It’s at stake again, it’s dangerous again
So bad why, we are, yeah

To withstand it more, to sustain it more
So hard hard, it can’t

This is an era of 1832, The age of magic .

The age of magic has several different continents. Out of which The Anawin realm is the largest one. King Metawin and Queen Lily named it after their son, Prince Anawin. They are the monarchs. They are the pillar of the realm. The Anawin kingdom is known for striking and gaze arresting things. It’s hard working citizens, games like chess and fighting battles. The kingdom has humans, every kingdom has humans but fairies? Only the Anawin realm is blessed with them. Every individual has their own. The weather is cold throughout the year. There is no spring or rain. Just cold winds and snow most of the time. If you walk into any part of the kingdom your ears will be blessed with loud and cheerful citizens, the street dance, the street shops, the street fights. Everyone is restless and full of liveliness. There is also magic that resides in the kingdom but its power is only accessible to the monarchs. The kingdom has everything. Valleys. Rivers. Mountains. Forest. Name anything and you will find it right here. 

Valley of love where individuals who are in love visit to plant the tree of their love and if their love is strong enough, it will grow so large but if not……… 

Talking about forbidden things is not acceptable in the kingdom. Neither does anyone know what they are. But, what if the monarch is faced with one? 

Total of eight people surrounded him in a circle. He was standing in the centre. Cracking his neck from side to side. The half naked body was covered with a bunch of tattoos, no one knew the meaning. Most of the hall was dark, only a few rays of sunshine were falling onto his skin and face. His eyes spoke of emptiness. His tongue spoke of thirst for blood. His limbs spoke of thirst for flesh. A small knife in his hands. Which he called ‘Dagger’ 

People cheered when one of them attacked him. He smiled and started moving in circles to take them one by one. Every cut in the flesh was so accurate that it immediately killed them. He was standing in the same position as he started in. Smiling. It sent chills down people's spine. There was something so forbidden about him. 

 The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor covered with an exquisite rug. The prince was picking on his delicate silk sleeves, as he moved back and forth. His royal servants were sitting with their knees folded on the wooden floor. They kept staring at each other. 

The prince stared outside the large, draped window wishing to find something that would spark his interest but all he saw was dense grass and the view which he had grown whether weary of. 

“Your highness, I wish to suggest something” 

Prince Anawin quickly turned his body and leaned against the window. 

“What is it?” 

“I believe you will like the dagger fight” 

“Unbelievable” The other servant said “Do you even know what you are suggesting?” 

Prince Anawin squinted his eyes at them as both of the servants snickered at each other. 

“What is “dagger”?”

“Your highness, I think you should not-

The prince raised his hands to silence him, the fingers were adorned with silver and diamond rings. 

The other servant smirked a little before continuing “It’s a small knife. Damon is his name. He is the one who formulated “Dagger fight” my father sworn that it is one of the most exquisite things he has seen” 

Prince Anawin raised his eyebrows. His green ores staring at the floor

“Your highness, I have also heard that he is cursed!” 

“Absolute lies!” 

Prince Anawin walked closer to them “Cursed?” 

“He has these eccentric symbols all over his torso and people believe that it is because he is cursed” 

“I wish to see him and his little game” Anawin rushed to say and went back to his window dismissing the servants. He could hear them arguing outside.

“You must be out of your mind ” A small soft voice with a little bit of mocking spoke into Anawin’s ears. It was his fairy.

“Where were you all this morning?” 

“I have a romantic life unlike you, your highness” Her pink skirt twirled as she circled around Anawin. Her blonde braids moving too

Anawin rolled his eyes and walked to sit down on the bed, his fairy coming face to face with him, she poked his nose with her legs

“The name Damon sounds scary” 

Anawin sighed “and do I look like I am afraid?”

“No, but you should be careful” she sat on his hair “I do not want to watch my prince die” 

“Your humour is funny” 

Prince Anawin. He was loved by everyone. He is the first heir in the bloodline to get this much attention and love for his personality and physical appearance. He had deep big green eyes. He had beautiful fluffy hair in the colour of brown. Those who got to stand in close proximity to him said that he smelled like lavender mixed with wood. His love for jewelleries was known in the other continents too. He was kind, cheerful and easy to talk to, he did not have that attitude of the prince. The prince liked to paint and was surprisingly good at it considering the fact that no one in his bloodline ever picked up a paint brush. He also loved to horse ride. But, everyone has their unsatisfactory sides, yes? Prince Anawin did not like it if he did not get what he wanted. He has always seen himself as someone who has the final words in everything. He had the magic power to captivate anyone with his gaze if he wanted to. There is no one who was spared if he tried to use his magic power, only a fool would not be reacting to it. Or he thought so…

“The ball is coming too” His fairy said, the topic which Anawin hated with his whole heart

“I don’t need to be reminded of that” 

“But, you have to-

“My moon!” A voice of warmth and love called for the prince

“Come in, Mother” Anawin got up and greeted his mother 

“I wanted to talk to you about-

“The upcoming ball” Prince finished her sentence and dropped himself back on the bed “Mother, don’t you know my preference?”

