Heart of Darkness

What could be worse than being wrapped in linen for so long and stuck in heavy armor? Well, guarding the king while he courted a princess, Roxana thought.

She rubbed her neck where Skender had kissed her, almost bit her. Something was still lingering on her mind. Perhaps his compulsion wasn't strong enough. She turned to Gary and asked if he had noticed anything strange last night.

He shook his head. "No."

Of course not. Skender wouldn't be so stupid to go to her and stay there without making sure they were asleep. Still unsure, she went back to watch him with annoyance gnawing at her.

Jealousy was a powerful thing and perhaps Skender would enjoy Roxana's thoughts since he was supposed to punish her but he didn't. Nor was he doing this to punish her. King Isaac's daughter, princess Serena was not only a beautiful woman but intelligent as well. Given that he would have to wed eventually, he might as well choose a woman with brains who would bring benefit to his kingdom through an alliance. He would be doing his duty as a king and he would not have to worry about his heart since this princess stirred nothing in him. She also had her kingdom's best interest in mind and didn't have anything against a political marriage. She had prepared herself for it.

But all this would happen if he could bring himself to accept getting married. Unless Lucrezia forced him or his destroyer through some magical way or decided to risk exposing their existence since he had an uncontrollable demon, marriage wasn't anything to be discussed anytime soon. So thankfully he didn't have to think about it. He just needed to work through some manipulation to get out of this situation without making anyone upset.

Speaking of upset, Roxana's new thoughts was a surprise to him. Even she was surprised by them. She was a confident woman so to hear her compare herself to ladies and princesses and feel a certain level of insecurity was saddening. He could shrug and say she put herself in this situation but he couldn't. There was no need to make her feel less worthy. He hated that feeling. He liked her confident self and he would hate to destroy that part of her.

She followed him behind as he walked around the garden with princess Serena. "Your Majesty, shall we take a break for tea? Or do you like coffee?" Serena asked.

He was so lost in Roxana's thoughts that he somehow missed her question. He had to pick it up from her mind when she gave him a certain look.

"Tea is fine." He said.

They went to sit at a table in the garden and Serena ordered tea for them. Roxana and Gary stood a good distance away as to not crowd them but Roxana was shooting daggers with her eyes. She was a passionate one. He should have known.

When the tea arrived and he took a sip, he thought it tasted terrible. What would taste good to him now that he had tasted her skin and her blood? He could even smell, hear her heart pound the blood in her veins. He couldn't stop his gaze from following the sound and settling on the pulse in her neck. His gums began to itch again.

To numb the itching he gulped down the hot tea. "Your Majesty. Wasn't that too hot?" Serena looked at him worried.

He gave her a polite smile. "I like it when it is really hot."

No, he didn't. He craved the cold more than ever now. All he had been feeling since Roxana came to his castle was heat. At least the weather showed him some mercy. Once Serana left to attend to her duties, rain began to pour down. "I want to be alone." He told Gary and Roxana. Gary knew he liked to be alone, but Roxana left hesitantly.

Skender stepped into the rain, letting it pour over him. Soak him. Wash the heat away but somehow bring a feeling of sorrow. He had buried his parents on a rainy day. Rain usually meant sorrow to him.

Suddenly he stopped when a little boy came running past him.

"Skender wait!" His mother came running after him with his father trailing behind. The little boy hid in the bushes but his mother found him. "You can't hide Skender." She told him.

"I don't want to do it, Mother. Please!"

She crouched to meet his face. She looked at him pained and saddened. "I know. I don't want it either but we have to do it. It will end someday."

"It hurts." He cried.

His mother looked like she was going to cry. "I will be there for you. I will hold you."

He shook his head.

"Skender, don't you want to play outside with your friends? Don't you want to be like them? This will help you be like them."

"Will I be normal?" he asked.

"Yes." She smiled. "We will take away all the bad things. We will help you heal."

