Bound to the dark king

*Serena*

I stared in awe as we entered the gardens. Everything was spectacular and it smelled... Perfect. I used to love my father's gardens so much that I would spend literally the whole day there.

, playing with the roses and daises. I could already picture myself falling in love with these gardens. However, nothing could compare to home.

I felt that dull ache again, my mind flashing back to home. My papa and mama. Lily. I missed them so much it hurt. I rapidly blinked back the tears that sprang into my eyes. There was no point feeling sorry for myself right now. All I had to do right now was to make the most of this situation and do all it took to save my family from the clutches of the evil dark king, even if It was the last thing I could do. Suddenly, my palms felt clammy. My heart beat raced in fear of the unknown. The hairs on the end of my neck stood in alert. I felt something... wrong. Like bad energy. I didn't know why I was feeling this way, but it was so strong that I knew there had to be a reason for it. I turned to Presley, who was still buried in whatever he was reading. Should I ask him?

"Lord Presley..." I swallowed a gasp as that feeling swamped me again. Stronger this time. "Do you feel...that...?"

"Feel what, miss?"

"Uh...never..mind.." Lord Presley stared at me for a long moment like he was trying to figure out what was running through my mind. Then he turned away and continued to lead me into the huge, golden castle. I tried not to glance around too much, but a girl could only do so much to hide her fear and curiosity. I was in a foreign land. Faraway from the only people I love and care about. The root of loneliness was slowly settling deep inside my heart.

As we entered the castle, I sucked in a deep breath. I wasn't ready to meet Prince Malcolm. Or the rest of the maidens. Or anyone at all. And I was extremely relieved to see how empty the halls were. It was suddenly darker than it was outside. How was it night time already? A woman approached us, draped in a long slanted blue dress that shimmered in the dim light. I couldn't fully make out her face but I could see how pretty she was. She smiled as her gaze landed on me.

"Miss Serena Arcane. We have been waiting for your arrival. Welcome." The woman's voice sounded so sultry and soothing that I instantly relaxed and smiled back with a slight nod of my head.

"This is Sigrid, she will show you to your room and settle you in. You may go now, miss Arcane." Lord Presley said before turning back like he was going out of the castle. My eyes trailed after him for a moment before I turned to Sigrid, who was waiting patiently for me. I smiled apologetically and followed her.

Sigrid led me through a hallway before we entered a weird-looking box. As soon as we entered, Sigrid pressed something on the wall and I suddenly felt the box moving up on its own with us in it. My heart lurched, I tried to grab anywhere to steady my footing. "Whoa. What..What is this?"

Sigrid chuckled lightly like she expected my confusion. She turned to me. "This is an elevator. it is the alternative to climbing fleets of stairs," she explained. I marveled at such an invention. It felt like if a future universe existed, this was it. Everything here screamed creativity and advancement. It is no wonder they're called gods.

After a few seconds, the elevator came to a stop and the doors pulled open, and we stepped out into the hallway with dim lights. The light was a different color and this amazed me. As we walked forward, I stared left and right, studying the artworks and designs plastered on the walls. I felt my face flush when I noticed one particular painting. It was a woman who was naked, her legs opened wide and a man's head rested comfortably in between. the second painting was worse, a man and woman were curved together, their groin in each other's faces. I literally felt my face flush.

I quickly looked away as sigrid turned to check on me. I hoped she had not caught me ogling the painting. I knew what oral sex was. I had read it in countless romance novels back home, but seeing a picture representation of it, it looked.... Sinful, dirty. The gods like this sort of thing?

Maybe, because they were gods to us humans, I expected them to be more morally strict. My papa had been very strict. When he had found out that I had kissed Oliver, my childhood crush, he had grounded me in my room for weeks. Making me promise not to so much as breathe in another boy's direction. With time, I had forgotten about the other gender and my crush on one of them. My only friends were my papa, mama and dear Lily. I had figured my papa was probably strict because maybe he knew deep down that I would be a maiden and he didn't want me catching feelings with anyone when it surely wasn't going to last. Now that I was here, I wished I had given a chance to a boy who liked me when I was 15. I wish I had explored those things I had read in my books. I wish I had lived more and not been kept away and now suddenly thrown into a world I knew nothing about.

We finally reached the end of the hallway and I looked ahead. There were 6 rooms here, and I instinctively knew the other 5 rooms were for the other maidens.

"Your room is the last one at the end of the hallway. Come on, let me show you." Sigrid said excitedly as she walked forward. I trailed behind her cautiously. The instant she pushed open the door to my room, a surge of excitement shot through me, making my heart race. As the dim light from the hallway spilled in, it revealed a space that was nothing short of magnificent. My breath caught in my throat as I took it all in. The room was vast, far more expansive than I had anticipated, its sheer size leaving me momentarily speechless. The high ceilings seemed to stretch on endlessly, while the walls were set far apart, making the space feel almost boundless. The polished floors gleamed beneath the soft glow of the overhead lights, and everything about the room exuded a sense of grandeur and elegance. It was more than perfect—it felt like a dream brought to life, crafted specifically for me.

