Twenty-four

Chandler

Just like before, I waited until she had slept, although this time it did not take too long. I left her in my bed, with guards stationed outside my room and her maid in the room, waiting for her to wake up. Then I went to my study, ignoring Thann's presence although he followed me around as I was giving these orders.

After the orders, I went to my study where I opened an expensive bottle of whiskey even though it was not my drink of choice and within a go, I drank half of it.

“Do not do this to yourself,” Thann said, putting a hand on the bottle to prevent me from drinking more. “You need your clear head to sort what you have heard.”

“I do not want to sort anything, I want to kill her father, his father, and the sad excuse of a monster in that man skin because that is what they deserve for using an innocent girl as their pawn,” I yelled into his face and Thann being Thann, stood still and did not shift away at the sight of my rage. He was the only person who did that.

“Wait, what are you saying?” Thann asked.

“Her father took penance for the sin committed to her; her father chose to enrich himself and his kingdom rather than defending her honor. Her bloody father who she sees as the best person in the world did her this great injustice.” I paced around the room in anger.

“Wait, are you saying her father knew this happened?” Thann asked and I glared at him.

Was he being serious right now? After all, what I said and that was what he picked up?

“He knew and he still gave her to you under a misconception… he deceived you on purpose and voided the terms of the agreement. He really has some guts.” Thann raged.

“I am not thinking of that right now. What I am concerned with is the fact that He betrayed his own daughter? How can the man do something so horrible?”

“I have no idea, but I am thinking if he could accept something like this easily… It does not sound like the King we know, or she knows.” Thann stated as I paused.

That was the truth. All Tatiana has been saying about her father is that he is a benevolent man and a great father. There is no way a father would not kill the person who deflowered his child, he would also wage war even when he is aware that he would lose. And the man we know of would not have taken that insult. He would have asked for the other king's entire kingdom in sparing his child.

“Something is not right. You are correct.” I stated as an idea came into my head.

“You just had a plan that should scare the hell out of the others, and I am greatly interested in it. Share my king.” Thann voiced.

“I do not have such plans, but I do think that it is time we paid a visit to our guest and get some answers, correct?” I asked and he nodded.

Not even the heavens could keep Anthony from my wrath.

*********************

When Anthony saw my face, he knew that I already know the full truth and he started crying and blubbering at the same time.

“It was once, you told me.” I started calmly, Me and Thann had already decided that I would play the part of seriously angry to get him to confess and fix the missing spots because King Grimoult actions made no sense to us.

Coming here and seeing Anthony’s face as he cries and begs for mercy did nothing but to add flames to my anger, I could not help but question if that was how a young and terrified Tatiana begged him to leave her alone. Was her face this teary? Did he even see her eyes beg, or did he shove her face into a pillow, suffocating her and at that same time easing his conscience? Not like he had a lot to begin with.

Anthony swallowed loudly and tried to shuffle away from me, but movement was hard and slow when your hands and feet are tied together.

“You left her alone… You looked me in the eyes and lied to my face about my wife and your treatment of her.” I added.

“She was not your wife then?” Anthony weakly defended himself or he thought he did when all his words succeeded in doing was fanning my rage to be higher.

I did not look back as I buried my fist into his face, feeling a bit of satisfaction as I heard the bones of his nose crunch beneath my blow. I raised my hand to deliver another blow but Thann stopped.

“This was not the plan.” Thann hissed at me and his words helped in cooling the rage which I felt a little bit.

If I did break Anthony’s jaw, he would have an excuse not to answer my questions and that was the last thing I wanted to do. There should be no more excuses to allow this boy to live longer, especially since he has already lived past his duration. Tatiana’s father should have killed him, but since he did not, the task has fallen to me, and that is a task which I will enjoy immensely when carrying out.

“You are right,” I answered Thann as I stepped away from Anthony and breathed loudly.

