Love Before Blood

Chapter 12

Peri’s POV

When the meeting was over, Grey and I headed straight for the bar. The smell of it was the most pungent in broad daylight. The greatest thing about bars in the middle of the day is that no one is ever there. You don’t have to hear everyone’s sob stories or how they hate their miserable life or how they wish they could just drink their problems away. Not only that, there is always entertainment to be shown, especially for those of the Royal Family.

The first thing we did was order three shots of their strongest whiskey and the best performers they have. We came here almost every single day, not only to get away from our kingdom’s problems, but just to get away from our family, even if it’s just for a little bit.

At one point, we brought Azriel along, but he never seemed to enjoy it. I never really understood him. Every single time I would think of a way to be better than him, he always finds a way to exceed everything I do. I would volunteer to lead the second wave of our armies into battle, and then Azriel would volunteer to lead the front lines. I offered to form an alliance with the lowly humans, but he advised against it, because he said it would show weakness to our armies. And then he volunteered to participate in the marriage alliance that would make the treaty official. Not only that, I got scolded by our mother just for teasing him when he stepped up. And at the meeting this morning, the generals started congratulating him on the marriage alliance and supporting his theory, while I don’t get the credit I deserve.

“Will it ever be enough?” I said out loud after downing the three shots.

Grey looked at me and stayed silent. I thought I saw a look of pity in his eyes. “What do I have to do to show that I’m also a prince that matters?”

I drank a few more shots of whiskey and said,” That bastard brother is the one who keeps on taking all the credit for everything I do. It’s almost like I’m the boat and he’s just riding on all of my efforts and when I’m just about to take the credit, he swoops in and takes all the credit!”

I threw the shot glass onto the floor, shattering it into a million pieces. Grey told the bartender to leave for a while, but he left the bottle and put out another shot glass for me. “Brother,” Grey said while pouring me another shot,” you make it way too easy for Azriel to do it. You don’t follow through with your actions. You make the path for him, and when it comes down to the most important part, you let him swoop in to take it. Not only that, you hesitate at the finish line. And besides, he does it for all of the people, not for himself.”

I know he is right but almost every move that I make, our people think that I’m only doing it for myself. Which is partially true, but that always comes as a reward after the matter has been acknowledged. “Mother is very aware of how he is playing his cards. Father is too, but he still has some faith in you. I mean did you see the way he looked at Azriel when he advised against the treaty and how he suggested that the war isn’t over, even when the treaty has been made official?”

I drank the shot he poured for me. I remember that day very well. We always knew that we would win the war, even before it started. Since our people knew that we could easily win this war, I proposed that we show our power by threatening the humans into surrendering. After I proposed that we make a peaceful resolution, arrogant Azriel stood up in front of our family and our generals and said that it would be a mistake to do that, and came up with some bullshit that our ancestors would be furious with our actions.

He even proposed the idea that we continue the war, and have them realize their mistakes through the fierce battles and victories that will be made. He even said we should give them the fight that they are wanting, and have the humans dig their way out of their graves. Let them see what their arrogance can do to their people and their lands when war has ravaged through it. It was a cruel, arrogant, and ingenious idea, but nonetheless cruel, but after a few battles on the front lines, Azriel changed, but in a good way. The bloody images of battle that ran through his head every night when he returned. Guess he didn’t think that his arrogance would somehow get the better of him.

”I did, and nothing gives me greater joy knowing that Father still supports me. But I won’t be able to hold onto it for very long, especially if it turns out that Azriel was right about the war not being over.”

Grey pours another glass for me. “Not only that, each of the clan generals are slowly turning towards Azriel and are secretly hoping that he would be the next crowned king. The only thing I’m not understanding is why are you still sticking by my side, brother?”

He passes me the next shot. I’ve always felt like he’s had an ulterior motive, since he has been kissing up to me for as long as I can remember. “Brother, I know that you have a great mind and vision for this kingdom. I know mother and father despise me for never being able to surpass both of you, so why not support the one I think is going to succeed the throne?”

