ROME
The king stood at the large window facing the royal gardens. One would think he was admiring the greenery but he couldn’t even see past the problems weighing him down. He was disturbed by the news he had heard but didn’t seem to have any solution forthcoming.
Rome knew his father was evil, useless, and self-absorbed but he didn’t imagine any of that would affect someone he’d know directly.
The thought of Elora being violated by his father set a sick churning feeling in his gut.
Rome ran a hand through his hair as images of a crying Elora in a ripped dress flooded his mind. If she hadn’t been a fighter perhaps she would be under his father now as he did despicable things to her.
His jaw clenched tightly in frustration because even if he didn’t want to care about anything happening to her, the thought of the vulnerability he had seen in her eyes had the soft side of him wanting to prove her innocence. The only problem being he couldn’t see a way to save her and her family from the fate that awaited them if his decision were to be challenged in Court.
“You’ve been staring into empty space for a while now, Your Majesty,” Skye interrupted startling him as he hadn’t heard her approach.
Rome turned to her, glaring at the woman that was obviously enjoying the fact she had caught him off guard.
“Have I?” He asked sighing at her antics.
She took a step forward, moving to stand beside him on the balcony overlooking the Royal Gardens.
“Yes, you have and I know it’s about that girl. What’s her name again? El–”
“Elora.” He completed shaking his head, “Father finds new ways to rile me up every time. What a bastard!” He groaned and plopped into the nearest garden seat constructed just for the King.
“That’s something we’re familiar with but your interest in this case is something I find strange. It’s no news that your father has tons of mistresses. Elora’s just a new one. And last I checked you had decided to leave father to his devices.” Skye shrugged not seeing what the big deal was.
“I know but this is different. Elora is too innocent for all of this.” He answered not even believing himself that that was the only reason he had any interest in helping her.
He recalled how she had looked in the gold tinted light of the library, amber eyes turning dark as his finger had grazed her clavicle.
Something in her had drawn him in such that he found himself often forgetting about Erika’s betrayal and the pain he had felt.
“You made the law. She’s a slaver’s child.” She stated looking at him with a raised brow as if she didn’t believe his bullshit excuse.
“Yes but this is…” His words trailed of as he fell deep in thought.
He had been thinking more and more about the law he made and how it hadn’t done anything to curb the slavers.
“Look, I know that father is disgusting but we need to find a permanent solution to all this,” Skye said in a no-nonsense manner. If anyone was going to bring stability to the situation, it was her.
“Her sister is in Kain Kurt’s brothel. Her sister is just a child. This doesn’t sit well with me.”
“What do you want me to do, Your Majesty?” Skye asked bowing as a noble couple drifted closer.
What’s so special about this girl?
He knew Elora’s sister wasn’t the only child that had possibly been violated in Kain’s establishment.
Was he going to save just her and leave the other girls?
“I want you to get that child out of there. Really, I don’t care how you do it. I just want her out of there. And also have a summons put out for Father.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” She answered bowing as he stood to leave.
As he strode towards the throne room, Rome decided he had had enough of his father’s debauchery and not just because it had affected someone he didn’t know how he felt about. If he chose to keep on ignoring it, there was no telling how low the man would sink.
He turned shifting in his seat impatiently as he waited for his father to arrive.
The man lived just outside the Castle but he trusted him to waste time on purpose aiming to rile him up.
Too bad he won’t be giving him the upper hand in this conversation.
He was the King now and the bastard had to accept it.
“You must have grown bigger balls in the last few days for you to summon your father like this.” Nathan walked into the throne room plopping into a chair completely disregarding official proceedings. “Oh. The wonders I did in that chair in my glory days.” He added rubbing the velvet seat he lounged on.
“Glory days, Father? You never had any. You seem to have developed a fondness for balls father. Have you suddenly decided to show off how good of a bitch you are?” Rome retorted, calmly perusing a document.
“I didn’t come here to be insulted…” With a sly smile, he gave a mock bow, “Your Majesty.”
