Meanwhile, in the dark Underworld, Ramse and Xander made Mathyas very busy. They made him suffer much as they could!
Every early morning he had to rush to catch a fresh fish for Miriam and cook her breakfast. Then they made him carry water from the thermal spring for Miriam's bath, which she got every morning straight after her food. Ramse said it is very good for her aching back and ageing skin. Then he had to bake her soft buns for a snack and he had to go up to brush her hair, put a face cream on her and help her get ready for the day.
Then he had to exercise and train to fight with a sword in front of her. Then he rushed to cook her lunch and sit next to her while she ate. After her lunch, he had to carry her around the garden, while Xander was explaining to him how to be kind to females, which was torture to Mathyas by itself. Then he had fighting lessons again, in which Ramse beat him up as a bad dog. Then he rushed to cook dinner and prepare a nice meal for Miriam with candles and dancing just before dawn! After dawn, he had to take Miriam up, sing her a poem and put her to bed. After she fell asleep he was allowed to go hunting every second day.
Mathyas was trying to rebel a few times, so Ramse lashed him out as a serious criminal. He was mouthing off to Xander as well so Ramse took a few more stripes of skin from his back. Mathyas's back was ripped into tiny pieces. He could hardly move his arms when training fights and he had to sleep on his belly.
Miriam tried to help him and put a healing lotion on it."You need to try harder my king," she said sweetly. Mathyas wanted to hiss at her, but Xander growled warningly.
"Thank you, I will, "Mathyas said instead.
Miriam was sitting on his buttock as she took care of his back. She was more than 2x heavier than he was and he had to suck it up. He felt as if his blood stopped flowing!
Miriam finished the lotion and lay down next to him."Sleep well, my king."She said softly.
Mathyas sing the poem five times for her. Miriam smiled and fell asleep. Mathyas closed his eyes and waited."One, two, three! Sure, here we go," Mathyas thought as he counted seconds till Miriam started to snore!" Another sleepless night! " Mathyas felt desperate in his mind.
"You can go hunt today."Xander looked at him firmly.
"Thank you."Mathyas put Miriam's head carefully onto a soft pillow. He fixed her blanket and went out.
Ramse was waiting for him outside."Ready to hunt?"
Mathyas looked at firm Ape King desperately."I want to talk to Sarcos."He kneeled on the ground! The week was going very slowly and he could not take it anymore!
"Sure, "Ramse nodded." Miriam needs wood to make her room warmer. Cut down 3 trees and make it to firewood, then you can meet up with Sarcos."
Mathyas did as he was told. He cut the wood all night. When Ramse was satisfied with his work, shaking Mathyas went to see Sarcos.
Sarcos looked at Mathyas, "You look exhausted, you should sleep. "
"I can't! The old hag...Miriam... is snoring next to me." Mathyas sobbed. He put his face in his palms and cried as a kid."I want to be dead. Sarcos, be a friend and kill me!"
Sarcos bit his lips. "Mathyas, try to look over Miriam's looks and see her soul instead. Miriam has a beautiful soul and a joyful heart. I saw it. "He said. "Just be kind to her and do everything Ramse and Xander will tell you. I can't help you another way, just by my advice, because I gave them my word. I will not stop them, even if Ramse decides to kill you at the end of the month."Sarcos bit his lips.
"He wants to cut me into little pieces, he told me already," Mathyas sighed.
"That will hurt a lot."Sarcos nodded." I saw him do it before. He was cutting a man for three days very slowly. He cut a piece, burned it, then cut another and burned it. I never saw such torture before. I could not watch it by the end of the night. It was loud and extremely boring. I came to check in two days and the man was still alive. He was a half carcass. It took him another 2 days to die."
"What? Is he such a monster?"Mathyas heart sank.
"The man tried to steal his little sister. He got no mercy with him. You tried to kill Sienna. Ramse is trying really hard not to kill you and me too."Sarcos sighed.
"But how he could be so helpful to Sienna? He seemed firm but kind before."Mathyas asked.
"Xander taught him kindness to females. Ramse loves Sienna the most, he is obsessed with her. From the first time he saw her, he fell in love with her. He was devastated when he lost her to Scharchan. And then he was upset when he lost her to me, but was more content because he saw she lives."Sarcos nodded.
"Why don't you let him mate her then?"Mathyas asked curiously.
"It is her decision, she can't stand his ape. She is terrified of it as you know!"Sarcos bit his lips in quiet anger."But I can't stop him from seeing her. He will just keep kidnapping her till I will kill him. She is the reason he breathes."
"He told you this?"Mathyas asked shocked.
"No, I can see the human hearts," Sarcos nodded."And yours is all black with one red splodge for your mother and friends. It makes me sad. I hoped Sienna can make you kinder, but you failed her badly. Do your best Mathyas, I will run your kingdom till you train. The fourth week I will train with you if you are not locked up and just waiting for a long and painful death..."Sarcos patted his past friend's shoulder and went.
Mathays looked up to the dark sky. He changed into a black lizard and run thru the forest. He started to rip the trees up angrily. Ramse and Xander watched him from afar.
"What's wrong with him now?"Ramse asked coldly.
"He can't take it anymore! We successfully made him wish to be dead!"Xander grinned."How do you feel Ramse?"
"Better!" he nodded."But I have still a lot to teach him." he grinned cruelly.
Xander was right. Mathyas wished to be dead. He went to see his friends in the tombs. Their busts stared at him quietly.
"Should I join you?"Mathyas asked.
The soft wind came and circled around the busts.
"Silly boy, it is just a month, learn something."
"You are not savage anymore."
"He is just rude now, it is his old manners."
"Do it for you, your father, mother and us."
"And Alice."
"Alice is dead too, no?"Mathyas asked.
"Her soul is not with us. She is not living but not dead.
"If you stop being a monster, you might see her again."
"When?"Mathyas asked. If even one of his friends lived, he would stay!
"When you still live. "the wind stopped and voices too.
"She is dead for sure!"Mathyas held his head. "Or I'm going crazy for sure! Well, they told me about my heart before. Sarcos said the same. It was true. Maybe the rest is also true! I need to live. I need to convince Ramse to let me live."Mathyas clenched his fist."He is clever, I can't fool him. I have to pay the price. How much will he ask for killing the one he loves the most? He, Sarcos and Xander. I killed their Alice."
Mathyas slapped his own cheek. "I will try harder then. I will do it for mother, father and you my dead friends. I hope you are right and I will see Alice one day again." he nodded." She would not like a weak monster. I will learn to be strong and kind. I have to live and became the true king!" he clenched his teeth hard.
Mathyas run out of the tomb like in fever. He killed a deer and ate. Then he went back to his fortress. Xander was waiting for him."So ready for bed?" he grinned.
"Sure."Mathyas nodded. "Thank you, Xander."
"For what?"Xander looked at him curiously.
"For teaching me how to be kind and strong."Mathyas bit his lips.
"You are not kind or strong yet, Mathyas, "Xander shook his head."But you still have time. Use it well. We will not let you get off easily."
"I know, "Mathyas nodded. "I killed the one you love."
"If your father does not save Sienna, we all will die already."Xander grinned at him. "We all will cease to exist. We will be souls flying in the wind."
"I'm really sorry. I was a stupid coward. I will do everything you and Ramse say from now on!"Mathyas bit his lips.
"We will see!"Xander looked at him curiously."It was the first-time Mathyas ever said sorry to him!