Intertwined: love, fire and sacrifice

15. Being There

Laius

And yet again I did something else, I knew I should. I went to free that bloody wizard messenger. As they say, hate the message, but don’t shoot the messenger. I was aware that Sugar wouldn’t like that one of her species was being held in a Dungeon in Hell by her mate. She wouldn’t like it at all. My Sweets isn’t fond of torture or violent methods, especially against innocents, as said wizard is. Damn annoying, but innocent.

I opened his cell. It was reeking of blood and burned flash. I looked at the chained and battered man in front of me.

“Will y-y-you k-kill me, King?” he asked stuttering and looking down. Avalon should recruit envoys that have gut. This one was completely shabby.

With a wave of my hand, the chains that held him vanished into ashes. The man flashed me a frightened look and cowered back and away from me. I exhaled sharply and threw I closed vial to the wizard.

“Drink it, it will help to heal your wounds fast. As soon as you are fully recovered, I will send someone to take you back to your Realm.” I said dryly.

The Wizard glared at me astonished, as if he couldn’t believe my words. I couldn’t believe them either.  His eyes were so widely open, that they looked as if they could just pop out of his bruised face at any moment. 

“Thank you!! Thank you ´Oh Great King!!” He motions to kiss my feet. How dramatic!

“Don’t! Don’t make me change my mind. Drink the f*****g elixir now!” I said impatiently.

The man took the vial in his shaking hands and emptied its content down his throat. I exhaled sharply again. That was the first time I freed a prisoner. I left the cell and closed the door behind me.

I gazed at the chef-guard and ordered. “Keep him well-fed and clean. Ask Doctor Frank to tend to his wounds. When he is well and can stand on his legs, give him a forgetting potion and take him to his Realm. Do it fast and efficiently. No mistakes and no pranks. I don’t want this Wizard harmed.” I could feel a small glimpse of red shinning in my eyes.

“Yes, your Majesty.” The guard bowed down.

“After everything is solved, hand me your report.” I added and left the dungeon. I was stressed and annoyed, all I wanted was to find relieve and release in my sweet female’s arms.

……

Elric

I’ve been in a great internal conflict since my last talk with Avalon, questioning myself as a King, as a person, as a Peace Ambassador and as a mate. As Liv’s mate.

All I did in the last couple of centuries had a sole objective: achieve peace and balance among the Realms, fulfil the task the Goddess entrusted me with. I would without hesitation sacrifice myself to accomplish this purpose, but I couldn’t sacrifice her.

I know Laius wouldn’t physically harm her, but I am quite sure he would play with her mind like it was a strategy game. She might be being manipulated by Laius, having her free will and what makes her what she is, her fierce spirit and light, restrained. She might be suffering. That I can’t let happen.  

I need to have her in my arms, to make sure she is fine, free and happy.

My love for Liv is greater than my commitment with the Goddess as her ambassador. I could try fixing it later, rebuilding the peace, but now what matters the most is my precious female, to have her back. 

I went to talk to Avalon; I knew he had his troops ready or almost ready and was planning to rip the gates of Hell any moment now.

“We should try to negotiate with Laius at first, see if there is a way of doing this without a battle and probably a long war.” I said.

Avalon let out a humourless chuckle, “I knew well that you would say so. I’ve already sent him a messenger delivering such a negotiation proposal, one could say, days ago. My messenger hasn’t ever come back. I took it as a sign of Laius’, already expected, unwillingness to cooperate.” I could hear sarcasm bittering his last sentence as he looked at me in his arrogant manner. Avalon knows well how to be insufferable.

I knew what I should do.

“Avalon, I will join you. I’ve already started gathering my troops. We will bring her back.” I uttered.

“These are great news; I knew you would come to your senses.” He said with a smirk. “We have to gather all reinforcements we can, Laius’ army is very vast and well trained. We can’t risk losing it, losing her.” As he said these last words his smug expression was replaced by a pained one.

He was in pain, as I was.

“Taking that you already have a cooperation with him, you should ask the Fae King for help. For sure Laius had the Vampire King sending him some troops. We shall also ask for Alpha Richard’s help. When he gets to know that the vampires are there, sided with Laius, he will side with us, due to his feud with the Vampire King.” Avalon added.

That was indeed a smart strategy to convince Alpha Richard to help us.

We will have a full-fledged battle involving all the Realms, the war will start again, and the Peace Treaty will go to waste. The peace that I fought for centuries to achieve will be once more only a utopia.

But Livia is more important than peace, than any mission and even the Goddess for me. I know I am being selfish and asking my people to sacrifice a lot, involving other species in it.

How many will fall for the love of a woman? A woman that is supposed to bring peace among the species.

It pains me to think about it. However, having her safe and well, free from Laius’ manipulation, and by my side is more important than what has been my life’s mission.

That makes me a bad King. Nevertheless, I need my Queen, also to be a better King, and my people need her as well. Additionally, I’ll do everything to reduce any causalities and the damage. I won’t command any solder to come with us, only those willing voluntarily to rescue their Queen-to-be shall come.

