Chapter 6: The Prince's Dark Request

As dusk descended upon the palace, casting shadows across its grand halls, Seraphina found herself yearning for the solace of her own chambers. But fate had other plans in store for her that evening, plans that would plunge her deeper into the murky depths of the prince's world.

A frantic knock echoed through the stillness of her quarters, and before she could gather her thoughts, the door swung open to reveal the crown prince, his regal attire stained with crimson.

"Seraphina," he called, his voice a harsh whisper that sent a shiver down her spine.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, his usually composed demeanor marred by the telltale signs of violence. But before she could voice her concern, he spoke again, his tone demanding and impatient.

"I need you," he declared, his words heavy with urgency.

Seraphina's mind raced with a thousand unanswered questions, but she knew better than to defy him. With a silent nod, she followed him through the labyrinthine corridors of the palace, her footsteps echoing in the empty halls.

As they reached the bathing chambers, Seraphina's heart sank at the sight that greeted her. The room was bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, casting flickering shadows across the marble floors. And standing at the edge of the pool, his clothes stained with blood, was the prince, his gaze fixed upon her with an intensity that made her blood run cold.

"Seraphina," he murmured, his voice low and urgent. "I need you to clean me."

For a moment, Seraphina stood frozen, her mind reeling with shock and disbelief. But then, with a sense of resignation that bordered on despair, she approached the prince, her hands trembling as she reached out to him.

As she began to undress him, her fingers brushed against his skin, sending a shiver down her spine. The prince's eyes never left hers, his gaze burning with an intensity that made her feel as though he could see straight through to her soul.

And then, as she lowered him into the water, she saw it – the blood, dark and viscous, staining his skin and marring his once pristine appearance. But there was something else there too, something hidden beneath the surface, something that made her heart race with fear and anticipation.

As she began to bathe him, her hands moving with a practiced ease, she felt his gaze upon her, his eyes burning into her with a hunger that sent a shiver down her spine. And in that moment, as she stood on the precipice of the unknown, she knew that her fate was sealed. For she was bound to him now, bound by duty and obligation, bound by the dark secrets that lurked within the depths of the palace walls.