'Her need is so immense that you become surrounded by it; this need is so enormous that you realize you can actually control it, and I know this because I've done it before.'

-Bret Easton Ellis, Imperial Bedrooms
***

A strange uneasiness was ubiquitously felt around the entire retinue, as the capital borders neared.

Gillian, riding beside the chieftain, had never felt this conflicted.

He remembered Lynette's face as she had bid him a teary farewell, wishing for the success of their mission.

They all knew it was a fantastical idea.
Even if the Prince had Rayna, he would never easily hand her over to them.

She was as good as dead- along with the child.

A lump lodged itself in Gillian's throat, when he allowed himself to think about the life that Rayna carried in her womb- the life he had been trying to deny for so long.

Lynette's words rang in his ears,

'She is carrying your child, Gillian- your flesh and blood.'

A familiar sense of mortification hit him, as soon as he allowed himself to think the same.

For, while the others may criticise him for his insensitivity, what they weren't aware of, was the utter humiliation he had to face, each time he reminded himself of the circumstances of that child's conception.

He wanted to wipe the memory of that night out of his conscience- at least as much as he could remember.

The fact that that woman had violated his very honour- was stifling. It not only undermined his worth as the general of his clan, but also ridiculed his very masculinity.
To have a woman, take advantage of his inebriated state, was deplorable.

He couldn't consider the thought of forgiving her, let alone forgetting everything.
They weren't a happy family. That façade could only last for so long.

What would the people say, if they came to know about the truth?
Will they still take her side?
Will they still be sympathetic of her predicament?

Gillian sighed, tightening his hold on the reins.

What did it matter anyway?

He had little choice.
Even if he himself remained conflicted about it, he had to follow the chieftain's orders. The man had always treated him like his own son. And right now, he expected him to be grieving for his daughter.

Hence, Gillian had numbed his feelings.
He would not dwell on his doubts and uncertainties. He will be the man the chieftain wanted him to be.

He had already failed Lynette. He wasn't going to fail another person who mattered the most to him. If that meant rescuing the very person, who was the reason for all the misery in his life, he would willingly do so; even if it meant considering the possibility of having that woman back in his life...
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Algar's lips curved into a sated smile, recalling the passionate morning hours he had spent in the embrace of the tantalising vixen.

"Rayna..."

Her name rolled off his tongue like the most natural sound. It hadn't even been two whole days, and he was already addicted to the feel of her satin-soft skin.

His chuckle resonated the empty chambers, when he thought of the bitter gaze, she had fixated upon him, while he had thrusted his body against her.

She had looked wild and feral- and absolutely irresistible.

It was only through sheer force of will that he was able to control himself, when he had wanted nothing but to ravage her like a beast.

His mind had conjured up images- scandalous and painfully erotic- of him slamming relentlessly into her; of him showing no mercy on her...But he hadn't done that.
He couldn't do that.

Not when he was faced with the physical reminder of the child she carried.

Anyone who knew him, would have laughed at the absurdity.

Prince Algar, acting like a wuss, in front of a mere slave woman!

The idea was unbelievable for him too.

He had never held any compassion for children. They had always irritated him.
Hence, he could not fathom this sudden tenderness that he had felt when he palmed her rounded stomach.

His hands instinctively loosened their hold as soon as they reached her midsection, something he had never meant to do.

He did not want her to think she had won. But some bizarre force overtook him each time.

Maybe it was her.

He knew she was only doing this to protect that child; had even seen her resolve in her eyes.
Maybe he knew that keeping the child safe was the only way he could keep her under his control.
That must be it.

He did not care for the child.
Why would he?

That was someone else's bastard- something he did not want to dwell on.

"Your Highness, you have visitors."

Walder's concerned tone, caused Algar to glance at the door.

He did not have to ask. He already knew who it was.

Finally...
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This was the Prince?

Gillian couldn't believe his eyes as he stood in the centre of the court room, along with the chieftain and one of their warriors.

An eerie silence surrounded them, as the other occupants of the room- a handful of ministers, and guards- stood quietly perusing the scene.

The rest of their men were stationed in the outskirts of the capital, in a small tented establishment, ready to attack whenever the need arose.
They knew that attacking first, would mean their immediate deaths. Even the mere guards of the palace, outnumbered all of their warriors.

They did not stand a chance.

But nothing could deter the chieftain. He was here on a mission- the mission to rescue his daughter.
And he had vowed to succeed in that, even if it resulted in his death.

But being foolish, wouldn't have helped them. They would have been of no use to Rayna, had they been killed the moment they arrived here.

