Filed to story: The Alpha Kings Hated Slave
Remeta had a deep aversion for men because of what she’d been through, and that was why Baski hadn’t allowed any man to visit her child all these months. She also knew that it was the reason King Lucien didn’t visit.
King Lucien had a deep affection for Remeta. She and Declan had been two of the king’s biggest weaknesses while in captivity. King Cone knew this, and he exploited those weaknesses mercilessly. He made ten-year-old Remeta the king’s slave because he knew it would drive Lucien mad. It did.
King Lucien went berserk after all the nights and days he had to listen to Remeta’s screams whenever King Cone or his guards took her. He went insane like a wild animal in his cage, and that’s what King Cone wanted.
Then he killed Declan. That pushed King Lucien to the very edge of madness. He was still teetering on that edge to this day. The demons of the past threatened to push him over every singleday. Baski knew more than anybody that it wasn’t easy for King Lucien to hold on to his sanity.
In the end, Baski left Remeta and Sally alone and went in search of the king. She went to the royal court, but he was no longer there. When she went to his chamber, the guards told her that the king had gone out for a walk. So she waited for him.
She waited for hours before she finally saw the king walk into the hallway that led to his chambers.
Baski looked closely and observed that Lucien was walking with a slight limp. It hurt her seeing he had overdone it. She would have offered him her body to lean on, but she knew he wouldn’t appreciate it. The king didn’t enjoy being seen in his moment of weakness. And he didn’t appreciate such offers.
Baski wondered what happened in court. Why would he go for such a long walk? Why would he punish himself like that?
“My king.” She bowed her head in greeting.
“Baski,” he said in acknowledgment as he walked in steady strides past her to enter his chambers.
She walked patiently behind him, then turned and instructed the guards to go to her bedroom to get some herbs. She gave them the name of the herbs and seeds they needed to bring before she dismissed them.
Baski followed the king inside. With each step he took, Baski could imagine the pain he was in. He walked past his bedroom and entered the library, then lowered himself onto the chair at the center of the room.
Seeing him seated, Baski walked to the bathroom and returned to the library with a bowl filled with water. She lowered herself to her haunches in front of him. “Please, let me help.”
Silence.
He was leaning back in the chair, his eyes closed. The set angle of his jaw told her more than anything that he was inphysical pain. He let the silence stretch, only the wind coming in from the window whispered to them.
“Why bother, Baski? It doesn’t matter,” he groaned finally.
“It will help ease the pressure on the leg and reduce the pain. Please, I want to help,” she pleaded.
When he said nothing else, she took it as her cue. Setting the bowl down, Baski took hold of his left leg and lifted his clothing. Carefully, she removed his shoes and socks and surveyed the scarred leg. Slowly, she placed it into the water and started massaging it. Then the guards brought in her herbs, and she applied it to his leg. She ground the seed, applying it on his heel up to his ankle.
She worked in silence and knew that it was a silence he appreciated. She clearly remembered the day they damaged his leg. It had been one of those days he was getting tortured; one of those days they forced him to walk on glass. The glass penetrated deep in his foot and stuck in the bone.
Several days later, King Cone finally allowed Lucien medical attention. His leg had been infected and was almost cut off, but the healer managed to cure him. They removed the glass, but the bone never healed right.
So, whenever Lucien put pressure on that leg for too long by walking for hours or standing for too long or carrying weight on that leg, the pain would resurface and the slight limp would be profound.
What happened in court today? Was it something that happened in court?
Baski stared up at him. His eyes were closed, but Baski knew full well that he wasn’t sleeping. He’d gone back to the horrors of the past instead of the brightness of the future.
From the way his body was tensed, she knew his memories were overwhelming. The pain of the past and his demons mercilessly clawed at him, devouring him. Driving him insane.
She knew she had to distract him, so she frantically searched her mind for something to say. Clearing her throat, Baski said, “Um, my king…Mistress Vetta was invited to a ball in town. She’s excited-more excited than I’ve ever seen her before because she’ll be attending her first ball as the king’s woman.”
Whether the information penetrated, he showed no reaction. Said nothing. Did nothing.
She grasped for something else to say. Anything to pique his interest and drag him out of the abyss that was the darkness of his mind.
Remembering King Lucien’s love for his people, she cleared her throat again. “Oh, and in town yesterday, at St. Mark’s Street down to the little village of Yaleh, I heard there was good news there: the crops started growing after five years of barren land!” she said excitedly.
His hands only tightened on the arms of the enormous chair, sweat gathering on his forehead. It wasn’t working.
“Remeta is in the palace, Your Highness,” Baski said to him, unable to hold the information anymore. Bask hadn’t wanted to tell Lucien about it while he was battling his demons, but she was desperate. Tears slid from her eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to imagine which part of the past he was drawn into. He was trapped, just like Remeta had been.
Baski patted his leg reassuringly as her eyes blurred when he gave no reaction to the news. She slumped her shoulders in defeat, the feeling of helplessness rolling off her in waves. She kept patting his leg, so he’d know that he wasn’t alone. Baski hadn’t been able to help her daughter, so how could she help the king?
Poor Remeta, who was as battered as the powerful man seated before Baski, trapped in his mind. She hadn’t been to help her daughter. Instead, Danika was able to—-
Danika.
Baski stared up at Lucien’s face and cleared her throat again. “Danika visited my home today, my king. Danika helped Remeta today and brought her to the palace.”
Silence.
Then his hands on the arm of the chair relaxed. Ever so slowly, his eyes opened.
“What did you just say?” he spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
EVEN WHEN UNCLOTHED LIKE A SLAVE
Ever so slowly, he opened his eyes. “What did you just say?”
A feeling of excitement washed over Baski at his response. “She’s doing so much better, my king! She ate, and she bathed and even let me put a healing balm on her! Oh, Your Majesty, I’m so happy today. I never thought this day would ever come!”
He had leaned forward as she talked, interested. When she finished, his surprise was apparent. “That is a miracle, Baski. What happened?”
“It was Danika, Your Majesty.”
He cocked his head to the side in thought. “Danika?”
Baski nodded her head, tears of excitement filling her eyes. “She visited with Sally today.” She told him everything. How Danika got through to Remeta. She purposefully left out the part about Remeta addressing Danika as royalty because she knew it wouldn’t end well. She told him everything else, including the part about Remeta insisting on being with Danika, which was why she was in the palace.
Silence followed Baski’s narration because the king was trying to process everything. His face was his usual unreadable mask, so she didn’t know what was going through his mind.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?