Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Keres wasn’t able to finish her words when he appeared. A gigantic figure that stood out, you didn't have to be looking his way for you to notice him, it might be dark with no sign of lightness, but whenever he appeared, you’d have to look at him. His appearance demanded attention and one can’t deny giving him that. He walked gracefully into the room and found his spot on the chair she was once seated on before he looked up at her. She couldn’t make anything of his face. He looked...horrific, in both the beautiful and terrifying way.

“My name is King Bhaltair, and right there is Xanth, the only person I trust in my life.” He looked up at Xanth that bowed immediately and excused himself. Keres was just looking at him, but somehow the rage that had filled her heart wasn’t able to be suppressed just by seeing this terrifying man.

She walked, silently, aware of his gaze all over her body until she sat on the chair opposite his and she looked up at his face. “I'm Keres, the Dragon princess of Kestramore, your supposed wife.” She knew he would be appalled to see that she didn’t seemed shocked like everyone did whenever they saw King Bhaltair. But one thing she didn’t understand was, how could he do that to her parents? Did he send someone as him or...

He put a stop to her train of thoughts. “I went there as Xanth, if that’s what you’re wondering.” He stood up, as though being stung and he had to take whatever it is out of his body. “Like you said, you’re my supposed wife.” Something flashed in his eyes that made her realized that maybe, this wasn’t his real appearance after all. It could be something more handsome yet more horrible at heart. Or maybe, something uglier than the surface he portrayed to her just now. If Desdemona could change her looks to anyone she so wish, that means the most powerful king could do whatever he wished, right?

“”Your parents gave you out for peace to reign, but do you think that will be possible...Keres?” He turned to her and when their eyes met, something flashed through them that she had to shudder silently, but she didn't seem fazed. What did he mean?

“If you dare hurt my clan...” She began through gritted teeth but he cut her off with an echoing laughter that rumbled her insides with fear. What in the world had she gotten herself involved with? Who was this man?!

“Resorted to threatening this soon? Why don’t you wait to see, dear wife?” She scoffed, but before she took her next breath, he had spoken again, and this time, in a stern voice that let her know that he was indeed King Bhaltair, the unbeatable king of this era. “We’re going to Belrynna now, I couldn’t trust you enough to be taken there the way it should be, so I came here myself to take my wife.” And in the blink of an eye, they both disappeared as she wondered whether Desdemona was safe with this meticulous man or not. Did she get into Belrynna like she wished or not?

•

Aranya stared at him as he worked in the garden, if she was being truthful, she could say he was venting out his frustration on the dear grasses. She chuckled and her feet dangled from where she sat, watching him. It was a miracle how she was alive now, because that night she thought she would really die from the magic Betla casted on her. It had been there all along, it was just that she had never gone too far to notice that it was there.

And now, two days later, he couldn’t even come close to her, not even hold her hand because if he did, her fire will burn both of them. It was getting dark, but Lorcán had been working tirelessly for more than two hours now, maybe he wanted to get all the anger out of his mind but didn’t know how to. Within these two days, he had asked her countless times, “How do we break this cast, Aranya?” And she could only shake her head with a hint of smile on her lips.

She was angry, yes. Frustrated, even. Because she had never been attracted to a man like she was to Lorcán and just the thought of not being able to hold his hands was too much on her. She didn’t know why of all things to stop her from doing, Betla chose to stop her from being intimate with another man to the point that it wouldn’t hurt just the man but herself as well if she tried to do it. She wanted to go and see her, how she was doing or if she had burnt the palace down due to the frustration she felt of being betrayed by her only daughter.

“I need to take my bathe, Lorcán.” She said as she pulled herself down, “I’ll be inside when you’re done.” Her heart was heavy with the thoughts that flashed through her mind. Was it safe to say that even though she despised her mother now, she had missed her terribly?

She walked silently back to the palace, she could hear him talking but she couldn’t point out what he had said. The shower was quick as the reason she took it was only to escape from her ranging thoughts. She walked out of the bathroom with a silk linen covering her body and stopped when she saw him in the room, arranging the tray of the food she didn’t know when he cook.

He looked up at her instantly and she could feel his burning gaze on her body, she bit her lower lip. “I'm sorry,” she said immediately, trying to walk back into the bathroom. “I'll get changed into the bath...” But before she finished her sentence, a magical rope had pulled her to him and she stood in front of him, holding onto the linen that was trying to slip down due to the water on her body.

