A/N: Hey! Thank you sooo very much for all of those who reviewed and heave read! You have no idea how happy I am! I wasn't expecting to update so soon, because I have a lot of studying to do, so the chapter isn't as long as I would've liked. But I was so excited that I wanted to update.
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or The Bride and The Beast.
This takes place right as the Black Dragon arrives and sees Bella. So It explains the ending of the last chapter. There was much more than what happened. hmm What was going through the Black Dragon's mind?
Chapter Four
IV
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At the moment the Black Dragon arrived…
The rain cascaded down The Black Dragon's dark leather chest plate. His hair was drenched soak, making him appear the even more threatening. With his hand, he absentmindedly stroked his hair back to keep the hair from being plastered in front of his eyes. He then clenched his fists, which made his leather gauntlets stifle a sound.
He stood there, staring at this vulnerable woman tied to the pillar. He stared trying to comprehend the meaning of this. He had specifically demanded certain items, none he knew the village had in their possession or could ever acquire, which was the exact meaning. But, they have decided to sacrifice one of their own, how charming, so humble... so god damn egocentric.
He curled his lip in a snarl, recalling the events of eight years ago.
The Black Dragon thought to himself, his eyes staring beyond the hazy downpour of sense of reason was being lost in his own vengeful ravenous mind.
'The people deserve to suffer! Damn the whole kingdom! They, who stood like cowards; they allowed the enemy to pry rule from the bloody hands of the king… my father! Where is loyalty? It is damned now!'
The Black Dragon sneered a menacing laugh. He looked as if he was insane, laughing to himself, with his mind in some dark place – no light could reach there.
'Did you think that the last heir to the throne died that night as well? I couldn't let myself bleed to death after hearing my father's dieing wish. I recollect it all so clearly…In his last breath, he cursed the kingdom under the hellfire of the Dragon…The family crest's beast.'
'I am the Dragon awakened. I am my father's curse. It's they who decide when to end the curse; when they see fit to place me as king.'
The rain began to thunder heavily on the firm ground and on the stones around him. It resembled a thunderous dirge, awaiting the death of the kingdom.
'…I am waiting most anxiously.'
A crack of lighting brought the Black Dragon back from the darkest corner of his mind. The rain continued to run down his face.
His eyes caught sight of the woman once again in the flash of lighting. He saw her hung limply by her wrists, as if she was some creature to be slaughtered. A strong urge of hate coursed through him, seeing the selfishness of sacrificing a woman for the sins of the whole town. It truly sickened him, for betrayal was the worst sin.
Take the Apostle Judas for example, he betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Looked what happened to him, he hung himself. Betrayal always leads to dreadful things…
The Black Dragon's diet did not include young maidens, but the insufferable pain of those who did him wrong. Perhaps he didn't write that so visibly and eloquently down in his demand.
Maybe he will make it clear of their unforgivable sin when he torches the town. That may possibly open their eyes to their error, and make up a better offering… their own lives.
He stared back at the woman; observing the rain pounding down against her aggressively. The rain had soaked her thin dress and plastered itself tightly around her frame. He swallowed hard, turning his face away in aggravation.
He felt some pity for the maiden, but no more than that. He couldn't allow such things puncture through his façade of unswerving vengeance. Nothing could stop him from getting what he desired.
He clenched his fist and turned on his heel, making his boot cut into the mud. His cape soaking wet weighed down behind him, with mud splattered on the fringes of the edge. He would let nature kill the woman. He couldn't afford taking her prisoner; she was of no value to him. If not that, he couldn't allow the risk of anyone knowing the identity of the Black Dragon, or that he was no rampaging dragon, but man.
He was walking away, his boots spattering the mud in his wake, when he heard a weak sound behind him.
"Are you the Black Dragon, sir?" demanded Bella irritatingly, tugging at her wrists bound to the rope.
The Black Dragon stopped dead in his walk and stood silently still, hopping that the young woman would die now to spare him the time. He couldn't allow anyone to know that the Black Dragon was no more than a man. He stood with his back to her, and slowly reached for the hilt of his blade. He knew what had to be done. She had to die.
