Survive As The Brute’s Wife - Chapter 94

Alexandra was filled with glee, but she didn’t fail to observe her father who is making this odd request (Ehem!) this order. She didn’t know why her father is insisting on that. And she didn’t fail to notice that Maximus’ answer is not pleasing him.

[Come on, Max… Just agree with him… Tell him that you will rule over me or whatever…]

She tried to talk to Maximus but she couldn’t speak and Maximus was not even listening to her as he was bowing his head out of reverence. She looked up to see her mother still trying to get into this world, but her father is holding her back.

She had no idea how it would span out for him as he has to return to her… But it is not her problem.

The Dragon King’s attention turned towards Alexandra as she struggled hard to get the attention of Maximus.

“Are you happy?” he asked.

Alexandra pressed her lips. She was unconsciously smiling thinking how her mother would act upon her father’s return.

“Max loves me,” she smiled. But her smile didn’t last long as she saw Max slumping on the ground.

“Max!” she extended her hand towards the direction of the island where her sword is. The sword flew back to her and the golden hilt nestled in her palms.

“What did you do to him?” she glared at him.

She knew her father hasn’t hurt Maximus and that he is alive, but Maximus slumping on the ground reminded her of that day she watched him falling dead over her. She couldn’t bear a similar sight.

“Arimelda, you’re cute to think that you can beat me with that sword…” The Dragon King’s face curved to a smirk.

Alexandra felt the threatening aura emitted from her father and she decided to hold her ground. “No one touches him, Father… Not even you!” she stood up, leaning on her sword. “What do you want me to do? I am not returning without doing what I want to do.”

She could see that her father has descended here after arriving at a decision and nothing she does or says will change his will. The best she could do is to express her wish.

“That sword is a privilege I offered you, Arimelda…” he took a step closer. She could feel his aura suffocating her and she held her breath and pinched herself in her thighs to keep her consciousness.

“Can the Lord of the Heavens reframe everything as he pleases? I remember that this sword is a gift given to a daughter by her father…” she asked with her eyes focused on her father. “Are the words uttered by The Dragon King has lesser value than the word of a human?”

Alexandra heard her father gritting his teeth. “Defiant Child! Are you lecturing your father with the meanings? I know what I meant when I gave you that sword!” he shouted.

Alexandra said nothing. The last thing she should do is to provoke her father more.

“I will keep this sword. But I won’t use it. I promise.” She bowed her head.

“You promise?” The Dragon King laughed and Alexandra sucked in a deep breath. “What worth do your promises have? Have you seen enough of the damages you’ve caused to the place close to your mother’s heart?” he asked.

“Father, please…” she kneeled. She could sense that her father is hiding something from her and that is why he is insisting on her return. But she was not willing to go back.

“Stay here as you please, then…” he said gritting his teeth. Alexandra looked up with her eyes wide.

“…Help yourself…”

She couldn’t hear what he muttered but she could sense the sadness in his voice. He then bent to her face and blew on her face.

Alexandra could feel the familiar sinking feeling. The last time she met with her father he did the same thing.

“Please, no… father…” Alexandra grabbed his robe. “Don’t send me to be alone there… Please,” her desperation came out as tears. “Father…Please…”

She didn’t want to go to the bottom of the pond again leaving Wispy in charge of her body.

The Dragon King cupped her cheek and placed a kiss on her cheek, wiping the tears, “It’s for your good, Arimelda,” his voice was soft as a feather landing on a deep pool.

“No, please…” she couldn’t speak more as she felt her throat filling with water. Unlike the other times, she felt something wrapping around her feet and pulling her down. Her descent was rapid and she couldn’t even struggle.

“Father…” the agony-filled voice of her mind echoed in that dark water as she saw the wisp rising above.

“He should have agreed to my command…”

She vaguely heard her father’s voice and she closed her eyes to get engulfed in the darkness.

[I am sorry, Max…]

—–

When Maximus woke up, he saw Alexandra lying down near him. She was warm to touch and he figured that she had slept out of weariness and picked her up. He didn’t remember what happened after he saw the bright light. He turned to see the island that had the lone Hound’s tree not there anymore with the area engulfed by the sea.

Mount Begida had disappeared.

He didn’t mind it though. If he was buried, there would be nothing left of him, anyway. And what would attraction to his body from the old life accomplish? He has to live with this face for the rest of his life, as much as he hates it.

His men woke up almost immediately after him and they seemed to have no idea what happened either, except that Alexandra picked the Hashomer. And he searched for the sword but didn’t find it anywhere.

After searching for it everywhere to no avail, Maximus kneeled on the ground, disappointed.

«There goes my chance…»

They all prepared to leave. He could sense that they all were scared to bring Alexandra back with them, but he didn’t care.

He whistled for his horse and it came galloping. With Alexandra still sleeping, he got on the horse. They decided to go back to Riza to pack their things to leave to their home – Lethusia.

Alexandra didn’t wake up for a long time. He checked her mana and it was low. He thought it would be better for them to rest in an inn for the night before leaving for Riza.

The City of Dupa is a port city buzzling with activities all the time. People there were hedonistic as they had abundance due to trading. They all booked an inn to stay for the night.

—–

After sending away Julius who wished to stay by his side as he was skeptical towards Alexandra, Maximus walked to the bed. He softly ran his fingers through her long hair. His lips curved to a smile seeing his eyebrows twitching a bit and he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Oddly he felt something scalding on her forehead and he placed the back of his hand over her forehead to check if she has a fever but it didn’t seem so.

His finger trailed over her forehead to her cheek that appeared plump and soft. After  lingering there for a while his finger trailed down to her chin and her neck. Although her collarbones are pronounced, she didn’t look skeletal as when he met her. She looked more enticing.

“Should I wash you?” he asked as he felt her shoulders. They looked a little dirty. It seemed like she didn’t take a bath for a long time.

“Did you skip bathing because you were with him?” he asked grazing his hand over her forearm. “What did he say to you?”

He gripped her hand and he felt something scalding him and let go of her hand. He looked at his hand with a first degree burn and knitted his brows. He took a closer look at her hand.

It was then he saw a gold ring on her finger that wasn’t there before.

“What ring is-” he tried to touch it with the tip of his finger only to get scalded once more.

“What the-”

He placed her hand on the bed and took a closer look at the ring. The head of the ring had a distinct design. The design looked very familiar to him but he didn’t remember it from the top of his head.

Holding her fingers, he took a closer look around the ring and it appeared to be the blade of the ring.

«This is the Hashomer? Did it turn to a ring? Or is it something similar?»

Maximus was overwhelmed with surprise and happiness.  Finally, he could get what he wanted. He tried to touch the ring once more only to get burnt again.

«Is this ring not letting me touch it?»

His heart filled with disappointment. All the way here, he wondered how much Alexandra remembered. He wondered if Alexandra had figured out if he is Tubby or that she didn’t. When he couldn’t find the sword he was disappointed and now after he found it, he has no way to touch it?

«How will Alexandra know that I am Tubby if I cannot touch the sword? Is it because of the blood of the Lukyan family flowing in my veins? I have no way to prove to her that I am not Luke, but I am Tubby… What can I do?»

He knelt on the floor, filled with despair.