CHAPTER THREE

The only source of light was the ray from the sun that streamed into the large dungeon from six steel bars criss-crossed, too high up in the ceiling for anyone to reach, too narrow for a baby to pass through. The dungeon was noisy from dusk till dawn with the whispers of the men and woman in there, arguing, wailing and cursing each other and the guards outside. Sniffles and soft cries also came from the little princess next to Selene. "I'm hungry" Mia said, her voice hoarse form crying all day. Selene had tried her best to soothe the the scared child but it was fruitless. "We can't eat what they bring. Who knows what they put in it, I'll request to speak with father then he'll decide what to do" Selene said, whispering the last part to herself. She desperately wished she had taken off in that carriage when all her half-sisters had. "But I'm hungry, I'll die" Mia insisted, weeping. Selene glared at the child, she didn't want any drama, the villagers were locked in with her and she was still their princess. It was humiliating enough to stay in the filthy cell with them, the last thing she needed was Mia's cry. The man next to her was a farmer in the town she knew, his wife was laying on his laps, sobbing quietly into his dirty breeches. The wide room had men and women cowering at all corners, in groups of four and six mostly. One man stood at the locked bars, shaking and screaming at the passing guards and demanding for nothing in particular. The large pot of soup that was kept in the cell was untouched as all waited for Selene's approval which she refused to give, she wouldn't be blamed for their deaths. The Sols could just poison them all and cook up some story for the Council, she couldn't put it past them and she wanted to stay alive. The past night, Selene had realized after much yelling and empty threats that her father was not in the manor but in the Council's custody till the trial. Selene swallowed and coughed as her dry throat seemed to crack. She had gone the last days without water and she wondered how Mia felt, she needed to be out sooner or she couldn't hold up the calm facade any longer. "Elly, I'm thirsty " Mia echoed her very own thoughts Selene sighed and rose. "Stay here" she said and left to the bar, giving it a good shake. "Hello.... Hello" she called to the guard that stood by the hall that led to the dungeon. The guard reluctantly came there, no doubt paying her more heef than he did the angry screaming men because of her royal dress. "I wish to see your King, my people should not be starving here " Selene said "Food has been given" the man replied "How am I certain it is safe? " "The lord sent it here" the guard replied "I wish to speak with him" Selene insisted " He hasn't approved of any meeting with you as of now, Miss" the guard replied. Selene sighed heavily and swayed in confusion. Her sister would cry soon and she would be starved. Her villagers were expecting some miracle from her - she was certain. "I beg of you...please let me speak to your Lord" Selene bit out the title scornfully The guard's stiffness wavered and he sighed. "I'm afraid I can't help you" "That little girl shouldn't be in here, she needs food and a good place that sleep, please, let me speak with your master" she begged. The guard gave her a long stare, glanced at a sniffling Mia behind and nodded, unlocking the chain, he opened the cell and Selena stepped out. "Elly! " came Mia's voice out, panicked and hurrying to catch up with her sister. "Just you" the guard ordered. Selene nodded and turned to Mia "I'm coming back, wait" she said and smiled at the girl who looked uncertain but nodded at the flimsy reassurance. The villagers began to protest and violently yell as she was led away. *** The man sat on the throne like he owned all the regions in the land. His large overcoat was a deep blue, deeper than what the warriors of Sol wore. His crown was like his sisters but with a deeper onyx at the peak. Selene never knew royals had uniforms, the Lord's fondness of the coat made her rethink. She tried not to fiddle with her hem out of habit as she was led further into the large room. "Who let her out? What madness is this, pray tell" Edgar said calmly. "My lord, I have no right but I beg on her behalf, she pleaded your audience " The guard said shaking nervously. "And who are you to call an audience?" Edgar questioned the guard. "Forgive me my Lord, I__ will take her back at once__." the guard stammered, afraid "No, we'll have someone else see her out, you will await persecution at the stake at twilight" Edgar stated, hard eyes on the trembling man "Mercy lord, please mercy" the guard pleaded, all bravado drained from him as he knelt and pleaded. "You have showed that your loyalty