After weeks of waiting, Alfred got to see his friend again, but he looked very different from when he was taken out of the room. Not just him, but the other three that had returned with him. While the girl was silent and looked traumatized, mumbling words to herself, the other boy was also unconscious as Malakai was and lay with bandages over his right arm.
"Weren't they five?" One of the children said. It was the thought of most of them there. While some of them were more focused on the appearance of the ones who returned.
"Wh-what happened t-to him?" Alfred stuttered with teary eyes looking at his friend being transferred from a stretcher onto his bed. He was still unconscious with bandages on his left arm. His right arm was non existent under the sheets.
"What did you do to him?!" Alfred shouted with tears dripping from his eyes. He moved closer to Malakai and sat on his bed. "Is this what is going to happen to us all? Will I suffer this same fate? What did they do to you, Kai? Kai, open your eyes," he muttered soft words and then placed his arm over his eyes as he cried.
"What happened to the other two?" One of the children asked. "Where are they?"
"They decided to leave you behind," Aella answered as she walked in.
Hearing her words the children began to think they had successfully escaped and were beginning to have hopes of leaving as well. Still, it seemed unlikely. Seeing the appearance of the returned three, they were beyond scared.
"They left to a better place," she added with a small smile.
"Better place?" One of the children repeated. Her eyes widened when she realized what was meant. "D-did they die?" She asked in shock, hoping she would be told a 'no'.
"What do you think?" Aella replied.
The little girl placed her hands over her mouth with the look of horror on her face. She couldn't believe the two were gone.
Alfred was too focused on Malakai that he paid little attention to what was being said.
"Tell me, what will you gain from this? Why are you doing this? Why abduct us and keep us here? Why won't you let us go?!" Alfred shouted. His eyes still fixed on Malakai. He then got off the bed, ran to Aella and fell at her feet. Please, i beg of you, let us go! Don't do this to us, let us return to our families."
She tilted her head and looked at the boy begging at her feet. "It is not my will that you are here, so I can not help you," she said.
"Wh-what happened to his arm? Why is he in this state?" He asked referring to Malakai. "Look at him," he pointed at his friend laying unconsciously. "What did you do to him?!" He shouted looking up at her with tears in his eyes.
She bent over and brought her face close to his. He immediately averted his gaze. He couldn't stand looking at her up close. She placed her hands on his chin and lifted his face to meet hers. He looked up at her with teary eyes and she tilted her head and looked at him intently. Her lips then curved into a smile.
"Constantine is going to love you," she said. Alfred found it hard to comprehend what she meant. 'Who is Constantine and why would he love me?' he wondered.
As she looked at Alfred, the rest of the children all came forward and fell to their feet with their heads buried in the ground.
"Please Ms Aella, let us go! Set us free from here, we don't want to die! Please!" They all begged and cried. They were even more scared when they saw what happen to the five that had been taken away. They realized now their lives were in danger and the urge to leave, to escape, had increased. They wished to return to their families. But, they were begging the wrong person. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't. An order from the rulers must be respected and she will no deny that what happens to them also benefits her.
Aella stood up and looked at the children in front of her. She didn't say anything as they kept begging and weeping to be freed. Just then, a man walked in with another set of children.
"What's going on here?" He asked.
Aella turned around and saw Rasmus with about fifteen children with him. She stood to her feet and replied, "I'm just being worshipped as a Queen that I am." She smiled at him. She then noticed the children with him and her smile quickly turned into a frown. He ignored the look she gave him and had the pins taken off the children and leaving them in the room.
As soon as they left the room, she pulled him close and asked, "What is the meaning of this Rasmus? Why are they here?!" She was not pleased with him bringing the abducted children in when they were just meant to be used as a ploy for the 'masterminds' to be caught. Moreso, she was annoyed that he did it without her consent. She was the one in charge after all.
"It was an order from the King," Rasmus replied taking her hand off his clothes. "He decided that these one would be brought in and their clones would be sent back home."
"And which King ordered that?!" She asked. "King Constantine told me clearly that they are to be returned. With so many clones, the rate of a problem occuring will only increase."
"Well, King Roderick was the one who told me to do this," Rasmus replied and Aella mouthed an 'oh'. By the mention of Roderick, she was immediately silenced. An order from him is one she always followed without question. No matter how risky it might be or if it was been hidden from the other rulers, she would do as told in a heartbeat.
"In that case, there is no problem," she said. "You could have at least told me first." She furrowed her brows at him.
"I apologize madam Aella, I must have forgotten that you were in charge." He jokingly apologized.
"But, why did he ask you to do it and not me?" She pouted her lips and folded her arms. Rasmus only shook his head at her behaviour as they made their way out of the tower. She always had this jealousy when Roderick would speak to someone else, or send them on errands when she was available.
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Hello, author here, participating in my first WPC. Giving the world of revenge a try, so here's a story about secrecy, greed, power, bloodshed, gods and demons, and a young man who finds himself between them all.
You can let me know your thoughts in the comment section.
I hope you enjoy reading.