An Assassins Crown

Chapter 26- Verian

Once Katara is in a satisfactory deep sleep I quietly rise from where I sit at the edge of the bed. I grab a white pair of earmuffs and place them over her ears. I look at her peaceful figure once more, ingraining the look of her curves and her soft features once more as I walk towards the flap of the tent. Walking out my eyes caught Milo walking towards my very own tent.

He gives me a curt nod which is all I need to know that those traitorous soldiers are tied ready for me. I walk to his tent with him looking at the weeping men. Their hands are tied behind their backs at an ugly angle.

"Mercy" one of them begs.

"Do you know why people fear me?" the sound of my voice makes all the men whimper beneath me. I lean down getting to their level before hissing in one of their faces "Tell me why".

An unsuppressable anger rages through my veins as I pull back a fist and punch the man in front of me's face. Blood spews from his nose. "You hurt what is mine and you will die for it".

I raise my fist again and again punching the man as his comrades beg for there mercy not wanting to be treated in the same light. Or should I say darkness.

I move my anger to the one beside him as I kick him in the stomach just like he had done to Katara. The men grunt and cry out in pain, almost screaming as I do what they did to Katara over and over to there bodies. They will feel the pain she felt to be defenceless. When my anger is about to become a never ending beast I feel the hand of Milo on my arm.

"You're going to wake up the whole camp" his voice is taut.

"Then gag them" I will not show them mercy. They will die slow and painful deaths, and that death will happen tonight. This army will not carry them any longer as dead weight.

"Banish them" Milo continues "They won't survive three days in the woods". He's right, and it would be a much more satisfying death to these pigs of men.

I nod rigidly and walk out of the tent with bloody fists. "This is your mercy" I hear Milo say right before I exit earshot.

My anger still ripples as I walk into the tent but it dissipates as soon as I see Katara's sleeping figure. Her slow breaths as she lays there peacefully. So very peacefully. My gaze softens as I sit on the edge of the bed and lay down next to her. Oh, so gently I pull her sleeping body onto my chest feeling the steady beat of her heartbeat.

"My love" I whispered. "I wish you knew how much I think of you. You plague my thoughts with everything you do. And every second of my life I have with you will be the best moments". My hands trace circles on her back. I don't feel tired at all as I count her eyelashes one by one.

After a while sleep beckons me down to join Katara and I reluctantly start to give in. Although I just want to look at Katara longer and drink in her beauty. I stroke her hair once more and flick her nose softly before falling into a deep sleep.

"Dad" I sob "Please stop". My whole body shakes as I look at my dad who forces me back into the dark cell. "Dad!" I cry out again, my voice begging him to let me go.

The cell door is closed behind me leaving me in almost complete darkness. My arm burns from where he held it with his iron tight grip. I turn around and run to the door and bang my fists on it. "I'll be back to get you when you toughen up"he spits at the door. With that I hear his footsteps walk away as I'm left all alone. The steel door with only a tiny slit for food that I cling to, it welcomes the only bit of light into this cell.

I'm swallowed into the darkness as my breaths become suffocating. I hear the screams and cries of prisoners echo through the walls. I sit on the ground sobbing as I pull my knees to my chest.

I notice a figure in the darkness, a man. He stood and picked up my sobbing figure holding my tightly but comfortingly in his arms. The man carries me to the corner he was sitting in and sets me on his lap. "It's alright child" his voice washes over me. It was the most soothing voice I had every heard on my nine years in this kingdom.

More soothing than my own mother and fathers.

He holds me close even after I stop crying. The man raises his hand and pushes my hair out of my face, "Your the prince, aren't you?", I nod in answer.

My swollen eyes meet his through the darkness. "You know, I have a daughter around your age. She's also scared of the dark sometimes". Where is his daughter? Isn't she lonely?

I take a deep breath before asking "What's her name?".

His gaze softens more than I knew any face could. "Her name is Katara".

My eyes fly open at the memory. I had met Katara's father. I didn't even remember that day, it had gone into the archives of my mind.

I look at the sleeping girl still wrapped safely in my arms as dawn starts to peek through the mountains. My hand finds it's way to her cheek as I stroke it softly.

She starts to stir awake and in moments her sleepy eyes find mine. Her hand swats mine away as she rubs her eyes. I sit there in silence as she sits up. I follow her into a seated position, my mind races with so many thoughts.

"Hey" she whispers, her eyes meeting mine.

A small smile spreads across my face, "Hey".