CHAPTER 2 Bumped into her nightmare
Ashina spat out blood, panting profusely. She blinked her eyes repeatedly, struggling to try and remember who the woman before her was. From her regalia, she knew the woman was royalty.
Danciana stretched forth her soft hands and arranged the hair on Ashina's head. "You like it?" Then she pulled her hair, laughing hysterically while Ashina cried out.
"You insulted my son, how convenient." Danciana took a breath. "So now you cannot talk?"
Ashina wanted to talk, but she couldn't. She forced herself but ended up coughing out blood. Her pathetic condition didn't stop Danciana from slapping her across the face. "Speak!" She roared.
"I don't think she can speak, my queen." Boris said, carefully observing Ashina. "She is in a very bad state."
"Untie her." She instructed. "Lock her in the pig's cage with little food and water. Stale bread." .
Boris bowed. "As you wish my queen."
Danciana strode out of the prison.
Gonzalo furrowed his brows as his mother reached the throne room. "How is it going mother?" He asked. "Can I see her now?"
Danciana shake her head. "No, she is unconscious at the moment."
"Already unc
onscious when we haven't started?" Gonzalo scoffed.
Their conversation was interrupted when a guard walked in, whispering into Danciana's ears. When he was done, Danciana ushered him to leave. She looked up at Gonzalo, her countenance changed.
"What is it mother?" Gonzalo asked.
"The gods are with us." Danciana smiled. "Long live the moon goddess!"
"What happened?" Gonzalo asked with a frown. He didn't believe in any god or goddess. He stopped believing in them a long time ago.
"Her name is Ashina Diego." Danciana said, raising her shoulders dramatically. "Does that remind you of anyone or anything?"
"No," Gonzalo shook his head. "Who is she?"
"Follow me." Danciana demonstrated with her hands.
She walked to a golden decorated wall, and stopped in front. Danciana pressed some buttons and the wall shifted, opening and revealing a transparent list.
"This is my black book." Gonzalo stated, staring at his mother in confusion. "Whoever that is in this book, is as good as dead."
"Diego Walmart.." Danciana bit down on her lower lip, wondering whether or not to continue. "That commoner is Diego Walmart's daughter. Diego, your late father's slave, that was excommunicated and banished with his family, for murdering your father." She pointed at a name on the list. "Here's their family name."
"Ahhh!!!" Gonzalo screamed, then pulled out his sword in anger. "That daughter of a murderer!"
Danciana was fast enough to signal the guards to hold him down.
Gonzalo cocked an eyebrow, groaning. "Tell your guards to get their poverty infectious dirty hard hands off me!'
Danciana again gave signals to let him go. "Hold on, Zalo.." She stood in front of him.
"Mother I will not!" He raised his voice. "Finally, I will give my father the justice he deserved, the justice I swore on his grave to give him! Mother, move out of my way."
"Don't be foolish!" Danciana scolded. "You want to give her an easy death? Common! You want to go and behead her straight away? That is easy death! That is kindness to a murderer."
Gonzalo exhaled slowly, his tempers dropping. His brains started to reason in different angels.
"You won't kill her, at least not now." Danciana said. "She will work as a servant in this palace for the rest of her life! Day, night, under the rain, sun, in pains and tears..I will take it upon myself to torture her..she will die slowly and painfully."
"I cannot stand her sight mother!" Gonzalo spat in despise. "I hate her!"
"Okay, fine. Do whatever you want. After all you're all grown now and can make decisions for yourself, mine don't matter anymore." Danciana said.
"Fine!" Gonzalo frowned. "Do whatever you want with her, I don't just want to set my eyes on her again."
Danciana instructed the guards to nail Ashina to a large wooden crossand, for five hours. After that she listed the punishments that should be given to her, which included, rat torture, heretics fork and tongue tearer.
She took pleasure in watching Ashina bleed and cry in pain.
"Please spare my life." Ashina cried out. "I promise I will do whatever you ask of me. I beg you."
"Why did you come back?" Gonzalo demanded. He was the one to ask, ignoring her groans. "To finish what your murderous wretched father couldn't complete?"
"I've never been in this town before, I don't know what you are saying." Ashina responded.
"Lying Swain!" Gonzalo yelled.
