Lloyd went back to Malusia without striking up a conversation with the princess after the birthday celebration. Her transformation into a stunning young woman had caught his attention and increased his arousal for her.
He had never thought of any woman the way he thought of her.
Ever since their last encounter where she fed him her blood, he has been unable to drink from any other source because it tasted bitter to him, and he yearned for her blood even more.
He desired to forget about her since she was just like every person he had met before, but it was just a thought he had. It had never transpired, and he could never forget her. It was impossible.
His attention was focused on the carriage window, and he observed water falling from the sky even though the sun was outside. He extended his hand outside the window and felt the liquid fall onto his palm.
The perfect scenery was short-lived as they entered the kingdom of Malusia. Rainwater was no longer falling due to a barrier shielding their kingdom from natural occurrences such as sunlight and other threats.
In Malusia, the skies were naturally dark, and the light was produced by lamps and torches illuminating the streets and pathways throughout the kingdom.
Lloyd's gaze was immediately dimmed as their carriage stopped in front of their manor. He alighted from the carriage, and at the same time, lightning struck, casting an eerie shadiness on his face.
He walked away, towards the door, while the coachman rode the carriage away.
The door momentarily went open and he stepped into the hall. His hazel eyes took in the world he shared with his mother and his gaze softened a bit.
She must be eager to see him. Upon returning from the war, he was requested to depart for Ardenia without ever visiting his mother at the manor. His footsteps hastened as he went in the direction of her chamber.
'Strange' He muttered inwardly, wondering where the servants and maids could be. He hadn't come across a single one of them since he arrived and even his butler was missing.
It had never happened before.
However, as he walked into his mother's room. His heart dropped into his stomach. The world seemed to have screeched to a halt, and it appeared as if an asteroid had just hit the Earth.
Lloyd felt the hair on his body rise, his jaw dropped at the sight of his beloved mother who lay on the bed, slain with a sword.
This couldn't be happening! It definitely shouldn't be happening to him! Why him!?
He walked towards her bed in haste, tears that he had never shed in his entire life gathered in his eyes. He had no idea when they started falling down his cheeks.
"Wake up Mother. Please don't do this to me" He cried, cradling her in his arms, and observing her limp body, pale face, and purple lips.
He couldn't have imagined what she had gone through. How long had she been like this?
He had been hoodwinked. Had he not attended the event and not listened to his father, he could have been with his mother and helped her out of her distress.
He was foolish, very foolish to have been easily cheated by who had done evil to him.
"You can't leave mother. You promised, you said you'll not leave me" He crumbled down, pressing his forehead to her head. His tears fell unto her cheeks. This wasn't a fairytale, his mother was dead and couldn't be revived.
How could this have been possible? She was a witch! She should have known when someone wanted to harm her, she should have fled! Why did she take the fall?!
Most importantly, who was the coward that had dared to hurt her in his absence?
He had the intention of finding that person, and it's known that he'll bring destruction to them and their descendants. Lloyd fumed, his teeth clenching in his mouth.
He got up on his feet and sprinted towards the entrance. He would only calm down when he shed the blood of someone he knew could have perpetrated this.
The queen. Despite Rayna's innocence, she had a personal hatred for his mother.
She must be the one to hurt his mother and he swore that he wasn't going to let her live past today.
He sprinted through the woods, his movements like a flash of lightning.
In no time, he arrived at the castle. Lloyd stood at the entrance, glaring at the tall structure that loomed over him.
His mother's warnings to stay composed, even in the face of the enemy's mistreatment, saved him from taking everything down.
They had trespassed, and there was no forgiving today.
He strode into the castle with anger coursing through his veins, his eyes darkened as he marched away from the queens whom he should've regarded. None of them deserved his bow and greetings, they all deserved to die for the evils they repeatedly committed.
They sensed the rage in his eyes as he walked past them and no one dared to call him for behaving rudely.
The servants fled his path as they saw him approaching, and all of them settled quietly away from his presence.
Lloyd eventually arrived at the Queen's chamber. The initial spouse of the king, she was also superior to the other queens. Layla.
Her name irked him and her presence annoyed him every time.
He had pardoned her for her hatred towards his mother, but he was not going to forgive her for what she had done today.
The guard blocked his path once he neared.
Lloyd was not inclined to have a conversation but instead slapped the fool across the face, which caused the man to fall to the ground.
Lloyd slammed open the door with a kick and then stepped in.
There she was. Layla sat in the corner of the room with her maids serving her, and her eyes were closed as she enjoyed their massages.
