EXTRA 4

“Hold up,” Dominic shouted, ruining the unexplainable moment. He raised his hands and threw glances at his friends, as if he was seeking for some answers before he asked the questions. “What the fuck is going on here? All the respect to you, root lady, but what the actual fuck? Did we enter an alternate reality? Is that door to these cells a portal? Because I can’t bring myself to believe that what I am seeing here is anything but a twisted dream.”

All of them shared the same sentiment. All Alphas and the King knew that there was a possibility that they had rolled down the stairs, got seriously hurt and somehow, ended up in the same dream.

But the creature before them just chuckled. “Not an alternate reality, not a dream, or a nightmare. This, gentlemen, is as real as it gets. I am real.”

Luciano finally managed to break out of the haze and shook his head. Although what he was witnessing seemed unreal, the King understood that it was as real as it got. And besides, this creature, the nature, she knew something all of them didn’t.

“Why are you here?” Luciano asked.

Although he needed answers for different questions, he decided to use the most simple one as an ice breaker. Perhaps if he managed to ease into the conversation, everything would make more sense as they spoke.

Besides, he didn’t know if she was here to prevent her from committing an awful crime. What if one of the past Kings tossed the creature in the cells and forced that lock on her neck to ensure she didn’t destroy their world?

Nature glanced at the King and offered him another warm smile. “If I told you why the wicked King sought me out and imprisoned me, would you try to remove this thing?” She asked as she pointed at the lock again.

Luciano glanced at his friends. As the King, he was supposed to make the decisions on his own, but this one concerned them all, so he didn’t want to act without getting their approval.

Dominic, Ryder and Vlad nodded at him.

Luciano’s eyes snapped back to the creature and he cleared his throat. “I will do anything in my power to figure out how to break the restraints. But I need to know the reason why you were locked in here and how your presence is connected to our Queen.”

Her eyes widened as she looked at the rest of the men. “Our Queen,” she muttered. Once her gaze met Luciano’s, she appeared confused. “You share one Queen? All four of you?”

Luciano had never been a man, fond of sharing his private matters, so he just nodded without offering more details. The facts were there, it was all that mattered.

“New times, indeed. I like it. I like the change. A kind King who knows his place, knows respect and is capable of sharing the most precious things in his life, even love. I admire that,” the nature muttered and took what looked like another step closer to them.

It was hard to say with how she moved, how her roots travelled over the ground and sought for surfaces to grip. With a smile wide enough to split her face, she leaned down to eye level with Luciano and tilted her head to kiss his cheek. “A gift of life,” she whispered. “Even if you never set me free, I give you the gift of life.”

Her voice was barely audible for Luciano so the rest of the Alphas didn’t hear anything, just anxiously watched her, awaiting for what was to happen next.

Once she straightened her odd body, she looked at Dom and spoke up. “I am here because of the King. A King unworthy of his place, throne and respect of his people. A King so vile and wicked, everyone turned their backs on him once the man had gone crazy. Maximus was a great warrior, an outstanding leader and passionate lover until the power got in his head.”

The smile from her lips faded as her eyes focused on Ryder, “you, although not a King, you have Royal bloodline. You are his ancestor, not one of the previous Kings. I could smell that bastard from miles away, but I hold no grudge against worthy ones.”

As her eyes set on Vlad, she didn’t offer an emotion. “A kind heart is worth more than any wealth someone could possess, don’t forget it.”

It felt as if she had an advice or opinion to share about every person in the cells, but what she didn’t do was give them the answers all of them wanted. She was running around them in circles, giving a bit of information just to overshadow it with something unrelated to the topic.

Luciano expected she would look at him when the answers would finally come, but instead, she lowered herself to the ground and started fisting the sand. “This land is forsaken. It’s cursed by the very men who used to ensure it blossomed and brought life. Then they took it away. Maybe for you it seems like nothing much has changed over the years, but because of that mad bastard, the fertility is fading. Soon, you will have nothing.”

Dominic stood next to Luciano and grabbed his friend’s hand. Listening to the babbling that made no sense and made all the sense in the whole world was exhausting. Dominic knew Luciano was burning in need for those answers, but he was too polite to interrupt the creature, so Dom had to do it.

“Why does Seth keep losing Luciano’s babies? How are you connected to that?” As soon as the question left his lips, everyone froze.

The silence was so loud, they couldn’t hear the rats in the background anymore. Tenison in the cells grew so thick, anyone could cut it.

And then, as nature glanced up at them, Dominic jumped and tried to back away. Her eyes glowed odd green, a twisted smile spreading across her lips. She didn’t move, didn’t talk, just stared at them.

It lasted for minutes until she started whispering. “He got her pregnant. A slave girl, unworthy of carrying the King’s heir. Or at least that was what he claimed. He didn’t want the child. He wanted passion and pleasure without consequences. He refused to let a slave bear his child, a child of Royalty. He killed her and cut the unborn child out of her womb. The king slit the child’s throat and offered it as a sacrifice to my sisters. It didn’t work, so he fell to his knees and begged for my help. He begged me to gift life to the child. I was a fool. I didn’t know he had taken the life, so I left my home and went to him. He trapped me there. He wrapped this thing around my neck and dragged me here. He promised to release me if I made sure no woman could carry his child. And then, after he died, I was forgotten. This chain that holds me down, the cursed lock, it ensures I follow the dead King’s demand. Generation after generation, King after King. Hadn’t you ever wondered why the Kings never had children? Their Queens, their mates and chosen ones never carried heirs to the term. It is because of me, because of my presence and the things I was made to do. Don’t look at me with such pity, I am no victim, just a pawn in his game that has gone too far. Get me out of here, rid yourself and the future Kings of the curse before it’s too late.”

