The king found it difficult to look Ale in the eye and ask her to leave. His children were a constant reminder of his late, beloved wife, and having them around was like having part of her along with him as well. But he could not let Luc go, for he was sure that once he left that palace, he would never see him again, and Ale, he knew where to find him, for he would not be absent from his reign. That was all he wanted in the world, and now he knew it. He had been deceived by him when he said he had no interest in being king. Dartan now even believed that he wanted the whole kingdom and if he left it there, he would end up killing his brother to get it. The best solution would be to really send him away and keep an eye on him from a distance. However, he could still complain about him being put in the position of a great responsibility so young. He had not prepared himself for this yet.
However, his fears that Ale would be disgusted at having to take on an obligation to rule a kingdom at such a young age proved unfounded. Ale did not hide the pleasure and satisfaction he felt when his father told him that he should begin his reign right away. He immediately began to prepare for the move and did not learn of Luc's suspicion that he had kidnapped Pamela. He was not surprised that Luc no longer appeared at meals and did not even see him again in the throne room. But she believed that he was reclusive because of his grief, and she never thought about it again. Because in truth, it didn't matter what the reasons for Luc's absence were. He no longer needed to worry about his brother. He would now be king, while Luc would only have the title of prince. For the first time, he felt superior to his brother in something. He was now in a superior position, and this made him happy.
And the days went by and soon the day came that both Ale and Luc had been waiting for so long, although for different reasons, there was relief in this departure. Everyone in the palace was grateful for his departure, and for that of all those who were complicit in his lies and deceit, who had been chosen by Ale himself, to serve him.
Dartan approached his youngest son and hugged him.
"Go in peace my son! And reign with dignity and justice."
"So shall it be." Ale answered him politely turning away from the embrace and looking at the faces behind his father who had come to see his departure. "It could not be otherwise, after all I have learned from the best."
Ale noted that the faces that came to say goodbye did not look sad at the parting, like his father's. Rather, they looked pleased and relieved to see him go. With a wry smile, he looked at his brother, who didn't dare face him, but made a point to come to his farewell. They were not totally enemies. However, Ale knew that Luc only graced him with his word and was courteous, because of his father's interference. Luc did not want to see him sad or disappointed.
"There is just something I wanted to ask you, that I should have talked to you about longer ago..." Dartan spoke to him interrupting his thoughts. "There is a beautiful maiden, noble blood, daughter of the Duke of Limo, Delina. In an agreement between families, she has been promised to one of my heirs. I ask that you take her as your wife, that she be your queen, so that the pledged word may be fulfilled and calm the advisors, who do not look kindly on you becoming king before you have a queen."
"I was not pleased, to hear these words, my father! That function is the task of your firstborn son. And I don't care what your advisors think, and neither should you."
Dartan followed Ale's chin lift, who pointed at his brother, oblivious to what they were saying.
"But he..."
"No more. I refuse to marry that young lady. If you really want your word to continue to have any value, convince your firstborn. He is just a prince. I am now someone with the same authority as you, and I won't let anyone else tell me what to do!"
"Why? Do you have a special reason for your refusal?"
"Yes. I have a promised one, from my heart.
"Who is it?"
"You will know at my throne-taking ceremony. I intend to celebrate my marriage on that day. I hope to count on your blessing and the presence of the family at the marriage ceremony."
"If you love her, then I will give her my blessing. I'll talk to Luc... Now that Pamela and Caio have disappeared for good, he will have to conform by marrying someone else. Maybe this will even be a solution and refreshment for his anguished soul. But if what he feels for his late fiancée is as great as what I feel for my Léa, he will never truly recover. He may even get married, but he will never be happy..." Dartan said thoughtfully.
"Of course, my father. You must have them married before my wedding ceremony. That way, both queens will get to know each other, since it would not be good manners for the maiden to travel in the company of her fiancé without a more serious relationship. Now that they are married... As for Luc's feelings, they no longer matter. He also needs a princess to bear his heirs. Make him care more about that than useless feelings."
"You are right, my son. If Luc accepts her, I will see to it that they get married soon. It's also really not good for him to be alone, after what that ungrateful girl did to him."
