"Get inside the carriage" the lady commanded.
Arthea was just about to take the horse, just like how she always did. She stomped on the ends of her huge gown, trying to get inside the carriage, and tripped back.
"Are you insane?" the lady commanding Arthea screamed, while Arthea tried to get up.
"Can't you do one thing carefully? Only Majesty knows why he picked a stupid mortal being who is incapable of carrying her dress to be his partner" chided the woman.
Because being a wife doesn't require any training or certification in carrying a dress…. Arthea wanted to scream that aloud.
Knowing the big picture ahead and the responsibility of saving the Royal throne of Vrishnya on her head, she shut her mouth and got inside the carriage.
Arthea's eyes welled up as the doors were shut and the carriage started moving, the doors darkened everything for her. Arthea could just see bits and portions of half burnt down the Vrishnya Kingdom from the little hole patterns of the carriage door.
Her heart cried at the sight of animal creatures taking over their prosperous kingdom
Though she lost her parents and brother, fighting for the Throne of Vrishnya, she always felt home at the place. The duty of their Zender clan is to protect the Throne at any cost and now she has signed up for that and is entering into an alliance with a beast.
Even the thought of an alliance with a beast made Arthea whimper. She never had thoughts about marriage in the 23 years of her life. However, when Princess Alora's wedding was fixed with King Joshua, things changed. Alora's dreamy talk about marital life and the perks of being loved did make Alora spare a thought about her own life.
Nevertheless, everything crumbled down due to the monstrous attack. Arthea could remember how King Joshua's head was slashed into half before the eyes of Princess Alora.
With every passing minute, her body consumed with rage. She took an oath on their Royal Protector Clan to end the Beast and give deserved freedom to everyone who suffered due to him.
The Carriage kept moving and all Arthea could sense is pitch dark. She moved uncomfortably, long hours of sitting in one position decked like a doll is something alien to her. Arthea badly missed her dressing, the body fitting clothes aided her to be war ready.
Leave running and beheading people, Arthea was not even sure whether she could walk a few steps without tripping in the humongous gown.
As the carriage kept moving, her mind kept rushing to find the possibilities to end the Monster.
'If the trusted soldiers of Vrishnya Kingdom could get sold, anyone in the world can be bought. My first and foremost task is to locate at least a few people who are ready to be sold. But what will be the offer that can buy people??? I need to work on that too… There is a lot of homework to be done!'
Arthea couldn't worry any less, her brain was occupied with trying to find ways to end the monstrous rule of the Beast, though she absolutely has no idea about who he really is.
'What must be the real reason behind this marriage deal? Don't they despise humans? Then what must have made him come up with this?? Finding that would get half game in my court'
Arthea was pulled out of her thoughts when the carriage jerked and she heard ear piercing howls. Arthea shut her ears unable to hear the growls.
"Step out" the same woman who commanded her all the way, spoke opening the doors of the Carriage.
"Did we reach?" asked Arthea and received a cold stare in reply.
All Arthea could think is about killing the woman, once she is done killing the Beast.
Carefully stepping out trying not to make a fool out of herself, Arthea only saw darkness.
'Didn't I just go through the longest travel in the history of mankind? Why is it still dark? Is it midnight? Why is everything soo dark?'
Her thoughts were interrupted, by the same woman.
"The first rule is you need to look down" the lady commanded.
"Not happening" the answer slipped out of Arthea's mouth, even before she could control.
"If you don't do that yourself, we have our ways" the lady raised her hand only to push Arthea's head down.
Enraged by the act, Arthea was about to grab the lady's hand and choke that around the lady's neck. But remembering the greater task she shut her raging nerves.
She was made to walk through a haphazard path, Arthea struggled with the gown and the pitch dark surroundings helped her in no way to get an idea about the surroundings.
"Alora" the lady called.
Arthea who was busy trying to remember something or anything about the place paid no heed.
"Alora, where are you lost" the snap from the lady made Arthea repeat a thousand fucking times in her mind that she is Alora here and she needs to be alert every second if she has to accomplish her mission.
Arthea's breath got stuck in her throat when a door appeared out of nowhere, and the lady ordered her to walk through the door. She wanted to understand from where did the huge door popped out.
Getting closer to the doors he understood that they are the tallest gates she has ever seen in her life, just when she raised her head up to see where she is going, she felt a cloth against her eyes.
She was blindfolded before she can grasp a thing about the place. Arthea cursed the people under her breath in every language she knew.
'They are smart' Arthea came up to the conclusion that things are not going to be any easy for her in this place and riddled by puzzles between a game of death and survival, Arthea knew that the Deal is not going to make life any easy for her in the world of unknown creatures.