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CHAPTER SIX: VENUS

According to what maids and soldiers said when I first arrived here, they called him the executioner because he kills his enemies by chopping off their heads and no one has ever seen him without his mask off.

So rumors spread about his mask; some say he was scarred during battle, which is why he covers his face, while others say he was burned by his mother while he slept because he thought he was a demon.

Solomon volunteered to tie me to the post, while Sebastian stood back, his anger visible in his eyes as he watched Solomon tie me up. I swear he looked like he wanted to end Solomon's life right there.

As the executioner approached the weapons rack, the entire arena fell silent. He picked up the whip and walked towards me without saying anything.

The old me would have been in tears by now, but I didn't care; they could do whatever they wanted; I could take it.

My gaze scanned the training grounds and I recognised a few of them who had come to watch my punishment.

Michael always made sure to punish me in front of his men in order to humiliate me, then my gaze stopped at the King's box in the center of the arena and my gaze met Michael's.

He was staring at me with a smile on his face, probably enjoying the fact that I was going to be beaten, but I'm not going to give him that satisfaction of seeing me cry

"Let's get this over with,'' I said to the executioner with a smile.

I must look insane, smiling as I prepared to receive 20 lashes from the most feared man in the werewolf army.

"Forgive me Princess Venus" the executioner whispered under his breath as Micheal signaled for him to begin the punishment and I was a bit  taken aback that he apologized.

I've never met him before now, but everyone says he has no emotions. I can see now that this was also a rumor, and I couldn't bring myself to blame him even if he didn't apologize.

"It's okay, it's not your fault," I said with a smile, "you can start, don't worry, I can take it."

He let out a soft sigh and began; the first ten were bearable because I had recovered from my previous encounter with Micheal, but the next five sting a little. But my high pain tolerance wasn't up to the next five, which were excruciatingly painful.

"I'm sorry I had to make the last five hurt so it looked believable," the executioner apologized.

"Thank you for caring, Mister, at least you made it bearable, so you have my gratitude and don't blame yourself," I said, as he turned to walk away, dropping the whip on the rack before exiting the arena.

After the executioner had left, Sebastian approached me and undid my bindings before assisting me to my feet. I stumbled backwards as a result of the sharp pain that shot through me, but Sebastian's hands wrapped around me to balance me just in time before I fell on my ass.

"Thank you," I said softly before taking my shawl from his outstretched hands and wrapping it around my aching back, which was a terrible idea because the shawl rubbed against my back, making my pain worse but I ignored it.

After the king and Michael left without saying anything, I was led back to the tower by only Sebastian because Solomon said it was beneath him to walk the likes of me back to my prison.

Even if Sebastian didn't offer to take me, he had no choice because the king would never let me roam the castle without an escort because I always try to flee whenever I get the chance.

When we finally arrived at the tower, I collapsed onto my bed, and the tears I had been holding back began to flow. It took me a few minutes to gather my thoughts before I looked up to see Sebastian staring back at me with sad eyes; I assumed he'd left.

"You stood your ground and showed no weakness, I respect you for that, don't give them the satisfaction of seeing you weak, because it will only give them more ammo to hurt you, and that will be your undoing," Sebastian said before placing the small box he was holding beside my bed and walked out of my room.

Because of his words, I felt a little better; he wasn't like any other werewolf I'd met in this cursed place; he saw me as an actual living breathing person, and not a witch like everyone else. It felt good to have someone on my side while Xavier wasn't here.

I opened the box out of genuine curiosity, and its contents were potions and balms that I could use to treat my injuries from the lashes I'd received, which made me smile. He was definitely different, and I hope this place doesn't change him the way it did me.

Two days later……..

The Queen's birthday banquet was tonight, and one of the maids brought what I was supposed to wear: a plain long sleeve blue gown with a black neckline that hugged my body until my waist, then flowed freely from my waist downwards; it was better than what they usually give me to wear, which made me wonder if they were up to something?

When I was done dressing and was okay with my appearance, I knocked on the door signaling to the guards that I was ready and when it opened up Sebastian was standing on the other side, He was dressed in his formal guard wear and he looked really, really good in it…

"You look handsome, Sebastian?" I said, giving him a small smile that he returned, his gaze scanning my entire length, he was at least a few inches taller than me, he had baby blue-colored eyes, and his black raven coloured hair was packed into a ponytail.

"Thank you, princess, and you still look beautiful, even if that gown is hideous, so raise your head, your enemies will be watching you," he said as we walked down the tower. When we arrived at the bottom, Sebastian used the transport gate to transport us to the dining room.

Even though we only met a few days ago, Sebastian was already like a brother to me, and he filled the void Xavier left in his absence, which helped me make living in this castle bearable, but my heart still aches for my first friend and crush, Xavier.

When we arrived at the dining room, Sebastian let go of my hand as the guard announced my arrival. But before leaving me Sebastian gave me a thumbs up which helped calm my nerves because I was about to face the wolves, and the irony is that they were actually wolves.

When the large doors opened, I walked into the large beautifully decorated dining room, and when the large doors closed, everyone's gaze fell on me, but I pushed back my nerves, trying to get my bearings before beginning to walk down the red-carpet leading to the table where the royal family is to be seated. Murmurs filled the room as I walked, but I ignored them; once I was at our table, I curtsied before greeting them, I shouldn't show weakness, as Sebastian said.

"Good evening, my king and Queen, may you live long" I said before going to join Michael by his side, of course that bitch of his mate was standing right behind him glaring at me, how mature I thought as I smiled in her direction.

"Thank you all for attending tonight's event, it's a wonderful night to celebrate my beautiful wife and Queen Dana, I hope you all enjoy your night, drink and be merry," the king said as loud cheers filled the room.

In accordance with custom, the guests would approach the royal family's table and present their gifts by going up to it.

The majority of them brought jewelry, silk, spices, and oils, but one woman in particular caught my eye. Although she was modestly attired in a simple black gown, everyone in the room was mesmerized by her beauty as she made her way to the royal family's table to give Dana her gift.

"Good evening, my King and Queen; my name is Katherine, and I'm a seer from a distant land; my Lord was unable to attend such a wonderful occasion, so she asked me to come in her place."

Seers were extremely rare in our world, so seeing one up close was a wonderful opportunity.

"You're welcome to our realm, Miss Katherine; it's an honor to meet a seer," the king replied. "But tell me where you're from so I can thank your Lord for such a generous gift."

"Where I come from is unimportant my king, so I'll tell you the future in place of the Queen's gift," Katherine said, her eyes turning blacker than night but they were still strangely beautiful.

"You will live and rule for a long time, but someone you all know will bring your rule to an end, and you will all die by that person's hand as an atonement for the crimes you have committed now and in the past," Katherine said, and I turned to see everyone at the table's angry expressions.

"How dare you?" yelled the king, as she turned to face me, sending chills down my spine.

"However, the children who are currently in this young witch's womb are your saving grace; your lives depend on her and her unborn children; you have been warned." Katherine finished speaking, and her eyes gradually returned to normal while her intense gaze was fixed on me, and I couldn't stop myself from looking into those beautiful gray eyes of hers, but I was jolted out of my trance by Michael's angry growl.

"Seize her for threatening the royal family," Michael yelled to the guards, but a cloud of smoke engulfed Katherine, and she vanished in an instant.

But what she said sent a shiver down my spine; I was pregnant for Michael, and I could feel the air around me dwindling as everyone's gaze fell on me; It felt like I was drowning, but I couldn't pull myself out of the water to breathe; and the last thing I saw before darkness consumed me was the King's eyes light up with interest.

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