Royal Invitation
Well, that was unexpected.
Kai stared, wide-eyed and mouth slightly ajar. He'd just had the honor of witnessing the Eighth Wonder of the World. He would have thought that someone who detested his very existence would have let eat a mouthful of dirt. He half-expected him to stomp on his head while he was down too.
But the King had surprised him entirely.
Was it his imagination, or was Marius cradling him carefully, the way a lover would-
No. No, he didn't dare to continue that train of thought.
"You damn fool!" Marius roared at his unconscious self.
"Summon Hendrix," he said to the butler standing behind him, looking more concerned for his King's welfare rather than Kai's.
"B-But sire, for a lowly human?" Dared the butler, scrunching his nose at Kai as if he were nothing but a hurt puppy that wasn't worth his time or concern.
"Summon Hendrix now!" he roared at the top of his lungs, shaking the ampitheather's walls.
Startled, the butler and the entire guard scurried to do their King's bidding.
Not waiting for this Hendrix fellow, Marius whisked him up, bridal-style.
This time Kai's jaw dropped and he turned to look at the present Marius with questioning shock, as if to say, "Really? Bridal style?"
Marius met his gaze head on. He was daring him to make a comment about it. Kai looked away.
He watched Marius carry him to the door, taking impressive long strides. The thunderous expression on his face made guards jump out of his way as he made his way to the door. He leapt out of the small arena like a panther, his own weight doing nothing to slow him down, and strode past the now empty alcoves with determination.
Kai risked a glance at his ashen face, and then his gaze dropped to his leaking wrist. He instantly regretted it, the sight of crimson blood trickling down his hand and dripping across the amiptheater's floor forever burned in his mind. His chest constricted and his breathing quickened as it slowly dawned on him just how close he'd been to death. He'd stared death in the face, willing to embrace it just to get the Spirit to come out.
Kai had always had it easy, living in the bosom of diplomatic privileges and luxury. He'd never been driven to a corner before, to the brink of desperation that bordered on the boldness to attempt even the most dangerous of acts, merely because there was no other choice. A recklessness resulting from despair. Like the legendary Indian queen Padmavati committing self-immolation and throwing herself into a raging bonfire rather than have her honor be defiled by her husband's killer. Like Roman slaves agreeing to their long-coveted freedom in exchange for fighting in a bloody war from which they almost certainly would not survive.
It was in his great fortune that his little stunt hadn't backfired. He wouldn't be reviewing these bloody tapes of his life otherwise.
And it wasn't the act of dying that particularly hurt him. It was the fact that he'd attempted to take his own life in a desperate act to win over Marius.
What would his mother say if she ever found out?
Oh, she'd never find out, he'd make certain of it. It would simply kill her.
Never again, he promised himself with conviction. And he intended to keep this promise no matter what.
He pried his eyes off his bleeding wrist back to Marius' face. He searched for any semblance of regret or guilt at what he'd done to me, but there was none to be found. Rather, he looked like a child who'd been denied his favorite toy.
No guilt, only disappointment.
Kai bet Marius was angry and disappointed that the power was about to slip right through his fingers before he got his hands on it.
What else did he expect from the merman whod' kidnapped and tortured him?
His chest tightened again most mysteriously.
He was about to ask Marius to end this recount of his darkest day, having thoroughly regretted even asking to see why his memories were repressed, when his body began to emit glowing golden light.
Marius halted in his tracks and looked down at Kai with wonder and awe. And then he grinned.
"Your Majesty."
Kai turned around to see a merman he'd never seen before kneeling on the ground, his head bowed reverently. Long golden locks of hair cascaded down his head, obscuring what Kai already knew to be a handsome face. He'd yet to see a merman who wasn't drop-dead gorgeous.
"Speak." Marius commanded a bit irately.
The illusion melted away, and they were back in the bedroom chamber again.
"Forgive the interruption, Your Excellency. The King requests your gracious presence in his chambers."
"The King?!" Kai blurted out, a little shocked. Wasn't Marius the King?! How many kings did Nostraza have?
Goldie Locks peered at Kai from underneath his waterfall with unabated curiosity.
"He also invites His Highness Kai of Astria to accompany you."
"Out of the question." Marius barked harshly.
After a moment of silence, Goldie Locks asked, "Do you reject His Majesty's invitation?"
"I will come. The halfbreed will not."
Just when Kai had gotten used to hearing his own name out of Marius' lips.
Goldie Locks nodded without ever questioning the Conqueror's decision.
"Don't you think that decision is mine to make?" Kai interjected. He was too annoyed that Marius was assuming possession over him, making his decisions for him to watch his tongue.
Marius pinned him with a withering glare that clearly said, "Shut up, halfbreed."
Kai decided to test this newfound 'partnership' of theirs. And what better way to test this partnership or ceasefire or whatever it was called than to test his patience. From what Kai had seen, the King of Nostraza (the one he knew at least) didn't have much patience.
"I want to come," he demanded. He squared his shoulders and held his breath, waiting for the inevitable denial of his request.
"No."
He exhaled. And there it was. The slam of the door in his face. A firm, unbudging 'no'.
Kai opened his mouth, prepared to launch his protest speech, but Marius started walking away without ever giving him the chance. Goldie Locks followed, but not before staring at him with an odd look.
So much for a partnership.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
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