Chapter 59: Before the War



Fanmade cover by Jeyne Riego Torrealba

Chester Weston, the young lord of the West Land, had never been a gentleman to me. He was always arrogant and sarcastic; only showing his hatred and annoyance towards me whenever I'm in West Land. Thus, it was hard for me to believe that he agreed to an arrange marriage with me. I thought that he only did it just to make me suffer.



But in the last few days before the day of our wedding, he showed me a side of him I didn't see before. He tried to prove that he could be a better man to be my husband. And I knew that there was a part of me that wanted to believe in him because everyone, even the ruthless young ruler of the West Land, is capable of change. And somehow, it made me consider a possible future with him.



However, before all of those possibilities happened, the most dangerous man in the pirate seas walked the land and crashed the wedding ceremony, stealing me from my ex-fiancé. And by then, I never felt so willing to be a victim of crime and treachery. But that was before I learned the truth behind our past; that was before the blood running in my veins turned into a fiery magma burning me from the inside and making me one of the evil sinners from a tragic history; that was before I decided to die and he came to save me; that was before I realized how much I love him despite of the complications the two of us would bring.



Right. That was before we received a letter from the ruthless young ruler of the West Land.



Threy maintained a blank expression after reading the message. I had no idea what was going on his mind. I remembered him playing with Lord Chester when we were young and he seemed to be happy during those times. Maybe that was before he learned about his Borgian blood with Lord Boris. Is he seeing his younger brother as an enemy? Is he even seeing Lord Chester as his brother still? More than five years had passed, what could have those days changed?



I didn't see him during dinner. And despite of Lord Boris' invitation to join their table with high-ranking allies and captains, I still decided to sit with the Obsidian pirates. I thought that it was the right time to introduce Dorothy and Aiden to the people who became close to my heart.



"I remember you. You're one of those gifted archers of the Pirate City, right?" Erasmus and Aiden became friends immediately. Maybe, it was because they were almost the same age.



"And you performed once on the stage of the grand vessel. That was a definitely cool rendition!" Aiden's eyes lighted up as he recognized Erasmus. They were both talented young boys, I couldn't wait to see them getting along and learning from each other.



"That was sickeningly sweet! Now, you may kiss each other." Dorothy scrunched her nose as she watched them having a conversation. She was sitting with me and I couldn't help but laugh as the young boys looked away from each other with pink tinges on their cheeks. I didn't know that this small girl could make these boys who were apparently a little older than her,

uncomfortable.

"How long have you been sailing with the Pirate City, Aiden?" I asked, engaging them into another discussion.



"My parents died due to an illness and being an orphan at 11, I decided to join the pirates. I've been with them for four years already," he answered. There was sadness in his eyes as he remembered how he ended up in the Pirate City. I couldn't help but feel regret. If only a rebellion didn't happen in the past, they might be living peacefully here in the present, and all those illnesses from these people might be cured for we had good doctors in the Mainland.



"If we ever have a chance to go back to the sea, I'll invite you to sail with us in the Obsidian. And hopefully, we didn't have to fight for our lives this time," Erasmus commented and tapped him on his shoulder.



We all looked towards Dorothy who snorted upon listening to them. She seemed to be having trouble dealing with the sad and serious part of the conversation. Maybe, it was because she was too young – a thirteen years old girl who hadn't experienced death and war by the sea. If what I had been thinking about her family was true, then she hadn't been in the Forsaken Land. She was still innocent and I wanted to keep it like that for a little bit longer – even if it was just until before the great bloodline war.



I wrapped an arm around Dorothy's shoulder and looked at her. "I should introduce you to Vivienne. She's a pretty, little girl and I'm sure that you'll love her."



I noticed her cheeks warmed up with my gesture and she immediately shrugged out of my embrace in fake annoyance. "Age and gender don't really matter. I would still hate them. You're lucky; you're the only one I don't hate."



I shook my head at her in disbelief. She was really not an ordinary girl who would like pretty things. Good thing, I was able to remove myself from her long list of hated stuff.



"But I taught you archery. And you promised to teach me how to hunt in the woods. I thought we're already friends," Aiden protested.



"We'll soon do that! We're friends and I'll teach you how to hunt in the woods while hating you," she insisted.



The pirates who were silently listening at us laughed at her in amusement. Owain set down a wooden tankard filled with beer beside my plate and took his seat beside me.



"You should introduce her to Roger. They can happily claw out each other," he commented.



And that was how Dorothy began to exchange conversations with the other pirates. She might not admit it but I knew that she was having fun talking with people she had never met before. She was asking questions about the life at the sea and I could see by the way her eyes lighted in curiosity that she also wanted to experience sailing on a pirate ship.



