Agartha

Chapter seven

Today I had an official meeting at the library, elves attended too. My grandpa and the king were there (their astral projections). The elves were worried, no beasts or wizards from the dark land had been seen around. I thought that was a reason to be happy but to them, it means something bigger might come later. They think someone inside betrayed us, no way those beasts could pass through the palace’s security all the way to the center by themselves.

Ragnar decided to interrogate one of the bests caught alive, tonight at the castle’s dungeons.

“Those things talk?!”

“Yes. They have a very basic intelligence, enough to get some information” The commander was surprised by my question but explained it gently. I still have a lot of simple things to learn.

Classes were suspended until the king returned to make sure it was safe, and all students were coming back to their lands. They are afraid the attacks at the sunny land are a diversion, and they are returning in a few days.

The elf king’s children would stay at the palace for their safety (and they were over the clouds about it), all this could be a trap to kill them on their way back to their land.

Meeting was over and everyone went back to their businesses. It´s almost midnight and I can’t get any sleep. I feel restless. Maybe I should go to the kitchen to get something to eat, no big expectations there.

As expected, couldn´t find anything provocative there. A horrifying roar interrupted my mental complaints. It was coming from the dungeons.

There was a secret entrance to the dungeons behind a counter, Kiryat told me all secrets about this family and palace expecting to change my mind about moving back with my human family. I made sure no one was around and entered locking the door behind me.

Getting to their location was easy, just followed the noises. There were a lot of elves and wizards, the queen was there too. The interrogation of the beast, I thought.

They were probably torturing that animal (I’m not sure if using the word animal is accurate). I was hiding behind a wall far away and took fast glances so they wouldn´t notice me. The cells had no bars, only some gray crystals aligned at an equal distance instead. The queen was fierce with her questions, the beast answered gasping “You die queen, all of you!” He was laughing, the beast could talk!

Holger had some thick leather gloves, and took a dagger looking at Ragnar. “Do it” he commanded firmly. At his general’s command he started to skin one of the beast´s limbs.

Ragnar’s POV

I needed information from that beast, and I would get it at any cost. One of them almost hurt my beloved children and Galia. Galia… she was so brave today, I’m proud of her but now I know she dares to face danger, need to be extra careful. Next time she won´t hide, and I can´t risk losing her. There won´t be next time. This beast will talk! “Do it!” Ragnar began the torture and suddenly my heart felt like a hand was pressing it. Something was wrong, I was looking everywhere didn´t know exactly for what… And there she was. At the end of the corridor. Terrified at the scene and frozen.

“Is everything ok, General?” The queen asked.

“Yes” said coldly. No one else noticed her presence, I excused myself against the queen´s request and waked away. Galia didn´t pay attention to me, just kept staring at the scene. I pushed her behind the wall and cupped her face in my hands firmly.

“Look at me!” A tear rolled down her cheek.

“Please, don´t. Are you upset?”

“He was… The screams…” She was interrupted by the cries of pain of the tortured. She covered her ears desperate.

I grabbed her by the hand and walked her fast out of the dungeons and towards her gazebo.

She sat heavily on a bench, staring at the ground in front of her.

“Please say something! Are you ok?”

“YOU ARE MONSTERS!”

“We have to do it, it is the only way…”

“Then you are no better!”

“You could have died today. I will skin every single beast of this world or any other creature if that keeps you and the children save!” My voice was full of anger.

“Lier! You are just a savage!” She was crying with such pain. She will hate me… No!

“I told you my life was full of horrors”

“This has to stop! I´ll stop it!”

She started to walk but I stopped her, she sent a rush of energy against me and it threw me away against a column and felt to the ground.

Her face was pale, she ran to me asking my forgiveness, checking if I was hurt. I grabbed her by her waist and head and pushed her against my body whispering at her ear.

“Please, try to understand, it´s necessary. I wouldn’t hurt a fly unless I had to”

She felt so warm. I remembered her naked skin, her beautiful silhouette and held her tighter.

“How can you be so cruel… And my aunt too!” I had her face pressed against my chest and as she spoke, her lips brushed my skin over my thin shirt. My whole body was reacting to that.

“She´s doing what it takes to protect her family and realm, that´s why your family rules, because they are strong and determined. You have it in you too, you are just too young now”

She lifted her face to look at me. “Too young… Too young for you?”

My heart skipped a beat. I didn´t see that coming and didn´t know what to say and realized we were practically laying on the ground together.

She must have noticed my astonished face and said “Calm down General, this isn´t an unappropriated proposal, just curiosity. Am I too young for you?”

“What exactly do you mean?”

“Nothing… I guess I´m just too tired”

“I forgot. I have something that belongs to you” Her face lighted up when she saw her dagger in my hand.

“Thank you!” She lifted her dress up to the middle of her thigh to put the dagger in a garter belt. Then, she caught me staring at her legs, I felt my face blushing and looked to the other way.

“Oh please, Ragnar” She rolled her eyes “you already saw me practically naked” And pulled her dress back down.

If I stay any longer, I will claim her as mine forever and, most likely, start a war.

“It´s late. You need to get some sleep”

“I can´t. Sleep has forsaken me”

“I´m an elf, let me show you my kind of magic” I placed my hands on her head and my magical energy started to flow on her as green healing light. Immediately, her body relaxed, and she had a sleepy, silly smile on her gorgeous face.

“Green energy… My dagger has it too…” And felt asleep.

Silly, beautiful girl… I carried her to the palace, careful not to be seen. At the second-floor stairway, I woke her softly.

“Galia… I can´t enter the third floor, you have to go to your room by yourself” I helped her stand, she kissed my cheek pressing her lips for a few seconds, turned and walk away all sleepy dragging her feet upstairs. I want so bad to take her home with me… Well, let´s go back to work.

At the dungeons, hell was loose. The beast managed to free himself, cut his own tongue and knocked Holger and the queen instantly, the blood from the torture wounds was burning their skins. Everybody was trying to stop him, but the place was too small and was difficult. The wizards were making attempts to knock him with energy but the beast wouldn´t give them a chance. “SOLDIERS! TAKE HOLGER AND THE QUEEN TO BE HEALED! I´ll take care of this”

The fight was hard, but I needed it to release all the emotions stocked inside me, the frustration, the worries, the guilt… I killed it and it was exhausting. Good. Now, had to go to the healing tent to get the blood burnings cleaned, it looked bad.

I spent all night long there, resting comfortably on a carpet. Would get to leave at noon.

In the middle of the morning, the children came to visit me. The princess healed me completely in a minute with her energy (she is the future queen and the elves magic in her bloodline is the strongest. She can do wonderful things). The children guided me out of the tent and there she was… Beautiful. They had asked her to take them to see me and she accepted.

“Good morning General” She said in both oral and sign language. She would always sign in the presence of the prince. My queen was looking forward to seeing him. The princess told her through a letter that her little brother was talking, and she thought he could hear. The nannies explained everything and now she is curious and excited.

“You look bad” She smiled “I brought the clothes I borrowed the other day”

“Those are yours”

“No, the elves lent them to me”

“No. They gave them to you” She looked confused. “Besides, no one could ever look better on them”. She blushed. I want her, want her heart, her soul, her body… But can´t have her.

“Children, we have to go” And just like that, they were gone.