Ale smiled wryly in agreement with his father and set off with the escort that now belonged to him. But halfway there, his father's words began to bother him. He referred to Pamela as ungrateful. Did he suspect something? Ale shrugged. It was no longer important to know their motives. His army was ready in his kingdom, waiting for him.
Luc was indignant at first, but he heeded his father's pleas. He figured it would be no sacrifice to marry Delina, whose beauty was great, though classic. Blonde hair, slender, not too tall, blue eyes, and an aristocratic face. She was also educated to be a queen. She would make a good wife and good company. The little he had already talked to her, during the trip he had made with his father to make the wedding arrangements, proved to him that she was a good girl. With a noble heart.
Inevitably his thoughts brought him to the one whose heart he had stolen. Everyone, including his father, believed she had betrayed him. She ran away with Caio, according to witnesses. He wondered at his father's decision to send Ale, just like that, to the other palace, since Dartan reproached himself for having accused him, even in secret, of stealing Pamela, since of this crime he now judged him innocent. Mad, out of love for his son, he welcomed this lie as absolute truth. However, he did not allow Ale or his trusted men to know what really happened to Pamela.
But, Luc secretly suspected the veracity of that leak. She was not, Pamela, forced to agree to marry him. Besides, her nature, although outspoken, was docile. And a pretended escape was no justification for killing one of her maids and setting fire to her room to simulate her own death. And then there was the testimony of Sonia, who heard her screaming for help. There were many lies involved in this story. And Luc, he promised himself, would find her. Although he did not hold out any hope of ever having her to himself again. He could not believe his words any longer. Something told him that there were many things he didn't know about behind this disappearance, and one of them, he was sure, was his brother's hands. And deep in his heart, he knew that one day everything would be cleared up.
Luc saw the caravan that accompanied his brother get out of sight and then went back inside the palace. Dete was waiting for him, and together they went to the kitchen, which had become Luc's favorite place, where he spent his free time together with Dete, drinking wine and talking about the kingdom. And inside himself, well hidden, the memories of when he would visit the kitchen and she wouldn't even look at him. And with this memory, others followed, of happy and unique moments he spent with her.
Martha was a slave, and for this reason she could not leave the palace. She suffered every time she saw Luc enter the kitchen with his guards. That was as close as he could get to the memories of his daughter. And she was sure in her heart that Pamela did not run away. She was not like that. And something said that Luc didn't believe it either. But he avoided her. He didn't want to see her or even talk to her. He believed that their pains were not equal. She knew that if she asked the king for her freedom he would give it to her. But where would she go? She didn't even have a home. And all the memories of his daughter were there. Also there was the memory of how she was raped by a nobleman and that after that she begot her Pamela. She looked like him. But because she had Martha's physical features, it would make it difficult for anyone to connect her to that damned nobleman. She didn't want to marry so she could raise her daughter as devotedly as possible, and just when she was about to have her dream of seeing her married and starting a family, someone steals her away from her. She wanted revenge. But just as Luc knew that if Ale had been involved in all that had happened, it was very unlikely that they would ever see her alive again. And the sight of her daughter being tortured by that monster haunted her as she put her head on her pillow. Now all that was left was longing.
The trip was long, but Ale didn't get tired. Once they arrived, he stopped in front of the palace that was a replica of the other and smiled satisfied and proud of his new home. He looked around and was not pleased to hear that a garden had not been provided. He decided that he would give orders for a garden to be made there that was much more splendorous than the one in Luc's palace. After he had thought out the details of what he wanted the garden to look like, he entered his palace, followed by his guards who were spreading out to find their dormitories and accommodate their belongings. Ale walked down to the dungeons of his palace, sucking in the air that reeked of fresh ink. He passed the two guards guarding the only occupied cell and greeted them as they bowed in reverence. He ordered them to open the cell and entered alone. When he saw his prisoner, he smiled wryly;
"So? Do you like your new accommodation?"
Pamela was chained to the wall and her face was all scratched and dirty and all bruised from the abuse she had been suffering. She stared at him wearily and unsurprised, but said nothing.
"You should be proud! Not just anyone has the pleasure of opening a brand new cell, still without the characteristic odors..."
Realizing that she would remain mute, he moved closer and lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
"Where is now that arrogant slave girl who had the audacity to repel me with contempt? Did you really think you wouldn't pay for such a dare?"
