Enemy of my desire

 Prologue

This is my first book, and the writing and storyline are still a bit rough. I haven't had much opportunity to fully revise and edit it yet. If you're willing to give it a try, feel free to read on. Otherwise, you're welcome to read my other works.

Seventeen years ago, in 1770, Irina's name was whispered in the Kingdom where she lived. They called her barren and women her age would make fun of her as she was unable to bare a child.

At the age of twenty five, she felt like the only woman in the Kingdom without a child. Seventeen years of marriage yet there was no child. 

As Irina walked down the hill, the moon light glowed upon the cursed river. Some of the people say it is cursed and water is poisoned, others say it is blessing. Desperate to end the mockery, Irina seek to find help here. 

She continued to walk barefoot, her feet bleeding from stepping on rocks and stones. She glanced back to see if anyone was following her. Who would dare follow her to a place like this?

Upon reaching the river bank, Irina fell on her knees, wailing and begging for the river to help her. She need a child. After spending an hour there with no answers, she stood up to leave. All hope was lost at this point. There was no way for her.

"Irina." I heard a snaky voice from the water. 

Emerging from the water, was a tall figure. She has long flowing black hair that reached her waist. She was more beautiful than any woman in the Kingdom and Irina was amazed. As she rises out of the water, she sang a melody that could reach the ears of many. It drew the creatures in the river closer to her. Yet beneath that beauty was someone dangerous.

"Dear child," she mumbled. "I heard your wailing from my sleep. Your tears flowed down to my chamber."

I fell back on my knees, my eyes burning with tears. She was a siren, the most beautiful creature in the water.

"I will bless you with a child," she promised. Irina's heart flooded with happiness at her words.

"But there is one condition....."

.....

The blood from the metal dripped down to the King's lifeless body, his eyes staring at her with accusation.

"Your highness!" She breathed out in shock, shaking his body. The pool of his blood surrounded him as he laid on the ground dead. 

Her mind raced with different thoughts as she continued gazing at the King. The weight of her actions settled on her shoulder, making her suffocate. Panic gripped her and she felt confused.

All of a sudden the door flung open and she snapped her head with widened eyes to see two guards there.

"Murderer!" One of the guards yelled and troop of other guards rushed into the room.

She swallowed hard, realizing that there was no escape in this situation. How would she be able to defend herself when her hands are covered with the blood of the King?

"I…. I didn't mean to. He was going to take advantage of me. I had no choice," she tried to justify herself.

"You murdered the King!" Another guard yelled. "You will pay for what you've done."

They walked closer, grabbing her arms and she stared at them in shock.

"No wait….. it wasn't my fault entirely…. Please just–"

"Traitress," the guard spat.

She knew very well that even if they were to mercy her it wouldn't come for a person like her. She was a human just like her mother. They were the only humans in the Kingdom of Blackwood.

Ever since her father died, her mother Irina changed totally. She would come home late, looking drunk. When King Darius hosted a ball party, Irina mother had taken her along to the ball party.

King Darius was not a noble man and he was known by many courtesans around the world. His wife's death had striken him to the point where he started bringing women everyday to the Palace.

Anastasia had caught the interest of the King during the ball and he approached her mother, who aware of the King's behaviour, willing gave her daughter to him.

As she was a virgin, she refused to allow the King touch her. Trying to defend herself, all of a sudden a long metal had appeared in her hand and when the King tried to pull her to the bed aggressively, she stabbed him with it.

She remembered how she pleaded with him not to do anything with her, but the aggressive King refused to listen 

Her attention shifted from her bloody hands, to the guards dragging her away. One thing for sure was that there was no way out of this. She knew very well she would be killed and she blamed her mother for this.

The only thing she could do was sob silently and hope that she could somehow escape from this. As they dragged her down the hallways, the people glared at her with hatred. They must have heard of the news already.

Some spat on her, calling her different names. She was doomed for life. Even if she managed to escape this, she would not be welcomed in the Kingdom. No one even welcomed her, and her mother as they were humans living amongst Vampires.

Reaching the cell, they pushed her inside and she taggered, falling to the ground. 

She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat went dry.

"No one kills the King and get away with it," one of the guard spat. "Your fate is sealed in this cell."

Locking the cell gates, they all left her to rot here awaiting her execution.

Who was going to believe that she didn't mean to kill the King? Not even her mom would believe anything. She could tell that she must have fled away after hearing the news of what happened to the King.

Her mind drifted back to the weapon she had used to stab the King. Ever since she was a child, her mother had told her about her little secret, and she warned her not to share it with anyone. They were mermaids from the water and if the vampires get to know they exist, they would suck them dry.

Irina had told her how she was banned from the river by the other mermaids after she got pregnant by a human. She lost all her powers and access to the river.

Remembering the weapon, her brows furrowed, wondering if her powers was beginning to surface. She was just a young girl of eighteen years who didn't think her life would end like this.

After spending an hour regretting her decision, Anastasia started accepting her fate. Even if she wanted to escape, there was no way she would be out of the castle without being killed. 

Before she could think more, she heard the gates cell opening and guards walked in. Without saying a word, they grabbed her arms, dragging her out of the cell room.

This was it. She was going to die as a traitor. She could feel her heart pounding so fast that she thought, for a moment it would explode. 

Her face turned pale hearing the distant voices of the crowd shouting and screaming traitress.

When they reached the open, her eyes welled with tears at the angry outburst of the King. She tried to convince herself that she was going to die. The thought of dying here as a traitress made her shiver with fear.

As they positioned her to kneel down on the ground, the lightning struck and her body shook.

"Traitor!"

"You'll pay for killing the King!"

"Silence!" The chief commander of the royal guards stepped out.

"Today we gather ourselves to witness the death of our beloved King. This individual before us is found guilty for killing him and she would be sentenced to death," he declared.

"As the executor of this witness, I bear the consequences of my actions. May this serve as a reminder for those who plan to do any evil," he said.

She scanned the crowd searching for her mother. She was gone! How dare she put her into this and ran away?

The people waited with anticipation as they watched the royal commander drag the sword out of it's shield.

She swallowed hard, fully convinced that she would die. As the commander raised the sparkling sword ready to behead me, they heard a loud voice through the crowd.

"Wait!"