Chapter 56 56
“Dragon Sovereign!!” I mentioned and tried walking towards him, but I couldn't. I then jumped the first time, the second time…and on the third time, I missed it and almost slammed my face on the floor if he didn't get hold of me quickly. “I promise to get rid of anything that tries to possess me again, and I wouldn't retaliate if I'm being attacked…”
He only watched me, while I sniffed hard with the tears gathering in my eyes.
“No matter what, I will wait for you to show up and save me,” I added, and I wanted to wipe my tears, but reality dawned on me, and I only blew out hot air.
He seemed so satisfied by how pitiful I looked, and if I could rip him apart, I would have done it.
“But I'm not going to destroy the barrier over the fae realm,” he said, and I nodded. “And you are going to kneel in my chamber until I order you to stand. You're very lucky to have eaten yesterday.”
I wanted to ask what he meant that I would kneel, but he got his hand on me and leaped, then I found myself lying on the floor, my breath so ragged, and the rope off my body.
For some time, I just wanted to lie there and recover from my weakness, not until I felt my body moving without my control once again. I knelt finally, then my eyes landed on him, who wore a scowl and glared at me.
“Three days isn't much, but let's see how it goes?” he uttered and stood up.
My lips opened. Three days? Would I still survive it?
But I was scared of opposing his command, because I didn't know what he had in store if I did.
I hadn't ever knelt for so long, and I doubted I would last as long as he thought kneeling there.
So at night, my legs were already shaking, and he didn't care. He didn't sleep either, and was either playing his chess game, drinking, or going through political affairs.
I tried to sit for a while so many times, but he glared at me and I knelt again. I wanted to beg for mercy, but didn't even know how to start again this time, as I had done that lots of time.
I wondered how much trouble I would put myself into.
If regaining my powers would be a threat to them, then I would better not gain it back. I wouldn't stand by myself and anyone that concerned me suffering because of a power I hadn't had for over a century.
All through my life, I had lived without my powers and survived. So if it was going to be an end to me, then I wouldn't welcome it.
But at some point, I thought if it was indeed my power or if I was only possessed to act that way. The way he left when I was itching was suspicious, then, in addition to how everything started after I was done eating.
Could it be that I was under a spell, to get myself into trouble? Then who could have done that?
I didn't know what a spell looked like, so I wouldn't realise if I saw one. But he who had lived for millennia must have seen the spell and left.
Yet none of those thoughts saved my ass from his wrath. I agreed that it was a spell, because there was no way I would have lost control that way if it were my powers. Even though it wasn't the first time I saw this peacock green smoke, I would say that I was manipulated so it would look as though my powers had awakened.
River should have known and come to me if it were truly my powers. I was just overthinking.
___
Until dawn, I still knelt there, and neither of us slept.
But then, I was so weak that I was set to pass out soon.
“Dragon Sovereign," I mentioned, my voice so weak that I doubted he heard it. “I'm dying…” I said again before releasing a heavy breath.
He turned to me, stared for sometime and hissed. “Get seated and listen to my orders.”
I didn't even want to wonder if he truly said that and quickly got seated. Even if I were hearing things, I should sit for some time first.
“Henceforth, you're going to pretend not to know your brother, especially when he's been tortured. If you ever try to speak on his behalf, you watch his execution, and there's nothing you will do about it,” he said and finally stood from where he had been since midnight.
That meant I also had no right to oppose his order, because at that moment, I sweated so profusely from how stressed my mind became.
How will I pretend not to know my brother? So if he were being killed, I wouldn't speak?
It wasn't fair, not good at all.
I took several gulps, more like getting down every word back to my belly. I must have crossed the line by unaliving the dragon, and he was only holding back because we agreed on our lives.
But no matter how much I tried, my chest tightened so much as though it would explode. I wanted to rip off my tongue so I wouldn't speak, because I didn't trust it…but would it make sense hurting myself just to please a mere dragon?
___
Days passed since I became a close rival to the Dragon Sovereign. He hadn't been nice at all, and I wondered if he was really the same person I kept discussing matebond with the other time.
His coldness had made me scared of his presence, and I wished he would at least go to war with any other realm that didn't like them.
While I was preparing to do some laundry, Ofelia came knocking on the door, and I told her to wait until I came out. She helped me take everything to where it would be washed, and then finally whispered to me, “Your brother is being whipped by the dragon armies. They call them Dreadwing Generals.”
My heart sank into my belly.
I wanted to breathe slowly but couldn't, and the loud thud of my heart against my ribcage could be heard.
“Where is he? I want to see him…” I said, my voice teary.
She took my hands and began taking me there. “What about you talking to Dragon Sovereign? Although I heard that he fought a dragon…but he could still lessen his penalty.”
I shook my head, “He ordered that I do not say a thing about my brother and pretend he wasn't in the realm with me. Otherwise, River would be executed."
Ofelia's expression turned sour. “That’s not good at all. So what are you going to do? Just watch him?”
I couldn't hold on but broke into sobs.
It was just as though bringing him into this realm was the worst decision I ever made. I brought him into suffering when he preferred to die.
When we reached where he was being whipped, I saw so many others watching him. His body had been bruised and covered in blood, and the only good thing was the fact that he had his powers intact, and he would be healed.
I thought the fae councils would strip off his powers before the day he would be killed, but they must have made a mistake when it came to him.
Watching as his eyes were tied up so he didn't see, and then his body whipped like he was nothing, I couldn't hold up my tears.
Ofelia embraced me while I cried it all out, soaking my tears on her dress. I felt so useless that I couldn't in any way save my brother, whom I brought in here.
How would I blame him for fighting a dragon? They would have tried attacking him first, and he defended himself. Why won't Dragon Sovereign stop all these so we can serve them peacefully?
I went back to do laundry, and even though I kept sobbing, my tears dropped into the water.
Until I was done, I couldn't hold back my tears. I pictured how River would be, how weak and lifeless he would be once released… and I cried out loudly that the dragons passing by couldn't stop looking.
“Vina, you don't have to fall sick because of this. Remember that his powers would help heal him quickly.” Ofelia tried to remind me, but it did nothing to me.
When I couldn't stand the pain any longer, I hurried to the throne room, which I had finally found the way to. Since Dragon Sovereign wasn't in his chamber, I knew that it was the next place he would be found.
I entered, and Orrifin was standing beside him, but it was just the two of them.
As hot tears streamed down my face, I pointed my fingers at him, “I hate you so much. You're not upright with your rule. What happened to killing me on the day we met? Instead, you struck a deal with me, just to have me and my brother suffer in your realm.”
They only watched with their lips open.
Even when Ofelia came in, she didn't even come closer to me.
“If you continue this, then I don't mind taking my life. You must do something to release my brother!!” I yelled at them, and they flinched. “Do you think sibling bonds are weak? How do you expect me to keep mute when my brother is in danger?”
He shook his head, and I didn't give a damn what he was going to do.