Chapter 44
“Iwant Ornella in the training rooms by the end of the day. I cannot have a queen who does not know how to wield a sword or fight,” I snapped orders at Nora.
She waited in my study, ready for our briefing of the last few days. I was hopeful that Ornella’s family had retreated. I was exhausted from the power I’d been using to send nightmares and shadow demons to their army’s camps.
“Yes, sire, I will train her myself.”
Nora bowed as she kept her hands behind her back, waiting for my next orders. I shot a tonic down my throat, hoping for it to bring me some energy and respite.
I’d not meant to have fallen asleep next to Ornella this morning. I’d simply stepped in to see if she was still awake as a candle flickered in her room. Perhaps sitting down and closing my eyes next to her wasn’t the greatest idea. She didn’t seem very happy when she found me.
Her thoughts turned around in her mind, waking me up from my own slumber. Perhaps this evening we could discuss things.; I always found training a good place to blow off some steam and clear the mind. If she knew how to fight for herself, maybe she wouldn’t be so frightened of me.
“I will attend the sessions as well. It’s not that I do not trust you, Nora. After all, you trained me. I just wish to see for myself what skills the princess has.”
“Yes, of course, your majesty. I have no doubt it is you, who has been sending illnesses, demons, and nightmares to the border. I believe it may have worked, for now.”
Looking up at Nora as she relaxed her shoulders, but placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, her eye scanned the room for a few seconds before she stepped closer.
“My spies have informed me the prince will be arriving shortly to join the army. King Sirius however remains at Crystal City.”
Norok. After healing him, I assumed he would retake his claim for the throne now that Ornella was gone. I’d already anticipated his reluctance to let Ornella go. His mind had been filled with her. His love for his sister ran deep. If I were to keep Ornella at my side, Norok would either have to be eliminated—without her knowing—or he”d have to accept my marriage to his sister and retreat back to his kingdom.
“I am also told the male you asked about is there. He appears to be their commander. From the words of my spy, he is not too impressed that you stole his soon to be wife.”
A snarl escaped my throat as I thought about Dorian. Knowing what he’d done and would have done to Ornella made me eager to deal with him. If she’d denied me, I would have murdered the bastard before their wedding. The fact she’d agreed to marry me was just the icing on the cake. I would never allow harm to come to her. Despite what she may think.
“When the time comes, Nora, that commander will be dealt with by wife and no one else. Understand?”
“Understood, majesty. I will send word to the princess of our plans this evening and await for you to join us.”
She bowed then before she exited the room, leaving me alone while a headache began to brew. My job as king began to start.
Watching from my window, I saw Ornella, Morgana and Vanessa laughing together, heading towards the stables. At least she would be safe with those two at her side. I would continue to keep my distance. Even if it was slowly destroying me.
I wanted to kill her. To be rid of this aching pain that filled my chest with every breath. Her image, her laughter, and her smile haunted my every thought. Waking or sleeping this war—although my court blamed her—was my doing.
My sisters knew the truth.
I’d planned this right from the moment our parents were stolen from us.
I would avenge their deaths.
Queen Elora and King Sirius had what was coming to them. Norok would be collateral damage—caught in the crossfire. I would do everything I could to keep Ornella’s younger sister from being hurt. But if she became an obstacle, I would wipe her entire family from this world. The Goddess knew it would be better off without them.
I already knew Ornella would hate me for it. That would be fine, I’d break her to the point she would not retaliate. April would rule over Crystal City, and there would finally be peace between our two kingdoms. The other islands would just have to watch and accept this would be their fate and if they tried to question it or get involved., I would destroy them, too.
Sitting on the edge of a wooden volt, I watched as Nora held out a wooden sword for Ornella, who didn’t seem at all interested in it. Her eyes darted towards me and then quickly back to Nora who stood her ground as always.
“Take it, princess, or I will have you on your ass.”
Ornella’s eyes widened by Nora’s brassiness, and I tried to hold back a laugh. No matter your station, here Nora treated you like any other soldier. If she couldn’t shape Ornella into a fighter, I wasn’t sure what I could do.
I’d promised her vengeance against her uncle and that I would try and make it possible. My eyes trailed down her body, her training gear fitted her in all the right places and my mind returned to the many naked filled nights we’d shared.
I craved her.
Wanted her to touch me.
To lay beneath me as she moaned her pleasure with my name on her lips.
Shaking my head to clear the lust filled thoughts, I forced myself to pay attention to the now. Nora shouted an order towards Ornella and shoved her into position. Pushing her legs slightly apart with her own wooden sword, she stood next to her and showed her how to hold her sword correctly.
Has she really not been taught any basics? Surely not. As a royal child she should have known how to protect herself, even if she were followed by guards. She should have at least known how to get out of a fight if she needed to.
If we have daughters they’d learn everything.
“You may be a princess out there, but in here you are nothing! You will learn this move for as long as it takes! Even if we have to stay here all night!”
Ah, the same treatment I received from Nora when I was a child. Although tough and harsh, it was the only way I’d listen and get my pompous little prince head out of my own ass.
“AGAIN!” she yelled in Ornella’s face, and I could see the princess wince.
She held the sword upwards and then with one swift movement, brought it down toward her left. As if she were cutting an opponent in front of her. Again, and again and again. I lost count how many times she did the movement. Eventually Nora told her to bring the sword back up and from her left shoulder and down towards her right leg. The same movement in reverse.
Swordplay was often like a dance, there was a lot of footwork to be done along with hand movements. Ornella however—although good in a ballroom, appeared to have two left feet when it came to swords.