“This, the misery and pain she is suffering is all but a cruel payback for what that bastard did! He laughed at my face when he told me what had happened. You couldn’t imagine what that slave girl suffered. He forced himself on her. He took her innocence, robbed her of the last thing she had of her own and then, he punished her for his doings! If it were up to me, no King would breathe the same air others do. Prove me wrong, King Luciano, prove me it can be better.” She shouted as she started sobbing.

Luciano couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled his hand out of Dominic’s grip and reached for the lock. As soon as he gripped the metal, it exploded into pieces, falling to the ground with thuds louder than expected.

“I can’t prove you wrong. I can’t bring change if no one seeks it, but I can promise you something. No matter what happens, I will do everything with your words etched in my mind. I won’t forget your suffering, I won’t ever take your gift for granted, even though after listening to you, I don’t believe I am worthy of it.” Luciano whispered as he offered her his hand.

It was done. She was free of the curse, of the thing that held her down in the cells. She could return home, she could live and hopefully, meet the sisters she mentioned.

“But I want to do something,” he quickly added as she slowly stood to her full height.

“Anything,” nature agreed eagerly.

“Take me to her grave. Only me.”

Dominic tried to grab Luciano again, but he just stepped aside and shook his head. Getting the hint, all three Alphas stepped aside to let him leave if nature was willing to accompany him.

“Why?” Nature gasped, clearly taken aback.

“I need to beg for her forgiveness. All of this started with her, with the torment she endured. While her soul and body might have faded, I still need to beg for her forgiveness and hopefully, let her leave this place for good. Our souls often lose their way and get stuck between worlds, I don’t want her to suffer for any longer if that is the case with the slave girl. She deserved a grave to be mourned at, even if it is only me who visits it.”

Not a word passed her lips as nature gripped Luciano’s hand and they headed towards the stairs. Dominic, Ryder and Vlad followed in their steps, but kept their distance. They knew Luciano had his reasons to ask for forgiveness so they had no right to interfine.

As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, the three Alphas bowed to nature and left them, claiming they were to leave to check on Seth.

That eased Luciano’s worries. He couldn’t be next to her for now, so at least the rest of the men could hold her and explain what had happened down in those cells.

In the meantime, nature dragged Luciano through halls he didn’t know existed. He made a mental note, memorising the turns they took in case they ever needed to escape the place unnoticed.

When they approached an old door, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder at him. “Would you do the honour, my King? I was imprisoned here by a King and I wish to be set free by one.”

Luciano didn’t hesitate, brushed past her and opened the massive door. It was a little harder than he expected as the door led to a secret escape path, but he managed to open it fully and step aside. “After you,” he looked at nature and grinned.

The King felt like he had to give her a moment to exit the prison for the first time. She had to get used to how fresh was the air outside, how loud were the birds and animals in the wooded area and how hot was the sun that shone above them.

His eyes didn’t leave her as nature slowly took her first steps outside. The moment her roots touched the lush, green grass, she let them dig in the ground and gasped. “So much has changed. The sand in the cells was lifeless, I had no hope for the future, but the outside world, it’s as beautiful as I remember. Thank you. Thank you so much,” she cried out and collapsed, grabbing the grass with all of her hands.

Luciano didn’t take credit for anything. He stood aside and let her enjoy the first moments of freedom. The first steps she was taking back to her normal.

Deep down, he knew he had to figure out something if the time came for another vile creature to encounter her. Nature had to be careful and hide from the ugly parts of the world.

While she thought it was beautiful, the living creatures still were vile and unpredictable. It didn’t have to be a King who could figure out a way to take advantage of her next, it could be anyone.

No longer than a few minutes later, Luciano noticed how nature had frozen with her ear against the ground, as if she was listening to someone speak.

“My sisters will come, their spirits will lead us to the grave. The slave girl is there, she’s waiting,” nature muttered.

Now that his wishes were about to come true, Luciano wasn’t that sure if that really was what he wanted to do. How was he, just another King, to face someone who had suffered so much because of someone, who used to hold the same title?

Forcing down the lump that formed in his throat, Luciano offered nature his hand again. She glanced at the King and smiled, “she is waiting for you. She isn’t angry, she’s not suffering anymore, but she has been waiting for this day to come for a very long time. Don’t fear the soul that suffered, she means no harm.”

All he could do was nod his head. In times like these, there were no right words, if any, so Luciano preferred to carry on without any.

Hand in hand, both walked through the woods. Occasionally, nature tried to point a finger in direction, showing Luciano where the spirits of her sisters were, but he couldn’t see anything. Unlike her, Luciano wasn’t a deity of any sort, so he couldn’t see what she could. He could only believe in what she said and carry on with their journey.

They both came to a halt when they stepped out of the woods and stood in front of a beautiful field. It was overtaken by wild flowers and long grass.

For some reason, an instant sense of ease overtook Luciano. Nature still stood still when he started walking, heading towards something that invited him closer. When the feeling faded, he stopped, knowing he was right where he had to be.

Luciano jumped when nature placed one of her hands on his shoulder and whispered, “the girl knows you came to ask for forgiveness for the crimes that aren’t yours. Sisters say she forgave long ago, she’s been waiting for a future King to come and set her soul free. Your presence is all she needs. No words. She wants to leave in silence, so let her.”