The ghost (1)
Athena slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She frowned. Everything looked so unfamiliar and a little bit scary. Where was she? What was going on? She tried to move to only find out that her hands and legs were tied tightly by rope. Her eyes widened. What the heck? What was going on? Was she kidnapped? The more she struggled, the more deeper the rope cuts into her flesh.
She hissed in pain and sighed in defeat. What crime did she commit to be bind tightly by a rope like a criminal?
Her whole body felt so numb. Can somebody untie these damn ropes? Athena gritted her teeth.
After a while, the door was pushed open and a tall masked man entered.
Athena narrowed her eyes... A vampire. Was he the one who kidnapped her?
Athena did not waste any time and asked coldly, "Who are you? What do you want from me?"
The man looked at her. Athena felt a chill run down her spine and she shrank away subconsciously.
"Little thing are these things yours?" he ignored her questions and took out many jewels.
Athena froze. Those were the jewels that had she stolen at the ball.
"Little thing?" he said when she did not answer. Athena snapped out of her daze and said shamelessly, "Yes, they are mine. Can I have them back?"
The man stepped closer to the bed. Athena looked into those dark red eyes for a few seconds before averting her gaze. This guy was so scary!
" Look at me, little thing."
Athena refused to look at him. Little thing? Who was he calling that?
She suddenly felt the bed dip. The hairs on her body immediately stood. Despite so, she still looked down, refusing to to make eye contact with him. Her hair was suddenly yanked, making her look up and gasp in pain. Her heart skipped a beat in fear when she saw that masked face a few inches away from her.
"Tell me... Are these jewels yours?" the voice sounded cold and bone chilling.
Athena looked away to just get her hair yanked roughly again. She opened and
closed her mouth without making a single sound. She looked into those frosty sharp eyes but stubbornly refused to say a word.
"You are a stubborn one, aren't you?" he chuckled making her feel goosebumps all over her body.
Still she remained quiet. However her pale face was turning white slowly.
"Poor little thing," he sighed softly. " Do you want to see your parents again?"
Her eyes suddenly turned sharp and asked gravely, "What did you do to my parents? Who are you? What do you want from me?"
He clicked his tongue and said, " Your lovely parents are at their home safe and sound. Tell me... Why did you steal these jewels? Aren't your parents rich enough to buy you a bracelet or a necklace?"
A look of surprise flashed in her eyes but did not reply. How did he know that these jewels were stolen?
He showed her a black diamond necklace. "Isn't this your sister's necklace?"
Yes, it was Viola's necklace. Who was this guy? She did not see him at the ball...
He sighed again when she did not reply. He loosened his grip and moved away. Athena felt her scalp burn.
"Last question," he said. "What did you see in the corridor?"
Her heart almost jumped out of her throat but she said calmly. "I did not see anything."
"Lady Athena," he said with a stern expression. "What did you see in the corridor? What were you doing there when you fainted?"
Athena licked her lips nervously. Could she tell him the crazy things that happened there? He would think that she was crazy! Besides how could she tell him that the previous king once tried to kill the current king? She would be digging her own grave!
"You are hiding something from me," he narrowed his eyes dangerously.
Athena swallowed hard but said with a straight face. "I did not see anything. I was just exploring the castle when I fainted. "
He climbed out of the bed and turned to leave before saying, "You are hiding something from me. There is something you know that you shouldn't know."
He then left the room. Athena looked confused. Something that she shouldn't know about?
Time passed painfully slow. Her eyelids became heavy and she was about to doze off when the door was opened and three women wearing maid's uniforms got in and untied her quietly. Their faces were expressionless.
Athena was getting more and more confused. "Where am I?"
"You are in the castle," one of the maids answered, her voice was neither warm nor cold.
In the castle?
"We will have to help you bath. His Majesty wants to have dinner with you," the youngest maid said.
They did not bother to wait for her reply and bathed her before helping her wear a light pink dress.
Athena looked at the colour and frowned but did not say anything and followed the maids to the hall. There an elegant man sat in a chair at the huge dining table. Her eye balls almost popped out their sockets. The masked man from earlier is the king?!
She quickly regained her composure and went over. The maids who had escorted her left. She bowed at him and greeted politely, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
The man nodded curtly and she pulled out a chair that was far from him.
There was an awkward silence between them. The king was playing with his fork while she looked down nervously.
She could not take it anymore and cleared her throat awkwardly before saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty for accommodating me last night."
She did not give him a chance to speak and continued. "Thank you for your hospitality. I will be leaving tomorrow. I am sure that my parents are already missing me."
This made the king stop what he was doing and gave her an unfathomable look.
" You will not be going anywhere."
Athena looked at him in disbelief. Did she hear correctly?
"But Your Majesty..."
"I am going to marry you in four months time . William will inform your parents." With that he stood up and left, leaving her stupefied and terrified. Did he just say that he was going to marry her?
The following day at Duke James' mansion...
"James, why do we still haven't received any news of Athena?" Rebecca said anxiously whilst biting her finger nails.
Viola who was just entering the room scoffed secretly. She was really upset right now. Her father had slapped her in front of many people. That was total humiliation. On top of that, she lost her new necklace! That was one of her best necklaces she had ever had!
"Don't be too anxious!" James said grimly. "It has been just one day and a few hours since Athena disappeared. We might be lucky to find her. We just need to wait."
"Wait? So we are just going to sit here and wait?" Rebecca raised her voice a little.
"What are we supposed to do then?" he asked exasperatedly.
"Athena's health is not stable. What if she's lost in a forest? What if she has been kidnapped? I can't wait anymore!"
" Stop whining like a child, Rebecca!" James said sternly.
At the same time, the door was knocked and the butler opened the door to see the fat Lord William. He bowed and greeted the lord politely. Lord William gave him a nod and said, "Can you tell your master that I am here to see him?"
The butler nodded and let the lord enter, and found him somewhere to sit before looking for James.
He found him having a heated argument with his wife. He bowed and said, "Master, Lord William is here to see you."
The two who were arguing turned quiet. "Where is he?" James asked.
"In the living room," the butler answered.
They looked at each other and dashed out of the room, and headed for the living room. They bowed and greeted the lord before sitting down.
"Athena..." Rebecca began.
"We found her," Lord William said.
Rebecca nodded in relief. "Where is she?"
"At the castle," he answered shortly.
James and Rebecca looked confused.
"Your daughter is getting married to the king," Lord William said.
An awkward silence then followed. Two minutes, four minutes...
"Duke James and Duchess Rebecca?"
James and Rebecca snapped out of their daze at Lord William's voice.
"What did you say?" James asked.
Lord William's eye brows furrowed and James quickly shook his head. "But Lord William, our Athena is not suitable for His Highness... Her health is not stable..."
"The wedding will be held in four months time," Lord William interrupted with a smile. "Don't worry your daughter is in good hands. His Majesty will take good care of your daughter."
"But her health..."
"As I have said before, you don't have to worry about anything that concerns her. His Majesty will take good care of her," Lord William said while still smiling.