Chapter 4 Four

Nuella’s pov

I didn’t know how long I was out for but it was definitely long enough for me and whoever was piloting this ride to go outside our borders.

I stirred around in the tight box I was thrown in. I barely had enough space for my legs to fully stretch and I could feel my neck starting to ache.

As I tried to regain my consciousness and began to have flashbacks of what happened.

The blood on the streets of that small village, that cursed symbol, my father’s bloody face, the shouting, preparing my horse…

My eyes flew open the moment I finally pieced everything together. 

The box was so small that I could even feel the aggressive thumping of my heartbeat through my fingers.

“Father…” I called out.

The scuffling noises I kept hearing from outside stopped.

“Papa. Papa, what's going on?” I groaned.

“Is this about the money? I’ll—I’ll give it to you.” I choked on my own words.

I knew for a fact they could hear me but they didn’t respond.

After a while they continued moving.

Panic began to rise with me with each passing second. 

Was he going to kill me? Or worse, was he finally done with my stubbornness and decided to send me to a breeding camp?!

“No!” I roared. 

“You won’t take me to any camp, I refuse to go!” I banged against the wooden box feeling myself getting suffocated by the lack of air inside it.

No matter how hard I cried or screamed he didn’t stop or respond to me.

I laid there in the box feeling myself being carried to a place I have no idea of.

THUD!

I jerked up the moment the box landed on a flat surface with a loud thud.

“Ha…ha…” I heaved heavily, feeling my lungs about to give out.

We’ve finally stopped. Where are we?

I heard scuffling around me. People touched the box, knocked on it and even lifted it up but no one opened. 

“Take it up!” I heard a loud voice boom from on top of me.

What in the name of the moon goddess is going one?!

I felt myself being lifted up by some kind of crane.

“Papa?!” I screamed.

“What’s going on?! Please stop this! Please!”

The wooden box began to creak loudly. I’m being turned and tossed around as the crane moves the box around. After a while of being carried around the crane groaned to a stop before slowly laying the box on a flat surface.

At this point my heart is racing in my ears.

It’s quiet for a while before a crowbar penetrates the inside of the box.

“Ah!” I screamed loudly as I narrowly missed it.

“She’s in there!” My father’s voice yelled out. 

“Papa!” I screamed again.

I heard heavy scuffling before someone was thrown to the ground.

The quiet doesn’t last long as the box is torn open by claws.

Sharp light stung my eyes and I closed them immediately.

Slowly I opened my eyes, trying to get used to the sudden brightness.

Once adjusted I looked around me to see a totally different environment.

Everything about where I found myself screamed power.

The ceilings stretched so high they disappeared into darkness while black pillars lined both sides of the hall like silent guards watching my every move. Giant wolf skulls decorated the walls and crimson banners hung from above stained with old blood. 

I began to shiver in fear as the air inside the throne room felt heavy.

I turned to my right to see my father pressed hard into the ground by a palace guard. 

My father’s eyes finally met mine and he turned them away in guilt.

Dangling from the neck of the guard the stood over my father was the one symbol I prayed with my life that I never wanted to see again.

“Father…” I called out painfully.

At the very end of the throne room sat two thrones. And sitting on those thrones were two very familiar silhouettes. 

Silhouettes that represented evil and danger. 

I couldn’t see their eyes from how far back I was but I knew for a fact those eyes were on me like a predator who had already caught its prey in its teeth. 

The whole room fell quiet before my father managed to speak from under guard that pressed him tot he ground.

“I brought you the money…” his breath came out haggard and shallow. “And also,” he pointed towards me. “I brought you my daughter, as requested.”

“What?! No, no, no.” I tried to move back but strong arms grabbed my legs and pulled me towards the brothers.

“I’m not the one you want! It’s not me!” I kicked and screamed but no one paid me any mind. 

The closer I got to where the brothers sat, the thinner the air got.