A Kingdom of Bloodshed

*¬*Chapter Fourteen*¬*

Being back here makes me want to scream. Upon landing, Augustus made sure to hold me close to his body, nuzzling into my neck and whispering, "Welcome home my love" before letting me go so I could hurl. After wiping the vomit from my mouth, I turned to him and snapped, "So what now?"

"Now you will go to your room and wait for me to come get you. I have to break the news to my sibling soon, but I think I'm going to wait until he announces his winner."

"Are you going to tell him I'm here?" The slight note of hope in my voice gives me away. Augustus frowns but then shrugs his shoulders, "Perhaps. It will only drive him mad to know that you're here but not for him."

He suddenly looks delighted by the idea. Bastard. He's sick. He gets joy out of the suffering of others.

I suddenly find the idea of being mauled by a bear far more pleasant than being married to him. Augustus hums with amusement before striding towards the palace, the large imposing walls a reminder of the chaos I first believed to lay within on my first day here; I still stand by that assumption. Following, I enter the doors and pause just within the entryway, my heart suddenly skipping a few beats as old memories flood back. This is ridiculous, I wasn't here that long and yet somehow, this place has grown on me.

I've just taken a step towards the stairs when thundering footsteps come crashing towards me.

"Oh my god you're back!" Arrow crashes into me, her arms wrapping around my neck as she squeals into my throat. "I can't believe it! You're here. You're here!!"
I hug her back just as tightly before laughing into her neck and mumbling, "Yay, unfortunately. Though I am glad to see you. You're the one good thing about this place." Pulling away she bends down and grabs my bag then Arrow takes my hand and hauls me up the stairs. Rushing me towards my old room before shutting the door and locking it behind us.

"What are you doing back here?" She asks, her voice hushed and hurried. Blinking I stare at her and mumble, "Augustus brought me back. He told me that since I couldn't be Kazimir's bride he wanted me to be his. At first I disagreed with that proposal, but then he burned down one of my cities and killed a lot of my people. He gave me two days to decide and well here I am."

Arrow is speechless.

"He threatened you? Killed your people and then forced you to agree to be his bride?"

I nod. My chest feels far too heavy as if someone is sitting on it.

"Bloody hell Thea, what are you going to do?" I blink then throw my shoulders back and lift my chin, "I am going to do what is right for my people. I will accept his proposal when asked and do my duty."

The words come out strangled, harsh. As if I'd rather be doing anything but that. Arrow's eyes become deep with worry, small creases appearing on her perfect skin.

"Arrow, I'll be fine. Please don't worry."

"It's not so much you I'm worried about, I know you can handle your own. It's Kazimir I'm worried about. When he finds out when Augustus did, it'll be an all out war."

I frown, "Why?"

Arrow chews her lip, casts a look over her shoulder then whispers, "I was forced to not say anything, but I'm tired of being silent. When you were pushed out of here, it wasn't because of Kazimir. He didn't want you to go, he wanted you to stay. But Augustus and Tara created a plan to get rid of you. They saw you as competition and wanted to win. He would have chosen you, if you'd won. Kazimir wanted you."

I think I'm going to fall over. What is the world is going on?

"He did?"

"Yes. He wanted to pick you and after you left, he was a mess. You should have seen it Thea. He destroyed his room, he raged, he paced and went out into the garden; a room he hasn't entered since Beatrice died. He was unsettled and hurting. I even caught him leaving the Kingdom to go somewhere. I could only guess he went to visit you."