Court of Conquest

Chapter 15

The dim candlelight flickered in the room, casting dancing shadows on the walls as I sat next to him. The remnants of illness lingered within me, but a newfound curiosity burned brighter. I motioned for him to speak, letting the silence settle between us.

His gaze met mine, revealing a depth of pain that mirrored my own vulnerability. He began to recount his tale, the words heavy with the weight of past sorrows. As he spoke, I listened, absorbing the fragments of his shattered childhood, the scars that shaped him into the enigmatic figure before me.

"I never wanted sympathy," he confessed, his voice a haunting melody. "But you asked, and I owe you honesty."

His story unfolded like a tragic novel, a narrative etched in the cruel hands of fate. I couldn't fathom the cruelty he endured as a child, the brutality that sculpted him into the formidable man known as Malachi the Conqueror.

I interrupted the somber narrative, my empathy flowing freely. "I am sorry that happened to you. No child deserves that."

His eyes softened, gratitude flickering within their depths. Yet, the mystery remained—the transformation from a broken soul to a conqueror. I couldn't ignore the puzzle pieces scattered before me, begging to be arranged.

"But I still don't understand how you ended up as Malachi the Conqueror," I pressed, my need for answers bubbling to the surface. I needed to comprehend the man behind the facade, the complexities that forged him into a force to be reckoned with.

He leaned back, his expression shifting as he revisited the shadows of his past. The room seemed to echo with the weight of unspoken truths. "Survival demands strength. The world forced me to become a conqueror, and I embraced it to protect what mattered most."

My mind whirred with newfound understanding, but more questions lingered. Doubts from my family, the specter of a fatal act—these obstacles loomed large. I had pledged to marry him, and now, I must unearth the depths of his character to discern if my promise could endure.

Last night's desire to escape him had given way to a determination to comprehend, to stand by his side. Only by unraveling the layers of his past could I hope to shield my family and find the strength to honor my commitment.

His words hung in the air, a heavy silence settling between us. His big sigh seemed to release the weight of countless memories, each one etched with the struggles of a tumultuous past. The flickering candlelight cast shadows on his face, emphasizing the gravity of his revelations.

"I learned a lot from the Stonehearth tribe. They became my family," he began, his eyes distant, revisiting the sanctuary of his youth. "That is also where I met Torin and many of my most loyal men."

As he continued, the narrative unfolded like a tapestry of conquests and alliances, woven with threads of loyalty and camaraderie. By the age of 16, he had risen as a leader within his tribe, a prodigy in the art of diplomacy and conflict resolution.

"I grew into somewhat of a leader in my tribe. By the age of 16, I had addressed conflicts between the various tribes of Frosthelm and united us as one," he confessed, the weight of responsibility evident in his eyes. "That is when I began to realize my potential. I used my skills and cunning to stop the bloodshed between brethren."

His achievements were staggering, especially considering his youth. I couldn't help but be stunned by the power he commanded and the wisdom he wielded at such an early age. The tale unfolded like a saga, each chapter revealing a layer of his character, a journey from the ashes of his past to the pinnacle of leadership.

"I wasn't yet satisfied," he admitted, a flicker of determination in his gaze. "I remembered the shambles I saw the common people in around Aetheria, and I had to act. I built up my supporters from warriors and mercenaries that wanted a change, wanted more from life. The common people rallied around me as we started in Hydris, where the wealthy treat the common like dirt."