Althea
A pang hit my chest at what he said.
Stunned silence filled the cave-like room with my heart beating in my ears.
The previous writer of his kingdom...
Have I made the worst decision of choosing a writer's identity to complete my travelogue?
Everyone seemed content, be it Cheryl, Lorenzo, Aarmen or Dunkin. Though he hadn't told about his work yet he seems satisfied, and me?
I turned out to be the most vulnerable and struggling of them all.
"I was elated when he came to my kingdom," Julian started, his eyes fixated on the dead man.
"Someone who'd write about my empire, my rule, my people. The thought thrilled me that my Romanowskian empire would be remembered through all the texts he was writing." I saw a glimpse of hope in his eyes, which was gone in a second.
"He even told the manuscripts would be passed on to the next generation of scholars who would continue to promote my kingdom, but..."
He lowered his head and sighed, rubbing his hands against the arms.
"But.. nothing is guaranteed when you are surrounded by power-hungry enemies and jealous friends."
I didn't know what to say. Whether to sympathise or stay mum. One wrong word and I'll point all his doubts at me.
"He was a very meek man. Like you writer people appear to be," he snickered. Something was about to happen, given the dark undertone of his laugh.
"Always listened to what I had to say, such a docile, obedient Fucker!" I gasped when he grabbed a nearby goblet from the counter joined with the main wall and hurled it at the chained corpse.
Fear began building in me when he breathed out harshly, looking at the man with such hostility, it looked he was ready to rip apart his hands and legs.
"The book he wrote was constantly passed to the enemy right under my nose, blasted my most trusted secrets and spied all around my kingdom on the pretext of knowing people," he gave out a humourless laugh, scaring me further.
Because that was my motive too. To know the people of his kingdom.
He pushed his hands back from the slab and walked ahead.
"I would've at least given him a proper burial but he-" coming to stand near the body, I could see the sweet essence of smoke engulfing Julian's frame.
"He abused one of my concubines to the brink that she killed herself," he confided. His outrage knew no bounds when he kicked the burning bowls everywhere, letting smoke scatter around in wild waves.
It pained him on the inside, considering himself to be the sad death of his concubine.
I wanted to write about him so badly. But my chances were clearly thinning.
"Before jumping off the palace roof, she cursed me. Cursed me that I'll never have love in my life. And here I am! A loveless man!" he howled.
But underneath the harsh voice, he was wailing and it hurt me.
"Fuck, why am I telling you all this?" he grunted and turned around sharply.
"No one should know what I said right now," he seethed in a terrifyingly calm voice, making me shudder.
"And don't you dare write anything in that absurd book of yours!" he thundered again.
"I- I won't," I stuttered, lowering my face to the ground. I did nothing wrong to receive the endpoint of his anger. Then why?
YOU ARE READING
Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire
Historical Fiction"And... the fifth rule," he came forward, locking me between him and the slab again. "This should be the last time you talked to me like that," he lowered his face to my level, spiking my heart rate further. "Next time you rant on or call me by the...
