The Fall of Vequera

Chapter thirty-three | Nikolai

TW MENTIONS OF: HOMOPHOBIA, DRUGS, ABLEISM, POSSIBLE ATTEMPTED CHILD MURDER AND/OR KIDNAPPING, ANIMAL DEATH

LOCATION: EMBERFELL, VEQUERA

YEAR: 621 C.E

NIKOLAI PURSED HIS LIPS AS HE STARED AT ZION, TRYING TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE.

"Are you fucking serious, right now?" Nikolai asked as his voice rose.

They were walking in the courtyard. People watched them closely, judging them. He knew why they were staring but it wasn't the thing he was used to. They knew of Zion's urges. And knowing the nobles like he did, he knew they thought Zion would taint Nikolai's mind with his sick urges. All of them knew why Zion was sent to Emberfell. His father hated to have a son like him with him being a man of faith, sending him away was giving mercy. Instead of killing him. He was tired of their lingering eyes. "You get used to it." Zion whispered as he pulled his eyes down to his hands.

Nikolai turned to the ones that stared at him with a glare that caused panic to decorate their faces. One among them, Bartel's third eldest daughter, Diora. She kept staring from across the open courtyard, her legs crossed as she sat on bench. Her ladies in waiting standing behind her as they gossiped. She was challenging him and that pissed him off. Whispers at court said that Diora might be Lord Isaac's heir, not his eldest daughter, Gia, because Gia was quite sickly. Having fallen as a child and suffering from a lot of internal pain. A head injury, it caused her to have a few issues. She could barely think for herself, eat for herself, or even bathe for herself. How could she have control of an entire city? The question surfaced around court like a plague. Some even say that the lord should've had her killed after her accident, but he went against it.

Then he remembered the story he heard as a child, there was a daughter even before Gia. Her name was Cordelia. Fiery red hair and ocean blue eyes. That was all he remembered of her. Her memory was lost in time. No one cared about the lost daughter or the one who suffered every day she was alive.

Nikolai made a noise of discomfort before pulling his eyes away. His hands behind his back, turning to Zion, Nikolai smiled but it did not reach his eyes.

"Do you want to return to your chambers, my prince?" Zion asked as he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes met Dawson who was a few feet away.

"How are the stables, your highness?" Said Diora as she walked up to them. Her eyes sharp and unforgiving. She was searching for something. She reminded him of her father and that annoyed him. She seemed like she was studying him.

He wondered if Bartel would mind having one less daughter. She smiled but as she turned to Zion, her eyes darkened. Nikolai's jaw clenched as he forced himself not to say what he wanted to. "Fine." His voice was strained, less controlled. He shouldn't care what they say or do to Zion but he couldn't help but imagine his hands wrapping around her throat for treating him like she was.

"You haven't been exploring. Emberfell is quite the beauty, if you know where to look." She stared into his eyes with pure determination. Her ladies stood behind with stone faces. No opinions of their own but the ones their parents gave them. Telling them how to act and how to speak. Never being people of their own until they marry.

"No, thank you." He grumbled and had began to walk away but Diora called out to him.

"I could make it worth your while."

Zion glared at her but she threw an even nastier one at him. "Watch it."

Nikolai's eye twitched. "I'll come." Nikolai walked away with Zion and Dawson following behind him.