His mother quickly approached him and sat beside him “Don’t be so loud” She said as if someone is hearing them

Prince turned to face her “I fancy men” he said quietly

“Yes, and your father fancy blood. He would kill you and me both if he gets to learn about this” Queen Lily said in agony 

Anawin knew what she meant, his father would hang him and drown him in the hot oil if he learned about this preference of the prince that he himself had raised.

“My moon, you see, if you follow the societal norms and fit into it, no one would dare to point their finger at you. Please understand that you are going to be the king of the realm. You need to have a wife and an heir. You can indulge in any inappropriate matters behind your family’s back but please do not bring the hell upon yourself” The queen said in rush, as if she won’t get to explain this anymore

“That is not right” He looked straight into his mother’s eyes “My heart will never vouch for that” 

“Sometimes you need to listen to your mind. You need to find a wife. Your father is asking me about the suitors everyday”

“Mother, I wanna marry someone I lo-

“With your situation, it is not possible!!!!!!” Her voice rise and her breathe quickens, she calmed herself down “You don’t understand, my moon” She started caressing his hair, looking at his fairy who was clearly scared she mumbled sorry to her and said “I just do not want to anger the king in any way and believe me neither do you. You should find a wife by this year and the ball is the best solution. I know an acquaintance, she is very smart and believe me she is only looking for a power chair to sit on. I am sure she would not even question you for your future actions” 

Anawin sighed and it is not like he does not understand where his mother is coming from but the shame he felt even without doing anything is unbearable 

“Alright, mother. I will be pleased to go with your choice”

“Come here” She hugged him tight and he hugged her back. 

𓍼ོ

Bunch of royal guards moved behind the prince as he passed through the corridors of the castle to reach the royal court to finally see the Damon everyone cannot stop talking about. His personal servant, Siripon moved five stepped behind him

“Did you pay him enough?” 

“Yes, your highness. More than he could ever ask for but initially he was refusing”

The prince stopped, as well as the whole army of the guards. “What possibly do you mean?” 

“Your highness, he lived in this poor house, without lights even and it gave me” Siripon had a very disgusted expression on his face “eerie feeling. That’s why I increased the wage but still he refused but after a while he accepted when I kept pressuring him since your highness do not exploit anyone without any possible revenue”

Anawin looked pleased with the last sentence “Maybe he was trying to act resilient. Very well then”

The tall golden gates opened to greet the prince as he walked ahead to sit on his throne. There he was given a piece of biscuit to chew on. He broke it in a small piece to give it to his fairy.

“Mhm, Is this new bakery?”

“Yes, your highness”

“Ask them to make me a lot and do not let anyone have it other than me” He licked his finger and sat straight with pride, he announced “Bring him in” 

“I want more, you gave me so little” 

Anawin rolled his eyes as if he was not used to it. His fairy has the same sweet tooth as him. He gave a little bigger piece this time. 

“Good?”

“It feels to be served by your highness”

Anawin stopped talking to his fairy once, eight built men walked in. He squinted his eyes to look at each of them. They all had a sword. Anawin tilted his head. When he does not see any sign of Damon. He could not be one of them, could he? 

Then  a half naked man walked in after those eight men formed a circle. They did not even greet the prince. Anawin is willing to let it go. Anawin leaned ahead with his body. He licked his lips when the very beautiful of a man stood in the middle of the formed circle, he greeted him

“Your highness, I am honoured to be invited by you”

Anawin could not take his eyes off of his torso which was covered with the “cursed” signs and symbols as his servants defined. His posture was so breathtaking that made Anawin’s hand shake a little. Suddenly, the jewellery he was wearing felt warm and cold at the same time. Damon’s eyes were brown but there was a hint of red. Lovely. Because Anawin really loved the red ruby. And his eyes were no better than it. His veins were showing. He had abs. The deep black hair was covering his beautiful head. God, who made this man? He was an art. 

“I am as flabbergasted as you, your highness but you need to speak up” 

Anawin cleared his throat “Very well, will you start? I keep hearing compliments about you”

Damon had a really small smile as he bent his head a little and putting his left leg behind “As you wish, your highness”

In no time, his expressions were gone, he took his own knife out which he called Dagger. It was as if he had no emotions on his face. He stood in the middle, nonchalant. The prince gulped, will he be really able to take these men down. Soon, Anawin was proved wrong. Only one man attacked him and Damon cut him right around his stomach. He only had one dagger so how would he handle two men at once. The prince's stomach dropped when three men attacked him but as if Damon was a magician he took them down as well. Soon, he took out all of them as they lay powerless around him. He stood in the middle as before, he was cracking his neck. God, Anawin was taken by the spell. The way Damon’s eyes sparkled that they appeared no less than a red ruby. Damon looked at his dagger which was covered with blood. He wiped it off on his white loose pants. He then looked at the prince with his chest going up and down. 

But before he could speak any further, Anawin got down from his throne, his guards immediately falling behind him but he dismissed them by raising his hand. 

“Is he safe to approach?” His fairy went behind his neck

Damon bent his head again, when the prince was standing in front of him. Anawin looked at his body and his face like he was a mere delicious dish. He took a route around him. Watching him from every angle.

“I wish to draw your body” The prince said, as if he just did not wish for something so scandalous. 

“Pardon me, your highness?” Damon’s eyes blinked 

“You are so beautiful that I cannot help but want to trace your lines on my canvas so that I can keep your one hell of a body with me forever” 

To Be Continued