Everyone was dancing at the ball and having fun, but I was forced to watch because my father kept reminding me that, as the third princess, I had to act accordingly.

As I stood there, feeling trapped in my role, I couldn't help but envy their freedom. I wished I could join them and enjoy the night like everyone else.

The music swirled around me, and my sisters laughter echoed through the grand hall, yet I felt like an outsider in my own home.

My father's stern gaze weighed heavily on me, and I knew better than to challenge his expectations.

Still, a small part of me wondered if I would ever be able to escape the shadow of royal duty and live a life of my choosing.

After a couple of minutes, one of the soldiers walked up to my father and, in a whisper, said, "They are here, we tried to stop him, but he threatened to kill us."

As he spoke, he looked away, and I saw someone staring at me with a lot of hate for some reason.

My heart raced as the tension in the room grew thick. I couldn't shake the feeling that this stranger's gaze was more than just hostility—it was personal. My mind raced, wondering who they were and what had brought them here.

The whispers among the soldiers only fueled my unease, and I instinctively took a step back, unsure of what would happen next. I got up from the throne since my father was busy and started walking toward the stranger.

To my surprise, the stranger grinned at me and then walked outside. I hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to follow him, but something about the way he looked at me made my curiosity grow stronger.

I moved toward the door, trying to keep my steps quiet, but the sound of my heels on the marble floor seemed deafening in the quiet hall.

As I stepped outside, the cool night air hit me, and I saw the stranger disappearing into the shadows, his grin still lingering in my mind.

Who was he, and why did he seem so familiar? "You know it's not smart to follow a stranger you don't know at this time of night, Princess," said a voice that sounded familiar, but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before.

I replied, "Why don't you step out of the shadows, Sir? I'm not going to harm you if you're scared of me." Then there was a loud chuckle and a sigh.

The tall shadowed figure stepped into the light, revealing a man who was tall and built—he looked like he could take down many men with ease. His piercing eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I felt an inexplicable shiver run down my spine.

"I'm not scared of you, Princess," he said, his voice smooth but with a hint of something darker beneath.

"But you should be careful, trusting people you know nothing about." I instinctively took a step back, my heart racing, but something about him seemed oddly reassuring. He wasn't here to hurt me, was he? "Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound braver than I felt. He paused for a moment, studying me.

"Someone you should be wary of—and perhaps someone you'll want to know better." He nodded at me as if agreeing with himself about something.

Then, he stepped closer and asked, "Are you sure you don't know who I am?" He continued walking toward me until he stopped just in front of me.

His presence was overwhelming, and I could feel my heart race as I tried to keep my composure. I took a cautious step back, but his gaze never left mine.

There was something both intimidating and oddly magnetic about him. "Should I know who you are?" I stammered, unsure whether to be frightened or intrigued. He let out a soft laugh, one that was almost too smooth, too knowing.

"Maybe not yet," he said, his tone laced with mystery. Another voice called out to me—it was my friend and bodyguard, Xiex, saying, "Princess, come back inside now and don't trust that man."

As I was about to turn around, the man reached for my waist and pulled me toward him. "Come any closer, and the princess is dead, here and now," he said. "You know what? I think I shall take her and use her as a debt collection since he hasn't kept his end of the deal."

I could feel my heart racing, panic bubbling up in my chest, but I stood frozen, unsure of how to escape or what to do next.

I saw my father walking toward us, and as he approached, he said, 'You may take her as your bride and do as you wish with her—use her as long as she remains pleasing and fruitful, just as I did with her mother."

I was shocked to hear that my father intended to sell me off without a second thought, showing no care for me.

As the weight of his words sank in, a wave of despair washed over me, and I struggled to breathe, feeling as though the very foundation of my world was crumbling. 

The man chuckled and said, "Very well, I shall come back to pick her up in three days. I can take her now if you'd like, right in front of you, since you want to treat her like a slave." I began to shake, and tears started to fall down my cheeks because of what was happening.

My father clapped his hands together and said, "Wonderful King Leo, I wouldn't have it anyways."

King Leo turned me around and was about to kisses me but I put hand on his chest to stop him, he put one of his hands on my hand and pushed me in closer to him and he leaned forward and kissed me on the lips. 

I bit his lip, and he then looked at my father and said, "Does she have a room so that I can take her now?"

My father smirked and said, "Oh, we have a better room for that, and it's in the south side towers."

King Leo used his shadows to open what looked like a gate, pulled me in with him, threw me onto the bed, took off his shirt, and walked toward me.

My heart raced as I realized how quickly everything was unfolding. The room felt heavier, as if the air itself was thick with anticipation.

I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, my words stuck. His presence was overpowering, and the space between us seemed to shrink with every step he took. 

He crawled on top of me and leaned in to sniff me and I pushed him off me and said, "I don't know if you treat your mother or sister this way. But i will not have it with me and you can't force yourself on me!" 

I just wanted to get away from everyone, including King Leo. He wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled me closer to him, his hands touching my sides as he kissed me a third time.

The kiss was suffocating, and I struggled to push him off, but he didn't relent. Finally, he pushed me away, his eyes cold and unreadable.

"You have no more spies watching you. You can just sleep here until they come to check on you tomorrow," he said, his voice chillingly calm.

His words hung in the air like a threat, and I could feel the weight of them pressing on my chest.

Without another glance, he turned and left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. I stood there, trembling, unsure whether to cry or scream.

His absence was almost worse than his presence, leaving me feeling empty, trapped in my own thoughts. The silence in the room was deafening, and I could still feel his touch lingering on my skin, as though I were marked by him in some way.