“I agree with you. But we should try and avoid escalating the conflict and open up old war-wounds. We should have the Fae King and Alpha Richard’s troops only as a backup. Thus, if we attack in a line formation, they would be in the very last lines and only join the battle if we need their support.”

Avalon’s expression tensed up again, he rubbed his chin in a contemplative manner and exhaled sharply, “Fine.” Resignation could be heard in the undertone of his voice.

“We could use the support of Fae healers to minimise any impact as well.” I added. There is so long that I don’t engage or plan a battle for not merely defence proposes. 

“Sure, that would give us an advantage. My troops shall be ready later today. We only need to contact the others, assemble all the troops and strategise the attack. Knowing Laius, he will be very well prepared, so we can’t count with the element of surprise.” He looked away for a moment, then stared back at me, “Has she communicated with you lately?”

“No, she didn’t. Her side of the bond is entirely closed.” I answered. He probably could see that my expression mirrored his own. We were both very unsettled, restless and looked as we haven’t had enough sleep, if any, for weeks.

…

I mind linked Maximus, asking him to gather my troops and prepare them for battle.

“Are you sure you want to do it? I need to ask you. You took an oath with the Goddess.” Maximus asked through our mind link.

I appreciated his concern. I have him as my second in command because he never hesitates before questioning my plans and ideas, giving his honest and straightforward opinion, making me rethink and reflect further, instead of someone who would simply agree with all my plans and follow orders without saying anything. Good leaders must be always kept in check by their teams of trustworthy people and themselves.

“I’m not doing it only because I want her back with me. Laius might be manipulating her, violating the freedom of her mind and her will, therefore, hurting her. I can’t let that happen.” I replied.

“I agree with you. You are right, we have to rescue her. But maybe you, yourself, don’t need to go. For the sake of your peace of mind and your oath and mission.”

“I must be there for her.” I said.

Maybe it should be obvious enough, but apparently it isn’t. Part of loving someone is being there.

……………

Medeia

I was in my working room, finishing some ‘Lust and Stamina Concoctions’, I need more potent s****l partners. Thus, I’ll give them a little liquid help. It’s the only way to guarantee performance. I also need to prepare more tea for Livia, even though the girl is as stubborn as a Centaurus and insists in having coffee!

I added a droplet of the Ennui Potion to the calming concoction. I can’t deal with the full extent of her energy, hence the calming concoction. The Ennui Potion is to compel her to not think about the Wizard and the Elf Kings, to not be able to reach for them. I just could give her a droplet of it, I couldn’t risk Laius noticing it. Noticing that I was play a bit with his female’s mind.

My working room could be better called a potion laboratory. It’s where I practice my craft, make my spells and cook my concoctions. It’s a large room and the walls and the few pieces of furniture here follow the same gothic style as the rest of the castle. The room is only furnished with 2 tables, some shelves, and a couple of wood chairs. Which is quite convenient, since this room has already been burned to ashes many times.

That’s what happens when your boss has a temper.

The main features of the space are the massive wood stove, an iron oven and the numerous shelves filled with ancient books, tubes and flasks containing many potion’s ingredients, as plants, rocks, poisons, scents and the blood of many different supernatural species and animals. 

Suddenly, I felt a hot shiver going down my spine.

The King was approaching this working room. The walls vibrated slightly with his mighty presence. In the next second, he was already here. I looked at him, avoiding holding his glare for more than a second.

“What did you find?” King Laius asked, his voice laced with impatience.

“I’ve consulted a Fae elder, a pixie, a vampire seer and a healer. They all said the same, there is no other way my King.” I answered looking down, afraid of the outburst of his rage. I knew would soon come.

The truth is, if he would be any other King, I wouldn’t even bother. I’ve faced, created and destroyed Kings in my times as a living soul in the Human Realm. But he is THE King. The Olympian King. The King of Hell.

The temperature in the room raised more than few degrees. Laius was fuming, smoke leaving his body and fire decorating the walls of my lab, consuming everything in the way in its unfindable hunger. 

“That is the wrong answer!” the now red-eyed Kind of Hell growled.

I swallowed hard, afraid to be sent to the pools of Hellfire. “I looked in the Gods books, their scriptures… there is no other way.” I uttered still gazing at the floor.

Laius closed the door of my lab with a burst.

I breathed in and out.

I was relieved. My King is growing more balanced. His excessive temper and rage are contained, and I know that is due to his mate. Livia. Before he has found his female, he wouldn’t ever let a ‘failure’ like this one go unpunished. Even if he had asked me the impossible, it wouldn’t matter. I would be severely chastised, if I couldn’t deliver it with whipped cream on top.

The general penalties here in Hell vary between the mild one: physical torture in a dungeon; the medium one impalement or dismemberment repeated times; to the worst one: be sent to the pools of Hellfire.