Alexandria: The Lost Princess

Chapter 9 - Part 4

My eyes blur from the endless rain of tears, and I gulp down more of the liquid. I just don't want to remember tonight, I can sleep with this crap. My throat tightens as I try to swallow.

"What did you do?" Wilfrids voice roars from down the hall.

The liquid stalling in my mouth, I spit it out, my whole body rejects the drink with a hatred.

"What needed to be done," Kalen replies coldly.

Anger rises inside me, and my body convulses. The splatters of spit seep into the wood divots along the floor before my bed. My hands tremble against the mug, tremors ripple inside the mug, and I squeeze my eyes shut willing his voice to disappear. 

"She's sleeping a lot today," Wilfrid snaps, his angry growl trailing through the hall as if they were right out front of the door.

"To be expected," Kalen's dismisses.

My anger that I have been clenching back releases with a fling of the mug. It smashes against the wall, glass splinters across the floor, setting a deadly trap before the door. The tea spills all over. Glaring at the droplets trailing down to the puddle of glass and tea, my chest heaves with hatred towards the liquid and Kalen.

"You drugged her like Anne." The hiss in Wilfrid's voice doesn't express realization but rather an apparent knowledge that he is now confronting his general accusingly of.

This wasn't their first experience with sleeping tonics. Wilfrid's sister suffered night terrors the same as I. Had they really treated her so poorly, their own family?

"I did, she's a wild card. Wilfrid, she needs sedation."

The only woman free from the scrutiny of General Kalen is his beloved sister. A powerful commander herself, Cecile has this monster wrapped around her finger. Tamed in her eyes, this man is still a monster with power. A monster I had trusted.

"Don't lie to me! If she had been wild, she would be restrained! You're afraid," Wilfrid challenges Kalen.

A loud crash fills the silence, and a loud groan falls in its wake. My door rattles in distress under the scuffle in the hall. The stomping of boots echo in approach, like a boar they charge up the stairs having enough of the argument.

"What the hell, Kalen!" Marcus booms.

"Let go of him!" Arthur snaps.

Wilfrid gasps in an attempt to catch his breath. "He is sedating her!" Wilfrid's hoarse voice cries out in a choke. Poor Wilfrid is taking a punishment in my honour under Kalen's fury.

"Are you insane!" Marcus roars, "What about Anne? Did her death teach you nothing!"

"Of course, I considered that!"

"Why did you even agree to this? This is not like you," Arthur questions his motives.

"This isn't the place," Kalen hisses.

The shuffling of feet descend the stairs away from my room and prying ears. Gently, I press against the door, testing its resolve, and the door slips open easily. Creeping down the stone staircase, their voices trail up to me.

"What was in the letter Kale?" Wilfrid speaks of information I wasn't privy to.

"Not now, Wilfrid," Kalen snaps.

"Yes, now! We deserve to know," Wilfrid remains stern.

"My mother's words," a weak Cecile whispers.

"Your mother? She died before the birth of the princess." Arthur struggles to wrap his head around this sudden information.

My body fights my urge to sprawl across the stairs and shut my eyes. The small amount of tonic quickly taking effect.

"She was friends with the Late Queen Claire. I knew that, but had an arrangement occured?" Marcus pushes for understanding.

What did the Late Queen have to do with him dosing me? Even his own men are struggling to understand.

"Arrangements? Kalen, what is the princess to you?" Wilfrid pipes up with concern.

"She is nothing," Kalen snaps, "I gave up that life, but I owe it to her." He is on edge, distressed.

What does the Late Queen have to do with me? I may be the bastard of the King but what queen are they referring to? Neither queen gave birth to an heir, if that were the case, then the King would not be bedding every woman in the kingdom for an heir.

"The nightmares have only worsened with our nearing approach, you don't honestly expect me to believe your mother would have wished this," Wilfrid challenges.

"She's faking," Arthur snaps, "a ruse to lower our guard and escape. You have been taught better than this, Wilfrid."

"Your wrong Arthur, you saw her that night. She was broken," Kalen groans.

He had believed me at the tavern. The drink already taking effect by the time I had confessed, like a truth serum. He knew I wasn't running from them, but the haunting nightmares.

"Tristan will suffer for this," a voice I had never heard, fills the silence, "Brainwashing her fragile mind."

"He is not why she will suffer, she needs you," Wilfrid cries out to my silent defence.

"Do you think this is an easy decision, the woman would have been my betrothed if it wasn't for the tragic accident," I stiffen from Kalen's growl.

"Than don't make her do this. The poor girl doesn't want this," Wilfrid begs. They are debating my future like my opinion never mattered. My only defender being Wilfrid, who seems to have figured me out over the short week.

"Do you think I haven't fought the urge, it's hard enough to not take her with me. The damn thing was begging me," Kalen's groan has everyone around gasping. He was considering not handing me over to the king? That has to be treason. If I can get away from these men, no one else knows what I look like. I could run. I could be free to return to Tristan.

Wilfrid's urges, "Don't give her to the king, she will be wed to some slimy lord in a fortnight."

"I won't allow that. I will ensure that she gets whatever her heart desires. It will become her choice. That's the least I can do, but she won't like how I make sure it happens."

Kalen's last words overwhelm me, confusion clouds my thoughts. How would I have a choice? As my supposed father and king, he has all rights to wed me immediately. Kalen has no claim to me, only the wishes of a dead woman. Two dead women, a queen, wanted this life for me, a life with Kalen.

~What happened to Anne? Any speculations? Did anyone expect this from Kalen? What should Kalen do? ~