Chapter 42

The second letter which Princess Aeryn wrote to her uncle, Prince Arcadia and Lord of Marinus contained matters of treason and she was so nervous the moment she handled the letter to the same rider who delivered the first letter. "Protect it with your life," she told the rider. The rodents of Lord Balrus made sure to notify his lordship of the Princess's letters to and from Marinus. And they were specific this wasn't the first time Princess Aeryn employed the services of the rider.

"Who is this rider?" asked Lord Balrus.

"I didn't get his name, my lord. But he is set to leave the city at first light. I know where he stays with his wife and children."

The information made Lord Balrus smile. "A family man, what a tragic. Condolences to his wife and children, his father died in the woods."

The so called rider of Princess Aeryn left Blackmount at first light with his brown male breed. He carried a small bag full of letters, and one in particular was for Prince Arcadia. He wore a black disguise cloak which covered his hair and his posture, as if he was hiding from everyone. But no one ever hides from the rodents of Lord Balrus. After he crossed the gates of the city, he wasn't safe anymore. What comes after the beautiful city of Blackmount, was trees and bushes till one finds civilization on smaller villages. The rider rode hard for two days and he only rested at night to eat and feed his horse. During the morning of the third night, that's when he was ambushed and killed by three men and they stole his bag of letters and left his dead body for vultures and hawks to feed.

Princess Aeryn had no idea as to what was happening to her rider. However, she was so nervous considering she pissed off one of the so called, "King of Maldonia without a crown." The princess was outside in the garden when the news about the sudden return of Artemis reached her through a servant.

"It's so rare to see such a beauty, not only because of its culinary but also medicinal value." Princess Aeryn heard a voice and it didn't take long for her to know the voice belonged to Lord Balrus. She sighed and made a soft turn, her face expressing everything her brain was trying so hard to bury.

Lord Balrus and Princess Aeryn locked eyes for the first time ever since the incident with Saigon's death three days ago. "The fennels, my princess." He added.

Princess Aeryn was caught off guard. She gasped. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm talking about the flowers my princess. Fennels are native to Prophis and that's because they are used to cool weather. It's so rare for them to survive in the heat and sun…"

"Oh!" The princess said nervously and released a deep breath she didn't even know she was holding. Then, she attempted to walk away but Lord Balrus stopped her. "I forgive you." He said.

Every ounce inside the princess's body urged her to flee the scene, change the subject and simply walk away. But instead of doing that, she turned back. "Beg your pardon?" she pretended not to understand. Lord Balrus chuckled softly. He closed the distance between himself and the princess until he was so close to her and he could feel her short breaths on his face.

"When I was cut, it wasn't my choice. I made a mistake and that was my punishment. Before that, I was a man of the ladies. I worshipped cunts and the land women walked on. The pleasure of sticking my cock inside a woman's wetness, well I dare say −"

The princess intervened quickly. "Why are you telling me all this my lord?"

"Because of what you wanted to condemn with."

"Buggery misconducts? It's an act against the gods." Aeryn stood her grounds.

"What gods my princess? The freezing gods or the sunny gods? The Warrior, perhaps? You alone don't believe in gods."

"We all believe in gods. What you are doing is treason and you must be sentenced to death. The realm is ruled by faith…"

"No, my princess the realm is ruled by men like me. A king is just an ─ illusion sitting on the throne. He doesn't know what's going underneath his own kingdom, nor even the misconception surrounding him. We rule the realm and if you think faith rules, then you are as dumb as I thought you were."

The conversation was heating off and it was a back to back war of words between Lord Balrus and Princess Aeryn. The princess accused Lord Balrus of supporting Aurora in order to ruin the realm. Lord Balrus asked the princess what would he get when the realm falls?

The battle of words went on for a couple of minutes and just when the princess thought she was winning, Lord Balrus took out the letter with an extra sheet of paper folded crudely on top of it and sealed with wax. The royal sigil was on top of the letter, a red sun pierced by a spear representing House Arteides. Princess Aeryn's eyes widened with amazement upon seeing the letter and she took a step back. "I believe this belongs to you. With a notion of dear uncle at the top. Sent to Prince Arcadia and Lord of Marinus."

