Fear

The monster, the king - it was him. Dalia panicked, walking backwards, her eyes fixated on his with sheer terror.

It was undeniable; indeed, he wore a mask that covered the upper part of his face, leaving only his mouth and eyes visible.

"You are here," he spoke, his voice gravelly enough to make her shiver.

Dalia managed to nod, looking away from him. Aside from the rumors and the mask he wore, he did not give off a monstrous vibe at all, which was surprising.

However, he could be anything behind that mask, and given all that she had heard about him, it was only right to be wary and keep distance, just as she did now, having moved far away from him and the guard.

The guard turned to his king and bowed lowly, "Welcome, my king." His voice was less confident than when he had spoken her. That was enough to tell Dalia that this man was as fearsome as rumored.

His deep brown eyes, however, did not leave her. It was the only thing she managed to capture, along with his mouth pressed in a thin line. "Why do you keep your distance?" He sounded irritated as he continued to watch her.

Dalia halted, realizing just then that she had been moving backward, taking tiny steps as if she wanted to flee from him, and he had just noticed.

Dalia shook her head. She couldn't bring herself to speak to this man. She didn't even want to be near him. And she was so scared that her legs trembled.

He wasn't the giant she had expected, nor did he have claws like an animal. He looked ordinary - slim, tall, and well-built in his royal attire that clung to his body. His deep, slurring voice was just normal; what made him fearful was his attitude, his stern voice, and the mask covering his face.

"Do you not speak?" He tilted his head, raising his voice enough to make her tremble. Then he turned to his guard. "Have you brought in a mute princess?" His voice was raised at the poor man, as if it was his fault. "Why did you let a mute princess into my palace?" he growled, his voice like thunder, further instilling fear in her.

Dalia stood frozen, hearing the sternness of his voice and how he had just spoken to his guard. With that attitude, there was no way she could survive here for much longer. This man was easily angered, and he might lash out at her one day.

In fact, he wore a mask, which meant Dalia was married to a man whose face she would never see, as she had heard it was never removed.

Oh no! She needed to escape. She must escape.

The guard bowed his head apologetically. "She can speak, my lord. I am very certain," he said, stealing a glance at Dalia, pleading for his life.

The king turned to look at Dalia again. Unknowingly, she had walked an even longer distance, almost reaching the black marble walls behind her.

"Why do you not speak if you can?" he said sharply, causing Dalia to flinch.

She looked away, her hands clasping together. This was even worse than when she heard she was to marry a monster. It was worse than when she felt nauseated during her journey, for now, she could barely feel her feet.

The king sighed, possibly getting bored from the look in his eyes. Then he began to stride towards her, taking long steps with his mighty legs.

Dalia shrank further, this time hitting the wall behind her. Her feet wobbled, and her eyes grew wide with fright. What was he going to do, kill her? Her heart was beating so fast she could barely register what was happening around her.

The king reached her and stopped just a few paces away. His eyes widened for a fleeting second before returning to their bored expression. "What do you fear exactly?" he questioned, just watching her.

How could he even ask that? Did he not know it was because of him that she felt this way? Had he forgotten the things he had done?

"Young lady," he growled, making her shrink further in fear. "Why do you fear me when you do not know me, when you have just arrived here?" His voice was irritated and he sounded vexed.

Oh no! It's only her first day, and she has angered him. What will he do to her? What will become of her now?

The wind continued to sway the pink curtains, intensifying the shivers she was feeling. It must be the cold that was making her shake so much.

"My king, you are.. sca..ring her," the guard said slowly, stuttering with each word.

Dalia managed to look at the guard and saw his eyes growing with fear, his mouth pressed tightly together, realizing that he had spoken those words out loud.

The king stepped back a few more steps from her. "Do I still scare you?"

She stood puzzled, just watching him with wide eyes.

"Speak, young lady," he said with that same raised voice.

In a matter of seconds, she began to shed tears, shaking her head at the thought of what her life was to be.

The king pressed his mouth together, watching her. If he was irritated or vexed before, now he was enraged. "I do not have time to deal with weak people," he looked at the guard, completely ignoring her, "When she is settled, take her to dinner." He turned and was about to walk away but paused and looked at her, "I will not be joining," and with that, he strode out of the room.

Her legs trembled beneath her. Before the guard even noticed what was about to happen, she had fallen on the floor.

"My queen, are you alright?" His faint voice reached her ears, but she was too hazy to even hear his footsteps approaching her.

As time passed, she could no longer hear anything around her. All that remained was the faint beat of her heart, and soon, all that she could see was the enveloping darkness.