She remained silent. It would not be the last time he would visit her there and his pleas would not reach her heart, so that she would come to doubt that he had one. She knew he would use her and then kill her. Ale released her and walked away.
"I have a proposition to make you.... It will be good for both of us."
Pamela watched him. One could see a gleam of interest in his previously dimmed eyes.
"I am sure Luc will grant you anything for my freedom." She decided to say certain that she was telling the truth.
Ale smiled, and realized that even if she was dirty, she was the most beautiful of women. And desirable. Very desirable.
"Forget Luc."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because what I want, only you can give me. And if you don't give it to me, you'll never see Luc again either. It's a waste of thought to remember him. Luc is past."
Pamela shuddered. He wanted to take her to bed. Maybe he had no intention of killing her as he originally thought. He just wanted to have something to trip his brother up about. But still it was not an easy decision, because she knew she would be betraying Luc, but she had to make a decision quickly if she wanted to see the man she loved again, even if he would not forgive her for the cowardly act of selling her body for a freedom that could be worse than a captivity. However, she needed to trust in the generosity of the one who promised to love her, and in the understanding of knowing that she was pregnant, and that that child was worth the sacrifice.
"I will do whatever you want, if you set me free."
"Then you will agree to be my wife..."
Pamela had not expected such a proposal, for she knew Ale's feelings about people who were not noble. She stared at him in surprise for a moment, then turned her face away, and said without looking at him.
"You are delusional... I don't have the noble blood you are so keen on..."
"You do. I know your father. You didn't inherit his features, like the color of his eyes and hair, but you inherited the same arrogant, pompous face as him, the same face shape. You are very much like him... And you will meet your sister very soon if you accept my proposal."
"Since when do you know this?"
"Since I ran into you at the palace and got slapped."
"You are delusional." Pamela repeated herself, now more convinced of the truth of her words. "My mother never revealed to me who my father was."
"And she had a good reason for it. His wife might feel jealous to know that her husband had a bastard, and come to kill you. She's just a slave girl. My father wouldn't even notice. His wife is famous for not being patient with dumb slave girls who let themselves be impregnated by their husband. You wouldn't be the first to suffer...A fatal accident, after birth."
"Do you forget that I have a mother who has protected me all my life?"
"She would watch you die knowing there was nothing she could do. You know that the law for slaves favors the nobles. No one would be sent to the gallows for killing a slave girl. Not a nobleman. And I'm not delirious. I want you for a wife! If you don't accept, you should get used to these accommodations, because they are the only ones you will have, knowing that you will never leave here alive. Luc cannot save you. He doesn't even know where you are. I set you up to think that you are dead. And I won't feed you forever without getting something in return."
Pamela was apprehensive at his words. For she was carrying a being inside her that she already loved. And if it were to remain there, living under inhumane conditions, this child would have no chance of surviving... And if it lived, what would become of it? Tears streamed down his face. It was a renunciation. But he had to do it. He would give up his love and his happiness for the life of his son. That pig didn't know she was pregnant. Nor was he aware that she had already left her innocence behind when she lay with his brother. As much as it repulsed Ale, he had to save his son. With luck, he could pass for Ale's son, but if he was lucky.
"You said it was a proposal, your highness." Pamela said, defiant and ironic. "But what you proposed only benefits you. What's in it for me?" She dared to ask in indifferent defiance as she could not give in too quickly. He would be suspicious and she couldn't take that risk.
"You get a living. How long do you think you can survive locked up here? Besides, you will be queen. You'll live in comfort. Isn't that what Luc offered you? I am being generous and offering you the same as my brother would have done for you. You will have beautiful clothes, expensive and of the finest linen. You'll have everything."
"Why do you envy your brother so much. After all, you have always enjoyed the same perks." Pamela couldn't resist. Ale might be evil, but she had to understand why.
"I don't envy him. I hate him! Always hounding me, taking satisfaction, looking down on me with superior air.... And always, getting the best of everything." Ale said looking at her very suggestively.
"Luc loves him. If he talked to..."
"No. He could never stand me. Always snitching on my doings to see punishment. He is not the saint you imagine. And I don't desire that love. It's not something I need."
"Then why don't you forget him? You live wanting to take everything he loves."
