Below the Peak (Sola)(114)
The gates opened.
Nara stepped in and stormed straight to the king’s wall. The horse came to a whining halt several feet from a trio of guards standing at the front of her father’s house. Word surely does travel fast Nara grimly mused as she studied the armed men. One of them stepped forward. “Under the king’s command, we are here to escort you to the royal court.”
She clenched her fists. More like apprehend her. She could fight her way to the house, but she decided it was best not to cause trouble especially for her family. Jaw tight, she swiftly dismounted and said coolly. “Lead the way.”
The three men flanked her as they walked toward their destination. Nara didn’t miss the other heavily armed guards patrolling the grounds. Gloom hanged in the air. She felt strange walking down the halls to the courtroom. Memories of that night the elves visited resurfaced with each step she took. Shoulders straight and chin high Nara made her entrance in the courtroom.
“Nara!” Nara twisted her head in the direction of where her mother sat. Relief and happiness spread over her as she looked at her mother, then father and Ingrid sitting near the end of the long table. A smile stretched across her face. With long strides, she was next to them and threw her arms over them.
“It is good to see that you are well” King Lorenz spoke ruining the precious moment. Stiffly, Nara straightened and looked at the king sitting on his throne at the high end of the room.
“Your majesty” Nara curtsied. Her skin crawled when his eyes raked over her body and returned to her face.
“Where is my army?” the king inquired.
“Your Majesty I” Nara began, but the king waved his hand. The guards who she had walked in with suddenly dragged her from her family while other guards hurried and stood behind her parents and Ingrid. The three guards apprehended her at the spot. “Let go of me!” Nara jerked and twisted their hands, but they held her firmly. Two more guards enclosed her.
“I sent you to do one job” The king rose from his seat, walking toward their direction. He paused near a guard. “But you failed” He dragged a short dagger from its scabbard which the guard held. Nara seethed with anger. The absurdity of this man made her want to tear her hair from her scalp. She had absolute no power over the elves for her to command them to her will. Her eyes tracked the king as he resumed his walk until he stood by her father’s side. The king twisted his head, his angry eyes burning through her skull. “For each day, I do not see an army of elves there will be consequences. Starting today” The guard positioned behind her father suddenly moved and pulled her father’s left arm and pinned it to the table. It felt like a blink of an eye but also seemed like forever when the king brought down the sharp blade on Thani’s pinky finger. Nara’s eyes widened with horror.
“No!” Nara’s protest was drowned by her father’s own agonizing cries. Blood dispersed over the polished mahogany table. Ingrid shrieked, her hands covering her mouth, with traumatized eyes Ingrid gaped at the small finger discarded on the table.
Nara’s tongue locked in her mouth as she watched with despair. Her father cried. Jae tried to stop the spilling blood from where his finger had been with his right hand. To make it even more heartbreaking, one of the soldiers pushed his wife back to her seat, stopping her from rushing to her father.
Dark, consuming rage blazed within Nara. She glared at the king, chest heaving she hissed through gritted teeth. “I am going to kill you.”
“As I have said, each day I do not see an army of elves. There will be consequences” the king stated, ignoring her threat. Nara tensed when he brushed his bloody hand on Ingrid’s head before giving her a sinister smile.
“Lock her up” Lorenz ordered the guards apprehending her.
***
Chapter Sixty-one
The cell had no bed or anything to be used as such, it was empty except for reinforced iron bars to keep its captive inside it. Nara was sitting on the mingled floor, eyes closed, hands folded on her chest with head resting on the rough wall when she heard quiet footsteps approaching. She opened her eyes when the footsteps stopped at her cell.
“The king summons you,” the guard said. It has been two days since she had seen the loathsome king and her parents. Two days locked up in this dim cell, stripped her of weapons
Nara’s reply was to glower at the guard. Keys jingled as the guard unlocked the cell. Guards she hadn’t seen came in and grabbed her by the arm. Nara butt headed one and kicked the other in the crotch. “Do not touch me!” she warned. “I will walk.”
The two guards she had just hit hesitated when the guard who had opened the cell muttered. “Do what she says.”
Fuming, Nara proceeded out of the cell. They lead her through a dim corridor that leads outside. They had locked her within the king’s wall rather than the third wall where the military base and jails were. It appeared the king wanted to keep her close. Again, they entered the castle and went directly to the courtroom.
She found the man she hated with all her heart standing next to her father. Her stomach churned when she didn’t see her mother or Ingrid. “Where are my mom and sister?”
“Back in the house being watched over” the king smiled at her. She glanced at her father’s hand which was on the table. Her chest tightened when she saw the bandage wrapped around his left hand.