6.

Alvar

The sky roared in remonstrance and cried out its agony when watched the blood flowing like a river on the lands of Alvar other than the sparkling essence of heavens. The Crimson rattled it and planted the seed of terror. It felt as if the land shook under the burden of demonic prowess. The dark clouds punctuated their pain when they thundered aloud and the heart of the sky cracked when lightning ripped it from the horizon, flashing more light over the damage on the ground.

It was a demonic act where men were slain like those innocent cattle tied in the barn of the slaughterhouse. The women were preyed by the hungry wolves in the flesh of armored soldiers. Their virtue was ripped and crushed under the feet of persecution in the middle of the market.

Children were hauled and tossed inside the cages so they can be used in the future and trained to grow the army of Baden.

The devil must have tossed his head back and broken into a peal of fiendish laughter. He must have mocked God for throwing him down in the pit as these humans were no different than him. They were self-serving and peace breakers too. If a lion hunts the other animals of the jungle, it is understood. He is the most powerful animal in the area. But when a man rips another man, nature weeps after watching her children becoming the victims of anarchy. Such scenarios always leave a dark spot over history which is often remembered as a bad memory.

The once-mighty Alvar, which was praised by everyone and stood as the legacy of a powerful king, now dropped to dust and crumbles with the unmoving bodies of innocent beings. The land that was thirsty for water now drank gallons of blood and pulsing flesh. The area that has fought the plague and drought, failed to survive the wrath of a demented king. The fields and squares that were littered by the laughter of adults and giggles of children are now ringing with the screams of mercy and pain. The ponds which were filled with sparkling water now carried splashes of blood. The bottomless river flows with the currents of air but also carried hundreds of bodies that held enough self-worth to take their own lives rather than being pummeled by foreigners.

It wasn’t the death of people or a mighty king; it was the death of a nation and humanity.

The dance of battle lasted for two days in which the warriors of Alvar didn’t let any of the Baden’s soldiers cross the threshold of the fort. But an army of 300 could only hold for this long in front of the 5000 hungry and cruel wolves. The courage of those 300 soldiers was astounding and plausible as they dragged and hammered the bulky soldiers without breaking any sweat. It was until the cannons were brought and the blast was directed straight towards the strong walls of the fort and its loyal guards. The army that was able to squeeze the life out of the monsters started to drop one by one and closed their eyes, submitting in the arms of the angel of death. He must have hugged them to the chest and patted their backs for being patriotic and standing adamant following their duties. Yes, they were the warriors of Alvar, not cowards to escape when saw an army of thousands approaching them. Yes, they were the brave hearts and sons of some amazon, some heroin to stand like a mountain between the pride of Alvar and the monsters that wanted to steal and ruin it. As they lay freely, not breathing, entangled with each other, with their brothers who fought bravely by their sides, they became the martyrs of a destroyed nation. The one that will be soon wiped out.

Sitting on the highest place, over the back of a humongous elephant that has successfully crushed many under its feet, the King of Baden smirked at the ruins of Alvar. Smoke wafted up in the sky as his crazy soldiers burned the households along with its members locked inside. Their screams rang louder and the soldiers laughed in amusement. Amusement. The soldiers felt amused over others' pain. The kali-yuga must have cackled when transformed these humans into heartless beasts. Something must have died in them to turn them this savage.

The king of Baden, Henry appreciated their efforts to please him as he chuckled at his victory after crumbling one more nation under his power. Now he owned 5 nations altogether and became the king of kings. Ordering the mahout to lower the elephant, the king descended from his seat and stepped on the ground. The moment he left the elephant, his alert guards immediately surrounded him to protect him from any possible threat. They have won the war and now it was time to collect the trophy. The princess.

King Henry looked robust as he marched towards the gateway of the Fort of Alvar and his bulky guards trailed behind him. He was the prime mover at the moment. In their way, they crushed many opened skulls and battered bodies, not minding of paying respect to the deceased souls that have fought so bravely and sacrificed their lives to save others.

‘What a failed attempt?’

