Chapter 54 General konstatin
The ride to the Red Walls continued in silence, with Isabella's sigh, filling up the spaces.
“We're almost there,” Lucien assured, pity lacing his voice.
They'd barely stopped on the road, except to fill their bottles of water.
“You've been saying that since eternity.” She said, sighing exasperatedly.
“You should listen to your mate, Lady.” A strange voice said from the air, making Isabella jerk in fear.
She looked around, unsure of what had just happened.
“General Konstantin,” Lucien swore under his breath. “How nice of you to make an appearance.” He said, his lips curled.
“Come on, Lucien. At least act excited to see me.” He said, still hidden in the air.
“You should show yourself. I would not want my mate breaking her neck, trying to figure out your position.” Lucien huffed.
Konstantin’s horrible laughter filled the air. “Didn't know, His Great Majesty Lucien had such a caring side to him.”
His figure dropped to the floor.
Isabella could not have missed the disdain in his voice. With how he sounded, she'd been expecting a short, round, pot-bellied man with half his hair gone, but the Konstantin in front of her was none of all these.
He was…unique.
“She is quite intrigued, I must say.” He lauded himself.
“Depends on what you have defined by intrigued, Lord Konstantin.” She said, bowing slightly, her voice stable, not betraying what she felt within her.
She watched as he glanced at Lucien, a note of approval in his eyes. “Impressive. Many are usually surprised and unable to speak.”
“I am not many, General. I am Isabella Thorne.” Isabella couldn't believe she'd responded to him. She was emboldened.
General Konstantin glanced her up and down, before nodding. “Now I see why you would rather lose your throne. Even I would have done the same.” He licked his lips, laughing, before belching loudly.
“But I would not make her my wife. We don't do wives, Lucien. She would be special.”
Isabella squirmed as his eyes ran through her, stopping at her chest before going all over her body.
“She would be used in special times.”
“Konstantin.” Lucien's voice held cold fury, barely restraining himself.
“Ahh,” Konstantin nodded. “She is yours. Don't worry, I won't touch her.”
Isabella gripped Lucien's hand for strength. He was pricing her like a commodity in front of all the guards, like she was some…some cheap whore.
“Anyways, I know why you have come.” He continued, making Lucien sit upright. “I'm impressed, but I'm not going to give all this for free.”
“What do you want?” Lucien's voice echoed across the entrance of the Red Walls.
“Ah,” Konstantin sniffed. “There is nothing you have, that interests me, well except the lady. She looks flexible.”
“Isabella stiffened. “I could bend her over the walls of the city, taking her from behind, but.” He stopped, seeing Lucien's hands on the hilt of his belt, reaching for his sword. “She is yours already.”
“So,” Lucien urged, his face impatient.
“She would have to prove herself to me.”
“How?” This time around, Isabella spoke. They were talking about her now. She was not going to sit there and look like a statue as they discussed her own affairs.
“Nothing much, Lady. I can sense the fear in your voice. I won't make you do much. At least not the things I have in mind.”
Isabella gulped.
“You just have to prove your strength to me. You're the reason for the war that will divide the realms. You're not going to be let off easily.”
“Is that it?” Isabella tried to calm her shaky voice.
“Only.” He gave a triumphant smile.
“Fine.” Her voice was cold. “Set the day and time.”
Lucien's hands stopped her. “You don't have to do this. It's not necessary.” He whispered.
Isabella nodded. “I agree. I don't have to, but I want to.” Her voice was resolute
There was nothing he was going to say, that would change her mind.
“Alright,” Lucien nodded.
“I see your vision, Lucien.” Konstantin mocked. “She is fiery and feisty.”
Lucien grunted in response.
“Welcome to the Red Walls, Lucien Blackthorn and his Lady,” Konstantin said, rising up to the air and with a puff of his hand, he disappeared.
Isabella sighed. “Your words didn't do justice to how lewd he was.” She accused.
“You handled it so well, darling. I'm proud of you.” Lucien said, giving her a slight kiss on her cheek.
“What's next?”
