Chapter 139 The Afflicted
Melissa looked at everyone one after the other as Hance began to speak. "You wanted information about the Oracle, or let me rephrase that, we wanted to give you information on the Oracle," he said as he exhaled. "But first, I want to know something, your subjects have vouched for you…" he was saying when Melissa cut him short.
"They are not my subjects, " she said. "They are my court!"
"Sorry. Your court vouched for you, and I will trust them…" he continued and yet again, Melissa cut him short.
"Look, I hate this, and I hate to be the arrogant one here but I have to be," she said. "I do not need to be vouched for by anyone. Nor do I need your information. You are not doing me, us or anyone here a favour. I don't care if you trust me or not. In fact I don't want you to trust me. If you have something to say, you say it, if uou have no valuable information, you can leave! You already overstayed your welcome!" She said. This time, Melissa wasn't angry, no, she was perfectly in the right state of mind but she hated being treated like she was in need of something when it was obvious it was otherwise.
Hance paused and stared at her. "Would it kill you to show a bit of respect?" He replied.
"Did I stutter…" she paused looked at him then added. "Your majesty?"
Margaret sighed and slammed her face with her palm but she didn't intervene, she just stared at the situation, eager to see now it would play out. Melissa knew every single one of her court was in approval of her approach.
The thing was, in reality, Hance needed their help more than he would care to admit. He was the one who had five vampires and a wolf attack him in his sleep. Three of whom were his own council members, and he even knew one of them as a friend. Though the story sounded off to Melissa, she was wondering why a vampire existed in a Vance council but she wasn't necessarily interested in interfering until Hance decided to get off his high horse.
"If we are gonna leave we are gonna leave with our prisoners," he said.
"Of course you are, I am definitely not keeping garbage for you,” Melissa countered.
The entire room fell silent for a while when the most unlikely person sighed and spoke. "It is good to have a little arrogance," she said, getting up from the stool she was seating on. "My name is Arya, I realized I haven't told you all that."
"You can talk,?!” Melissa noted loudly, her eyes slowly dilating.
"Yes," she said. "I would also like to apologize on behalf of the entire Vance pack," she bowed slowly. "We brought trouble to your kingdom and we almost disturbed this peace of yours."
"Hmhm," Melissa said. "Flattery is a nicer flavour, I still don't like it," she said.
"A wrong assessment, my lady. I am incapable of flattery, as yo can see I do not talk a lot, it is because I am afflicted," she said. "I am unable to lie."
"Arya," Hance cautioned.
"I trust them," she looked at Hance with a straight face. "We need help," she told him. "If it had been only us yesterday, we would be dead or worse, captured. You know what hapoens to captives, " she then faced Melissa.
"Your majesty," she said. "I see you have a question?"
Melissa didn't really know what to think of this woman, she gave off a weird vibe when she spoke. It was like she was attached to a ticking time bomb, and if she said the wrong thing all hell would break lose. As she spoke, her movements were awkward too, her gestures seemed predetermined like she'd plan to do everything she was doing now for a long time and had rehearsed it. She couldn't really determine what was wrong with her but she felt off, completely off.
"Yes, I do," Melissa said. "What do you mean by aflicted?"
She exhaled and Hance looked at her. "You don't have to say anything," he said, his face had dropped the frown it had been holding and now it was just a caring demanour on it.
"I have to, actually," she said. "If we want to live."
Arya turned to Melissa, sat down and then began. "I was kidnapped by the Oracle about eight years ago," she said and Melissa coughed immediatly.
"Wait, you mean, actually kidnapped?" Melissa asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I escaped two years ago, and I am guessing you know that means I possess six years worth of information from within the most depraved part of these organization."
"I would really like to listen to your experience with them if you don't mind, Beatrice here would pen down almost everything you say to the last detail with accurate precision and punctuations," Melissa smiled.
"Oh, shut up," Beatrice replied.
"First, before we begin the whole story telling, your council… won't they be waiting?" Avalors asked, shifting his gaze to Hance.
"I called them already, and told them I was here, I am guessing most of them understood you thwarted their plan," Hance said. "I told them they could leave without me or wait a little longer, they should go out and try the food and the culture."
"And they didn't feel weird that they are missing three of their members?” Richard asked.
Erics glanced back when he spoke and flushed again, like she had been doing for the past thirty minures. He was standing there shirtless. The red t-shirt hanging from his shoulder was the only thing obstructing his symmetrical abs.
"No, I said they were my escort. They asked about the timing too, I said it was secretive," he added.
"What about the broken door?" Beatrice asked.
"Well. Whatever they are planning, it won't help if we keep quiet either," Hance said. "Arya, you can begin your story."