A knock came at the door and Eli straightened up.
That only meant one thing. His messenger had returned. After all, his messenger was the only one that knew for certain that he was here. This room was after all not his study but a random room he had chosen to hide away from his Donna till he had achieved his aim.
He knew that if he spoke to her, he would somehow reveal his plan and she would beg him to do otherwise. She wouldn't understand why he needed to be punished, what setting him free would encourage the others to do.
She would maneuver her sympathy into a good speech and he would have no choice but to agree or argue with her when she was done.
It would have made all these a lot more difficult.
It was hard to refuse her.
The door creaked a little as it pushed open.
"Your Majesty." A voice greeted him and he didn't bother to look up, instead he acknowledged him by pointing to the empty space, on the desk, he was seated behind.
Then a small box was placed in front of him and it was only then that he sat back in his seat, took the box and flipped it open.
He grimaced at the sight of the chopped hand that as in the box, with blood still at the wrist, and he flipped it shut, putting it back on the table. His attention easily shifting to the scrolls in front of him once again, although now he was too distracted to even read what was on it.
Anok watched from the corner of his eyes, his gaze planted to the ground as he wondered if the King was pleased with what he had brought.
Earlier today, the King had sent for him from the dungeon and assigned him a task.
He was to go after the Village Head of Inaymi and bring back his severed right hand. It was a weird request considering that the King had earlier set him free but who was he to question him, besides, fulfilling the mission would give him back his freedom.
Now he really wanted to know if he had done well but it was hard to deduce anything from the King's silence, and there was no use trying to gauge his emotions from a facial expression that was well hidden behind a mask.
"You did not kill him." His voice finally cut through the heavy silence in the room.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I left him alive as you asked."
Eli eyed the closed box again.
Belladonna had begged for him not to kill him but she didn't say anything about him not harming the boy. He was certain that he wouldn't die from the severed hand. The two Physicians he had sent along with him, would be able to handle that.
They were experts.
He had personally confirmed it.
The Physicians were tasked with more than just keeping him alive though. One had the duty of informing him about the truth behind his father's death and to tell him the steps he was expected to take concerning the rest.
This was to be done as soon as possible.
"You did not harm any other."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Anok had been swift and sleek. He was in and out of there before they even registered the shock.
"You may take your leave."
He didn't have to say it twice. Anok left the room immediately.
Eli waited for a couple of seconds before he snatched up the box, heading straight to the dragon's den, and tossing it to the ground, through the bars.
The sight of blood wasn't something he considered fancy, and knowing what was in there and the process of getting it, made him uncomfortable.
He watched the little box get lit on flames barely a second after it hit the ground, and he stepped back, leaving the den before he would have to fight against his dragon again.
No matter how much he tried there were just some things he would never get used to.
Blood, violence and flames.
For every single one of that he had tp experienced lately, while putting on the mask of bravery, he had suffered the consequences - unending nightmares.
For three nights now, sleep had completely deserted him.
____
The next day, Belladonna had not needed to find Eli, he had come to her himself.
He had acted bubbly, waiting for her to get ready then accompaning her for breakfast.
She had seemed really happy to see Anok instead of having many guards following her, and she had many questions, which he agreed to answer after they were done with breakfast.
It was like she was watching every single move he made, waiting impatiently for him to be be done, because the minute he put down the fork and pushed the plate aside, she threw him one of her questions.
"Where have you been?"
So impatient.
"In the castle."
"I serched everywhere for you." She paused, looking at him through slanted eyes. "I didn't find you."
He reached out for the goblet and took a sip of the red wine.
It was getting harder and harder to tell her half truth and he hadn't even started speaking yet.
"Are you certained you searched everywhere?"
"Yes."
"All the rooms on my floor?"
Belladonna blinked. Well, that was some thing that didn't cross her mind.
"I was busy, working on something in one of those rooms." He set his goblet down. "Your Mother will be standing trail for murder at Inaymi, your sister will be taken care of by the Royal Physicians, her mental state seem to be shaken, but she will also have to stand trail though for conspiracy and being an accomplice to murder. While this is going on, the baby should be in care of his grandmo--- step mother, but as she is depressed right now, the Physician I sent would have to help with that. So for now, Inaymi and the boy would be in the care of one of the boy's family member, till he heals and he is better enough to start leading again."
"My sister is going to stand trial?"
"Yes."
"She was manipulated."
"That will be proven during the trail. I cannot just let her not pass through the heat simply because she is related to my Bride."
"Are you sure Arlo will be fine?"
"One of the Physicians I sent is a woman. She will take care to ensure that he is alright, or do you plan to take him in?"
Belladonna shook her head. With people trying to kill her left and right, he was better off in Inaymi.
Eli sighed in relief.
He didn't want a baby in the castle yet and with the history of how the child came to being, he was certain it would only bring nothing but unnessary problems in the future.
She picked up her goblet and he leaned back in his seat, glad that there wasn't much to complain about how he planned to handle things.
"Wait. Heal?"
His lips twitched beneath his mask.
No.
He had been happy that had eluded her.
"Is Lytio sick?"
With an inaudible grumble, he answered. "No, I just had someone sever the boy's hand, that is all."
"Se--you what?!"