Their Princess

Chapter 44

Alerix POV

I always thought that I was a fearless man, nothing scared me, and that I had no weakness. I had the power and authority to control everything around me. My life was predictable. Risky? Yes. But I knew how to handle it.

Whenever I led, I made sure I had control over everything around me. With my brother's support and handwork, I built such a strong empire that nobody dared to eye it.

My people were grateful for bringing peace and harmony into their life, making my father more proud of me. I always thought life couldn't get any better. Like I didn't need anything else than my work. Until she arrived. In my life, in my house and then in my heart.

I thought I was doing the right thing to her by giving her a place to live. But I realized late that she was the one who brought light to our lives. I was a fool to think that she needed us. I was wrong. So, very wrong.

The day she left with Rey and Zed, I realized I made the biggest mistake of my life. The people we were supposed to meet never appeared, proving further that I was not fit to make the right decisions. 

And then I got that horrific call from my driver, Nol, informing me about the attack. I was hoping that they handled things well since Nol was able to contact me. But again, I was proven wrong. 

When we reached the site, Rey was fighting the last rebel group while Zed was found lying unconscious on the forest floor. But what made my heart stop was the fact that my girl was nowhere around. 

She wasn't in my sight even after 8 days. I lived those eight days in complete agony and desperation. I sent the search parties to find my girl and uproot the rebels who have entered my territory. 

But the forest was scattered widely. So I took all the help I needed. Even my uncle sent a search party of his own who raided this area.

If only those stupid morons used their mind and searched first before striking, they would have found my girl earlier. This is the reason why I never include my uncle in my projects.

Had it been my team, we would've found her earlier. And then I didn't have to find her so broken and numb. 

“ Hey, sweetheart. I've got you.” I whisper in her ear, kneeling on this cold metal floor. My blood boils in fury seeing the state she is in right now. How could anyone do something like this to such a sweet being.

They are going to pay. Each and every one of them are going to pay for what they have caused. They can try hiding in any part of this world, and I will find them and make their lives hell.

Before carrying her outside, I saved the details of this horrible place in my mind, also acknowledging the fact that there were no traces of food and water.

My theory was proven right when I lifted her outside. She weighed like a feather. What did my baby endure here? I can't even imagine.

Did she cry? Was she scared? Did she know I was looking for her? 

What has been done can't be forgotten now. There's a war to come and a price to pay. They crossed boundaries, and now I'll cross time to bring God of death to them.

“ Is she………?” Eli jumps to me as soon as I lift her outside and cover her face from direct sunlight. “ ALERIX!! TELL ME! Tell me……..tell me she is fine?" He chokes on his breath.

I wish I could say that. His face has gone pale, and worry is evident in his voice, but he is not my concern right now. My baby is.

“ She is not. But she is alive. Where's the healer?” 

He sighs in relief, but his body is still tense. “ In the van. Come.”

While the healer does her thing. I imagine what she might have gone through in that hole.

“ Her hands are bruised.” 

I kiss her knuckles softly. “ She might have tried to call for help.”

“ She is brave.” 

I nod. “ She is.”

“ What do we do now, Alerix? How are we going to forgive ourselves after all of this? We brought this to her. She was an innocent naive little bundle of sunshine. How is she going to recover from this?”

I don't have answers to Eli's questions. And for the first time in history, I'm scared and have no idea how to control this.

“ What if…….? What if she decides to leave us?” I don't want to know the answer to that question. 

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“ Hey, sweetheart. How are you doing now?” My voice is hopeful, but she doesn't respond. It's like she has forgotten who I am or maybe a part of herself, too. 

When she woke up yesterday, we were there, hoping to talk to her, to know her state of mind. But all she did was cry silently and hide under the blankets. She didn't even look at us.

“ What's happening? Why is she not talking to us?” Rey has been going impatient. He blamed himself for her state. Zed was no better. 

“ I think she doesn't remember us. Maybe her trauma took a toll on her mental health, making her lose her memories. But I'm not sure.” Sometimes I wish Eli would just keep his mouth shut.

His reason might be correct, but I don't want to accept it. There's no way that she will forget us or me. 

“ Brother, why don't you go touch her. Your scent always calmed her. Maybe it will work this time, too.” 

I move toward her shivering form and lift her blanket. Her eyes are tightly closed, breath heavy like she doesn't want the next moment to come. 

I exhale and put her in my lap. She fights me and tries to move away. But I only tightened my grip on her.

“ Shh… You're fine. Come back, princess. Come back to Daddy. You're safe now. I'm here. See.” Kissing her fingers, I press her face in my neck and start to rock her body back and forth.

She continues to cry. Sniffing and sobbing the entire time. I can't see her like this. 

“ Daddy is here, baby. You're safe now. I promise.” I whisper in her ear.

“ Come back to me, princess. Come back.” Eventually, her shivering stops, and she falls asleep in my arms. But what brings me hope is the fact that she is sucking on my shirt collar. 

She still remembers me.