Chapter 7
***
07. Angulem’s last remaining possessions
***
"You don't do that even to your livestock!"
Kian slammed his hand down on the table and screamed at Angulem.
He knew Reina was in trouble, but he didn't know what exactly had been done to her.
Kian had three younger sisters.
If anyone laid a hand on them, he would strangle them on the spot.
He believed her brother would do the same, which traumatized Kian even more than the war.
"A stubborn animal that won't listen to me is slaughtered and that's that, but Reina is my precious little sister, so I have to be even harsher with her and make her see the error of her ways."
Kian's hands itched to smash Angulem's mouth for spouting bullshit.
He knew he was beyond imagination when he sent his sister into enemy territory, but he didn't think he was that bad of a human being.
Josef stared at Angulem, his gaze unwavering.
He was disgusted by the greed in his eyes, the excitement in his tone.
"The state of the Princess of Aviles makes slaughter seem merciful."
Josef was not exaggerating.
The wounds that dotted her flesh, the blood and ooze that flowed between them, and........
He forced himself to stop the cascade of horrific images and smiled a crooked smile.
Wasn’t the human butcher in Naparoa, not Ascania?
"Pierre, bring me what I asked for earlier. I have something to show you. In fact, this is what I asked to see you for, and it will also answer Your Highness's question." (Angulem)
A moment later, the servant brought a robe embroidered with golden threads on a black background.
Angulem snatched the robe from the servant and spread it out on the waiting table.
"When Reina returned from the Ascania camp, she had lost her virginity. To her shame, she brought this robe with her as a token to her mate."
Angulem made sad eyes as he spoke.
His fingertips trembled as he stroked the glittering golden thread embroidery.
Kian, who recognized the owner of this robe at a glance, let out a muffled scream in his head.
"I had to find out who it was, but my foolish sister was stubbornly silent. What else could I do but beat it out of her?"
Kian listened to Angulem's story with a blood-curdling feeling. Josef had never been interested in women before.
Besides, Reina was so skinny and pitiful, not to mention pretty, that he didn't even care about that.
After all, Josef had said he didn’t do anything to her himself!
Angulem, on the other hand, could barely contain the laughter that escaped his parted lips.
'So much for the innocent fiancé giving his virginity to Princess Alice.’
Angulem was certain that the man who had been sleeping with Reina was the human butcher in front of him, Josef Ascania.
It had been strange since he'd insisted on seeing Reina.
When the maids had told him that the Grand Duke id Ascania had turned pale and scooped Reina into his arms, Angulem had slapped his forehead in recognition.
Reina’s bare legs peeking through the torn dress, the luxurious robe draped over her shoulders, and the reason she wouldn't speak of the other man even if she were about to die.
Everything fit together.
'If only I had known about it sooner.'
Angulem wished, remembering the scarred, disfigured Reina.
'She hid it because she thought she'd get in trouble if she told me that her opponent for the night was the Grand Duke who took our castle, but fools are foolish left and right!’
You should've said something earlier! You made me beat you for no reason and made me make excuses!
However, he was relieved to see Josef take responsibility for the way he treated Raina.
It seemed like the Grand Duke liked that ugly thing.
"So, did the Princess of Aviles tell you who the other party was?"
Kian asked casually, doing his best not to glare at Josef.
"She didn't, and that's the problem."
Angulem clenched his fists, shamelessly playing the part of an enraged brother.
In the back of his mind, he did the math.
Josef is about to marry Princess Alice.
The last thing he needs is for word to get out that he's touched his enemy, Reina, not anyone else.
Kian, on the other hand, was relieved. It's cowardly, but thank God Reina kept her mouth shut.
Josef's safety always came first.
It was as common as sparrows pooping, for powerful men to have lovers or play with other women without their wives' knowledge.
But when it was Reina Sabelli, it was a problem.
"Please find the owner of the robe."
Angulem cut to the chase after a long, drawn-out plea, and Kian looked at Josef anxiously.
No expression crossed his sculpted face.
For a long moment, he stared at his robe in silence, and then a small smile crept across his face.
Kian swallowed dryly at the sight. This was not a good sign!
"I am the owner of the robe."
"Your Highness!!!!!"
When Josef admitted that it was his, Kian cursed and abruptly cut him off.
But Jozsef continued on regardless.
