A pig ready for slaughter

Princess Sienna, adorned in a regal gown, quietly entered the opulent chamber. The room was filled with the soft scent of fragrant oils and the gentle murmurs of attending servants. They slowly stepped aside bowing their heads.

As Sienna approached, she observed Selena lying on a plush velvet chaise, her face obscured by a delicate gauze soaked in a rejuvenating elixir. The sight stirred a wave of conflicting emotions within Sienna, and an impulsive desire to touch that face that resembled hers with a few subtle differences. All they needed to do was change Selena's hair and she would instantly take her place.

Before when Sienna was locked up her skin had accumulated dirt, oil, and impurities over time because all she had was water to wash. She had nothing other than that.

Her pores were clogged and her complexion dull. Selena's dry and rough texture on her face was prominent giving Sienna a sense of superiority. Now looking at her almost-perfect skin her resentment grew.

She extended her hand hesitantly, reaching out to brush her fingers against the cloth covering Selena's face. But before she could make contact, Selena's eyes snapped open and in an instant, she seized Sienna's wrist with a strength that belied her time spent in confinement.

Sienna winced at the tightness of Selena's grip, her initial shock giving way to anger. "How dare you!" she hissed, her voice laced with bitterness. "After all you've done, you dare to resist me?"

Selena's grip tightened slightly before she loosened her grip enough for Sienna to snatch her hand back. 

As Selena sat up, the attending servants quickly stepped aside, their heads bowed. "Aren't I cursed? Why would you want to touch me?" asked Selena her voice quiet yet resolute.

Sienna swallowed forcing herself to quell her anger. She sneered while rubbing her wrist her eyes blazing with fury. She couldn't bear to see Selena's insolence any longer. In a fit of rage, Sienna turned to the nearest servant and barked out her command.

"Lock her up!" Sienna's voice echoed through the opulent chamber, her tone laced with a mix of authority and bitterness. The servants, well-trained in carrying out the princess's orders, hurriedly surrounded Selena, their eyes cold and unfeeling. Who in this palace didn't know that prophecy of the curse? They resented her as well and felt nothing towards her.

Selena, however, offered no resistance. She knew that fighting against Sienna's wrath would be useless. Things would only get worse for her. With a calm and accepting demeanour, she allowed the servants to lead her away, her head held high despite the weight of her emotions.

The clanking sound of chains being prepared echoed in the corridor as her wrists and ankles were bound. For some weird reason,  she felt more comfortable like she was back in her dungeon. Those chains were like soothing music in her heart.

Down the dimly lit passageway, they arrived at a small room, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the palace. The atmosphere was heavy with cold stone and lingering silence but it was a luxury when compared to that place she had been confined in for most of her life.

The damp walls seemed to close in on her as she glanced around, taking in the sparse furnishings. A single wooden chair sat in the corner, its worn surface betraying years of neglect. The chains on her wrists and ankles clinked softly.

As the door closed with a resounding thud, Selena heaved a deep sigh seeming more relaxed than anyone else would be in her situation. She turned her attention to the tiny window high above, its bars preventing her escape. Selena gazed through those bars and saw a view she hadn't seen in her entire life.

The city outside the palace walls bustled with life, vibrant and teeming with activity. People hurried along the streets, muffled chatter and the clatter of hooves from passing carriages filled the air.

Towering buildings reached up towards the sky, their sparkling windows reflecting the sun's rays. Selena's heart swelled with a mix of wonder and longing as she watched the lively scene unfold before her.

For years, she had been deprived of such simple pleasures. She had barely seen sunlight, let alone the outside world. But now, this small window opened up a world of possibilities. It was a portal to a realm she had only dreamed of, a place where freedom thrived and life continued without her.

As Selena's eyes lingered on the bustling city a strong breeze blew by carrying with it pieces of paper. One of them with a sharp turn slammed onto the bars before falling gently to the floor.

Curious she picked it up and her brows furrowed. On it was a notice that the Cayaline princess of Rosemane was getting married to the dark King of Lowoak or the Black Death.

Selena's heart trembled for some reason her fingertips turning white while holding on to the torn pieces of paper.

She had read books given to her by the milkmaid who took care of her before she was thrown in that dark place.

That woman was the only person who had shown some form of kindness. Before she left she gave her books and told her to keep learning.

Among them were stories of the vicious King of Lowoak, a heartless man with bloodthirsty eyes. She had heard how he slaughtered entire cities and afterwards, sitting among the corpses ate a full feast with blood still staining his face. It took a special kind of monster to do that.

Selena's body quivered the more she recalled the stories that she read. She glanced back at the window and finally saw it. The streets were being swept clean and the houses were being decorated with flowers and banners. The atmosphere was joyous yet sullen at the same time.

She stumbled backwards as the paper in her hand fell to the ground. She knew that everything that had happened to her today was for a greater purpose but now that she knew the reason her heart couldn't take it. Like a pig, they were simply preparing her for slaughter. "They wouldn't... would they... no no no," she whispered in a choked voice before she collapsed to the ground and wept, tears streaming down her face.

Questions like what would he do to her when he found out and wouldn't she die a painful death when he found out, filled her mind she sat there in dismay.

The prospect of death on her own terms was slowly starting to look good. She glanced down at the chains on her wrist her lifeless eyes blurred by her tears.