Queen of Blood

Michaela’s voice resonated throughout the walls of the House of the Order in complaint, as she followed Lara who was trying to get away from her anger. “Aidan wants to kill her, she is going insane inside that castle,” reality was Michaela was the one going insane without seeing or training Arline. She needed and wanted her best friend.

“Michaela,” Lara reprimanded her at the accusation thrown at the Frontlord. “I hate Arline is away from us as much as you do, but Merrick wants her by his side at all times, more so now.”

“I know, Lara but… she needs to train, to keep her mind out of the execution to come,” Michaela fought back.

“Go back to train Huntress,” Lara ordered her and she obeyed her superior with her blood boiling in anger.

The different representatives from the kingdoms began arriving the day before and hadn’t stop looking for Arline, asking her questions about everything. And Arline couldn’t handle it anymore. Merrick was the only reason why they kept a distance with her.

But despite it being Merrick’s order, Lara headed to the War Room to chat with the General of the Army. The Head of the Order was entirely against Arline’s lockdown in the castle just like Michaela. She knew how much Arline needed and wanted training but Merrick said he wanted her calm before the execution.

Both guards standing before the heavy doors allowed her inside the room and she began walking down the hall. Once in front of the King she bowed her head.

“What have you come for, dear Lara?” Merrick gently asked his friend. The King also hid from every representative that came as a guest in the castle. He left them with Aidan who had a talent to deal with nosy people.

“I want Arline to train,” she threw her request on his face.

“You know my position,” was all he had to say.

“Please Merrick, her power must be consuming her and the spirit must be driving her insane,” Lara tried reasoning with him.

He stayed silent, and cursed himself in his mind. Lara knew exactly what was happening to Arline. He had tried his best to keep her out of pain and did well for a bit. But the beheading of Merlina and Larsin was only a few days away. Meaning the spirit made Arline to be in pain, angry and turned her into a blood lusted being.

“Merrick,” Lara almost threw the table on his head as he considered the idea. “If the spirit doesn’t kill her, the isolation most likely will.”

The King made her follow him to the castle to meet with her Huntress. He knew where to search for her, not doubting his steps as they headed him to the library. And just like he expected, Arline was sitting in the highest point of it. Not reading and only staring through the window with a lost look on her eyes.

“You are early,” she mentioned without turning her head as Merrick went by her side, squatting to her level and kissed her lips softly. “Hello Lara,” Arline said laying her head on the wall.

“Hello Arline,” Lara softly greeted her weak friend. “Do you want to get out?”

Arline’s eyes stared at her and without hesitation she got up from her sitting spot with a grunt escaping her throat. “Really?” She said with the bobbing of her throat and Lara hugged her friend tightly.

Both Huntresses left the castle, Arline walking with a quicker pace than expected and Lara led the way to the training grounds. There, she instantly picked a sword and began training until her body ran out of energy.

Margaret, Lila’s sister, sat next to her in silence. For a moment, Arline believed she was going to curse her out, try to kill her. But the young girl only hugged her by her neck, seeking comfort on someone she viewed as an older sister and began sobbing. That broke Arline but she hugged her back and caressed her hair, the same way Merrick did with her whenever she felt sad and distressed.

“I didn’t have the chance to say sorry, Margaret,” Arline saidchoking up tears in the back of her throat after Margaret broke the hug. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“Lila admired you deeply for your pure heart and beauty,” Margaret began saying. “But I admire you for your spirit in battle. I only request you to avenge my sister, Arline,” she said holding the Heir’s hands. Then the young Huntress broke down on Arline’s shoulder.

“I will,” Arline’s tone showed determination as she whispered those words. It was a promise. She held the youngest member of the Order for a few minutes closer to her.

They emended a relationship that had never been broken. In fact, they hardened the bond between them as they spent the entire evening training together. Arline taught her bow and arrow and Margaret helped Arline perfect some moves with the sword.

When the sun began setting and the soldiers began leaving the grounds, an escort of guards came to pick her up and guide her to the War Room, where Merrick was waiting for her.

“Hello my love,” he greeted her, focusing on her presence entirely. Trying to catch something out of place. She looked exhausted, in pain. But even in that state, her beauty shone through the chaos that tried to own her. ”How is the pain?” He asked her and made her sit on his lap.

“I didn’t feel it as much this time,” she confessed wrapping her arms around Merrick’s neck with a smile, and very carefully kissed the skin of his jawline.

“What are you trying to convince me to do, my love?” Merrick smirked at the attempt she made to ease his mind and lure him into her wishes.

“Let me train tonight,” the Heir whispered in his ear gently, her breathing brushing the skin on his earlobe. She sounded like a mermaid singing to a sailor.

“You may be able to hypnotize normal men, but I have as much power as you, Arline,” Merrick enjoyed her cheekiness and that she seemed to be herself despite everything she was going through.

“Do not overprotect me,” Arline said in a hard tone. “I need it, more so now. The execution will be in two days and I need to-”

Merrick interrupted her. “You do not need to train until you pass out,” he needed her to stop, to take a deep breath and try to clear her mind. He wanted her to think about her well-being for once.

Arline rolled her eyes and moved away from him, laying her frame on the front edge of his desk. Merrick looked at her with admiration and love and got up. Standing in front of her, he caged her in between his arms to prevent her from escaping.

“When I fight Pelagius, what will you do?” She asked him with a cold gaze and indifferent tone. “Will you let me fight or will you interfere?”

“You choose who you fight,” Merrick answered back almost instantly with his serious tone, characteristic of him. “But if I can prevent you from damaging yourself, I will.”

They stared into each other’s eyes. Held their gazes in between the darkness of both souls. And Arline’s anger and pain dissipated, allowing love to fill her body and thoughts. “I love you,” she said. “I don’t say it as much as I should.”

The grip of one of his arms was the only thing it took to lift her by the waist and place her on his desk. Butterflies slapped her stomach and made her blush in a second. The pink tint on her cheeks made Merrick’s heart jump and he instinctively kissed her.

Not gently.

It was a reminder that they belonged to each other and no one else.

“I love you. And I don’t need you to say it, my love. Your heart gives you away,” Merrick smiled at her and her expression as she realized he heard every bit of her existence.

“Can we be away from the castle tonight? Only for a few hours, just us,” Arline begged him because that castle had been filled with too many royal members. And she was tired of being interrogated or hiding.

“Your wish is my command,” he said and quickly they sneaked through the doors straight in to the woods, where they used to practice their powers.

The night in front of the lake was peaceful. The stars that decorated the dome glistened. Both of them were sitting on the shore, in silence while he hugged her. Arline enjoyed the little moments of privacy they got and his presence was more soothing than she had expected to be.

She was oddly calm considering the recent events and the ones to come. Merrick hugged her tightly, smelling the pine scent on her hair and kissing her neck. “How can you handle the constant questioning?” The Heir asked him while she lay on his chest and he scuffed.

“I have been questioned my entire life, my love. It comes a point in which you turn it in your favor and begin annoying everybody else,” she turned around at his statement and positioned herself on top of him. Merrick pulled her closer, admiring her beauty and looking into her mind, sensing her worries. “Ruang Sak will not be near you, I made sure of it.”

“I want you near me, Merrick,” Arline’s voice sounded broken as she spoke. The Heir was tired of fighting. Both her ghosts at night and her sisters during the day.

“I will always be near you, Arline,” no hesitation in those words.

The King got up from his sitting spot and offered his hand to the Heir of Depths, inviting her on a dance over the lake. In a few seconds, the two of them found themselves dancing and laughing while the minutes passed and the execution got closer.