It had been long since the carriage left the manor, the guards were quietly waiting walking by it while the others were beating drums and playing kithara. Inside the carriage was the sad Beruka who looked gloomy as she hid her face between her knees.
The jubilant sounds of celebration around her didn't wash the wave of sadness from her heart. She was beautifully dressed in the white lacey bridal gown and her face was covered with the red veil.
She was getting free from the chains of her family yet was going in a new household. Who knows how will they treat her?
Had she not had the mark, she would have looked breathe takingly gorgeous. She would not have looked evil at all.
Had she had the ability to speak, she would have not stayed quiet on such an important occasion of her life.
Red Veil was the traditional attire for the brides of the ghouls..
It was the first time she would ever be dressed in something so valuable and pricy.
It was the first time Beruka was shown interest and care by her family.
Beruka wanted to cherish these moments but she knew that her family was only being nice to her as she would bring ultimate raise in status to them.
She wanted to enjoy but the bitter reality hit her hard.
How strange was that? The bride was going herself to her husband's house and she was not accompanied with her husband. Does he not want to get married to her?
In midst of her thoughts and grief where she could not even express her sorrow in words, she made intentions of being on good side to her groom, the Duke of Nightfall, Behzad!
She once again looked at her reflection and touch the mark on her face. The spark in her eyes were that which wasn't seen before.
The carriage come to a halt for the rest. All the soldiers, people and marriage nanny were tired from walking for days. They decided to take a rest at night
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In midst of dark night, while everyone was sleeping, two green eyes flung open. Beruka didn't look sleepy at all but she looked enthusiastic instead. First she made sure that everyone was sleeping outside and nobody was looking inside.
She closed her eyes and started chanting some words. Though she was mute, she could still speak in her heart
"Remove the chains of time and space and make my spirit soar.
Let these mortal arms embrace me and take me to a place that no one knows."
As she says these words, she enters another dimension which was filled with interesting herbs, plants, instruments and scripts.
She took out the scroll and started following the instruction to cure her muteness and scar.
She started reading the scroll. "Some pains cannot be cured with the spell. More pain is required"
The scroll stated to use a dagger and draw out the blood from several acupoints, then to pour a mixture of powdered herbs on the wound. She must collect the blood while doing this! Afterwards, a spell has to be read!
It was Beruka's first time to actually use her medical and magical skills on a living being other than animals, she was nervous, "I can do this", she told her self.
She followed the instructions on the scripts. As soon as she cut herself with the dagger, she hissed from the pain but she quickly applied the herbal mixture on the wound. She put a small bowl near her face to collect the blood. After enough blood was flown, she withdraw the bowl from her face. She saw black blood in the bowl!
Black blood ........ Poison!
She was shocked as she never imagined anyone to be cruel enough to poison her just to destroy her face!
With much courage, she started chanting the spell, "Ana yuqal, mariwal"
As soon as she said those words, her pain vanished away and the black blood turned to red!
"Did I expel all the poison? Am I pretty now? Did it work?", she thought. She then finally covered her wound with the gauze.
"I was a monster to begin with. It doesn't matter if I look pretty.."
She left her face to the fate. Time will tell if she was pretty or not.
She started reading the second scroll which would cure her muteness and what she read was beyond horrific! She has to mix somethings into the black blood and drink it!
She was horrified from the thought but she had no choice!
Beruka closed her eyes, and unwantedly, tears started to flow from her eyes. "Let this be the last time I cried.", she said to her self and starts to drink from the bowl!
Upon drinking, she felt her throad burning and it was unbearable. She suddenly shriek in a low voice "Ahhh" and she could hear herself!
She couldn't believe herself and she yelled this time, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
She could really speak!!
Beruka was in trance.
Beruka pinched herself and she felt the pain!!
"I can really speak..", said Beruka with the tears in her eyes.
But her shriek woke everyone up outside the carriage and they were in fright.