The Grey Storm

26

Aftermath
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"Oh love, this ball was an amazing idea to talk about business." Iseul cheerfully rubbed his wife shoulders taking off his blazer whistling happily, while Hyo sat there in silence, fuming. "It was meant to celebrate your birthday husband,"

"That's not important, I got some Nobles to agree upon terms―" he shrugged it off as Hyo stared at him with wide eyes, drawing air between her tongue and teeth making sound to show how severely annoyed she is. "Terms?" she slammed the tissue oil cap down, halting her nightly routine. Getting up chuckling to herself in disbelief, "Why you are getting upset?"

"Upset? Fucking upset?" Hyo raised her voice, Iseul took a step back. His wife was never the one to cuss or get vulgar, this surprised him. "I worked hard on this! I made sure everything was perfect tonight, for you!" placing her hands on the dressing table, "I cut each thorn off for your favourite golden roses, millions of them!"

"Hyo, you know I don't celebrate my birthday." he tried to calm her, but Hyo place her hand out stopping him, rubbing her temples, kicking off her slippers. "For seventeen years you did! What? Is it because you in your mother's land, you got attitude?" wrapping a matching silk gown and folding her arms, Hyo turned to face him. Iseul cleared his throat before he could speak, Hyo cut him off: "Terms? You're sabotaging Isamiona's meeting?" licking her inner cheek as she chuckled in disbelief, upset that boy was right about Iseul. "She worked day and night! Prepping herself and you want to sabotage it!"

"Hyo, you don't understand Malagarian Politics―"

"Politics is Politics." she cut him again, exhaling sharply before speaking: "There's a corrupt bunch and there's two golden apples. Everyone take the corrupt ones because it's cheaper and has a name brand on it, while the golden ones look too bland." putting her hand out in his face walking pass him to the bed, "I don't get why you upset―"

"You are a self-centred, narcissistic bitch! Isamiona this, Isamiona that! She's a fucking child! Your child!" she flipped the covers open, combing her back then blowing the one strand out of her face. "She's not some tycoon or a businessman to fight with! I can see why she's next in line!"

"Hyo, that's going too far."

"Too far? I know what you can do to get what you want. You would do anything to hurt those kids, she's grieving her bloody mother and you putting stress on her!" fluffing the pillows as Iseul walked to his side of the bed, "Nah-ah, get out!"

"What?" Iseul looked at her confused, trying to think what upset her so much. "Get out, when you become my husband again and not a spoiled brat. We can talk,"

"But Hyo―"

"I agree to be a dumb blonde, but disrespecting me and making my job look like a fucking joke! Get out,"

"Hyo, please let's talk about it."

"OUT!" she threw Iseul with a pillow, Iseul stormed out their bedroom chambers, slamming the door behind him. Walking to the private quarters, sighing to himself and throwing his watch against a pillar in frustration. Ever since coming back to Zetharaoh, it brought him unpleasant memories and feelings, grabbing a whiskey jar as the hair on his arm stood up. Sniffing the air as the aroma of metallic oozed throughout the room, his heart suddenly sank.

Turning around upon meeting the bloody bodies pinned on the wall. All forming into the shape of the Queen chess piece, dropping the cube shape jar onto the floor. Iseul started getting sick at looking at the horrific image and threw up on the floor. Checking he's surroundings him in fear, only to see no guard in sight.

Isamiona walked with her heels in hand and a satisfied smile. Her scarf was off and her gown was gone, replaced by nothing but a ceremonial blazer of the Rosemary Guard, as she came closer he could see that she was covered in blood from her face and hands. "I-Isamiona, what is this?" the area around him was suddenly hot, unbuttoning his top buttons. "Oh? My walk of shame, Father. . ."

"Not that? What are these bodies doing here?"

"Oh. . .that?" turning to look at the wall, "That was a gift from your Noble allies, I just returned the favour." she just said it so casually Iseul shifted his eyes at the bodies then back at her again, making him sick again. "Y-You did this?"

"Yes?" Iseul gagged, holding his stomach and covering his mouth. Isamiona pinched her nose in disgust, to stop herself from heaving. "I swear to Gods! If you puke. I'll throw up with!" Iseul gagged once more making Isamiona shake her head in disgust composing herself. "Next time send the rebels, it will make sense." Iseul took a few steps back, Isamiona smirked teasingly walking towards Iseul. Cold sweats started to break, heavy breathing was in his ears. Repeating this back and forth stepping, "I-Isamiona, stop!" her eyes weren't that of the usual stoic ones, they were primal, eyes of an animalistic predator.

Causing Iseul to run and Isamiona abandoned her heels to chase after him around the Private chambers, "Isamiona! No!" he cried. Isamiona laughed speeding behind him, Iseul looked back heaving at the sight of blood on her. They ran around the pillars, for a while and Iseul nearly puked but swallowed it back up. Isamiona suddenly stopped, standing still. Reaching her hand out as the feeling of millions hands coming out from her arm. Flinging Iseul against the window, with an invisible force walking behind him pressing his face against the window. Iseul saw the reminding Ugär guard standing next to a bloody Devon, getting nudged by the Emheeran boy. The Ugär guard frighteningly waved the headless corpse of his dead comrade, like if he was waving a white flag. "Where's the Young Lord?"

"Eeshaan? If you had taken note, he was busy groping your wife at the ball and tried that trick on me." looking at the moon to calculate the time and stroking her chin in thought, Iseul was getting impatient trying to break from Isamiona's telekinetic hold on him. "ISAMIONA! WHERE IS HE?" Iseul cried out in desperation causing her to give him a playful grin, "Screaming his head off at the holding cells, with his hands cut off."

"Let me go!"

"No,"

"No?"

"Look. . .a King cannot die, but a Queen has equal powers but can die easily. Such a sad world―"

"When I break out of here! I swear―" Iseul threatened glaring at Isamiona who narrowed her eyes at him, "Do what? At who?" as Isamiona rested her knuckles on her hips, not in a hurry or stress to do anything. "Iseul. . ." her reflection appeared onto the window, picking Iseul by his chin lifting him slightly above her head. "I told you. If anything happens to me, Eüya will kill the twins or all of Hyo's kids― Hyo included, if she feels bored."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I can Iseul. You took things from me and I can do the same."

"Took what?"

"You know and I know," grabbing his face, caressing his pale cheeks with her bloody hands. Smearing blood om the side of his face, pecking his lips before dropping him onto the floor. "Mercy, she said. Forgive him, she said. Trust him, listen to him, reason with him." crouching down into a squat pushing his head after every sentence, slapping his cheek playing hard. "I know Iseul,"

"Know what?"

"Just know, that I know."