LuNortha (Book 1 of LuNortha trilogy)

Chapter 8

 ~~ The King ~~

Once upon a time this empire had survived with peace. Peace with all empires. I hated it. The laugh, the gossip, the love and the happiness. My father was a weak man. After decades of war, to have the empire we have right now, he chose peace.

My mother looked at him as if he was the hero, the shining knight who will always save her. When the day comes and the old man dies, a new empire will rise. An empire that will thrill in fear, danger and monsters.

The old man had reached out to the Thena empire, and wanted me to wed their princess. Princess Ayla Atahan. I have seen pictures of her. A pretty thing that I can easily break. To me it doesn't matter who I marry, it doesn't mean I will be faithful. There's too many women in the world, why be satisfied with just one? What nobody knows it's that my plan has already made its first step. People think that right now there are rebels that are killing powerful people, but it's all me.

The men that are with me, want what I want. Power, blood, fear and the one most important of all.... monsters. When the time comes the monsters and I will rise.

Ten years later

'' Please Arthur leave the boy. Take me. Do whatever you want to me. Just let the boy be.'' Ayla begs on her knees, her tears running down her cheeks. Making her look weak.

Disgusted, I shrug away her hands. '' Who do you think you are to disobey my orders?'' I give her a slap that makes her cry out in pain. Blood ran out from her mouth.

'' Get on the bed. When I finish my job, I will come and take care of you. You should not have disobeyed me. Remember, I'm the reason my father is dead.''

~

↭ Kai ↭

The sound of the shoes made Kai and Kaira's fear return. They knew what this meant. Their father is angry and will take it out on them.

'' D go to the closet, don't make any sound and do not get out until I say. Okay?''

She nodded, tears already forming in her eyes. When she closed the door to the closet, the door to my room opened and the smell of cigar filled my nose.

'' Well well if it isn't my heir who should be sleeping. What are you doing up late, boy? Do you not remember what happened last time you were awake until late and came late to the meeting the next day?''

' Do I not remember? He beat me until I became unconscious and went on to beat Kaira and mother. For weeks we could not go out in public because of the bruises.'

After years of abuse he was used to the pain. Every hit he got, he didn't feel them anymore. ' He thinks he can break me, but what he doesn't know is that I am already broken. The day she died was the day I did not feel anything.'

For hours he kept going, not caring about the bruises, the blood and cuts. When he finally stopped and got out of the room, I went up and went to the closet. What I saw made my heart hurt. Her tears running down from her face. Her scared eyes and the pain in them. As fast as I can with the injuries I take her in my arms.

'' Shhh, everything will be fine.''

Kaira hiccups. '' No it won't be. Why is he so mean to us? Will we ever feel safe in our own home?''

'' I promise you D, that the day will come when you will feel safe.''

She looks at me with her tearful eyes and asks in a small voice '' Promise me that you won't ever leave me .''

I nod. '' I promise D. I will be there to keep you safe.''

Which was all a lie. Years later she got kidnapped from her own house and I couldn't keep my promise to her. I wasn't there to save her. I failed her.