The Heart of Alexander

Chapter Thirty Six - The Heart

"Don't worry my queen, His Majesty, King Ambhi will make sure you will be taken care of," a strange voice reassured me, but in no form was it reassuring.

"Alexander...I need Alexander..," I whispered, my words barely making it out of my mouth.

I was laid down amongst warm furs that cradled my quivering body. I heard a familiar chuckle that chilled me to the bone, but the pain inside me swelled by my struggle to move. I whimpered from the hurt.

"The longer you are here, the more curious I become. You have not only become an asset to Alexander, but a danger as well. His weakness is you and I want to know why. What is so special about you, a woman, that causes his stone heart to shatter?"

My eyesight went in and out, but I felt King Ambhi's presence hovering over me. A hand brushed against my skirts and I squirmed, relieved the fabrics from my skirts separated him from my bare skin.

"I warned you. I always get what I want, one way or another. I eventually find a way. I know everything. My one desperate wife laying with your husband and her attempts to murder you at her own hand. Who do you think put that little thought into her stupid mind?"

A wave of fear course through me along with another shudder of pain. How could I be so naive? I tried to move but the pain felt as though it was stomping on my stomach, causing me to curl in agony.

"And that child I call my wife? I believed her to have potential in my palace. But instead, she has shown to be quite a problem. For her deception, she received thirty lashes because of you. If she wasn't my wife, she would be dead at this moment, but she is spared for now. Once I knew your insane plan to make yourself ill, it was only a matter of time until you would have fallen into my hand. That scrawny thing that you thought helped you? She was just doing her duty to her king by bringing you to me,"

My thoughts went out to Geeta and how she risked herself for me. Her torture was my doing. This was why the sister wives were hesitant on everything I was doing. They were the laborers and Ambhi their master. They were in a constant state of fear of him and what he may do. I began to feel sicker to my stomach the more he talked.

"I don't think you understand. I have the upper hand here. This is my land, my palace, my people. They do what I tell them to do. Nobody will save you and your husband, because they are too busy saving their own heads. With a flick of my wrist, I could have your so called "conqueror" of a husband killed in his drunken sleep, yet I don't think you want that. Do you?"

Alexander. The wine. Ambhi's servants were the ones bringing the wine to our chamber. Ambhi wanted Alexander to go into a drunken state in order to get to me. He truly did plan this all out. Alexander normally has more control over himself, especially with his drinking, yet he became something else. It all was beginning to piece together, creating the big picture in all. I slumped more, my body tense but unwavering as he smirked down at me.

"That is better, now, isn't?" Ambhi's stubby fingers reached out and stroked the skin of my cheek.

My clothes were torn with a brief flick of the wrist, my breasts tumbling from the bodice they were trapped in. I whimpered in shame and squirmed violently, only earning a hard hand to my cheek. Moving aside the fabrics, his grip squeezed the meat on my bones and slid further up my thigh, exposing my sacred place. His mouth went to my ear, nipping and biting the lobe until it was numb.

"Good thing he will be dead by nightfall," he chuckled darkly before curling his fist into my raven hair and my heart snapped in two, fear now dissolving and being replaced by pure rage.

"No!" I screamed, pushing past my nausea and kicking my heel out into his kneecap.

"Argh!" he grumbled as he lost his balance, falling into the furs against me. He clutched his one knee while keeping his hold on me with his hand still entangled in my hair.

With a yank of my hair, I howled back in pain, one hand clutching my stomach and the other attempting to pry his hand from my locks. Nonstop, my feet kept kicking out at him in order to keep Ambhi at bay. Bile filled my throat and wave after wave of sickness overwhelmed me.

"You little bitch!" he sneered while struggling to mount me.

His face neared mine and in a last attempt to push him away, my hand darted out, nails scratching across his cheek. My nails dug deep into his skin, peeling the flesh back and exposing his blood to the stale air. He growled in response, shaking with rage. His large hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing as I close my eyes in fear.

"Just wait until I have you under--,"

Suddenly, his grip disappeared from my throat, his breath no longer fanning over my face, his stench no longer filling my nostrils, his body overpowering me no more. Was I dead? Did I fall into the abyss of unconsciousness that I couldn’t wake up from, nor could I feel?

My eyes fluttered open briefly to see the disgusting man that had me trapped before was now pinned to the wall across the room. A strong man held Ambhi against a column, a dagger firmly held to the veins protruding in Ambhi's neck as the man's wild mess of blonde curls form a halo around his head. Alexander.

"Give me a reason not to watch your blood leave your body and stain the floors, although it is a tempting offer," my husband hissed.

"This is my kingdom, boy king. You have no authority here," Ambhi countered, gripping Alexander's wrist to try to pry him off.

"Oh, but I do. You see, my army surrounds you, swelling bigger than Hydaspes River itself. So I suggest for your sake and your people's, that you never lay a finger nor take a glance at my wife again," Alexander spoke confidently, a smirk hidden within his voice.

"Leave my territory then," Ambhi said defiantly.

"This is my territory now. Since you allowed me and my men into your gates, it has been mine. And I will leave when I please,"

"Your Greatness,"

I wanted to crane my head to see the new face behind me, but exhaustion overwhelmed me as well as stiffness. I slumped back down, trying to calm myself down while listening to the discussion of Ambhi's life.

"Hephaiston, take care of Roxana while I deal with this scum," Alexander commanded, his glare still impaling straight through Ambhi.

"Alex, if I may be so bold, I believe you should go take care of your wife. She needs you more than she needs me right now. Let me handle Ambhi," Hephaiston responded.

It was silent other than the harsh breathing. Finally, Alexander spoke, still staring at Ambhi with pure hatred.

"You will give me and my men supplies and provide us with fresh horses as well. We will be gone by morning, but this is not the end. I am providing you this territory because of my generosity, but I will return again someday. This land, this kingdom, it is mine and will stay mine. I have other territories to conquer that are more worth my time than your putrid hole of a city,"

He turned to Hephaiston, directing the last words to him, "Make sure the plans for the city of Bucephalas are set in stone in honor of my companion and give Porus a title of the city. Have Ambhi's men be gathered by the gates of the city, as I need to address them myself,"

I felt my limp body get scooped up into the arms of my husband. All that I witnessed before leaving the room was Hephaiston's dagger against Ambhi while more Macedonians flooded the chamber. I sighed in relief before letting my head relax back and look dizzily up at Alexander.

His eyes were darkened and down casted, not looking at me, but looking through me like I wasn't even there. I wanted to pry open his mind and pick at his thoughts in order to know what he was thinking at this moment. I wanted to know all of his feelings, and even what he felt about me. But such talk was nonsense, for I would never know him the way I wished to.

Alexander suddenly tightened his grip upon me, holding me closer to his broad chest and burying his head against me with such quiet words muffled against my skin.

"I amsorry for it all, my heart,"

I am so sorry for the late update. I have been so busy with college lately but I am getting back into the groove. -kendeldon