Katrina looked again at the assortment of fine clothes laying across her large bed. She sighed in annoyance and then turned to face Demessa.

“Just pick one and be done with it.” She huffed, “He won’t stop asking.”

Katrina clenched her teeth in irritation. After nearly a week of being back in Vul De Rah, she had not seen Alektor once. Though he had made many attempts to. Demessa had acted as a liaison between them, and to her obvious disappointment, had been forced to endure Alektor's cold retaliations. Katrina had been invited to a royal dinner, where many of the city’s and Rexunii royalty would be present. Her reasons for avoiding him were obvious, but the longer she insulted him, the higher the risk that she would end up in chains.

“This one looks quite beautiful,” Demessa said, lifting a form-fitting silken gown. “Why don’t you try it on and see if you change your mind.”

“I can’t go,” Katrina said, her voice low and resigned. “These are mind games, he’s feigning kindness.”

“High King Alektor is many things, Katrina. And being considered a manipulative tyrant would not be far from the mark. But he does truly have a genuine interest in you humans.” Demessa held out the dress to her and gave her a forced smile. “And if I have to be told to try and relate to you on a feminine level again, I will lose my mind. Please just go, entertain their curiosity.”

~

Katrina grumbled as they entered the dining hall. She had taken Demessa’s advice and worn the dress she had suggested. A silken gown that looked as though it glowed a deep blue. The fabric rested against her skin tightly, but not in a way that felt uncomfortable.

“Lady Katrina! Spirit-Sent!” An announcer called out, bringing all the heads in the large ballroom to turn and look at her.

The clamoring and conversation of the partygoers died at that moment, and all that could be heard was the sound of her evening shoes on the stone floor. She paused at the attention, feeling the pit in her stomach drop into an endless void, then watched as the crowd parted and Alektor approached her.

“Lady Katrina, I am grateful you decided to grace us with your presence tonight.” He said, bowing his head slightly. “Please, follow me.”

Katrina did what he asked, but kept herself as quiet as possible. He strode in front of her, clearing a path through the nobility, and made his way toward a large table, somewhat elevated from the floor. He wore a fine grey cloak embroidered with gold designs of curling wings and vines. Simple in comparison to the rest of his guests, but his presence was not stifled in any way. He seemed to overwhelm all who beheld him with how he carried himself. She shook her head at the realization of how much she actually hated this Dae. He was a manipulator, and a tyrant as far as she was concerned. Murderer… she reminded herself.

“Please.” He said, lifting a hand toward a golden chair that was held out by a servant.

Katrina looked at the people who were at the table. She recognized only two. Turak, his highest ranking commander, and Ambrosia, princess of the Sabree clan. Aside from them, were six others who looked on in tempered curiosity. She took in a deep breath and sat. Alektor took his seat across from her, between Turak to his right, and Ambrosia to his left.

“So good to see you again, Katrina.” Turak said, his words filled with irritation. “We were wondering when you would finally decide to emerge from your isolation.”

“It is quite disrespectful to act this way to your hosts. Especially those who hold your life in their hands.” Ambrosia chimed in; her yellow eyes focused intently on her.

This bitch is right… Katrina thought. I better keep my cool as best I can. He could fry me in a heartbeat if he wanted to.

“Enough.” Alektor said, shaking his head. “You have nothing to fear from me, Katrina. Unlike the Torre’ we value the presence of humans.”

Katrina closed her eyes for a moment, readying her mind. “I’ve done as you’ve asked and come to meet with you, Alektor. What is it you wanted to discuss?”

Ambrosia scoffed, “You are speaking to the High King, and yet you treat him this way.”

“I wanted to speak to you about several important matters.” Alektor said, leaning back in his chair. “First, I believe you have misplaced your loyalty. You owed Agron much, in how he protected you against the Torre’. I admired that about him, along with his method of rule and his loyalty to his family.”

Don’t talk about Hego Agron, you bastard. Katrina thought, hatred flowing from her.

“With that admiration, however, I despised him as well. His treatment of my people under his rule was despicable.” Alektor’s voice remained calm, but Katrina’s began to rise as she responded, letting her emotion get the best of her.

“Then why didn’t you fight him? Why did you have the reanimated corpse of his own son cut his head off?” Katrina caught herself, shit... she thought, cursing her lack of self-control. She took a breath, then looked into his eyes. They were unreadable. Indecipherable as marble as they stared at her. Unrelenting, and unremorseful. In that moment, all semblance of self-preservation disappeared. She might not be able to kill him, but if she was going to die. She’d give him a piece of her mind. “You’re a coward, hiding behind this bullshit story of how you came here to save your people. The Rexunii didn’t give a damn about the Doulos either, until it suited your needs. Until you needed a reason to invade your neighbors and conquer! All you wanted was power. And Robert was stupid enough to go along with it.”

