Free Web NovelChapter 5: The Cursed Beast.
A lone deer stood in the sunlit clearing, its head lowered as it grazed peacefully on the fresh grass, unaware of the danger nearby. Hidden behind a cluster of trees, the hunter watched with sharp, patient eyes, his bow drawn and an arrow nocked, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Will you mate with her?" a familiar voice suddenly asked, making him lose concentration.
Kane kept mute, ignoring his best friend’s question. He had been trying to kill a deer for more than four hours since they returned to the forest.
His thoughts had been a mess ever since he set eyes on her. The princess had certainly done something to him because why was he seeing her even when he closed his eyes?
"Do you think a human like her can carry the child of a great Alpha like you?" Cassius asked again.
"It doesn’t matter," Kane answered, hoping to be left alone to concentrate.
The moment he loosened his grip on the bow, the arrow struck the ground.
The deer bolted away, disappearing into the trees and leaving him frustrated.
"The human is beautiful, I must say, but something seems off about this," Cassius continued, not noticing that the deer had already escaped. "Why would she want to marry you?"
"Cassius..." Kane gritted his teeth, shooting his friend a deadly glare.
At once, Cassius fell silent as he realized he had overstepped his boundaries. He knew better than anyone what it was like when the king exploded in anger.
Kane closed his eyes and took a deep breath before rising to his feet.
He tossed the bow to Cassius, who barely caught it, and began to walk away.
Cassius beckoned to the other two men from the king’s guard, and they immediately followed him.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. I have cost you such a fine catch," he apologized.
"Today is my wedding. If not, I would have you tied up in the square like the deer I just missed," Kane threatened, and his friend got the message. "Nothing is working today. I’ve been trying to concentrate for hours."
Cassius knew exactly what was going on, but he dared not say anything.
They walked toward the caves that also served as their home.
The only reason they were using tents was because the king once claimed he had read in a book that tents could be more comfortable and warmer than caves during the cold season.
"Cassius, I am still wondering why the princess would choose to marry me," Kane said, suddenly breaking the silence.
He stopped and turned to face his friend, who halted as well. His jaw tightened, and lines formed on his forehead.
"It is strange. Out of the blue, she wants to marry you? I think she might be a spy," Cassius suggested.
"Hmmm... then whoever came up with that plan surely chose the right person. She shook me," the king chuckled as he resumed walking.
They were nearing the caves, and the cold air around the area hit their skin hard. Neither of them trembled, however. It was nothing compared to what they had endured before putting up the tents.
"Princess Arianna is bold because no woman in her right mind would want to marry you unless she was forced to."
Cassius was right.
Kane knew how much fear his name inspired across the lands. People had said a lot of crazy and monstrous things about him.
Some of them were true, while others he had no idea where they came from. But it did not matter to him, so he never bothered to clear his name.
"She has confidence, but I think she is foolish for choosing death if she has other options," Kane sighed as he reached the mouth of the cave.
He entered the one that belonged to him and headed toward his room.
Cassius followed closely behind.
"Are you really going to marry her?" he asked.
"Sure. I want a wife, and she needs a husband."
"Will you consummate the marriage?"
King Kane halted in his tracks.
He knew where the question was leading, and it made his heart skip a beat.
"No," he answered, his voice low and filled with disappointment. "We cannot risk it. Every woman I have lain with dies the next morning, so there is no point in trying again. Besides, I will not put another innocent woman to death just to save myself."
The Curse of the Beast had remained with him for as long as he could remember.
He had tried everything possible to break it, but nothing had worked. The curse seemed impossible to lift, and he was slowly learning to accept that it might remain with him forever.
"Forgive me, Kane, but you can’t just give up," Cassius said, walking over to where he stood. "The North needs an heir... your flesh and blood."
"I have an heir. His name is Ethan, and I think that’s enough," Kane replied as he walked toward a box near the wall.
He opened it and pulled out several arrows.
"Ethan? Certainly not what the people of the North want."
"They will have to accept him," Kane said as he closed the box and handed the arrows to his friend. "Cassius, as my friend, you should know that the cure to my curse is impossible."
"I don’t think so. The prophecy says you need to find your mate, and when you claim her, your curse will be broken."
"Exactly the problem. It seems my mate is yet to be born," Kane joked as he walked out of the cave.
They were heading back to the forest to hunt a much larger animal, perhaps a lioness, to present to his new bride.
It was the highest form of gift a man could offer a female in the kingdom.
"What if the princess is your mate? How are you going to know if you never get close to her? You have to at least be near her, catch her scent, or kiss her," Cassius insisted. He wasn’t about to let his friend give up so easily.
"She is not my mate."
"What if she wants to consummate the marriage? As your wife, she might expect you to fulfill your duties."
Kane’s steps slowed for a moment.
The thought had crossed his mind more than once, and each time it left him uneasy.
"Then she will be disappointed," he answered coldly. "I would rather have an unhappy wife than a dead one."
"What if she insists?"
Kane sighed as they walked on. He turned and noticed the guards pretending not to listen to their conversation. He knew better; they were clearly enjoying it. And Cassius? He would not stop.
"I can’t do it. She will die," Kane told him.
"There are other ways to fulfill your marital duties without going all the way. You can start slowly, ease into it, heat things up—"
"Keep quiet, Cassius," Kane interrupted. "I don’t need your advice. And even if I wanted to consummate the night, there is no way I would tell you about it."
He continued walking.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. It seems I crossed the line this time," he bowed.
"Hmmm... I have to find out the reason why she chose to come here. You must gather all information, even if it means going down to the West."
"I will do as you command," Cassius bowed.
Silence followed until they reached a large tree, and the king spoke again.
"About the consummation... if the princess wants it, then why shouldn’t we take the risk, huh?"
