The Fall of Vequera

Chapter sixty | Valia

LOCATION: ARCADIOS, VEQUERA

YEAR: 622 C.E

"I WANT YOU TO KILL ME."

The high lady watched as her brother walked into the dungeon. His eyes narrowed as he glanced over at her. It had been days since she had been thrown into the cell and her body ached. But she did not want to die and if she had played his game correctly, he wouldn't want her to either. To add more effect to her performance, tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded with him. He hadn't noticed that her chains were gone and neither did the knight standing behind him.

The body of Ser Samuel had been disposed of, but they had left the chunks of flesh from the other knight in front of her cell. The smell had carried through the entire dungeon. Nikolai stepped over the flesh with a look of disgust as the keys in his hands jangled. His warmth was hard to ignore when he entered her cell. The urge to just call to the flame, so she could burst his head, was overwhelming. Merlal flashed into her mind as the she-dragon flew over Arcadios. The dragon was waiting for her. "Why?" The King asked with an odd look of his face like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. She could see it in his eyes as they searched her mismatched ones.

Valia forced herself not to responded as her eyes caught the sight of his dagger. The same dagger that brought her so much pain. Her eyes flicked from his dagger to the knight behind him. The knight kept her distance from Valia's cell. She was afraid of Valia. The word of killing every knight that entered the dungeon must've spread fast. The knight's heart was beating rapidly as her eyes widened when she noticed Valia looking at her. Nikolai kicked her foot, trying to get her to look at him but she looked anywhere but him. "Why do you want me to kill you?" He walked closer into the cell and the door shut behind him. The tears she had shed came to a sharp halt and her features fell vacant and expressionless.

Nikolai was the first to notice the shift. Valia called to Merlal. The high lady had been saving her strength for the last few days, even she did not touch the food that was served to her except for the bread. She could see his temper rising as she wiped away her tears. Her hand pressed against the cold floor as she lifted herself from it. With the same hand, she placed it on the wall. The flame was still dim and faint but she could still reach for it. As she pressed into the flame, she called out to Merlal. The dragon flew away from Arcadios.

"When will you kill me?" She asked calmly.

Nikolai blinked at her as the keys tightened in his hand. "You don't want to kill me, do you?" She narrowed her eyes at Nikolai. She hissed as she clenched her stomach. A bruise had started to form. Nikolai had beat her the day before for killing the knight he had sent to watch over her.

"You shouldn't be alive. The throne is mine and I will not let you take it from me."

He hadn't answered her question and she rolled her eyes. She checked Mary's pulse and it was faint but steady. She had grew into the habit in checking. The pain of not be able to comfort or even talk to her friend annoyed her. Even more than annoyance, it was anger. Valia turned to the King of Vequera. "Answer the question, Nikolai. Are you going to kill me?" She had stepped forward, ignoring the warnings from her body.

"It is King Nikolai and I am...I will kill you." Nikolai grumbled out as he unsheathed his dagger and the blade glared in her face. There were cries in the distance but it took a second to realize they were her cries. The flame crackled inside of her as her temper slithered through her. Enzo had angered when she was training with Koa many times and she had fought him for it. She wouldn't take disrespect then, so she would not take it now. Nikolai was wrong and he knew it. The throne was rightfully hers by birthright and by the way of the dragons. They accepted her not him. His heartbeat rose slightly.