Henry saw the blood stains on the floor, the muscle in his jaw flexed and he gave me a look that screamed,

‘I tried to warn you.’

This was old Dante- cruel, narcissistic and heartless Dante. The Dante who had no insight into the emotions of others, and had no care about the pain they were in. This Dante would pin me like a butterfly for ridiculous collection. Numbly I waited for his reaction to Henry’s abrupt announcement, Dante was chewing it over. Amusement flickered across his face and he shrugged it off. Dante thought Henry was joking, he even laughed softly to himself as he pulled on a black shirt and wandered over to the nearest mirror. Buttoning the shirt up Dante said casually,

“Kidding aside, I want that bird thing as my new specimen. I have a nice little place for it to nest next to that dragon, Aria, in the aviary. Did you know Aria was going for the chop tomorrow?”

“What?” I blurted out, he couldn’t mean my dragon?

Dante froze, stunned that I had spoken out so informally in the presence of his royal personage in a manner not befitting his majesty. Calmly he walked towards the fireplace and picked up a poker and stuck it in the flames. Henry stepped forward in front of me.

“For God sake Dante, she’s your wife!” He yelled.

Dante paused and turned to his guard, “Is that true? Did I marry bird bitch?”

The words chipped at my heart like little daggers and I felt a dead emptiness growing inside me. The guard bowed his head respectfully and said,

“It is true your majesty.”

Dante’s smile faded and his mouth became harsh and angry, “Fetch Manfred! You are all determined to make fools out of me but I will not be tricked,” He yelled pulling the poker out the fire and pointing it at me. “Until then, put her in dungeon below and if I have not come in the next hour to free my Queen, brand her a liar and a traitor!”

The guards grabbed me and Henry lunged forward. I held my hands ups,

“No, Henry. I’ll go.” I said.

“Listen to her, Henry, if you assault my guards then I will be forced to exile you… again.” Dante sighed.

Henry stepped back and the guards dragged me out the room and to the dungeons. . This was turning into my own personal hell again.

The dungeons were deep in the belly of the castle, windowless, cold and damp. The air tasted stale and acrid and there was a general melancholy about the place that instantly made feel hopelessly depressed. I was thrown into a dark cell with no light and little comfort. The floor was suspiciously wet and there was a strong smell of excrement which made me hesitant to sit down. I stood by the door nervously waiting for someone to come and relieve me. Anxiously I worried about the dragon. Did Dante mean my dragon? Why was he going to hurt her? Time passed slowly and soon the dragon slipped from my mind.

Where was Dante?

Why hasn’t anyone come to get me? I struggled to listen and heard gaolers talking amongst themselves about the poor Princess Ebony.

“Manfred told the Prince the truth but the Prince didn’t believe him.” One said.

“I would hate to brand the girl.” A different gaoler replied.

“Well it looks like we are going to have to. We’ve already allowed the girl an extra ten minutes.”

“I suppose so. I’ll heat up the irons.”

“Damn pity to scar such a pretty little thing.”

The voices faded and fear filled my gut. This was just like before except worse. Had Edvard been right about Dante? Could a leopard really change its spots? I leaned against the door for support; my legs were threating to give way. They were going to brand me. Tears prickled in my eyes as the gaolers footsteps approached my cell door and the dead lock slid open. The door opened and two remorseful gaolers bowed their heads down and said together,

“Sorry Princess, the Prince has not sent word to release you.”

I nodded numbly. I held no animosity towards them- they were only doing their jobs after all. I followed them out of the cell into what looked like a torture chamber. A red hot iron was cooking in a fire. I stumbled accidently probably from looking at the hot glowing metal that would soon be placed against my flesh. One of the gaolers caught me, steadying me he said,

“We’ll let you lie down before we do this.”

“Thanks.” I said weakly.

He helped me up on to the stone slab and I lay back.

“Let’s hope you pass out before you feel the burn.” The gaoler said.

I stared up the ceiling repeating to myself, ‘it’ll be over in a minute’. Tears ran down my eyes, I was so scared. I kept praying that Dante would come and rescue me at any moment, but many moments passed and there was nothing. The goalers excahanged sad looks and one walked toward the iron. I closed my eyes…

“Wait.” Dante’s voice filled the room.

I opened my eyes and saw Dante towering over me. My heart fluttered back to life and I nearly jumped up and hugged him. He looked callously at me and thrust a document into hands. Sneering at me he said,

“Sign it and you will save yourself a branding of unimaginable pain.”

My heart died. Something wasn’t right. I picked up the papers and read the first line- ‘Terms of Divorce’. The paper suddenly felt heavy in my hands. Dante was giving me the ultimatum of a divorce or a branding. Waves of nausea began to hit me. Dante waved at the gaoler who reached out for the branding iron. The noise it made as it was dragged out the flames made me trembled. The tip of the iron was glowing bright angry red. I stared at the paper then at the red hot iron. Dante impatiently shoved a pen in my hand, snapping,

“Sign it and we can forget this ridiculous circus ever happened. Refuse and you’ll be branded.”

I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes. What to do? The dragon’s words echoed in my head- perseverance and determination. I had no other viable option. Placing the papers and the pen next to me, I lay back against the cold stone slab and took a breath in.

“Gentleman,” I said to the gaoler, “The iron, please.”