A race against time

KARA'S POV

Then a concerned expression appeared on my face. How did 'that' get inside Kara? I would've thought one would break if a thing like his entered you. I blinked hard as I tried to remove the thought from my mind.

"...you typically call on Commander Aldric the most," Lucy went on explaining how I usually acted.

I found that interesting, since Aldric attacked Kara the night before because he couldn't take her sexual demands if she called on him the most it would make sense why he lost it. I can imagine how exhausting it would be to do that nearly every day. That and the fact that the s*x toys from that room looked torturous.

"You are also known to do it anywhere and everywhere around the castle."

"They say that you are also obsessed with the King and impressing him. They say you act like a child seeking approval since you do everything he says and more."

So people around the castle noticed that as well? I thought to myself.

Basically, Lucy told me everything about how I typically acted in the castle.

It was clear that many in the castle didn't think too highly of Kara.

"What time is Aldric going to be punished?" I finally asked Lucy satisfied with what I knew about Kara for now.

"I think shortly after lunch Your Highness."

"In the pit?"

"Yes," She replied.

I remember from the novel that when someone was being punished for insulting the king received their punishment at the pit. It was an open space strategically located in an area outside of the castle such that it could be seen from many points inside the castle at once. It was meant to serve as a warning for other servants in the castle to think twice before they went against Viktor.

"Alright, that'll be all. Thank you for sharing. Remember this conversation stays between the two of us or I will punish all the servants and say it was you who told me, " I threatened to make sure she kept her mouth shut though I didn't mean to scare her this way.

"Yes, Your Highness!" she said with a flinch I won't tell a soul," as she nodded aggressively to assure me.

Once Lucy left I began to slowly pace around the room thinking of what I could do to stop Aldric from losing his arm. The pain in my gut from where Aldric had kicked me had subsided so I could walk with more ease, however, my neck still throbbed.

How was I going to help him? What power did I have to stop it from happening? None. Now that I had a good idea of how Kara acted and behaved I hoped I would have an idea of how I could help the dukes but I still didn't know how to help him. 

Whilst Viktor didn't care about Kara, he pretended to so he could make excuses to punish her husbands whenever they did something wrong.

I let out a tired sigh, those poor men were surely going through a lot.

They were the heirs of the three strongest noble families in the kingdom and oversaw various important sects of the kingdom. Viktor knew that the three hated him and his style of ruling, so they posed a threat to his power. So, if Viktor controlled them, his power wouldn't be threatened hence why he forced all three of them to marry Kara.

He did this to accomplish two things, firstly it wasn't common for a woman to have a harem so he wanted to embarrass them in front of the whole kingdom. By humiliating them he could crush their dignity and pride three highly successful men being forced to marry one woman they had no feelings for at all.

And since the men had no feelings for her, King Viktor was also hoping to psychologically break them this way.

The second thing Viktor wanted was to be able to watch them more closely if they lived at the castle it would be easier to do so.

And the third reason which was the biggest reason why he did it was to take their possessions. Naturally, as the princess's husbands, all their possessions were now under the royal family's control so they couldn't do anything without first checking with the Viktor.

I kept on trying to figure out a way I could help them.

At lunch time I was brought soup and tea again. I was now already tired of soups even thought it was only the second time today but I knew my neck wasn't physically ready for swallowing solid foods. So I just forced myself to eat it.

Knowing from what Lucy said it was now time for Aldric's punishment I then asked one of the servants to confirm

The pressure I felt only increased I still couldn't come up with something I could do to save Aldric's arm from being cut off. There was nothing I tell him that would convince him.

I knew I wasn't cut out for something like this! I wasn't smart. There was no way I was going to be able to survive in this story world. I placed a hand on my injured bandaged neck and shivered in fear. It's either Kara's husbands would kill me or Viktor.

Why, just why did I have to sucked into this story? Just what did I do to deserve this? As I gently massaged my neck a thought then suddenly came to mind. My eyes widened in surprise maybe…maybe it could work! I thought to myself.

I then put my spoon down and told the head maid, "Take me to where Aldric is being punished. I have to go there now. " I told her.

The servant surprised by my request as well as all the others in the room stopped to look at me, "But Your Highness we were ordered by His Majesty to make sure you stay in bed and rest. And you have yet to finish your lunch." I told her.

"I must go and see the punishment it's urgent, I will talk to the King myself," I firmly told the servant. If I delayed any longer Aldric was going to lose his arm. I had to hurry.

"Yes, ma'am," she accepted my order and she immediately led me out of my room taking me to where the punishment was taking place. I just hoped it wasn't too late.

I took a good look at the castle as I walked behind her. Impressive high stone walls, exquisite carpets lined across the floor, stunning oil paintings on the wall, dazzling chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings.

A beautiful-looking palace hiding the real house of horrors that it was.

We arrived at the pit and I immediately caught sight of the crowd gathered there.