Tap, tap, tap
A sound comes from the door pulling my attention from the files I'm immersed in on my desk "come in" I say and the double doors to my office is pushed open "Good afternoon Prince Dominic" a guard greets and I nod in acknowledgment "miss Addison is here to see you" he informs and I sigh "tell her I'm busy"
"yes my prince" he bows and exists and I go back to my papers but not a second later the doors are slammed open and a fuming Addison storms in "what's the meaning of this Addison" I demand with narrowed eyes "I should be asking you that Domi, what's the meaning of this" she seethes "you've been avoiding me and I've been trying to give you the space you need, but eight years of space is long enough for you resolve any guilty feelings you feel towards that woman, I'm the woman you love let go of Nyx she's probably happily married to another man with kids" she yells and I stand from my seat slamming my hands on the table creating a loud sound startling her "don't say that ever again" I warn menacingly the thought of Nyx being with another man has crossed my mind several times over the years but it never ceases to aggravate me to no ends and I know I have no right to be mad, I know that I'm the one who pushed her away with my own hands because I'd desired another and treated her badly, if truly that's the case and she's with another, then I deserve it. karma is only paying me back for all my wrong doings and I deserve every penny of it but I'll be damned if I go down without a fight, I've never been the type to take what he's due quietly. I'm not a righteous man and I never claimed to be one and I'm definitely not planning on starting now. cause if ever, whatever God in the heavens that's keeping her hidden from me slips up and I find her, oh I'll make sure I get her back willingly or forcefully. If she hates me she can hate me where I can see her.
"what do you mean not to say that again domi aren't I the woman you want no more?, remember how badly you treated her because you felt trapped in a marriage with her?" she asks with gritted teeth's "and now she's gone, she's been gone for eight years now, what's stopping you from taking me as your bride" she yells her eyes glimmering "watch your tone Addison, I don't have to tell you anything" I state in finality taking a deep and trying not to strangle her. she glowers at me "no domi, you have everything to tell me, I've wasted my youth with you, you made a promise to my dying mother remember? That you'd marry ME!, remember?" She ask and I have to put an effort to stop myself from rolling my eyes at her. what a manipulative little liar she is and I can't believe I fell for this stupid tricks of hers, you see, the thing is there is no dying mother or any of that shit it was all made up. All a plan to manipulate me and manipulate me they did for years, until I'd found out.
Addison is a spy sent here by someone, or someones for whatever reasons to extract information or something we're still trying to figure that out. And who ever did is so dedicated to the mission considering how he or she took his or her time to plan all this.
I'd met Addison at a carnival when I was seventeen and she sixteen. That was fifteen years ago.
…...
Fifteen years ago
I observe the different color charm stones displayed in the glass shelves that the seller claimed to have magical abilities that react uniquely to the buyer and out of the lot the emerald green one catches my eyes and I open the glass door of the shelf to reach for it but just then a small hand reaches for it too causing our hands to brush against each together before we both retreat at the same time I turned to see who the small hand belonged to and my eyes falls on a beautiful girl with ginger hair and a pair of dazzling green eyes
'Wow she's really pretty, though I'm sure Nyx is prettier' I commented in my mind. Even back then Nyx was still the most beautiful woman I'd ever crossed.
"did you want that too" she asked in a small voice pointing at the stone in the shelf and I nod "oh, I wanted to get it cause it matches my eyes" she said before fluttering her long eyelashes at me "but you can have it" she added with a sweet smile on her face
Lies
"don't worry you can have it I'll get something else, I'm sure the person I'm getting it for wouldn't like it anyways" I said thoughtfully "oh really thank you" she said happily before she those lashes fluttered at me again "I'm Addison bailey but my friends call me Addy or they would if I had any" she stated with a chuckle stretching her hands out for a handshake and I took it "Pri…." I quickly cut myself off from saying 'prince' I was dressed in commoners wear because I was outside I had to blend in, not to draw attention "Dominic Hawthorne" I introduced "nice to meet you Dominic, so who were you going to get that for?, your sister?" she questioned and I shook my head "no, a close friend of mine" I said "oh, is it a boy or a girl" she asked "a girl, her name is Nyx"
"oh great, I can help you pick out something then, I'm pretty good at picking out gifts, just tell me what she likes" she said excitedly and I agreed.
We spent the rest of that day shopping and talking about random things mostly her talking and me listening and by the end of the day we'd become friends we set up another day we could meet and when that day came we had met, we did this for about a year until the incident.
