Game of Survival

by T R Tells

  The smile on Angeal’s face stretched slightly, revealing his teeth, but it was not the usual grin that he graced her with.

  “Please don’t play coy, not with me. I just want to know the truth.”

  A somber looked crossed Angeal's featured as he looked at Thea with pleading eyes.

  Thea placed the dagger back behind the bedpost and picked up Kadda in her arms. She was acutely aware that Angeal might have got wind of what happened last night, and she feared the worse.

  “What do you want to know?”

  Angeal licked his lips and huffed, lightly. “Were you aware of a slaughter that happened at the Caspian tavern? My General had said all the men were killed except for the prisoners.”

  Kadda tried to wiggle out of her mother's shoulder wanting to get down, but Thea firmly held her in place as she rocked her up and down, not looking at Angeal.

  “Yes, I was aware.”

  "He says the Sicarri did it and not only that, but the Meretrix is wildly known for doing things other than sexual favors. He also managed to get one of their names . . . yours. Surely, there must be a mistake and there might be another woman with the same name."

  Thea took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she was ready for the ax to drop down. She had been a fool for thinking good things would come to her. Every time she was happy, even a little bit, something would come in and ruin it.

  When Thea opened her eyes, they were filled with tears, but the pupils in her eyes didn’t waver. She shuffled Kadda in hers and held her head high, not wanting anyone to see her weak.

  “Yes, I am the Sicarri. The Meretrix houses home to the Sicarri. So now that you know the truth, what will you do with the information? Arrest us? Kill us? I'm sure you would want to do it discreetly, so no one knows that you were fooling around with a dirty whore."

  A single tear fell from her, she wiped it furiously, but she never broke eye contact with Angeal.

  He stared at Thea for several minutes and no one spoke a word. Until he started to approach her, Thea furrowed her brows breaking from her stand. She didn’t know what he was doing but was prepared to strike if necessary.

  However, what she didn't expect was for him to wrap his arms around her waist and Kadda, pulling them into his chest. His hand pressed into the middle of her back and his chin rested on her shoulder.

  “No. I wouldn’t do that . . . I’m just glad you’re safe.”

  Kadda squirmed in the hold she was in, which prompted Angeal to pull apart from the hug. A stunned expression crossed Thea’s features.

  “I don’t understand.”

  A grin appears on Angeal’s lips as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

  “I’ve told you many times, Thea, I don’t care about the life you had to live. What you’ve struggled and survived through . . . because you had no choice.”

  "It might have been an illegal fight ring, but it was still for my personal gain, it would still be considered murder,” Thea said sitting down on the side of the bed, sitting Kadda down beside her and Angeal sat next to her.

  “Do you see this little girl?” Angeal asked, brushing curls out of the little girls face. She grinned and climbed onto Angeal’s lap to play with the gold buttons on his shirt.

  “You would kill any man or woman just as I would anyone who hurts my brother and sister.”

  Thea nodded, not quite understanding where he was going with this.

  "My point being is that you wouldn't kill for the fun of it. That isn't you, and I've only known you for a short while; yet, I can see good in you. I don't fear the dark, I don't fear you, but . . . I don't want you to be afraid of yourself."

  Thea looked down at her hands folded together and the memories of the night before flashed through her mind like glimpses of a vision. She could see frantic, fearful faces crying out for mercy, and blood splattered everywhere.

  “You’re fighting and battling in the darkness alone, if you keep doing that, you’ll soon smite what light you have left. I don’t want that for you.”

  Angeal could see the pain clear on her face. It pained him to know how much she had been hurting for so long and he couldn’t bear to see her this way, not anymore. He reached out his arm and took her hand in his.

  “Come with me.”

  Thea looked up at him and squared her eyes at him, not processing the words that had come out of her mouth.

  “Excuse me?”

  "Come and live with me—away from this darkness, Thea. It might not be the best alternative, but you and Kadda, you two need a new change in life. I want to be able to give that to you."

