Chapter 8: Devil's advocate
Pru's POV
He slammed the hilt of the sword into the man's face, blinding him momentarily.
With the assurance that the mercenary was disarmed and almost defeated, I expected Zuri to leave him be but instead I watched as he cut the mercenary several times and Emily clasped her mouth to stop herself from screaming, even I was disgusted.
Did I just become an accessory to an attempted murder?
Oh well, I was a diplomat. I am untouchable.
I focused on the look of surprise on the mercenary's face, it was something I will never forget in a hurry.
Zuri wiped the blood away from the small cut on his face.
Using the mercenary's cloth to clean his bloodied sword, the king placed the sword back into his belt.
I watched as the young man by the corner came forward. This time around I took my time in taking in his details.
He was taller than Zuri with a devil's fork beard with no mustache which fitted perfectly on his diamond shaped face.
He had a devil may care outlook that made me weirdly uncomfortable around him.
He looked like the type of man that hardly spoke unless it was to bark orders to his people. He looked formidable.
And with a viking-gold hair and concrete jaw, he was ruggedly handsome and very much aware of it which meant he was an egocentric ass and I dreaded the moment we will finally be introduced.
Zuri gestured for him to join him on the table where there was food and this man obliged him.
"That was a close call, Zuri. You took a lot of time to disarm him? You can't afford to make mistakes" in place of words of praise and acknowledgment were endless criticism and rejected effort from this man.
Zuri appeared unshaken about his disappointment.
"He was twice as big as the last one, Anton " Zuri simply said.
I was wondering why they haven't noticed our presence when I heard this Anton guy say. "Excuses are for the weak, Zuri. And weak would get you killed. If you are going to be a great king, then you can't have excuses or be merciful. This is why this white knight is still a menace. He thinks you are weak!"
I Imagined walking over there and punching his pretty face but Emily had plans of her own.
She walked as fast as she could to the place they sat just as Anton pulled apart the chicken he was eating to show how displeased he really was.
"Leave my brother the hell alone, you imp! That you are the demon from hell doesn't mean Zuri should be one and if you ask me he did a very good job fending off that bastard even though I don't agree with cutting him but I am sure you put him up to it, you ulgy shape shifting…. backstabbing…."
"It's Emily, right?" He asked the princess cutting her off.
"Geez! You make it sound like I am a puppet, sister" Zuri said and took a bite from the plate in front of him.
But hearing his voice only made Emily angrier, she turned and faced him.
"You! What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed! And don't you have a sprained wrist? You…you could have seriously hurt yourself, Zuri! Is this mind over pain sort of bullshit?!"
When she finally stopped talking she was out of breath and Zuri and that ape, Anton was looking at her.
"Oh you are right, she's feisty!" Anton said.
"I didn't use that word, Anton. Dude, she's my sister"
"Then what word did you use?" Emily asked him
"Oh I told him you are a pain in my behind. Now, put on a tiara, we leave in thirty minutes" Zuri said.
"Yeah, about that…" she turned and looked at her brother. "Can I have a word with you?"
Zuri focused his attention on me then it shifted to Emily. We were unwanted aliens he wanted to get rid of.
"In private, please" Emily said and turned to look at Anton.
Without saying anything except to throw a glance at his friend, Anton stood up, carried his plate of food and walked away.
"What is it, Emily?"
"Why are you friends with him? I don't like him" Emily stated like her opinion mattered to someone like Zuri.
"Anton is…an acquired taste, little sister"
"Okay…I don't want to wear the crown. I am afraid I am going to lose it" she told him.
Zuri fixed his gaze on her without blinking. He didn't say a word either until he stood up. I could see that his wrist was even more swollen thanks to the fight he just had.
"Did you hear what I just said? Can I go to the House of Lords convention without the most expensive Tiara in the world on my head with all its associated troubles?"
"No, Emily, you have to wear it. This death anniversary is already a bother in so many ways but it's an inconvenience we both have to bear. So, go and put it on. Glued it to your hair if you must"
Emily stood there as Zuri walked away, only stopping to look at me…only briefly and he didn't say another word to me.
*
Emily stayed glued to my side in the house of Lords convention. I did my best to make her at ease and to walk her through what she should expect.
"Okay. Listen, when your brother goes up to give a speech about your dead father everyone is required to stand because he is king and that includes you. So don't forget"
"I won't, Pru"
Zuri stood up and walked to the podium where there were about ten cameras pointed at him. Everyone was up on their feet.
"You may take your seat. On behalf of my family, I would like to say thank you for taking a moment to celebrate my (Zuri cleared his throat)...my dead father, King Williamsom. Frankly, the letters each noble house sent were well received and appreciated. One even described my father as a ray of hope on a Stormy day…tsk! good one. The other said that he was a father to all which I highly doubt…. "
"What is wrong with him?" Emily asked me.
"I don't know. His fingers are twitching and he looks pissed off" I analyzed.