Abigail was passing the kitchen when she overheard part of a couple of maidservants chat. She leaned against the wall by the door frame and listened to what it was about.
"Did you hear about what happened at the village last night?"
"Yes, I heard it was the beast it broke into a pig barn and ripped a pig in half!"
"Knights even found a couple of deer that was shredded into pieces in the forest!"
"Someone needs to catch and kill that beast a creature like that doesn't deserve to roam free just to live and destroy people's farms."
"I agree a thing like that doesn't deserve to live!"
"Did you hear that a young man told his majesty that he was a beast?"
"Yes! People even said he smiled?"
Abigail couldn't believe her ears how could the maidservants talk about a living creature and say it deserved to die. She believed everything or everyone was in the need of saving either good or evil.
She couldn't possibly bear to hear more of their gossip anymore and walked down the halls making her way to the Library where she enjoyed staying every once and a while for peace and quiet.
Since she can never leave the castle grounds she distracted herself with books so the day would pass by quickly to get it over with but it never helped when it has been a constant repeat for the past eighteen years.
All she could wish was that someone would just take her away from the torture of living in the castle but that was impossible when who would want to take an ugly woman like her?
Only if the man in her dreams existed? Abigail blushed when she suddenly remembered what had happened in her dream. He was just whipping her messy lips from the pudding cake she had bitten into then he just slowly leaned up to her face and placed his lips on hers.
"Abigail!"
She quickly turned around to see Tina running up to her to use as protection with Lillian tailing behind her looking furious.
"Hey what is going on?" She quickly stopped Lillian from attacking her sister like an animal before something extremely bad happened. "Lillian, why are you chasing Tina in the halls?" She asked with a raised brow.
"Tina wants me to leave as soon as possible when I wed lord Isaac? But I am not leaving the castle not as long as lord Isaac is working for father!" Lillian spoke in an irritated tone.
Abigail was once again confused by her sister's words and behavior. She couldn't understand why Lillian didn't want to leave the castle and live where ever she'd like for the rest of her life with lord Isaac.
It was no struggle for a lord to live outside the castle and yet work for his majesty and she was upset by it?
"Tina, why do you want our sister to leave?"
Her sister took a deep breath. "I want her chamber... It's not fair that mine is smaller than any other one and hers is the biggest?"
"You want her to leave because you want her chamber?" Abigail couldn't believe it and began to laugh.
"Why are you laughing Abigail it's not funny!" Lillian said with a frown.
"I'm sorry?" She took a breath and turned around to face Tina who was yet hiding behind her. "You can't just ask for Lillian's chamber because she's going to be wed to lord Isaac very soon when father and the lords return... Now, where is Gabriella why isn't she with any of you two?"
"She's taking her afternoon nap," Tina said.
"Lady Abigail lady Lillian lady Tina dinner is to be served?" A maidservant spoke from a small distance.
"Yes thank you." She smiled and took both her sister's hands and walked down the hall.
When they entered Abigail seen, that Gabriella was already seated at the table. Abigail and her sisters sat down and food platters were immediately placed and served.
"Sister Tina when is daddy coming home?" Gabriella frowned. Tina looked up from her plate and looked over at Abigail for an answer.
"Gabriella? Father will be returning in two days." She gave her little sister an answer instead since Tina didn't have it. "Why don't you eat your meal then you can go and play?"
"Okay!" Gabriella picked up her fork and began to eat as everyone else did.
The maidservants cleared the table while Abigail stood up from her seat and walked through the halls making her way outside. She was in the mood for a nice walk through the garden to feel the nice cool breeze on a summer afternoon and breathe in the fresh air through her nostrils.
Abigail wondered how her father was doing up in the western kingdom was he able to get king Benard to accept his decline and told him that Lillian would be wedded to lord Isaac instead? She giggled to herself for believing that king Benard would actually take the news lightly. How could he when he needed to have his son wed so he could take his place on the throne in the future?
She stopped in her tracks and looked over at the gate that she was forbidden to exist or touch. "What's so dangerous out there that father is afraid for me to leave the castle?" Was he ashamed of her looks was that why he's never allowed a single person to see her the whole time while she grew up?
And soon enough once again she wished that the man in her dreams existed in the real world so that he may take her away from this castle for a while so that she may experience what the outside world is like.
What could hurt her if she just stepped out for a few seconds or even minutes?
***
Down in the village, Kane was buying a bag of grain for his horse and a couple of potatoes for himself.
While he could feel every little stare from everyone in the village passing by him. They all must still be cautious after what he had told to his majesty yesterday evening? He thought to himself.
"That will be two silver coins?" The seller told him while holding out his hand.
Kane couldn't believe the man's words. Was he trying to rob him for every coin he had left? He needed to save for his horse's grain so she could also eat. "What?! What happened to you selling them for a single silver coin!"
"It's been hard putting food on my family's table for the past couple of days we need the money?" The man who sold the potatoes shrugged his shoulders looking straight into his eyes.