  Everything was surreal and Thea was lost for words.

  “Angeal . . . You don’t know how much I want to say yes. It seems almost too good to be true, and I thought for so long that nothing good would come again for me,” she said. She could feel Angeal grasping onto her hand.

  “But I can’t leave for two reasons. I can’t leave the girls behind and having a prostitute in the midst of royals might spell trouble for both of us.”

  Thea started to unravel her hand from Angeal's knowing that he would turn away and forget about her, but he held her hand tighter.

  “They can come whenever they want,” Angeal told her. “I’ll let my Kingsland Guards know that they are friends of mine; and as for your status, I have already thought about that, but know that it is your decision and your decision alone.”

  Thea furrowed her brows and wanted to know what it was he had thought.

  “Become my Mistress. It is one of the more ‘distinguished’ roles for a woman not married and for no one to look at you cross-eyed.”

  The two looked at each other for a moment, not saying anything.

  “I know it seems a lot to take in, and please take the time to think over it, but I want to let you know that you will never be only a mistress to me, Thea. You are more than that, and I hope you know. The castle will never be a prison, but a home to you and Kadda."

  Thea looked at Kadda and reached out her hand to the little girl's hair, ruffling it slightly. She did want more for her and not to live the life she had grown up in, but could she be worthy of redemption?

  "Promise me something, Angeal," Thea blurted out and looked at him with wary eyes. He tilted his head to the side, awaiting her answer. "Promise me that, if anything goes wrong, you will give me a home that Kadda and I can call our own."

  Angeal lifted Kadda from his lap and sat her on the bed. He took both Thea’s hands in his and held them tight and stared into her bright blue eyes, not breaking his hold.

  “As you wish, my gift.”

  ***

  Donnie stood outside of the Meretrix, leaning against the buildings, and observed his surroundings. It wasn't crowded through the narrow streets, a few people walked past him without looking and others nodded to him in greeting. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary that caught his attention, but when his brother told him that Thea might be in trouble, he quickly got dressed.

  He knew that the Meretrix was more than just brothel, but he had only assumed they did illegal trading, and not masquerade as the infamous assassins.

  The thought was unreal, and Donnie couldn't imagine Thea, or Maggie, conducting business like that. But in the world, they lived in he didn't blame them.

  “Seems like everyone is minding their own business this morning,” Donnie mumbled to himself. He didn’t spy anyone lurking or spying on the Meretrix, he would be sure to check daily just in case he missed something.

  However, before Donnie entered into the Meretrix, he spied suspicious movement from the corner of his eye.

  "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." He mumbled to himself, chuckling under his breath. He looked around, looking for a shortcut. Donnie placed his hands into the pockets of his pants and inconspicuously walked along the dusty narrow path, not paying attention to the person spying on the Meretrix at a distance.

  After getting word from Mar Donias, Prothcybus was given specific instructions to follow the P
rince to see where he went. The short and stout man was a brilliant scholar and historian. His teachings and histories had him traveling from Vizerath, Otto, to Wrenada, until he was hired by King Godfrey personally. From then on, he was a loyal follower to the General and the King, ready to do anything that was commanded of him to do.

  He had followed the Prince, in commoner's attire, not to attract attention and followed him to the scant establishment of the brothel, the Meretrix. When he had first heard about the Prince attending the brothel, he didn't believe it. He expected such antics from the Bastard Prince, but not heir and blood to his Majesty.

  "Surely, this whore has bewitched him of some kind. No sound man would ever let a woman ruin his reputation. I knew he wasn't ready to rule the throne. If only the Princess were a man, the Kingdom might have a chance."

  He watched Donnie turn attention toward Prothcybus’ hiding spot. He quickly hid behind the wall, so he wouldn't be found out. However, when Prothcybus looked back, Donnie was nowhere to be found. Prothcybus squinted his beady light brown eyes, darting them around the area where he last saw the Bastard Prince.