Ashina's heart pounded hard, over fear, anxiety and confusion. She had never been in that town all her life. Were they mistaken her for someone, maybe her look alike or they only needed a reason to torture her, not minding creating false stories?
"I don't know what you saying." Ashina repeated.
Gonzalo made attempt to move closer to her but Danciana held him back.
"Don't give her the privilege." Danciana said. "I'll take it from here." She walked closer to Ashina, then pulled out hot iron that has been placed in fire over hours, she lifted the iron with all her strength, she pressed the iron on Ashina's face.
Gonzalo smiled in excitement as Ashina cried loudly. This was a lot better, watching her in pain everyday, this was the best way to give his father the justice he deserved.
"I ask again," Gonzalo glared at her with deadly eyes. "Why did you come back, to kill me? I know your intentions, I just need to hear it from you, so confess! If you confess, I'll lessen your punishment."
"I wish I could agree, if it were true I'd agree." Ashina pushed the words out, in pain.
"Where's the rest of your family members?" Danciana asked in a very provocative and aggressive tone.
"They're at.." Ashina stopped there. Her brains clicked at once. She would be a fool to tell this heartless souls where her family were at.
"Continue," Gonzalo said with authority. "They're where?"
"I..I don't know." Ashina answered.
"That's it!" Gonzalo faced his mother. "Torture her until she dies! Lying Swain!" He stormed out in anger.
"Long live your majesty." Lupe said as she entered the large room, after a bow.
"My princess.." Danciana smiled.
Lupe slid her hands into the back pack pockets of her skirt, which had the effect of thrusting her breasts tight against her lacy T. She handed Danciana some sweets. "My mother made them herself." She said, her face flattered as she smiled.
"Send my regards." Danciana set the sweets aside, on the tray pan, placed on the large table before her.
Lupe flashed Gonzalo a flirtatious smile as she made way to sit opposite him. "Greetings my prince."
Danciana was obviously impressed by Princess Lupe. The princess was not only beautiful, but well groomed and from a rich home.
Gonzalo didn't pay much attention to her. When his mother came to him informing him about Princess Lupe being his destined mate, and he needed to marry her soonest. First he tried to be stubborn and refused the marriage proposal but as usual, his mother found ways of making him change his mind. She reminded him marriage was necessary, so he could be crowned the Alpha King.
To Gonzalo, the only interesting thing about Princess Lupe was that she came from a very wealthy and powerful royal home, which was good for his business. His mother went out of her way to make wedding preparations and fix a date.
The wedding ceremony was in a week! Yet Gonzalo didn't feel the slightest of love for his soon to be bride.
Lupe on her part spent her childhood dreaming about getting married to a handsome, charming prince someday, and become a real housewife, the Queen of Queens. When she discovered she was mated to the great Alpha Prince, Gonzalo, her joy knew no bound.
"Mother, my wedding dress is ready, you would not believe how many karate gold is on it!" Lupe laughed.
"Tell me." Danciana smiled, glancing briefly at Gonzalo. See? She was the prize, a potential daughter in-law.
"Fifty!" Lupe screamed in excitement, obviously trying to impress Gonzalo. "Fifty karate gold."
"I can't wait to see you in that beautiful dress my child." Danciana said, stretching out her hand across the table to gently squeeze Lupe's fingers. "May the goddess be with you."
"And you too mother." Lupe smiled. "My prince, is your wedding suit ready?"
"It should." Gonzalo answered, uninterested in the conversation. "Mother I have business to attend to." He rose to his feet then looked at Lupe. "My lady, enjoy the rest of your time."
"You too, prince charming." Lupe smiled.
Gonzalo stormed out of the room, very quickly.
Boris pushed Ashina into the smelly small storage room. "This is your new home. Get some rest, and in thirty minutes, be at the kitchen to scrub the floors." Boris instructed then left the storage room.
Ashina laid on the floor, wincing in pain. She was badly wounded and bleeding. She glanced up when she heard someone's footsteps.
"If you want to stay alive, then you must avoid my son, he will kill you on sight. Understood?" Danciana asked.
"Yes your highness." Ashina managed to let the words out.
"You are now a slave to this palace, forever." Danciana stated.
Ashina nodded her head understanding everything that was said. She had left her luxurious city to come to this small town for holiday, to unwind and enjoy. She was in for a long ride, sponsored by some ruthless alpha prince and his witch of a mother.