing… which I had a similar reaction to.I also chose not to argue with the Vampire that held my fate in his hands. “Your skills were underappreciated in Camelot. I would ask that you put your destructive nature to good use. You are clever, and I will admit I amintriguedby you. Not many, especially humans, so openly defy me. You want your father’s head, so do I. Perhaps together, you and I could attain it.” I was stunned.I could fall to my knees and swear fealty to this man right here and now. He was offering everything I ever wanted. It felt surreal. My mind was reeling as I asked “So, you wish to keep me as a prisoner to cause trouble?”

He grinned, a true grin. Not a smirk. His smile felt seductive, handsome for certain. “Among other things, little Princess.” The way he said that last word made my chest tighten, the burning sensation returning as he watched me squirm in my chair.

I looked down at myself. I was a mess. Literally and figuratively. Blood, mud, and grime coated me. I had nearly died in my endeavor to escape. I doubted I could survive it again so soon. I would have securityhere, or some form of it. “Do you often keep women who strike your manhood as guests? Most men would worry of arepeat offense.”

“You may do as you wish to mymanhood, Aurora.You will hear no complaints.” The King curtly responded, impatient for my answer. “We can discuss things further when you are back on your feet and notbleeding your divine scent all over my castle.”Divine scent?Arden had said the same. Did they want my blood?

“I am fine.” I insisted even though I knew it was not the truth. I was about five minutes from collapsing and we both knew it. “Would I be your prisoner?” I could not go back to the dungeons, it would be worse than the tower, there was no sunlight. The King studied me, his gray eyes tracing my exposed skin as he answered, “You will be a guest. A heavily supervised guest.”So a prisoner without the mud pit and rat-infested cell. I sighed, knowing I really had no other choice as I breathed, “Then I shall be your guest, Your Majesty.” He nodded in reply as a wolfish smirk graced his red lips. Rising from his makeshift throne he began to stalk around the desk. Each step came painfully slow, his eyesfixated on me as if I were a wounded deer and he were a mighty wolf.Did I make the wrong decision?He shocked me when he lowered himself to my seated height in a crouched position. I slid as far back as the chair would allow, the carved wood biting into the gashes on my back, my palms slick with sweat in my lap. His large, warm hand took mine, “Well, Princess, I look forward to witnessing your skills work for us, rather than against.”

“Can I be there when you tell your General that? I imagine he will be quite cross after the run I gave his men.” I smirk, holding eye contact to gauge his reaction. The King chuckled. He was so close in this position I could feel his warm breath fan my face. “You can tell him tomorrow at breakfast, little Princess. I imagine he will be more than thrilled to be a few doors down from you, so behave. Today, you will rest and hopefully bathe. You smell of blood…”

I tried to pull my hand away, feeling self conscious for being filthy but his grip remained. “A lady cannot exactly look her best when sleeping in that mud pit you call a dungeon.” He tugged me the slightest bitcloser, holding me gently, but firm enough I would not pull away. “I never said I did not enjoy the smell.” He reached his other hand up to wipe something from my face. My mind only focused on the feel of the pad of his thumb gliding across my cheek. My breath hitched at the contact. A man had never been so gentle with me. The way his eyes studied my face, his gentle hand caressing my skin, his reassuring hand on mine. I glanced at his left hand and did not see a wedding band, so he was not taken. At least formally. He glanced at my parted lips before meeting my gaze as I took in a nervous breath. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut short by the door violently flying open. I quickly leaned back, not realizing how close we had moved to one another. The door thudded against the wall behind it, earning a flinch from me and a look of dismay from the King. “Daemon, I swear if Arden locked that sweet little human away again I willrip his heart from his chest and feed it to you for letting it happen.” A woman exclaimed, waving a pointed finger around. “You arehere! Daemon, you should have let her wash up, at the very least.” Daemon slowly lowered his hand from myface and rose to his feet allowing me to turn my head and see the woman from the hearing. Her dark short hair hung above her shoulders like liquid silk, and she wore an auburn dress today. She looked other-worldly. “Aurora,” The King, still holding my hand, helped me rise to my feet. “Meet Noa, myoverly-enthusiasticadvisor. Noa, I would like you to meet Princess Aurora. She will be joining us for theforeseeablefuture, please guide her through her duties and help her settle.”