Hence, they had taken a more diplomatic route. The chieftain had decided to negotiate with the Prince. Although, considering his reputation, they knew it would probably be a hell of a task.

And now, as he stood facing the said Prince sitting on the throne, Gillian was surer of that than ever.

The boy was a mere weakling. A single blow from Gillian's hand, and he would be crushed.

He couldn't picture him giving orders to the burly men guarding the Palace gates; neither could he picture the boy harming anyone, let alone laying waste to innumerable villages and clans.

"To what do I owe this audience?"

Gillian was not surprised by his refined voice, devoid of any gruffness, as he fixed an uninterested gaze at the chieftain.

He could easily spot the tension in the chieftain's back, and the tightness of his jaw, as he spoke with a hardly-restrained anger,

"I am here to take my daughter back with me."

If the Prince was surprised by the challenging tone of his voice, he did not show that. Instead, he leaned on the back of his throne, splaying his fingers atop the armrests; his expression turning even more aloof.

"Very well. That is a noble cause. However, you still haven't answered my question, Chieftain. What are you doing here, in my palace, disturbing my peace?"

Gillian wanted to punch the haughty expression off of that weasel's face, for having the guts to ridicule his chieftain.

"I have reason to believe that my daughter is held captive here. Your men abducted her from my land, a few days back."

The Chieftain's visage was the picture of rage. He was shaking from the force of restraining himself from lashing out. Gillian knew he wouldn't be able to control his anger for long.

The Prince's brows went up in surprise.

"My men? You do know the result of laying such false accusations upon the crown, don't you? What reason would my men have, to abduct your daughter? How can you be sure of that?"

The boy's conceited smile, irked Gillian to no end.

If he had any doubts regarding Rayna's whereabouts, they were immediately cleared in that moment.

The Prince's smirk said it all- Rayna was here. And most probably alive.

By the looks of it, the boy knew she was the chieftain's daughter. Gillian was sure of that; after all, Rayna would never pass any chance to boast of her status.

"I am sure of it. My own general- and my daughter's husband, was the one who witnessed the act. Gillian..."

The chieftain beckoned Gillian to come forward.

The Prince's eyes, widened with surprise- and an unmistakable animosity, fell upon him.
Gillian held his gaze with his own. He allowed his hatred to seep through, not caring for the consequences.

Something shifted in the air between them.

A flash of an unnamed emotion crossed the Prince's face.

Gillian did not dwell much on it. He reckoned the boy was probably trying to assert his authority; too bad it was not working on him.

"You saw my men take the chieftain's daughter?"

The challenging tone of his voice, irked Gillian, causing him to set aside his misgivings for Rayna, for the moment.
Raising his chin, he spoke in a dry voice,

"I saw them take my wife."

The Prince's jaw clenched.

"And are you certain they were my men?"

Gillian noticed the chieftain stepping forward, his hands fisted by his side.

"This is not-"

The Prince was quick to interrupt him.

"I believe he has to clarify, chieftain."

Gillian knew he had to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"I saw them wearing your sigil. And if you still insist that they weren't your men, then you might have a bigger problem at your hands."

The Prince seemed to hesitate, though only for a second. He then turned back to the chieftain,

"Very well...if that is indeed true, then maybe they took your daughter. But that still doesn't warrant your presence here. I have no knowledge of the incident. They would be a fool to bring her here. I am saddened to hear about your daughter.
What happened with her is unfortunate. But I doubt if she is alive still... There is no guarantee of what the men might have done with her."

Gillian's blood ran cold for a second.

When he had not yet faced this tyrant, he had been able to dispel all fear. He told himself that he did not care for the woman, who had deviously manipulated her way into his life; and while that had been true, he also knew that her death will make him lose even more.
It would devastate the chieftain, and possibly send him on a path to madness; that will ultimately result in their entire clan being wiped away- along with Lynette...

But he did not have a chance to voice his concern, as the very next moment, the furious voice of the chieftain, bellowed in the court.

"That is a shame indeed. Maybe they are right. You are a fickle leader. What sort of a King would you be, when you cannot even control the actions of your own men, who prance about doing whatever they please? This is anarchy!"

Dread descended over Gillian, who could already foresee the consequence of the audacity.

Furthermore, the entire assembly gathered around them, fell in a hushed silence.
They gaped at the chieftain and the Prince, fearing for what was to come.

"Chieft-"

Gillian advanced towards the man, keeping a restraining hold on his elbow.

"Anarchy? You lay some serious allegations against me and my men, chieftain. You do know the consequences of it, don't you? You are standing in my court, among my men. This is not your village. I am your King. What you just said, amounts to treason."

