Below the Peak (Sola)(42)
The room was plunged into darkness, as there was no candle burning. Nikolas dragged himself to his bed and laid on his back His father was right. Indeed, he was a coward a miserable being. Being a prince was just a title, Nikolas would wager many would have desired Schmerz being the prince despite his cruelty. He was too docile, he had let his humane turn him to a fool. He berated himself. Humiliation turned to anger and boiled inside him. His fingers closed to fists against the silky bed cover. No! No more will he be pliable, today would be the end of his meek righteous days. It would take Schmerz and his force a week to arrive at Murisa’s central villages. If he left tonight, he would get there before them. The corners of his mouth lifted while the wheels in his head turned. It was a shitty plan he was forming, but he was fully determined to make Schmerz and the queen suffer. They have turned him into nothing so will he turn their plan to dead bodies. A gift from the coward prince. He would prove he was better than what they and rest of the counsel thought of him. He abruptly stood from his bed and matched an oil lamp on the table beside the bed. Still plastered he walked towards the closet and grabbed a rucksack and shoved a shirt, a bottle of liquor in and slid a dagger in his boots. He grabbed two porches of the coin and shoved them in the pockets of his cloak.
The second he stepped out, he came face to face with Schmerz. Nikolas froze, shocked. His stomach dropped, hands began to sweat, eyes fixated at the cruel planes of the General's face. A scar butchered his left eyebrow. Nikolas’ insides whirled, and his heart drummed violently as the cold, suspicious eyes of the General penetrated his.
“Where to my prince in this dead night?” Schmerz asked, eyeing his bag with scrutiny. Nikolas forced his body to remain calm.
“Since when Schmerz do we tell each other what one is up to?” Nikolas laughed quickly to hide the tremor in his voice. Nikolas saw the heat in Schmerz eyes when he called him by his name. He knew Schmerz despised being called by his name, he preferred being called General. His parents must have hated him to name him such a brutish name. Nikolas’ lips twitched from the small hold he had on him-the hold was small, but he reveled in it.
“We wouldn’t want the prince to be harmed especially in these crucial times. I’m just doing my duty as the General protecting the heir to the throne” Schmerz replied his cold stare sharply still on him.
Nikolas felt like his soul was laid bare. He would not be able to enact his plans if he wasted anymore more time. He would succumb to the fear gliding inside him. He pretended to stagger although the ale was quickly washing out.
“Schmerz always committed,” He slurred. “I won’t tell father if you indulged yourself in pleasure occasionally ehh... A romp with a lady of the evening will make you feel right and loosen you a bit.” He hoped his bloodshot face and wavering blurry eyes persuaded Schmerz that he was crocked. He saw the hard lines of his mouth twitch.
He probably was enjoying the way he appeared, the drunk coward prince.
Nikolas didn’t mind disgracing himself more. Focusing his eyes over Schmerz’s shoulders, to the end of the corridor, a place that seemed so far out of his reach as he stood there, he slurred again. “You can come along Schmerz.” He opened his mouth slightly then closed it for the better, what he was about to suggest, would have been an incredibly stretch, something not only Schmerz would not believe but even the greatest hedonist in the city. He snorted inwardly...for Schmerz to join him in a romp. The whore would cry for death. The thought sent shivers down his spine.
“I’ll have to decline the offer. Should I assign you guards, my prince?” Schmerz asked ignoring his invitation.
“That would ruin all the fun. Have a good evening, Schmerz.” Nikolas excused himself, leisurely walking down the dim corridor stepping on his feet in the occasion. He was aware Schmerz was watching him, he could feel his gaze on his back like daggers. His knuckles had turned white from firmly gripping the bag. He flexed his fingers letting blood flow in his numb fingers.
He was too smart to just leave now. Schmerz might have sent one of his men on his tail. Frustrated, Calemir walked in the shadowed streets, his steps quick as he headed to Nadine’s house. Her modest small cottage home was situated in a less cheap alley.
Nikolas stood before the door and knocked, knowing she must be asleep at this late hour of the night since there was no burning lamp from where he could see outside the small curtained window of her home. He snapped his head behind him, trying to see if he had company while he waited for Nadine to open the door.
A cool breeze brushed against him. He tensed. He was too nervous and oversensitive to everything around him now. Damn you! He cursed at Schmerz and rapped his knuckles on the door again. What’s taking her so long?
Was another man here for her service? Jealousy boiled within him. Anger burned his blood when he recounted what his father had said about Nadine servicing Muri men. His track of thoughts was brought short when the door opened with a creak. Nadine stood at the door with a lamp on her hand, her long nightgown covered her shapely body, her lime eyes swollen from sleep, and her red curly hair untamed.
He didn’t wait for her to welcome him into her house. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him with his free hand, and dipped his head, catching her lips roughly with his. He felt her stiffen for a second then relax against him as he shoved the door closed with his foot.
She softly moaned into his mouth and responded to his kisses. Nikolas dropped his bag on the floor and grabbed the oil lamp from her hand, setting it on a nearby table while he dragged a chair and sat on it with Nadine straddling him. He caressed her hips and kept on kissing her, feeling the heat of her skin through her nightdress. Guilt filled his chest for using her like this, in his messed-up plan when she responded too eagerly for an experienced whore. She kissed him in a way that made him feel he was the long-gone lover and now he’d returned to her. Nikolas was aware of her feelings for him. The problem was, he wasn’t sure how he felt. Don’t think him wrong, he’s just confused about their relationship that’s been going on for almost seven years. Nothing has changed nor his desire for her since he’d first seen her. Her beauty still drove him insane, he just had to see her for the burning want in his veins to ignite. Nikolas enjoyed spending time with her, talking to her in the quietness when nothing else mattered. He more than liked that she listened to his rumbling of how it was hard being the invisible prince whenever he came to see her, never looking bored for one second. And this is what added to the confusion and the part she has never said she wanted more from him even when he told her his real identity. Nikolas had expected her to squeeze him of all the wealth he has, but not one single day has Nadine hinted she wanted the wealth he could give her. Whenever she brought the idea of him giving her more, she would get angry and change the subject. The other reason that gutted him is her providing favors to other men. He hated the idea of it, his stomach twisted, bile rose in his throat, and sense of betrayal rang in his chest whenever she was with other men. And then there was the way she behaved with him, gentle, caring. Nadine looked at him as if there was no other man but him in her eyes. Was this all pretense to keep as the most valuable client? Was he any different from others? Heck! He didn’t know.