Blood Rose

#6

"I thought I made it clear that I want Agnes back home. Not her paying visits." Estevan said.
"Estevan? What are you doing here?" I asked, shocked.
"Philip sent a pigeon. He said you're not doing your work properly. He wasn't wrong, I see!" He said. He seemed to be furious. I wished that Matthias hadn't given us that pigeon.

"Estevan, she'll pay regular visits, I'll take responsibility for it. We shouldn't separate her from her family." I said.
"Her family? So you wanna be the king now, don't you Adonis? The one who makes decisions?"
"I told you brother, he can't be trusted!" Philip said, grinning.
"Yes, brother. I see that now. Julian, Owen, tie him up!" Estevan ordered. They hesitated but came forward and tied me to the wall by my hands. Estevan came close to me and whispered, "You broke my trust, Adonis. Just like Philip had said you would. I'm going to war now. I'm gonna take my sister home, where she belongs." And he left with Philip.

I struggled to get out of the ropes. For the first time in my life, I could feel tears. Estevan was going to war with Matthias. Her brother was going to war with the man who brought her up. Her families were thirsty of each other's blood. I had to stop it. I had to stop chaos spreading over her life. I had to warn her, I had to warn Matthias.

"Julian! Owen... Please, open me up. I need to go to Idylla... I love her!" I screamed. Julian and Owen came close, looking helpless.
"The king will kill us, sire." Julian said.
"This is your one chance to do right, brothers. Help me." I pleaded.
"We can't free you. However you can free yourself." Owen grinned. He came close, took out a knife and cut half of the ropes. I pulled. I pulled harder and harder till they broke and I rushed out. Guards noticed me and ran after me. I ran and ran, climbed to the rooftop as fast as I could. I could see small dots out in the sea through the fixed telescope on the roof balcony. They were dressed in red, just like the flag of Mausa. They were the army. The army I once commanded. Two hours at max, I estimated, before they reach.

The guards had followed me up and cornered me. "I need to see the king. Immediately." I said. The guards looked shocked. They tied my arms to my back before they escorted me to Matthias. They explained what had happened and Matthias looked at me, demanding explanation.
"Sir, there's no time. Mausa is going to attack Cyprus. I don't have time to explain. Ask your army to prepare for battle." I said.
"What?" Matthias looked shocked, "But why?"
"There's no time to explain. They'll be here in two hours. I checked the telescope."

Matthias signalled one of his men and he rushed upstairs. He came back in no time with sweat covering his face and nodded. Matthias ordered me to be freed and ordered another man to get the army ready. He took me to the side and said, "Who are you?"
"Adonis. Not the merchant. Commander of Mausa's army."
"The man with wings? Oh god!" Matthias said. I nodded. Suddenly, the two young men whom I'd seen earlier in the throne room rushed into the room. One said, "Father, who are the attackers?"
"Mausa." Matthias said.
"What do they want?" The other asked.
"Territory, I believe." Matthias replied.
"No, they want Idylla." I said.
The first man took out his knife and kept it to my throat and said, "Don't you dare talk about my sister that way!"
"So are you Herakles or Oreste?" I asked.
"Herakles. How do you know our names?" He asked, shocked.

"Idylla shares their blood. She's Estevan's long lost sister. They are coming to snatch her away because she refused to go." I explained.
"Oh. Now it makes sense." Matthias said. A man overheard, broke in and said, "I knew that girl would bring trouble to Cyprus sire, I warned you. Now look at the trouble she's unleashed. Mausa has the biggest army in entire Greece."

"She's my daughter." Matthias said, "And I'll fight for her if I have to."
"I'll join you." I said.
"But you command Mausa's army." The other guy, Oreste said, "Why should we trust you?"
"Because I fight for right, not countries. And I love Idylla." I said.
They just stared at me, Matthias nodded, "Very well, you'll stand by Herakles and Oreste in this battle."
I thanked Matthias and said, "I need to see her, sir. Where is she?" Matthias waved his hand at a man and he bowed and went away. A minute later he came back with Idylla, she looking as fresh as dawn.

I rushed to her, held her hands and whispered, "I love you, princess. And I'm sorry for all of this."
"I can't see all of this happen, Adonis. They're all my family." She said with tears in her eyes.
"I can't change it princess. But I promise that I'll keep you safe." I said, pressing her hand.
"You can't." She said, throwing off her robes, unleashing a shining armour beneath. She smiled and said, "Now it would be a shame if the girl who cornered the man with wings doesn't go to war, you know."

"No. It's not safe." Oreste rushed in.
"I can't wait here for them to come and take me, brother. They won't recognise me in the battlefield." She said.
"But how will you fight your own family, Idylla?" Herakles said.
"My family? What family? They didn't turn back to ask what I wanted. You're my family, they just share my blood." She said.
"Stay here. They won't harm you even if they reach you. They'll just take you away but keep you safe." I said.
"JUST take me away? Adonis, you think I'd prefer imprisonment rather than war? You don't know me then. This is a fight for my self respect. No one has seen me as the princess except you, they can't recognise me." She said.

"If that's what you want, daughter. I won't stop you. Prepare for war!" Matthias screamed.
"Prepare for war!" Everyone repeated.
No one knew though, how she felt, going to war with her own kin. She was meeting her brothers for the first time, this wasn't how she had imagined it.

Alright, thank you for reading! Sorry for the long wait. Keep reading to find out what happens! Much love.

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Love, Kaninika xoxo