Rome hated that he was a spitting image of his father. Looking in the mirror reminded him of the man that disgusted him. His father was dressed in the identical blue overall he was wearing. The one with a badge reserved for the reigning monarch. Of course, it was to spite him but he wasn’t going to let Nathan’s words deter him.
“You’re right. I’m the king.” He answered dropping the document, “Which is why I can do whatever I want to whomever I want. Isn’t that right, Nathan?”
His Father gave a slow humorless laugh that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, boy.” He smiled still lounging on his seat, “Now, why have you summoned me?”
“You should know why I summoned you.” Rome answered, descending the stairs elevating the throne from the rest of the room, moving over to sit by his father, “Shall we have some wine?”
Rome didn’t know what pushed him to, but he suddenly felt like playing the game everyone thought he hadn’t mastered.
“Please, cut to the chase.” He spat rolling his eyes, “Unlike you, I have other things to attend to. Things involving a number of flexible women eagerly awaiting my return. Not like you can relate…”
“It’s funny how you think I care, Father.” He cut in, not wanting to spend any more time in the man’s presence, “I called you her for a more serious business. You tried to force your filthy self on a young woman under my protection. It…”
His father’s eyebrows raised in question, a look of confusion crossing his features.
“Forced? On a woman under your protection? Surely that’s not why you summoned me here boy?” He sat up angrily, “Surely you’re not referring to the slave girl that ran away this morning?”
“Your King is still speaking.” Rome scolded sending his father a firm look.
His patience had run thin so he couldn’t fight the burst of power that escaped him. He could sense his features morphing into his beast he suppressed on most days regaining control before any blood would be spilled.
He rolled his neck to loosen the tension that had settled there, watching his father’s expression as silence so palpable it was nearly deafening filled the chambers. The man’s face morphed into an array of expressions as if he couldn’t decide how to feel. Anger seemed to win the war raging in his mind as he stood to storm out but Rome placed a hand on his shoulder pushing him back into his seat.
Nathan smacked his hand off his shoulder glaring daggers at him but not making to leave.
“You can’t speak to me like that, boy! I’m still your father. I wore that crown long before you did.” He said muttered, lips turned down, creases on his forehead deepening.
Rome could sense his father’s growing ire but he could also sense the man’s growing frustration that he wouldn’t be able to fight him even if he wanted to.
“Yet you couldn’t keep it.” Rome threw back, folding his arms and leaning further into the uncomfortable seats so he could level his father with a glare, “I can speak to you however I choose because as you said, I hold the crown now. Now let’s get back to the conversation at hand. You…”
“You’ve always been a weak bastard! Weak like your stupid mother. You might think you hold power but you better open your eyes. Wearing a crown and sitting on that fancy chair doesn’t make you a king. Can’t you see? The kingdom is falling apart in your hands because you’re too weak to rule.” His father spat, every word laced with barbs that dug up old wounds Rome thought had healed.
“Says the man who can’t go one day without raping a child,” Rome growled standing up to look the despicable man he had for a father in the eye.
Nathan’s sapphire eyes darkened, face turning red with rage.
“Rape? Don’t go kicking up dust when you’re not willing to get dirty. Focus on holding your so-called kingdom.” His father laughed with a smug look over his shoulder, “Sooner or later, you’ll see that it takes a monster to hold a kingdom together. Oh and for your information, if you haven’t still decided on a mistress by now just know you will be losing that seat and quite possibly your head. It wouldn’t even be hard for a blind man to see that more than half of the court are against you.”
“This throne is mine!” Rome yelled watching the man walk.
“Whatever you say, Your Majesty.” He mocked, “Oh and I’ll be expecting my slave returned to me by evening.”
Anger filled Rome at having been treated like nothing more than a petulant child throwing a tantrum but a flicker of an idea burst into life in his mind that calmed whatever outburst he might have thrown.
He walked with purposeful strides towards the library to gather ammunition he’d need at the next Court assembly.
If he timed it correctly, he could hit Kain and his father with one stone.