I mentally slapped myself as I realised what I had said. I focused my eyes back onto the woman that the princess had beaten to near death. The lady was still crying and screaming in pain as guards came and escorted her out of the castle. I heard the music shift towards a calm and soothing melody. I guess they wanted to kill the tension that was lingering in the room. I saw everyone pair up as they broke out into a waltz. Multiple royals asked for my hand but I didn’t want their hand, I wanted her hand. Princess Kein. I wanted to look into her eyes one last time and feel her glare crack my soul.

“Wanna dance..?”

A soothing high pitch voice interrupted my thoughts. I blinked out of my haze and noticed a girl with short brown hair and yellow eyes piercing into my soul. I turned my head left and right to see if she was talking to someone else but to my demise, I knew she was talking to me. I sighed and nodded my head with disappointment. The girl smiled and practically dragged me towards the center of the dance floor as she led me into a waltz. Her shimmery golden dress basically blinded my eyes due to the lights reflecting off of each rhinestone she had on her dress. 

“Heavenly lord! Who designed your dress?! I’m losing my sense of vision because of it!”

I closed my eyes as I felt the girl’s grip on my left hand tighten. She was clearly upset but I didn’t give one damn. She deserved all of my rude comments about her horrific dress. She ruined my chance of dancing with the princess. She ruined this ball with her disgusting outfit. She had brought shame upon her family name.

A sudden chill went down my spine. I felt as if someone was glaring at me. The chills got worse as the girl spun me around and pushed me towards the punch bowls. I tripped over my gown and crashed into the table, causing the music to stop and giving everyone enough time to see what the hell just happened. 

“Don’t look at me!” I yelled as I covered my face with my stained gloves.

Everyone began to laugh and whisper about how silly and embarrassing I looked. Sitting in a puddle of punch, a punch bowl on my head, a messed up dress, and tears rolling down my face. Yeah, I have never felt so pathetic in my life until today. I became nothing more than a laughing stock, even towards the people that bowed down the moment they saw me. That’s when I cracked, my emotions had enough as I broke out into a huge cry. 

The laughing got louder as my crying got out of control. I knew father was disappointed in me and I knew mother was watching me from the stars, crying with me. 

I crumpled up my dress and got up to run away but something held me back. Well, not something, someone. My eyes widened as I saw, Princess Kein holding me in a tight embrace. I felt her chest heave in as the ballroom became windy. I winced from the breeze as it got stronger. The ballroom began to fly up in the air as the lights fell to the ground and shattered into tiny crystals. I soon heard gasps and screams as heels and shoes clicked against the pavement of the ballroom floor. My sadness was replaced with fear as I unknowingly pushed the princess away. I heard a loud growl as I ran through the dark room. I tripped over something but quickly gained my balance as my adrenaline increased. I made it towards the stairs as the guards helped everyone evacuate the castle. That’s when it hit me.

“Where is the princess?! Where is Princess Kein?!”

I spun around, only to come face to face with two sets of bloodshot eyes. My legs caved in as I fell onto the ground screaming.

“M-M-Monster! A monster!”

The creature that took up the whole ballroom looked as if it was my choice of words but I was too scared to even care. The creature released a wretched roar, baring its sharp teeth at me. I took off my heels and threw it at the creature. I took off anything sharp and threw it at the creature, hitting it in its eyes. The creature wailed in pain as the room soon gained its light. The lightness came from nowhere as I watched the beast’s eyes shrink. I followed every little moment until what I saw made me stop everything I was doing. The creature shifted into Princess Kein. 

My jaw dropped as she walked towards me. Her head was facing downwards as her hands were in tight fists. She stopped when she was right in front of me. I backed away from her as I edged towards the door, my eyes never leaving her. She relaxed her hands and pointed towards the door.

“Get out…”

I stood up to run away but my body didn’t move. My body subconsciously reached out a hand towards her, only for it to get slapped away.

“I said leave!”

“Princess Kein, wait,” I said in a shakened voice.

She raised her head and my heart dropped. She had tears running down her face.

“I’m nothing but a monster! Get out...Now!”

She slammed her foot down and that was all my body needed to send me running for the hills. I rushed out of the castle and ran through the crowd until I found my father. He was anything but okay. He hugged me tightly as he glanced up towards the side of the castle. I followed his gaze and saw his highness. He had a face of disgust as he looked down at us. I think this is why he kept his daughter hidden. She’s a beast shifter. Yet I don’t know what kind of beast she is. Well, whatever the hell she is, I don’t want to be near her ever again. Forget about those feelings I had about her.

“She is nothing but a monster,” I whispered under my breath.

The King said nothing, he just walked back into the castle, causing the guards to force us all into our carriages. We all got into our carriages and were about to leave but all the guards spoke in unison.

“WORDS FROM THE KING! ANYONE THAT STEPS NEAR THIS CASTLE SHALL BE KILLED ON THE SPOT! YOU MUST ALL NEVER SPEAK OF THIS NIGHT! STAY AWAY AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE! I, YOUR KING, WILL NO LONGER SERVE YOU ALL ANYMORE! TODAY WAS THE LAST STRIKE FOR YOU ALL!  YOU ARE ALL ALONE FROM NOW ON! YOU ALL SAID YOU WOULD WELCOME MY DAUGHTER AS SHE IS YET YOU ALL FAILED! NOW LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN!”

With that, our carriages took off and once we left the castle, they drew up the bridge and that was the last time we would ever see the castle again.

The King meant what he said when he said we were all on our own, and his words were the whole reason why he was dead and his daughter was missing. Our town went down the hill and we went from rich to poor in a flash. When I say we, I mean everyone except my father and I. We were still wealthy but that didn't change the fact that our town was in trouble and people were killing each other just for a piece of gold. The King and his daughter weren't the real monsters, their subjects were. I failed to realize that until the day came that a new royal family took over our town, leaving our home castle to shrubble up and break down.

When I thought things were over and fixed, I was wrong.

This was only the beginning..