I woke up the next morning with a concussion and broken conscious. I looked around myself and found the roll of parchment. Being scared, I picked it up and threw it in the fire pit.

"Burn!" I groaned and clutched my hair.

This is horrible. I never wanted this story to ever come back for a recitation. I was foolish to think it can ever be forgotten. I should have stepped away from Byron last night but what he did made me forget about this horrible past for the moment.

I am glad he doesn't know I kissed a strange man. I hope he never does. I can't let him hurt others for my mistakes.

A loud whack on the door interrupted me just then. I ran a hand through my hair and sighed in frustration. I needed a little more space after I woke up to process things but it looks like it's not easy to get privacy anymore. 

Madeline rushed in with a big smile plastered on her powdered face, "Oh, my dear lord! You aren't dressed yet?"

"No," I answered groggily and proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed but Madeline held my elbow.

"Cora, I have a good news for you," Madeline grinned warmly and continued.

"Did you finally decide to stop annoying me and let me have my peace?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She threw me a glare and cleared her throat, "No. You aren't that fortunate yet."

"Oh, big fat bummer!" Rolling my eyes, I tossed a pillow on the other side of the bed.

"I pledge to annoy you with proper conduct and etiquette till I see you married and ruling an empire wisely like a mature Queen," Madeline explained.

"Looks like someone isn't going to get their wishful retirement this life," I joked.

"I'm serious, you ungrateful brat!" She chided aggressively making me wince.

"Why hello there Serious! I'm Coralynn!" 

I stretched an arm for her to shake but she slapped it away in rage and pushed a royal letter in my palm.

I scanned the crumbled roll of paper and gave her a side glance, "Did you buy tons of shoes from the capital and now that the payment receipt is here you want me to hide it from Alystair again?"

Madeline's face turned red. She stuck out a finger before me and opened her mouth to speak something but stopped.

"That... that too but this is a different news..."

I opened the letter and started reading it. I should have been shocked in despair but I had quite the feeling this would happen. However, this will bring me a lot more array of troubles that I am yet unplanned to solve.

"This weekend?" I exasperated. How can he accept the proposal so quick and want to rush this in a week?

"Sooner the better. Isn't it great that you get the throne in just a week?" Madeline's eyes turned dreamy and I didn't enjoy the news even a least bit like she did. 

"Everything is not about wealth or power!" I snapped.

"In this world? Of course it is. You need to grow out of your fantasy land, my dear," she sat beside me and placed a hand over my shoulder.

I slapped her hand away and panicked, "No! I don't want to get married."

My lips quivered at the thought. If I get married, there will be a massacre and I can see it take place before my eyes. It would make my soul scream and blood curdle to see the sight of utter horribleness. 

"What rubbish are you speaking about? You have to Cora. You don't have a choice. He chose you! You know how much we need this bond to form for the safety and economic conduct of the kingdom," she frowned and sat beside me while comforting my back. However, this was no way of comforting. This is rather a soft threat and imposing of something that can nearly kill her.

"You do not understand," I huffed in resentment.

Last night after reading the letter I had breathed a sigh of relief because I concluded that he was unaware about my tiny adventure with Byron. Because if he did, hell would have broken loose by now.

Which didn't happen. It was just a reminder. More of a bloody ultimatum, if I say so myself.

The rest of day wasn't very good, I was stressed out to the length and couldn't even tell my family why. Madeline and father on the other hand, happily started the preparations for the inevitable marriage ceremonies. Despite the letter mentioning that His Majesty Byron wanted it to be as simple and private as possible.

The second day of the week  arrived and I had exactly four more days before I entirely got buried in troubles and evoked him. My sister thought that I was simply having pre-wedding nervousness. 

But that was not the case.

I needed to find a way to escape this arrangement and place a safe pact before the spirits from the pyre fly back to seek the blood of my loved ones.

When the dark night fell, the palace had grown exceptionally quiet as if someone had cast the spell. I stood by the window and heard the crickets stridulating. Some lone wolves and dogs howled in the distance outside the palace barriers, over the hill tops. The moon was out in it's complete glory, sheathing the earth in it's soft whitish glow.