King Henry thought to himself and scoffed. He was about to cross the threshold when all of a sudden, a bloody hand raised from the pile of fallen and held the foot that was about to taint the clean land of the Fort. King Henry nearly jumped out of his body and felt his heart beat faster. He froze and tried to break that powerful hold, but the hand was too stubborn to leave. It was the fight of a dying man and he would use the entire force to protect his princess. Two guards lowered to pry those bloody fingers that must be blocking the blood flow of the king but failed as the grip was too strong. They kicked that hand, threw their powerful jabs but it didn’t deter. It was the hand of a warrior of Alvar that had recently slain nearly hundreds of Baden’s soldiers.

Finally, having enough of it, King Henry pulled out his sword and cut the limb that was restricting him to receive his prize, his new and most precious possession. Discarding the sliced arm, King lurched forward once again and crossed the gateway to have her.

***

Katrina sat in the corner of Princess’s chamber stunned while holding her weeping daughter in a tight embrace. Phoebe was sitting in between her mother’s folded knees and sniffed once in a while. Her swollen bloodshot eyes were closed now. Her blonde hairs were tangled in a mess and the dress held uncountable cresses. The little girl stopped crying long hours ago because she didn’t have the power to express her pain anymore. Her stomach grumbled in protest because of the starvation of two days. The tongue felt chapped and dried in the absence of water. The daughter and mother haven’t left the chambers ever since Lord Charles ordered them. Katrina’s eyes that once held so much love and warmth, stared blankly at the ceiling as if it carried a marvelous story to amuse her lost mind. She has reached a stage where she failed to feel sensations in her body. She was sitting in the same way for hours but didn’t felt the slightest pain that may lead her to change her position. No. She was too numb to react.

The pictures of blood and dying men played in front of her eyes again and again.

They’ve watched everything from the windows and cried over the great loss. The stench of burning flesh and blood wafted in bulk from the battleground and plagued their brains. They felt as if they were caged in a labyrinth and would be able to cross it once their souls leave their bodies.

Katrina held a dagger tightly until her knuckles turned white. She saw them fighting. The warriors of her land. She saw them dropping one by one. She saw them taking their last breaths. With every dying warrior, her hope died too. In the beginning, she had lifted this dagger to protect herself and her daughter from any intruder, now she understood its true worth. Sometimes to protect yourself, you don’t have to fight back. It is not necessary to harm others.

Letting out an agonized wail to profess her hopelessness to the lord of the universe, she wrings her body on the ground and hugs herself. But the deathly hold on the weapon doesn't loosen. Phoebe backed away, scared of the noises coming from her mother. It felt as if she was in deep pain.

“Mommy.” She cried out in concern and her heart pummeled against her ribs.

“Mommy, are you hurt?” she asked cupping Katrina’s tear-stained cheeks.

“Oh, baby.” Katrina bellowed aloud and clutched her eyes shut as the innocent sight of her daughter set her conscience aflame. She has to do it now, or she will never be able to forgive herself. To save her daughter from the dirty paws of hungry wolves she needed to do that as the flame of Alvar has extinguished. The king was dead and so was his army. There was no one to protect them from the wrath of a monster.

Nature wept along with Katrina as the lord tested motherhood.

“Come here. Come closer.” Katrina whispers opening her arms and immediately, Phoebe jumped in her embrace. She hugged her mother tight, fearing she might lose her. But no, Katrina will not let that happen. She will never leave her Phoebe and will follow her to the depths of darkness.

“Should I sing you a lullaby?” Katrina asked lovingly as she kissed Phoebe’s forehead. The little girl hid her face in her mother’s neck and nodded gently.

“Please.”

And with that, a melancholy was sung. A melancholy that was once a dose to send her daughter into dreamland. A melodious tone that used to ring in the ears like the bells of some cathedral will now put her to sleep. It proceeded and fell and then touched another rhythm. Phoebe hummed silently, giving the sweet words of her mother a background. A piece of innocent music. Tears dripped from Katrina’s hollow eyes as she first killed her soul and ripped the feelings out of her chest. As she sang off the tune and switched to monotone, she lifted the dagger high. Closing her eyes as if closing the doors of her heart forever, she plunged the dagger right in Phoebe’s spine. A crack echoed in the silent room followed by a whimper, light mewls and then the body went lax in the lap of her mother.

The heart of a mother shattered in a thousand pieces as she held the limp body of her daughter. But there were no tears or cries. It was a small smile. Katrina filled Phoebe’s face with sloppy kisses and with trembling fingers, closes her daughter’s glazed eyes. She brought the little girl to the chest and embraced her unmoving figure for one last time. Laying her body on the ground, Katrina wore a brave look. She is not going to leave her daughter alone in the darkness. She had to protect her in the afterlife too.