"How do you like your room?" Sigrid's sweet voice wafted through my excitement.

"It's... perfect. And the view, my God." I turned to the windows that showed me the view of the castle's grounds and gardens from here. It was perfect. I loved it.

"Great! I was certain you would love it. I have a feeling you would love your bathroom and walk-in closet as well." Walk-in closet? Wow.

"I will let you get your rest now. Please remain in your room until the king summons you for the welcoming."

"Alright, thank you, Sigrid." She offered me a soft smile before turning and walking out and leaving me alone in my room. My room. I turned and glanced around, taking it all in again.

The bed was far deep on the left side of the room. A small but soft and cozy looking bed, the cottons looked so soft that I was dying to sink myself deep into it and forget all about my reality. I would do that, but first I needed a shower to wash off the stress and formidable feeling that has been bugging me since I got here. I quickly dropped my bags and hurried into the bathroom. My bathroom was beautiful and extremely neat. The furniture was sparkly and a giant mirror stood in the center of the room. I slowly stopped in front of it and stared at my reflection, feeling all sorts of emotions war within me at the same time. My curly/wavy ginger hair was piled roughly on top of my head, my mom had quickly made a feeble attempt to tame the wild hair before the sky beings came for me. Reaching up for the string that held it together, I pulled and watched the orange mass tumble down my shoulders, past my waist and finally touching my hips. My mom had always told me that my hair was very special because of the natural color and how it always grew so long no matter how many times I cut it, but I found my hair to be my least favorite feature. it was my eyes liked. A bright golden brown that turned dark brown whenever I was upset. My face was also nice. I knew I was far from perfect, but I knew I was good looking at least. I had a feeling the other maidens would be perfect. I signed and shook my head strongly. No room for insecurities right now, Rena.

I stepped into the shower and stayed there for what seemed like hours, washing and drowning myself in the floral fragranced soap. When I was finally satisfied with my washing, I stepped out of the shower and froze immediately. That forbidden feeling assailed my senses. My breath came out in shallow gasps as I entered my room.

Serena.....

The hairs on my neck rose up and I stood still. My mind was trying to figure out if it was playing tricks on me, or I had really just heard a very quiet female voice in my head. Where did it come from?

serena...come...

I shook my head, trying to ignore the voice whispering to me but I couldn't stop the feeling that was pulling at me to leave my room and find out what was calling out to me. What was lurking in these castle walls? Sigrid had told me not to step out of my room until I was called, but I couldn't shake off and ignore this feeling or that voice in my head. After making up my mind to heed the voice in my head, l speedily put On a pair of my favorite pajamas and covered myself with a jacket since I noticed it was chilly here. My hair was still wet, so I left it down. Fixing my small sharp knife in my waist strap, I quietly opened the door and stepped out.

The moment I stepped out, that feeling hit me again, and I found myself following the invisible force. I tiptoed down the hall, grateful for the tiny beam of light shedding my way, then I climbed the stairs and followed that feeling. I had no idea where I was going. My heart pounded hard in my chest with each step I took. What if that voice in my head wanted to hurt me? What if I ended up dying tonight? Well...only one way to find out.

I climbed through 8 flights of stairs. By the time I got to the end of the last staircase, I was shocked to see that it was a dead end. I stared at the stone-cold wall, breathless from the whole climb.

"Really?? You brought me to a dead end?" I whispered to the voice in my head, frowning with frustration.

Serena...

I jumped in shock as the voice vibrated through me. My head darted every which way, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Nothing. I sighed and placed my hand on the wall to rest. At the same time, the wall suddenly gave way and began to open up. I gasped in wonderment as the wall opened like a simple door to reveal a tiny room.

This was where the voice wanted me to reach. I didn't know what it meant yet, but I knew it had to mean something. I couldn't see much of anything because it was very dark, but when my eyes settled with the darkness and I caught the huge window on the other side of the room. It was covered with something that wasn't cotton but looked like a cotton.

I stepped in front of the window and pushed up the cover. It revealed the whole kingdom in its sheer glory and beauty.

"Wow..." I murmured, dazed as I admired everything. I thought I had a nice view from my room but this, it was magnificent. It felt like I was on top of the sky and watching everything from up here. I had never expected this place to be this beautiful.

Suddenly, my pulse raced as I felt a presence behind me. My heart froze with fear and I stopped breathing. I wanted to take out my knife but I couldn't. It was my limbs were frozen and could no longer move. I stayed like that. Hoping there was no one behind me and I was just imagining things as I usually did.

But no, I was not imagining shit, because the light suddenly came on from nowhere, causing a terrified gasp to escape my lungs involuntarily.

"Turn around."

Two words. The voice was a man's. Thick and commanding that I had no choice but to turn around. And I came face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my entire life. The darkest blue eyes I had ever seen was blazing with fury. Fury that was directed right at me.

Oh gods...

*****