Oblivious to her surroundings, she let out a strong gasp, feeling a hand tightening around her neck, and her eyes flew open.
Layla gazed into Lloyd's hazel eyes and she swore to herself that she could've never been more frightened of this boy than she was today.
He was enraged.
"Why did you kill her? She did nothing wrong yet you stabbed her with a sword!" He shouted at the queen.
She was treated with disdain today as she had committed something wicked and he couldn't ignore it.
Layla scoffed, "Who?" Her eyes scrutinized the room to see all her maids on the ground.
He had killed them silently, and she hadn't even heard a single noise.
He was capable! Very capable!
Lloyd seized her clothes from the side and pulled her with force. "My mother. Why did you kill her?"
"Believe me or not. I have nothing to do with her death... Now if you would let g-"
His eyes squinted, "You must think I do not reason. You plotted the whole thing and made me leave for Ardenia so you could hurt her. I don't care how you'll do it, bring her back to me!"
Layla couldn't shrug him off. The gems on her clothes were piercing into her skin as he forcefully pulled her clothes from the side. "I am no witch, not even an angel or the devil. How could I bring her back?"
"Lloyd!"
Layla heard her son from behind and her lips twisted into a smirk.
Finally, This man could let go of her.
"What do you think you're doing to the Queen? How dare you disrespect her!?" Damien approached them. And yanked his brother to the side.
"You could be jailed or even beheaded for assaulting her" He spoke, his eyebrows pulling into a tight knot. He didn't know what had gotten on Lloyd's nerves but he knew it wasn't something good. The man had been composed till this day, that he laid a hand on the Queen.
Lloyd walked closer to him, his teeth gnashing in rage. "And why do you care?" He inquired fiercely.
Damien's lips twisted, "I don't" He looked into his brother's eyes.
"Father requires your attention right now. You should see to him and stop messing around" He added.
Lloyd balled his fist by the sides. He glared at Layla once more and then swiveled on his heels to leave.
Before He could completely exit the chamber, Layla parted her lips to speak. "You should be careful Lloyd. Seems like you've got another enemy"
***
Lloyd arrived at the throne hall, the anger in his eyes was yet to dissipate.
He wanted to kill Layla regardless of whether she claimed not to be his mother's killer. Today was her lucky day, he guessed.
But that woman and her children were not off his list, including her acquaintances, he would never forgive any of them for the hardship they had made him and his mother go through.
And here was another who irked him. His father turned a blind eye to everything that had ever happened. Even now, Lloyd believed that he didn't care about his mother's death.
"Yes, your majesty?" His voice tightened as he slightly bowed his head.
King Benjamin eyed his son, his lips twisting in disapproval as he gazed at the only son who had a striking resemblance to him.
If only Lloyd had come from any of the Queens, Benjamin would have cherished him, but he came from a lowly concubine. The ugly one as a matter of fact.
"You conquered another war, yet again. You deserve a reward. Tell me what shall I reward you with?"
Lloyd narrowed his eyes at the man.
His father must be joking with him at the moment.
Lloyd had never for once received a reward, but was well known for punishments even when he did nothing wrong.
This was new to him, and he began to view the man as his mother's real killer.
"Please yourself, your Majesty" He countered.
"Right" Benjamin chuckled, "I'll be gifting you a lovely wife. Why don't you get yourself prepared for your marriage that's to happen in two days?"
???
"You must be fucking with me Father, I never said I needed a wife" He sent a glare to the man.
"And you're the last person to ever interfere with my personal affairs"
Suddenly the wind became fierce and Benjamin was standing close to Lloyd. The king couldn't believe the audacity. The boy was quite outrageous today.
"Were you saying something?" He narrowed his eyes.
Lloyd didn't cower back like the king assumed he would.
King Benjamin rarely got off his throne except if he was infuriated with his servants and wanted to kill them.
"Mother just died" Lloyd started, feeling his heart sink as he mentioned the truth he couldn't accept.
Benjamin interjected, "I couldn't care less"
Clenching his jaw, he continued, "Now is not the time for a wife. I would never treat her properly"
He didn't want to be a bad husband to his wife, nor would he accept to be a bad father if he had children. He was Lloyd and not his father.
The King smirked, "As the prince, the kingdom comes first. Whether a tragedy had just befallen you or not, you'll honor the alliance"
He then gazed into Lloyd's eyes, "Be prepared Lloyd and don't you think of flopping the marriage" He warned before walking away from his son.