"Princess, you are indeed a curse."

The weight of Selena's impending doom pressed heavily upon her fragile shoulders, threatening to crush her spirit. Like they said, she was a curse and because of that, they had robbed her of her life.

She had endured all these years with no control over her life but for once she could control something. When King Liam comes they will be forced to answer as he couldn't marry a corpse.

Tears streamed down her face, tracing trails of despair, as she sat on the cold ground.

With trembling hands, Selena reached for the long chain that bound her wrists.

Her fingers traced its links, feeling the coarse metal against her skin. With a desperate resolve, she wrapped the chain around the iron bar of the small room, creating a makeshift noose. The harsh clinking of metal echoed through the room, a morose symphony of her despair.

Drawing a shaky breath, Selena looped the chain around her delicate neck, her hands trembling uncontrollably. As the cold metal tightened its grip, an eerie calm descended upon her.

The world around her faded into a blur, the walls of her confinement melting away. In that haunting moment, she saw a glimmer of hope, a glimpse of freedom from the torment that awaited her.

She hoped she would turn into a ghost and get to laugh as her father was forced to give up her precious daughter. Selena simply refused to be a sacrificial lamb.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and in the darkness, a blinding white light emerged. The ethereal glow enveloped her, casting a halo of serenity around her anguished form.

In that fleeting moment, Selena felt her mother's presence, her guiding spirit beckoning her to a realm beyond the pain and suffering of her current existence.

The world receded further into the distance, and with each passing second, Selena's grip on life weakened. Her body went limp, and the weight of her burdens finally lifted. In that final breath, she whispered a silent prayer, bidding farewell to the life she once knew. Her lips quirked into a genuine smile, something she had never expressed before.

As the chain constricted around her neck, Selena's consciousness began to slip away. She embraced the darkness, surrendering to the inevitable release it promised.

Thoughts of her mother provided solace, as she believed she would soon be reunited with her in a place where pain and sorrow held no power.

A soft breeze rustled through in a place filled with nothingness, carrying with it a delicate fragrance that she was somehow drawn to. And there, before her eyes, her mother appeared in a vision of radiant beauty.

She wore a stunning lace dress that billowed gracefully in the wind, its intricate patterns dancing like whispers of forgotten tales. The fabric seemed to come alive, moving in sync with her mother's essence. Selena's breath caught in her throat; she had never seen anything so enchanting.

But it was her mother's face that held her gaze captivated. It glowed with an otherworldly luminescence, like the gentle glow of a celestial being. Her features were delicate and serene as if carved by the hands of angels. Selena's heart swelled with a mix of awe and adoration, for her mother truly resembled an ethereal being at that moment.

"Selena my dear... you have suffered. Mother is sorry for you. Come... you won't be in pain anymore," she said her voice calming Selena's soul.

Tears welled up in her knowing that her mother loved her and even knew her by name. The living either ignored her existence or didn't know she existed but her long-dead mother knew her by name and felt sympathy for her.

Filled with an overwhelming surge of joy, Selena reached out a trembling hand, longing to leave with her mother. But just as she was about to make contact, a sinister presence intruded upon the scene.

A dark fog materialized, its tendrils slithering through the air with an eerie grace. Eyes as red as blood pierced through the mist, fixating on Selena. In that instant, a sense of fear washed over her, chilling her to the core. The fog snaked its way towards her mother, passing through her luminous form as if it were made of nothing more than smoke.

With a sudden, violent force, the dark fog lunged at Selena, wrapping itself around her in a suffocating embrace. It gripped her tightly, its malevolent presence sending shivers down her spine. The force of its impact threw her backwards, slamming her onto the cold, unforgiving ground.

As Selena lay there she watched in despair as the radiant vision of her mother faded away, consumed by the darkness that had taken hold of her.

Those bloodthirsty eyes stared her down frightening her so much that she was shivering. It said nothing, did nothing but stared at her for what felt like an eternity. It was so long that Selena felt like it was going to last forever. It was like guarding her so she wouldn't escape and wouldn't leave with her mother.

Selena suddenly felt something gripping her soul and pulling her back. She instantly knew what was happening and she started to cry. "No no no, just let me go please," she cried out but before she knew she was back in her body again.

Her eyes were ringing, and her vision blurred. She could hear someone saying, "She actually woke up. Inform his majesty."

Selena weakly raised her hand to try and stop them but she was easily pressed down as the woman spoke not so kindly, "Princess, you are indeed a curse. You wanted that beast to kill us when he finds his bride is dead?"

Tears welled up in Selena's eyes, their warmth mingling with the pain that coursed through her body. She almost had it. She almost had her freedom but she was back.

Soon sounds of heavy footsteps were heard in the background and Selena who had been chained to the bed felt a sharp stinging pain in her cheek when she was slapped hard. Her ears rung much worse and her head and neck throbbed.

Another hand descended but Selena heard the voice of older men crying out for his majesty to let her go. If the Black Death saw those slap marks on her face he might suspect something.

"What a disgrace... Prepare her and make sure she can't speak until it's time for the wedding vows," he said and Selena forced her eyes to open to see the face of the man who should have protected her. Her hair covering her face she looked like a fiend filled with resentment.

"I... saw her. She kno-knows my... name and... and what you did... to me," she spoke slowly her throat burning in pain.