  “Damn it!”

  A hard pressure rested on his shoulders and Prothcybus stiffened.

  “Looking for me, baldy?” Donnie said, his tone slicked with sarcasm. Prothcybus slowly turned around to meet Donnie’s humorous expression. “Did you really think no one would be able to recognize a bald bastard like you?”

  Prothcybus turned his nose up at him. Despite the scholar being short in stature, he made up for it in ego.

  “We shouldn’t speak about Bastards, now should we?”

  Donnie narrowed his eyes at the man. He never liked him, he was always snooping around, sending messages to King Godfrey or Mar Donias. Whenever gossip flittered around the kingdom, he was the first to hear about it.

  “Well, since you want to get smart, I won’t be nice,” Donnie spat and whipped out a small blade from the sleeve of his shirt. Prothcybus’ eyes grew wide spying the silver glint and raised his hands in surrender, he backed up against the wall.

  "And, quit looking around for help. If you got out of that stuffy kingdom, instead of being under my father's and Mar Donias' asshole, you would know the civilians pay no attention to folks being robbed."

  Prothcybus looked down at the blade close to his neck. His forehead dripped with sweat and he was quivering.

  "What do you want? I can tell your father what you're doing, he'll have you thrown in jail."

  Donnie smirked and with his other hand, patted the scholar’s bald head.

  "You’d be wise not to patronize me. Now, what are you doing following the prince? And, be honest."

  Nervously, he licked his lips and nodded.

  “I was sent by General Mar Donias. He suspected of the prince fraternizing with a whore, and he was right, that boy is no way fit to sit on the throne.”

  “Ah-Ah.” Donnie pressed the blade to Prothcybus neck, who squealed at it being so close to him. “I suggest you keep my brother’s name out of your mouth. Or, you’ll soon be kissing his asshole when my father kicks the bucket.”

  “You’re all monsters, you hear me,” Prothcybus seethed with fear and anger laced in his words.

  Donnie shrugged. “Nah, we were only bred by monsters. So, I guess that makes us spawns, huh? Now, tell me who was in charge of that illegal fight ring at the Caspian the night before? And may I remind you, your throat is on the line.”

  Without hesitation, Prothcybus revealed Mar Donias was the person behind the fight rings and was even part of secret organizations behind the kings back.

  “You’ve got your information. Now, let me go.”

  Donnie sucked his teeth and shook his head. He removed the dagger from the man’s throat and stepped backward.

  “You’ll bend over backward to anyone who shows a little dominance. I’ve got what I wanted, you keep our meeting a secret and tell Mar Donias you saw nothing, and I won’t reveal information about you to the King himself. Yes, Prothcybus, you aren’t the only one who hears things.”

  Shocked crossed Prothcybus face that someone has dirt on him.

  “He might hate me, but he hates those who go behind his back most.”

  The two men exchanged curt gestures to each other and went their separate ways.

  Donnie headed back to the Meretrix to tell Angeal what he found out.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Hatred bubbled inside of Freya as she stood to the side, watching several Kingsland Guards walk back and forth taking Thea's things out to be delivered back to the castle. She narrowed her eyes at Thea, talking among the few Meretrix girl's that still thought of her as their friend and leader. Freya was sick and tired of coming in second place.

  “So much for always being there . . .” Freya mumbled and turned away from the crowded goodbye fest.

  She headed for the staircase just as Maggie came down the steps. The two girls stopped and looked at each other.

  “Maggie,” Freya curtly said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Freya, you aren’t going to say goodbye to Thea and Kadda? Everyone else is.”

  Freya smirked, rolling her eyes. "Not everyone kisses the ground she walks on. She's made her decision and I hope she lives a happy life. I hope the prince doesn't get tired of her."

  Maggie frowned; sadness crossed her face.

  "I see you didn't tell, Thea," Freya added. "I'm sure you know how the rest of us feel about the situation because if you did, Thea probably would have butted her nose into things and tried to stop me."