"Are you, or not?" grimaced Bella, in a fragile, but angered voice. She could barely see anything in front of her, but she knew someone was there. She did feel someone's presence, as if someone was watching her.
There was venom tinged in her voice. "Is the Black Dragon just a simple man? No wings, no fire, no fangs?" She closed her eyes in pain as she tried to move her wrists. The rope just dug mercilessly into her raw flesh. She hissed through her teeth from the seething pain.
"Silly girls shouldn't talk of such dangerous things," growled the Black Dragon, taking his sword out from its leather sheath cautiously. He stared straight ahead of him, not bothering to look behind him, or at his sword.
"Silly boys shouldn't be pretending to be dragons," snapped Bella, her eyes searching through the rain for the Black Dragon. The darkness and rain proved to be an invincible shroud. It made her feel all too vulnerable, and she didn't like being an easy target. She has always been an easy target.
The Black Dragon chuckled a rich, but threatening laugh, which surrounded Bella despite the heavy cascade of rain. She was amusing now, but not for very long.
"My, what a disobedient little sacrifice you are," sneered the Black Dragon, cutting his heel in the mud, directing himself towards the young woman. He would have no mercy; he had to be unheard of. He had killed countless women before, this would be no different, if not easier with her being tied up in the darkness of night.
"What will become of me? I know full well that I won't be your fodder food. In a matter of fact, I would rather be married to a so-called dragon than to be in your hands!" Bella spat, struggling against the pillar, trying to break free from the ropes. Pain screamed throughout her whole body. Her body was sore from the being held up by her wrists, and her wrists felt like they would be severed off from the ropes cutting into them with the coarse fiber.
"A very sharp tongue you have there, lass, which will do best if it was cut out from your mouth. Weren't you ever taught respect or obedience?" snarled the Black Dragon, annoyed at this little conversation. He continued to walk towards Bella, with sword at hand. The rain flowed down the blade and dripped off its edge.
Bella laughed mockingly, "Aren't you the hypocrite? When have you showed respect? Killing innocent people, murdering women and children, burning down villages? I believe I gave you the respect you so justly deserve!" She spat out into the rain and struggled hardly against the rope, but with no hope of escape.
At that moment, a flash of lighting streaked up above, illuminating the courtyard in a quick moment. Bella saw the gleam of a sword blade in the light, and she shouted. "Coward!"
Her heart quickened its pace as she knew that her life was quite close to death. Her breaths were deeper and more rapid, she struggled keeping her mind straight. Her body was in a weak state, it was desperate to submerge back into unconsciousness, but she made her will to fight it back.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, coward - is that what you call me?" The Black Dragon curved the edge of his mouth in a smirk. "Now, who is it that dares call me such a name? I don't believe I've ever been given such a foul name before. Nay, I can't say I have, and I don't like it."
Bella struggled to keep her eyes open, as everything was turning blurry; her senses were slowly leaving her. She had to be strong, if not only for a little bit longer. She won't die without giving a fight, if only it was verbal. She won't allow the satisfaction of an easy kill.
"Come, give me your name, before I cut out your tongue and let you bleed to death," growled the Black Dragon growing impatient, as he was slowly walking forward with his hilt in hand. He knew that she was unable to see his face in this darkness and in her current weak state.
"Why should I, if I am only going to be dead not too long from now? My name won't matter, but be another burden for you to remember," questioned Bella with hate weighed in her voice, fighting against succumbing to unconsciousness, praying for her body to keep up just a little while longer.
"I just am curious of the name of the silly girl who dared challenge me. That is simply all," The Black Dragon spoke plainly, pulling from his cape a black hood over his face, shadowing over his features as he stood only a few paces away from Bella. His sword at the ready.
Bella, close to the brink of fainting, spoke with all her energy, scathed with anger and defiance, "The name of the silly girl who defied you is Isabella."
The Black Dragon, about to pierce the young woman's stomach with his sword, stood silently still.
Bella held her breath, waiting the impending thrust of the sword, but only to feel the rain against her the farbric over her skin. No cold severing blade touched her flesh. She was losing herself, and was trying to see what had happened to the change in heart. But she was unable to fight any longer, and drifted off into the comforting darkness, where she was not cold or wet. She couldn't care less if she was dead, if only to escape the pain of living.