I almost believed him. Almost. “Well, it seems as though you are not as dense as you portray yourself to our parents.”

He smiled at me while pouring a shot for himself and said,” Don’t worry, brother. I have a good feeling that your next plan would surely blow Azriel out of the water. And soon enough, everyone will bow to your greatness.”

I snatched the bottle away from him when he finished pouring and said,” Oh it definitely will. And I will make sure that Azriel can’t surpass me ever again.”

And I drank to my future victory. A victory that will surely surpass Azriel’s.

Avalon’s POV

The next morning, Ariel flew me down to a track where Bryce and Cassian were waiting. When I woke up earlier, my training clothes were laid out for me. Black combat boots, loose pants, and a t-shirt. My hair was in a messy ponytail. They were all light and durable. And they kept me very warm despite how cold it is outside.

The track went around the entire training area, which was already huge. I'm definitely going to die. After Azriel dropped me off, he flew away. Probably to watch me from some place far away. Yeah, watch me die as I run around the track and then he would walk away embarrassed that his human princess can’t even run a whole lap around this field.

Cassian came up to me and told me to start with a warm up lap around the field. I guess he is fully aware that my body isn’t as strong as theirs. In all ways possible. “I suggest that you go at your own pace. The first laps you do around here can be pretty brutal.”

I nodded my head in understanding. Cassian sprinted off ahead with Bryce somewhat trailing behind him. To Cassian. About a quarter of the lap, I was doing fine, I was breathing fine. I thought the combat boots would somehow slow me down, but there was a lot of support for me to run for as long as I wanted.

When I got to the halfway point, I was starting to struggle a bit. My breathing started to become ragged, and I felt some sweat dripping down my neck. I think Bryce was just a little ways ahead of me. I wanted to sprint to him, but Cassian’s advice rang through my head.

When I got to the last quarter of the gigantic lap. My legs and lungs were screaming for me to stop, but I actually went a little faster and nearly caught up to Bryce. When I got to the finish line, I nearly tumbled to the ground in exhaustion. I slowly sat down on the ground, trying to catch my breath. “C’mon, Princess,” Cassian walked up to me and helped me stand back up. “Don’t sit down, you can’t get air to your lungs if you do that.”

I looked at Bryce and he was panting too, but he was standing straight up with arms above his head. I copied him, since I basically learned a few self-defense moves by watching him. I felt the cold air surrounding me, cooling me off and my breathing slowly returning to normal. “Not bad, Princess,” he said. “You lasted a lot longer than I thought you would.”

I gave him a weak smile and finally put my arms down, when I felt I wasn’t going to tumble to the ground. “No offense,” he said,” You’re the first humans I’ve ever trained, so forgive me if I say anything offensive.”

We nodded in understanding, and we did push-ups and sit-ups next, which I actually did really well on. At least that’s what I hoped and thought. When we finished doing more workouts, Azriel flew down while Cassian had us do a one-minute plank. And man a minute has never felt so much longer.

“So how’s it going, so far?” Cassian bowed.

“They’re doing good. They’re a lot stronger than I had expected.”

I didn’t really pay attention to the rest of their conversation, and I didn’t really care at this point. Right now, my whole entire body hurts. I felt so exhausted that I was ready to just drop. But I felt like I couldn’t, because the only word I was looking for was “stop.” “How much longer do they have?” Azriel asked.

Cassian didn’t respond for a few seconds, and then started counting down. When he reached zero and said stop. I let go of the breath I didn’t realize I was holding the entire time and flopped onto the ground. I was so sore, I felt like I couldn’t move any part of my body. Bryce helped me up, and Cassian said,” Think you can go again tomorrow, Princess?”

I wanted to shake my head, but I didn’t have enough strength to do that. I may have been a maid with a bunch of chores, but one thing for sure is the stamina for a maid is very much different than that of a soldier. “I’ll take that silence as a yes.”

Bryce chuckled a little, while I just walked to Azriel giving him a look that I hope he read as take me back and let me just sleep for the rest of the day. Of course, after a nice relaxing bath. And he didn’t disappoint.