17 Cursed

"It is not a birthmark. It is more like an accidental scar," Diana replied looking at her perfectly sculpted reflection in the mirror.

She was scarred... Or as the royal physician told, she was 'enthralled'; not but just anyone but by the king of werewolves. Diana felt that spine-chilling sensation again. 'Does she have to go through this every time she thinks of him and his bloodshot red eyes?' she bit down on her tinted lower lip. At last, she brought down the hand that was still touching the flame mark.

"A scar?" one of the maids spoke. There was doubt in her voice.

"But that's so beautiful," the other maid insisted how beautiful it was and how well it suited Diana.

Beautiful, indeed. Diana couldn't deny it. But at the same time, what it meant scared her.

"That's a curse," suddenly a voice that was capable enough to empower the three people, infiltrated the chamber from the outside.

"Your Majesty!" Diana heard the two maids exclaim. The reflection of their bowed heads fell on the mirror. She hastily turned. "Your Majesty," she curtsied at the woman standing by the entrance of that chamber.

Queen's face that showed harshness a moment ago considerably softened when she turned towards Diana. "Diana, Beautiful things are often dangerous," her eyes squinted at the flame mark on Diana's forehead.

Diana's head lowered in embarrassment. What the flame mark meant made her powerless in front of the queen. She left like a traitor for bearing that mark on her forehead. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," her lips involuntarily muttered.

"Forgive you? For what?" the queen asked followed by a peal of soft laughter. "I was about to thank you," she said.

"Thank me?" Diana creased her brows. "Why would her majesty thank a nobody like me?"

"Cause you've done something no one could," her eyes sparkled. The queen continued to look at the flame mark. This made Diana feel uneasy. She slightly flinched.

"How... did you seduce him?" her eyes now met with Diana's. This question was like an arrow shot toward Diana's heart. It made sure to puncture her self-esteem. The maids who were nice to her a moment ago looking at each other fell into her peripheral view. She felt humiliated.

"A man from the Mavros clan would not easily leave his mark, not to mention you are just a peasant girl; a human," she continued.

Diana remembered the physician talking about the 'Mavros clan.' The queen's words made her curious about what they actually meant. It wasn't something she had known or read about. Still, she didn't dare to further inquire about him.

The queen moved forward and caught Diana's wounded hand. She raised it in front of her eyes and then smirked. Diana felt even more humiliated because she understood what that smirk meant.

"You seem to attract 'things' easily," the queen further mocked her. It wouldn't take much time for Diana to slap that hand away and punch the queen on her nose. But that would only complicate things. It was partially her fault that she was standing in front of the queen unable to properly give a reply. Maybe it was really her fault that she entered the border forest that day.

Diana sighed.

You are indeed one skilful woman," the queen ridiculed her. Diana felt worse. She couldn't believe that she actually thought that this queen was a nice person that afternoon.

"A woman like you deserves much more than what Ruthernglan gave you," the queen over to the window. She looked out at the garden far away and spoke again. "You deserve to live in luxury, here in Cardended."

"I don't want..." Diana tried to reject whatever the queen had to offer, but the queen cut in. "Marry the crown prince," she turned towards Diana.

Diana couldn't say whether she heard the right thing. Not only her. The startled faces of the maids fell into her peripheral view.

Wasn't the queen humiliating her a moment ago? Why would she suddenly ask her to marry the son of the king? He might not be her son, still, he was the future king of Lanir. It didn't make sense to ask a girl with a criminal record to be his wife. This woman confused Diana. Still, she knew what should she reply this time.

"I don't want to," Diana didn't hesitate when she spoke. The queen indeed seemed surprised by her sudden change of tone.

"Girl, you seem very ambitious. But a crown princess title is more than enough for your status," her eyes turned red as she spat those words at Diana. She gathered herself quickly and then smiled.

"You will marry the crown prince," she calmly spoke.

"I won't" Diana fearlessly retaliated.

"You have no say in this matter, I'm afraid," she raised her eyebrows with a smile that could be described as evil. Diana's brows creased.

"Bring her to the royal dinner tonight," the queen's face which had been calm all along suddenly turned malicious. Diana felt helpless because of the sudden turn of events. She wasn't moving even after the queen left.

'Marry the crown prince? Why would she suddenly make her marry him? Isn't she a "traitor"?' No matter how long she had been pondering over the queen's words, it didn't make sense. At last, Diana decided to find Wyatt as soon as she can so she could ask for his advice on this matter. But for that, she had to leave the chamber first.

The friendly air between her and the maids was already poisoned by the queen's words. Diana was embarrassed to talk with them. After so much thought, Diana cleared her throat and spoke her first words.

"I... Can I go out?"

The maids seemed a bit startled by her question. They turned and looked at each other. "You can't miss," the second maid spoke.

After a while, the first maid spoke. "Is it true that you are going to be the crown princess?" Diana was startled by the question. The second maid rebuked the first maid for asking that question. "Forgive her impudence, miss," she continued to apologize on behalf of the first maid.

"I will not marry him," Diana said looking down at her hands which were clasped together.

The maids remained silent even after listening to her reply. After a while, the first maid hesitantly started. "Our crown prince is handsome, brave and a good man. He is the best husband any girl could have."

Diana looked at her. The second maid was also looking at her. After a while, she spoke. "She's right," then assuredly looked at me.

'The best husband a girl could have... Really?'

That prince was not even self-righteous. He was just sanctimonious. She wondered what these girls would do if they meet Wyatt.

"I can't marry him because I already have someone in my mind," annoyed by their praise she cut in. It wasn't a smart move from her side, she still wanted them to stop glorifying that evil spawn of the evil king. She also wanted to stop the marriage no matter what. If ever she ended up marrying the crown prince, she'd kill him or he'd kill her down the road. That's how much of the attraction they both have.

"You have someone you like?" the first maid curiously asked. The second maid's face showed concern.

"Was it the man who left that scar on your forehead?" the second maid continued after analyzing the queen's words.

The man who left his mark on her... The best mystery of her life. Diana still wondered what made him do so. Judging from all the exposition, he must be someone powerful. He must be someone unattainable. Suddenly Diana felt the urge to know what his face would look like.

That night from what Diana saw, she could say he was a very tall man. He was neither bulky nor slender. Diana clearly saw the profile of his well-toned body. The way he cocked his head when she spoke was... debonair.

He might be Ray. If he is really Ray, then he isn't that scary. Honestly speaking, he saved her life.

As she was pondering, the second maid repeated the question in a different form. "It must be him," she smiled.

"Who? No! It wasn't him. I don't know the man who left this mark on me," Diana replied hiding her confusion.

"But that man must have adored you a lot. He left such beautiful artwork on your forehead," the first maid giggled. The second maid looked at her with a warning in her eyes.

Diana shook her head and moved to the window. She was still confident the crown prince would reject the marriage proposal between her and him. Judging from their first meeting, he wouldn't want to marry her. So her mind wasn't wandering around this marriage alliance. She was a lot more concerned about the possible werewolf invasion that might happen because of her. It scared the hell out of her. It made her mind wander to the border forest once again. At last, as usual, she ended up thinking about those ruby red eyes once again.