lies with the Riverlands" Edgar scoffed "Certainly not my Lord___I only took pity of the little girl with her " he said in tears. "So you are of better judgement than I your king?" Edgar asked incredulously. "What is your name?" "Hammond__my Lord, My name is Hammond West" the gaurd said, still kneeling bowed on the floor, trembling like a leaf in storm. "Your family shall know you died defending a foreign girl against your king" Edgar spat. "Do you wish to behead him for taking me to you? Are you actually ruthless as they say?" Selene blurted in wonder, speaking for the first time since she entered the throne room. "Punishment is not ruthlessness" Edgar replied calmly "I begged he take me here. Behead me then if you must" Selene stated boldly Edgar could feel his heart leap at her statement. Her confidence was radiating in the room. It was not her words he took but her stance as she said them. Knowing fully well she knew he was a man of his words. The lady surprised him, first a slap and now she offered her head for a mere guard. He knew many princesses would cower and watch. "Very well then" Edgar responded, taking the challenge as he rose. His sword lay sheathed on the table. Picking it up, he drew out his sharp blade and examined the sword carefully, he walked to the man and watched as he trembled like an autumn leaf. He frowned at the weak men he called his warrior. Delivering a hit to the jaw with the hilt of his blade, he watched as the man scrambled to his feet and stood far away, awaiting his next move. "Leave my sight before I send your limbless body to the vultures" Edgar said coldly "My lord" the man bowed and fled without another blink. "I see you have a death wish Miss Dwayne Cedric" Edgar stated, circling her with the gleaming sword. "I see you feed off fear, Lord Edgar of Sol" Selena retorted. "Your mouth one day will put you in the sand" "Not by your hands Sol King" Selene spat Edgar gave a half-hearted chuckle and moved from her. "What brings you here" Edgar asked, deciding to ignore her daring words, she was still like a mere child to him and he would treat her as such despite her irritating nature. "My people did not come here to be straved but to await my father's trial, we are no prisoner" Selene spoke. "I have sent food to the dungeons" Edgar replied "How do I make certain you won't poison us all" Selene asked "I am not foolish enough to kill any of you, surely the council would suspect or call off the case" Edgar answered matter- of-factly. "And your lives neither interest nor does it benefit me, I don't see how your deaths will" Selene inwardly nodded to the reply, the council would certainly raise brows if anyone died, least of all her and her sister. But she wore her outward frown proudly. "But then you already offered your head for a man's" Edgar stated, brows arched. "You were being inconsiderate " She answered. "You talk more than you think" Edgar replied "Take my head then and be quiet" Selene spat Edgar Stared at the vixen before him, an amused smile came to his face. She was even bolder than his warrior. He walked around her and could still sense her fear despite her speech. He knew when a man was weak, it was in him to know, he could smell fear, he could breath the fright of his enemies and he fed off of it as he slew, he knew how to fight, he had to if he needed to live. His father had thought him as much, weakness was a sin, his mother would never have been taken away if he was strong enough to fight for her. Now he fought for Sol, for the peace and freedom he never had as a child. He stopped behind her and held the blade to her thin neck, her pale skin flushing with nerves or maybe the room was warm, he didn't know. "Do you want to never see your sister again? To let her suffer alone when that wayward father of yours is tried and jailed?" Edgar taunted All he heard was her gulp then silence but her body shook as he held the sword closer, feeling it dent her skin, just a breathe away from slicing into her neck and letting the beautiful red flow, end her once and for all, no man dared him, no man. "I just wish yo protect my sister" "And if I told you I have plans for her? I will ensure she is sold to the black traders, raped, over and over again, by as many men, then slowly wasted, like every other woman in your filthy tribe will be. Your tiny village dare anger my land? Surely only an idiot provokes me, it takes beyond that wide mouth to govern a kingdom Miss. But I'm sure you never knew, now you never will" Edgar taunted, seeking a solid reaction from her. The chill came over him, drowning him in that familiar pit of anger and self hate and loneliness. He wanted to make others cry too, to show them what it meant to be him, to make them weep, plead for