BLOODLINE Vol 1

CHAPTER 5-The Fall of the House of Edward

Amidst the crackling of the fire pit, its flames casting dancing shadows in the dimly lit yard, Edward paced restlessly, his heart heavy with the burden of his duty. Each step echoed off the stone walls of the fortress, a somber cadence mirrored the weight of his conflicted emotions. His hands, clenched into tight fists, betrayed the turmoil within him, the tension in the air palpable as his command rang out into the night.

"SEND THE PRISONERS HERE!" His voice, raw with desperation, pierced through the silence, carrying with it a desperate urgency that reverberated across the yard. The soldiers, steadfast in their obedience, swiftly obeyed, dragging Lune and his mother into the unforgiving light of the fire pit.

Edward's gaze settled upon them, his eyes initially clouded with disdain as they lingered on Lune's mother. But as his gaze shifted to Lune, a profound transformation swept over him. The anger in his eyes softened, replaced by a flicker of compassion as he beheld the innocence reflected in Lune's big silver eyes, reminiscent of his beloved daughter, Scarlet.

"Why must the gods burden me with such a difficult task?" Edward's voice wavered with frustration as he rubbed his forehead, torn between duty and empathy.

"Father! The king approaches!" Kalel's urgent voice shattered the tense silence, drawing Edward's attention to the approaching monarch, accompanied by his royal guards. Edward straightened his posture and bowed respectfully as the king joined him, his eyes immediately drawn to Lune and his mother.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The king's curiosity piqued, especially as his gaze lingered on Lune. He stooped down to their level, forcefully lifting Lune's mother's chin to meet his gaze. "What is his other half?" The king's tone was demanding, but Lune's mother averted her eyes.

Infuriated by her silence, the king's temper flared, his hand lashing out with brutal force. The sound of his palm meeting flesh echoed through the pit as Lune's mother crumpled to the ground, her cry of pain piercing the air.

"Mom!" Lune's cry echoed with terror as he rushed to her side, helping her to kneel.

"What is your deal, woman?" Edward's voice cut through the tension, his impatience evident as he addressed Lune's mother. "The king asked you a question ...SPEAK!!!!?"

Lune's mother's body trembled from the force of the king's blow, while she lifted her head defiantly to meet Edward's gaze. Blood stained her lips, as a stark reminder of the brutality she had endured. "It's no use, my lord. I am still going to die anyway," she replied, her voice strained yet resolute.

The king's fury boiled over at her defiance, as his words dripped with venomous disdain. "You wretched woman! You have no shame! People like you don't deserve to live! You break our laws of purity and carry seeds of those who are not our kind!"

With a sudden, violent motion, the king seized Lune from his mother's arms, heedless of the child's cries of pain. "Please, leave my son alone!" Lune's mother's desperate plea echoed through the chamber, her voice strained with fear and anguish.

But the king's response was not one of mercy or compassion. Instead, he burst into a hysterical, wicked laugh, his crimson eyes boring into Lune's mother with chilling intensity. With a grip bordering on cruelty, he held Lune tightly, his actions demonstrating his absolute power.

Out of frustration and pain from the sight in front of her, she spoke her truth, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow. "You two will pay for all you've done against the innocent! This kingdom will perish and not revive because of your wicked ways!" Her words echoed with fierce determination, a condemnation of the atrocities committed under the guise of purity.

"You kill clans and take their lands. You have the blood of the innocent in your hands, yet you call yourselves pure?" Her voice rose with indignation, challenging the very foundation of the king's authority and the hypocrisy that defined their society.