Chereads / THE BRIDE OF HADES / Chapter 11 - 11_Nightmare

Chapter 11 - 11_Nightmare

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My eyelids flew open when I felt someone grab a hold of my arm, I abruptly stood up, revealing my claws, prepared to strike whoever the assassin was. Until I saw her.

I sighed, I wasn't used to having someone sleeping with me on the same bed so I had forgotten for a second there. I heard her whimper and she twisted and turned on the bed, beads of sweat dripping down her face.

I crouched on one knee on the bed, 'Is she having a nightmare?' I asked myself, wondering what to do next.

"My lady," I called my hands on her shoulders, carefully shooking her to wake up.

"Argh, please," She winced, and that was when I realized she was burning up, so hot that it became unbearable to touch her, I retracted my hands with a wince and I had burn marks on my palm that weren't healing.

My brows creased and I tried my hardest to wake her up, thinking it must be the work of a witch or someone implicated with hexes and curses. "Hazel, snap out of it," I said, still trying to shake her awake but it was almost impossible to keep my hands on her for more than two seconds.

'What the fuck was going on, I promised the human king I was going to take care of their daughter even if they didn't care, I made a demon vow, so I would not let anything happen to her,'

Hazel suddenly sat upright, like someone controlled like a puppet, her eyes shot open and she had a deadly glare. She grabbed my throat, her grip on me was strong and almost impossible to pull away, even for someone like me.

Her grip on my neck tightened, and I could feel the air leaving my lungs and my face reddened, I could break free but to do that I'd have to hurt her.

"Haz--el...wake up," I stuttered, as if that was the command she was waiting for she fell limp and was about to fall on the edge but I was fast enough to grab a hold of her before she tumbled while panting heavily like a dog.

What in the heavens just happened?

*****

My lashes fluttered open and I sat up on the bed, I had a terrible dream last night but I couldn't quite grab it, it was like it was there but It wasn't there if that made any sense.

I was still lost in my thoughts when Hades stepped out, he walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, and his long silver hair was damp and clinging to his athletic body as he used a shorter towel to dry his hair. His rock-hard eight-abdominal muscles and broad shoulders and chest. His legs were also strong and with his height, I couldn't help imagining his towering body over me.

'Damn I've never seen such a well-carved face and body in my life, am I in paradise in disguise?'

"How was your rest, My lady?" He asked, his alluring voice and British accent reverberating throughout the room.

"Hm--hmmh?"

"Did you rest well?"

"Yes...yes, I did," I smiled, he sauntered to the dressing mirror, and he took the dryer to blow dry his hair.

"Do you want to assist me?" He suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Huh?" I jolted.

"You are starting at my hair, so I assumed you want to help me," He ran his fingers through his wet hair as his oxblood eyes bored into me.

I came down from the bed and strolled to him, "When I was a little girl, I used to help my grandma blow-dry her hair and style it, so I guess it has gotten used to me," I smiled, my gaze locked unto the dryer in his hand.

"I heard your Grandma was the one who called you the cursed princess," He creased his brows and I gulped, I wasn't talking about Hazel, I was talking about Me, Ariana.

It seemed Hazel had indeed gone through a lot, at least I wasn't condemned, and my grandparents and my fans loved me, but it looked like she didn't have anyone looking out for her.

"Ah, I apologize, I meant my friend, Miriam, I had a little accident that cost me my memories before marrying you," I replied with a smile.

'Argh, if only I could get part of her memories damnit,'

"Here," He gave the dryer to me and sat on the stool in front of me. A smile broke out on my lips, I sneaked a peak at him in the mirror and he still had an emotionless countenance.

I turned on the dryer and used it on his hair and took an enchanted hair brush, that emitted a warm air that soothed the scalp, I knew this because Miriam had also used this on me.

I glanced at his reflection In the mirror once more but his eyes were closed, he looked...relaxed, the way his brows were always in a knot, were now relaxed.

I massaged his scalp gently, his hair looked exactly like mine...I mean Hazel's.

"You got into an accident?" He abruptly asked, his eyes still closed.

"Yes, Your Maj...Hades," I replied.

"What was it about?" He asked again.

"I was told it was because of our alliance union, but that was until I met you and found out you weren't a hideous monster like I thought you were and... I'm already saying more than I should," I almost face-palmed myself.

"You call your maid your friend?" He asked again. 'Why was he suddenly asking questions?' I wondered.

"Yes, I see her as a friend, not a maid," I replied, focusing on his hair and when I glanced at his reflection in the mirror, he was staring back at me, his oxblood eyes, looking like a wormhole, slowly sucking me in, even through the mirror.

I brushed his hair backward and then I packed it in a lower ponytail with my scrunchy that lay on the mirror, not noticing how close my chest was to his face when I bent to pick the scrunchy.

"Done," I said with a smile and glanced at his reflection, I noticed his flushed reddened cheeks and he hastily stood up.

"I will leave you to get ready, when you're done, come down for breakfast," He said and I nodded, bowing slightly as he walked out of the room.

I groaned and walked to the bed, falling on the bed, I feel like I was casting another movie or something, it's so freaking tiring.

I summoned Miriam and she came in, she helped me bathe in the tub filled with rose petals and then she applied lavender fragrance oils on my skin. She took me to the closet and my jaws dropped after seeing the amount of the hefty Renaissance dresses packed in a bunch in the closet.

"Don't this place have lighter clothes," I asked almost in tears and Miriam shook her head.

"What's wrong My lady? you used to love being dressed like this," Miriam asked, a smile on my face as she dressed me up in a queen's attire.

"I'm sure Hazel loved that," I replied in a whisper.

"What was that, My lady?" Miriam asked.

"Nothing Miriam, and from now on please call me Hazel," I smiled.

"I can't possibly do so, My lady. You know very well the punishment that befalls the lower class if they disrespect the Higher class," Miriam stepped back.

"It is not disrespect, I just ask that you call me by my name," I replied, the truth was, I kept forgetting I was Hazel now, and here, I was being addressed as a queen and not like Hazel, it wouldn't hurt to at least have someone who calls Hazel's name so I could be reminded that I was now occupying her body.

"It is,"

"It is not,"

"It is,"

"It is not,"

"It...arguing with royal blood is also punishable by the law," Miriam caught herself and I pouted.

"Too bad...I was already enjoying our little banter,"

Miriam dressed me in a green silk dress, it was a dress that showed off my shape, clinging onto me tightly and exposing my curves while the length of the dress dragged against the foundation. It was designed and embedded with tiny gemstones and my hair was braided in a one-plait

She applied light makeup on my face and then stepped away so I could get a better look at myself, I indeed looked like a queen. And Hazel's beauty was truly unmatched that I was a little jealous myself, how could she look this good?

"What am I to expect today?" I turned to Miriam.

"Today after breakfast with the demon King, you will be introduced to the King's friends.."

"...Ha, Friends, I didn't think he had friends," I interjected.

"That's a much better way to put it, but they're also Kings of the other Regions and lines," Miriam replied and I froze.

"Do you mean...?"

"...Yes My lady, King Ares of Shadow-haven Kingdom of the vampire clan and King Lycan of Moon vale kingdom of the werewolf clan," Miriam replied.