Valor P.O.V

  Reluctantly my father allows me to leave without a punishment. Saying that I already have enough wounds to explain away at the wedding. The healer did give me some remedies to help with the swelling and to relieve my pain. However, the bruising will still take several days to vanish.

  Alva stands outside the dining hall, fidgeting with her hands. Before I can say anything, she speaks "Is it true, are you marrying that...that woman?" Oh hell, I had hoped to wait with this conversation until the morning.

  "Yes. I am." I felt guilty seeing her sadness. A little over a month ago we talked about how to persuade my father to let us get married. And now I'm marrying someone else. This is a betrayal of my love for her.

  "But why? What are you hoping to get out of doing this?"

  "My goal is to make the voices shut up." As much as I love Alva, I have a responsibility as Prince and future King to see that these voices are dealt with. Love be damn, I can not go around with thoughts of torturing people.

  Alva takes my hand into hers. "Valor, dear, you cannot go through with this. I know that this past month has been difficult, but this is not the solution."

  Disbelief rushed through me. How can she ask me not to go through with this, when she is the one leaving me? "Do not pretend you care now. You have been avoiding me, ever since this curse began, and now you are leaving."

  "Valor, that is not fair. You hurt me, I know it was the curse. But you still frighten me, and every time I look at you, I remember that. But it does not mean I stopped loving you, I just need time."

  "I do not have time. The curse worsens by the day. and I am not sure how much longer I can keep living with it.-" At this very moment the the curse screams for me to push Alva onto the floor and do unspeakable things to her. How can I live like this?

  "I wish things were different, but wishing will not change my faith. This is for the best. After all, Father would never approve of us." I felt disgusted saying that. This is not for the best and I don't care if my father approves of Alva. A few days ago, I was ready to fight for her hand in marriage. But now, marrying the lady I love, no longer matters. This curse has ruined my life, I don't want it to ruin Alva's more than it already has.

  Her lip curled and then she turned away from me. "You know what? You are right. This is for the best. Good luck with your choices, Prince Valor." Her use of my title, stings. She has formally severed our relationship, and she knows that.

  Seeing her leave, I see the future I imagine I one day have disappear. I can't dwell, I can't have regrets. Goodbye, my love. I hope you will forgive me and find happiness.

  "You have a knack for charming women." My uncle says. He is leaning against the wall in the corner, has he been here the whole time?

  "What are you doing here?" I shriek.

  "Walk with me?" He says, taking off.

  When I caught up to him, Uncle Eiran asked, "Are you certain what you are doing is wise?"

  "It is what I have to do."

  "This woman can not be the only one who holds this kind of power. I think you should wait, and search for someone else, someone more trustworthy."

  "Who is to say if we ever find one like her? Are we to hold a singing competition inviting people from near and far in the hope someone with her power shows up?"

  "That would be an entertaining idea." Eiran chuckles.

  We head down a dim hallway. Eiran pauses to light a torch. "I am worried about you. That this marriage will end tragically."

  "As yours did.-" Uncle Eiran was cheated on by his wife. And even when she passed away, he never showed her any forgiveness. "All I need is for her to sing for me. I do not need her to be faithful or even love me." That was a lie. If she stepped out on our marriage, I be furious, and I do not promise that man would live. However, if she did, I could not let it matter, I would forgive her, I forgive anything she do, as long as she sings for me.

  At this very moment, the whisper keeps telling me to burn my uncle with the flame of the torch. "And I could use her singing at the moment," I add.

  The sound of voices echoes in the hall, I can see the dim light from a room where the door is wide open, It's the blue room.

  "How did you get by?"

  "Plenty of odd jobs. Especially near Vouri's copper mine.-" The copper mine? I thought that only criminals worked in that place, that the work is to inhuman to let righteous people work there. "We also fished and hunted, and at times, we relied on my singing."

  Through the door I see Lorelei on the floor, She yawns.

  "I wish we had never left. We had no idea what we were getting into. But we could not have regrets because there was no way back...and all this because of Lennon."

  "Who is Lennon?" I could not stop myself. But instead of responding Lorelei scowls.

  "Your Highness." Captain Basin bows.