With that thought, the broken mother plunged the same bloodied dagger in her chest and pierced her heart. As her lungs collapsed, snatching all the filtered oxygen, she fell right beside Phoebe with a content smile. They are allowed to burn their bodies now and loot them of their dignity because their souls have already united and delivered to the beyond.

The curtains blew and fell, the wind rustled through the silent chambers, kissing the exposed flesh of two females that quit before kneeling in front of the new masters.

God has called beautiful souls once again.

***

Mournful air lingered in the study Of King Thales. The stench of burning flesh now reached the confines of the grand study. All the binds were shut tight, still, it managed to seep past the little cracks and settled in the corners heavily. They must have burnt villages after villages because it was hard to find fresh air.

But the princess of fallen kingdom sat unfazed.

Her hollow eyes gazed at the portrait of her late mother that was tucked at the mantle above the fireplace. Her ears rang with the screams and cries of the folk she had cared from the moment she embraced her title. Her hands stayed lax by her relaxed figure that rested on her father’s chair, behind the giant desk. The defeat of Alvar has closed all the doors of hope. She felt caged in her body. Her ears disregarded the footsteps that were approaching the fort or circling the corridors. She was too numb to move or possibly far gone with the grief. The envy she felt towards herself was mountainous.

18 years back, when she was born, her mother sacrificed her own life so Valentina could survive the birth. Today her father died too because he wanted to save her.

A scream laced with frustration and anger blasted from her throat while remembering the satin dream. He was here for real to bid farewell. He had left her alone to face the world and its horrible creations. She was no more a daughter or a princess. She was an orphan, a beggar, a living dead. Her people were defeated. They’ve sacrificed their lives too in her name. She wanted to leave and finish this agony but that would be too easy. She must stay and watch all the happenings with those broken gems and take all the sufferings that are written by the fates. She must die a thousand deaths to pay the debt of those who left to save their pride. She must live in darkness as they have died for her.

The war is still on as she was alive. She was the heir of a destroyed empire. A suppose queen.

She was the daughter of a king who kept his self-respect and pride before the greed of survival.

She was the last piece of that puzzle, which if finished, may burn the entire nation and erupt as the mistress of the dead.

Her bloodshot eyes stared intensely at her mother’s smiling portrait but it felt as if it mocked her of the failure.

This was a wounded tigress and she would return someday to avenge her people, her nation. But for now, she has to face every hurdle. Her father wanted her to fight and live. He wanted her to be brave. Then she will be brave. Holding the sword with a shaky hand, she stands up after hearing footsteps closing to the grand study. She heaved a breath as the air burned her lungs and her head spun. Holding the sword tight, she kicked the doors of the study open, startling King Henry and his guards that were searching for her.

As she stepped out of the study, storing flames in her eyes, the cruel king stumbled back in shock. His jaw dropped as he gawked at her figure spellbound. His breaths hitched and heart rate faltered when he saw this beautiful woman stepping out of her nest and stood in front of him wearing a deadly look. His hungry eyes drank in the sight he thought only existed in heaven. His tongue salivated in sudden thirst.

“Val… Valentina?” He mumbled in shock and disbelief.

The rumors running across the countries were proven right in the end. Valentina was the most exquisite gem of Alvar. The valuable creation. The war he led didn’t felt waste anymore. He would have disintegrated every obstacle in his path and even fought God if he existed. Spilling blood for a woman seemed too small now. He wanted to keep his heart in her feet.

“Is that you?” He mumbled out in a daze. His guards were paralyzed as well and found it difficult to move.

Princess Valentina stood there holding her ground. Her skin crawled with disgust when the murderer of her father called out her name. Her nostrils flared in anguish. She will kill him right away if he didn’t move from her way. The madness was dancing on her head as her body thrummed with adrenaline.

“Stay out of my way, runt, if you want to live.” She threatened while her eyes threw daggers at his tired form. Hearing her words he chuckled and looked at the equally amused guards. He failed to see her lack of empathy and coldness. Today her soul has died. Her feelings have burned, but her self-respect was still intact and she will fight for it. “Moron, you find this manslaughter amusing? Let me see how amused you feel when I draw out your heart from your chest.” The screech that left her lips rattled the weak walls of Fort. Goosebumps rose on the thick flesh of guards and they gulped feeling a powerful aura oozing from the goddess standing in front of them.

