Slaying the Blood King

♤•Chapter 10•♤

What. The. Hell!

I gape at Antonious as he strides casually to the table he laid out for us. He sits nonchalantly, motioning for me to sit on the opposite side. I start to wonder if I had imagined the whole scenario.

Sighing, I walk to the table before taking a seat, feeling my stomach become restless as I eye the roast in front of us. My mouth starts watering when I inhale it's scent, and right away, I know it to be venison. Steering my thoughts away from the food, I look up to Antonious.

"What were we discussing?" I ask him as he grabs the knife nearest to me. It's golden, with intricate, metallic vines wrapping around the hilt. He stabs it into the roast, cutting off a slice before putting the piece on my plate. As he continues to cut a slice for himself, he stares at me. I must look flustered from the event earlier, because a small smirk plays at the corner of his lips.

"I'm here to discuss the possiblity of sending you to battle, as you had requested," he said, eyeing me before taking a bite of the venison. In my kingdom, it was customary for the hierarchy of the table to take the first bite, so when he did, I took that as my cue to start eating as well. I raise my eyebrows at him, excitement bubbling.

"How soon can we ambush the castle?" I ask him, cutting off a piece of the roast, before popping the piece into my mouth. I almost moan with ecstacy as the juices hit my tongue. Whoever had cooked the beast cooked it with just the right amount of tomato and herbs. It was heavenly.

I look up and find Antonious watching me intently, with his hands cupped together beneath his chin, his elbows supporting the weight of his heavenly face. A tendril of hair had fallen loose from one of his braids. It now rests near his eye. Being so close, it's hard not to take him in, his pointed nose, his sharp cheek bones, his lips...

He cracks a grin as my eyes wander, and I quickly clear my head of this insanity. Thinking of my people snaps me out of the daze he put me in. I needed to be there for them and not let my l**t overtake me, but by the goddess, I had never seen a man more beautiful...

"Well," he finally starts. "my ambassadors believe that this would be fit as an assassination. If someone were to take just the king out, then we wouldn't need to cause more bloodshed then there needs to be. We want you to do it, but-" he stops, making me wary of the fact that I may not like the answer.

"But what?" I ask.

"You are far from ready for battle, and before I feel comfortable enough to let you go, I want you to train. You will be ready in five full moons from now."

My heart sinks. I need to be there for my people as soon as possible! More, innocent lives with perish if I have to wait for five moons.

"I need to be trained sooner, Lord. Our people will continue to perish if I have to wait so long. More innocent children-" I stop, thinking about the girl that had been slain by my father right in front of me. My eyes lower to the table.

"I know this must hurt you. As the leader of my people, I feel your pain, but we are asking you to assassinate your father. Most of my highly-trained assassins have had years of experience. We are giving you five moons, and that is if I feel that you are ready by then."

Anger rises within me. How can he dictate if I am ready or not? He should be more worried about saving his people, not caring for some stupid girl!

"So you're going to gauge my training based off of how you feel? What of our people, Antonious? They need to come first, not some girl your men just happened to 'save'!" I spit at him. His once warm, relaxed gaze turns icy, but I don't look away. For once, I listen to him, because the last thing I want is a repeat of earlier events at a time so serious.

"Your mother was a good friend of my father's," he says, his voice sharp. "I am well aware of the risks I am taking, but in order to save our people, I need to make sure that a 'stupid girl' knows what the f**k she is doing. So whether it takes five moons or twenty to rid the world of the filth in your bloodline, it will take it," he spits back. His words are like a slap to the face. I'm not my father, but I know that I share his blood. This time, I do look away, realizing that I don't want him to see me cry. Not because I'm sad. In fact, I am angry. Angry that I even have to have this discussion. If my father had been a better King, we would not have to talk about me killing him.

After a moment, all I can manage is an 'Okay'. When I glance back up at Antonious, his features relax a bit. I would assume that it has been a while since someone has had to raise their voice at him, but I understand where he is coming from. I can't save our people if I am not ready. I'm of no use to them dead.

"I'm sorry, my lord, for having angered you."

Before he can say anything, I get up an stroll out of the room, passing the guard at the door of his chamber. Tears spill from my eyes as I travel back down the vine toward my chambers, and when I finally go inside, I collapse onto the bed, crying for the people that I know I will not be able to save.