CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

It smelt like rot. Like seven day old meat. Then vomit and dirt. The growls from the cell was low and guttural. He stared at it. Yes, no longer his olive skinned seed. Not his funny, talkative child. No. Her eyes shone unnaturally. The blue orbs like glass, too transparent, too unrecognizable.
He gulped.
"She feeds? " he asked.
"As you earn" was the short reply.
He turned to stare at the woman sharply. She held his gaze with a force that equalled his.
"How more does she need? " he asked, looking away from the woman
"So much. And better if timely. She has not much of that left" the woman told him
"She can be healed, sane, stronger and better. It all lays with you Sir" she said
Why would you not want to be stronger, better and invincible? He ached to ask, but he already knew the reply. It was a game of cards, she may never be healed. May never recover, God knows how the vicious empire did it? Maybe they were made and fed from day one. Maybe sorcerers did spells on them. He knew it could never be the same as being turned. Like an innocent meat devoured by vultures. Spoilt beyond edible.
"Belle" he called out softly. Afraid to see the unfamiliarity in her eyes, but he did, as the creature stared at at him and growled. Blood oozing from its nose and ear. Hunger. She clawed at the chains and groaned as he drew nearer the cell. He flinched, his sob almost choking him. He could not cry. Not here, not now.
"If it is as you have said. His head will save hers. She will be restored completely. And you gain from all this as much as I do. You love your daughter do you not? " she asked.
When she was replied with silence she responded herself.
" Her life worths more than a bloody murderer. A weak dictator. In a few nights I believe, she will be yours again" she stated
He stared at it. The shinning blue eyes and the stench of evil and death. This was not Belle. No healing could bring back his child. She was dead, long ago and her body stood before him, an ungodly sight. He whispered a silent prayer to his long dead beloved wife. He was about to break his vow of caring for their only child till his death. He was sure she could forgive him in her grave. This was no longer their child. It was a walker.
He turned to the entrance. His mind made up.
" You will get gold as well" the woman said. Not seeing the lone tear that rolled down his eyes nor the determination in his face as he retreated.
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Running his hands over his square jaw, Edgar O'alistair frowned. His beards were over grown, so was other hairs on his body, he barely paid attention to himself. Men died everyday at his empire, children, women. At the provinces, at his own castle, two guards were found dead, one feeding on both the bodies. He had held his breakfast with a deep swallow as he saw the sight. Bones and rotting flesh. The plague was as fast as it was deadly. A walking warrior today, a dead soul hunting for meal the next day. He spat ungracefully out of his window, shame. He still questioned how one could go insane, to him it was impossible. He would always have his wits with him, up until he ended his life instead of being reduced to such filth and still die at the hands of your fellow warriors. It was greed. No, he quickly decided, it was fear, fear of dying, of never existing. Fear to vanish and never breath nor feel. He had left fear a long time ago, buried in Monique's tomb
He now expected worse from life, any harsh reality, he had learnt of life's mockery and apathy quite early and was accustomed. He'd rather die than be a walker. But then he was sure no man in his army was like him. One reason he was their Lord.
The men below his window were arguing in a southern tongue he was slightly familiar with, cursing and swearing at all they deities of all regions. He looked away, uninterested. He clasped his gauntlet and brought his hands to the hilt of his steel blade. It's coldness, a comforting reminder he had himself amid all the ruckus. Sol would win, this was not the first battle he'd fought. And it wouldn't be his last.
Nicholas had been right, Edgar thought solemnly as he turned to wear his crimson overcoat with the proud Sol badge. No man was loyal, no, money answereth all things. He could not afford tell even his best of warriors of his plans. No. His army superior was not aware either. Just himself. Yes, only him could be trusted.
He would do what needed to be done, what he had waited too long to do. He cursed cowardice and swung his sheathed sword, if there was only right time, it was this day when even the king of Kiro was in bed not knowing. His mother's face came to him and he sighed, Helsing. He was ruthless, but not as he was. His beloved Monique, caught in the pawn and taken away from life too. His hands shook with vengeance as he gripped his sword tightly. One day ended decades of war. That day, it was this d........
"My Lord " came a loud call from his door.
"Enter" Edgar replied stiffly. Offended by the disturbance
"My lord, The princess , Lady Selene of Riverland begs your audience, my Lord" the servant said, his eyes never leaving the clean stone floor.
"Is she well?" Edgar asked, quickly noting the sheer fright in his own tone.
"My lord she did not say, but should I suggest then I do not see her being unwell" the young man replied
"I will be with her. Dismissed" Edgar said as he walked back to his window to calm his breath. He had panicked. Weakness. He worried what spell the Riverland princess was using on him.
With a swift gulp of his mint tea, Edgar exited his room.
