Death-Bound

Hide and Seek

Chapter Seven

“Is it true, what you said?” Someone said from behind me. “You met with another death-bound?” that voice, full of envy, full of anger and agony, Master. "So generous of him to acquire you this thing with such luxury. Luxury that you refuse to accept from me." HE said with spite in his tone, such that can only heard from a jealous lover. My heart clench, I never wanted him to envy anyone.  I stood up to face him but immediately fell on one knee to honor him and to present to  him with what the man gave me. Offering it to him with both of my palms holding it towards him. “What is this slave?” he asked, taking it from me with haste. Examining it intensely.

“He gave it to me before we parted.” I informed him still having my head facing the ground, “He betrayed his master and his loyalty is on you my lord.” The bell suddenly weighted heavily in neck. It was as if choking me.  My breathing suddenly became labored. It was as if I'm fighting to take every breath. “He is the Son of the Duke of Olives, the death-bound of that same person.” My vision was then becoming  blurred, his anger was suffocating me. It was as if he wanted me dead.  “My Lord?” I looked at him my voice with panic and exhaustion, it felt like my soul is being sucked out of me. Then, I went out of consciousness. My master has the power to kill me even by just wishing to do so. He bound me to obey everything that he wants me to. And I doubt, that if I could regain consciousness from this punishment, I will still be free with my little rights.

When I woke from my deep sleep, I saw Margaritta. She was asleep on a chair beside my bed. She was gently snoring, to see her like that it almost touched my soul. She was worried about me, like a mother to her child. She was holding my hand. I maneuvered to sit up, but then I woke her up as well. “How are you feeling now, my child. You almost died in the hands of his lordship. If I wasn’t there to tell him what he’s done you wouldn’t be here right now.” For him to act in such a way left me utterly questioning,  was he jealous? Was he jealous enough to end my life if I'd choose someone else? “Right this moment, the Emperor has called his high Council. He haven’t slept for two days since you gave him that scroll. He is preparing for war, Jem. He will kill the Duke of Olives.”

“A war? Two days?” I didn’t sound sane. “Margaritta what was inside that scroll?”

“Rave told me that it was a report about the Duke’s land. It is a horror to be in that place. Famine and hanger raged in each corner of the towns.” She said. Her face was filled with terror. "Children forced to work in the mines, along with their parents. Women were sold to slavers or at w***e houses just to pay the duke's unreasonable taxes." her tone worried and panicked. People had thought that things like these would not happen under the emperor's rule, but the report had proven otherwise. And it is happening right under the Emperor's nose. He was after all a Son of the Land of Olives himself. His father had married a royalty from the land, but had to divorce her because the Land had demanded a ruler with a pure blood. “Promise me you wouldn’t go to war, Jem. That man owns three death-bounds. And he had executed almost every man whom would stand and defy him!”

“Almost? Tell me Margaritta, who did the Duke spared?”

“Solom, his only son, he turned him into a death-bound! He turned his own son into a slave! That man, he gives me the shiver. He has no mercy! Promise me you will not face him!” she begged me while holding my hands. As she wept I remembered smiles of children playing. As she begged me to stay the more I felt I needed to rid the world of such man. Solom, I remember him now. He was a friend, a long lost brother, a twin who had to walk in the shadow of his elder brother. He should be the true ruler of the land of Olives as the legitimate heir to the the throne which belonged to his mother. Their mother, he and my master shared the same womb. 

“He is no man, Margaritta. He is a monster, and you know what I do to monsters, do you not?” I said, but her whimpers could not be stopped. Rave came into my inner quarter, he didn’t mind knocking. The only reason why he came was to see if I am already awake. “What is it?” Margaritta was still holding my hands soft sobs can be heard as tried to contain herself.

“The Master had to see you. He wanted me to give this to you.” He placed a gold necklace with a ring on my hand. I looked at it. Memories flooded me. Those were the things which I gave him on our childhood days…true, he wants to forget…or perhaps he wants to erase even the slightest trace of me in his life. “Will you wear them at your meeting today?”

“Meeting?” I asked. I haven’t had the slightest sense of what was going on.

“A war is happening at the Land of Olives, the duke has failed on his plans of revolting against the Emperor without him knowing. So, he is defending his rights to rule his dying land.” Rave said exhaustion and sorrow can be sensed in his tone. Everyone knows that the Land of Olives is dear to the Emperor's heart. It is part of who he is. “All of those things happened on you slumber, princess.” It was an insult but hearing the word would never alarm me—princess. “the lord wants you at the councils’ presence immediately. Prepare her, Margaritta.” He looked at her. Him giving orders is not a new thing in the Master’s keep. However, him giving orders to Margaritta is a new sight for me. Had he been ranked higher as I slumbered?

Without any delay, Margaritta obeyed him. She stood and took my armor. It was the first time she would help me in putting it on. She was dressing me for war this time. In addition, there is not a single assurance of me coming back. Many death-bound would go to war; none of them would come back alive. It is our nature to fight to the very end. And each of their master would want them to die in battle rather than be freed in return. True, many nobles would promise freedom to their death-bound if one return from war. However, when they went to battle, these nobles would wish their deaths, thus making them vulnerable to any weaponry. Those are the treachery of noble men, those are the reasons why my father-the ruler of the Gem of the desert, oath never to have his death-bound, the very reason why Margaritta was crying as she hold every piece of my armor, while putting them on me.

