Chapter Six #2
However, the rope is an ode to how this country started.
These lands were once slave territory, and the continent’s ancestors forced those who were magicless to do hard labor.
They worked in mines, chopped trees, and more.
All for a few bites of bread a day. Each slave was tethered to the next with rope so tight it sliced through their skin.
Hundreds of years passed with that being the norm, but King Jahara was a savior and Rakushia became a beautiful country again.
I think everyone expected it to stay that way until King Jahara III and his nephew were murdered, and King Evreux took the crown.
With how Tobias is, I’m not too sure that the continent’s weak will be safe.
“Father.” I announce my presence as I make my way around the table to peer over his shoulder.
“He’s moved more of his men to the border, I wouldn’t be surprised if he pushes through within the next week.” My father mutters. He’s moved a few rose shaped pieces on the map closer to Rakushia.
“How many men does that make?” I ask. Each rose signals 100 people and I can currently see seven pieces on the map, with two rolling in his hand.
“Nearly seven hundred and eighty, if our intel is correct.” His voice is quiet, disinterested as he thinks.
“Do you know if Thel got to the palace?”
“Yes, he did. I received a raven from Ren. He said he met with Tobias and Elaenor this morning.”
“So she’s alive?” We haven’t had eyes on her in weeks.
Ren tries his best to send correspondence when possible, but it’s hard.
If he got caught, he’d be executed. Last we heard, he hadn’t seen her in days, unsure of where Tobias kept her.
She hadn’t been to any of the court holdings, any of the royal meals or events.
She was gone. For all we knew, she was dead.
But I knew he wouldn’t kill her. He wants something from her, and he wouldn’t risk losing it.
He has to have somewhere in the palace that others don’t know about.
A place he could keep her close without being seen.
The plus side to Ren’s collaboration with us is that we have Elaenor and Tobias’s wedding certificate.
It never even made it to the vault in Noterra after their wedding.
After it was signed, it was sent off that same day by Donovan.
They are still legally wed, but all we have to do is burn it in the presence of a reverend and it’ll be annulled.
Why we haven’t done so yet, I am not sure. Maybe they want to do it once Elaenor is here, so she can be a witness? Or so Tobias doesn’t have a chance to force her to sign another before she’s rescued.
If she’s rescued.
I’m hoping they opted to wait to give her a choice in the matter.
Let her make the decision to end her marriage and enter a new one.
I know Thel would be on board with that, he loves his niece, but I know it isn’t something my father would agree to.
But this isn’t our decision, it’s hers. Maybe she loves him?
I can’t imagine that she does, but how would any of us know what she’s feeling right now?
“As far as this morning, yes. I don’t know where she’s been these last few weeks, but she is in the palace now.
She was at court today.” He’s quiet as he ponders.
We have 4,000 men stationed in Labisa, ready to move when we say.
I don’t doubt we could win against Tobias in an all-out war, but many lives would be lost. More than necessary.
We were supposed to petition other countries for their armies, but they all wanted to wait and use Elaenor.
Use her as the reason for their cooperation.
Honestly, even if Elaenor died, she would still be useful.
She could be a martyr, igniting the other countries into a rebellion to remove Tobias from the throne.
Not that I am hoping for her demise, but she’s useful either way.
“Father, what are your plans where Elaenor is involved? What happens after we rescue her?” I sit down in the chair adjacent to him, watching as his furrowed brows relax.
“She is the heir. As much as I hate it, her future son would be the rightful ruler of the entire continent of Viridiana. We need to control her, garner her trust. I expect nothing of her but a puppet to play with.” I nearly scoff at his indifference.
I may not be a fan of Elaenor and what she means, but she deserves more than this.
“So you just want to use her? Do you think she’ll be so trusting after her time with Tobias, that she will listen to anything you have to say?” I counter.
“She won’t have a choice. She will wed upon her arrival, and you will put a child in her before she has the chance to say no.” He doesn’t look at me, his eyes still pouring over the maps as he suggests I impregnant a young woman who has spent the last few months being tortured.
“Father, I will not force myself on an unwilling woman.” There is no way he can force me to do this, to marry her. To force her to carry my child.
