thought I'd show how Little cousin Niko and crowned Prince Alarick Lwazi developed their relationship as a bonus chapter to celebrate 1k views.
Thanks a lot, it means a lot to me. Do enjoy.
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Alarick Lwazi's POV
It was not only because the little boy was screaming and throwing his arms around that was infuriating. It was him screaming, "bloody murder," as if I already didn't know that.
"Someone help me, I'm too young to die!" he had screamed. High enough for the whole valley to hear. I stopped the horse and tried to console him from trying to jump off. "If you keep screaming like that, I'll seperate your head from your shoulders and leave you to be eaten by the lions," had I said I consoled him? No I never did that. I threatened him, sincerely.
He bit his tongue and started to hold his mouth as if life depended on it. I smiled to my self happy with the progress I made this far. "Good boy," I said kicking the horse to its full speed.
It had only been a few minutes since I had taken the boy from the third prince's tent. It worked better in my favour that I had found him, I would use him as a bargain later. The neighbouring Kingdom wouldn't act rush, with the State Uncle's only descendent being in my hands.
Most people took me as a lunatic, I never thought I wasn't. They said I was addicted to killing, that was not true, I only found myself in circumstances where the only choice I had was to kill. For instance, a few hours ago.
There might not have been any excuse for burning more than a thousand man alive, but I had my reasons. Poundering deeply into it, most bad people had their reasons for being the worst. Luckily, I never said I was good, neither did I wish so.
Five hours later, I was at my humble home, near the gates, when I had passed the little boy who had slept in my arms so peacefully for his current situation.
"Prepare the room next to mine and let him sleep there, when he wakes up, all his needs must be met with," I commanded on one of my most trusted allies.
He nodded, taking the boy in his arms to let him sleep in comfort.
I wanted to sleep as much as the boy needed to, I was as tired, I hadn't slept in forty eight hours.
I hurried my horse to Grandfather's palace to report on my mission.
"Grandfather," I had kneeled outside the door waiting for him to call me in.
A slender looking lad had walked out calling me in.
Inside, I had found the grand Lord sitting on the bed whilst he waited to have his feet washed.
"You can leave us," he had commanded lightly. All the servants hurried out and left the room with the two of us inside.
I hurried to kneel infront of him as I continued to finish the job that was left unfinished.
Washing an Elder's feet was one of the many practises grandchildren took pleasure in. It was believed, blessings were transferred from the elder to the child that away.
"I hear your mission was successful," grandfather patted my shoulder as if it was a reward for my painstaking hardwork.
"Yes," I answered him. I had figured, since grandfather almost knew everything before I told him anything, there was no need to explain anything. I had only come as custom, and to pay my respects.
"and the child?" he questioned unsure of my actions for taking the state uncle's grandchild.
"I figured, if I took him, it would leave the crystal empire in panic, hence they wouldn't act rashly as to attack us," I observed grandfather's reaction to my explanation, afraid I might have crossed a boundary somehow. "Hence I can inherit the power sooner without any complications," I carried on to explain. My grandfather chuckled joyfully, finding that my actions were graceful. He continued to pay my shoulder, "good child," he acclaimed, "only if your uncles were as cautious and skillful as you, I would live a few years longer."
"I am content," he continued to speak, as I carried on to wipe his wet feet with a rug.
"If you are, I have no regrets," I said honestly.
"However," he took my hands and led me into the bed so I could sit beside him.
"Your marriage," grandfather started. I looked away, hating the subject already. My face had tensed and so did my hands and my body. I did not see why my marriage had to be rushed so soon.
I had done every duty that was expected from me, why could I not pass this inconvenience?
"Well, I see you are not ready yet, I can give you a few years of freedom before we get back to the subject." The old man patted my hands as he brushed them softly with his wrinkled ones. "Go sleep now, you must be tired," he suggested, and I thankfully obliged already feeling my back give way.
Moments later, I was outside staring at starts as I felt sleep take my consciousness away. Grandfather couldn't understand, could he? it was not a few years that I need, it was my life. I didn't wish to get married, not two years later, not ever.
My eyes were starting to close from drowsiness, as I felt the wind brush my skin ever so softly. I enjoyed the summer, sleeping outside, enjoying the breeze, star gazing, and the peace. It was comforting and overwhelming all in the same.
Suddenly a scream erupted from my the side room and I awoke from my sleeping chamber, almost immediately. Without realising where my footsteps were taking me, I found myself staring at a small figure who seemed to be concentrating hard on trying to fight monsters in his sleep.