The chieftain scoffed, causing Gillian to tighten his grip, warning him against proceeding.

"You do not have the courage, boy. Had you been a real man, you would have fought upfront. My warriors are enough for the likes of you. My general- my son-in-law-"

He motioned to Gillian with a raised chin, his eyes shining with a mix of pride, fury and rebellion.

"-Gillian, is the testimony of the courage that my men possess. You are just a coward, who uses our women, to get us to surrender before you."

Frantic whispers arose among the people, who were shocked at the unprecedented recklessness of the ageing man. They knew he was doomed.

Gillian watched with trepidation, as several guards advanced towards the chieftain with their swords drawn out. He cursed their decision to leave their men back. He knew he was capable of defeating each one of them, but not when they were so pitifully outnumbered.

If they decided to take their lives right at the moment, he knew they would be incapable of saving themselves.

"I pity your foolishness, chieftain. If this was how you were planning to secure your daughter's safety, then I am sorry to inform you that you were altogether misguided."

He then turned to his advancing men.

"Guards, put this man in prison. I will see him executed before dawn."

"No!"

The word was out of Gillian's mouth with a resounding force. He saw the stoic face of the chieftain, who seemed unfazed by the event. He could see he had accepted his fate.

The Prince's gaze held a mild interest as it turned to him.

"Is there something you would like to say?"

Gillian's breath shortened as he thought of a way out of the situation.

"You cannot have him executed. Chieftain Edgar is one of the most influential men of your land. You must be aware of the massive support and loyalty he enjoys. You dare lay a finger on him, and you will have entire clans opposing your rule. Do you really think this is in your interest?"

He held his breath, while one of the old men standing beside the boy all this time, leaned down to say something in his ear.

Gillian looked on with apprehension, as the Prince's gaze hardened. The people murmured with a feverish intensity. He cast a concerned glance at the chieftain, whose face was devoid of any emotion, as the guards surrounded him.

"What will we do now?"

The other man, Herald, whispered in Gillian's ears; his voice was eloquent of his desperation. Before he could reply, the Prince had already begun speaking.

"Chieftain Edgar here, called me a coward. This man- his general, appears to think the same. He thinks that I will cower before a crowd of hooligans. Well, dear general, if you are so sure of your own strength, then why don't we have a demonstration of it?"

Gillian knew what was coming. He saw the chieftain's face crumble for a second, as realisation dawned on him.

"You- general, are to compete in a dual. We will see if you can rescue your chieftain. Till then, he is to remain in my prison. But you will not have to wait for long. You will remain within the palace tonight, along with your companion. And once the sun rises, we will meet in the arena. If you win, I will release your chieftain...and your wife, if she is here. But remember- if you lose, I will not only have your, and that old man's head, but also of all your men. I will personally take my troops to your village, and destroy everything. Tell me, general, do you accept my challenge?"
______________________________________

Algar was fuming with anger as he rushed through the halls.

The face of the man- the general, swam before his eyes. He could still remember the sour taste in his mouth, when the chieftain had introduced the man as his daughter's husband.

Rayna's husband....and the father of the child she carried.

"Bastard!"

Algar spat out the curse with unrestricted vehemence. He had never hated any man to this extent.

He had managed to mask much of his displeasure in the court; all the while wanting to wring the man's neck.

He had been able to see the condescension in his eyes; and it had made him mad with anger.

He knew this man was strong; he could see that in the bulging veins of his arm, and the unrelenting contours of his face. This was a ferocious man. He respected men like him- ones who were fiercely loyal and brave.
And that was all the more reason for him to hate him.
______________________________________

Rayna knew something was going on, but she had little means to inspect the matter herself.
For the entirety of her stay, she had remained locked inside the quarters, aware of being effectively under the mercy of the Prince.

Even the maid that came to give her food and help her bath from time to time, kept silent around her, despite her innumerable efforts to get her to speak. She knew the girl was likely ordered not to speak to her.

Throughout her life, Rayna had seldom felt so desolate.

She had been here for no more than a few days, and already it already felt like an eternity.

She was no more than a means to the Prince's pleasure, whenever chose to seek her. Her plan of an escape was going nowhere; even waiting for any help to arrive, felt futile.

She could see no way out of her predicament.

The only relief was the knowledge of her son, lying contently in the safety of her womb.

But she knew something unusual had happened today. the Prince had not visited her since he left that morning, and though she was relieved for the reprieve, she knew this had to be the silence before the storm.

He hardly let a few hours pass before demanding her services. Even the maid had not brought her food today; moreover, the atmosphere felt heavy with uncertainty.

Her suspicions were brought true, as the very next moment, Algar stormed inside her room.

