"How do you know something is wrong with my brain? You can't see it and again, I don't want to join in the game of power in the palace. I enjoy what little peace I already have in my life. Your hands get dirty with blood when trying to command others in the palace court and there's already enough blood on my hand from wars."
"Being your father's son, even though you listen to the king's orders, your father will always come first right?" Artemis would pick her own family over a man with a shiny thing on top of his head.
"Yes. Unless my father is trying to harm the people of this kingdom, the answer will always be my father first." Alexander didn't care what battles Darius and his father had between them or the pledge he made to the crown. His father always came first.
"Then you know if their relationship ever becomes bad you will be made to pick a side, which is your father's side. You'll be in a fight for power either way and fighting against the same guards you trained with. You can't escape being in the mix. Or maybe you were a spy for your father all along?" She became suspicious of him. It would benefit Alexander's father to have his son close to the king gaining information.
Alexander shook his head disputing the claim he was a spy. His father never asked him any private information about the king. He knew it was because his father already had his own men bringing him information. "I am not a spy. Well, thanks to you, now I am."
"I'm just trying to wrap my head around how complicated your position is. On one side is your father that the king can't control and on the other side is a king no one can control. Maybe I should've kidnapped your father too. You're close to the king but your father is the one with the power to push the king off the throne if he really wanted to. Huh," she tapped her finger against her chin, coming up with a plan. Now Alexander was double useful.
What would his father do if he thought the king was turning his back on Alexander? More importantly, what would Alexander's father do if he believed the king had taken his son as retaliation against him? She just needed to plot this right and there was no doubt she could fool the two men.
Artemis decided on the spot that she wasn't going to send Alexander back to the palace. What she needed to do was have others speculate about his disappearances and try to figure out who or what had something to do with it. When the time is right, she'll lead all clues to frame king Darius as the culprit.
Alexander started to regret telling her about the relationship between the king and his father now that she was plotting something. His father was smart enough to know not to go to war with royalty but Darius's ego played a part in some of his decisions. The king would take the bait to fight his father. "Do not try to use my father for your little games. If you try to put him in harm's way, you and I will have a problem."
Artemis couldn't help herself from laughing at his attempt to threaten her. Again, did he forget the predicament he was in? He couldn't lift a finger to try and hurt her if she decided to use his father. She laughed even louder when she saw how serious he was. "The son's love for his father is cute but you can't tell me who I can and cannot use dear Alexander. I know about your father and that he is not a man that can easily be hurt. Shouldn't his son know that?"
When she tried to walk away, he grabbed her hand and turned her back towards him aggressively. He didn't play games when it came to his father. It was only the two of them after his mother died and he was not going to allow Artemis to bring his father into some dangerous plan. Forget the bracelet on his arm, Alexander would fight to the death to try and kill her right here right now.
"I said I don't like to be touched so let go," she ordered him glaring up into his eyes. He might tower over her but she was the stronger one here. There were so many things Artemis could do to punish him right now but since she needed him, she resisted.
Alexander also resisted her command and so the bracelet started to do its job in forcing him to obey. With resistance came a lot of pain building up inside near his heart making Alexander cough up blood but he dared not release Artemis until she admitted she wouldn't bring his father into this.
"Are you looking to die? Let go of me at once!" She yelled partially upset he was risking his life because of this. How would he help his father if he died like this? Artemis gritted her teeth angry with what she said next. "I won't hurt your father you idiot. Now, release me."
Alexander released her hands and bent over to spit out the blood in his mouth. His chest felt like it was on fire and his eyesight started to become blurry. He took deep breaths trying to get over the pain but it was unbearable. Even in war, he had never felt something quite like this. Artemis wasn't joking when she said the pain would increase. Inevitably, he dropped to the solid ground passing out upon impact.
"You idiot," Artemis cursed him as she rubbed her hand. What he did was stupid considering she warned him the bracelet would kill him the next few times he disobeyed. "And what was with that grip just now? Are you not human?" She asked the unconscious man because of the red wound forming on her hand. That never happened before with a human.