The Red Room

The red room was appropriately named. The walls were painted dark auburn red. There was a large four poster bed on one wall, a couch and chair, a coffee table and the wardrobe that Killian had mentioned. The furniture was made of black wood. The bed was covered in red sheets. Serenity frowned as she looked around the room. There were no windows. There were two doors across the room from the bed and Serenity assumed one led to the washroom and the other to Crowned Prince Fallon's room. She walked across the hardwood floor quickly and sat down on the plush velvet couch.

She placed her hands on her knees and tried with all of her might to slow her breathing. She was not a stranger to feeling debilitating anxiety. There was no greater fear than sitting waiting for a monster that you knew was coming. Her mind was racing—how was she supposed to handle this situation? If what Killian said was true, and Fallon came to her, how should she respond? She should talk herself out of it? She should play up the charm and appease him?

No. She did not have to appease him. This was something she had struggled with since Theron freed the birds in the Tigerian territory and named her as his betrothed. She did not have to appease men. She could refuse them. She was the master of her own body and sexuality. In the years since Theron's death, she had worked on her confidence to have such agency. She was not going to regress now. If Fallon came to her with the expectation of having sex she was going to stand her ground.

She bit her bottom lip while running her hands up her thighs. She was wearing her small knife. It was strapped safely to her thigh. If it came down to it and she killed Fallon, he would never order his evening brandy and Killian wouldn't know to meet her at the elevator.

Killian. Serenity wasn't sure if she could trust him. What if his plan was just to trap her in a different way? She still held the purple cornflower in her hand. She looked at it for a few moments and it brought her peace. She remembered the way his fire engulfed her, but caused no harm, while they were in the forest. She smiled slightly hoping she could feel that again.

Serenity heard the click of the lock on the chamber door. She sat up straight with a tense body and closed her hand tightly around the cornflower. The door opened, and to her surprise Mona entered the room with a cart of food and drink. There were two black boxes on the cart. One was large, the size of a clothing box, with a black ribbon on it and the other was small, meant for jewelry.

"The Crowned Prince wanted me to bring these to you," she said softly.

Serenity approached the cart that Mona had pushed to the end of the bed. She looked over the handcrafted desserts and bottles of wine. She frowned slightly as she picked up a chocolate covered strawberry and took a bite out of it. She might as well try to enjoy herself…

Mona extended the small box to Serenity. She hesitated. She put the cornflower down on the cart, next to the chocolate covered fruit and took the box from Mona. Inside, there was a thin silver bracelet. It was a simple piece, a silver cuff-like band with a single sapphire at the center. Serenity rolled her eyes. What kind of game was the Crowned Prince playing? She snapped the box shut and put it back on the cart. Without prompting, she opened the large box. She looked at Mona with a frown.

Mona leaned forward to look in the box. She stared awkwardly at the lace undergarment as Serenity held it up.

"He's mad," Serenity whispered.

"He's simply trying to woo you."

Serenity threw the undergarment back in the box. "You're naïve."

"I have been in his Majesty's service all my life and he has never treated me poorly."

"How he snapped at you in the library was not poor?"

"No," Mona responded sharply. "Perhaps you should get off your high horse and be thankful that someone is willing to spoil you and take care of you."

Serenity looked at Mona completely flabbergasted. She couldn't believe what she was hearing—and from another woman—a bird who was a slave just as she had once been. Serenity turned away and walked back towards the couch. She wished she had a window to look out of.

"That will be all, Mona," said a deep voice. Serenity heart sank into her stomach. It was Fallon. He was in the room now. Mona didn't need telling twice, she turned on her heel and left the bedroom, clicking the lock behind her.

"She's not wrong you know," Fallon said.

Serenity turned to face him, her dress and hair twirled around her in a dramatic fashion. She was surprised to see him leaning in the doorframe of the passage to his chamber. He was shirtless and holding two empty wine glasses in his hand. He looked suave and casual. He stood up straight as he looked her over. His massive figure filled the entire door frame. He was bulky and muscular. His skinned was tanned. Dark hair covered his chest, but not in an unattractive manner. Serenity glared at his golden eyes hoping that he could feel her rage towards him..

"Is this part of your courting strategy?" she snipped aggressively. "If she is right, why don't you take her as your mate?"

Fallon walked into the room slowly. He put the wine glasses down on the food cart. As he opened the bottle of wine by pulling the cork out with his bare hands, he stared at Serenity.

"Mona is beneath me, choosing her will not benefit my kingdom in any way, only make things more difficult. You don't like your presents?"

"I can't be bought, your Majesty."

Serenity crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at Fallon. He didn't seem bothered by her expression. Fallon poured two glasses of wine. He picked up the bracelet that Serenity had left in the box. He smirked as he walked to Serenity. He set the glasses on the table before her. Gently, he took her hand.

