The King's Playground - A Vast World

Chapter 1: Home, bitter home - Part 8

"You are aware of most of Malika's story, but there are many details missing."

"I know that you did not father the princess."

"Yeah no shit, you bastard."

"Fuck off, you bitch."

"Silence." He raised a finger and snarled. "I am not finished. Sarh'Illana is no one's mother. She got to the position she is today because she made a bargain. Sarh'Illana had a sister, you see, and that sister had a child. And Illana resented them both, and promised her sister she'd slaughter her child if she survived childbirth."

"I'm starting to see where this is going."

"It gets worse."

"Amallah truly has abandoned this wretched family."

"I hate that you are right. Sarh'Illana and her sister are my cousins. Our mothers were sisters. When Malika was born, she was born under the care of her aunt, my mother, and Illana attempted to force her way into the castle and take Malika into her custody. It had to be her child. If her sister had survived, the child had died, had she died, the child she would take and break."

"So the king had you adopt her, right?"

"Right. Technically, Malika is my cousin."

"Why was Illana allowed in the guard of the castle then? You knew who she was."

"I didn't, idiot, I was fourteen. So were you, you should remember that, you moron."

"I knew who Malika was at the time. And I knew how to get in your stupid palace. So don't dare name me, useless excuse of a monarch."

"Yeah, I heard you were! Anyway, I was saying. She bargained that should she not have the child, she should have reparation for what that child's upbringing brought upon her, whatever that meant. She was a talented fighter, and the rest you know of."

Abel simply shook his head, astounded by the fuckery of all this.

"Is this why she dare believe she has the right of life and death over the crown princess?"

"Alkhayin is right. This child should never have seen the days!"

Sarh'Illana had jumped from behind the curtains, holding the princess by her hair and holding a blade to her throat.

"I know more than you will ever know about her!" She looked mad. "I have commanded all of this, from years ago!"

"This will bring nothing to you, Illana." The king said to her. "I knew you to have more judgment, commandant. Let the princess go."

"You can't order anything from me."

Abel saw her tighten her grip on the guard and jolted forward, blade out to reach the woman before she slit his friend's throat, but Malika was faster. She pulled out the knife and slammed it right back into Sarh'Illana's thigh. Without a care for the blade, she pushed out of her grip and rushed towards the throne. Abel pressed her to fly towards her grandfather and took a defensive stance. Behind him, he could hear a saber being unsheathed and the sound of someone's boots clacking towards his left. As Illana grabbed at her wound and her men, 12 traitors that they were, surrounded her, Al'Hamir appeared to Abel's side.

"Do not believe I forgive anything you have ever done," said Hamir, "but I will fight her with you."

"I fucking hope you will," answered Abel.

On that he slid out his large knife and a smaller one, advancing like a feline toward his enemy. Sliding under their blades, he immediately took out the first man he saw by stabbing his side under the ribs, and using the dying man as a shield against another opponent. He dropped the body only to see the head of the man fall to his feet, slid off by Hamir's weapon. He raised his head, nodded to the man, and saw by the side of his eyes Illana attempting to flee.

Her fleet was cut short by Hamad blocking her way. Panicking, she ripped off the blade in her side and held both knives, trembling. She attempted to pierce towards his abdomen, but he lowered his stance and grabbed her wrist, and pushed her arm away without letting go. She then tried to attack again with Abel's knife, still covered in blood, but once again Hamad grabbed her wrist by the top. She snarled, and Hamad laughed.

"Let go, you dog," she spat.

"Not a word you mutt, you're the disgrace of your city and family."

"You're an idiot and so is your friend. You both can't see past this wretched family, and we can only hope you stay as blind as this."

"As you wish. You lost anyway."

"Me, yes."

Hamad furrowed his brows, and as she tried to pull away, he kicked the wound on her leg and pressed down with his heel. He twisted her arms and brought her to the ground to hold her down.

As a shadow raised itself above Hamad, Abel jumped on the back of the man raising his weapon to strike his friend. Hamad only turned around to have blood spat on him and saw his friend wiping off the liquid on the body he had just massacred, slicing his throat with both blades.

"Bit of an overachiever are you?"

"Shut it, at least I get it done."

"Help me tie her up, or are you not done?"

"We are done. The palace guard didn't get any better."

Abel helped Hamad to secure the woman, and then helped him up. Al'Hamir was marching towards them and gestured for them to move out of his way, and only Hamad moved away. While there was enough space to get around Abel, the prince slammed right into him and physically pushed him out the way with both hands. Had the man not been grabbing a traitor by the neck, he'd kicked his ass so brutally he'd bruised his own foot. He quickly lowered his mask and dropped some drool on the back of the man, who did not even feel it with being so focused.

Hamad snickered, calsping Abel's back as he adjusted his face covering, before following the prince dragging Illana away, looking at the spat leaving a darker stain on the man's back. As childish as they were, that was the best they could give out. Looking above Al'Hamir's shoulder, Abel gave a wink to the princess, assuring her that this would be okay.