Isles of the Old God

Chapter 8: Runa

                                                                       Trigger Warning: Torture

Cedric's breath smelled in the morning. Worse than all other times of day, when it still wasn't great. Yet, he forced a kiss onto Runa's head as soon as she woke up. His smile exposed every yellow tooth. How long did he lie in bed and stare at her in the wait of her waking? Every morning was the same. When her eyes opened, a sudden, forceful movement as he smiled and kissed her in a way he perceived as gentle.

"I never thought you would wake up my love." Runa didn't have the energy in her to smile this early in the day. Cedric was unbothered by her frown—like everything she did, he saw her anger as endearing. If she beat his son in front of his face, she was certain he would conjure up a world in his mind where doing so was affectionate.

She met up with her nephew Arriot after she had gotten rid of her husband. After an entire month of nothing, she had started to give up hope in even Arriot and his shadowy ways. But she had to ask him anyway.

"Have you found anything yet?"

"No my queen." An urge to punch him raged in her body. She didn't have a reason to, she just felt the sudden urge to maim and kill her nephew in the most bloody way possible. She would probably not succeed. He had been in all parts of the world, in Zara and the Free Isles. He had learned martial arts from the most savage fighters in the treetops of the roofed city, and the rebels in Arbello. Every attack would end in Runa dying herself. Still, the urge to try, the hope of making him bleed was still raging inside her.

Her body spasmed quickly. The thoughts faded from her mind.

"As I suspected." Runa sighed.

"I'd say it's highly likely she has left the island at some point, unless someone is hiding her in their basement. We have searched many houses under the pretenses that we need to learn of where there should be renovations."

"Have anyone learned of her absence?"

"Not to my knowledge, my Queen. I haven't heard any whisperings of the sorts. Those who wonder of her presence thinks she is locked inside the castle."

"Good." That was most definitely good. At times, Runa thought Liliana was the only thing keeping the nation together. A descendant of Clementia Sunstorm III, she had the same dark skin, hair, eyes. The eyes of an angel people said, and it was so they would be described in the history books. They were nothing less than a deep trench of murky sewer-water. How could others see them as a symbol of kindness? Was that what was keeping the nation out of rebellion? The hope of a new incarnation of Clementia Sunstorm, in the body of the useless teenager? That was no good glue.

"For now, I think continuing the search for her in as quiet of a manor as possible is the best option." Arriot said.

"Yes, that's probably the best course of action."

"Do you want to employ your Silent Knife?" Runa took a second to pause. She knew where the Knife was at this time of hour. She didn't want to bother him in his work, but she was sure he would be able to find something useful.

"I will send him on a scout throughout the slums tomorrow. If I give him a couple of weeks, something must turn up."

"I will send some of my men as well." Arriot said.  

"Good." That was also good. She knew the type of people Arriot employed, they would be able to sneak around quietly enough. "Send as many as you can. I want to find her as quickly as possible." She thought of ways she would punish Liliana when she came back. A soft smile appeared on her face.