The beautiful monster

Rose closed her eyes as she melted against the beautiful stranger who was kissing her so passionately. Suddenly flashes of images started flooding her head. Each image playing right in front of her eyes like a vivid memory replaying in a very fast stream. Images of busy cobble stone streets, and dimly lit houses in the middle of winter paraded in front of her closed eyes. But soon the blissful images of unfamiliar smiling faces faded into darkness only to be replaced by the sounds of tormented screams and the smell of dried blood. Images of people being killed and slaughtered flooded her vision. And an image of 'her' parents being torn limb from limb struck her with such force that she was forced to open her azure eyes. She stared at the beautiful monster before her. His eyes glowing with an intensity that held her frozen and panting heavily. They were gold. And warm. But has she seen those eyes before? Those intense gold eyes. And then the vision of her dying parents struck her again along with another image that made it almost hard to breathe. She saw visions of the beautiful stranger standing at the front line of the golden army. His eyes cold and hard unlike now. He was there. It was him. The elven prince of bethmoora. Prince Nuada silver lance. It all made sense now. These images. These visions were her memories long forgotten. And now it is all back to haunt her once more. Like they did so many nights ago when she was a child.

"Y-you! It was you... You killed them... My family, my people!" She half whispered. Tears starting to fall from her eyes. Nuada looked at her with confusion. What was she babbling about? Whom did he kill?

He stared at her. Fear and rage etched in her face.

"I am afraid you will have to be more specific for me to understand what i have done wrong to cross you so. Little one" he sat on the foot of her bed. Tears were rippling down her flushed cheeks. He tried reaching out to her and wipe away her tears but she flinched away from his hand. Nuada felt his heart clench as he saw the obvious fear in her eyes.

"You killed them! Every one...my people.. my kingdom..my family.. all of them.. its you! The elven prince... The silver lance.." Her voice quivered slightly as she held the blankets towards her with an iron grip. Suddenly realization dawned on Nuada as a sinister chuckle erupted from deep inside his chest. Oh how ironically coincidental all this has been. It was her after all. The lost princess of the mortal kingdom. The very kingdom that the golden army put into ruin. Nuada felt the hollowness in his chest eating away at his heart.

Rose stared at Nuada in bewilderment. Why was it him? The one who broke the enchantment. Why him? What will he do to her now. Will he kill her? Will he torture her?

Nuada laughed bitterly as he got up from the bed. His back facing towards the maiden. She was a human. Beautiful but still nothing more than a lowly human. He had fallen into temptation by her beauty and was blinded from the truth. He will not love her. He mustn't. It made his heart break and bitter at the thought. But he will not let her ruin his plans to save his people from fading.

"Tell me what is you name, child?" He said and turned towards her. His voice rang in Rose's ears like a call of danger. No. This cannot be the same man who always came to her in her lonesome tower each night only to tell her stories and speak to her although he knows that she cannot reply.

"My name bears of no importance to you!" She replied. He killed her people. He was a monster. And for that she will not bow down to any of his whims.

Nuada felt his temper slowly slipping away from him. She had a sharp tongue. But his tongue is far sharper than hers and he will not let this human girl get in his way. No matter what he felt for her before, well its gone now! She is nothing more than another insect that he needed to step on.

Rose held on to her heart as she stared into his furious gold eyes. Suddenly he was already in front of her. His face only inches from hers. He grabbed her face in his large hand. His grip was strong and painful but not enough to leave a bruise. He held her so that he could look at her straight in the eyes.

"You will tell me your name!" He growled. And his intense gaze bore into her.

"Or what?! What will you do?" Rose spat. She hated him. He was a monster. An evil glint shone in his eyes. And Nuada chuckled loudly.

"Or i will break that pretty little neck of yours" he threatened almost too venomously. He gripped her throat and squeezed a bit too forcefully. Rose could feel the air leave her lungs with a violent cough. Tears burned the back of her eyes as she fought to breathe. But his strength was just too much for her. She could see spots dancing in front of her eyes.

"R-ro-r-rose..." She coughed and he finally let go of her neck. She sputtered and coughed for air. Her lungs burned as much needed oxygen entered her lungs forcefully. Nuada pulled away from her. His face was dark and hard with bitter hatred.

"Soon i will purge all of humanity. And you will be the lucky one to witness it all happen right before your very eyes." He looked distant and thoughtful.

"You're mad!" Rose said as her breathing evened out again. He stared at her for a moment before leaning into her ear.

"Not all great things can be done with sanity alone dear child. Remember that" he hissed and pushed himself off from her. He stalked towards the wardrobe and retrieved a dress and threw the garment on the bed along with a heavy red velvet cloak.

"Get changed. We will leave at the break of dawn." And then he went out the door leading into the spiraling stair case.

He will take her with him and show her what the world has become. How the humans destroy the earth with their pollution and waste. And he will show her how he will destroy their greedy and selfish world. Yes. Soon she will see who the real monsters are. And soon she will perish with them.

'But the princess cannot escape the beautiful monster for he had bound her with chains and shackles. he carried her into a different world where no one can find her. A world full of greed and darkness'