Love's Curse

Enter the beast's lair. Be not fearful. Trust in yourself and the light for darkness must give way to it.

***************

Lilandra woke slowly when she felt the sunlight hit her eyelids. With a groan she sat up and looked around the room. What she saw made her gasp. It was filled with shades of pale violets and pinks. It was the fabrics and the jewels that were encrusted in the furniture that made her ogle. But amidst all the wealth she felt an aura of loneliness and anticipation that made her shiver.

There was a soft polite knock at the door, along with the telltale clink of silverware being balanced on a tray. "My lady, are you awake?"

"Yes, sir, I am," she said as she slid from the bed. She was still in the same gown from yesterday. She turned and looked at the bed and gasped. There was blood in some spots. Apparently some of her welts had begun bleeding again.

The door clicked as it was unlocked and Lynn stepped inside. Various pieces of breakfast silverware glinted and the smell of freshly baked bread and cooked breakfast filled the room. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. Mostly." Her mouth watered at the smells of the food.

He placed the tray down on the table, placing fresh bandages out first with a pan of hot water. "If you would please sit, we'll begin with your bandages. After breakfast the master would like to see you."

She blushed but then turned her back on him and dropped the dress. It pooled around her feet. Some of the welts near her lower back and butt were bleeding, as was the brand.

Lynn quietly set about his task of cleaning the wounds on Lilandra's back, applying salve where needed.

She hissed but didn't scream. Finally he was done and she tried to breathe normally. The pain was slowly fading but it still hurt.

Lynn quietly moved the used bandages onto the tray from last night along with the left over cleansing products before soundlessly moving to the large wardrobe, lifting out another stunning gown. "Perhaps this would suit you better today my lady? It is of thinner material so should help you stay cool today."

She put the gown on. It was a pale shade of green that complemented her tan and her emerald green eyes shone brightly. Not that anyone had seen her eyes before because normally her hair fell into her face and hid them.

He nodded as he reviewed her form. "Wonderful my lady, the master will be most pleased." He lifted the used dress off the bed and slid it into a compartment in the wall that closed with a soft click and the sound of fabric falling down a shaft. "Now, please, quench your thirst and hunger."

She sat down and at first ate sparingly. She was used to making whatever food she did manage to get, last a long time.

Lynn patiently waited by the window, watching the world pass by outside, content to let his guest take as long as she needed.

When Lynn didn't yell at her she began to eat more until she had finished off all the food. Never had she felt so full and content. At home she had always been hungry because everyone else had eaten all the food.

He waited until Lilandra had finished her meal and smiled when he saw she had finished the entire plate. "My, my, you must've been hungry. Very well, if you will follow me I will escort you to the master."

She rose and quietly followed him down the hall. It was eerily silent in the place. "Is there no one else here besides you, the Master and I?"

"There are servants who come in once a week to do maintenance and various forms of cleaning. But other than that, none."

She thought that odd but then again what did she know about the rich other than the ones from her village?

"Oh," she replied.

"It's the master's condition that is the cause, not many people are willing to work for a beast all week you see."

"A beast? The beast that was in the square is the Master you speak of?" she squeaked.

Nodding, Lynn continued talking as if this was nothing strange. "Indeed my lady, he was cursed by a barbarian woman many years ago."

She didn't know what to say to that so she stayed silent. She felt overwhelmed. The place was huge and she was afraid she'd never be able to remember it all.

After a few minutes of walking, the pair came to a set of huge double doors. Lynn lifted the large knocker and rapped sharply. "My Lord? Your guest is ready to see you."

A low growl came from inside the room, the soft clicking of talons heard for a moment before the prince spoke in a demon's voice, "Enter."

She shivered a little in fear at the evil she heard in the voice. But then she steeled herself. She hadn't run from the beast when it was selecting her. She was not going to run now.

Lynn opened the door for her and she walked inside. The door closing made her jump and her heart thumped faster in fear. Resolutely she continued into the dimly lit room. "Hello?"