She had a little chance to react at the ferocity of his expression, before he held her by the back of her neck, and slammed her face against the wall.

Rayna gasped at the impact, her skin burning with pain.

He gave her no time to inquire about the reason of his sudden aggression. She was too shocked to say anything, or stop him, as he bunched up her skirts.

With her face held against the wall, her back faced him.
She heard the sound of him fumbling with his trousers, his breath coming out in short, angry puffs.

Rayna was benumbed with pain.
She wrapped her hands around her stomach, the moment he thrust himself inside of her without warning.

"You are mine. You hear me?"

Rayna bit her lip in pain, not understanding the hostility in his voice. She knew she had to do something before he lost the last strand of his restrain, and hurt her son.

"Yes...My King."

She spoke between gasps of air.

He continued his torment, panting heavily,

"I am your King now- your lord. You will not go back to him. I will not allow that."

Rayna stilled as soon as she heard his words.

She was instantly able to decipher the reason behind his sudden madness, there could be only one- her father was here...and so was Gillian.
______________________________________

Rayna lay, with her head on Algar's chest, while he stroked her back.

After his outburst, he had calmed down considerably.

Rayna had restrained herself from speaking. She knew he will be telling her the news himself- if only to fuel his sadist desire of causing her pain. And sure enough, it did not take long for him to speak.

"Your father is here."

Her father...he was here! He came to save her!

Rayna gulped, masking her hope with an unresponsive expression. She knew he was keenly observing her for her response.

You wouldn't get one, you bastard.

"He is?"

His scrutinising eyes were fixated on her face, as she looked up at him.

"Yes. He asked me to release you."

Rayna felt her heart soar with happiness.

"Your husband is here too."

His eyes narrowed when he saw her expression falter.

So, Gillian truly was here...

But then she reminded herself, that he probably came just because of her father.
Afterall, why would he ever want to save her?

"You didn't tell me he was the general of your clan."

There was an undercurrent of the earlier hostility in his tone; and she could not help but notice the perusal in his eyes.

Rayna raised an eyebrow.

"As I told you before, he doesn't matter anymore."

Algar smirked at her answer, trailing his thumb down her cheek.

"I know. And after tomorrow, he will never matter; for as soon as the day dawns, I will have that man's head."

Rayna felt her heart plummet at his words.

Her hands quivered when she witnessed the resolve in his maniacal eyes.

"What? B-But what happened? Where is my father?"

His smile turned to an insulting grin, as he pretended to contemplate her question, while dipping his right hand beneath the neckline of her robe.
She willed herself not to squirm.
His finger flicked her nipple, as he sighed contently.

"At the moment, he is staying in our prison."

Rayna jumped at his words, pushing his hand away as she raised herself in a sitting position.

"What? He is in prison?"

Algar's jaw ticked. She knew she should have kept her anger in check, but the news of her father's imprisonment sent all her rational thoughts flying out of the window.

This measly boy had dared to imprison her father- the great chieftain Edgar!

"He challenged the legitimacy of my rule in front of the entire court. I had no other choice."

Rayna wondered what might have incited her father to make such a foolish attempt; but knowing the affronting behaviour of the Prince, she knew it had to be his making.

"You have to release him. Please."

She could hardly keep the desperation out of her voice. As she imagined her father in the dreaded prison of the capital, she shuddered with anxiousness.

"That is up to your general, woman. That fool has accepted a duel. If he wins, I will release your father. If he doesn't...well, you know what will happen."

Rayna knew he wouldn't just stop at her father. He will go after her clan. And she knew they will never be able to defeat the large capital army.
A war with them will be fatal for their clan.

She also knew Algar will never let Gillian win. Although she had faith in his strength and abilities, she knew Gillian will be subjected to one or other deceit.

"Why the long face? Are you afraid for your husband's life?"

Rayna immediately schooled her features, knowing that any show of weakness from her, will only further his devious intention of harming her father.

"No. I serve you. You are the only man I think about. And I know, you will not hurt my father."

She saw a flash of surprise in his eyes, as he sat up. His gaze was intently fixed on her face, searching for signs of a lie.

Too bad, he wouldn't find any.

"I will see to that. As for tomorrow, I will gift you that general's head on a golden platter. Be ready to be present at the duel. It will be all the more interesting with you there. Let them all know, who you serve."
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Author's Note-

Hello to all my wonderful readers!

So, what do you think about the chapter?

Who do you think will win the duel?
Will Rayna support the Prince in public?

Also, what do you think will be Gillian's reaction on seeing her there?

P. S. We are more than halfway through the book.

Till the next time 👋