55 Royal Court Part 2
* Paints
55 Royal Court Part 2
David POV
Listening to that little ba**ard speak as if he has any right to call himself the king makes me sick. He has always been weak and soft–hearted and that won’t ever change. He doesn’t have what it takes to run the kingdom and the tribes will see through him, I’m sure of it. He will never be anything but the pathetic mute slave that has been under my control since the day I killed his worthless father. My only regret is allowing him to live. Listening to that f**king seer who I refuse to call my mother.
She isn’t worthy of the title. My father should have killed her the moment I was born. I know my real mother cursed her but I can’t imagine she was anything but a warm body he used to satisfy his urges. It makes me sick to think that I shared any blood with that old hag.
I look around the room at these elves that have cowered in fear of me all these years as they look down on me now. Seeing that little sh*t Atlas back down like a petulant child makes me wish that Drake killed him. He isn’t worthy of leading a tribe. I was thrilled when Blaze of the
Golden Tree Tribe stood making his disgust known to the group. He is a ruthless ba**ard who shared my views on women and ruling. I truly hoped he could sway the others, but they sat in
silence watching everything unfold.
I knew he wouldn’t give in as easily as Atlas, but he would be no match for the slave’s powers
now that they were awakened. I still enjoyed listening to him speak about that b**ch. I kept
the smile from his face when he spoke about that mutt and how pathetic Drake was to need her help to become king. She is the reason that all this is happening. I wish I had realized who she was, and I could have ended her before she helped that little pr*ck regain his powers and
voice.
I am shocked when she simply speaks the word pain and Blaze falls to the ground. I am not the only one, as I watch the elves around him pale at the sight. How could she have such
powers? I remember the prophecy that Samuel spoke of word for word, but there are so many tales told about the supernatural kingdoms that I never believed she would truly be this powerful. My only saving grace is those stupid guards never checked me when they pulled me
out of the cell.
Hearing Drake order Blaze to be taken to the cells has a wave of unease flow through me. I had hoped I wouldn’t have to use the damn potion that Magnolia gave me, but when the remaining tribe leaders bow to that little ba**ard, I realize I have no choice. When he speaks about my crimes out loud, I focus my eyes on the far wall behind him. It’s not until I hear
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55 Royal Court Part 2
Jasmine speak that I drop my eyes to the floor.
has me
Listening to her spew such vitriol after all the love I’ve shown her over the years wishing I had five minutes alone with her and my favorite belt. How could she turn on me so easily? We share children and years together. I steel my resolve to take matters into my own hands. I won’t give them the opportunity to exact the retribution they so desperately seek. I may die, but it will be on my own terms, not those of these pathetic creatures.
I palm the vial in my right hand and lift my eyes to meet Drake’s. I smile knowing that
everything they expected to happen here today to avenge those I took from them will never
come to fruition. I lift my hand toward my mouth and slide the cap off the vial in one smooth
motion. Drake screams for the guards and creates a portal at the same time, but he will never
reach me in time.
I tip the vial, but before a drop of the liquid can reach my tongue, a hand grips my throat. A
scream fills the room and my eyes meet those of the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
“Now, now David, it seems you are a coward to the bitter end. What kind of Goddess of
Vengeance would I be to let you deprive the true King and Queen of Elves of their retribution?”
No, no, no this can’t be happening.
Her eyes turn black and a wave of fear flows through my body, making me shiver. She rips the
vial from my hand, dropping it on the floor. She smashes it with her foot before her vacant eyes meet mine again. Everything about her changes in an instant. I try to scream as I look
upon the horrid creature that now stands before me. “A pretty package can be quite deceiving,
David. Soon your outside will match the monster you are on the inside, just like me,” she says.
Drake POV
I try to keep the look of shock from my face as the woman who reminded me of an older
version of Lily morphs into a version of herself that has clearly suffered unimaginable
brutality. She never releases David as she turns completely to face me and Lily. “I see the
rightful King and Queen have finally taken their place as the leaders of the Elven Kingdom. The moon goddess has sent me here to ensure that the faux king didn’t weasel out of his
punishment. It looks like I arrived just in time,” she says.
