Aria's POV
I paced my cell feeling like a caged animal. I couldn't help but think about the events that had led me here. I had been a princess, born into a life of luxury and privilege, but it had been a gilded cage. My father, had always been cruel, abusive and controlling, dictating every aspect of my life.
But it was when he tried to force me into an arranged marriage with Lord Ambrose, the Lord of Ravenswood that I had realized I had to escape.
I had no false notions that my father cared about me. The fact that he only saw me as a pawn to be used in his game of power and politics was a poorly hidden secret in the castle.
But the thought of being married off to a man like Ambrose, a man who was almost as old as my father and who was more cruel and abusive than my father, was too much to bear.
I had tried to reason with my father, to plead with him to reconsider, but he had refused to listen. He had told me that I would do as I was told, that I would marry the lord and produce an heir, no matter what I wanted.
Then he proceeded to beat me within an inch of my life.
I remembered screaming until my voice turned hoarse, the emotionless faces of my father's guards as I pleaded and begged for mercy, the maids' blank faces as they patched me up and locked me in my room for weeks.
That was when I had realized that I had to escape. I had packed a small bag and snuck out of the castle, making my way into the forest.
I thought back to my childhood, to the times when my father had hit me and starved me. I had always been a disappointment to him, never good enough, never obedient enough. And now, as I stood in the cell, I realized that
I hated my father, it was a realization that came too late. I had always had hope in my mind that one day he'll love me. That if I did everything he asked he would give me the attention I desperately craved. Looking back, my thoughts had been childish, nothing but wishful thinking. I hate him for the pain and the suffering he had inflicted on me. The marriage was my breaking point. It was all it took for me to realize I had to leave or die trying.
I realize that if I hadn't left I wouldn't have crossed path with Kael who wants god's know what with me, I wouldn't be standing in a dingy cell trapped and helpless instead I would've been wed to a man worse than my father. I shuddered at the thought. I don't know which is worse, Kael or Lord Ambrose.
I sat on the cold, stone floor of the cell, my back against the wall as I let out a sob. The tears streamed down my face, hot and uncontrollable, as I felt the weight of my situation crushing me. I was trapped, helpless, something I vowed to never feel again.
I had tried to hold it together, to keep my chin up and my spirit unbroken, but it was no use. The reality of my situation had finally sunk in, and I was overwhelmed by the feeling of hopelessness that had been building inside me.
I thought of the freedom I had never gotten to experience, to make my own choices. And now, the possibility of all that was gone.
I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, with no lifeline in sight. I felt my body shake with sobs, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally, and I didn't know how much more I could take.
I thought of Kael's words, his taunts and his teasing. I thought of the way he looked at me, with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. And I felt a wave of anger wash over me, anger at myself for being so weak, for letting him get to me like this.
But the anger was short-lived, replaced by a deep sadness and a sense of loss. I felt like I had lost myself, like I was no longer the person I used to be. I was a prisoner, a captive, and I didn't know if I would ever be free again.
As the tears finally began to subside, I looked around the cell, taking in the cold, grey stone, the iron bars, and the small, narrow bed. It was a bleak and unforgiving place, a place where hope went to die.
Kael's POV
Kael stood in the shadows, watching as she broke down in the cell. He had been observing her for some time, studying her reactions and trying to understand what made her tick. But as he saw her collapse to the floor, overcome with emotion, he felt a deep sense of despair wash over him.
He had expected her to be strong, to resist and fight back against her captivity. She had initially but he hadn't expected her to crumble, revealing a vulnerability that he hadn't anticipated.
He felt a darkness stirring within him. It was growing harder to control, Aria entices it. It want to destroy her and he feared that if he didn't find a way to rein it in, it would consume them both. He hoped that Aria wouldn't be the one to suffer the consequences, that she wouldn't be dragged into the abyss of his own making. But as he looked at her, helpless and trapped, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was playing a losing game with the darkness and it was only a matter of time before he loses.