Chapter 4

LENA

REVEALED

I examined my body closely and noticed that King Logan had penetrated me. He forced himself into me after drugging my food, making me fall asleep. Yes! I should have known. His kind gestures weren't for nothing after all. I began to blame myself for falling prey to him so easily but the deed had already been done and I couldn't do anything to reverse it, I had to live with the stigma all my life. 

He turned into a beast overnight, I couldn't still believe my eyes at the way he behaved towards me. The room which was well-ventilated with windows open was suddenly becoming too hot for me to stay in. I struggled to scream out for help but I just couldn't, it was as if the corners of the wall were stopping my voice from being heard. Shortly, the door flung open and a group of guards trooped into the room, scanning through everywhere as though they were searching for something. 

"The King demands that we take you back into the dungeon." They announced in a chorus and reached out to grab me but I restrained my hands from their grip. I dreaded their touch because I knew that they were all a part of the plan to have me defiled by the King. "Fine! I'll go with you. There's no need dragging me along with you." I yelled at them and they left me immediately, leading me out of the room. 

I walked into the dungeon all by myself, with tears gushing down my face like a running tap and the doors were locked behind me firmly. I cried out my lungs bitterly but it seemed like I was doing myself more harm than good so I stopped and accepted my fate the way I saw it. The words of Alex comforted me, giving me a whole new strong and resilient spirit. "You are where you are for a reason." He would always tell me. 

I was comforted as soon as I reflected on his words. His reassuring words of encouragement always had a way of bringing me out of my sad mood all of a sudden and this time, there was no difference. Out of nowhere, I started smiling to myself like nothing happened. "Here is your meal." An old-looking woman whom I perceived to be one of the palace workers, started and dropped the bowl of food in front of me. She was just about to take her leave when I called her attention, "Can I ask you a question?" I asked her, not minding if it was appropriate or not.

She slowed her pace and turned to face me, "How may I be of help to you?" She queried. Her voice did the explanation because, from the way she sounded, I could denote that she was a very old woman who was in her prime and needed to be helped out of the palace. When I had finally gained her audience, I engaged her in a discussion, venting and pouring out my frustrated mind to her.

"Tell me something about the King. Why does he seem so violent and why does he need a breeder so badly?" I queried, kick-starting the conversation. She rolled her eyes at my question, "No matter how much we know about the King, we are not allowed to disclose such information to anyone, regardless of his or her personality and reason for asking." She explained in a polite and calm voice.

Giving up was the last thing I would ever do in my whole life on earth. I persuaded her further to let me know about it, after all, I was already a member of the Royal family in one way or the other and I deserved to know about it. After much pleading from me, she began to spill the beans, starting from the very day he was given birth to there in the palace. This right here confirmed my conclusion about her; I knew right from the time that she was an old servant in the palace but the reason behind her staying back in the palace still confused me a bit. 

"He has mated with various ladies but none of them seem to give him what he wants." She explained. I wasn't sure what she was talking about, "What did he want? What could that be?" I queried inquisitively. She was silent for some time, I guess that was because of my too many unending questions but I knew I wasn't wrong by asking questions; I had to be sure where I was presently and what life had in store for me.

"He is without a male offspring, and as a result, he breeds and mates with different ladies whom he thought would bear him a male offspring but unfortunately, they didn't and he went ahead to kill them." Did I just hear her well? No! Not definitely, my ears were probably playing a trick on me. How would the King even think of killing a lady just because she couldn't bear him a male offspring on the first delivery? That was crazy and more ridiculous to hear; now, I only had to wish for the best to happen in my case because I knew most definitely that his penetration into me would end up in offspring.

The maid noticed my worried look and was moved to question me, "What is the matter with you? Is everything alright?" I faked a smile and playfully hit her, "I'm fine old one, it's nothing really serious. You can leave now, thanks for the information." I uttered and she obeyed without mincing words with me. "Okay. If you say so." She said as she walked out of the dungeon where I was kept. 

I knew I was in for a greater doom, all thanks to my greedy uncle. I glanced at the meal which she had brought but the thought of what she said about the King made me lose my appetite.