On the day of the incident it was spring we were outside by a lake, the weather warm and the breeze blew subtly as we strolled around the grassy grounds "is that what you really think about in your free time that we're not alone In the universe?, that they could be other species beyond earth, like lizards?" she asked with a laugh that causes her body to tremble as she hugged her stomach while bent over at the waist "well, yeah, I do think we're not alone In the universe. Egyptian are prove of it." I argued and she laughed harder "ok, ok whatever you say genius" she relented bowing her head a little and I farrow at her and she burst out laughing again. We were still talking when from the Corner of my eyes I saw something silver zip past the air in full speed aimed at me I was prepared to jump out of the way when Addison's 'mother' steps in using her body as a shield, stopping the arrow from getting to me, the arrow was lodged in her 'heart'
"mother!" Addison screamed before she rushed towards her mother who staggered to the ground "no, mother, no" she sobbed "what are you doing here" she asked and the mother coughed out blood before replying "I came to meet the young man that has put a smile on your face after so many years" she whispered but I'm standing close enough to hear her "come here" she called to me and I moved to kneel beside her in a slight daze still shocked by what took place it happened so fast. Too fast.
"young man, please take care of my daughter" she pleaded In a hoarse voice taking my hand and I nodded "no, no, I need your word, promise me you'll take her, I'm not going to be there to get her married, so right now I'm handing my daughter to you please marry her" she asked softly and Addison sobbing increased "I-I-I promise, I'll marry her" I said and she 'died' not a minute later a few men and women came and took her body for burial
I wonder how I had fell for such bad acting
Looking back at everything from hindsight a lot of things just didn't add up, we heard it was an assassin attack when my father sent the council and authorities to investigate they had come up to a dead end and the 'assassins' had shot only one arrow and left meaning the target wasn't me it was for the plot.
After everything I'd asked my father to move Addison to the town close to the castle he had complied. I visited Addison often and eventually I fell for her.
I'd truly loved her even when I discovered my strong feelings for Nyx I'd tried to fight against it, to stay true because I didn't want to betray her, but all that love shattered when I found out it was all built on a foundation of manipulation and guilt tripping.
She's good, I'll give her that whoever sent her is also very good they had me fooled for years and would have still done so if not for her one slip up one night. she had snuck out in the middle of the night when she thought I would be asleep and I would have been if not for my Nyx fever.
…. .
I'm leaning against the pillar of the long walk way staring at a particular tree out of the lot, it's an apple tree, the one Nyx and I use to sit under back when we were children reading under its shades playing around it or on it branches we even have a carving of our names there 'Nyx and Dominic tree' I'm immense in the memory when I spotted something blurry whisk past me off the peripheral my eyes I turned in it's direction and narrowed my eyes to peer through the darkness the blurry figure takes a form and I see it's a person wearing a long cloak probably black seeing how it blends into the darkness so well, my eyes narrowed further as I wondered what the shady figure was doing sneaking around the palace at this hour of the night, I straightened from my leaning position and trail after the figure undictated until the figure stops and I find myself in a dirty secluded alley.
The figure stopped, obviously waiting for someone else there and during the duration of waiting I observe the figure and realize it's a woman by how full the lower part of the cloak is due to the skirt of her dress. A few minutes later another figure in similar clothing appears but this ones cloak's shabby with holes and patches everywhere. The first figure the one I'd followed walked closer to the other hooded figure and pulls down her Hood and my eyebrows raised 'what is she doing here at this hour' I wondered to myself the cloak figure was non other than Addison Birley, next the other cloaked figure also puts down it's hood and revealing an old woman probably in her middle sixties.
my brows farrowed in confusion for a few seconds trying to place where I'd seen that face, until it hits me. Isn't that Addison's dead mother in flash and blood, I could never forget her face not when she haunted my conscience for years. I'd been interested in the hooded figure affairs before but now I'm invested I stealthily moved closer to get a better hearing of their conversation.
"miss Addison, G-good evening" the woman greeted in a nervous voice "don't good evening me, Bertha, not when you're black mailing me into giving you money" Addison snapped "M-miss Addison it isn't like that, I have no other choice my daughter is sick and I'm in need of money" the woman explained.
"what do you mean it isn't like?, what do you think threatening me in a poorly written letter to give you money if not you'll reveal your self to domi called, huh?, a loan?, bitch" she hissed "and that stupid daughter of yours is always sick, isn't that why you agreed to do the job before because she was sick" she said rolling her eyes in mockery before she tsk. "I should have gotten rid of you when they asked but I was being my kind and naïve self, I suppose it's not too late" she mused loudly and the woman whimpered before shrinking backwards "p-please miss I just want the money that's all" the woman pleaded timidly but Addison cuts her off "and what do mean you'd reveal yourself to him do you think he would believe you? I have prince Dominic wrapped around my little fingers prove is how he chased that little bitch of a wife out for me, all I'll have to do is say you're an imposter and like that….." she snapped her fingers to emphasize her point "he'd believe me, now take this money and leave" she tossed the small sag of coins on the dirty ground and the woman scrambled to pick it up and attempted to scurry away but is stopped by Addison "oh and bertha?" She called and the woman tentatively turned around "this should be the last time you try something like this again or else….." she leaves her words hanging and the woman nodded her head vigorously before she bolted from there and Addison examines the area before she too departed from there I come out from hiding standing there feeling like a fool, like my skin was being pricked by thousands of needles.