The dinner ended without the Skull showing up. I was starting to get worried but I just couldn't leave Dorothy alone. She was a complete outsider in this castle and I knew that she would need my company for the time being. Cecilia told me that she could sleep in the room where I stayed when I first got here – that meant that it wasn't my room anymore. My heart skipped a beat realizing that there was no other room assigned to me except for the chamber of the Kings and Queens of the Borgian Castle. I had to stay with the Skull unless I would ask for another room for myself.



"Will you stay with me for the night? This castle is really creeping me out. Every time I'm alone, it feels like someone is watching me. Maybe, they're keeping a hundred year old monster in the dungeon and let it out at night to have its meal."



Dorothy had already taken her place on one side of the bed leaving the rest empty for me. I smiled at her and walked towards the bed. It wasn't as soft and huge as the one in the Skull's chamber, but it was still as warm and comfortable as I remember.



"The scary man is quite handsome. Is he the one you're looking for during dinner?"



I was surprised at her question. Was I really that obvious? "No. And he isn't that scary," I lied.



She didn't believe me. She just shrugged her shoulders and lied on her side facing me. It was probably one of those rare times wherein I got so uncomfortable in front of a thirteen year old girl.



"But you think he's also handsome," she teased.



Maybe she wasn't really scared of the monster hidden in the dungeon. She just wanted to ask me these intriguing questions. I rolled my eyes at her and said, "He's good-looking! Everybody knows that."



"He also likes you," she added. And that caught me off-guard. We both had showed our feelings towards each other; we even shared a couple of kisses. He said that he wanted to be with me when all of it ends. But what if the ending would not be how we wanted it to be? What if we were just on our way to another chaos and complication?



"What's the matter, Primrose?" she asked when she noticed my silence.



"Nothing. It's just that I wonder if I'm strong enough to be with him. You know, he isn't an ordinary man. He had a lot of enemies and he might have more in the future. What if he doesn't see me fit to be with him? What if I'm too weak for him?"



She probably didn't understand my worries. But it felt better having someone listen to my burdens – even though she was too young to give a proper advice.



"I don't understand your fear. He has huge sentries of armies outside to fight his enemies. It's not like you have to lift a sword and protect him. I bet he's the one who will be saving you in the end. You're really not a warrior – you're a worrier."



I pouted my lips at her. She might not understand lots of grown-up stuff but she sure could come up with a nasty insult on things.



"However, I have to tell you that you're one of the strongest women I know. You gave me home when I had none; a comfortable bed when I had been sleeping on cold, hard ground all my life. You gave me a sister when I needed one and showed me that this world is not that harsh at all." Her face lighted up as she added, "You gave me books to read, and really that's the most important thing you've given me."



My heart warmed at her appreciation. How could a gratitude coming from a young girl felt so good? It felt so genuine. She probably didn't like what I did next but I just couldn't help but hug her. I've never had a sister and learning that she saw me as one made me so joyful.



"If you're worried about your mother, you must know that she's fine. Lady Amanda is taking care of her," she said and I nodded at her gratefully. I couldn't do much about our situation but knowing that she's alright was enough for me at the moment.



"After this war, I'm going to help you find your family," I muttered softly.



She looked up at me and I thought I saw tears at the corners of her eyes. She sniffed and pulled the blanket up to her neck like she suddenly needed its warmth.



"You probably wonder why I always go to the woods. I always go to the place where I lost them. I could tell that the days are bad and it's really getting darker and darker. I don't know if we'll still have a chance to find them. So before it all ends, I want to go to the woods again. Will you let me go to the woods?"



I was torn between letting her go and keeping her safe. Just like what she said, the days were getting darker and there was really no guarantee that the woods were still the same just like they were in the past. For all I knew they had probably rose just like the Borgian Kingdom with their branches swaying like arms, thirsty for revenge as they were the silent witness of how bloody and evil our history was. However, seeing the yearning in the girl's eyes made my heart tightened in its chest. That's why I came into a risky decision.



"I'll go with you," I stated.



She rose up in panic and protest. "Primrose, you don't have to go with me. You should stay here. I don't want to put you in danger."



"You're not going to put me in danger. I'll go with you and you can't change my mind. Tomorrow, before dusk during tea time, we'll sneak to the back gate of the castle. The guards are going to change their shift by then. We'll leave quietly and then go back before dinner."



"Let's just forget about it, Primrose. I don't really miss my family that bad –"



She was lying and so I cut her off and said, "It's alright. We'll soon find them."



She still seemed to be weary despite of my plan, so I tucked her loose hair behind her ear and smiled at her in assurance. That night, I slept comfortably beside her. She didn't get rid of my arms that were wrapped around her. She probably liked the warmth. When morning came, we decided to meet Aiden on the castle grounds.



As usual, the pirates and the castle soldiers were training. The number of people siding with the Borgian Kingdom was increasing in numbers. I could recognize by their clothes that they came from the different parts of the Mainland. I didn't know if the Skull had people assigned to recruit allies for I could see some of the castle's representatives arriving to meet the Borgian heir.