Her eyes move around the room looking at each of the tribal leaders. “She also wants me to provide a warning to all of you. The union you see before you has been blessed by the goddess herself. Know that any elf that doesn’t stand with King Drake and Queen Lily will be dealt with by me in the afterlife and I have lots of room in my torture chamber,” she says as a
sinister smile spreads across her face.
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55 Royal Court Part 2
Again, every one of the tribal leaders bows in respect and pledges their allegiance to me and Lily. “Good choice” the goddess says. “Now, I will take my leave so that you can begin to exact your pound of flesh from this worthless elf,” she says before she turns leaning toward David. She whispers something only he can hear and his face pales. He falls to his knees and, for the first time, I see true fear flash in his eyes.
Just as quickly as she came, the goddess is gone. I get my bearings after what we just witnessed. I create a portal and take Lily’s hand. When we step through, we are a few feet from where David is shackled. I will take no chances by having the guards return him to his cell after they clearly didn’t check him before bringing him to the royal court.
My eyes meet Samuel’s and he nods. “There will be a formal ceremony in two days and I expect all tribes will be represented to show their support. The court is dismissed.The elves
quickly gather their things and begin to exit the court. “Tabitha, Vincent my royal guard will be
waiting for you. He will show you to a guest room for the time being.“Thank you, my king”
she says, tears welling in her eyes.
I call the guard over to provide me with the key to the shackles. I create the portal before I
release David and drag him through it directly into the torture room. Lily steps through right behind us. The minute he realizes where he is, he starts to thrash against my hold. “Pain,” Lily says, and he drops to the floor. The others are on their way, but I have no intention of giving
him a moment of reprieve to wait for them.
Despite his silent screams, I pull him up and begin to strap his arms and legs with Lily’s help. “Pain stop,” she says once he is completely restrained. When he finally slows his breathing, he
is glaring at Lily. I take the opportunity to slap him hard enough that the sound reverberates
off the walls. “Don’t you glare at my queen, or I will start by plucking the eyes from your head.”
Even when I hear the door open behind me, my eyes never leave David. “So this is what’s about
to happen in case you forgot. Every living relative, past or present, will be allowed to exact
their own vengeance on you, but I will be the one that delivers the fatal blow. I will stand over
you just as you did to my mother and father to watch the light leave your eyes. The difference
between you and them is no one will mourn you, David.”
“After long, no one will even remember you existed because I will make it my life’s mission to
erase your existence from the history of the Elven Kingdom. My only hope is that when I senc you to the goddess, she ensures you never have a moment’s peace for the rest of eternity.””
Jasmine comes to stand by my side and I pull her into a hug. I know she said she wants to do this, but I also know her heart. I don’t want what she is about to do to haunt her. I pull back and look into her eyes. “Are you sure you want to do this, mom? I promise you no matter if you
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55 Royal Court Part 2
do or not he will suffer for all he did to you and Michael.” The softness in her eyes fades and
she straightens her spine.
“I love you for worrying about me, but I promise you that nothing I’m about to do will make me lose a wink of sleep at night.” I nod and take a step back from her. She looks up at David for a moment, who is pleading with her with his eyes. She turns away from him and his shoulders sag in relief until he sees her walk over to the long covered table. She pulls the cover back, revealing every torture tool you could imagine. Most of them were picked out by David himself.
She picks up a cat o‘ nine tails and moves back toward him. She walks around him, and he tightens against the restraints expecting the strike to come, but it doesn’t. When she stands in front of him again, she begins to speak. “You took Michael from me.” She pulls her hand back and strikes him across his stomach. The tails rip through the shirt and flesh.
“You forced me to accept you as my beloved even though I loathed you and your touch” she says. She strikes his chest this time. “You took from me what I didn’t offer freely,” she says screaming this time. The whip strikes across his thighs and groin. Blood seeps from the holes left behind from the whip. She drops the whip, stepping back as tears streak down David’s cheeks from the pain. “Save your tears because your hell is just beginning,” she says, and she is absolutely right.
