Two Of The Same Piece || Book 1 (The Beginning)

CHAPTER 41

Leo weakly pulled against the restraints holding him to the bed. He had to get out, if not to save himself, then to save Rave. He felt defeated, both body and soul. How could he let this happen to them? He had lost count of time now, he only felt pain.

Josephine liked slowly running a thin blade over his skin every night. Every night he clashed and fought Josephine until she left. He cursed his body for betraying him, for being so weak that he couldn't even fight back against it. They would forcefully feed him if he didn't want to, and they cleaned him up for Josephine every time she came. But they didn't let him out of that god-forsaken bed.

With his entire body sore and broken, Leo still tried his hardest. He tried to move to see if he could tell what time it was, but it was fruitless. The room had no windows, they just had candles lit everywhere. The candles made the room mercilessly hot to even breathe in.

He wanted to yell and scream in frustration, but what use was that? He felt depressed.

-

Leo was taken out of his fretful sleep by yelling and harsh footsteps. He tried to see what was happening but he couldn't move. Very soon, Josephine appeared in front of him, dressed in a velvet gown and Rave's jewel. "How have you been, Leo?" She sat beside him and caressed his cheek.

Leo wretched his face away from her, refusing to even look at her. Josephine painfully grabbed his face and made him look at her. "You shouldn't be so arrogant. I am the entirety of your world now. And the more you misbehave, the more I hurt Rave."

Leo pulled his face away again. "Don't you dare touch Rave! You don't know what-" She slapped him.

"You should be grateful. You should be begging me to let you become my husband." Josephine snarled. "Gag him. If I can't have what I want willingly, I'll take it anyway."

--

Rave could barely consciousness. Her leg was still in pain, her hand throbbed. Josephine sat in front of her, with Lina kneeling beside her. "Leo must be tired of you, he enjoys whatever I do with him. He makes this adorable whimpering sound when the blade just ghosts over his skin." She turned to Lina. 'It's heavenly, isn't it? Even if he tries to muffle it, I can hear it as loud as day."

"Shut...up." She murmured.

"What's wrong? Leo enjoys himself. I know that." She said happily. "He could be so much more with me. He could be royalty.  Something you could never give to Leo, or Aurilean for that matter."

"I hope," She paused as the room spun around her. "I hope your children realize what a horrible person you are. I hope they will spit on your grave, Josephine. If you live long enough to have children, that is."

"You are far too confident. They will never fight for a bastard."

"Thinlin won't survive this, Josephine." Rave forced herself to smile. "Rina was the better sister anyway. She'll look pretty as our little puppet queen."

--

Taiskin slammed his hands on the table. "What do you mean? Wait? Isn't that what everyone has been doing for the past month?" He turned to Hanara and told her to write to both Mow and Aurilean. Even though he had yet to formally marry Hanara, she was already doing the duties expected of her. As queen, Hanara's duties extended past the household duties. She was his closest advisor now.

His father had given him the commands of the campaigns, siting grief at his daughter's condition as a reason to step down. It wasn't completely false. Rave was a beloved child. It was the queen consort's heartache and grief that made the king and queen remain by her side.

Hanara nodded at him and hurried off with the letters. From here, multiple runners would run through the Oblioxen and then sneak through Thinlin and Dueativen. The long sea route would take too long. In a matter of hours, the message would reach Aurilean and Mow, both camped in the other edge of Thinlin.

They were afraid Josephine would kill her hostages if they attacked in the open. So Taiskin advised a sneak attack. Take the city at the last hours of darkness, when everyone is sluggish and off guards. At both ends, so they would have nowhere to escape too.

Thinlin was not supplied to last long anyway, they depended on foreign goods. Taiskin had a rough idea of what Thinlin's forces looked it too. Josephine didn't have many men. If they attacked, he was sure most would flee. They didn't have the skills or the training to take a beating.

The commanders and nobles in Bellamin were growing restless. When Rave had managed to befriend so many of them, he didn't know. Only that they wanted to save her at all cost. It took a day to get a reply back. So they had agreed. Tonight, at the last hour of darkness, they would attack Thinlin from both ends.

--

Aurilean out Rave's ring on a single gold chain, and then wore it under his armor. His armor was different from the Bellan ones that some Raynerians preferred. The steel armor was covered and embossed with phrases and prayers. Over his heart, on his chest piece, he had them carve Rave's name.

Raynor tightened the straps and buckles on Aurilean. He helped Aurilean secure the helmet on his head. The vizier felt too restricting. Putting his small sword in his scabbard, he made sure to have his daggers and other knives on him.

"Will-" Ragnor sighed, "Will we be able to save them?"

"Yes." Aurelian's voice didn't fail him. "We will. I will not leave Rave on that cursed land."

Ragnor nodded, the soft light of the torches darkening his face. "I don't know what to expect. It's so quiet from Thinlin. Not a single word or anything."

"Josephine is clearly scared." Aurilean tried to sound confident. "She is afraid, now that we are here."

Ragnor didn't seem to believe him. "Have you heard some of the rumors?" He shuddered. "They say that Josephine has Leo tied up to her bed. That she-" He swallowed. "-She likes to torture him herself. For her personal pleasure."

Aurilean took a deep breath, so had he. He hugged Ragnor. "They will be fine, Ragnor. They

have to be."