  “Thea didn’t need to know because she’s been dealing with enough drama. She needs a break from all of us.”

  Freya scoffed and she looked at Maggie in disgust. At one point, she had thought the two girls would always have her back, but it seemed like they only knew how to watch out for each other.

  “I need to leave. I have important things to plan.”

  Freya walked past Maggie and started to climb up the steps, but Maggie called her back, stopping her as she walked up.

  “Freya? You were right, someone needs to be here and lead the rest of the girls pointing them in the right direction. I'm sorry, but that's . . . not you."

  Freya gaped at Maggie who looked back at her calmly.

  “What are you trying to say? That you are going to be that leader? No one is going to follow you. You’ve always been weak and naïve, that has never changed.”

  Maggie shrugged. “I guess we’ll have to see. But don’t worry, you and your child will always be accepted.” She turned away from Freya and headed toward the crowd of girls.

  Freya stared at the back of Maggie’s head, her eye twitched, fearing that she would soon be usurped. She hurriedly ran upstairs, clutching her stomach where her unborn child grew and headed for her room.

  However, she was not alone.

  “Who the hell are you?” she said, closing the door behind her. “I can kill you in a millisecond. Don’t underestimate me because I only have one eye.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it, Freya. You’re far too valuable to my master.”

  The woman sitting on the edge had her back turned to Freya. Her long white hair cascading past her shoulders. She stood on her feet and faced Freya revealing her milky, white complexion. Freya narrowed her eyes at the odd and mysterious woman. She knew that if she grabbed the dagger behind her back, it would be little time for the woman to react.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you, at least, not until you heard my master’s proposition. You have been oppressed for too long and he can change that."

  Freya laughed and shook her head.

  “Bullshit. You obviously don’t know me because I work for no man. So, you can tell your ‘master’ to kiss my ass.”

  Freya didn't know who the woman was, but she paid no attention to her. She would be able to kill her if she needed to. She headed over to her bedside where she started to undress.

  “And what of your unborn child and the Meretr
ix? You wanted to make sure they have a home but what could have the prince done to help?”

  The white-haired woman had not moved from her position. She knew very well how to snare the young girl into doing what they wanted. Using pawns in their game was all a part of the plan after all.

  "Don't you dare speak of my child," Freya snapped at the woman, glaring at her with daggers in her eyes. "Now, I suggest you get out of my fucking room or you'll know what a pig feels like when it's gutted."

  With lightning reflexes, Freya grabbed the dagger from underneath her pillow and through directly at the white-haired woman. However, with equally blinding speed, the white-haired woman lifted her hand in front of her face, catching the tip of the dagger in between her fingers.

  Freya's eyes widened and she backed against the closet walls in shock that someone managed to evade her throw. She hadn't even seen the woman catch it.

  “Now, are you willing to listen?”

  “Why should I? You can easily kill me if you wanted too,” Freya spat back. She stood in her bra panties, her back behind her hands, readying the knife that was hidden.

  The woman sighed. "If I wanted you dead," she lifted her hand and Freya's arm started to move on its own. Freya watched as she moved without her control, revealing the dagger that she was about to throw. "I would have already killed you."

  Freya’s hand opened as she released the blade from her fingertips.

  "You want a place to belong, that much I can tell, but you want people to see you and for those who have wronged you to be slain. You've never had that before and now that everyone around you is getting their happy ending, you feel as if you're getting the short end of the stick."

  Freya said nothing. She didn’t want the woman to know that she was right. However, the woman only smiled.

  “You aren’t alone, Freya. I can tell you that. That is why my master plans to recreate the world anew.”

  “What do you mean ‘recreate’? What kind of being can do that? And why does he want someone like me? I’m no one.”

  A tear trickled out of Freya's eye, but she furiously wiped it away. The white-haired woman approached Freya, who observed her movements, and slowly the woman placed both hands on her cheeks.