  "Who is Lennon?" I repeat. Uncle must be enjoying this. I said I would not care if Lorelei had an affair, and here I am getting angry over her mentioning another man. However, she said that he was the reason she left, therefore I must find out who he is.

  Lorelei stands up and shouts, "It does not matter who he is!"

  Whoever he is, he clearly matters. She would not be acting this way if he didn't. I want to know why. "It sounds like it matters. Captain, who is he?"

  The Captain looks at Lorelei. There is a silent communication between them, she wants him to keep quiet. But he would not dare go against me.

  "Lennon is the name of a royal guard, that died on duty a few years ago." Dead? The man is dead? Didn't Lorelei say the one man she had couites with, is dead. Is that Lennon? Is he why she left? But why?

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "I see-" is all I say. Lorelei's arms are crossed and her face crumpled together in frustration. "How did he die?" I ask.

  "I do not recall most of the details, But I remember he was escorting Princess Zora on her way to visit one of her Lady friends. When a gang of troublemakers attacked. He had his throat cut by them. He died serving the Kingdom."

  He died on duty, is that why? Does she have anger towards the guards because she lost the man she loved? I can understand that, But she was aware of the risk when she took the oath. His death should not be a reason to abandon her oath.

  "It is getting late, and there is a big party tomorrow, so we should leave to get some shut-eye" Uncle Eiran interupts.

  I look at him annoyed, "You are welcome to leave, but I am not done talking."

  Uncle Eiran shrugs. "It is your funeral." He turns and leaves us, the torch still in his hand.

  Captain Basin looks from me to Lorelei and back again. "You can leave too, Captain. Your not needed."

  He bows, saying "As you wish, your Highness... I will send some guards to safe gate the door." He glances at Lorelei, perhaps considering if he should tell her something, but he decides not to. He exits, closing the door behind him, We are alone.

  Lorelei sits down in a chair and turns away from me. Walking into her view, she turns her head to look away. "Tell me about Lennon."

  "Tell me about Alva." She replies.

  "If I tell you about what happened between me and Alva, will you tell me about Lennon?"

  "Sure." I sense a hint of sarcasm. However, I need to show I trust her, because then she might trust me.

  "My mother died last winter in childbirth." I begin, but Lorelei interrupts. "Why are you speaking about that?"

  "Would you let me talk, or are you incapable of being quiet?" I sneered. She may be my saving grace, but she is getting on my nerves.

  I Wait for her to respond and after a minute she rolls her eyes and says "Are you going to continue?" This woman is maddening.

  "At the time, I was studying at Helligaanden monastery, I had been there for mere months, but at my mother's and the baby's passing, I was called home. Returning home, things had changed.-" I had changed.

  The monastery is more than just a place to pray and get closer to God. It is a community, where I had no status. I had to help with maintaining the place, I cooked I cleaned. For the first time in my life, I had to take care of myself. And that's why we are sent there, to grow up. After all, adults know how to take care of themselves.

  "I have known Alva my entire life. She has always been this beautiful, kind girl. Being separated from her, helped me realise I was in love with her. It began with small gestures, talking, holding hands, a quick kiss on the cheek"

  I couldn't help but smile, remembering our courting. It was bliss, I would give anything to go back.

  "Unfortunately, the gossip started. Father was furious when he found out. But for me, it did not matter, I was in love. But something happened a month ago, we went too far."

  "I did not even know about the curse. The curse should take hold when I became a man, I guess I did that day." I was waving and moving my hands while speaking, feeling the want to move and occupy myself rather than speak about this.

  I lean back into the couch. Had I not been in love with Alva, it could have been months, maybe years, before the curse started. I guess that's God's punishment for not waiting for marriage.

  "When the voice spoke, it was as if something evil came and took ahold of my body. The voice, it's seductive way of speaking, I couldn't control myself, I wasn't sure whether it was a dream or real life, and I...I... Alva was there, and I hurt her."

  "That's rough."

  My lips tightened. "Is that all you have to say?

  "What else am I to say? I am sorry. That Alva is stuck with your family." Why is she so mean? Here I am, sharing what is most likely the worst day of my life. And she doesn't care. Does she not have any empathy?

