seriousness of his words. Princess never held any discontent towards the women of the castle, no matter how much they tortured or hurt him. He followed directions like a dog, submissive and loving to his master. He always forgave and tried his best to please his master. He loved Empress Aurora, and he would die fighting with every last breathe in his chest to protect her.
“What’s the problem Princess?" Her eyes darted to the left and back on him, a small glint of guilt stained across her forehead. She knew why he visited. She knew better but she could not help it; Timothy was so handsome. How could she hide something when her Empress could read minds? Did she think she could hide this from Aurora? She damned herself for being foolish. This would not be good. She realized she would be in a world of pain.
“Please Corinne, the sooner you come with me, the sooner this will be over. Empress Aurora needs me to teach you. I need to make you learn. Please. I know this will not be pleasant for you, but time will heal. Let’s move.”
Corinne stood there, holding her breath. “This is about him , isn’t it?" Princess stood in the doorway, one hand holding the door, the other motioning her out. She walked out the doorway, slowing realizing what would soon happen. Princess strode in front of her, keeping a steady pace, looking back every few minutes to make sure she still followed behind him. He walked down a long hallway decorated with ornate suits of polished armors on either side of the green carpet. Princess’s trunk-like arms brushed the suits of armor on both sides of them, while Corinne followed down the middle, nowhere close to touching the armor. The smell of moist dirt filled the hall and the chill of the air made her grip her opposing arms with each hand. Princess stopped and opened the solid, worn door at the hall’s end, which had bars about eye level through the small glassless window. This door lead to the dungeon. Corinne burst into tears as she brought her hands up to cover her eyes, realizing where they were going.
A massive hand with sausage-sized fingers gripped her shoulder and pulled her towards the entrance. She sniffed the tears away, trying to be strong. Her mind went back to the night with Timothy. Memories of their intimacy flooded her mind, how he touched her body, and how she kissed him. She arched her back on top of him, moaning with delight as she dug her fingernails into his chest. She never felt so exhilarated. Was it worth it? She did not even love him, but the moment they shared overtook her. She knew she made a mistake and nervously awaited her punishment.
Empress Aurora planned to rid the world of man. That was her conquest. All of the women of Cloudkeep Kingdom were pounded with repetitious teachings that men were terrible and abusive creatures. She said that men prevent women from living a true life. They hold them back, and make women slaves for sex, and laborious chores. If you do not give men what they want, they will take it from you.
“Defeating your enemy is possible, with the proper training,” Empress Aurora would always say. “Some put up quite a fight. You have to think and use your head. You can beat them. You are only free willed if there are no men to hold you back. We will rid this world of them all,” she said, “together." Because of her laws, the only men in the kingdom were her personal bodyguards. They could only wear their bondage masks and loincloths, and were branded with demeaning names, like Princess and Flower.
Corinne walked ahead of Princess, heading down the slime-covered, stone staircase that wound towards the black depths of the dungeon. She twirled her beautiful blonde hair in her right forefinger, as her eyes darted chaotically, trying to see into the blackness surrounding her.
“This way, Corinne." Corinne did not realize she stopped as she reached the bottom of