The Ancient World Order

Chapter 26: Aldus Morg of The Empire

Staring into the empty eyes of nothingness, a feeling of hopelessness had grabbed Aldus. They had been caught off guard. Out of nowhere, they had emerged, overpowering his hired swords.

Abedelle! His thoughts went to the woman he surprisingly had started to fancy. Was it love? He was afraid that might be the case.

On the white palace floor, she was laying down, unconscious or even worse, dead. It was hard to tell after such a bash to the head she took. As she laid there, she looked so beautiful and innocent. He feared it was the last time he would ever see her. If she even was alive, he feared that he wouldn't be for more than just a minute.

Panic finally grabbed him. His heart was rushing as he understood the situation. Quickly he put his hand to his teeth. The taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit it. An old trick his brother had taught him. Physical pain pushes away any emotions. His mind had to remain calm, if he wanted to survive this... It worked, there was not only the pain, the emotions that filled his head had vanished.

Marseile tried to hide it, but Aldus knew it impressed him. He thought of him as a weak pushover.

"Where did you come from?" Aldus asked, his eyes fixed on Marseile's. He was on his way to the throne room, to demand that Wilfred would take action against Brad Ambeder, as he had attacked Atorn. On the way, Marseile and two of his hooded henchmen had flown out from the walls. With perfect coordination, they had knocked Abedelle and his other bodyguard to the floor with small maces. It happened so fast and so sudden, Abedelle probably didn't even realise what hit her.

Aldus stared at Harald at his side. He was frozen with shock. And he carried no weapons either, so useless he was. That's probably the reason Marseile's men didn't bother striking him down.

"Balko you know him, the one who built this palace?" Marseile asked. He waited for a moment, but Aldus didn't answer.

"Well, he made dozens of hidden pathways." Marseile continued. "There were many reasons for them. One was for escape, one for his secret mistresses, one for transporting the victims he tortured. The one I can relate to the most was spying and gathering information on the people in his palace."

Aldus could barely hear what he was saying, so focused he was on figuring out a plan to get him out of this situation alive. What does Marseile want, Aldus frantically tried to figure it out.

"You will accompany me into one of those. Here in the hallway, it's just too risky. Anyone might walk past, and we can't just kill anyone."

Coming with him, why? Aldus still struggled to think out Marseile's goal. For what purpose, why not just kill me here and now? No, he wouldn't, I have done no harm to him. Is this just a power display? Aldus' head was running wild with thoughts and possibilities. Marseile won't kill me at least. Or at least that was what Aldus was betting on.

"What is your purpose with this?" Aldus asked, staring Marseile never letting go of his cold eyes. "What did you possibly hope to gain?"

Marseile walked around Aldus and Harland in circles. "You betrayed me, you see. How can I possibly let that go unpunished? Emma is still alive... And it was implicated that you would tell me everything you learned about Wilfred. And so much has happened and yet you told me nothing? I thought I made it clear for you... There is no middle ground, only full commitment!"

"I don't see it that way." Aldus protested. "No moment had prevented itself regarding Emma, she was too well guarded. And I have yet to make any findings that you would not already have known. Nothing worth your time. Or are there any things you refer to in particular?"

Marseile made a loud sigh. "I have no time for this. The girl, I understand. Honestly, I never expected you to do it. But no attempts to make up for it, no attempts to communicate. And the first thing you do after our meeting is to hire these bodyguards. Then you reveal secrets to the Mandos boy of all people, in a brothel!"