“Continue that movement until I say stop.”
Nora left her to join me and took the glass of water from my hands, draining it. I dared not to say a word as I knew right now Nora could have easily taken me.
“You look like death warmed up,” she whispered under her breath, taking in the bags under my eyes. Changing the subject swiftly, she added, “I may not have time to teach her how to become a great fighter, but she will be good enough to at least escape should she ever need to.”
“Do you think she has any magic?” I had to ask.
“The Crystal Fae bred out their magic abilities a long time ago. If she has any, it would be deeply buried within. However, sire, I do not see it or feel it.”
One of Nora’s many talents was sensing when magic was in the air. She was the first one to tell my parents of my gifts when I was just a babe. She’d also been the one to teach me a few skills, how to vanish and reappear using my shadows. For her to not sense anything on Ornella told me enough.
“I watched her run her hand through candle fire. She was unburnt and injured.”
“She is a Crystal Fae. Her line is protected from harm in the form of light. The fire most likely sees her as kin. That is my best guess anyway.”
Maybe that was it. It still didn’t explain the blood ability to open the portal though. We had many concerns, like an army at our doors and her inability to hold a sword but the portal and her blood were the most worrisome.. If that portal were to open, we were all doomed.
“His majesty will take over for a moment. I must step out.”
My eyes flew at Nora as she grinned, but she didn’t give me a chance to decline or say anything before she slipped out training room. I would make her pay for that later.
Ornella stopped moving, I could hear her heart beating faster as I looked at her, surveying her. She swallowed hard before she went back to doing the movement Nora had instructed.
“You need to work on your defence. You leave yourself open for an attack.”
She didn’t answer me as she continued through her stance. Picking up the swordNora had been using, I stepped in front of Ornella. She kept her eyes away from me, refusing to make eye contact.
“And your stance is wrong. Copy me.”
I made the correct movements in front of her, hoping to catch her eye line. Eventually after a few minutes, she looked at my legs, slowly dragged up to my arms and then finally my eyes.
“Why do you care if I can fight?” she asked.
“Because I may not always be there to protect you.”
“The only one I need protecting from is you.”
She threw down the wooden sword, heading towards a small table where a jug of water and glasses had been placed. Pouring herself a drink, she turned her back to me. I tried to calm the anger that rose from her sudden outburst. I deserved it.
I’d told her I’d kill her. I’d admitted it and then when I tried to take it back, it was too late. Feeling anything for her was confusing, annoying, and down right consuming. We were now husband and wife. I had made those promises and that vow in front of my court and the Goddess herself blessed it. However, I wasn’t sure if I could fully believe them. Let alone fulfil them.
“Is this how it will be?” she asked, turning slightly towards me.
“How would ‘what’ be?”
“Us. I knew deep down we would not become this epic, great love story, but I’d hoped we would become something sweet, something loving.”
I could hear the ache in her voice as her words broke. Knowing that pain was because of me, because I pushed her away, too far, too much, it caused me a pain I couldn”t describe. With every deed, every word, I was pushing her further away from me. Did I mean it? I wasn’t sure. Had I intended for this to happen? Maybe.
She believed she wasn’t worthy of love. She was. She was worthy of more than one could ever give.
I was the one who didn’t deserve it. I was a monster. Monsters didn”t deserve love or kindness. I’d hurt her brother to trick her into marrying me. I’d kidnapped her from her family and was already plotting their deaths. All while knowing and not caring it would hurt her deeply.
“I thought as much.”
When I didn’t answer, she turned away from me and placed her cup down on the table. There was that faint pull again in the pit of my stomach. That invisible line that urgently wanted to pull me towards her. To wrap my arms around her and beg her for forgiveness, to confess everything and hope she would not turn away from me.
I ignored it.
“If war is coming,” she said, “Then I will need to learn at least how to protect the ones I care about. Nora will teach me but you—I don’t want you here,” she snarled, turning back towards me. She walked back to the mats and picked up the wooden sword then moved to another part of the room to practice.
“Ornella.”
“Don’t, Nicholas. Just leave me alone.”
I didn’t mean to snap when I did. I wasn’t even sure why I snapped, but her words sent a spark through me and my shadows—the demons within me—erupted from my body and consumed the entire room. Flinging her against the wall a hand wrapped around her throat.
She gasped for air while I stood inches away from her, my mind clouded with black. She may have been my wife, but I was her king, and it would be the last time she’d tell me to leave a room which was mine.
She was mine.
Clutching at her throat, she tried to pull the hand away. I stared at her for a few more seconds before allowing the invisible hand to loosen. She dropped to her knees, coughing and gasping for air. I felt her fear rush over me and the darkness within me craved it. Wanted more. Needed it to survive.
I wouldn’t let it.
“Tell me to leave again and it will be the last thing you do,” I threatened as I walked towards her.
Kneeling down to her level, her eyes shot up at me filled with hatred and anger. Rage lived deep within her. I’d finally awoken something in her, the fire ignited within her and danced along the edges of my darkness, begging me to play.
“Remember this, Annwyl, you are mine. I have claimed you. I will do as I please, when I please. You will train here every night until I say otherwise. You will eat with me every day unless I say otherwise. And you will share a bed with me, until I say otherwise,” I paused as I brushed some hair from her eyes, and she snarled at me. “Do you understand?”
She nodded slowly as we stared at each other for another second before I nodded. I stood up and left the room as Nora stepped through the door. Her eyes were wide as she took a look at the chaos I’d left in my wake then rushed to Ornella’s aid.
She will never forget tonight.
And I would remember it and regret it forever.