Selena's ears rang as she stood before her furious mother-in-law. Trembling in fear, she could feel the weight of accusation bearing down on her. The room seemed to shrink, suffocating her with its oppressive air. Her face turned bloodless her eyes sour but there were no tears.
Ava's piercing gaze bore into Selena, her eyes filled with disdain. "Don't just stand there... Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "I should have known not to trust the people of Rosemane. You are treacherous human beings."
Selena's voice faltered as she tried to speak, but fear held her words hostage. The truth was right at the tip of her tongue but she couldn't find her voice.
In a fit of rage, Ava shoved her to the ground while yelling, "Say something. Why? Why would you and your father betray us?" Selena's knees gave in and she fell to the floor.
King Liam was struggling to keep the storm stirring in his heart at bay. His nails were digging into his skin the pain keeping him somewhat sane and stopping him from losing his mind.
But when he saw his mother raise her hand, ready to strike Selena he couldn't hold back any longer. Before her palm could make contact he gripped his mother's wrist with a firm resolve his eyes bloodshot.
His voice reverberated through the room, filled with a mix of anger and desperation, "Mother, stop!"
The tension in the air was palpable as Ava's furious gaze shifted from Selena to her son. King Liam's eyes burned with a fierce determination, challenging his mother's wrath.
Ava's anger flickered, momentarily silenced by her son's unwavering defiance. The room seemed to hold its breath as they stood locked in a battle of wills. She finally took her hand back with force and picked up the skirt of her long flowy gown before sitting down in a chaise nearby.
"Okay then. I will stop. You get her to talk," she said her voice tinged with a mixture of anger and resentment.
King Liam glanced at the thin figure quivering like a leaf on the ground and he couldn't help but think, 'Too skinny.' He decided to send her more meals so she could eat them.
He was about to help her up when he heard a soft brittle voice stammer, "I-I... I didn't mean to deceive you. I was forced to marry by by my father."
"Why?" asked Ava but her son stared at her his meaning evident. She raised her hand as a sign of resignation. She shut her mouth which was incredibly difficult to do.
"It was probably because Sienna is his beloved daughter and I... I am just the curse that will bring down Rosemane. Two children, one will save Rosemane and the other will be its downfall," she said her voice tremulous as she replayed the words that haunted her for years in that cold dungeon.
"When we were born my mother died giving birth to me... and just like that my fate was se-sealed." She pulled up the skirt of her dress showing the fading marks of the chain that had been wrapped around her ankle for years.
"Since I was the shameful nameless curse that killed my own mother... I was locked up in a cold dungeon for years with no familial love to speak of while my sister got all the love and adoration. I was just the shameful secret that had no use until now."
Queen Ava pressed the tip of her tongue on her cheek clearly shaken by her words. "Good, very good. So not only did he swap brides he also gave us one with a curse," she said followed by a self-deprecating chuckle.
Selena bit her lower lip tightly but she wasn't affected by her words that much. She had heard it throughout the years and hers was one of the most polite insults she had heard.
"So how did you end up here?" asked King Liam looking down at her.
Selena exhaled deeply before continuing, "I was pulled out of the dungeon and they scrubbed me from top to bottom. I soon found out what they wanted to do and I-I was scared. I tried.... I," she said and King Liam crouched down as a strange dream he had had before flashed in his eyes. It was like he was experiencing deja vu.
Just like now he had faced a young woman in a dream and watched her for a long time stopping her from leaving. He subconsciously reached his hand and his rough calloused fingers touched her delicate skin.
His thumb resting on her throat he gently forced her to look up elongating her neck. "You tried to end it," he continued the sentence for her as he gazed at the faint strangulation marks.
Selena's body quivered staring at his bloodshot eyes that harboured something sinister. She felt hot wetness on her face but she didn't even realise that she was crying.
She swallowed her saliva and her throat rolled. Liam felt the ripple underneath his thumb and his eyes darkened. He felt strange emotions that he couldn't quite understand at that moment.
As he was about to withdraw his hand he felt wetness on his index finger. He noticed tears glistening on her delicate cheeks and his heart stirred at the sight. He had this overwhelming urge to kiss away her tears and the impulse was getting stronger as his gaze lingered.
Liam's throat tightened, his Adam's apple bobbing as he fought against the cloud of darkness fighting for control a battle that he was losing. Slowly, he moved closer to Selena, his face mere inches from hers. His piercing gaze met her frightened eyes, causing a shiver to run down her spine.
Selena's heart raced, her breath catching in her throat. This man held unimaginable power over her life and she wasn't sure what he was going to do. Liam's thumb, rough with the callouses, gently rubbed Selena's neck causing an electric shock throughout her body. She felt the warmth of his touch, juxtaposed with the fear that had become her constant companion.
Selena's eyes flickered, and she involuntarily flinched at the unexpected sensation. "Liam!" called out Ava her emotions complicated. She could tell he wasn't of sound mind but instead of him going on an unrestrained rampage he was just staring at the young woman with an unsettling gaze.
Liam snapped out of it and stood up his mind filled with confusion. For a moment he couldn't control himself. It was like an out-of-body experience and he was watching himself behave strangely. He stretched out his hand and grabbed her arm before helping her up. Selena felt weak all over but she bit her lower lip tightly and forced herself to stand up.
King Liam ordered her to sit and she sat down facing her mother-in-law who was scrutinising her intently.