The walls were in need of a good a scrub, the dust coated was a whole new layer to the stone wall, Edgar thought idly after glancing at the walls as he turned into the corridor.
HE tapped the familiar door
"Come in please" came the much familiar voice.
Edgar turned open the door and stepped into the room
First, it smelt different. Then the dress the child wore was see through.
The Lord acknowledged these things as he stepped in.
"You sent for me " Edgar stated, smiling at the oddity of the statement
" I apologise my Lord. I did not want to in anyway disturb you, I thought you would please see me when you're unoccupied" Selene explained quickly
"And here I stand" Edgar replied
"Oh forgive me, please sit" the princess stood and cleared out a large oak chair by the window.
Edgar sat quietly and watched her as she set the books she had just packed off his seat on a small table beside her dresser
"My Lord" she stammered
Edgar knew not if to smile or frown at her uneasy tone
" I have decided to wed" Selene stated with a slight lift of her shoulders, an attempt at confidence.
"Should this be why you sent for me?" Edgar asked with a hard stare
Selene boldly nodded
"Are you brained addled?" Edgar asked
"For wanting to marry? Or telling you so?" Selene challenged raising from her seat
"And where is this worthy suitor? Or do you wish to hunt for a man and marry him yourself?" Edgar asked sternly
" The manner should not be of your concern my Lord...I wish to wed and I have announced this to you, it should not come as a surprise to find me with a husb...with a man" Selene replied
"If I as much as sight a male pig close you I will slit his throat and throw you in that cell.
Go get your breakfast child" Edgar concluded softly and saw himself out.
"You are brain addled if you think I'll become a spinster here!!!! I will rather d....I'll rather die!!!" She spat fiercely after him as he slammed the door shut
No...plain no.
He was not ready of that this early at dawn.
Why did she have to be so confused and irritating
He schooled his features to a gentle calmness as he saw a servant cower when he passed by
Oh she annoyed him in the worst of circumstances
He needed all his wits with him this morning, and not to fuse over what matters of the heart the child suffered from
She had a roof and food, what else would a husband give her?
With a loud huff, Edgar threw stepped into this room as the door guard opened it
He moved over his huge bed to the smooth wooden table beside it
On it was the ring he'd slept with the previous night.
Even the thought of her made him blink rapidly. Men did not cry
She had been stolen from him, just like his beloved mama had
Same predator.
Edgar swallowed the rage that has become him life. An anger even he feared sometimes
But it fueled him, was his strength and his weakness all the same.
He called out the the man by the door.
"Your grace" he said with a bow
" Call the captain of my army, I seek his presence. Now" he said and with a dismissive wave watched as the guard leave the room with a bow.
Edgar placed a kiss on the stoned ring and kept it in the cabinet
The door opened noisily and a man stumbled in
Edgar drew his sword and faced the figure as it doubled over by the door, hands clutching his stomach
"My Lord" He managed to bow still
"Nicholas!" Edgar said alarmed as he watched blood trickle from his stomach to the scrubbed marble floor
" I have wronged you, forgive me" he croaked out
" Guards! Call the healer!" Edgar bellowed cluelessly
Nicholas gave his very rare and prized smile
"I think.. that's a bit too late" he said through quick shallow breathes
"Who did this?" Edgar asked in pure angee
"I did...I have lost Belle. Everything. My digni...my dignity.
I won't lose my pride too" he rasped out painfully.
Shoving the dagger deep down his stomach.
Edgar could hear a sickening crunch and pop of an organ and then the aged butler smiled
"Do not war today my son... they'll be at wait and will kill you. Never trust anyone, only your own heart" he said and closed his eyes
Edgar held onto him as he felt muscles spasm and then he went limp, blood bathing his entire amor
Edgar could feel confused and agonized tears rolling down his chin
"No..no...no .. Nicholas" he whispered
"Why?! Why??! Hell!! Why!" He asked in a pained whisper as the body sagged to the ground in a heap, taking him along.
He could feel the weight in his palm and opened it to find a necklace.
A locket.
Prying it open with blooded hands, he found the Sol badge on it.
Edgar choked on his son and clutched the man that has virtually been his last semblance of a father to his chest.
He had lost another loved one.
No matter how much he denied, Nicholas was closer to his heart than he told him.
He would not war, he would need this last warning of his.
A wise man.
Why he would kill himself was beyond Edgar, of all the cruel things to do, what would make the man take his life? His little daughter? Edgar frowned, where was the child. If she died would she be buried along side Nicholas?
The door pushed open and the warriors trooped in
Edgar held onto the soaked shirt, head buried in the blood even as the physician took the dead man away, leaving him with a shirt no one would ever wear again.