Dorothy and I were walking towards where Erasmus and Aiden were training. Aiden was teaching the other boy about how to properly shoot an arrow. We sat beside Owain while watching them. The cold first mate of the Obsidian didn't express whether he liked our presence or not. He only spoke with me when Dorothy decided to join the two boys.



"Aren't you going to train? How could you be so useless wherever you go?" he said nonchalantly.



"Hey!" I didn't know if he was serious or just teasing me but it somehow offended me. "That's a mean way to greet someone in the morning!"



"Tell me, Primrose. What is going to be your role in this war?" he asked.



"Well..." I didn't know how to tell him what I wanted to do. Would he understand? "Just like what you can see, I don't know how to fight."



He snorted like he was saying he already knew that for it was obvious. I glared at him and continued, "But I think I'm good with building the state and its people. I like peace – and right now, I'm interested in helping our people in medicine. I just can't wait for this to be over."



"So you're going to be one of those important people we're going to protect?" he asked.



"What?" I asked in confusion.



"What I mean is that you're going to be one of those people who will build this land again after the war. You're one of the flowers that will grow after the calamity."



"Oh, I don't think I have the right to be one of the rulers given the truth behind my bloodline. But I'm willing to help if it means that we would be achieving peace in the land."



He sighed loudly and then turned to me. "I don't care about your bloodline. If you're the one I need to protect in this war, then I will willingly go in every battle. I'll water this flower with my blood to grow."



I wasn't able to answer right away. He was far from the monster who wanted to kill me when I was sailing with the Obsidian. I was saved from the awkwardness when Aiden called my name. We watched him jogged towards us but before he could even take his place beside me, a huge black-booted foot stepped on it and pushed him lightly away from me.



"Where did you sleep last night?"



I looked up to the familiar baritone voice whose question was directed at me. It was still a wonder how my heart would go frenzied by just the sound of him. I stood up and Owain grunted on the ground to mock us.



"I slept with Dorothy. I thought Cecilia told you." Why did I sound so defensive?



He turned to Aiden and in a serious tone, he asked, "You came with the girl last night. You didn't sleep with them, did you?" Why did he sound so confronting?



"Oh, I slept with the pirates of the Obsidian. They welcomed me in their barracks." Aiden answered innocently.



I studied the Skull; there were dark circles around his eyes showing that he didn't get enough sleep from the other night. The message from Lord Chester must have burdened him.



"You look like shit, the Skull. Your night must have been so cold and lonely that you're looking for your woman first thing in the morning."



Owain's sarcastic comments didn't help at all for what it only did was to make the Skull's mood darkened. But instead of taunting Owain back, he turned his glare to Aiden and the poor boy paled knowing that the most dangerous creature in the sea had his eyes on him.



"I've heard that you've been with Lady Primrose in the East Castle for a long time. You didn't kiss anyone in there, did you?"



And that was the moment when I realized the reason behind his cold interrogation. And to my surprise and horror, Aiden's cheeks started to flush and looked down on his feet. I felt the Skull tensed as his knuckles clenched tightly on his side. He was about to step towards the poor boy when Aiden rose his head and his eyes turned to the direction of Dorothy.



I didn't know what to say at all. Owain laughed loudly from where he was sitting as he realized what the situation is. I wanted to stay and talked with the boy for they were both important to me. But first, I needed to deal with the silly king of the Borgian Kingdom.



I reached out and grabbed Threy's arm and pulled him back to the castle. He just stayed silent and let me lead him to the hallways. The servants we encountered gave way to us in amusement. Well, who wouldn't be intrigued if a woman was practically dragging an extremely powerful man to where she wanted him to be?



We stopped when we reached one of the balconies. He was tensed; he was probably realizing his childishness.

"Primrose..."

But before he could say anything, I pushed him to the railing. He was completely stunned by my action and before he realized what was about to happen, I had already grabbed him by his neck and pulled him into a kiss.



At first, I only intended for it to be a quick one; a kiss to smack some sense into him. However, he got out from the trance too quickly that before I could cut the kiss, he had already snaked his arms around my waist and deepened it. It was then my turn to get dizzy; to get lost in his warmth. I was craving for more when he decided to part our lips.



"You're going to be the death of me," he whispered.



"Hopefully, not. You still owe Aiden an apology for scaring the hell out of him," I answered softly.



"Sleep in the King's chamber tonight. I promise not to do anything. I just –" He turned his face away from me in embarrassment before meeting my eyes again. "I just can't sleep without you on my side. I don't know what you did to me but – just, please, Primrose."



I smiled at him and nodded. He didn't have to ask me again. "I will, if you're going to tell me what you're going to do with Lord Chester's letter; if you're going to share all the things that are bothering you."



He seemed to be thoughtful for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Just try not to seduce me. I don't think I can control myself if you're going to cast your spell on me just like what you did a moment ago."



I chuckled and said, "I'll try but I can't promise."



And by that time, I knew that I couldn't wait for the night to come.