The Fall of Vequera

Chapter thirty-seven | Nikolai

LOCATION: ARCADIOS, VEQUERA

YEAR: 621 C.E

HE WATCHED AS AMREN STARED OUT OF THE WINDOW IN THEIR BEDCHAMBERS.

She hadn't spoken in days. Sir Aleixo told him she refused to even eat and that she had fallen into a depression since losing the baby. Amren had prayer beads clenched in her hand as whispered to herself. "You should eat." He said as he walked further into the chambers, shutting the door behind him. She ignored him, her body unmoving. He walked around the chair to stand in front of her and bent down to look her in the face, blocking her view of the window. She snapped out of her trance, blinking before meeting his eyes.

"Sir Aleixo said your body is weak and that you need food, or you will starve," He explained to her.

"D-devil," She whispered chillingly.

Amren's eyes were distant and emotionless. He sighed, rolling his eyes. Nikolai tried to be kind to her, but it didn't seem to work. He was told to be pleasant. His fists balled at his side, not breaking eye contact with her. "If you don't leave this chamber, I will drag you out by your hair." He placed a hand on her thigh, and she flinched. "If you do not eat before nightfall, I will shove food down your throat. Do I make myself clear, Amren?" He stood stiffly, staring at the door on the other side of the chamber. There was a pause as he glanced down at her. The prayer beads were still in her hand, but she clenched them harder.

Her chest rose and fell quietly as tears fell down her face. "No..." She weakly stood and stared up at him. Fire blazed in her brown eyes. "They tell me of the things you did to your sister and how you treated her. Are you going to do that to me?" Her ladies-in-waiting annoyed Nikolai with a burning passion but he kept a straight face.

"Why does it matter?" He asked sharply.

He backed away from her but before he could turn to leave, Amren grabbed his arm. He glared at her, but she did not back down. "Your words...your behavior will be your downfall. S-saints help us all." She narrowed her eyes at him. He yanked his arm out of her grip before he pushed his way to the door.

"A man with your desires...shouldn't be-"

He stormed over to her with rage in his eyes. He itched to grab her by the throat, but he went against it. If he laid a finger on her then he would kill her. Zion flashed in his mind, and he seemingly calmed down, letting out a breath. "Speak of that again and I will kill you."

"I question your loyalty to the crown. To your family. To the realm. Without an heir, you are nothing." Amren backed away and she sat back down in her chair.

Nikolai stood there. Stunned for a moment before his jaw set and his body shook. Nothing? He thought. Now, she had a backbone. He could laugh at the audacity of the princess. Marriage wasn't something Nikolai wanted. It never was. He hated this woman. She hated him for what he had done. And what was he to do about an heir? He needed one if what she said was correct. Then he remembered something, "There will be a hunt to celebrate the arrival of my cousins and you must attend and you will."

Nikolai didn't like when they visited. It was always made to be grand and so many people crowded the halls of the palace. His cousin, Dimitri hated him and he hated Dimitri. After the death of Thea, his eldest cousin, Dimitri blamed Nikolai for her death. Even though he was not at fault for her jumping out of the window of Aemma's tower. He might've egged her on but they couldn't prove his involvement. No one else was there but them. He had heard a story from Daefier Harold that there was once a madman that jumped from a tower in Eriywall because he thought he could fly like a dragon. His death would mark him as The dragon of Eriywall. Nikolai had told her the story, at first, he didn't think she would actually do it.