The Palace Beast

Moments Ago "My king, the healer is here." Said the guard.

"Send him in, there's no time." King Afa replied.

Seeing the healer walk into the throne hall, the king fixes his attention on him. "May your days be long, your highness," the healer said taking a low bow before the king.

"We need your help to get rid of the ghoul in Sax village, is there anything we need to know about the ghoul? While I was a child I have heard so much about ghouls," said King Afa.

"We need to know the type of ghoul we are dealing with, my king." Clearing his throat as he stood before the king, the healer continued in a refined voice. "Craving human flesh, ghouls are like many other monsters. But what distinguishes them from other legendary man-eaters is their inclination toward scavenged carrion. These horrifying animals will not refuse a live meal if it is offered, but the majority of what goes into their body is corpse food. They can burrow through the ground with their large claws, and they can tear through most coffins because to their increased power. Large, powerful jaws and frequently bestial teeth quickly consume bones to..."

"That's alright, I have heard enough," the king interrupted as he walks down his throne. "With all you have said so far, it means they might be more of them out there," the king added with his eyes fixed on the healer.

"That's right my king. We need to be prepared and know what we are walking into. We need to know what we are going to face out there and not just walk in there blind," the healer replied.

"You don't hear much about ghouls and we all need to know what they are capable of to help us defeat them or Maxis will all turn into a graveyard. In some tales, ghouls may exist as lone scavengers in death-haunted places or as members of crude, doglike packs. Largely ruled by their vile appetites, their social structure is generally limited to squabbling over grave spoils. Particularly powerful ghouls sometimes rise to positions of power over their own kind," the healer narrates. "We have no time to hear all this, we need to ride to Sax village now," the king yelled feeling restless. "Prepare the horses," he added pointing at the guards present.

"While they prepare the horses, I think you need to hear what I have to say, my king," said the healer as he slightly bowed before the king.

"As soon as the horses are ready, we are leaving. What you have to say, say it fast and let's go save lives," king Afa said in a refined voice.

"Thank you, my king," the healer said and then clears his throat to continue. "Stories about the ghoul were told to me all through my early years. The name gallu, which refers to an Akkadian demon in ancient Mesopotamian mythology, may actually be the source of the Arabic ghoul. The ghouls were filthy tricksters and rabid flesh-eaters, as the Arabics would put it. They assumed the appearance of stunning women in order to kidnap victims and entice amorous males toward their demise. Sometimes they even snuck into storerooms and munched on dates. Although ghouls were sometimes associated with scavenging hyenas and..."

"My king, the horses are ready," one of the guards said as he walks in.

The healers exchanged a quick glance, then reluctantly followed the king outside. As they mounted their horses, the healer continued his story, recounting in detail the creature that had invaded a village in Maxis. The king listened intently, his expression growing more and more grave with each passing moment. As they rode through the cobbled road, the healer's voice grew softer and softer until he finally fell silent.

The king turned to him, concern etched on his face. "What is it? What's wrong?"

The healer hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a hushed voice. "Your Majesty, I fear that this task may be beyond us with a few men."

The king's face paled. "What do you mean? We must do our best to control the situation!"

The healer bowed his head. "We will do our best, Your Majesty. But the truth is, we do not know how many of them are there. They might be two times our number or even more."

The king nodded, his expression grim. "Then I must send for more men but first we ride first. We cannot waste a moment."

Moments Later: At Sax Village "Guard the king," Gerald yelled as he draws out his sword.

The ghoul releases the healer from its grip and tosses the corpse to the feet of the king's horse. Its focus was switched to the king, bending to crawl towards the king; one of the guards threw his spear at the ghoul. Seeing the spear coming in its direction, the ghoul jumped back on the tree. Gerald quickly mounted down from his horse and makes his way to the tree.

"Stay away from the tree," the king cried out drawing out his sword.

Their nightmare became a reality as the guards stared down at the healer's corpse. "He is dead," one of the guards mumbled to himself with his eyes fixed on the healer.

The ghoul was still on the tree, gazing at its prey and calculating its next move. The sun has set before now and night is fast approaching. The king was lost and shocked. He stood away from the tree gazing through the leaves for a clear view of the ghoul.