"Yes! I want everything he loves, including you. You see, it's become a habit. And I've found that I get a kick out of it. And even though I'm not inside the palace where I grew up, I will still continue to take everything he comes to love from him. It's like my life's purpose..." Ale said thoughtfully, but turned to her. "So, do you accept my proposal?" He asked walking to the cell door.
Pamela realizing that she really had no way out, gave in. He couldn't leave there without a positive answer as he could forget her there forever, since he now understood that it wasn't so important anymore now that he had already taken her away from Luc. She and her child would starve to death.
"I accept."
Ale smiled victoriously and moved closer, coming back from the door and speaking in her ear.
"Of course, you must not hold out any hopes of betraying me or running away, for if I drove my own mother to death, I believe I would feel no remorse in repeating the deed with a mere slave."
Pamela stared at him wide-eyed, terrified by the cold confession. Her mother had always suspected this. She remembered. And now she was in the hands of this sick man. She felt disgusted with him, but she couldn't look at herself. She had to do what was best for her son, yet she had no answer for that confession.
"Guards!" Ale called out and these hurriedly approached. "Release the chains and take her to my chambers, for your future queen will not walk a virgin down the palace nave. I am in a hurry to taste the delights of that body. Assign a maid to dress and bathe her. Let her be reliable. I also want men at the door, day and night, guarding the room, for I want no surprises." Ale finished and left, leaving his guards to carry out his orders.
Pamela breathed a sigh of relief as she removed those dirty clothes. For a moment she thought she would have an ally in her maid, but she was wrong. Whenever she tried to start a conversation, she would either look disapprovingly at her, or she would ignore her and not even deign to look at her. The maid did not seem to have a bad temper, and nervously looked at the door the whole time Pamela was asking her questions. Pamela finally gave up and let her scrub her body in the bath. That poor thing had certainly been warned not to talk and that she would have ears everywhere.
When she finished, the maid brought her a gold-colored silk dress. Pamela had never seen a dress so beautiful and so provocative. As soon as the maid finished dressing and styling her hair, they brought her dinner.
Pamela ate as if it were the last time. Thinking that maybe it was, she didn't know and feared what Ale would do when he found out he was no longer a maiden. As soon as she finished eating, Ale suddenly entered the room. He looked at her without disguising what he went for.
"I hope you are ready..."
Pamela lay down and covered herself up to her neck. In her gaze, fear was evident. She didn't know how to pretend she was a virgin. Her mother had helped many girls pass herself off as a virgin to their husbands, and she had never been interested in how it was done. Now she regretted it, because this knowledge would help her in this moment.
"Shy?" Ale asked as she undressed. "Come on, no need to fear, it will be an experience you will never forget." He said and jumped on the bed, uncovering her violently and taking off her dress, leaving her naked to his delight.
"You have a beautiful body..."
The violence with which he possessed her after that comment, drew cries of pain from her. And minutes after having had his needs satisfied, he lay back on the pillows and started giggling thoughtfully. Pamela, who had expected retaliation from him for not being pure, was surprised and expected that at any moment she would have to face his wrath.
"What's so funny?" She asked with a note of offense in her voice.
Ale stopped laughing and stared at her.
"I always wondered, why among all the women around us, my brother would fall in love with a slave girl right away? Now I've solved the riddle. He was lost in the delights he could offer with his body. Even without his cooperation, I have never tasted a body that gave me so much pleasure. I have never felt so much pleasure in this act. But I'm warning you right now, I expect a greater participation from you, to tie me to you, just like my brother. You will be the courtesan queen! Can you imagine? The jokes that I will play with you in front of my friends, as if you were a prostitute? It will be great fun." He said with lost eyes, as if he could visualize that scene he was describing.
"Spare me from your disgusting plans! All I'm telling you is that you were wrong about something, Luc loved me before I even got into bed with him."
"But I love you too. And I desire. Mostly desire. And do you know what just went through my mind? You were born to be queen. It was your luck. Even if it didn't turn out the way you imagined, whatever path you followed would lead you to be queen. I understand Luc now. Well, I, too, would have wanted to put a crown on your head as soon as I laid eyes on you. Have you ever thought that you will live in eternal captivity? But be happy just the same. For it is a bondage of gold."