I'd sent my right hand man Alistair to catch bertha and extract information from her and the feed back had been riling but interesting it turned out that the whole meeting with Addison years ago was all staged from our encounter at the festival to her mother dying to save me it was all a plan to get me guilty enough ripe enough to be manipulated unfortunately she didn't know who sent Addison, she gave a few description of the people she'd seen and we've been trying to find a match ever since. The only reason I bother keeping Allison around after finding out, is because we still don't know who our enemies are or what their motive is, and though we could just torture and extract information from her it turns out Allison is just another small piece in the puzzle they wouldn't mind discarding and the information she might hold wouldn't be valuable so we plan to use her as bait to pull them out.
"Don't you love me anymore domi" she peers up at me with teary eyes "you still love me right?" she asks innocently.
before I would have believed she was asking for assurance of my feelings for her but now I see it for what it is, she's asking for assurance to know if I'm still fooled. A small smile tips up the Conner of my lips "Of course I still love you Addison" I say in false sincerity, if they wants to play mind games then it's a mind game they'll get. "why are you avoiding me then" she probes "why haven't you touched me for over eight years then" she moves closer placing her hands on my chest and I have to put in effort to not cringe.
I haven't been with anyone or haven't been able to ever since the time I'd taken Nyx thought of her soft body under mine plagues me and my craving for her adds to another agony I face after she left I crave her to the point of insanity but I can't have her. like I said before it was the best I've ever had at this point will ever have, well that's until I get her back I'll fuck her senseless in every position possible I can barely contain a groan at the thought of taking her again. "I've been busy, you know that I'll have to ascend the throne in a few months from now" I reply peeling her hands from my shirt I take my seat again and return to my file "then how about tonight" she ask "I'll be at a meeting unfortunately" I give a short reply.
"What about tomorrow then" "sorry, I'm traveling for something and won't be back for another two weeks" I inform passively "oh can I come along with you then" she ask eagerly "no, my father would be there and you know he doesn't like you"
"Okay... I'll accompany you in the office then" she says taking a seat and making herself comfortable and I open my mouth to protest but refrain from it I can't make it obvious that I'm not in love with her anymore. I have to play along, for now.
I peer up from my files to where she's seated looking at me with a wide grin on her face "and why are you smiling like a crazy person" I ask with a hidden taunt "crazy in love with you" she says and I shudder "you just look really handsome when you're all focused" Addison adds and I force another smile, for the plot.
A few hours later…
I'm walking down the long hallway leading to the palace's royal court room. On getting there the big mahogany double doors are pushed open by the guards and I step in, walking towards the raised platform which whole span is covered with a red carpet and another red carpet with golden design is running down the middle of the steps to the bottom. two thrones with comfortable red cushions, golden high back rest and arm rest with intricate signs carved on them, each symbol having a profound meaning are placed in the middle of the platform and behind it is a banner with our kingdom's flag and our royal crest painted on it.
my mother and father are already seated in their respective seat. my mother's seated by his right I walk towards the edge of the steps and give a small bow to my parents, "Good afternoon mother and father" they nod in response "good afternoon Dominic, how's your day going" my mother inquiries "its good mother" I say before proceeding to walk up the stairs of the platform to stand by my father's left as I look over at the room.
the court room is vast with it's floors covered in white tiles with black intricate designs on it and the walls are painted white, a long mahogany table with the royal crest carved in the middle is placed in the center of the room with the total of forty-five chairs, reserved for important bodies only. The table is Mostly used when a more intimate discussion is to take place, like matters of war. At every intervals of the room there is a statue of a knight placed by the walls and in each intervals pictures of the previous kings are hung. The court room is well ventilated and lit not even a shadow to be seen.
the ministers are already gathered at the foot of the stairs and murmurs can be heard as they discuss the affairs of the kingdom my father raised his hand and silence immediately falls and the meeting officially begins.
"minister, I hear Eli that you have a problem with the transportation of goods from Evergurd to our kingdom, what's the matter" my father king Luke inquiries.
