*Raoul's POV*
I smile as I walk, watching the guards ahead of me dragging the man. My heart is racing with excitement. I wonder how he'll act once he's in my throne room in front of me; will he be cowardly, try to be brave, defiant? There are many different types, but in the end, they all end the same, scared.

I walk ahead of the guards since they slowed down a little. The guards open the doors to the throne room once they see me. I walk to my throne, excited for him to wake up. I'm ready to find out who this man is and deal out his punishment.

*Erik's POV*
I slowly open my eyes as I feel my head throbbing. I slowly sit up and raise a hand to rub the back of my throbbing head. But as I raise a hand to try to soothe the throbbing, something holds it back. Looking down, I see my hands in handcuffs.

At first I don't know why, but then the memories flood back. "Oh no, Christine," I think worriedly.

"Oh good, you're up," I hear a voice say. Rage courses through my body when I realize whose voice that is. I look up and see the king standing there looking down at me. "Sorry for knocking you out and handcuffing you, but we couldn't take any risks."

I glare at him. "Where is Christine," I growl.

"Calm down," he says. "She's still in the tower. But if I was you, I would be more concerned about why you are here."

That's when I realize that I'm in the throne room. Why would he bring me here unless....."Why did you bring me in here," I ask.

"Just to ask you a few questions," he says with mock innocence as he walks around me.

I glare up at him as he walks around me. "My first question, and one I'm sure everyone is wondering, is what is under your mask," the king asks.

I tense a little. "Nothing," I answer as emotionless as possible. He can't know what's under it.

The sound of a spine-chilling laugh fills the room. "See that was a terrible lie," the king says. "Guards, take his mask off."

I hear footsteps walk towards me and I begin to worry. I move my head so the guard can't get to my mask. The guards tries to grab my mask, but I move so he can't get it. After a few minutes of this, the guard gets frustrated and gets me to where I can't move. I see the king on front of me as I feel the mask being removed from my face.

I look at the king once my mask is off. I watch as he takes a few steps away from me, his face turning white. "That's not possible," he says. "My father sent troops to kill you; You're supposed to be dead."

I smirk. "Sorry to disappoint you," I say, sarcastically. 

"I can't believe someone would give their life up for a monster like you," the king says, a little color returning to his cheeks.

His statement catches me off guard. "What are you talking about," I ask, confused.

This causes the king to smile. "You don't know," he says as he walks closer to me. "Just answer me one question. Does the name Madeline Destler mean anything to you?"

I feel my blood run cold; He knows she's my mother, he just wants me to submit to him. As much as I don't want to, I need to find out what happened to my mother. "Yes," I answer, still looking at him. "She is my mother."

I watch as the King's smile turns evil. "Was," he says. I must look confused because he explains. "She was your mother."

I glare at the king. "What did you do to her," I growl.

The king raises his hands. "I didn't do anything," he says. "But my father had her executed since she refused to reveal where you were."

The world around me falls apart. That's why the cottage was abandoned and why Christine acted weird when I told her who my mother was. My mother is dead because of me, because of what I am. Even though I feel tears begin to form in my eyes, I can't let them fall.

"Now that I have your attention," the king says. "I want to make a deal with you."

I take a deep breath before looking up him. "Why would I want to make a deal with you," I say through gritted teeth. "Your father killed my mother and you are holding an innocent woman against her will in a tower?"

"Because I can tell that you have feelings for that "innocent woman" who I have in the tower," he answers. "And I can have her tortured and make you watch every second of it."

I feel my heart stop; I know he will do that if I don't listen to him. "What kind of deal," I ask.

The king smiles. "I will let you go," he says. "You will be free to go anywhere, except here of course, without ever having to worry about guards chasing you if you will do one tiny favor for me."

I look at his cautiously. "What do you want me to do," I ask.

"I need you to break Christine's heart," he says. "Let her know that you don't care about her at all."

My eyes widen in shock; I can't do that, especially to her. "No," I say. "I will not do that."

The king sighs. "I should add," he says. "If you don't agree, I will, as I said earlier, have you watch every second as she is tortured."

I'm torn; I can't break her heart, but I can't have her tortured either. The more I think of the two options, the harder it gets, but I eventually make up my mind. Sighing, I look at the king. "I will do as you ask," I answer. "I will break her heart."

The king smiles evilly. "Wise choice," he says. "Guards!"

I watch as two guards walk over to me, each taking an arm. "Take him back to the tower; he has a special message for the other prisoner," the king says. The guards nod and begin to lead me away. As we are walking away from the thrones, I hear the king call out," And if you even think of escaping, I will personally make sure you both suffer the consequences."

I don't respond as the guards lead me out of the throne room. As we make our way to the tower, I wonder what I'll tell her. I love Christine; She's the only person I have ever loved and now I have to break her heart. That's when I realize something, the king knew that which ever choice I picked would cause me pain, which was his goal all along; He won.