“Oh, I am already dead, Valentina. Seeing you standing here holding that sword and throwing heated glares, I feel like my heart may arrest or burst any moment now. You are magnanimous. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. My heart is all yours; just tell me how to serve it to you. I kneel before you.” Henry mumbled, smitten by her grace, and kneeled before wearing a charming smirk. Princess Valentina clenched her jaw and eyes the guard standing right behind him.

In the next moment, the same guard fell on the ground lifeless with her sword penetrating his chest. The other three guards jumped in shock, and horror coated their features. King Henry looked behind him taken aback and saw Valentina in a different light. Her strong will made him want her more. Watching a woman fighting like a warrior gave strange shivers to his body. He was impressed rather than worrying about his life.

“Come on, love. How long are you going to stay mad? I’ve spilled blood for you. I destroyed all those who tried to stop me from having you. Come with me, Valentina, and I will make you my queen.” He proposed and Valentina smiled bitterly. Cutting the distance between them, she stood gracefully in front of him. Her spine straight and head held high. King Henry grinned, thinking he has her now. No one can resist the proposition of becoming the queen of 5 nations. But he was mistaken. The moment he chose to raise from his position, Princess Valentina screamed and reached for the fire torch that was hanging on the wall beside them. Holding it tight, she swung the burning flames right on his magnificent face. A face he was proud of.

The gut-wrenching bellow of mighty king rang in the grieving silence. The blisters of fire attacked his rosy flesh and swallowed the skin as if some molten lava. He cried out for help to save him from this excruciating torment as his eyes burned. A sizzling sound was earned when the coal in fire torch started their magic on his scalp. His crown failed to fight the monstrous phenomenon. Valentina spat on his suffering form and rushed past him to escape the burning fortress, but before she could have crossed the same hallway, a dart was shot right in her spine. It was one of the scary guards holding the vengeance in his veins. The loyal hound wanted nothing but crush her beneath his feet.

Her breaths hitched and knees shook. Her body started to give up as her hands trembled hard.

The dart he blew was laced with a poisonous solution. An ingredient that will soon paralyze her body.

But it wasn’t the day to give up. She screamed, refusing to drop her weapons. The adrenaline pumping in her veins roared to life and pushed the force in the right nerves. With a jolt, she stands up and ran with whatever energy was left. Her ears perked high, rejoicing after hearing the painful screams of the victor, the winner who staked his claim on her land.

As one guard kneeled beside the hurting king, another leaped behind the princess. He won’t let her escape, not after she has dared to strike his king. He was going to strangle her tiny neck within the hold of his biceps. His giant footsteps thundered into the hallways swallowing the light patter of the staggering princess. Oh, she was fast but not fast enough to escape the clutches of Baden’s army. The beasts were everywhere looting the once mighty nation of its essence. They were sucking the soul of Alvar by burning the citizens and households. The bastards didn’t even refrain from leaving the blooming nature alone and lighted the poor forests that had bathed into the heavenly essence after a decade.

Valentina panted as she ran barefoot, losing her sandals in the middle of a deadly adventure.

Every turn she took came face to face with more soldiers. They’ve surrounded the fort and covered all the exits.

To point her as a frightened mouse would be a crime. She has already reached a point where she felt nothing. No emotion, not even fear crossed her heart when she swung that fire torch on that demented king’s face. She prayed to God to lift that cruel ruler soon. But in her heart, she knew. She was aware that her puny act was too small to take his life. Even the most dangerous poisons can’t kill him. He was made of stone and would search for her to avenge what she has just given him. She has clawed out his face with the fire of her nation. She has burned his eyes for gazing with disrespect. She has burned his tongue for calling the women of her country names. She has done all that in one blow, and courage grips her muscles hard.

Just a few more minutes and she will escape the falling fort.

“Get the bloody princess. She has attacked the King.”

A bellow rang in the confines of strong walls that rattled her structure. She shuddered as the foul mouth addressed her. Her faltering steps jogged harder as she took another turn and landed into the throne room. Her bloodshot eyes that resembled the broken gemstones racked the area for any intruders. The throne room was still left untouched, and this gave her some hope. She descended the stairs and ran towards the pillar that held the lever to open a secret passage, the same way her father used a few days ago for

Baden. Hopefully, she will make out of the fallen ruins of Alvar before they reach her.

