Chapter 8: The unhinged

Annabelle's Pov

He stood by the window, shirtless, his back marked with claw scars she’d never seen before.

Tiana was waiting for her outside, a common hand maid cannot come into the Kings chambers except summoned,

My lord, I said bowing down avoiding eye contact, “I do apologize for disturbing my lord's peace but I was troubled with some things that could not wait till morning”.

Maximus didn't look my way, he couldn't care less actually, he went across the room and wore his royal sleeping rope.

“If you have come to lay with me, then I'm sorry your grace, but I am not in the mood to scratch a woman's itch.

I couldn't fake a smile anymore, this idiot thought I was here to sleep with him.”my lord i have not come here for that.

My entire body shivered from the disgust, I wanted to yell at him, to tell him that I regret marrying him cause he was no more than a huge weak baby, who did what people told him to do cause he had no say of his own.

Coming back in time and seeing all these people, the people who betrayed me and threw me in the dungeon without a say.

“So why are you here without summon, why would you suddenly show up at my chambers? I assume that you were new and don't fully know the rules here”.

“Luna Annabelle, right?” he said, finally looking at me with those cold eyes, the same way he looked at me when his brother had accused me and locked me away. The jerk didn't even know my name.

Yes my lord, may I take a seat, I want to discuss an important matter with you, my king, please grant me an audience.

His sign was deep, something told me he was bothered about the King of Moonshroud and I knew why, the alpha of Moonshroud kingdom was ruthless, hard, cold, fearless and rumored to have no emotions, no sympathy he was strong enough to invade this kingdom without using spies, but he didn't want battle he was it done quietly.

And something told me it had something to do with me, Even though I didn't leave to see him take over I knew his plans, perhaps the moon goddess gave me a second chance not because of the incomplete alchemist circle I was drawing, but because she wanted me to do something to complete a mission I was unaware of.

“My lord it has come to my notice that the king of Moonshroud would visit in two days,”

“Why would a woman involve herself with kingly affairs, Luna, I know you are new and for that you will be pardoned, but you will have to follow the castle rules if you are to stay here long.

I remembered when I loved him, I did everything to make sure he notices me, the good Luna, I obeyed him, followed rules and did his bidding, I even tried to warn him of Sarah. But what did he do, he forgot how good I was, he forgot that we were starting to warm up to each other, he forgot me for a bitch he had only just met.

I sat there wondering how I could feel so much hatred and resentment for someone I once loved the most.

He talked about obedience, I suppressed a small humorless laugh. That was exactly what he does, he obeys everyone around him, the elders, his brother and even his stepmother without a word of his own.

My lord, I beg that you do not be offended by my nosiness, but I am someone who can help, I know you don't know much about me, my king but I'm an alchemist who learnt alchemy at the hands of my father, Andromeda the great.

His eyes widen, so does that mean you can tell the future,

“My lord, unfortunately my father died before I could learn the act of divining the future, but I could help in other ways, my lord, I also have the ability to tell when someone is telling the truth, I do believe I may be of help to you and the kingdom of the king of Moonshroud should try anything funny.

Maximus slime slowly, his tension disappeared, “ why didn't you tell me this sooner my grace, I suddenly feel better.

“Does that mean I can attend the meeting by your side my lord.

“Of course, my lady, for such news I will grant you the gift of laying with me tonight.

I froze, “ I'm sorry my lord but it's that time of the month, I just couldn't wait till morning to tell you that I could be of help to you my lord”.

“Very well then,” there was no sign of disappointment on his face, he wasn't to do it because he wanted to, he was going to do it cause he thought that was what I wanted.

An idea immediately came to me, “ my lord, if it's not much of a hassle, I do have a request, my lord. One that would be of help to you and the kingdom.

He lifted an eyebrow “ do tell me my queen”.

I remember when the sound of his calling me his queen would put an automatic blush on my face, how it made me feel special

“ My king, I'm just a beginner level alchemist, my father died before he could teach me everything I needed to know, but I heard of a powerful alchemist that I could continue to learn from, right here in the castle.”

“If your majesty be so kind as to let him teach me, I could be of help to our powerful kingdom.

Maximus slime kept growing wide “of course my queen, you know I would do anything for this kingdom. If I had known you could be of so much help I would have made more of an effort to spend time with you and get to know you”

My breath seized, the audacity this man had to say sure a thing to my face was mind-blowing.

“ He is in the castle dungeon, they call him the unhinged,

The king's smile disappeared, his jaw tightened, his eyebrows knotted.

“But his crazy my queen, he is a murderer.

He was once a royal alchemist and a bodyguard to the King's royal advisor. People said he read too much and one day his mind twisted under the pressure, so he killed his ward and then set the royal palace on fire. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

I knew this story well, little too well but I have a feeling he might have been accused too, he might not be crazy.

He may have been sent there because he found out too much, like they did to me.

Crazy or not, he could be the only one to tell me what I needed to know.