"Your lying? Don't lie to me... Do you know who I am?" He was great at telling if someone was lying just by looking at them in the eyes and the seller was doing just that. "You dare lie to me again? I'll rip your limbs one by one!" he smacked his fist against the table with gritted teeth his face turned red as he grew angry by the second.
The seller was startled by his sudden anger he was afraid that he would end up destroying his table and put him out of business.
"Everyone knows who you are... Your Kane who everyone fears because they believe that you're a killing beast."
"And a killing beast I am! If you don't believe me come to the forest at midnight on the next full moon I'll be there having no choice and I couldn't promise your life?" he snarled pulling out his coin pouch then grabbed two silver coins and smacked them against the table.
He then snatched his potatoes off the table and walked away. What had happened was a lovely reminder for him of why he hated humans. They are hideous selfish rotten thieves! He thought to himself in anger.
On his way home, he stopped at a far distance in front of the castle gate and a fragrance of a woman filled his lungs. He became curious enough that in seconds he was at a tree by the cement wall climbing up it.
It was too expensive perfume to be a maidservant walking in the castle garden. "So which princess are you?" He sat on a branch of the tree and took in the scent of the air so that the scent would lead him to where it came from.
Kane searched but he was unable to find her he knew she was in there somewhere but not in his view? "Where are you, princess?"
"My lady no get away from there?!"
A new scent mixed in the air from a maidservant who came rushing out of the castle doors. He turned his sight to the direction, the maid was looking and that's when he released who the scent belonged to.
"Abigail?" What is she doing by the gate? Did she not realize that if she touched it she could no longer be protected from him or other creatures that may roam the forest? But what was so bad about that he could get her first before anything else did and keep her for himself? A wicked smile formed on his lips as he thought of every idea he could use her for.
He quickly snapped out of his nonsense by smacking himself he couldn't use her just because of a selfish reason he needed to stop her before it was too late. He pulled out his cloak from his bag and putting it on quickly he pulled the hood over his head to hide his identity.
"Why can I not exist this gate? What's so dangerous that..."
The maidservant's face was pale and full of terror unable to run or scream. "What's the Matter with you?" Abigail asked sounding a little worried.
"Probably because a strange man is behind you?" Abigail quickly turned around with her heart pounding against her chest. She was afraid of him? He really couldn't blame her she's never seen or spoken to anyone from outside the gate before.
"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt any of you ladies I'm just here to warn lady Abigail?"
"Y-you know who I am?!" Abigail's eyes widened in surprise but she was yet afraid of him he could hear and see it.
"Everyone knows you exist if that's what you mean? They try to catch a glimpse of you every day."
"My lady?" The maidservant spoke almost in a whisper. "My lady, you shouldn't speak to this man?"
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"I'm a man who doesn't exist but is always on someone's mind? And I'm here to stop you from touching this gate if you touch it you will no longer be protected by what your father the king calls them predators but I think that's the wrong word to use I think beast, is better don't you think?"
"Why do I need to be protected? Why can't I just be free for once in my life why does no one care about what I want!" Abigail was no longer afraid but was upset and angry. He didn't know why but he felt pained in his chest to see her that way. What was wrong with him and what was this feeling?
"My lady, you can't go out there it's too dangerous? If anything happens to you his Majesty will be worried?"
"I'm going out I don't care anymore." Abigail took a deep breath and walked to the gate.
Kane couldn't let her get out he had to stop her but it could put him in serious harm but he had no choice.
He tried to stay as calm as possible and then he jumped over the gate right in front of her quickly grabbing her wrist away from it. He could feel his body burn up like fire through his veins it was getting harder to breathe each second his vision was becoming blurry he need out before he could die.
The pain was becoming unbearable at the point he thought that this was it for him. But he couldn't give up just to let Abigail know who he was he couldn't let her know that he was the one in her dreams.
"Get me out? Get me out of here, please!" He cried out in agony. "Please it hurts I can't die?!" He fell to the ground unable to stand any longer.
"What's happened to you?" Abigail stepped back in confusion and concern.
"My lady stay away he's not human! He's a monster a beast he wants to kill us he needs to die?!"
"I-I can't die I need to h-help my horse she needs me, t-to f-feed her!" The pain was so intense that it felt like the burning sensation was eating away his internal organs fast yet so slow. "I need to protect s-s-someone!"
As the minute passed the burning pain vanished his breathing became heavy as he tried to catch a breath. What was happening to him?
"My Lady no! How could you break the protection spell the beast needed to die?!"
"Shut up! How dare you speak to me that way? And this man how could you call him a beast... Do you know him?" Abigail's whole body turned pure red full of anger and her eyes full of disappointment. "How could you call this man a monster or a beast when he has a heart full of a need to care for his horse and to protect someone that he seems to care about?"
Abigail touched the gate? He had failed to keep her away? Only if he was stronger he could have made it out in seconds? Every beast and thing was now welcome to enter the gate. She was now unprotected what was he going to do now?