THE TYRANT'S LULLABY

TEN

No sooner had Augustus left, than your legs gave it out. You lost all of it's energy and dropped onto the floor, feeling shocked as well as exhausted.

The realisation dawned at you. You had millions and millions of questions.

Ian was a prince under disguise? He had been receiving help from the temple so does that mean your transmigration was his doing? He was the only person who figured out your identity, who knew your situation like the back of the hand. Was all his actions and affection, just a facade?

Your heart twisted bitterly, a lingering hurt making your chest ache. You swallowed hard trying to keep calm and assessed the situation.

No. You shouldn't jump to conclusions so quick. You weren't really sure yet this situation was new. You didn't trust Augustus. There was a huge chance that he might be lying and manipulating you, making you doubt yourself so you'd lose those feelings.

But still. You had to admit that possibility still stood.

Was Ian really using you? Was all of it really a ploy?

If so, then why? To slyly get information out of you? Did he have a hand in your transmigration too? But what kind of information would be fish. You hardly talked about anything other than Finnick and his tantrums and his behavior.

Time stood still as another realisation dawned on you.

Was he possibly fishing information about Finnick?

You immediately stood up on feet. You had to find out about this situation. It was the only way.

You stomped towards the door . You turned the door knob to open it when.

Huh?

It's locked?

Sweat immediately matted your forehead. You balled your palms into a fist and immediately banged the door. "What the fuuuck ? Open the door! You can't lock me in here! " you yelled out "Augustus! " you called out, desperately turning and twisting it. But he did not listen.

No one listened.

You turned around in your room to find another opening only to find the windows were jarred with metallic rods, making it absolutely impossible for you to escape.

"YOU CANNOT TRAP ME HERE! " you yelled out once again before grabbing a chair and throwing it across the room to break the door.

But no matter how hard you tried, you still lost.

That chair had shattered yet the door remained still.

And watching the four walls around you all you could question was...

what kind of love was so twisted that he caged the person whom he claimed to love?

_______

Augustus stared at the door in front of him,his eyes fixed on the intricate carvings that adorned its surface. Listening to all your wails and cries , imagining your face as you banged the door, pleading him to open.

He liked that.

He liked it when you pleaded him.

The same way he liked it when people begged him to spare their lives. But these displays of submissions just hit different with someone whom he adored. The way you cried, the way your voice pitched up and down as you pleased. Oh, he was mesmerized, even more by the sound of your laughter. He wanted hear more. He wanted to hear more from you.

God, he had been starving. Starving since the moment—

Then the face of his son flashed before his eyes. His mood spoilt and he grunted.

Since the day you had escaped and Ian that traitorous scoundrel, had taken his beloved son, Finnick away. He couldn't be apart from Finnick needed him. He needed Augustus and You. He couldn't fathom how Ian could have dared to abduct Finnick, his own flesh and blood. The thought of his son being in the hands of that vile man enraged him to his core.

And not only that, he had dared to take you away from him too? If it weren't for him, you would have never left. He would found a way for you to coexist. Heck, you two would have been married right now already. But Ian had confused you, tricked you into believing into his fake love. He had interfered vastly in his personal matters.

And that's why.

He wasn't going to forgive him easily. He vowed that Ian would pay dearly for his actions.

Thus , the war was prevailing. Prevailing for the last six years. He hadn't seen his son for the past years. It was cruel, umbraging. So much he was nearly losing his mind.

He should have slashed Ian's neck when he had gotten the chance. Alas the past and his efforts. No matter how hard he tried, he never got a grip on him. Let alone a grip, whenever Augustus plotted an assassination attempt, whenever he tried to send troops to capture him, he never heard any news about Ian. All of them were fake.

It was none other than a trap. 

And he suffered great losses.

As Augustus stood there, lost in his thoughts, he was startled by the sound of a chair shattering from within the room. Concern etched his features, momentarily eclipsing his anger. Without hesitation, he reached for the door handle, contemplating the possibility of checking on your well-being. However, he quickly dismissed the thought.

Hah, it would need more than a chair to do that.

The room. He especially prepared it for your arrival before visiting the space between reality and time. It wasn't easy for him to do that. Search you for years in an unending abyss lost in time. He wasted an almost year to get you here.

"Your Majesty, we have received news from the troops in the North" A soldier interfered.

"Haven't I told you this room and hallway is off limits? "Augustus's eyes blazed with ire.

The soldier shuddered. "I'm sorry but it's an emergency" Augustus grunted before leaving the hallway and locking it. Augustus hurried down the corridor, his mind raced with thoughts of revenge and retribution. He would stop at nothing to bring Ian to justice, to reunite with his dear Finnick.

He had already brought you here. He'd brought you back. He had completed one task off the check list. It was only a matter of time before his family would be reunited again.

______.