the same mercy he was never granted, he wanted blood, he wanted fear and tears. Awareness came back to him as the girl in his arms flinched, her sniff was heard as something wetted his hands. He pulled away, scared he'd gone too far. He turned to look at her. Her eyes were held close tightly with tears running down her chin, a pink trail led down to her shoulders and that is when he realised he'd cut her neck. The small cut was by the side, a shallow break that reddened her olive porcelain flesh. He saw her chest rise and fall quickly, anticipating what she thought was to come. Bold, just like his Monique even when she was led to the flames that took her away from this realm..... "Guards!" he thundered, unwilling to evoke such memories anymore, it was like a nail, drilling deep into his soul each time he dwelt on it. The guards rushed in and stood with swords drawn out. "Take her away, lead her to the rooms at the east wing till I instruct otherwise "Edgar said and quickly dismissed them with a flick of his wrist. He needed silence and he needed it now. Hurrying to the window, he drew open the beige curtains and stared at the corner field below, it always calmed him. His mother always love grains. He took deep breathes and slowly came back to normalcy. He needed to spar, he wanted a distraction. No news came from his troops, it wouldn't be the first time he lost men to the Kiros but he would keep trying until he had what he wanted. News on the walkers. "My lord" came the deep baritone of his friend Edgar nodded without turning, he knew only Nicholas would force himself into his throne room with the guards outside. The man was more than a servant, he was a friend. "I saw the Riverlands princess led to the east wing, she was bleeding " he stated with a hint of accusation "So that worries you" Edgar asked "That is no way to treat a royal and a lady at that "Nicholas scolded with a "My lord" afterwards "I lost it with her" Edgar admitted "I would be more careful next time my Lord" Nicholas said "Certainly, the princess needs to keep away from me or I'll skin her white hide" Edgar stated in frustration "I see you have met her lips as well, I heard all suitors ran from that mouth of hers" Nicholas said "Rumours and you, you make me think if you're a woman my friend" Edgar replied with a fond smile He turned to the man who was clothed in his black blue uniform and a hat, his gray hair adding to his air of prestige and regality. His fondness of the man he was certain had little to do with his direct relations with the O'alistair but more with his brilliance and wisdom. "Alexandra is with that lady Sylvia as she said" Nicholas said in hushed tones "Good" Edgar muttered "She rules well" Nicholas said "I can do nothing of this, it was fathers wish, the council has seen prove, makes me wonder if he wanted me to have any at all" Edgar said with the same emotion he felt each time he recalled his father-spite "He did, Gavin loved you no matter what you think, he just wanted only you not your mother" Nicholas said "To hell with such love, he wanted a stone as a son and a pot to grow that stone" Edgar spat "My lord, Sol has never seen a better king than you and Gavin has made you who you are today" Nicholas said "And then what? Halved my inheritance to a woman? To double taxes and make stupid laws? It seems Sol is didvided into two, the provinces are dying! They are living as slaves! " Edgar said angrily "They are not complaining " Nicholas replied "How will they? Alexnadra would behead such person, she rules with a tight fist, women are missing every day with no trace, it's hell in there" Edgar yelled "What difference is it here my lord" Nicholas challenged "I may be a murderer, I may be a killer, I may have burnt down three kingdoms and conquered six towns but my people remain happy, no one misses, no outrageous tax is imposed on them, I take willing slaves and servants and I am generous to my faithfuls, only an enemy sees my wrath and you shouldn't be on that side Nick " Edgar growled Nicholas bowed, he was trying to make the young Lord see he was letting his lust cloud his judgement, Sol Empire could be better, make alliances with other Empires to give their people all they wanted then they wouldn't have to plant so much on their not-so-fertile soil. But Edgar trusted no one, he was a man who better stood alone than in a crowd. "Surely my lord, pardon my words" Nicholas said "No words have come from the Kiro troop, we will send another in three days" Edgar said "Certainly, your mealwas served, my lord" Nicholas said "I doubt my appetite for meat and leaves. Drink with me, Nicholas" Edgar said and turned to the door. He needed to be away from the enormous walls of the O'alistair before he lost sanity.