Eli steps forward and bows his head before straightening "yes my king, the transportation of goods from Rimvard to Evergurd has grown increasingly hard with the growing numbers of outlanders" he states
"outlanders?" the king asks confused "its what they call the bandits and pirates nowadays" queen callandra, my mother informs "Ah, fancy" he says smiling sweetly at her before he returns his gaze back to the minister "and what is the king of Evergurd doing about it"
"king Declan has tried but his army is not strong enough, considering his kingdom is a small one he has no need for a big army" Eli says. "then we will support them with our army to fight off the outlanders" my father says "I'll ask Alistair to lead the army there the day after tomorrow"
"I'll lead the army to Evergurd father" I blurt out with out even realizing what I said "no Dominic you have to attend the ball held by emperor Augustus" my father reminds me
Ah, that's true I forgot about that, guess I'll have to sit this one out, but there's this nagging voice inside my head that tells me to go not to sit this one out, normally I don't listen to that voice as it's lead me to a lot of shitty situations but today I'll listen, but only because my gut backs it up this time. "I can still go father we'll just have to push the trip to the day after" I suggest and my father narrows his eyes at me, he opens his mouth to protest but my mother places her hand on his that rest on his arm chair to stop him. His head snaps in her direction and they communicate with their eyes for a second before he turns to me again with a sigh "very well then, you'll lead the army to the kingdom of Evergurd but Alistair will have to follow"
"thank you father" I say, Whatever it is that's pulling me there better be worth it.
After the meeting I meet up with Alistair Voss the head commander of the army of Rimvard and my best friend. we are strolling in the training grounds observing the soldiers train and talking. "I'll be taking some of the soldiers with me to the boarders of Evergurd four days from now" I tell "what for" Alistair ask "its to fend off the outlanders, they are obstructing the trade flow between the kingdoms and the kingdom of Evergurd doesn't have the man power to do so" I inform "ok….. but why are you going though" he ask with suspicion lacing his tone "ugh… I just have this nagging feeling to go this time" I say and he eyes me with narrowed eyes "and by nagging feeling you mean that dumb voice that always get us in trouble" "well… yeah…., but this time it's different, this time it's backed up by my gut" I say in defense "so..?" he ask with a dull look "so… that means it's a solid, nothing to worry about" I reply, patting his back a little too hard and he glares at me "still don't buy it, remember the time we joined the empire war of Grahenia against pyria and your 'gut' told you that infiltrating the emperor palace as a spy soldier without informing anyone, not even the commander was a good idea, remember how you got attacked by both sides of the army as no one recognized you, you almost bled to death, had I not come in time" he says bluntly and I wince at the memory, that had been rough, but I still got a valuable information that helped our war strategy "com'on man, this time it's different, I promise" I say but he shakes his head "I'm coming with you that way your gut won't get you….." He trails his eyes staring ahead, looking at something I follow his line of sight and my eyes meets with duke Helios Hazelwood. He's on the second floor peering down at me, no, glaring down at me I give a small bow before giving him a nervous smile and his eyes narrows before huff walks off.
"I see he's still mad at you" Alistair comments from beside me and I sigh, running my fingers through my gray locks "can't blame the man, he has every right to be, I mean I'm still mad at me, I was a scum for how I treated his daughter" I groan "you know I withheld from telling him Nyx ran away until three weeks after she ran that words got to him and by then it was too late," I says, regret with lacing my voice.
He had been mad beyond words when he eventually found out, the news almost causing a rift between him and my father and in return my father gave me the cold shoulder.
"He immediately sent trackers to go look for her while I let my stupid pride take over and let Addison manipulative words get to me and had just stood behind still convinced that she was just throwing a tantrum and would eventually come back but reality had slapped me so hard on the face when it was far too late" I say in coarse voice feeling a lump settle in my throat.
I joined in the search and came up empty handed, her trail had gone cold, she was gone. And not long after her absence hit me like a storm. I hallucinated about her, still do. I still see her peering up at me under the apple tree with her clear doe eyes sparkling and her heart shaped lips stretched into a smile that allows those cute dimples appear on either side of her cheeks that's tinted red with a blush as she listens to what I say no matter how bizarre it sounded. I still see her small petite figure standing in the patio of the drawing room her hour glass shape donned in a beautiful lacy green gown that hugs her upper body but flows at the waist down, her dainty neck is adorned in a simple pearl necklace. she was never much of a jewelry woman, her chins slightly tipped upwards her eye lids closed hiding her large beautiful hazel eyes her long eye lashes dusting her upper cheeks with her long curly brown hair leisurely swaying to the wind her caramel skin glistening under the light as the sun kiss her skin. she looks ethereal like a goddess. A goddess I failed to worship.
The saying you don't know the value what you have until you lose it couldn't hold more true. She was a treasure I didn't know the value of.
To say I was a fool is an understatement. The fool who traded a diamond for copper
the what-ifs torment me. what if that night I hadn't said those hurtful words to her would she have stayed, what if I had begged for forgiveness when we had met at the hallway would she have stayed what if I had looked for her immediately would I have found her, what if I had realized my true feelings for her earlier, would things have been different.
What if, what if, what if, I've asked myself for eight years.
"Take it easy brother" Alistair says patting my back "you can make up for it once you find her" he says in an attempt to cheer me up and a sad smirk grazes my lips "if I ever….."