As she finished her duty as my hand maiden, she walked me toward the Emperor's keep. For the first time she carried my weapon up to the door of the Emperor’s throne room. And even before I went in she embraced me and whispered her short prayer for me in a language foreign from every tongue that I knew of . “Margaritta, I will come back. I promise. And I don’t intend to break that.” She looked at me tears still rimming her eyes, but she nodded with renewed hope. I went in to meet my fate. In the throne room, the scent of war was so evident you would think that behind the walls is the actual battlefield. My master was sitting on his throne, exhausted for not sleeping at all. He is thinking. He’d be like this even when we were still children. He thrive in environment that challenges him.  He better rest unless he wants to die young.

Upon looking at me, I could see the evidence of his stress. I could see that he was weary and almost on the top of his breaking point. I immediately went to his side, I never hid my worries for him. My loyalty was for him alone though the meaning of his death would be my freedom. I know my place. “Hyacinth,” he cupped my face. “I was worried that I almost killed you,” he said smiling. His face was pale and his voice trembling. He needed rest.

“You need sleep. You haven’t slept for days, I heard.” I said to him. My tone is of a friend scolding and caring at the same time. “What are your orders?” I am now standing and assisting him toward this bedroom. He was leaning on me like a man in need of a lover's aid.

“I want him dead. I want him to free his slaves and his people before he dies.” I then made him lay on his bed. 

You are a stupid man for trying to kill me and kill yourself with worries due to it!  I said to myself.

“and lastly I want…to…to kiss you.” He did before closing his eyes to slumber. I bit my lower lip…I liked it. i***t!

I went on my way. Rave was there outside to give me everything I needed. He gave me the map of the Duke’s castle, to know where he might be hiding. “In the south wing of his castle is an escape route. He might be there. The Emperor’s troops are advancing. And, I wanted to know what his final orders were before he went to sleep.”

“He wanted the Duke dead. And he wanted him to free his slaves before I do so.” I said. “Don’t worry Rave I will kill that man.”

“You better be, he has three death-bounds—all his children. His son, Solom was the one whom wrote the plea. He is one of the death-bounds. Those three are the best fighters in there. Although he wrote the report, he is bound to protect his master at all cost.”He then gave me a pack. “In case you got hit or cut, this will help. Margaritta is an excellent pharmacist. Those might taste a bit bitter, but it’ll make your recovery faster. The yellow pills would make you numb from any pain, in case you broke a bone or two. Listen, you better not be killed out there,” he looked at the direction where the Emperor is sleeping. “He needs you more than anyone.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before the next dawn.” I said. I wasn’t saying that going to war is easy, but I wanted to see the look of my Master’s face when he woke and realized what he had done. He kissed me. I smiled remembering his solemn face. In his rule, he never wanted any land to suffer. He wanted his rule to be one of the peaceful one. Still, he had to protect every citizen of his empire even if it meant going to war with his mother's second husband.

I had to conserve my strength therefore I had to ride. My horse has been prepared for me; each death-bound has one. And mine is the fastest among them. I wore my mask for the identity, which all death-bound knows. I am Death, the emperor’s death-bound. A mask with a smile, the last thing that my prey sees when I kill them.

I smelled blood miles before even entering the land. Famine and death enveloped the area with a gloomy sense. The Emperor’s army had built a fort just beside the castles moat. The castle is under sage. And in just a few moments the entrance will be opened. I had to take action, I know that the Duke will flee at the escape route. But then I noticed it—a tunnel. “Soldier, get your troops in there.” I pointed it to one of the captains. He wasted no time. I was right. The tunnel was heading to the mountains.

“A fortress was spotted near the edge of the lake beside the mountains my lady.” he reported.

“Then, the Duke is in that fortress. Get some men and follow me, you are attacking the decoy.” The duke might have moved under the generals’ noses about three hours ago according to tracks. They used horses. “Use a diversion, some attack the fortress gates while others follow this tunnel.” Brilliant man this Duke of Olives is. He fooled the Emperor’s generals.

“Yes, my lady.” The captain went on his way to gather his men

“Who gave you orders to come and replace me as general?” one of the general came in front of me. “You are just a pet!” he was pointing his chubby finger at me.

“I was ordered to kill this man, and I don’t mind killing those who will hinder me from my Master’s wishes.” I said pointedly. Although the general was a big man, he was afraid to die. He trembled and fell, “General, are you protecting this man? It was impossible not to feel vibrations from this tunnel, especially on how they used horses to pass it. And to think it was under your built fort.” I said maliciously. But the scent of his guilt had enveloped the area. I'll make sure judgement will be upon him after this war, if he survives it. “I’ll be going. And please ready yourself for the consequence of this action.”

I went on my way; I had to do my duty. And to think I have to track this man into the ends of the earth. To ride my horse would give my position. The best thing to do is go by foot and use stealth. I know I had to destroy every trap, which the other death-bounds had set, so the troops would be at full force when they attack the fortress. The fortress, set in between the mountains and the lake. I haven’t seen that place, but I know one thing each fortress has—Weapons. Smaller than a castle, strategic in design, I will have to search each and every room of that place in order for me to fulfill my master’s orders. I hate hide and seek. Yet, look at me now seeking the one who is destined to die. The weather is by me. The Emperor’s victory is in the air, but it is never finished until I beheaded that monster.