Princess Aeryn panicked. "Where did you get it? What happened to my rider?"

"My deepest condolences but I believe the vultures and hawks had a feast on your rider."

Princess Aeryn threw fists at Lord Balon. They were small fists to be precise. She wanted to take the letter and tear it up but Lord Balrus was stronger, he held the princess's hands and pushed her back. What was she thinking? The master of spies maybe a eunuch with no manhood but he did sure possess every bit of manly features. She was no match for him, not even from a far. 

"You talk of treason but you go around writing to your brother's enemy? The enemy of the crown?" Lord Balrus now was in control. "I haven't read the letter; I will let my king open it so he can see what sort of a sibling he has. A sister who is against him."

Suddenly Princess Aeryn knelt down and begged with tears falling down between her cheeks. "No, no, please my lord. I'm begging you." She wept hysterically. Unfamiliar surrounding when it comes to Aeryn, she always loved to be in power.

"How dare you accuse me of treason while you are exchanging letters with a man whom your father exiled? A man who desperately wants your brother's throne!"

"I will do anything you ask of me Lord Balrus, I promise. Do not show Artemis this letter. I'm at your mercy."

"What did you write in this letter?" asked Lord Balrus and that's because he was intrigued to know what the princess was capable of.

Lord Balrus held Princess Aeryn's hand and led her to a more discreet place, his chambers. They passed through Lord Dagon who was seemingly curious as to what was going on, the princess was crying and Lord Balrus leading ─ what a strange thing to see. When Lord Balrus and Princess Aeryn were inside the room, Lord Balrus made his position clear to the princess. He only asked her to wed King Vaith of Santagar. "With a war on our way, we need the camels and the riders Santagar have. I have been informed he is making his way to the city with your brother. Charm him, secure his trust and I want you to do anything he asks."

Once a princess with power, princess Aeryn found herself to be Lord Balrus's slave in just a span of less than three hours. Lord Balrus assured the princess if she ever does anything against his wishes, he will give Artemis the letter and her fate will be way worse than what the lord was asking of her then.

The next two days, a royal caravan was spotted outside of the city. Aurora was excited when the bells rang because she knew sooner or later, she will be in Artemis's arms again. That day she wore a purple long dress with a yellow scarf around her shoulders. Her eyes were full of k'ohl and her lips tasty and smelling good after she chew the gum flowers. Many ladies in Maldonia used to chew the gum flowers back then to make sure they leave a mark on a man's lips after they kiss. Apart from the gum, Aurora was also smelling good from the perfume that she had just bought from the market square. The merchant claimed the oil perfume came from Iyai, a very far land in the West.

This was the arrival of a man she loved after two months of solitude and loneliness. Artemis had said once that the months would pass by like a shadow after sunrise. However, Aurora found them to be dragging horribly and all she wanted was to be in his arms. Without a care about what people will say, Aurora took a stand on the front of the palace alongside Lord Balrus who complimented her looks.

"You do intend in making our king drop everything and run towards you, don't you?" Lord Balrus teased Aurora.

"Do you think he missed me?"

"I'm positive he will rip that dress apart the moment you two are alone…"

Aurora chuckled softly and so did Lord Balrus. Princess Aeryn looked at them and she sighed, then she turned her eyes forward to where the king's caravan was approaching the gates of the palace. Her task was to laugh and act interested in order to woo King Vaith into her trap. One person who was nervous was Princess Sansa and that's because she wasn't aware if Lord Balon, her husband would be pleased with her. What if Lord Balrus had sent a letter to inform him of her infidelities with Saigon? Or other people, the servants who saw her and Saigon getting intimate on various occasion.

If only she knew Lord Balon had brought a courtesan from Cooperstone with him, she wouldn't have been so worried. The courtesan travelled in the last carriage alongside Selma and other servants. To Lord Balon, Princess Sansa was just his wife politically but he didn't love her anymore. Not after what had happened when he was away.

King Vaith made sure to destroy the Hand of the king's marriage even before he stepped foot into the capital. He had a smile on his lips, an evil one which lashed out a sense of achievement. No king of Doha was ever invited to Maldonia let alone into Blackmount, the king's headquarters and the capital. Now he was there in the flesh, a rebel of his accomplishments and tactics.