I am bored.
Back home, such a thing has never happened to me before. Ranging from paperwork to settling disputes, there was always something to do. But here, in this palace, I am afraid boredom would soon choke me to death.
The night is still young, and I’ll like to make the most of it. I would have gone out to party but I hate to be surrounded by alcohol and not being able to drink it.
Being pregnant sucks.
Surely the queen herself would be able to teach me how to overcome my current predicament. After all, it wouldn’t have been easy, mothering twelve children. Well fifteen, if you count her grandchildren.
The hallways are empty and I hurriedly make my way upstairs. It’s eerily quiet, but even in the silence, I can still hear it.
Someone’s cries.
I move closer to the sound, and before I realize it, I’m standing outside the king’s chambers. I know it’s the king’s chambers because he and his wife are the only ones residing in the North wing, and I’m certain they stay together and not apart. The door is wide open, allowing me a sneak peek of its interior.
Someone’s sitting on the bed, their back to me. Judging from the platinum blonde hair and pale skin, it was the queen’s cries I had heard.
But why on earth is she crying?
I approach her carefully and touch her shoulder gently. “Your highness?”
She turns around instantly, the covers coming off, revealing the bruises that marred her skin to my naked eyes. “Your highness, what happened. Why…?”
“Get out.”
Her voice left no room for protests but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to leave her like this. Instead of leaving, I walked over to the door and shut it, before sitting beside her on the bed.
“I said you should leave.”
“Really? I think I misheard. Anyways, shouldn’t these have healed by now?” I ask her, referring to the bruises.
She wiped away the tears. “I asked you to leave.”
“And I asked you a question. Why aren’t they healing?”
“They would have, had they not been inflicted with obsidian ore.”
“Obsidian ore?”
“The one thing that’s harmful to Icelanders. When attacked with it, injuries might take a while to heal.”
“Wow. Now if there’s such a weapon like that, surely the Icelanders must have gotten rid of it?” I asked her, looking around for a first aid box. There has to be one somewhere.
She snorted. “You wish. It’s still around, but only Thjis and his enforcers are the only ones in possession of obsidian ore.”
“His enforcers can’t touch you else your husband would have their head which means Thjis is the one who hit you.”
“It’s King Thjis to you wolf!” she yelled.
“I don’t think he’s still deserving of that title after what he did to you. I mean, look at your skin!” I exclaim, touching the bruises on her arm. She hissed, recoiling from my touch.
“He didn’t mean it. We had an argument and he just flipped.”
Ah there it was. Wedged between the minibar and the wall, laid the first aid box. I took it and went over to the queen, dropped the box beside her and opened it. The harsh scent of mentholated spirit filled the air. This has been used before.
“You don’t have to make excuses for him Dogara,” I say, pouring spirit onto the cotton wool before pressing the soaked cotton wool to an open cut. She let out a sharp hiss.
“It’s your highness to you wolf,” she snarled.
I roll my eyes. “Does it look like I care? You might be all high and mighty but here you are, receiving treatment from an omega.”
“I didn’t ask you to treat me. It would have healed eventually.”
As if. Silence ensues and I revel in it, bandaging her wounds and cleaning up bruises. Such a shame that Thjis had to spoil such beautiful skin.
“Why do you still call yourself an omega? I mean, I know you were one, but I thought you’d have held yourself in high esteem after Sia made you his concubine but you don’t and I want to know why.”
I laugh subtly. “Becoming his concubine doesn’t elevate my status in any way. I still see myself as an omega, because my duties and obligations are still that of an omega. When Sia was injured, I treated his wounds. That’s what an omega does Dogara. They humble themselves before all, serving in silence. They let themselves get walked over, kicked, beaten, humiliated, just to achieve a single goal.”
“And what’s your goal Crinka?”
“That’s the first time you’re calling me by name.”
“The wolf thingy was a bore. But seriously, what’s your goal?”
“As for now, it’s putting you in good shape. And, all done!” I announce, closing the first aid box.
“Thank you.”
“Didn’t know you knew the word,” I teased, smiling. She only rolled her eyes.