I tip-toed out of my chambers after I was assured that my family was asleep and the maids dismissed. I padded along the looming, dark corridor in my blue peignoir towards the palace hind doors. I needed an escape. I needed to think clearly and figure out a way to save my family and myself from this dilemma. With pressed feet, I moved past unnoticed towards the back door and sucked in a breath when the doors opened which let in a fresh breeze.

I stood out and carefully closed the secret exit doors behind me without making a noise. The rear gardens of the palace were abandoned after my mother passed away. She was fond of this small part of the garden where she spent most of the time finding her peace among the colorful tulips and roses; writing different methods of making awe-worthy machinery and calculating results of experiments. After she passed away, I was left with her book and the personal laboratory. I missed her dearly.

Things could have been different if I didn't encounter that man on such a spiteful day ages ago. The monstrous grin and soul piercing eyes hardly left my mind alone.

I jumped off the small wooden fence and entered the forbidden garden which connected to the borders of green and mysterious coniferous forest. The weather was clear and calm with sparkly stars high up on the midnight hue. A different energy radiated from the garden than that I was usually familiar with. I walked over to the wooden bench and sat down. 

Staring down at my hands, I acknowledged the reappearance of the small black branching line that originated from my wrist and advanced towards the palm.

'The day this branch of love reaches your third finger that connects with your heart, I shall come out to claim you as my bride and destroy any and everything that comes on my path.'

I remembered those words as he held me in his embrace centuries back. Fire danced around us and I had no way out of it. I was claimed.

Just as I bowed down to touch a tulip, I heard a little grumbling noise.

Subconsciously ignoring, I remembered certain other details, 'You will have to love me, it isn't like you have any other choice you little ignorant girl!'

'Forgive me! Set me free! The fire is burning my feet!'

His hands grabbed my neck, shaking it as if I was a toy, 'Tsk, little one, forgiveness is something you shouldn't ask. You're lucky I've yet not snatched and imprisoned your soul for whole eternity...' his ashy breath reeked over my cheek.

A sharp object roughly scraped over my right shoulder, drawing out blood. His fingers touched the crimson liquid and dug deeper into the wound making me scream.

I closed my eyes tightly and heard another slow hiss. I opened my eyes in pain.

Another gush of wind, harsher than the previous one frizzled against me and I sensed a wet spot on my neck. Bringing my fingers over my neck, I touched the skin and felt a slimy liquid over my finger-tips.

I gazed up in confusion, "Is it about to rain?"

The sky was clear but the air around me had changed into foggy and thick.

A formalin like pungent smell hit my nostrils making me cover my nose in disgust. Is some sort of embalming taking place nearby? But I do not remember having a cemetery around.

"Psst."

I jerked my head to the side and the air in my lungs stilled.

Three horrific yellow eyes from a dark, obscenely squatting figure glared down at me. 

I blinked in horror, the sound in my throat died down.

Skin as scaly and dry like a reptile; yellowish teeth sharp and numerous like that of a shark which dripped warm blood - drop by drop, over my shoulder.

Everything was terribly silent for the moment. A strange clatter of teeth followed by a stinky breath blew over my face.

In a second, a large claw advanced at me in great speed. My systems came to a complete halt before I screamed.

I cried louder and the gremlin like monster screeched at me with equal noise. I tried to dodge away but my temporary numbness had the side of my face clawed. I picked up my gown and ran as fast as I could. I used my vampiric abilities to speed my way to the castle. My screams turned muffled, falling on deaf ears as I ran faster to break past the fog.

My arms flayed helplessly as if slashing the thick air in a quaint claustrophobia. I reared my head back to check for the following creature but it had vanished.

I huffed and caught my breath then turned around again.

To my horror, the monster with his crooked wings raced towards me like an injured but agitated bird from a distance. I reversed my trail and took a turn into the dark forest. Checking every once in a while for the approaching monster, my face burnt painfully from the movement and dripped blood by the scratch it had put on my face. 

The chilly air was harsh and biting against my skin like rusted knives.

I heard it screech louder making my heart skip a beat in fright.

Will I be killed today? Is this how I die in the hands of this creature?

Something tangled around my feet, forcing me to fall down on the wet and uneven forest ground. I screamed out louder for help and tried crawling further but the sticky object around on my foot dragged me back. My body rubbed aggressively against the bumpy ground, creating bruises and cuts over my torso.

"Help!" I gave out an agonizing grunt before a heavy blow over the back of my head blurred my visions.