Barbaric

Chapter One

This book is part 3 of the Frost Series! Read Frost first!

I never wanted to be king. There was just too many responsibilities that came with such a title that it was admittedly difficult to handle on some days. As a king, I was responsible for the lives of my people, and whenever something went wrong, whether big, or small...it was always somehow my fault. As if I could ever control what went on in my people's lives. And it didn't help that most other planets believed my people to be barbaric, thanks to our mostly simplistic lifestyle. They believed that, just because my kind rather hunt for food than farm it, we were a violent species that needed to either be put on a leash, or be put down entirely. Which I couldn't understand, I mean, we were never violent towards other species, and sure, some of us were...harsher to our own, but that was just how we lived.

But of course, whenever we were threatened by someone jealous of our simplistic life, it was up to me to make sure we came out on top.

Which was why I had agreed to marry King Elphes' daughter in the first place. They were a military based planet with weaponized technology that far surpassed our own...so of course I had said yes. Who wouldn't have? Hell, with that kind of firepower at my disposal, perhaps no one would be stupid enough to attack us. And perhaps for the first time in many millennia...my people could live without fear.

But...there was just one problem to that. A problem that could rip away our only chance of finally experiencing peace. And that problem...was me.

Now, why would I be the obstacle in front of Naraka's bright, warless future? I was the one who was meant to look after these people, make sure my decisions were for the betterment of them. So why would I want to jeopardize their...no...our future? The answer was actually rather simple, and admittedly embarrassing.

I was in love...but it wasn't with King Elphes' daughter.

Now let me start from the beginning.

It may come as a surprise, but I was...and still am, a mentally fragile person mentally. As a child, I would cry when I couldn't figure something out, or clam up in the worst situations, especially when I was put under pressure. My anxiety pretty much ruled my entire life and it was incredibly hard to control on most days. However, when my Father died, I had to learn how to gain control of that side of myself, as Mother always saw such emotions as a weakness. And whenever that dam shattered, she was always there to beat it out of me.

"You are to one day rule over Naraka," she told me time, and time again, "Kings are not weak. They are warriors."

I hid my feelings away and pretended things didn't hurt me, even though deep down it was like a blade piercing my heart. After all...I was a warrior, right? And warriors weren't weak. Yet when Asurah had rejected me...that dam was shattered and I was reverted back to that fragile child who was afraid of the big bad universe around him. Honestly...I loved Asurah. I mean, who wouldn't? He was gorgeous, witty, and cared very deeply about his people. He had been my first crush, the first person I ever fell in love with...he meant everything to me. But of course I had to screw that up by acting like a complete and utter jerk. It was no wonder he turned me down. Hell, I would have turned me down too.

So I was pretty much mentally broken, and vulnerable, and honestly I wasn't even going to go to his little celebration thing his people threw every year. But it seemed like I was a masochist when it came to my emotions, and I went anyway, a tiny part of me hoping that Asurah had changed his mind and wanted to be with me.