“I mean it, Crinka. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Why did you let him do turn you into a punching bag?” I asked her, putting away the box.
“I didn’t turn anyone into a punching bag Clepp. She committed a crime. I was merely punishing her.”
Thjis.
He stood by the doorway, his shirt poorly buttoned. Lipstick stained his shirt and I can only imagine what he had been doing while his wife was crying. What a disgusting asshole.
“And how ugly was this crime, that she had to be treated that way huh?”
“Crinka…” Dogara whispered.
“No don’t shush me. This bastard you call your husband needs to be taught a lesson. He hurt you and he ought to pay for what he has done.”
“And who wants to make me pay huh? You?”
“You’d be surprised,” I tell him. “Now you’ll listen to me, you son of a bitch. You will under no circumstance touch Dogara again. If you dare hurt her, I’ll show you the stuff I’m made of. And you can ask my former pack members. I don’t give out empty threats.”
“And I do not care,” he said. “Dogara is my wife and I shall do with her as I please.”
Not if I can help it. Turning to the queen, I say, “You can’t stay here, not with this awful man.”
“Crinka…”
“Don’t give me that look, Dogara. You are coming with me or would you rather stay with him?” I ask her, jerking a finger at Thjis.
She scrambled to her feet and quickly put on her robe and a neat pair of slippers.
“Dogara, if you leave this room, just have it in mind that you’re never coming back,” Thjis threatened.
“Don’t listen to him Dogara. He can’t hurt you when I’m here. Pack what you need for a day or so. I’ll wait.”
“You think you’re something don’t you?” he asked, coming closer. “Coming in here and acting as you like. I’ll make sure you suffer for this. Both of you,” he said, pointing at the queen and I. I rolled my eyes, grabbed the queen gently by the arm and led her out of the North wing, away from her seething husband.
…..
“Is there a reason why the queen lies asleep on my bed?”
Zikur.
Just the man I wanted to see.
“She needed a place to stay.”
“In her own home? You’d have to give me something better than that Crinka,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.
“He hit her and I couldn’t let her stay back there.”
“So, you brought her to me,” he finished, frowning. “What’s to say that she’s safer with me?”
“I know for a fact that you’d never hurt her.”
He scoffed. “I might just do that, especially after what she did to me. Take her back Crinka. She made her choice when she married him.”
“Can you not be like this right now? She can’t go back to that man not after what he has done. Zikur please understand.”
“No. You’re the one that should understand. That woman in there is a married woman. Her reputation would utterly be ruined if she was to leave my bed chambers in nothing but a skimpy robe.”
“You could teleport her.”
He huffed. “Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?”
I inclined my head. “Maybe once or twice. Zikur, please. I know it’s a risky move but you’ve got to help her. Thjis hurt her and I can’t have her going back to him not when she’s still recovering.”
“You’ve got guts you know, calling the king by his name.”
“I’ll call him whatever I want Zikur. He’s undeserving of that title. So, are you going to help me?”
“She doesn’t deserve my help. I hold no iota of affection for the queen so…”
I butt in. “You’re lying. If you truly did not care for the queen, you wouldn’t have taken her to bed or familiarized yourself with her body.”
He looked surprised, then angry. “You…you saw us that night, didn’t you?”
“Don’t give me that look. I wasn’t the one that asked you to make out with the queen out in the open.”
He swore. “You need to stop saying that.”
“Wouldn’t change the fact that you fucked the queen and you two have a child together.”
He glared at me. “You were not supposed to eavesdrop.”
“I could tell the king.”
“That won’t do much because he already knows.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Why do you think he hit her Crinka? He did it because he was jealous and pissed.”
“I could tell her sons. And you know that they will hunt down Novgorod and kill him. They won’t spare you either.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I am. Is it working?”
He sighed. “Crinka…”
“Zikur please. Do it for me please.”
“She will only stay for a day. A day. No more.”
“Thank you!” I vociferate, wrapping my arms around him.
“Okay, okay that’s enough,” he muttered, pushing me away.
“Thank you Zikur. Really, I appreciate it.”
And with a happy face, I walked back to the south wing, utterly exhausted.