Chapter 43: Chapter 43

For the days Aranya had spent working for him, she had hated him more than she had initially planned to. He had over twenty wives, but everyday it was a new lady that got laid on his bed. She was aware of the suspicious looks he was flashing her way, was she not able to hide her power from him? But if he was able to see it, she wouldn’t have stayed this long in his chamber. No, with her freedom altogether.

She was done cleaning everything in the bedroom and she stayed there staring at how the room looked. Funny how this man was her father. She wouldn’t lie to say there wasn't a time when she was cleaning his stuff that she would get sentimental about his things. Sometimes it felt as though she had the chance to view the life she had always wanted but had never gotten the chance to see.

She silently walked out of the bedroom with a soft hiss when she bumped into him and quickly went to her knees, “I’m sorry, your highness. I didn't know you were coming.” She quickly apologized, trying so hard to faint fear on her face while she mastered her body art.

He stared at her when she looked up at him for a split second and that was when he saw it, the fire blazing non stop in her eyes. She quickly averted her gaze and someone, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Why was it that he had never seen it before? There was fire running through her veins! Her skin might look like that of a porcelain but she wasn't a normal being.

“Who are you?” He asked with an authoritative voice and this time, for a few seconds, her body really shook with fear.

She ducked her head down, but he could see the power already trying to overpower her entire being, and he smiled. Had he been fooled? Was someone trying to killed? Did she come here on her own accord or she was sent by someone? “I asked you...” He was cut off by one of his guards that rushed to where he was and knelt on one knee.

“Your highness, the woman we’ve been suspecting to be the wife of the Durush has been confirmed to be his wife and right now, the two of them are in custody. She turns out to be among the maids Princess Keres came with from Kestramore.” He smirked, this was getting more interesting. Aranya looked up and saw as his eyeballs turned black with furor and he took a step forward.

“You’ll have to answer to me later.” He whispered with an enigmatic voice before he disappeared and she needn’t be told that he was heading to where Desdemona and her husband were being kept.

Oh no! What would they do now that she had been captured? No one could save her! And Aranya surely needed some informations about the King to be able to kill him peacefully. Wait, she didn’t even care whether it would be peaceful or violent, all she knew was she was going to kill this man at all cost. Be it at the expense of her own life.

It was getting dark as she got back to their house with a soft smile on her face, she knew Lorcán wasn’t home yet as he had gotten a job in one of the shops in the markets. She had told him that he needn’t to work but he made it clear to her that sitting there all day wasn’t healthy to his mind, all he thought about was how to kill her father and even though he knew she wanted to do that more than he wanted her to, he felt guilty sometimes.

She walked into the house and found it lit with beautiful candles with an aroma coming out of the kitchen, her stomach instantly rumbled. It was only now that she realized she hadn't eaten anything since morning. She stealthily walked to the kitchen and found him cooking, concentrated in what he did that he barely noticed that she was there until she hugged him from behind and rested her head on his back, wrapping her hands around his waist.

He gasped lightly before he lovingly fondled her hands, “You’re back already?” He asked with a sweet voice and she felt as the headache she felt began to subside. These days she got headaches easily and she didn't know why. Was it the power tired of her trying to tame it down?

She snuggled deeper into his body, “I hate that man, Lorcán, I can’t wait for us to finish our plans so we could kill him and get the hell out of this place.” Lorcán placed down the spatula and turned her to face him.

He snaked his hands around her waist and pulled her closer, staring deep into her eyes. “I know you hate him, but that shouldn’t be the ready you should look as weary as you’re looking now, Aranya. Give yourself some rest, okay?”

She grinned, “How do you know that I'm sick?”

He pinched her nose lightly, “I’ve known the woman I love for quite sometime now, I should know when she’s feeling unwell. Give yourself a break. I've made a few medicines for you, let’s eat so you can take them.” He leaned down and lightly kissed her lips before he guided her to the place they had homely made their dining table.

She sat and waited for him until he finished serving them and sat down opposite her before she ventured into what had been bothering her. “Desdemona and her husband had been caught by the King.” He was about to get some food into his throat when he coughed and spurt out all the contents.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stared at her to see how serious she looked, shaking his head in horror, “No, you don’t mean it. Do you?” He kept staring into her eyes, silently hoping that's he would tell him she’s joking and they would laugh it off, but instead, she heaved a sigh.

“I mean it, Lorcán. Before I left, he left to meet them wherever it was they were being kept. I don’t know what we would do anymore or what would be of us if Desdemona decides to save their lives with out secret.”