“Anthony, you signed your death when you touched her, you know of this fact since rape is a crime across any lands but the rape of a royal…”

“But…” Anthony cuts in hurriedly.

“I am still talking,” I yelled at him and that went when he wetted himself.

“Really?” Thann asked in disbelief.

“You have not even felt the tip of my anger and this already, I do not think that you will survive what I have in store for you.” I shook my head as Anthony's sobs became more obvious.

“You knew you would die when others heard the truth, there are no two ways about that, but when Tatiana explained what happened and how many times, I changed my mind. Death is mercy for you, and it is a mercy that I do not want to offer quickly. I wanted to make you earn it.” I stated as Anthony’s cries increased.

“Still Tatiana’s story is not making sense. Her father knew what you did and did not run a sword through your pathetic body? I find that hard to believe, so I am requesting that you tell me the truth about what really happened between your father, you, and her father before I grant you that mercy called death without much of the pain that accompanies it.”

“Nothing… it is exactly as she said…” Anthony lies and with that, I nodded at Thann who removed a knife from his book and handed it to me.

At first sight, it was a normal knife, a butter knife, but it was stronger.

“I hate lies.” That was all I replied with before took the knife from Thann and watched as Thann pinned Anthony down and then I proceeded to remove the nails in his fingers, one after the other.

By the time I was done, I was sweaty and stained with his blood and he had lost consciousness twice only for the pain to bring him back.

“Your nails removed although I would prefer your hands since you used them to hold her down while carrying out your despicable act. I will ask you just one more time, this time if you so please, lie to him and I will face the organ which you used to rip my wife’s innocence away. What made King Grimoult not to react to what you did to his daughter?”

“He sold her first seven times to my kingdom and my father.” Anthony sobbed as everything in me froze at the words which Anthony announced.

“What?” Thann asked, the horror I was feeling was mirrored in his voice.

“King Grimoult wanted to make a deal with my father about gaining some loans, my father saw I had designs for Tatiana…” Anthony started.

“Never mention her name.” I gritted out.

Anthony gulped and continued quickly with his voice hoarse from his many shouts. “My father did not want me to get married to her because he had plans for my betrothal already, so he brought her first seven times, and the amount was bigger than what was delivered because I only got to the fourth time before I was discovered. My father and hers haggled the rest of the terms and did damage control because they never thought others would learn of it. Please kill me.” Anthony stated.

I tried to wrap my head around the information which I just got.

“No, not yet, but I will soon,” I replied as I stood up and left the room.

“Her father bargained that…” Thann asked. “I feel sick.”

“Me too. For her father to do something like that, it means that he is more dangerous and heartless than we thought.” I gave a humorless laugh that echoed how hallowed I felt inside.

“I finally have something good enough to convince Tatiana that her father is evil but if I do it, I would fracture her sanity…” With a sigh, I started walking towards my wing.

“Where are you going?” Thann asked.

“To bathe away every evidence of that scum from me and then I would join my wife hold her and try and form a connection with her because although she might be King Grimoult’s blood, she has experienced his cruelty more than any other person I would presume. She deserves a nice change instead.” I stated.

“And what do we do about Anthony?” Thann questioned.

“Keep him in the room and let him think of the wrong he has done, leave him alone for three days without touching him for I am a king of my words. On the fourth day, start with the torturing and we will wait until we get his father's response before we kill him and sent his body to his father with the message that he should prepare for war.”

“You will go to war for your wife’s honor?” Thann asked. “Even though you were not married to her then.”

“I will, time did not diminish the effect of their actions, she only has me to fight for her and I will fight, After Anthony’s father, we will strategize with on how to bring Grimoult to his knees and kill him.”

“Will your wife be happy about this decision of yours?” Thann questioned cautiously.

I kept silent before I whispered a part of our vows. “‘Your burdens are mine to bear, your worries, mine to carry. Your enemies mine to destroy.’ I am just following my vows.” I replied as I continued my walk.