Their eyes met, and she saw the way his eyes caressed her face in the most sensual way Lorcán had ever stared at her. She bit her lower lip, sensing the tension that was building between them. She could feel her body already being pulled toward him, she wanted him but then she didn’t want him to be hurt. He moved a step closer, and even though aware of the pain she was able to inflict on him, Aranya didn’t try to move backward until he stood only an inch away from her.

Slowly, Lorcán found her hands that were trying to fix the linen on her body until he entwined them with his fingers and she closed her eyes, feeling the warm feeling of being held by him, she had missed that. Didn’t Betla notice? That they were holding hands? Or maybe she wanted to tease them until they couldn’t control themselves before she released the cast. “Aranya...” He whispered and tore his eyes away from her face, fixing them on her lips that were quivering lightly. Fresh from a shower, her body scented of jasmine and a scent he could only smell from her. His body ache with need.

Mentally, she was shaking her head at him not to, because she knew just what he was about to do and the last thing she wanted was for Lorcán to be hurt today. He had a terrible day as it is, and she didn't want to be sick either, being sick was the same as Betla getting weakened on her powers. As funny as it would sound, she wanted to be strong and healthy for her mother to be able to avenge on whatever it is she wanted to.

“Lorcán...” She began, but he had sealed their lips even before the next words she had uttered were out. She closed her eyes, feeling the way he brought her closer to his body with his arms being wrapped around her naked shoulders. She moaned silently, wrapping her arms around his neck as she brought him closer. Oh, how magical his lips were!

He kissed her lovingly until she felt the way his body was burning up and with the way they were meshed together, she could feel his erected length. They broke apart slowly and her eyes wandered to his length, when she looked up at him, she could see the lust that had swarmed his entire being. She took a step back, making his hand that was on her shoulder fall, “I can’t hurt you this way, Lorcán.”

He wanted to snap at her, but he knew she was right. He wasn't agreeing to this because he was afraid of being hurt, rather, he was being like this because he didn't want her to be hurt as well. She might’ve not said it, but he knew she was in pain because of all this. “Get dressed, let’s eat.” She knew staying in that room would be an additional torture to him, so she walked back to the bathroom to get ready.

•

It had been a few days but Keres wasn't mind-blown with the beauty of Belrynna or the fact that almost everything was made of magic. She sat in her room as silently as she could, remembering King Bhaltair’s last words the last time she had seen him and she heard from one of the maids he had assigned to her that he had left Belrynna, and no one will actually see him until he so wish.

As odd as that might sound, she actually liked it. Because she didn’t know what she would do if King Bhaltair wanted to force himself on her, the mere thought of kissing him at the altar was enough to torture her life. And the fact that he hid his actual face and came to her with Xanth’s face made everything even more hurtful.

Desdemona made an appearance with a wide grin, “You must’ve been enjoying yourself in this palace, Desdemona, there was never a day you aren’t smiling. Any good news?”

Desdemona walked up to her as she transformed herself back into her old self, not the old woman form, but that middle aged woman with sharp canines that sometimes freaked her out. “I came here to tell you that we should make all the necessary preparations to attack Betla, we can make it tonight. Her guard will be out for a hunt tonight and she took goes around the the whole kingdom. We take her unprepared, no one to protect her and when she leads excepted any harm.”

Keres didn’t know when she stood up with a huge smile. She had even forgotten the last time she was genuinely happy until today. Finally, a chance to avenge on her beloved, she thought. If Jaromir was alive, if Jaromir didn’t chose that woman over her, she would’ve been happily married now.

“Let’s go, but don’t you think we need soldiers?” Keres moved toward the door before she turned to look at Desdemona that was smiling mischievously.

She shook her head, “No amount of soldiers could be able to enter Zinambra, Keres. Only I could and it’s because of the thing I behold. We might need one man, incase something happens, because she’s the most powerful woman that has ever lived.”

Keres was silent for a while and she thought, who would be the man she can trust? She didn’t want anyone to know that she had gone to Zinambra and had killed Betla, because no matter how hard it will be, she will certainly kill Betla tonight and that will forcefully bring her daughter to her, so she could end her as well. “Xanth, let him know he’ll be taking me somewhere.” After she said that, she walked back into the room to get ready, to disguise herself so no one will be able to know that she was the one or that she had gotten out of Belrynna.

It irked that she could turn to no one but him, but then now that she thought further about it, no one can be able to get them out of Belrynna but him. After everything was set, Keres smiled as she hopped on the bird Desdemona set for her, feeling fulfilled as a triumphant feeling filled her soul.