She gestures to the chair I was sitting in with a faux look of disgust “Of course, but I am not going to take your intimate approach. I need to cleanse my eyes after seeing that. Did your mother teach you nothing of beinga gentleman?” I blushed at her accusation. She must be close with the King to be so informal. Calling him by his name and teasing him.Daemon. It suited him well. It held power. My name was that of a dainty Princess who enjoyed embroidering and gossiping with her ladies in waiting. There was no power in my gentle-tempered name. “See to it that she rests and eats. I will see you in the morning, Aurora.” He lifts my hand and kisses it, as many gentlemen had before. Butthis time felt different. A liquid fire rushed from where his lips touched my skin to my chest. It felt as if the breath had been knocked out of me. My surprise seemed to satisfy the King. He smirked against my hand before lowering it and returning to his desk. I could feel his gaze lingering as he moved. Noa took me by the crook of my elbow and ushered me out, the large door thudding shut behind us.

“Thank the goddesses Daemon brought on another woman. Between him and Arden, it feels like a river of testosterone. With you, we can even the field.” Noa chuckled confidently, guiding me up a guarded flight of stairs. Her tone was far perkier than I would have thought when I first saw her. Noa spoke at such a fast pace, I felt as if I had been thrown from a horse for a second time. “It also helps that you are gorgeous. Between the two of us, we can get whatever we want.” I placed a hand on the wall, needing to stop for a moment. My body screamed in pain as I placed my forehead against the cool stone. “I am a formal prisoner, not a member of his staff. Also, I did strike his manhood so that likely will notwin any good graces.” I ground the words out as I caught my breath. I pressed a hand to my side, holding my ribs firmly as I straightened back up.

Noa turned to face me fully, her blue eyes wide with shock. “You punched Daemon in the dick?” I nearly choked upon hearing the crass word come from such a beautiful woman. “That is the part that stood out to you? Does he often flirt with those he imprisons?” Noa shook her head, holding a finger up “I will answer any and every question you have.Anyquestion. But, I need to hear you say it.” I cracked a smile, unable to conceal the small laugh that erupted despite the splitting pain in my ribs “I hit the King in the dick.”I had, and it had been hilarious in retrospect. I had struck a ruler of a powerful, dangerous kingdom in his manhood. I suppose my name was not as dainty as I deemed it.

Noa laughed along with me, tears welling up in her eyes as she hooked her arm through mine again and helped me the remainder of the way up. “Oh, we are going to be best friends, Princess. And to answer your question, no, you are the first besides Arden I have seenthe King flirt with.” I tilted my head in confusion. I understood the part about the King teasingly flirting with his commander. Men often did so. Daemon had flirted with me, quite extensively. As had the General. “You should have seen him at your hearing. When you collapsed, he caught you before you hit the ground. I had never heard him swear like he had when he was yelling for the medics. If he was acting like that when you are caked in mud, just wait until we get you all cleaned up and in your court attire. I will come help you in the morning.”

I was unsure of how to feel when it came to the King and General fussing over me, as no man had really ever shown genuine interest in me. I was unsure if I wanted to be pursued. I had been pursued in Camelot, though the only interest was in bedding me. Most of the Knights of the Round Table had propositioned me before my sixteenth year.Would I truly mind if the king was pursuing me with intentions of bedding me?“Oh, Lady Noa, there is no need. I do not think the King is actually interested.” She laughed as we entered a large hallway with only a few doors lining it on either side. Alarge, black door at the end of the hallhadto be the King’s. “He has never taken a civil prisoner, at least not in twenty years.” I thought back to the history books I had stolen from the library a few years back. “This was during the monster campaign…” Noa nodded, confirming my statement. It had been a bloody, vile war. I had heard the Knights share first hand the horrors they inflicted upon Vampires and every other creature under the sun.Death would have been merciful. “I apologize for the violence of my people. I was young when the war ended, but I feel as if my father would not have been as quick to war if it were not for me.”

