Catching the Wind

Lady Regaline

“We..we dare not disturb ye, Sire, gave us instructions to..to not disturb yer Majesty un..unless the Castle was a..aflame.” pleading with the King for understanding, the soldier raised up, looked at the people all kneeling behind him. He did not want to be the one receiving the Kings wrath at that moment.

They were all aware as to what King Barkarius had been doing in those 4 days. It happened often he would not leave his room during drug filled entertainment with female guests. The King had explicit rules to not be disturbed during that time.  

“So, ye thought not to inform me that the dragon managed to walk right out of my castle? Ye thought to not inform me, that half of my army, just abandoned their duties?” Going down each step as he spoke, the King stood before the soldier.   

“Apparently I am no longer King of this castle if ye think for a moment I need not know that the very purpose of my existence freely walked out the doors?” The King addressed all as he pulled the sword at the soldiers’ hip and drove it through the man's gut. Blood started to pool on the floor as he twisted and pulled the blade out.  

  

“Anyone else here to question what I be needin or not needin to know?” yelling, he stared at the top of his subjects' heads, daring the next person to look up.  

“Good, now that be settled, I be needing one of my useless subjects to send word to her late Majesties army, I will be needing their service, seeming I have not one TO SERVE ME NOW!” Screaming as he said this, the subjects at his feet could feel the rage, and started to fear for their life. They didn’t take for granted the kings temperament and stayed bowed, answering him immediately.  

“Yes Sire, as ye wish.” Cutterson answered. He was loyal to Nikolas but had stayed behind, figuring with the situation, the King would not suspect but be desperate for supporters.

Nodding at a servant standing off to the side, the servant left to send word for the King. Cutterson knew the King would send for reinforcements. He would get them, though Cutterson also knew it would still not be enough, as the late Queens army was not large, and they were merely guarding the border of the Kingdom.

Eyeing the direction the response came, the King spoke.  

“Finally, some loyalty where there seems to be none. Someone, get this mess cleaned up, and send for Lady Regaline.” Tossing the bloodied sword to the ground, the King turned and headed back up to sit upon his throne as servants hurried to remove the dead body and clean up the blood that had pooled there.  

Not a moment later a soldier came running into the throne room through the main doors. Stopping before reaching his throne, the King whispered ‘Now what?’ to himself.  

“Sire,” kneeling down before him, a redheaded soldier hesitated. Seeing the fallen comrade laid before him being dragged away and the red stain hugging the marble floor, the soldier squeezed his eyes and prayed.  

“YES? NOW WHAT?” yelled the King.  

“My Lo..ord, sev..veral men ju..just returned on horse back, they..they had left us to go with Captain Nikolas, but..but have retur..urned.” the scared soldiered stuttered in delivering the news.  

“Wonderful! They must be here to seek redemption, though given a choice if weren’t for the current situation, I would have them drawn and quartered. Send them in so as I may speak to em.” Feeling a bit of relief for the return some of his army, he stepped up the stairs and plopped down on his throne. The elaborate robe covering his large, firm frame, almost engulfed it.  

Looking up at his Majesty, the soldier hesitated. Fearing for his life as to what was about to take place.  

“Well, don’t just sit there, bring em in!” His demanding words caused even more dread in the kneeling soldier.  

“Aye, S..sire” getting up and heading to the high double doors that stood at the entrance to the throne room, the soldier stopped and took a deep breath.   

Slightly opening one of the doors, he stuck his head out for a brief moment, then looking back in the direction of the King, he proceeded to pull one of the doors open further. 

The subjects that had been kneeling stood and gathered to the outside of the large carpet laid in the center of the marble floors.  

The scene before them brought gasps. Even a light giggle could be heard from Lady Regaline who entered from the left corridor of the throne room.  

5 soldiers, not wearing a single piece of cloth but rubbed in manure, hopped into the throne room. Their hands and ankles had been bound by rope and colors resembling the Kingdoms flag had been bound around their mouths. The pungent smell caused the people watching to pinch their noses in disgust while trying to stifle their laughter. The King stood speechless at the audacity.   

“Sorry, me Lord, we had just arrived when ye requested for them to be brought in. We had yet to figure on if they be friend or foe.” A tree of a man that bare years' worth of facial hair reported to the King.   

“Can NO ONE seem to get something right today? I was expecting well over 20 of my men!! What jest is this?" The King's face was red from his heated anger and embarrassment of assuming what was coming was anything but what stood before him.

"Must I do everything myself?” saying this as he rose and hurried to the bottom of the steps, he yanked down the cloth covering the naked man's mouth as he kicked him in the shin. The man fell to his knees with a grunt as he was not small in stature.  

“Speak very carefully, yer life, and the men who stand at ye back, depend on yer words.” having bent and whispered this into the mans ear, the other 4 over heard and dropped hard to their knees, loosing their balance and falling over.  

As the four fleshy bodies laid there cold, they started to wriggle as they begged to be spared behind their gags, the man who could speak waited a moment, terrified.  

“I will not offer this curtesy again, SPEAK!” the King yelled as he reached to hip of the soldier standing next to them and drew the broad metal sword from its scabbard.   

Feeling the cold metal against his neck as King Barkarius started to press the blade in, a hoarse gurgle erupted from the man.  

“Ehh.hmm. COUGH. Ye..yes yer Majesty, I beg of ye, please spare us! We's only followed that traitorous Captain because we..we..uh..we wanted to gather information from em Sire! I swear, ours loyalty has always been at ye side, please me Lord, I beg for forgiveness, please!” Pleading with his explanation, the bound soldier did not know if the King believed him.   

The soldier's true intentions of overtaking Nikolas and leading the army back to the King had failed. The man's greed and want for recognition, had turned on him when he and the men behind him started to bash the Nikolas’s standing as captain of the army.  

A snicker could be heard in the moments silence as the King was thinking. He glanced over warningly in the Lady's direction.

Lady Regaline, watching the events play out before her, stared in sick fascination. She was familiar with a man's body, and staring at the naked bodies of them now, brought up a sick desire that caused her cheeks to pale pink. Very few were aware of the sex and sweat filled nights, fueled by opium, she had with the King. Even though she was his half daughter, he saw no wrong in taking her when and as he pleased. They both shared a love for torture, so with summoning her, Lady Regaline thought she would be getting new playthings to fill her time.