The boy was skeptical but when his mother reached her hand out he took it. She helped him out of the bushed. She hugged him for a while, stroking his back. "You are a strong boy." She told him. The standing up she took his hand and led him back inside.

"No!" Skender shook his head as he watched the parents take away their son. He hurried after them. "Stop!" But they went inside and shut the door on his face.

Then he heard the most agonizing scream coming from inside. A sound that pierced his heart and tore his ears. He stepped back in terror putting his hands over his ears and shutting his eyes as if to block the sound but it continued. He heard the boy's screams over and over again until he was faint and sick.

***********

Roxana was hesitant as she went inside with Gary. Sir Fulker's words kept echoing in her mind of not leaving the king alone but right now that was all she wanted to do. In fact, she wanted to leave altogether. She had nothing left to do here.

But there was something else that worried her and it was the Shady Lord. Perhaps before she left, she should take care of him. What was he thinking asking her to a brothel? He really thought every man was like him. Even the king. He would deny a princess because she wasn't curvy enough? Roxana wanted to laugh. If that was the case then her judgment of the king would be wrong. No, her judgment might already be wrong. She didn't know much about him. She didn't even know yet whether he liked men or women. Both seemed highly possible and she wasn't sure which she preferred. Well, it didn't matter in her case because if he liked men, she was doomed and if he liked women, then she was still doomed because his interest in her would be because she looked feminine.

She should be happy now that he found a woman. That would put her in less danger. After last night's nightmare, she was even more scared to have her identity revealed. If she only had a way to reach Fanny, she would escape now.

"Do you know much about Lord Quintus?" Roxana asked Gary who was usually candid.

"No." He said. "What do you wish to know?"

She shrugged. "Well, you told me people of high rank are trying to… you know. Do you suspect anyone?"

He halted then looked to his right and left before looking at her."Alright." He began as if telling her a deadly secret. He lowered his voice as he continued. "Lord Davis is the one I suspect. He is not as powerful as the other lords but he is very influential and intelligent and he has His Majesty wrapped around his finger. He doesn't look like a threat but just think about it. He is a traitor's son who got himself into the castle. Why would he serve the man who killed his father? He is surely planning revenge."

Right. Roxana forgot that the King killed Lord Davis's father, yet they seemed to be very close. How did that happen?

"He and his sister planned everything. She got married to a lord. Perhaps she found out that Lord Rayven has the same goal as her and her brother got into the castle. I would say Lord Rayven and Lord Davis are the real threat."

Roxana's head was spinning now. Castle life was indeed complicated and the king had to live expecting enemies around every corner. How distressful.

"Now that the king is securing his place and is courting the princess they will feel more threatened. They wouldn't want an heir to interfere with their plans." Gary said. "That is my theory." He shrugged.

Well, then she had more people to investigate before coming to any conclusions. No, wait! This wasn't her job. Why was she getting herself involved?

Ughh. "I will go find His Majesty." She said.

"You shouldn't upset him."

"Don't worry."

Roxana hurried back to the garden. The king wasn't sitting on the terrace anymore. Did he walk into the rain?

She looked up not wanting to get wet but she had no choice. The raindrops fell on her head and shoulders as she stepped into the garden and began searching for the king. Finally, she found him between the tall hedges on his knees and with his hands covering his ears.

"Your Majesty!" She hurried to his side and put her hand on his shoulder. "Your Majesty. What is wrong?" He was shaking slightly. She looked around for a threat but there was none.

Roxana went down on her knees in front of him. He was behaving as if he was afraid of something. "Your Majesty. I am here. Everything is alright."

He opened his eyes which were shut tightly. He looked at her confused for a moment then turned to look back at the castle. He watched it as if he could see something that she couldn't. Then he dropped his hands from his ears and stood up hurriedly. He was unsteady as he took a step. Where was he going?

Roxana stood up and decided to follow him. As he walked he suddenly stopped and then collapsed to the floor.