...

His Castle

"...I want you to come with me to my castle. You've to work there as a maid until you pay off your father's debt." 

His words made a shiver run down my spine.

'His castle. Far away from the mortal world.'

'Was I ready to leave everything behind here and live in his kingdom?'

Although, what had I had here to leave behind? Nothing but some haunting nightmares. The good memories had left all along with my mom's death.

Edward.

If something good happened to me after my mother's death was having a friend like Ed by my side. If it wasn't for him, I would've gone insane by now.

I wanted to meet with him, for the last time maybe. I didn't know if I would make it out alive from wherever he was taking me. I knew better than to use my wish against him if there would be any situation I would be executed.

So I could come up in my world to bid a final goodbye to Edward. If I called him now, I knew he won't let me go, not before engaging into a fight with the Beast King.

I couldn't let Ed fell in danger because of my stupidity. It was better for him to know, I was dead.

He would forget me soon...

Right?

'I'm sorry, Ed.' I whispered to myself as a tear slipped past my eyes and merged on the floor.

A cold touch of a finger found my chin until my eye came in contact with his devilish face. A glimpse of something flashed in his eyes before he wiped my tears so gently that I leaned over his hand.

"Don't cry." His deep husky voice fascinated me as for a moment I forgot that he was my destruction.

'It would be all over soon.'

I reminded myself again and again before nodding my head at him. Declaring that I was ready to pay off my father's debt once again. I was ready to go wherever he was taking me.

He stepped back and looked at my eyes to notice any hesitation but when saw nothing, suddenly I was being scooped up into his arms in bridal style. I squeaked in embarrassment as my soft body pressed against his hard chest. The touch of his skin spread tingles all over my flesh as we started floating into thin air.

I yelped in shock as me still being in his arms he started floating in the air when a gush of wind was swirling under us, forming a dusty tornado. In a flash, he turned into the biggest form of Sapphy when I found myself hoping back on his whitish feathers. I didn't even have time to react when he switched himself so quickly.

Adrenaline pumped into my veins as I clutched Sapphy's fur with all my might as he was flying at a great speed dodging past the high hills and clouds. The wind whipped my face making my hair went crazy as I struggled to keep my eyes open.

Suddenly Mom's fairytales of how the legends could fly and did so many adventures came into my mind and I found myself enjoying the ride. I felt like one of those Princesses who could win the world. A giggle escaped past my lips which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Do you like it?" A voice rumbled deep within his chest.

"Yes, very much!" I said excitedly as I tried to touch the clouds when the alluring rays of the sun peeked from the horizon, giving everything a magical vibe.

'It couldn't be real.'

I looked closely as a vast black hole was forming in the middle of the sky. It was spinning like a whirlpool as if waiting for us to be swallowed.

My hold on Sapphy's back became tightened in fear as I pressed my upper body completely on his back. He started flapping his wings more fiercely and soon we entered into the portal.

I opened my lids slowly to adjust with the sudden brightness when we descended on the land as he again returned to his king form.

He carefully put me down and I looked up in awe as a tall fortress was stoo- levitating proudly among the smoke of clouds. A ruined stone bridge was hanging magically over the air in between the land and the castle door. The weather was gloomy as if life was sucked out of that place. It was oddly calm and silent.

"Follow me." The Beast King's voice was cold and rough as I silently followed him to the huge mahogany door. His shoulders were stiff and straight as I tried to mimic his posture only to trip over the pebbles two times.

'How did he walk looking ahead all of the time?' 

Two bulky men were guarding it and after noticing their King, they bowed deeply at him and we entered his giant hall.

He clapped two times as a maid came running to him and bowed down. Tilting his head in my direction he said,

"My maid will show you your room. Go, freshen up first. We've got a long talk ahead of us."

Saying this, he disappeared all of a sudden leaving me alone in that mid-lit dining room.

'What had I gotten myself into?'