Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 244: Scene CCXLIV — Aslak.

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An endless march that commenced with hurtful separation deprived him of smooth breathing...

The days and resolutions spent to avoid a useless pretend of a war were dim for the man’s consciousness; for his mind solely pondered about the woman he had departed from, whom he had told with overwhelmed grief to an unresponsive back how his heart was devoted to her soul with the very word he had learned was the one she would understand. Albeit, this last, in his wildness, felt insufficient for the man’s roots as she was the lung he was fated to... one he would never be able to let go for solely closing his lids to lose sight of her his heart ache.

“Your Illustrious Grace.”

“... What do you want, Kir. I told you not to bother me.”

“I know, but we can’t stay without moving for long. Tha beasts are starting to growl, they’ll attack us if we don’t start moving again.”

Opening his eyes, for no sleep was easy to accomplish and hence his rest was to close them momentarily, Aslak’s senses that, although tired from uncertainty at his wife’s current health, did allow him to listen to the mumblings of the continuous trembling nature of the Hoettr hills, as well as the beasts resounding to it with ferocious instincts and menacing their safety without break or rest.

They were to cross the hills to finally arrive at the Archduke’s territory where they were to heed the call of a warlock whose eye had noticed the Earth’s dangers menacing the ground below and so, needed the Head and Leader the Earth recognised and allowed to rule over the terrains.

“...fuhh...” — The moment he took to sigh at the chaos the beasts wanted to unfold was followed by the Archduke’s rise from the ground. And aloof, the orders the Sire wanted were immediately given. — “Let’s go. There isn’t much left til we finally cross the Hills... We should just not stop until we are on the other side.”

“? Will you be alright? Ya haven’t rested properly, after advancing a tad we could settle at some hole at least.”

“I’m tired of hearing tha same from you. I won’t gain rest however I try... Let us just finish this length of the travel. Once across, the dangers will continue yet tha ground won’t be as dangerous an enemy.”

“... A’ight.”

Months of travel had been spent by the Archduke. Already half a year had gone by since his departure from his cousin’s Palace... and energies were leaving him every day as no delight could be found in the dangers he once enjoyed. For they were unwelcomed at this time... For his wish to remain with his beloved wife who was hurting at his concealed doings had been hindered by the Earth’s capricious urgency.

His first stop in his travels had proved itself productive and easy to solve although those that came from Dorothea’s kingdom were attempting to make difficult a previously decided peace on their behalf.

The two slaves he had taken along for a discussion ended up being of valuable blood at the country they had been forcefully taken by the Princess... Friction had been instilled between it and Herklain yet no power the country had to take back their saintesses for in the hands of others their lives were in danger and the reluctant peace needed to prevail against the sadness of its people losing dear ones.

“So now you say... Dorothea messed with the Zaarmideos Archduchess...?”

“... The Princess attempted to disgrace her... She also had disrespected many times the nobles and the King... we did not have any way to stop her doings Prince Kleros...” — Selene solemnly told the Prince of Herklain after he finally decided to converse properly with those that came in diplomatic wish.

“Sigh... we told her to come back long ago. She wasn’t the one to be there in the first place. Dorothea always did as she pleased.” — The brother of the dead Princess said without much care for the end his sister had met, letting his blue eyes fall on the Archduke who had taken the slaves to his presence so their word, given to his name, could be fulfilled. For they had come to the Archduke in wish to aid the Kingdom and himself who had ended the misery the princess continuously submitted the pure saintesses to. — “You are for whom she capriciously decided to stay... Was it you who killed her?”

“..... Yes, I did.”

“... You must have made her suffer. Given how you look... Nonetheless, I envy you, truly.” — With a wicked grin Kleros scoffed, frowning as he drank a sip of his wine for honesty wanted to be told. — “Many times she placed Herklain in danger, these two are one of the few problems she caused... I wish it had been me that cut her head.”

“If she was this much of a problem why allow it to come this far. We’ve been losing time by discussing a wanted death while we tried to prevent a senseless war.” — Aslak growled at the Prince, annoyed at the turn his attitude had from one day to another after the conversations had become difficult because of the sudden whims the man had to end them for many days in a row. — “What kind of kingdom you are that these matters aren’t taken seriously?”

“Well Archduke, I am not king yet. Making it appear as if I am discussing these matters is important for I have a father that cares over useless little things... We are indeed a kingdom... and we have to make people think we care about the useless daughter hindering the stability and our economy because of her immoral life.”

“Bastards is what you are.” — Aslak growled, receiving the glare of the Prince, which the saintess Rhea would call to get his attention.

“... Your Highness, it has been conveyed that peace is your objective. Taking the body of the Princess would be what we would like to give in respect and truce... Yet not much can be given of the Princess’s rests. Her jewels may be the ones we can give back.”

“?? How come? How long had she been dead that-”

“It’s not because of how long, it’s because of how I killed her.”

“...”

“If ya want I can ask for one of her hands to be sent or one of her organs.”

“... You truly made her suffer.”

“She messed with the wrong people for too long because you allowed her pest to infect pure fields. You and your kingdom should have done better keeping that pest chained.”

“.....”

Silence was instilled as there was no more care in Aslak to keep a facade before those who were similar to the Princess. And although surprise made the Prince remain silent, his turn from the threatening amber of the Archduke reminded him there was no gain in fighting the truth he had spoken, for a mere excuse was his presence at that port and allowing the insults was nothing compared to the gains.