The deep, menacing voice floated from the dark shadows of the throne room, however this time it seemed different. Somehow the evil within it seemed somewhat elegant and refined. "Good morning my lady. Would you care to tell me your name?"

"Li--, Lilandra, sir," she answered softly, her eyes on the floor, her fearful breathing loud in the quiet room.

The beast hummed in the darkness, feigning deep thought. In the deep shadows came the sounds of talons clicking along the flagstones, his outline just visible in the dark and no more. "Do you know why you are here Lilandra?"

"I am to be sacrificed. That is what the mayor of our province said."

"Sacrificing is the term they use for the women who unfortunately did not survive their time with me." There was a sound from the beast, a breath of wind that sounded distinctly like a sigh. "But that was not the reason they were chosen."

Lilandra was confused. "Then why were they chosen?" Her natural curiosity made her look up cautiously. She couldn't see the beast in the dim lighting, only a mere shadow.

The beast paused a moment and looked directly at Lilandra, his eyes bright comets in the choking darkness. "You have not heard the tale of why I became like this?" The beast paused a moment and looked directly at Lilandra, his eyes bright comets in the choking darkness. "Are you afraid Lilandra? Afraid of what the reason might be?"

She would be lying if she said no. "Yes I am afraid but I'd rather not know. I only want to know if you're going to kill me."

Chuckling softly, the Prince stepped forwards into the light, revealing his monstrous form. "That my, lady, depends entirely on how you handle me."

She backed up a step. "Handle you?" She looked at him with innocent eyes. She really didn't understand this creature. But those eyes. They reminded her of something. Something important that she was forgetting.

"Of course, why else would I choose such a beautiful woman?" From between his legs began to length the most enormous cock that Lilandra had ever laid eyes on. It continued to grow for several minutes, inch after inch of flesh emerged till a full eighteen extremely thick inches were visible.

She gaped and began backing up until her back hit the door. "No," she whispered, sick with horror. She had been sent her to be a sex slave to this, this creature!

"Yes Lilandra, you WILL do as you are destined or you will die in the attempt. Either you take it willingly or I will do so by force. Force of course, tends to shorten one's life expectancy down to a few minutes."

Now she knew what he meant when he said the others hadn't survived it. She turned around and tried frantically to open the door but it was locked from the outside. With a whimper she gave up and ran toward the nearest corner, her mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan to save her life and virginity.

The Prince cut Lilandra off, his hand grasping her arm, however her wrist slipped from his grasp and she tumbled to the floor, the dress flapping up her back, revealing her welts. He froze as he stared at the wounds, remembering his reasons for punishing Victor. He turned away and returned to the shadows, speaking softly. "Leave me be Lilandra...you will heal first then we will do as I have told you."

She lay there trembling and confused. She had been positive he was going to rape her and then he suddenly stopped. She began to cry softly as she came to her feet. She edged her way to the door but this time found it unlocked. She opened it and flung herself out into the hallway and into the startled arms of Lynn.

Lynn caught her in his arms gently and held her for a moment trying to calm her. "My lady, what's wrong?"

"He.... it.... so big...hurt...let me go..." she babbled as she cried.

Lynn held her solidly and shook her to get her attention. "Lilandra, PLEASE!"

The shake snapped her back to reality and she focused her green eyes on him. "The monster tried to rape me but then stopped and told me to leave and to heal."

Lynn seemed perfectly calm at her words, "What can I say? The master likes his bed mates to be fit and healthy when they take his gift."

If this man meant that monstrous cock was a "gift" then she was going to have to find a way to get away from this place.

"Come my lady, perhaps a walk in the hall of honor will ease your mind?"

Still trembling, Lilandra took his hand. She was only too glad to be going away from the room with the beast.

***

Aries sighed and growled as he walked towards the balcony windows, staring at the landscape. Why had he stopped? Because he didn't want to be remembered as a man like Victor by this woman. He didn't want this poor abused woman's last moments to be that of pain and fear. He let out a roar and flew back out into the night.