NAROI OF THE LIGHT

❄ONE❄

MARTHA STREAMS
© All Rights Reserved

ONE

Nothing would have prepared me for Remi's absence in my life. Yes I ruled my kingdom without difficulty. Yes, I continued to change the lives of my people for the better but that didn't mean I wasn't miserable.

I've been trying to be strong when in the presence of my people and son but when confronted by the emptiness of my room I sobbed my heart out. My heart ached something awful. I really couldn't handle living without him. I wanted him back. I couldn't just let Kalithseus take him from me. I had to fight for him just as he did for me so many times.

Kieran was a great help too. He had been using magic to try and locate his father but it proved fruitless. Wherever Kalithseus kept Remi it was greatly shielded.

Since the Uffilians arrival people went missing everyday. Kingdoms fell one by one. Nokuratus were killed at night. I had heard that Ekravalon had fallen. I had a feeling it was Kalithseus' doing. He was going to be a challenge to defeat. The thought of going against him was a death wish in itself. The odds of surviving were not in my favour.

I listened in boredom as the council members droned on and on about the Uffilians. They felt threatened by them and they wanted us to form an alliance with them so as to save my kingdom from falling. I was appalled by their fear. They were spineless cowards who chose to cower than to fight for what they believed in. It was borderline sickening. They weren't worthy to be part of the council.

" If we ask for an audience with Lord Ceiro surely he'd grant us. He wouldn't refuse to offer us protection," rutted Rean.

" Yes, your highness, I very much agree with Rean," Maximus nodded vigorously.

They all annoyed me greatly. They were willing to sell their souls to the demons and for what? A little protection. Gaining the Uffilians favour would come at a grave cost. They'd control us and trample over us. We'd be forced to kiss their feet and open our legs willingly for them.

I was no longer naïve. I knew the worst way to make men obedient and submissive. It took a many years to learn the cruelty brought on by other men. I've lived through it. My nights were plagued by nightmares of King Asgar, King Valeric, Alexandrus and Asa.

I was a man whose soul was broken beyond recognition. Even Remi couldn't mend me. But I believed that my past had made me the great leader that I am today. I knew the agony that came with being a slave.

The first rule that came to pass in my rein was to prohibit any slavery. All the employees in my palace and kingdom were paid handsomely for their services. Anyone who mistreated their workers faced imprisonment and if their workers were marked or hurt in any way they would be beheaded. It was a cruel rule according to other people but I didn't care.

I knew what it felt like to be owned, to be humiliated and scarred through and through. Asking favours from the Uffilians would be hell. We would be forced into slavery. They didn't follow the same rules as us. They were not afraid to kill, to rape and torture. It was ingraved in them to be heartless beasts.

" That is out of the question. I refuse to let my people be enslaved by the Uffilians. You go and beg for their protection but leave my kingdom out of it. You've no idea what you'll be signing yourselves for. Go ahead and dig your own graves," I gritted out, in vehement anger.

Lathel swallowed nervously then stared at Rean and Maximus.

" The king is right. Let us not fall victim to those demons. We are better than that. We are more than capable of protecting our kingdom. We could ask the gate keepers to offer us protection. At least we know they have no ill intent against us." It was Vartan who spoke.