Caruso POV
I could not get the image of Evangelina's terrified look out of my mind. The way her dress was torn, her tussled hair, flushed face and tear stained cheeks. She was scared. When I embraced Evy, her body trembled under me. Rage coursed through my body when she uttered the truth as to why she was so petrified. I hated that I could not control my temper and all because of Alek. The truth was out, Evy saw me as I am and I was fearful she would leave me. I stomped with clenched fists towards my brothers chambers, 'I am going to rip him apart!' I swore internally. My blood was boiling and my heart pounded with adrenaline. "Alek!" I screamed his name throughout the halls. My voice echoed all around the palace. I turned a corner towards Alek's room but my brothers voice in my mind halted me. "Caruso, stop and come to mother's chambers. You are not going to kill Alek today." I attempted to keep walking onwards but my legs turned me around away from where I was trying to go. "Merek get out of my head!" I called out. "Brother I know you're upset but I sent Alek away after I caught him with Evangelina. He is in a deep slumber and won't wake until tomorrow. Come, no one must see you like this." My feet took me to my mother's chamber and when Merek opened the door I walked in. There standing beside my mother was Evy. She still had a terrified look in her eyes and I could tell I frightened her. My mother quickly grabbed my claw like hands and guided me towards her dresser. I stared at the floor, my legs were presently not my own, I knew Evy was watching me. Heat traveled up and down my body, I was still angry but I had no choice but to submit. Merek locked my mothers door and came to my side. "Mother give him two elixirs." My red eyes locked with my brother's and I hissed between my teeth. "How dare you control me Merek! Let me kill him! You have no right, you're allowing Alek to get away with this!" Merek stared at me clearly offended, "I condone nothing of this mess he has made. I am upset also but we must be clever about this and one step ahead. If not we will suffer horrible consequences, you know this. Keep this ferocity and save it for when it counts. I swear to you I will give you revenge. Now calm yourself and drink the elixirs before you get us all killed!" "Shut up Merek! I will not drink any elixirs until I am done with Alek and father, I will be rid of them. We can handle Ambrose on our own. I don't care I just want to punish Alek for what he attempted with my wife. Now let me out of your grasp, free my mind, let me do my own will!" I demanded. "I shall not." Merek declared, "if you want to be free of my will you must calm yourself and come back to your senses."
"Caruso, my son. Listen to your brother, this will have to wait. Look, Evangelina is fine, live to fight another day. I don't want either of you to kill your brother but I have no say in that matter. I also do not condone what he tried to do to Evangelina. Drink the elixirs my son, please listen to your brother and don't be hasty. Drink and say the chant with me if you'd like." Helga pleaded.
"I will not drink or chant mother, I want to rip Alek to pieces and feed his remains to the pigs! So there's nothing left of him! That's what I want." I hissed at my mother with blood thirsty eyes and watched as sadness encompassed her. Then my wife stepped closer, slowly and uneasy of how I'd act towards her. "Caruso..." she began, "please listen to your mother, don't be hasty. Look at me, I am fine so please do not get yourself killed...I love you and don't want to loose you." I wanted to give her a kiss however, my present state made that impossible. Evy's eyes were full of love, worry and fear. Her declaration of love for me melted my cold demon heart. I was glad Evy returned my love, knowing what I am. I noticed Merek was observing the effect Evy had on me. I felt the heat within me subside slowly. I also sensed Merek's hold on me slowly fade. My claws retracted slowly and I winced in pain while I waited for the process to be over. I closed my eyes and opened them once the burning was over and closed my mouth once my teeth were normal again. I heard my mother and Merek whispering to each other. Once my hands were back to normal I felt Evangelina grasp both my hands. I brought her close to me and squeezed her tightly. "I don't care what you are, I just want you to know that I love you Caruso." Her whispered words completed me. I brought her lips to mine and I kissed her deeply. "I love you, I'm sorry this happened to you, just because I was forced not to act today does not mean that I won't seek revenge." Merek interrupted, "did you just see what happened Caruso? You needed no elixir to