"You could be bound," he said as he clasped the cuff bracelet around her wrist.

Serenity's eyes flashed with hatred at Fallon. He laughed lightly while he retrieved their wine. He extended a glass to her. She took it but did not drink from it.

"I killed the last man who bound me," she said sternly as she turned away.

"I was only teasing you, dove," he replied still laughing.

Serenity didn't look at him. She stared into her wine glass with her back to him. She didn't dare look at him. She didn't want to see his desire. Did he want to see her squirm with discomfort? Did he want to push her buttons and make her so angry that she lashed out? She wondered if he was similar to Terron. He always wanted her to fight back. It made him feel powerful to know that he could overpower her and take what he wanted. Her body grew tense at the thought of her old master. The horrors she faced while in his service petrified her and still haunted her. Part of her didn't know how she survived it. Perhaps because she was a dove, she had a bit more hope in her than other birds, but she knew she would not be able to do it again.

"Where is Mason?"

"In your suite I imagine," Fallon shrugged.

"I assumed since you are holding me captive now that you are holding him as well."

Fallon's gold eyes flashed at Serenity. He did not like how she spoke to him. She was sure it was just a matter of time before he grew impatient with her. She wasn't sure how long she could keep him talking. And if she agitated him too much, she may make the situation worse for herself. She didn't know enough about him to know his limits. How far could she push him without getting hurt? How much anger would he take out on her?

"You are not a prisoner," he replied. "You are someone of great value to me and I wish to keep you close so you don't slip through my fingers."

"Mason will grow concerned if I do not return to my suite soon. He is very protective of me."

"You are not his to protect," he retorted before finishing his wine. "I will protect you now."

"And who will protect me from you?"

Fallon stepped closer to her, invading her personal space, and grabbed her hair at the base of her neck. His fingers gripped her feathers and pulled her head back, forcing her to look up at him. His golden eyes were fierce as they flared at her navy stare. She didn't flinch or cry out as he grabbed her. She merely stared up at him, waiting for him to do something.

"You have nothing to be afraid of."

"You've grown impatient with me," she whispered. "This morning you were kind, now you are aggravated. A man who lets his emotions manage him is always someone to be feared."

Fallon released her hair hair and moved his hand to her chin. He continued to hold her face up to look at him.

"I am impatient and I will not have you run me like you've run other men in your life," he said in a low tone. His hand moved from her chin to her neck where he squeezed gently as if to warn her that he would have no problem squeezing harder.

"I don't run other men," Serenity said strongly. "I did not have any control over my previous masters and I know I have no control over you."

Fallon released her and laughed as he moved to the cart. He took a bite of the food and put his empty wine glass down.

"You are a woman," he smirked. "You are a vixen—you will use your body to get anything you want."

"That has not been my experience so far," Serenity responded dryly. "Nor did I think it would work on you." She looked at him to see his reaction.

Fallon shrugged. "You are a beautiful creature. I like beautiful things."

Serenity took a sip of her wine so that she did not have to respond to him referring to her as an object.

"May I retire now?" She finally whispered as she looked at the floor. "I've had a long day."

"Yes," Fallon responded. "I'm sure you have."

He was holding the cornflower up that Serenity had left on the cart. She frowned deeply. She should have known not to leave the cornflower out for him to see. He had crushed the last one Killian gave her earlier that day. He knew where it had come from and he didn't seem to like that Killian was showing Serenity affection.

"What did my brother show you about your magic?"

"Only that it is stronger here," Serenity shrugged. She turned her eyes away from Fallon. "He seems to think that he can teach me to control it."

Fallon moved to Serenity, stopping to stand before her, he extended the cornflower to her. She took it carefully from him and folded it in her hand. He ran his fingers across her collar bone to the strap of her dress on her shoulder. He pushed the strap down her shoulder carefully keeping his gaze on her to see her reaction. She closed her eyes so not to look at him.

"That is good. It will give you something to do here."

Fallon grabbed her chin again like he had before to make her look up at him. She frowned as she met his gaze.

"Get some rest," he said, which she was not expecting. "I will have Mona tell Mason not to worry, that you are with me."

Serenity frowned but nodded her head and he released her. She knew he was lying but she did not want to give that away.

"Thank you, your Majesty," she whispered.

Fallon said nothing else as he turned away. She kept her eyes low as he exited the red room. When his chamber door closed behind him she released a soft cry. She set her wine glass down as her hand shook. She began to cry with relief. She was lucky that he was not interested in her that evening; that he did not violate her.

Serenity sat for a few moments to regain her composure. She knew that this was just the beginning of a very hard night. She wasn't sure how long she should wait before she changed her clothes to escape. She waited a few more minutes to make sure he didn't come back. But she could not wait much longer, she had to get out of the Nest.