Chapter 37 Chapter 35

Chapter 37 Chapter 35
“To be or not to be, you have no choice in it”

Marina

The woman sat on a big rock that looked entirely out of place in the pine tree forest that we were in.

“Here to show me more weird children in the middle of nowhere?” I asked. I knew these dreams meant something, but I am too tired of unanswered questions and puzzles.

Every one had a mystery that I somehow had to take part in but no one was explaining it to me.

“You went looking for something today. It would have cost you your life” she said as she stood from her rock of comfort and walked in my direction.

“You can see into my reality?” The last time I had a hint she could was when we had the conversation where I called the castle my home and she reiterated the statement with sarcasm.

A conversation I did not dwell upon.

“No. Let’s go quickly, it’s about to start” and she led the way.

I had a strong gut feeling that she was lying about her answer but I was exhausted. So I just followed her instead.

We did not walk for long before we got to the market centre.

Or a place that looked like the market center.

I could not find Madam Mongolia’s fashionere or her witty neighbors that dealt with hairstyling.

In fact, their entire space was owned by a cobbler who had a plethora of shoes on display and beside him was a very short man who had a weapon merchandise that reminded me of Caraven.

But they and every other person, had their gazes fixed on something.

Soon enough, I heard it. 

There was a crowd marching up the hill, led by a woman.

On closer inspection, I could see the woman was not leading the crowd. They were leading her instead but she walked in front as they chanted “Kill the witch”

I tried to pick up on the rest of my surroundings, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from the said ‘witch’.

She had on a black woolen floor length and full sleeved gown. Her hands were bound with what looked like barb wire behind her because blood stained her wrists and palms and dripped rhythmically to the floor as she walked.

Her skin pale, her eyes hollow like someone who lacked sleep for days. Sunken cheeks and prominent facial bones were indicators of either a long standing illness or poor diet.

Her steps were slow but lacked no hesitation. She was fully resigned to whatever fate she had.

“Don’t just stand there, let’s get going. We are headed the same way as them” my companion called to me after she had walked a few steps ahead and figured I was not following.

I really wanted to see where this would lead.

In less than fifteen seconds of travel, we were at the gates of the castle. The very one I lived in currently and two things stuck out.

One… the palace was definitely not that close to the market centre. We were not traveling in real time. That meant she teleported us?

“Did you teleport? Have you done this before?”

She sighed “I may have overestimated your intelligence”

Now that was an insult.

“Hey! I’m new here and to all these”

“Yes and yes. Let’s go in now the gates are open”

The guards did not see us slip through and walked towards the entrance.

The second thing that stuck out to me, was how different the castle grounds looked. Just a clear open terracotta floor with trees lining the edges of the walls. Big contrast to the ornamental flowery that covered half of the area.

Somehow, the crowd we had seen at the market centre were already in the palace. The woman now knelt before the steps and someone…

No, not just someone

King Flutheria, the king who had been killed months ago stood behind her.

He was holding a sword. A sword very similar to the one King Xanthanius had me retrieve from the blacksmith. The sword that had been in my room.

King Flutheria fisted his hands in the woman’s hair and tilted her head back. Well enough to expose her throat.

“What did she do?” I finally asked because no one seemed to be talking about it.

“Nothing”

Nothing? 

The sound of someone yelling brought my attention back to the crowd. It was the woman.

“Flutheria, you will not escape what’s coming…” but before she could complete her sentence, the king used the sword to slice open her throat and tossed her bleeding body to the ground.

“Clean up this mess” he added and walked back into the castle like he had not just taken a life.

I was stunned. The former king did not appear to be someone of such behavior. Or was there a severe change over the years?

“You may return now” my alleged friend said to me with a smile.

She was always smiling at the worst situations.

“No code for this dream?” I asked, remembering she had already given me two. Beta and Epilson.

“You are catching on quickly. This is an alpha dream” 

Alpha? 

But that was the last thing I remembered thinking before opening my eyes to the broad daylight in my room.

Better put, in our lady’s room.

After seeing I was alone, I released a groan and got out of bed. Going straight for the bathroom.

The skin around my neck felt tender. I had almost forgotten my encounter with Segei last night and the fact I had information to share with the King.

I do not know why it became so overwhelming to me last night but it did. All I could think of was how I would have never been in that situation or any other of the previous situations had it been we were financially stable. Had it been mother and Jepheeth were okay.

But here I was.

That reminded me, I am yet to tell the King my own request.

After I came in last night, all I could do was fall unto my bed wait till I succumbed to the drowsiness of sleep.

I don’t know why it did not cross my mind to brief him of my outcome. Especially when I considered the fact that he had saved me. If that had been a lone mission, only who knows what would have happened.

Quickly, I washed up and changed into an outfit I saw laid out on the chaise.

For the first time, I noticed this room also had a door leading to the balcony but it was locked with a key the size of my fist.

I guess it worked both ways to prevent anyone from coming in and to keep myself from getting out.

It was a semi prison of some sort.

Anyway, I needed to see the King so I walked out of the room and down the hallway. I made a momentary pause at the door of my previous room. The image of the sword came flashing in my mind and connecting it to the one King Flutheria had held in my dream.

Deep down, I had a feeling it was the same sword. I could not explain why but there were fragments of information that made me feel so.

The fact it was a murder weapon in the past and King Xanthanius was particular about it. If it was that important, why had he not gone to get it himself?

Caraven’s reaction when he had an inkling I was sent from the palace.

Something just seemed off about the entire situation.

Out of curiosity, I decided to check out the room.

On opening of the door, I was struck with the heavy smell of bleach and detergent. There was a very huge effort made to wipe off all the blood because it looked nearly spotless.

Nearly because there were little speckles of blood on the wall close to the spot where I had stabbed my attacker repeatedly.

King Xanthanius claimed my attacker had eyes. Another piece of information that felt sketchy.

I was not blind nor intoxicated. My room may have been dark but I saw perfectly well. 

When I peeped behind the drawer, the sword was no longer there. 

It took him an attack to retrieve his priced possession from my custody. 

With a slight scoff, I walked out of the room.

Fully down the hall, I met with Hilra who already looked offended to see me out of bed. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“Good morning Hilra”

“It is well into noon and I do not need your greetings to prosper. What are you doing out of your room? Are you not supposed to be resting?”

Her ability to mix scold and care was a talent I desired to earn.

“I need to see the King. I want to talk with him”

She appeared indifferent to my request “He is in a meeting currently. Come have breakfast and I would take you to him after”

There was no room for agreement. She led the way to the kitchen and I just followed.

It was not urgent that I saw him anyway but it was necessary.