bring you back to normal. This has never happened before, did you see this mother?" Helga stood awestruck by what transpired. "Yes! This is amazing." "She is crucial to Caruso's well being. Mother how could this be, without one elixir? It has never happened for him, can you explain it?" Merek asked my mother genuinely. I did not even understand it because I always needed an elixir to bring me back to normal. This has never been a thing I could control and turn off by my will. The only way I had been able to turn it off was to hunt and kill something. "Yes how could this happen mother?" I also questioned. Helga stood pensively, her brows were furrowed and she just shook her head. "I'm not sure. This is something I need to research but at least it's over for now. Caruso you and Evangelina need to stay away from Alek. Merek see to it that they do not come face to face." Merek shook his head, "mother I will try but with all this war prepping father summons us altogether at times. I can try to change fathers corse of thought but I am not completely sure." I nodded towards Merek in understanding, "I will just meet with father separately Merek. I already met with him today about the barricades I set up, so as of today it will be fine." "Very well," Merek stated, "let us depart and stay safe, war is upon us and we maybe attacked any day now. Since I am no longer needed I shall depart." With that said Merek left our mother's chamber. My wife and I dismissed ourselves from my mother. Evangelina and I walked back to our bedroom so she could change but I decided that I wanted to consummate our declaration of love. So I fed my desires and made love to my wife before supper time.
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It had been two days since Alek attacked my wife and I was still having a difficult time dealing with what transpired. I felt any husband would feel as I do. Even though I was in control, I still desired to kill Alek for what he tried to do.
"Focus Caruso!" Ethan was utterly irritated by my lack of focus these past days. "How do you expect to lead us if you can keep your mind straight? Our men are watching you, they look to you for strength. Come on, shield yourself correctly or I'll cut you on purpose." "Aye!" Is all I mustered together because he was right. I lifted my iron shield and began to strike with my long sword. Ethan and I countered and then when I saw my opening I I kneeled on one leg and thrusted my sword to Ethan's side and stopped before I could make contact with his leathers. Ethan smirked, "that's it, there he is. The beast of Inferno has finally emerged." I laughed at my long time friends words. "All right who's next to train with me?" I asked and a few of my soldiers came forward. "How about Ethan and I take on all six of you?" They all agreed and as soon as our blades crashed our war horn of Inferno blew. Ethan and I glanced at each other, Ambrose and his army had arrived. I immediately began to get our armed forces together. "Militia, swordsmen, archers, man at arms mercenaries and billmen get your hooks ready! King Ambrose is here. Ethan make sure all our Calvary get on the stallions from Sylvanio, they are more durable and fierce. Go get your armor on, tell the men to do the same." "Aye-aye commander!" I ran towards the castle to get my iron armor on over my leathers. I could hear battle drums in the distance and the ground shook with the armies every step. Our war horn continued to echos across Inferno. I entered our vast palace and ran up the marble stairs to my chambers. I shut the door and saw my wife peering out of our balcony. She turned to face me with fear stricken eyes, for a brief moment I had forgotten about her because I was focused on the battle at hand. "Evangelina you need to find my mother and hide with her she knows where to go." "Caruso I'm frightened, I've never lived through an attack on a kingdom before. My father always went away to fight." "Love please I cannot speak now I need to get my armor on and go command my army. As I said find my mother and stay with her." I grabbed her and kissed her long she was trembling under my grasp. I knew she was terrified but I had no time to console her. Evangelina departed with one last glance and went to find my mother. I quickly found my mail tunic and placed my black metal breast plate over it, then fastened it. I grabbed my matching helmet and untied my hair so my helmet was snug. I retied my belt that held my sword and grabbed two daggers to placed one in each boot. I quickly left my room and the palace. My heart was pounding as it always had before a battle. "Caruso wait for me!" I heard my father call out. I rolled my eyes as I stopped to wait