“Godesses above, you are in no way responsible for a war you were barely alive for. Though, I appreciate the sentiment. Now, here are your chambers. The King insists that his guests and staff stay on thesame hall as him. Apart from me– I insist that I live in a house off of the grounds. The boys area lot to deal with at all hours. But, Arden is across the hall from you.”Across…? She opened the door to the most lovely room I had ever seen. If not for my injuries, I would run and jump on the bed like a child. The room was a soft cream color lined withdark furniture and accented with gold fixtures. The bed looked fit for a king with its lush bedding and linens. One wall was lined with a bookshelf that went from floor to ceiling, filled with hundreds of books. A desk sat nearby as a workplace for my new job as strategist. “Oh, it is beautiful.” I muttered as I neared the shelf, eager to see what titles were held there. The room was four times the size of the one I had grown up in. This was closer to a suite than a room. High set windows framed a glass door leading to a terrace. A couch and chairs before the fireplace were set for tea or company. The large bathing room connected to the suite almost made me tear up. My mother always had a bath dragged to my room, she said I was not trustworthy enough to have a private bath.

“You are a Princess, surely this is humble in comparison.” Noa chuckled, taking a seat on the cushioned bench at the end of the bed as maids came in for turndown service and to start a bath for me. “All the nice things in Camelot were reserved for the King and his Knights. Why one wouldlet pigs live in the castle, I am unsure.” My comment earned a chuckle from Noa asI turned to see the maids laying out a night dress and fresh bandages. “I will bid you goodnight, Aurora. I will see you in the morning. Should you need anything, a guard is posted outside your door. And if you wanted to go see the King in your nightgown this evening, I have a few options in the closet for you.”

I blushed but rolled my eyes to try and hide my embarrassment. She was relentless, and I had only known her for a few minutes. I had not ever experienced a woman being so bold in her sexual endeavors. I was also kept in a tower most of my life, so that could contribute as to why I had never encountered such a woman. “Goodnight, Lady Noa. I believe I will remain here for the remainder of the evening.”

“Let him dream of you then, Princess. Brilliance.” Noa chuckled as she moved to leave. “It was smart of you to align yourself with us.” I moved towards the washroom where maids filed in, waiting to disrobe me. I was still unsure of my decision, my plan. “I had no choice. Were I to go back, I would be killed.” I explained, unashamed of my answer.

Noa smiled softly at me “Daemon is not like your King. He is kind, unwavering, and a brave man. You will never be forced into anything by him. He takes care of his people” and with that she closed the door behind her.

The maids undressed me as I pondered her words. She was telling me I was safe. That her king would bring no harm to me. I stepped into a tub that could easily fit a small army, filled with lavish oils and soaps. I let out a moan of relief as I sunk into the hot water, my aching body crying out in joy. The water quickly clouded over with mud, small streaks of blood mixing in. When the maids cleared the dirty water and refilled it with clear, fresh water, I sank down so my hair floated up to the surface. I looked down at my body, my chest, torso, legs… and felt as if my father had somehow won over me. The various bruises and gashes, the scarring around my wrists and ankles from being chained to the floor of the tower. He had won. And these scars would always remind me of his victory. My gaze moved from my hands to my chest where I was scraped up from my encounter with the Duke's men while escaping the castle. Bile rose in my throat, as there was nothing in my stomach. I let the tears fall freely as I let the first sob wrack my body. The maids stopped washing my hair as I cried. “I can finish washing up. May I please have a moment alone.” I managed to dismiss them through the tears. I cried for hours. Until the water ran cold. I cried for my mother. I cried for the people of Camelot. I cried for myself.

Chapter 12

Daemon

She cried herself to sleep, Daem.” Arden grumbled as I slugged down another glass of amber liquor in a desperate attempt to dull the burning ache in my chest that Aurora had ignited. Every fiber of my being called out to her, yearning for her presence, her touch. “I fucked up in bringing her here.” Noa had made sure Aurora was well and set off to procure her a wardrobe, leaving me and Arden to stew in the mess he had created.Arthur's daughter was fated to us.

I shook my head, leaning back in the desk chair, watching him nurse hisown drink. “Arthur would have just married her off to some righteous prick had he caught her. She’s safe here. You did the right thing.” It had taken everything I had not to throw her over my shoulder in this very study and bring her straight to my chambers to ravish her.Body and blood. Feeling her presence a few floors above, finally resting, it brought me some ease. Not enough to dull the burning in my chest. “So, she belongs to the crown, what is our nextstep?” Arden sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was not often I saw him unsure or in distress. I had seen him remain stoic in the heat of battle, kill men without batting an eye. Seeing him so upset by Aurora's unease, it made my chest ache.

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