EMILY POV
I am once again alone in the room, wondering about what to do. It is now dark, and the candles provide the only light inside the room after Evenly and Maria left. My mind is flooded with thoughts of Eron and what he might be doing now inside the brothel.
The way Evenly and Maria spoke about Eron, with a hint of reverence in their voices, surprised me a lot. They made me believe that he was a complicated man but that he cared deeply for me.
They wanted me to hate him and get afraid whenever he's with me, but I can't do that, something is telling me he's not the way people talk about him.
I couldn't imagine the cold distance of Eron I had encountered since I arrived here. And then there was something about the "curse" Esther mentioned, about me helping him break it. What could it all mean together?
As curiosity got the better of me, I made up my mind that I needed to see what Eron could be doing or up to in the brothel Evenly and Esther mentioned earlier. Maybe there was more to this story than what they had told me.
I decided to approach the door, steeling my nerves. I looked around cautiously so that no one would see me leaving the chamber.
The hallway to the palace gate was unusually empty, which made my task easier, but there were a few guards stationed at the end of the hallway.
Silently, I managed to slip out of the room and made my way toward the entrance of the palace gate. As I walked slowly, I prayed that I would not be noticed.
"Princess Emily, where are you going?" one of the guards asked, dressed in black military attire, his brow furrowed as I reached the gates.
I didn't know what to tell them; I couldn't reveal the truth about my plan to visit the brothel. "I, I, um, I just need to get some fresh air and walk around the grounds," I lied, trying to put on a positive face and praying they wouldn't see through my deception.
They exchanged glances but reluctantly accepted my explanation. "Very well, we believe you. Just be very careful and don't go far from the palace."
"Thank you very much. If I need anything else, I will let you know," I replied, offering them a smile to show how grateful I was before rushing out to the gate and heading toward the town.
Even Maria had given me directions to the brothel, but they were vague and not very explanatory. I found myself hesitating as I walked toward a building that looked familiar, as if I had been there before.
"What if Eron is really there? What will you do?" I asked myself.
I didn't have an answer. What if he was surrounded by other women? He was a prince, and he could do anything he wanted; many princes had mistresses.
I was just an ordinary woman who could only get jealous of my husband. The thoughts twisted my stomach with a mix of hurt, jealousy, and anger.
But I needed to know the truth. I summoned my courage and took a deep breath as I approached the brothel door. I opened it with both hands. To my surprise, I found no guards inside and stepped into the establishment.
I was taken aback by the scene unfolding before my eyes; it was exactly as I had been told, how a brothel looked at night.
Naked women danced and gyrated in the middle while many men danced with them and drank. The air was thick with smoke, and the smell of alcohol and ale filled the atmosphere. I couldn't believe Eron could be in a place like this.
I decided to search for him, looking around the room for any sign of Eron. Suddenly, I felt a rough hand grab my wrist, and a voice whispered in my ear.
"Wow, what beauty do we have here? What are you doing in a strange place like this? You shouldn't be wandering around dressed like that."
I felt scared. Had I made a mistake coming here? Nobody seemed to pay attention to us. I tried to pull away from the man, but his grip tightened.
"Let me have a taste of you. How much do you weigh? I can pay you well," he said in a husky voice.
"I am not for sale," I said, my voice trembling with fear. "Please leave me alone," I demanded.
The man laughed, leaning closer and placing his mouth on my neck, his hot breath sending chills down my spine. "I don't think I can leave you alone. If you name your price, I will surely have a taste of you."
Suddenly, I heard a cracking sound, and the man's grip loosened. I turned to see him rolling on the floor, his left hand bent at an unusual angle; I could even see the bone protruding, and blood stained the floor.
"Who are you? What do you think you're doing? Did you think you could touch what is mine?" a familiar voice shouted like thunder.
I looked up to see Eron standing there, his eyes blazing with fire, his golden irises now burning like flames.
The scene before me made me shiver and left me speechless. I had never seen him this angry before.
"Prin—Prince Eron, I didn't know she was yours," the man stammered, still cradling his injured hand.
Eron did not utter a word. I felt the temperature in the room rise, and the fire in his eyes seemed to intensify. I had never witnessed anything like this before.
He grabbed my hand and began dragging me out.
I didn't know what to say to this man in front of me—my husband. I wanted to be afraid of him, but I couldn't bring myself to be. I needed to understand this man. Did he just call me his own? Did he care for me? All these questions raced through my mind as he pulled me out of the brothel.