“We wait for the gates to appear.”
“The gates?...” She was cut off immediately by the sound of a loud, piercing noise and shaking from beneath the ground.
“What the hell?” Isabella whispered, her mouth open as the most intimidating gate she had ever seen, rose up in the empty space before them, dwarfing them in size.
The right part of the gate held some heads, blood dripping off their bodies.
Isabella shivered.
“He's made a name for himself, Isabella. This is what he keeps as trophies.”
“In front of the gates?” She asked incredulously.
Lucien sighed before nodding.
They rode in gently to the fortress, the floors marked with dust and something else. Blood. Dried blood filled the floors and walls.
“No houses around.” She muttered, observantly.
“Nope,” Lucien admitted. “This is different, Isabella. Different and hard.”
Isabella nodded, gulping fearfully as Lucien guided the horses to the palace, or what seemed to be the palace.
As they walked, men appeared on all sides, the hunger in their eyes as they stared at her.
“God, fuck.” She closed her eyes, her hands in her mouth to stop jer from puking. She'd just witnessed the most horrible thing ever.
A few feet away from her, a man was pounding a woman right in public. She looked to be enjoying it, as her hands were backed up a tree, her ass in full public display.
“Just breathe,” Lucien whispered.
“Get a room, Johnny. Don't make our guest uncomfortable.” Konstantin's voice sounded in the air, eliciting laughter from all the men around.
Isabella gripped Lucien for support. “I feel sick.” She whispered, her voice shaky.
Lucien took her hand, bringing it to his chest. “Look at me.” He said as he got down from the horse.
Isabella looked away, willing the tears to go away. She didn't want to be crying in front of so many people.
“Look at me,” Lucien commanded, as he used his fingers to guide her face to him. “I'm here.” He muttered.
Isabella nodded.
“I'm here. I need you to remember that. “When you feel overwhelmed by all the things happening around you, just use your eyes to search for me. I'm with you, Izzy.”
Isabella nodded, moving closer to his embrace. He felt so safe, so secure, different from the barbaric acts these people were carrying out.
“So sweet.” Konstantin mocked from where he sat, wiping away fake tears from his eyes.
“Enough of the tears, people.” He waved over a boy who was standing at the entrance. “Show his Majesty and his Lady their quarters.”
The boy bowed slightly and signalled to Lucien to follow him.
“Feel better?” He whispered to Isabella as they walked.
She nodded. “I'm glad you're here with me, Lucien.”
Lucien nodded. “I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad I'm here with you.”
They stopped in front of a door.
“Is this it?” Isabella looked around in surprise.
The boy nodded, bowing slightly before leaving them alone.
“This is one of the best,” Lucien said with a smile as he opened the door. “Konstantin's bedroom is just a few doors down.”
His words did nothing to dissipate the frown on Isabella's face. “That's not helping.” She said, stepping into the room.
“God,” Isabella groaned, looking around. It was a small room that housed a small bed and a table. There was barely any decoration done on it.
“He expects us to stay here?” She asked, still not believing what she'd just seen.
Lucien chuckled, nodding. “These people are soldiers, Isabella. Comfort makes their bodies twitch.”
Isabella rolled her eyes. “Is that the best you can come up with?”
He shrugged. “But look on the bright side, when we sleep on the bed, I can hold you to myself.”
She scoffed. “That's if it doesn't break before we fall asleep.”
Lucien giggled. “I agree.” His expression turned serious. “I know what you're thinking.”
“What?”
“It's only for a short period of time, Isabella. And we would not be doing this, if we didn't need their help.”
She nodded gravely. “What do you think he's up to?”
Lucien shrugged. “I know he's not sitting still, waiting for us to get back. He's actively seeking help as well. We've gone for the Northern plains, and knowing him, I'm sure he's lobbying the Eastern plains.”
“That's our region.” Disbelief clouded her face.
“Sadly, we don't have them. He's promising them something we cannot give.”
“Which leaves the Southern Plains,” Isabella mumbled.
“And that will have to be shared equally,” Lucien said, nodding.