  "What is your problem?"

  "You are?"

  "Me? How can I be your problem? After everything I doing for you. If it was not for me, you would be executed. Instead, I am giving you everything I have to offer. How can you not be satisfied with that?"

  "Because it is not something I want?"

  "What do you want then?" I shout.

  "I do not know," she mumbles.

  I let out a sigh. Why is she so difficult? Is she putting on an act so that she may sway me to change my mind? Or is this truly how she is?

  Hurt her, kill her, bend her arm to it breaks. Even if it is her true self, her terrible way of acting is better than those horrid, horrid voices.

  "You should leave."

  "You still have not told me about Lennon."

  She lets out a frustrated groan. "Why are you so bothered about him? He is dead, he does not matter. Same way he did not matter when he died. So quit trying to care about him, because your family did not care back then. You never do!" She was screaming at me, her hand clenched. Fire in her eyes. For a moment, I feared for my life, but then she sat back down. "All the guards that sacrifice life for your family, and non of you have any care for them."

  I don't want to make her yell at me again, so I steady my voice and speak as if I try to calm a crying child. "Of course I care. I have high regard for all the guards who protect the castle. They are our safety, their sacrifice is the reason I can sleep safely at night."

  "No, you don't! Have you ever attended a funeral for a guard who died for you? Have you done anything to show your gratitude for their sacrifice? Hell, can you even name five guards by their names?" Her face was flustered, and her nostrils flared.

  I look down, not daring to meet her eyes, the shame I feel I can't describe. I haven't done anything wrong. But she makes me feel wrong for not being involved with the guards. Why should I be? I am a Prince. These guards would be nothing if we didn't give them a purpose. I don't understand her anger. Their life would be so much worse if they were not guards, if they even still have a life.

  But I need to understand her reasoning. So that I know the source of her anger, her sorrow. Understanding what she thinks we did wrong is the key to making her open up to me.

  "It must have hurt you a lot to lose Lennon. And I apologise that we did not show him the respect he deserved, it cannot be undone. But you can help us change, to do better for the guards." I think I said the right thing, as she seemed to calm down. She dried her eyes, I hadn't noticed that she was shedding tears.

  "Good night, your Highness," she says. That is all she says. Perhaps it's for the best to let her sleep. We have our whole life to figure out what will make her happy to be here. But there is one thing I like her to do.

  "Very well, then. I will let you sleep if you can let me sleep in peace too. Please sing for me, Lorelei." Push her on the floor and hit her in the face, then kicked her in the stomach to she cough up blood. The voice whispers.

  Lorelei stands up, walking towards the door "I Have a Yong Suster," she sings, the words enter my ears and the voice disappears, I feel such relief. Then She stops singing and open the door. "Leave."

  "Goodnight, but know this conversation is not done."

  Outside the blue room, there are two guards. Upon me leaving, they lock the door. I don't pay too much attention to them. Though Lorelei's words are on the edge of my mind, she is right, I do not care about the guards.

  This is a nightmare that just keeps on going. She hates me. I know she will come to change her mind, but how long am I to be with a woman who despises me? Lorelei will be my wife, whether she wants to or not. But I want her to want to be my wife.

  But she is behaving as if I am a horrible monster. Granted, with this curse I may be, but that is why I need her. She should be delighted to marry me, I am the most desirable man in the Kingdom. I am the crown Prince for heaven's sake. So why does she insist on being upset about it? Is it pride? Or maybe fear?

  A high-pitched meow brings me to a stop. Behind the pillars, a furball hides. "Good evening, Apple," I said, petting the yellow feline. "Screaming for attention again."

  Picking him up, I head for my sleeping chamber. Apple purrs the whole way there. But I have to set him down when I open the door. He rushes inside as soon as the door opens. I leave the door open so he can get out later.

  Some candles are burning on the table, the maid has been here. There is also a folder on the table. The name Shawty is scratched out, and Lorelei is written next to it.

  Reaching for it and I open it to the first page. However, the words are blurred, and my head is too tired to understand them. Yet, one thing I learned is this was not the original. Closing it, I think this better wait to another day.