Love and Revolt

Chapter 22 - Rage and malice

Prince Alexander paced back and forth in his lavish guest quarters, his mind racing with anger and frustration. The guards he had sent to capture Queen Sofia had failed, and he was left with the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth.

As the guards stumbled in, apologizing for their failure, Alexander's rage boiled over. He picked up a nearby vase and hurled it across the room, shattering it into a thousand pieces.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the opulent room. "How could you let her escape?"

The guards cowered before him, their eyes downcast in shame.

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness," one of them stammered. "We did everything we could."

Alexander sneered at them, his eyes blazing with fury. "Clearly, you didn't do enough," he spat. "Now get out of my sight."

As the guards scurried out of the room, Alexander slumped down onto a nearby couch, his head in his hands. He knew he had to do something - he couldn't let Queen Sofia and her band of rebels disrupt his plans for Eldriador.

Prince Alexander's frustration boiled over and he needed an outlet for his anger. He called for his servant, Robert, and when the young man arrived, the prince's fury was evident in the way he glared at him.

"Robert, I need to release a little bit of steam. You know what that means, right?" he barked, his voice laced with anger.

Robert, understanding his master's desires, nodded silently and got down on all fours in front of the prince. Alexander began to kick him around like a ball, his boots making contact with Robert's flesh with a sickening thud.

The servant grunted with each blow, but he knew better than to fight back. He was the prince's property, and he had learned long ago that his body belonged to Alexander to do with as he pleased.

Finally, Prince Alexander took a seat on a nearby chair, and Robert scurried over to be his footrest. The prince leaned back in his chair, his face twisted in a scowl.

"Those guards are fools," he muttered to himself, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. "I trusted them to capture Sofia, and they failed me."

He turned to Robert, who was still on all fours at his feet, and lifted his chin up with a finger.

"What do you think I should do, Robert?" he asked, his voice seething with anger.

Robert hesitated for a moment before speaking, knowing the danger that came with giving the wrong answer.

"Use the king," he suggested, his voice barely above a whisper. "Paint Quinn and Sofia as traitors. It will be easy to convince him."

Prince Alexander's eyes lit up at the idea. "That's brilliant," he said, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "You're a smart one, Robert."

He stood up and walked over to the young man, who was still on all fours. He lifted Robert's chin up again, this time with two fingers, and looked deeply into his eyes.

"You're more than just a servant to me, Robert," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You're my confidant, my advisor, and my plaything. Don't forget that."

With that, he leaned in and kissed Robert on the cheek, leaving the young man with a look of euphoric bliss on his face. Alexander turned and left the room, his mind already working on how he would use the king to turn the people of Eldriador against Quinn and Sofia.

As Alexander left the guest quarters, his mind was already preoccupied with his plan. He strode confidently down the hallways of the palace, passing by ornate tapestries and priceless paintings, his mind racing with possibilities. Eventually, he made his way to the meeting room, where King Scott was waiting for him.

The meeting room was dimly lit, with tall windows letting in just enough light to make out the grandiose decor. King Scott sat at the head of a long wooden table, his brow furrowed with concern. Prince Alexander sat across from him, his expression carefully neutral.

"We must find Queen Sofia and Princess Quinn immediately," King Scott said, his voice strained with worry.

Prince Alexander nodded in agreement. "I completely understand, your Majesty. However, we must consider the possibility that they are being manipulated by someone in Thalassia."

King Scott's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible. Thalassia may be Eldriador's most impoverished prefecture but that is all it is."

Prince Alexander leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "But can we really be sure, Your Majesty? Princess Quinn was always a family-oriented and well-mannered girl, until she became fixated on Thalassia."

King Scott's expression turned thoughtful as he considered the prince's words. Just then, the door creaked open and a group of servants entered the room, carrying platters of food.

Prince Alexander gestured for them to set the food down on the table, offering some snacks in this time of stress. King Scott obligingly began to eat, his mind still preoccupied with the fate of his wife and daughter.

The suggestion hung in the air, the tension in the room palpable. King Scott furrowed his brow, considering Alexander's proposal carefully. He knew that offering a ransom would be seen as a sign of weakness, and it could encourage further attacks against the royal family.

But at the same time, he couldn't bear the thought of his wife and daughter being in danger, alone and afraid. He sighed heavily, the weight of responsibility bearing down on him.

After a moment of contemplation, King Scott finally spoke up. "You're right. We need to do everything in our power to find them and bring them back safely. I'll start making the necessary arrangements."

With that, King Scott stood up from the table and headed for the door, his mind already racing with plans and strategies. As he left the room, Prince Alexander's sly grin slowly transformed into a manic laugh.

He threw his head back, his eyes gleaming with a malicious glint. This was his chance - his opportunity to seize control of Eldriador once and for all. He would use the search for Queen Sofia and Princess Quinn to his advantage and paint them as traitors to the throne.