"I have no intention of taking Princess Aviles as my wife. But I am willing to pay the price."
Angulem's greedy eyes grew even greedier at Josef's offer.
He must get the highest price possible!
"You must consider that she was a virgin, and of the noblest August and Sabelli bloodlines in the Western Continent. It's now or never.................."
"Tell me simply what you want."
Josef cut Angulem off as he spouted off his sister's worth like a slave trader.
Kian clenched his iron fists and glares at Angulem.
If Angulem taunted him any further, Kian might crack his skull open.
"What I want is Aviles."
As soon as the word left his mouth, Kian leapt up and kicked hard at Angulem.
Angulem, knocked off his feet, convulsed in horrific pain, unable to utter a single word.
Kian reached for him, cracking his knuckles. Angulem looked to Josef for help.
But Jozsef turned his head away and looked out the window. Shy pink azaleas swayed in the spring breeze.
“The flowers are early this spring.”
Angulem nearly wet himself at the sight of Kian looking down at him with a coy smile while Josef made a lazy comment.
"Help me..............."
Once again, Kian's feet were faster than Angulem's mouth.
For a moment, the sound of whipping leather and screams echoed through the study door.
+++
"It is an honor to meet you again. Your Highness, Grand Duke of Ascania."
Reina bowed slightly, her legs bending and straightening as per etiquette.
The sky sang when Reina heard that Josef had rescued her from the spire.
Shame overcame gratitude. This was the second time she'd shown her weakness to the enemy.
Led to the study, she tried to look around and make sure the pagan book was still in place, but she couldn't.
Josef's net-like gaze held her captive.
"Reina, the book from the heathen lands must never be in the hands of another. It is yours. After all...Angulem is......"
Her chest tightened as she remembere her her father swallowing the words, "You will never understand the importance of that book.”
The compendium of pagan knowledge was written in Saracen.
As far as she knew, she and her father were the only ones who could read even a little bit of that language.
She had thought it would be safest in her study, where Angulem would never set foot, but she hadn't expected such a double agent.
"You must reclaim Surmer in Kalev. It is your mother's land. It is yours, not your brother's, and I will see to it that you do."
Fragmented memories raced through Reina's mind.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Reina's thoughts evaporated with shame.
She was ashamed that he had seen her hanging like a piece of meat.
The still throbbing wounds was much improved by the ointment the Flemish merchants had brought.
But the scars on her soul were not healed, and it was not only her body that was left defenseless against the violence.
Reina's insides groaned from the festering wounds, but even she couldn't quite measure the pain.
"Your heel is pretty badly hurt, but does it bother you when you walk?"
"No."
"Try walking."
"What?"
"Walk."
Reina's heel ached, but she didn't mind and slowly took her foot off.
The hem of her silk dress, embroidered with roses from the Flemish merchants, fluttered gracefully.
Her red hair was pulled back in a pearl braid to reveal a smooth forehead, and her arched eyebrows and piercing eyes were accentuated by the fierce look underneath, giving her the appearance of a red fox.
That's probably the reason for her noble, yet strangely twisted vibe.
On the slender neck and collarbone, faint marks of wounds covered with powder were visible.
"Enough."
She had only taken a few steps when sweat broke out on Reina's forehead and Josef ordered her to halt.
He was checking to see how much better Reina's foot was feeling. It had seemed fine when she walked into the study earlier, but you never know.
This was not good.
As she pushed through the pain of her throbbing heel, she suddenly remembered the foal she had been given as a child.
The gagged foal had been forced to walk and stop in time to the crack of a whip.
Reina's face fell as she realized that she was no better than the well-dressed foal.
"Why do you look so sullen?"
Josef never missed a beat. Reina quickly flashed an awkward smile.
"I suppose it's because I'm not fully recovered yet. I heard you got me some medicine. I'm grateful. I owe you my life."
The extremely polite thank-you was filled with more wariness than gratitude.
Too much favor can be ominous. There must be an ulterior motive behind it.
There was much more to her rescue from the spire than the medicine, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"And..................."
Reina hesitated, then removed the pearl headband from her hair and handed it to him.
At least she wore it once, she told herself, it showed her sincerity.
"It's too precious for me to keep."
***
To donate for extra chapters for my series or to tip me visit my kofi page
Write a comment