The Black Dragon stared at the young woman's face only an arm reach away. Her face was angelic, yet pale from the rain and coldness. Her brunette hair was dampened against her cheeks. He noticed Bella's eyes fluttered closed, and soon her body went limp instead of being tense. He stared down at her body, seeing the soaked dress clinging close against her skin. He could see her breasts confined underneath the wet linen and he immediately snapped his eyes away, for he would surely go mad. As if something was burning him inside from only staring at her. He pushed back his hood, continuing to look away from the young woman.
Somehow, unable to explain this strange occurrence, something snapped within him. Like a chain that has been shackled to him for so long has been broken. He was unable to describe this sensation that burned within him. This woman had inexplicably rendered him silent.
The sword fell from his leather gauntlets into the mud, spattering mud over the clean blade. The Black Dragon swallowed hard, and backed away in disbelief. He walked underneath the stone gate and leaned against the wet stone confused in thought.
He didn't forget the girl who defied him eight years ago. She was the one who fell from the tree and struck him down. The very same evening when he was riding off to the castle… the same evening where his family was murdered…where he was left without a name, but a curse. That day is raked on to his memory for it was the day he swore vengeance. How could he forget the girl that dared to defy him on that day? He knew that it had to be her. She just grown up, but remained a silly girl. That haunting day repeated constantly in his mind. It always began with an angel falling from heaven and a demon coming up from Hell.
He laughed hauntingly underneath the stone gate. The rain made a veil over the stone edifice as it curtained down.
'So, after all these years, we meet again? However, there is no tree nymph falling from trees, but only a dragon burning down villages. What an interesting tale we have.'
The Black Dragon backed off from the stone with his hand leaning against the stone to hold his weight. A wry grin tugged at his mouth.
'I believe a punishment is in order for that silly girl. She has been very ill behaved. Better teach her respects and manners, for she is the only one that can be mine…'
A flash of lighting flashed in the clouds above, and a low growl came from the back of his throat. ' I want the one who I can't have. '
He stepped out from underneath the stone gate and pursued where Bella was tied. He was in a sense pleased how Isabella was brought to him like this. How easily she could be taken into his possession and under his wing. But, a raging fire roared within him at the very thought of those sinners binding up Bella as a sacrifice and leaving her to die. If he hadn't have come, she would've perished in the storm. If she had died, They all would die.
He stopped mid-stride seeing what was before him. His eyes stared unwavering and possessively at the woman before him tethered to the stone pillar. It was as if someone pierced a sword through his chest.
He passively walked over to the woman, his leather boots splashing in the mud, and cape flapping behind him. The lighting flashed overhead, and a low growl escaped his mouth.
The Black Dragon only growled obsessively three simple words as his eyes burned at Bella.
"You are mine."
He kicked up his sword from the mud, causing it to fly up in the air and catching the hilt gracefully in his hand. A new surge of fury flowed in his veins thinking of the villagers who dared do this to his woman. They will pay dearly; at the cost will be their lives, if not more.
He walked up to Bella and wedged the sword between her wrist and the rope and slashed it off in one simple movement. The rope loose from her wrist, sent her to fall down lifelessly, but only to be caught in the possessive arms of the Black Dragon.
He whispered selfishly in Bella's ear, "Look, you didn't make me collapse this time as you fell down, nor shall you ever will."
He whistled and a thunder of hooves came forth underneath the stone gate. A brilliant black stallion stormed obediently to his master. The marvelous creature was not afraid of the lightning or thunder. The horse trotted to his master's side and waited patiently.
The Black Dragon placed Bella over the saddle of the horse, and he pulled himself onto the saddle in one swift motion. He firmly grabbed Bella and held her tightly in his embrace, making sure she would be safe for the journey back to his keep.
He grabbed the reins in his right hand and clucked his tongue, sending the horse to gallop swiftly under the stone gate and downhill in the pouring rain.
A/N: I hope you continue to read and reviews are always welcomed! :D Please do continue to read, people! I promise there will be much more in the next chapter! I will try to update soon as well!