He could only nod himself as he weighed her words, “And that’s likely what’s going to happen...”

He wasn’t done with his sentence when she began to howl silently. At first she was trying to suppress it, but it got to the extent that she couldn’t even suppress it and she howled, which from the looks of how she winced her face, she was in pain. Lorcán rushed to where she was and held her firmly into his hands as she squirmed in pain and howled, but whenever she did that, it was as though her life was being torn to pieces.

“Aranya, what’s wrong?!” He got agitated. Did the King got suspicious of her and poisoned her or something? She was just fine a few minutes ago even though she had been looking and acting sick for a few days now, he wondered what was wrong with her.

She was gasping for breath when she throttled, “Your blood, please.” And the was when it occurred to him what he should do. He positioned her face and with one swift movement, he tore at his palm and his blood came oozing out. Lorcán made sure he fed her enough with his blood before he sealed up the wound and she laid there unmoving in his arms.

He took her hand and felt the beating of her pulse and what he felt nearly made him lost his breath. She was there lying almost lifeless in his arms, but as he stared at her tired face, a smile broke onto his face. “Aranya,” he whispered and pulled her face up until he kissed her forehead.

He stacked her into his arms and carefully took her to his bed as sleep had already taken over her soul. He stayed there, seated on the bed as she slept while he watched her with the most beautiful smile he had ever painted on his face. He kissed her forehead again and laid beside her, pulling her into his body until he felt as his body was soothed with her warmth. He kissed her forehead again and closed his eyes.

*

Keres had been looking glum since when they left Kestramore. He had been noticing how she had been sighing sadly and when they stopped at an inn to rest a bit and eat so by the time they will head back to Belrynna, it will be too dark for anyone to notice them, Xanth cleared his throat and she looked up at him.

“If I may ask, Your highness, has something being bothering you?” His voice was low in a way that would psychologically affirm to her that she could trust him and say whatever she had in her mind.

She palmed her face and rested her head on her knees. “I’m worried about my entire clan. My Dad isn’t as strong as he used to be and my mother’s sickness has been taking a toll on him. He hasn’t told me yet but I've asked the soldiers and they told him they have been drastically reducing in number with no trace of what’s happening to them. I'm worried about something happening to them.” Tears sprang to her eyes and as much as she wanted to stop they, they cascaded down her cheeks.

Opposite from where he sat, Xanth sighed and felt as sadness washed over the flicker of happiness he felt. How she had acted when they went to Kestramore was everything, the joy in her eyes and the relief she had was enough for him. But seeing that she had came back with another load of worry wasn’t good for his heart.

“He doesn’t raid a clan that has given him a wife, Your highness. Will knowing this make you feel better?”

She looked up with a pout and cleared her tears, “Are you sure about this?”

“Of course I am, will I lie to you? Now, wipe your tears away, it feels like all my efforts to make you smile are wasted.”

She didn’t know how to, but the whiny expression on his face made her smile and she cleared her tears before she had a relaxed smile and reclined to have some rest before they set to continue their journey. They continued their journey when it was dark and through the path they followed, Xanth led them back into Belrynna and she was so exhausted by the time they stood in front of her chamber.

Casually, they walked side by side as though they had been friends for all the years of their lives. She had never felt as safe as free as she did with him and it was a priceless feeling. They stood in front of her chamber and she turned, “You’ll have to rest for a whole day, sleep and eat well, okay?” She drawled with a tired voice, smiling weakly at him.

He felt weakened by her smile, he could say she had never smiled at him until they did this journey but this was the prettiest of them all. “I will, your highness. You should do that too.”

She nodded and began to walk toward her door when she stopped and turned to look at him, he had his eyes fixed on her and she casually walked back as though she had forgotten something. Xanth watched as she leaned forward and hugged him, softly and thankfully. He stood there for a minute without knowing what to do, his heart pounding nonstop against his ribcage before slowly, he wrapped his hands around her and hugged her back.

“Thank you for everything, Xanth...” His name! Oh his name had never sounded this way, never made him feel this way upon being called.

And before he responded or even reacted upon her appreciation and the biggest token of appreciation he had ever gotten in his life, they all heard as swords were being unsheathed and guards out of nowhere began trooping towards them that Keres didn’t know when her whole body began to shook but he held her tightly, gently placed her head to his chest and leaned toward her ear, “It’s okay, Your highness. I'll always protect you.” Oh, how safe did that make her feel! And did she mention the butterflies that flipped her stomach?