But as she pulled the lever, dark spots started dancing in her vision. The poison was showing its effect finally. Her surroundings blurred and her head spun, losing the hold of gravity. She fell on the ground with a thud, a few inches away from the wall that now started to rise, opening the path for her escape. Tears blurred her vision as her breaths started to falter. Her limbs lost the feeling in them for a moment and this scared her. She has to fight back to save herself because if they caught her, she will be killed a thousand times alive. Punching the marble floor in anger, she flattens her palms on the ground and with the help of her knees stands once again, only to stagger like a toddler who has taken her first step. Resting her back against the same pillar, she glanced at the darkened tunnel with blurry eyes. Taking a deep breath, she limped forward and the moment she stepped inside, the door fell behind her back.

The footsteps and hollers of hungry soldiers echoed from behind the wall and it was enough to set dread in her mind. She started to race again. This time the aim was clear and simple- to cross the tunnel and rest at the open end. But only if that was so simple for the tired princess. Her hand reached behind her back and she pulled out the dart that was stuck in her spine. Blood covered her fingers and she throws the dart at some corner. Her hair whirled in all directions and whispered their ache to the humid air. Her soft feet scraped against the rough and hard ground, hurting the soles, but she ran, slowly gaining the speed. Her head would turn to look back once in a while to note the entry of Baden’s wolves but there were none.

Taking a sudden turn, she was hit by a gust of cold air and her body tightened. Not a few feet away was the exit. Gulping the saliva, she tried to moisten her dried throat and rushed past the open mouth of the tunnel.

The utter darkness of a luxuriant forest greeted her. Her heart thudded against her ribs and lungs burned in tiredness. Feeling lightheaded, she leans her back against a tree and scans the foreign surrounding.

The trees look fuller here and bloomed with violet and white flowers. The silver of the moon is scattered to expose the vastness of the area. It was the borders, the small part of forgotten land between Alvar and Baden. No king rules here except the local tribe.

Wiping the sweat off her forehead using the sleeve of her blood-red gown, Valentina moved forward at a lazy pace. As the adrenaline was consumed fully, her body started to weaken. The frightening thickness of the forest was the least of her worries as the thoughts of backstabbers revolved around her mind. She wasn’t aware of how far the civilization was to tend to her needs. She wasn’t sure if they will help her without seeking anything back in return. A bitter laugh left her lips. She has lost everything and had nothing to offer except herself.

Valentina fell on the ground, in the pile of dust. The dried leaves crushed under her weight and glued to her figure. Her cherry blonde hair spread around her in a puddle as she breathed hard, losing the sensations in her body. Finally, she was submitting to the poison. The respiration slows along with the pumping blood. The body lay lax under the brilliant glow of the moon and she smiles, feeling the world closing on her.

An orphan, loser, beaten body lies with no care in the world. The fear of predators of the scary forest didn’t bother her anymore. They were less terrifying than those who took pleasure in burning the pulsing flesh.

The air here was fresh and smooth, caressing her features and pulling her to seductive sleep, but in her drowsy state, she heard a distant breaking of twigs. A dull noise caused her to open her heavy eyelids and look ahead.

Her breath hitched noting a giant figure shadowing her lax body and blocking whatever light moon was serving her. Her shallow breathes kissed the boots of this new presence that oozed nothing but a dangerous aura. He was standing that close. His face was fully covered, only showing the piercing blue eyes that reminded her of Thales. Then a screech echoed in the silent forest and in no time a giant bird, an eagle settled on the shoulder of the disguised man and looked down at her curiously. Concentrating hard, she noticed how different he looked from the soldiers of Baden. He had a muscular and broad figure clad in dark clothes to camouflage him with the surrounding. Her eyes didn’t miss the shining sword tucked in his belt.

A sob vibrated in the lost princess’s chest and she uttered a word that rang as a mere whisper.

“Please.”                  

Her torn clothes and disheveled appearance must have given away the fight she has survived. The figure bent lower on his knees and with gloved hands, removed the hairs off her face exposing the weary look. She tried to scurry away from the warm touch, but he cupped her face and stared in her barely open eyes.

The last thing she recalled was being hauled in a warm embrace, and then the darkness swallowed her.