Chapter II

Where was she now?

What was happening to her?

Was she in pain?

Was she crying for me?

I felt sick.

The pain in my gut when her face appeared in my mind was overwhelming. I have to do something if I am going to make this happen " and to save her from King Reddrought’s clutches. Thinking about her numbed my whole being but I have no choice but to move forward and destroy him, and to save her from this hell.

I now reached the door of the king’s chamber, I knocked three times. I am trying control my anger, I don’t want to slip, and I needed to confirm first that my wee sister is safe and still alive.

“Come in” the king, no not my king, the suck face Reddrought answer.I push the door open with my bare palms.

“ah, my greatest knight, Sir Lance.” Reddrought said, I want to spit in his face. The king quickly put his sword away with the cleaning materials on the Victorian table. 

And he stood up to welcome me with a hug. I accepted it, with a bitter thought.

“Good Morning my king” I plastered my fake smile.

“well, how’s my favorite knight?” he asked while pouring a brew wine in two glasses.

“Good, Good… well I am here to bring you good news” I said “we won! We defeated the people, and they promised to be mine again” I laughed bitterly.

The king smiled ruefully. I should’ve known, I should’ve opened my eyes before, I saw it, but I ignored it. The poor died in mining, starving and beaten by the palace. I should’ve made this decision months or years ago. But I did not, because I am a coward. And now my sister is the one who paid for it, like a slaughtered pig.

“Well done, Lance. I knew I could trust you.” Reddrought pat me on the back, like a hound while passing me the other glass of wine. Or perhaps I am his hound. A stupid hound!

“Thank you my king for the flattery” I said before continuing “Did you see my younger sister?” I asked with a fake conscious look.

The king stuttered by my question but still managed to collect himself quickly. He smiled sweetly at me. Too much sweetly, like an old man who just got laid. I shuddered at the thought, and my anger starting to boiled inside me. “Hmm yes, I saw her yesterday, in the garden perhaps...”

“hmmm” I hummed, and take a swig of the wine. “I wonder… some boy just told me he saw you with her… in your room.” 

“hmm, is that so?..” he said too calmly, he takes a few step backward near at the Victorian desk, near his sword. “I wonder how in the world he’s still alive. Lucky little brat he is… don’t ye think? ” He picked up his sword mockingly looking at it, and cleaning it, but I know he sensed the heaviness of the ambiance; he’s always waiting for the first strike before he attacked his opponent.

“Yes, he’s lucky that he is still alive, and just lost his one eye. I know you can kill him. Or perhaps you’re getting older and cannot take a lad on his grave?” I answered with a bitter laugh. “And this is what they call the king of Malver?”I said with another laugh. "Is this all you can do now?! Deflower my sister behind my back, killing a commoner because they do not want you anymore, enslave your people for mining expedition and bring wealth on your foot, or torturing a lad for knowing your secret for being a dirty old man you are!?”  I scream with a growled.

The king laughs.

"I’ve had her, you know," he yelled out. "Shoved her on her face and fucked her like a dog. I could not stand looking at that bloated body or that ugly face, but she was still complacent enough to take my verge without crying too much, and I imprisoned her on the dungeon ye know, because she bites me like a b***h like his brother."

I took a short step backwards and readied myself. He walked slowly from the left to the right, and we circled around each other. I looked into his scruffy, blood-haired covered his face and remembered some of the things Sabrina had told me of him. How he had treated the handmaids of the kingdom when they were given as tournament prizes, and how he had often spoke to Sabrina as if she were nothing but common trash. But I ignored it, as I say I am his stupid hound.

I growled as he sneered at me. Unwilling or unable to wait any longer, I attacked.

My sword came up high and I aimed for his shoulder, but he blocked me with his own blade. A tremendous clash rang out from where they met, and I quickly side-stepped and slashed at him again and again. I pushed with my blade as they came together, stepping forward at the same time and trying to wrench the hilt from his hand. My shoulder hit against his chest and arm, and his elbow came up to smash me in the cheekbone and cutting me with the edge of his gauntlet.

I stumbled away, quickly steadied myself and gripped my sword with my both hands. I swung the long sword in a wide arc and again clashed with his blade. As I did, my foot slipped in the carpet and I felt the blade of my foe's sword dig into my arm. Reddrought laughed and taunted at me.

I refused to listen to his laugh as I went for him again, ignoring the blood running down my forearm. Our weapons sang as they met with more force than before, and this time as I turned his blade aside I brought up my foot and connected with his jaw.

It was his turn to fall back, though I gave him little opportunity to steady himself. He continued with his jeers.

As my sword hit his, I reached out with my hand, wanting to feel his flesh in my fist. He parried the blow, stepped backwards and away from me, but I did not stop. I grabbed for his neck, and my fingers found purchase.

I could feel his sword at my side, but we were too close and he could not get the right angle to pierce through my chain mail and into the leather beneath it. I snarled into his face as our eyes met and he glared at me. He moved swiftly and suddenly, and his forehead made contact with my own, sending me backwards.

Though I tried to keep my grip, my head spun and I heard rather than felt my sword hit the ground beside me. There was a low, dangerous laugh from above as I tried to focus on the shape of the man standing over me. There was a glint of shiny metal in his hands.

"As you end," he said quietly.

I heard a growl, but it was not from my opponent; it was from behind me. A mere half second later, a dash of brown hair and a small lad flew over the top of me, snarling and attacking. I heard Reddrought yell and saw his form fall back and away.

“Sire, Run!” the lad screamed at me, I cannot formulate his words and stared at him dumb struck. “…I said run sire! The guards are coming over, you run and I keep this bloody king, run sire please” the lad pleads. I scramble on my feet and look at the boy; I nodded at the boy again, for his heroic actions.

I heard the scrambles heels of the boots. I jumped quickly, threw and smash the Victorian chair to the glass window. I tugged the long curtain, looked down and saw the river’s gushing flows.

I turned around; Redrought slashed the throat of the lad, and looked at me with scornful eyes.

He takes a step forward but I jumped from the window to the cruel gash of the river.

Then everything goes black. 

....