"Mother don't go, mother!" he kept crying. I rolled my eyes, hating to be awake so soon. I prepared to step out, wishing I would sew his mouth to keep him from shouting that loud when he suddenly pleaded, "Please," he whispered as if he had lost all hope.
I remembered he had lost him Mother when he was six, and his father followed suit a few months later. It would torture him to leave him to suffer such agony. I knew what it felt to face those demons, and if I would leave him crying like that, I would have nightmares myself.
"Niko," I woke him up, his eyes jolted open and it was only then that I noticed how much he was sweating. "Murder," he shrieked away from me afraid I might do something to him. I felt offended. "Call me Murder again and I will cut off your tongue," I bargained for better option for him to call me. His hands immediately went to his mouth as he made attempts to hide his tongue from me.
"If you scream again, I'll feed you to the dogs," I told him. I made attempts to go out when he suddenly held my cloth.
"can I sleep with you?" he asked, his voice shrieking into nothingness.
"Are you not afraid I might kill you?" I questioned him.
"i am, but I am more afraid to go back to sleep," he told me honestly.
I weighed my options and found that, it would not hurt to have him star gaze with me.
A few minutes later, we were laying outside, watching the stars silently, before he started asking stupid questions.
"Do you like killing?" he asked out of interest and mockery.
"would you enjoy being killed?" I asked back.
instead of shrieking in fear like he always did, he snuggled closer and patted my chest. "If you truly killed everytime you threatened me, I would have died ten times today," he began to yawn, and I strangely watched him as if he was some strange disease.
He was rather quite strange and annoying.
*******
The next morning he had come into my chambers hurriedly with his food and sat next to me with his annoying looking face.
"I cannot consume the food when I eat alone," he explained as he snuggled closer to me.
He was getting rather too comfortable for a prisoner. I held him by his necklace and pushed him away from me. "You are too close," I told him.
"And you are too cold, Murder," he muttered under his breath, as he continued to chew away. "Say that again and I will feed you to the pigs," I threatened him.
"What do you propose I call you then?" he peeped his head to the side as he carried on to eat. "Uncle?" he questioned. I didn't feel like answering him, it was too early to speak, "Big brother?" he carried on to question, "Alarick Lwazi?"
Luckily I had a knife close by, when I suddenly opened it, and held it close to his neck. I challenged him into calling me by my name again. "Big brother it is then," he laughed nervously. I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling like complaining and reminding him that I wasn't his big brother. But it was morning, and the less I complained, the less he would have the need to speak, or so I thought, before he spoke again, "Can you help me with my sword training later on. I'm afraid if I miss my practise aunt will give me an earful for being lazy," he started on again.
I rolled my eyes, suddenly feeling a tug on my stomach with the mention of his aunt. "No," I told him. "Please!!" he practically begged as he bowed, paying his respects to me.
"You fight so greatly, I wish to be as good as you one day so I can avenge my grandfather's killer," he told me. Did he not know it was me who killed his state Uncle? Maybe his family did not wish for him to grow on hate hence they didn't tell me who had truly killed him.
But for taking away the only direct member of his family did make me feel a certain way. For all I know he could be living alone in his palace.
"and how will you pay me?" I asked feeling that I didn't want to waste my free day for nothing.
"I will oblige to your every order,"
"I don't need you to oblige, I can make you oblige,"
"I will gift you with worthwhile gifts,"
"look around, do I seem like there is something-" I was cut off by the little demon when he said, "I will help you escape marriage." I squinted my eyes surprised by his sudden suggestion. "How did you know I-" he cut me off again. I hated when someone disrupted me from finishing what I had to say, but I was curious. "I heard the maids gossiping about how you have been avoiding getting married for five years. And that your grandfather even-"
"stop," this time I cut him mid sentence. "And how do you suppose you would help me?" I took out my knife again, placing it on his neck.
"First, you help me practise. We can't be hasty now, can we?" he laughed nervously as he removed the knife from his neck with his long finger.
"if you don't have a plan I will-"
"kill me. Feed me to the pigs. Feed me to the lions. Drown me into the nearest sea until my lungs collapse. Do not worry, I plan to die by old age," he smiled nervously, already knowing of what was to come if he dared lie to me. Instead of feeling annoyed this time. I found a smile making its way to my mouth. He was a fast learner. Spending some time with him would not be all that bad.
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