Chapter 28: Chapter 28

•  •    •  •  Adam's  POV •  •     •  •

The evening sun, cast long shadows on the black muddy ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gives a warm orange tinge to the sky as it slowly sets.

It is dusk when we perceive  a huge troop ridding towards the palace. The noise from their countless horses penetrates every crack within the palace walls, such that i can get them right from my chambers.

Edmonton and I rush out of the palace, worried. We stand at the center of the compound waiting for them to arrive at the gate which is firmly locked with guards taking their respective positions. Some are standing down and others are at the top with their weapons for security purpose. Some are at the tower all pointing their weapons towards the approaching army.

"Are we under attack?" Maryline raises her gaze as she seems confused and lost at the soldiers positions, coupled with the noise from outside.

"Troops with a blue flag, they are from the Caelum." a man shouts from the tower.

"Open the gates to my father's troops." I scream smiling in satisfaction at his quick response. I wasn't expecting them to arrive so soon.

"Great!" Maryline exclaims in satisfaction, she's ready to receive anyone, so long as it concerns her girl's safety. While Edmonton remains quiet with emotional facial expressions, this makes me more suspicious.

The troops enter the gate with my father, leading. I wasn't expecting him to leave his throne, his palace, just to be here, for the princess. This is strange.

"Dad, I wasn't expecting you." I hug him tight. "My King!" Edmonton bow in reverence while the King's stare binds with that of Maryline "My King," she bows immediately as she realises herself.

"Let's get in, I guess you must be tired. You have to refresh and rest." we walk in to the throne room.

"No time to rest, son. We have to prepare our plan of attack." The King sits at the head chair of the woody dining table while we sit on the side benches.

"Sorry, my King, but the..." Edmonton tries to interrupt and the king stops him immediately "I was informed about all your proposals, unfortunately we have to attack."

"My King, It's risky. We know nothing about them." Edmonton persists.

"You know nothing about them not me. I know enough which permits me to attack and win. Edmonton, the king of the Aqua kingdom is an old friend. I also know this attack is directed towards me. We have old scores to settle and I think the right time has come.""We are taking the road tomorrow morning." the king adds.

Maryline came back with maids who fills the table with food, water and good wine. While his troopers are been taken care of in another room. Troopers always feast among themselves before going to war; they sing, dance and drink until they get drunk.

"There is something which I can't get, why will the King kidnap the Princess?. What does she have to do in the middle of all this?" I wonder aloud...

"Right now the princess means more to me than another person and King Williams is aware of it, I'm sure he has inferred my plans."

"Now it makes sense. But what is this problem between you two?"

"What we have doesn't concern you. Just concentrate on finding a good strategy for the fight." he carelessly retorts, waving at a maid to pour wine in his cup.

A maid approaches but he stops her "Not you. You, come here." he points at Maryline who was trying to make herself as discrete as possible. She moves to him without any hesitation and she serves him "Thank you!." he smiles malevolently.

My stare follows that of the king and his stare is fixed on Maryline, this embarrasses me. I turn back my stare to him, trying to call for his attention.

"Unfortunately, that fucken problem concerns me so far as it's affecting my life. So tell me why I have to go and fight for you tomorrow. I have the right to know!" I hit the table and I finally get his attention.

Dad waves everyone out immediately.

"Don't play with fire," Edmonton whispers to Maryline as they walk out of the room.

"Now we are alone, you can talk."

"Your mum was a very beautiful lady..." he sounds sarcastic and this pisses me off.

"Damn!. What does this have to do with the king? I need to know what happened between you and that king?." I scold before he concludes.

"Shut the hell up! And learn how to listen."

"Your mum was a very beautiful lady, she was a young wolf, of 18 years when King Williamson and I met her. At that period every man wanted to marry her. We were about four (4) hundred years old wolves.  We looked like we were in our late 30's as human and we were best friends. I was a prince and he was nothing but he succeeded in having your mother's love. Due to my position, I forced your mother to marry me and this is how our friendship ended. Years later, and a few years after your birthday I heard that he became a King. So, I decided to go for reconciliation with him in the hope to conquer his kingdom. I don't know why but he accepted the reconciliation quicker than I expected. I later discovered that he was fucking your mother behind my back. This was an insult, to me, my name, my throne and I couldn't take it. So I decided to attack and seize his kingdom earlier than planned. I wasn't well prepared. He won, since I was just a young king, I had no experience and I had just a few soldiers." he bends his head in dismay.

"But now, things are very much different than what they were in the past." he boldly adds.

"What happened to my mum?. It's been years that I keep asking about her, you keep giving deft ears. Did she stay with him?"

"It would have been better if she did. Unfortunately, your mum lost her life, during the battle. She was killed with William's child that she was carrying." he acts like he's saddened but is he truly?.

This breaks my heart as I would have loved to know more about my mum. She died when I was just two years old. I can't even remember what she looked like. I wished she survived this...

I would have really loved to know how it is to have a mum. The only good nursemaid I ever had which I loved as a mum left me when I was just 10 years old. By then, I still needed maternal love because, my dad wasn't the best.

However, all I can remember about my nurse maid is that, I hated her for leaving me so soon. Since then, I didn't attached myself to any nursemaid after her. Instead, I made their work difficult it was my revenge.

Sometimes I envy Eve for having someone like Maryline by her side to guide and love her. Despite my hatred for her, I must admit that she has been of good help to Eve.

"It's been about two hundred years now and I have never remarried. I will never love any woman as I loved your mum." with a saddened tone, he sips his wine.

"I don't know who to hate, you the backstabber or him the man holding Eve captive. I'm so angry that my mother was killed because of ego, some stupid quarrel. If not for Eve, I won't have participated in this fight."

"A quarrel which she caused. I'm not to be blamed, I'm a victim here. Shit!" he hits his cup on the table, so hard that the wine spills on his hand and goes to the table.

"A piece of cloth" he orders but he later realises that there is no maid in the room and I won't bother to help him. "Shit!" he exclaims since he has to find a way to wipe his hands by himself.

"Too much talking. Now, let's eat, drink and go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and the days following shall be tedious." the king declarations as he starts eating and drinking.

"Whatever." I angrily get up from where I'm seated to leave.

"Call the maids to wipe all this mess." the king orders.

"Your wish is my command, my kind." I sarcastically bow and I leave immediately.

The maids rush in. "Wipe all this mess and prepare a room for me. I want to sleep in the best room in this palace has. I don't care  who it may belong to. I want it." he says cruelly like the self-centred man that he is.

"The best room..." a maid tries to tell him that the best room of the palace is that late King Edward and that since then no one had slept in there since it's still locked.

Marilyne immediately infers the maid's thoughts "Of course, my king." she answers immediately not to contradict or piss him off.

She immediately sends some maids to prepare the best guest room so that, he will believe that it's the late king's.

Indeed, the king loved the room as he later sends his guard to call for Maryline to meet him in his chambers...