“Reku-” Turak began, his face twisted in anger but was cut off.

“Robert was weak.” Katrina continued. “And naive enough to believe he was doing something right.” She paused for a moment. Letting the memory of the incident in the throne room play in her mind. Then, before she knew it, tears were rolling down her cheeks. “I watched it happen… I saw the moment Agron realized something was wrong with his son… then I watched the horror in Avria’s face as she saw the illusion fade, and her fiancé’s burned and disfigured corpse appear. I heard the sobs of Boros as he held the bodies of his father and brother.” She turned red and her eyes bulged at Alektor, and said with as much hatred as she could muster. “You’re a damn monster; and I hope you burn for it.”

Alektor’s face was the same unreadable and stoic mask. Katrina then noticed a deathly silence that hung over them. She glanced around and found that nearly everyone in the party was looking at her. If this is my last moment in this world, she thought, at least I’d have made an impression. She couldn’t take back her words. She had been stewing with them rattling around in her brain since she was captured. Still, regardless of the consequences, it felt good to get it all out.

“There is nothing I can say to calm the fire in your heart.” Alektor finally said, “I know you were close to them, and for that I can only say that I am sorry you lost people that you cared about. But I will not have you assume that my coming here, was for the sole purpose of conquest. I watched as the Rexunii abandoned their own… there is truth in what you say. My father was no one of importance in Rexun… He was a warrior, and lived by the code his father passed to him, and his father before him.” He paused, and glanced to his right, toward Turak, who was looking at the table, anger still on his face.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“One day on patrol of the Northern border, he came across a group of bodies that was strewn out near the edge of Lokkadonian territory. His war-group crossed the border briefly to investigate, and found they were all Doulos… with only one survivor among them. A young boy… with a terrible wound across his face. Our family took him in, and fed him until he was strong enough to join our warrior caste. Since that day, my father petitioned the King to negotiate on behalf of our lost Rexunii brethren in Lokkadonia. After the atrocities were brought to our attention, it was something he refused to ignore.” He clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes. “One day he was taken before one of the King’s council. An honor and privilege for one of such low birth. He made a case, and asked if something could be done. Hours after he had left our home, we were given word that he was executed as a traitor.”

“What’s your point?” Katrina asked.

“I met those Dae… years later, as I cleaved my way through their warriors. I watched them beg me for mercy before I threw them into the Pit of Mar, to be devoured by the Cugorii.” Alektor’s voice finally rose a bit as he became caught up in the memory. “After I took the throne, I swore I would do whatever I could to bring my people home. And I did. You can say what you will, about me and my methods, Katrina. But I do not regret what I did to achieve my goals. Lokkon, is a blight on Eleutheros as far as I am concerned. And I will see them all submit. If they do not, they will die.” He stood from his chair suddenly and looked at the silent nobles around him, many of whom were Lokkadonian. “Those who resist, will be rendered to ashes.” He then locked eyes with Katrina. “Reku made sure to temper my fury against them. You call him weak, and look down on him, but he is the only reason Lokkon is not a lifeless wasteland.”

The two looked at each other for several tense moments, until Alektor gathered his composure, and sat back down. “I will ask nothing more of you. I can see now that you are so embroiled in your hatred that you cannot see the truth. I have sent word to King Reku of your arrival here, and he has not given us a response. I will send you word if he does. In the meantime, you will be free of further inquiries to join us. We will not stop you if you change your mind, but that will be entirely up to you.”

Katrina said nothing, her heart beating heavily in her chest. Knowing full well she most likely had made things more difficult, not only for herself, but for the Lokkadonians around her. Her childish outburst now seeming more foolish than ever. So… stupid.

“You are still not permitted to leave, however.” He continued, “I cannot have a human with strange abilities roaming around our territory, and least of all, in enemy hands.”

With that, he looked at his untouched plate of food and sighed. “I feel as though I’ve lost my appetite. Please excuse me.” He stood and turned to leave, being followed by a dozen heavily armed warriors. Ambrosia gave Katrina another glare, and stood to follow him.

Turak exhaled and watched as they left, then brought his attention back to Katrina. “I know what you’re going through.” He said, taking a few moments to gather his thoughts. “Your passion is unmistakable, and you are justified to think the things you do. But life is more complicated than villains and heroes. There are reasons and motivations you cannot see… That applies to both sides. Reku saw this… he was able to put his feelings for you, and his loyalty to the people who took him in, aside for what he believed was right.”

Katrina looked at her plate solemnly. Like Alektor, her appetite no longer evident. This was going to be extremely difficult. She needed to put her feelings aside as best she could. And focus on advocating for Lokkadonia. There were so many scenarios she could see where thousands ended up dead at the hands of the occupying Rexunii.

She poked at her food for a time, while all around her ate in awkward silence. After nearly a half hour, she stood and excused herself. Being escorted back to her chambers by several royal guards.