“Then make sure she’s willing.” He retorts without looking at me, his tone indifferent and tired. He sighs as he sets the wooden roses back on the table.
“I don’t remember agreeing to wed her.” I snap. It’s not often I verbally disagree with my father, but I won’t stand by and be another one of his puppets.
“I don’t remember asking your opinion, son.” I stand, the chair nearly toppling over as I plant my hands on the table, leaning forward.
“Father, please . Enzo would be a much better husband than I would.” Not to mention he already loves her.My eyes plead for him to listen, but his just harden in return.
“ Enzo isn’t the crown prince. Enzo isn’t my son.
If you will not marry her, I will.” He snaps, his voice rising.
I cross my arms in front of my chest and lean back.
He would marry her. He’s that sick and twisted that he would force a girl who is younger than his own child to be his wife.
He wouldn’t be a kind husband; he would do more harm than good.
She truly would just be a shell for him to control after that.
She would be better off with Tobias than him.
“There is no discussion to be had, is there? It is either you or me sitting on the throne beside her one day? I don’t want to marry her, but I will not subject her to a life chained to you.
I know more than anyone how horrible that life would be.
” He doesn’t respond. He knows how I feel about him, about his use of women as toys to play with until they are broken.
He almost coerced Scarlett to be his newest pet, but he couldn’t deal with her attitude.
I just don’t think he liked that she had boundaries.
Ones he couldn’t cross without seeming like he was forcing himself on her—which he was.
I don’t want this life for myself, but I do have a chance to keep Elaenor from entering another marriage like the one she’s in. I’m bound to her, one way or another.
I don’t even know why I care about any of this; why I care about her. At this point in time she doesn’t even know I exist.
“You will wed Elaenor, and you will become the king, that is final.” The door opens and I glance over at Enzo as he barrels in.
“Anything?” He’s breathless as if he ran all the way here, his hands gripping the back of a chair with an iron fist.
“Thel put eyes on her this morning. She’s alive.” I inform him as I take my place in the chair behind me. His shoulders drop back to a normal height as the tension leaves his body.
“What is the plan? Did he say anything else?” He asks as he pulls the chair out and drops into it.
“Yes.” My father’s voice drops, a little more than a whisper. My head whips back in his direction. He’s hiding something.
“Father, what else did Ren say?” He clears his throat and slowly sits into the chair behind him, swirling his whiskey in his hand.
“He said she’s ill. He doesn’t know with what, but her skin is pale, she has wounds and bruises covering every inch of visible skin, and he said there was a silver collar fitted with prongs around her neck.” I choke, my mouth falling open.
“ What ?” Enzo's voice is so loud I jump.
“Enzo,” I raise my hand to get him to relax. The last thing we need is him losing his mind and shifting into something obscenely large, like a whale.
“What is going to be done?” He snaps, his fingers digging into the wood of the table.
“As of right now, nothing. Thel will ensure she stays safe.” My father states, disinterest coating his voice like ash. He doesn’t care if she’s safe, he just cares if she’s alive and able to create heirs.
“How?” I pipe in, he has to have a plan.
“I am not sure.”
“We have to go. Now .” Enzo snaps, shooting back out of his chair.
“Child, you do not command me or any of our armies. We will move when I say we move.” The Labisian King’s voice raises in volume, sending goosebumps down my arms. He only snaps when he’s angry, and I can tell he’s getting to that point.
As much as I hate it, he’s in charge here. His word is law until Thel returns.
“You can’t expect us to sit around while she’s chained up like a dog.”
“You will do as you’re told.” His voice is even as he holds Enzo’s glare. I flick my gaze back and forth between them, my palms growing sweaty.
“ You are not my king.” Enzo snaps before rushing out of the room. I roll my eyes and sigh. One thing Enzo tends to do is throw tantrums like a child when he’s stressed. Most of the time he’s even, stoic, but when it comes to Elaenor he's unhinged and rash.
It’s going to get him killed.
“Talk to him, Nithe. If he attempts to cross the border right now, he will cost us everything.” My father orders as he goes back to peering at the map. I nod and sigh, before standing and following behind.