for the old man. "Father hurry we need to mount the horses. Where is Merek?" He was adorn in his gold kingly armor and blood red cape. It was quite excessive and served no purpose besides to show that he was The King. "Your brothers are already at the stables mounting the stallions I believe. You see, I told you your wife's fathers horses would come in handy for us and our Calvary. What is your plan Lord General Caruso?" It sent pride through me when he called me by my military title. "I have our army broken up in three sections. Our infantry with pikes and stakes are in the front lines to block whatever Ambrose throws at us. Behind them are our spearman ready with spears and shields. Along with our mercenaries with axes, maces and the swordsman with long swords and shield wall. To the sides I have the archers hidden in ditches and I have archers in the trees. Our Calvary is behind the billmen with their hooks. I will be in the front commanding, you and my brothers with be behind the billmen." My father looked at me with a small twinkle in his eye. "You've done well, what about our barricades?" "Th barricades are like a fence all around us but I had my men build a few trigger ones that come out of the ground and spear whoever triggered them. Those are a few feet in front of the visible ones." The king laughed an evil laugh. "Well done son, very well done. If all of this works perhaps we won't even have to shed too much blood. Remember Ambrose is mine to kill if you capture him, I'm going to torture him and have him flayed in the village courtyard for all to see what happens when..." I cut him off, "when Inferno is attacked by its enemies. We show no mercy and do not tolerate traitors." Father gave me a scolding glare but shook it off because we had arrived at the stables. Chaos was all around, soldiers and horses were departing to take their positions. Merek was alone on a large Grey stallion awaiting us, he wore armor similar to mine except his was a dark grey. Alek's armor was bronze but he was no where to be seen. 'Treacherous traitor!' I thought to myself fully knowing that he was deceiving my father and in accords with Ambrose. I grabbed my pitch black stallion and mounted it steadily and swiftly. My father then mounted his pure white one and we followed him to our positions. The drums of war from our enemy were louder now that we were exiting the stone walls of Inferno. Our drums were pounding louder in response. Our war horns continued to blow and the ominous melody made my demon within hungry for blood. We could see our enemy leagues away on top of a dark steed, he wore golden armor as well, which was custom to all kings but his cape was royal blue. My father, brother and I rode our way towards the front it was custom for the king to give a short speech. My father, the king's loud-baritone voice echoed throughout the army. "Men of the Inferno Kingdom, the vast and most powerful kingdom in all the lands. We are threatened with war by a traitor, who has decided to turn against us. I respected his father King Ezra who was my ally but his son has decided to relinquish that alliance. As you all know once I, King Toran Dracu, is threatened there's no stopping me from eliminating my enemies. That is how Inferno has always been ruled, no mercy is given to those who take up arms against us. Forgiveness is for the gods to pass, not mortals. I do not forgive my enemies. They will be taught a lesson and flayed with their men in our courtyard. That's what has always been done for generations, Dracu tradition above all!" He raised his golden long sword and pointed onward. My father and Merek rode to where the Calvary was behind me and I stayed out in the front lines to command. "Infantry forward march!" I shouted for all my men to hear. I lifted my sword and pointed forward. Our banner man rose our red flag indicating that war has begun and blood shed is about to be shed. Our black flag was also raised indicating that we will take no prisoners, all are to be executed. All high ranking officers will be taken with the king to be tortured and flayed in our courtyard to die.
Adrenaline coursed my veins, beads of sweat dripped from my brow, beneath my heavy helmet. I felt my temperature rising and I willed my demon to come forth. I felt my transformation and the pain of it had me breathless but I grunted between gasps. My claws always hurt the most especially while I was gripping my sword. "Halt!" I shouted when we were behind the spiked barricades. My soldiers all halted in unison, we waited while our enemy approached. I smiled sardonically and licked my lips. I was thirsty for the blood of my enemies.
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