~

Back in her room she sat on the bed and fumed silently, looking at the ceiling.

“I must say, I’m impressed.” Demessa said, chuckling in the corner. “You called High King Alektor a coward in front of all of Vul De Rah’s nobility.” She laughed loudly. “I’ve never seen him get angry like that before. I think he’s finally met his match. Though, I suppose you being a Spirit-Sent had a great deal to do with it. Any other person in all of Pelemont would have paid a deadly price.”

Demessa strode over to Katrina and stood before her. “I think you’re wrong, of course, but I admire your passion. Reku is not weak, Katrina… what they did to him, the Torre’ was unspeakable… He was begging to die in the end, pleading with them to end his suffering.” She paused to relive the sight of him strapped to the torture table. “They cut, prodded, and flayed his skin… His face was unrecognizable… They bled him for days on end. While he screamed and begged. They asked him questions about his purpose here, and no matter the answer, he was tortured further. Anyone would have broken, Katrina. Anyone would have given up… but they didn’t even give him the option. They kept him alive. And when I showed up and saw him there on that slab of stone… I felt a wave of guilt so intense; it haunted me for days. When they were finally ordered by Alektor to end the meaningless suffering, they kept a piece of him… to study.” Demessa lifted her right hand and opened her fingers. “They chopped his hand off.”

Katrina’s mind was blank as Demessa spoke. Her words being spoken about someone else, it couldn’t be about Robert. The implications finally started to set in. And Katrina could again feel tears rolling down her cheeks for the man she had cried so many nights over.”

“The Torre’ did this.” Demessa continued. “That was their condition. Of course Alektor jumped on the opportunity. How often does the High King make requests of this level? It gave Alektor everything he needed to make his demand to them. All he wanted was to be allowed to free his people in Lokkadonia… by force if necessary. Then, when they thought they’d got what they wanted. They betrayed us. Turning on Rexun again, but we had, had enough!” Demessa’s eyes bulged with fury as she stood, staring out the balcony of Katrina’s room. “It was one of the proudest moments in my life when I heard that my King told them in his throne room… with Reku by his side, the creature, the demon they thought they’d had us kill. That he would defeat them all…”

Katrina stared at her a bit dumbstruck. She had been captured in the woman’s moment, and allowed herself to get swept away. “I… Didn’t know. About Robert’s… I didn’t know it was that bad.”

Demessa slumped into a chair beside Katrina. “I tell you, whatever you're imagining, it was worse. Much worse. I had him for a moment... he was mine, for just a breath. I was able to hold him and tell him he was safe… tell him that he could always rely on me.” She put her left hand on her face, letting out a deep sigh. “It was worth it though.”

Katrina noticed then that she had also put her right hand on her abdomen.

Curious… She thought, “You really care about him, don’t you?” Katrina asked,

“I love him.” Demessa said, bringing her hand down, her eyes distant. “I think I always will.”

The words brought Katrina to look at her in surprise. “Wow.” She chuckled, “I guess he made an impression. Seems more like a fling to me though, than true love.”

“That doesn’t matter now.” She stood again and walked across the large room to the table with the wine displayed on it. “Now he’s a King, I am stuck here, given menial tasks and treated like a harlot.” She poured a large bowl and drank deeply from it.

“I can’t imagine why?” Katrina murmured.

Demessa looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “What?”

“Never mind,” Katrina said, standing and walking to pour her own bowl of wine. “At least one of us was getting laid here. I never thought he had it in him.”

“What do you mean?” Demessa asked.

“You know, have sex. He was always so concerned about everything back home. Self-conscious about everything. Now he’s the only one getting any around here.”

“What about you and Prince Boros?” Demessa drank again, and began to pour another. “Reku was certain that you were intimate with him.”

“Hah!” Katrina barked. “No, I didn’t do anything with him. He made an attempt to tell me how he felt, but with everything with Robert. And the fact that I really didn’t have any interest in him.”

“Interesting…” Demessa brought the bowl to her lips and drank slowly, her mind working.

“Daniel hasn’t done anything either, as far as I know.” Katrina walked to sit on one of the two couches near the table. “I tried to get him to as well. With Princess Illya, but he refused her.”

“Daniel is the other human who came with you…”

“Yes,” Katrina studied the Dae’s face. “You’ve met him?”

“Once.” Demessa recalled her fight with Avria, and Robert’s confrontation with Daniel. “I met him in Vul De Rah during the battle. He was… interesting.”

Katrina took a deep breath, and rubbed her eyes.

“Regardless.” Demessa continued, “You have had a taxing evening. I will leave you to rest.”

Katrina waved her hand in farewell as she stood to get more wine. Alone now, with her thoughts whirling in her mind. She thought of her friends and hoped that they were alright. Daniel… Avria… Delmos… Illya… She closed her eyes. Please be alright.