"It's getting dark already, your highness, we need to enter the village and have shelter," Gerald said as he approaches the king.

The night is the best time ghouls feast on their victims without any interference from anyone or the sun. The king remembered all the healer had told him about the ghouls and how they prey on their victims. He doesn't want to lose sight of this particular ghoul and wants to put it down for good. Gazing through the leaves of the tree, he could not get a clear view of the ghoul but the ghoul can perfectly see them from the tree.

The tree was one of the healing trees that produce herbs for the entire kingdom. It's known as the tree of the spirits. Perhaps, that's a good reason for the ghoul to find shelter on the tree and plan for the next strike. The tree of the spirit is well blessed by nature with its greenish leaves that serve as a shelter for the birds of the air. It's hard for anyone to see what's on the tree without climbing the tree.

"My king, we need to find shelter inside the village before darkness meets us here with this creature," Gerald said drawing the attention of the king whose focus was trying to have a clear view of the ghoul.

"I don't want to lose sight of this creature," the king replied still gazing at the tree.

Adrian's Quarters The sun had set and the sky had turned into a beautiful shade of orange and pink. Adrian had just returned home from a long and tiring day, accompanied by his wife. As they stepped inside their cozy home, they were greeted with the sweet aroma of dinner that Adrian's wife had prepared earlier.

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They shared a quick peck on the lips before getting ready to sit down to eat. Earlier in the day, Adrian's mother had arrived to pick up their newborn baby, who was fast asleep in his crib. She had offered to spend some quality time with her grandson, knowing how busy Adrian and his wife were with royal duties and other commitments. Adrian's wife, who was also grateful for her mother-in-law's help, did not hesitate to hand over the baby and wave them goodbye. As they settled down for dinner, Adrian's wife couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for not spending more time with their baby. But she knew that with Adrian's mother taking care of him, their baby was in safe and loving hands. The couple enjoyed their meal, chatting about their day and making plans for the days ahead.

They had spent time together discussing their love lives at the tavern. Using his thumb and third finger, Adrian carefully undid each button on her gown before sliding his finger around her breasts. He examined her for a moment before caressing her breasts until her gown eventually fell open. Was he making fun of her? She could not have cared less if he was as he licked her nipples and then gently trailed his lips down her stomach. After taking off her panties, Adrian planted a kiss slightly above her pubic bone and inserted two fingers into her. She moved into his hands, and then abruptly he stopped, pulling his fingers out as if he had second thoughts about the whole thing. As she supported herself with her elbows, she examined what had occurred.

She took his pants off. He had on no underwear. She zipped up her gown after Adrian entered her and she wrapped herself around him while he made love to her, but he reached out and grabbed her by the gown. He said to her in a whisper, "Stay with me." He was kissing her ear. Kissed her on the nape. He had whispered, "I won't leave," as he had taken off her garment a second time.

She sighed, pressing frantically against his fingers, "Just touch me." He was unable to keep them waiting any longer. He lowered his middle finger slowly and ran it over her folds. She flung back her head. "Oh, indeed. Proceed with caution." Once more, he performed the action, placing his fingertip between her tears and collecting them. Using two fingers, he divided her and felt for her clit, massaging it in little circles. She was lost as she let out a cry against his lips. He was giving her another kiss and covering her head with the long gown. He started to caress her with his firm yet tender hands, lips, and tongue. Kind. Not horrifying. being aware of his actions. Her nipples started to swell.

Putting his mouth close to her ear, Adrian started whispering to her, "I'll run my fingers down the length of your thighs where they meet at the knees. Then, I'll release your hold on them, allowing them to fall slightly apart. As my hands begin to rise inside them, my fingers spread wide, causing them to get farther apart. Finally, I'll lift your knees and loop them over the armchair's arms, leaving you wide open for me, and..."

He couldn't say more when she cuts in sharply interrupting the fun, "And yet you chose to bed the Queen of Uzex."

Adrian's expression conveyed shock as he looked straight down into her eyes.

She could feel Adrian's eyes fixed on her and when she finally met his gaze, she saw a look of surprise and disbelief. His eyebrows were raised and his mouth was slightly open, as if he was struggling to find the right words. As their eyes locked, she felt a jolt of nervous energy run through her body, wondering what could have caused such actions from him.