Read Forever, After... :: FA - Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - 'It's Getting Hard to Breathe'

Standing perfectly erect. One pair of navy blue eyes surveyed the land before it. This was the second time his entourage would be given free access to this land. If Ambrose could help it, this would also be the last.

He would not become distracted from the goal of this visit. To open an era of peace for Zyra, but more importantly to raise the ranks of his skeletal practitioners. The merging of the dark kingdom and this great kingdom would be recorded in their history books naming him the bringer of Power and Peace.

The title made him sneer in contempt. Would they still be saying the same things after he enslaved them all? His army took many hits from the drawn out war led by the Zyrian King. He needed replacements. Thankfully a skeleton isn't hard to come by.

The aircraft that transported them on the five day journey from Underous landed in the outer lying forest of Astria The moment they entered Astrian air space they were flanked by a squadron of the Zyrian King's dragons.

Ambrose did not give them a second of his time. Though their power was nothing to laugh at, they could never garther the respect that the original dragons could. After all, they fell far from the good graces of their kind.

Ambrose did not wait for the dragon Soldiers to approach the vessel. He disembarked as soon as the doors were opened. Walking past them in the in between he made his way to the castle leaving the diplomatic side of things to his second in command. His feet wandered the grounds of the castle. He knew they would be given one night to settle themselves before King Thetoris invited him to meet.

Ever so often Ambrose's skeleton would look back in the quiet space. Almost expecting to see the one that lived as his shadow for many years. He shook the thought. Titan has to stay out of the line fire. Their child must be born without any threats to its life. Light coughing garnered his attention.

His feet turned to the Northern garden. The closer he got the clearer the sound was. Under the shade of a pavilion were two women and one man surrounded by the King's guard. The man lay on his side feverishly coughing blood onto the floor.

A bright flame was ignited in Ambrose's eyes. He could easily see with the aid of Osirus' eyes what was wrong. An overwhelming amount of energy overflowed from the man's five main orifices.

The nymph again. Always trying to bite off more than they can chew.

White cloth ran past him. The haala attended to the ailing man. After administering his treatment the man's actions stilled. With the aid of two guards they lifted the man and carried him away.

A smile emerged on Ambrose's lips. He did not think he would have the honour to meet his replacement so soon. Although he was amused, he felt greatly underwhelmed. The man was not worthy of royalty. Ambrose could not help but wonder what he did to attain the position of Princess, at Prince Waide's side.

From taking a man as your consort to openly going against your counsels wishes. You've been very busy Waide. I hope you know of the repercussions of your actions. Although you may have already begun to get a taste of it.

Ambrose turned sharply heading back to the main portion of the castle. He had something he needed to see before making his presence known to the ones that resided within.

Large sea green eyes stared at the canopy ceiling. The hand that caressed his brought little comfort. He could still feel the energy ripping his insides apart. He knew this was a possibility. He had prepared himself for it many years ago.

The first few months were the hardest. This was when the energy would search desperately for its true owner, if it could not comfortably settle into the form of the one it was placed in.

Ustrith allowed Waide to cradle his head against his chest. He was tired and today's attack came with no warning. Basking in the seabreeze scent that wafted off the Crown Prince, his eyes once alert grew heavy. With no worries he drifted to sleep.

Soft lips kissed the cool forehead of the one that lay in his arms. It's getting worse. Waide pulled the sleeping man closer. He had hoped for a different outcome but it seems as though their story would play out like all the others who attempted this feat before him. Only strong vessels could truly contain the energy that resided in the pearls of royalty.

A wistful thought but if possible he would search for a doctor who could prolong his lover' life. Ustrith deserved that and Waide intended to give him life at any cost.

Placing one last kiss unceremoniously on Ustrith's lips. Waide removed himself from the bed and quietly left the room. Needing space to clear his head, Waide headed to his favourite place, the Western garden.

So many things were happening at once he felt as though he was choking. The Royal crown's were stolen, leaving the King the only member of the family to still hold onto his.

A high level security breach was discovered after the dust from that episode had settled. Even though he was the Crown Prince the only ones that knew the full details of who or what had escaped were the King, the Battalion Leaders and their second in command.

Ustrith kept falling ill from the energy that ran rampant in his body. His sisters were once again again in an uproar although they had the inkling of a clue of who was going to be chosen. Yet still the prospect of marrying the Dark King didn't not sit well with any of them. As such, they made castle life a living hell for those that encountered them including Waide himself.

Waide grimaced. The Dark King. The lying traitor that dared to make him fall in love. The man who should have arrived a while ago with his entourage given the travel time from Underous to the Capital City Astria. Everything was repeating itself except this time Waide knew exactly where he stood.

If he had blindly followed the Dark King, would he have just been another addition to his harem. Left there to be forgotten as time progressed? The thought angered Waide. I am no one's...

He had barely set foot out of the castle's walls when he knocked shoulders with ... the air? The space near him rippled before solidifying once more. On high alert given the state of affairs in the castle.

Waide reacted quickly, his magic swelled and numerous attacks were sent in the general direction of the passing figure. Waide's eyes widened as some of his ice lances hovered in the air, before falling and shattering on the marble floor.

A slender body stepped into view. His eyes widen at the revelation. They had not seen each other since then and Waide believed he did not have enough hands to count the many changes the person before him had undergone.

"You are a visitor! You are not allowed to freely roam the castle grounds!" said Waide. His softer green eyes, turned into a fierce neon green. The man that stood before him trailed his navy blue gaze upon Waide's figure. Waide refused to let the shudder he felt be seen.

"That wasn't an issue the last time..."

Waide's patience ran out, he looked at the man saying, "Go back to..."

The space that was between them closed in an instant. Long fingers wrapped tightly around his neck squeezed with no mercy. His eyes devoid of emotion gzed unflinchingly into the man before him.

"I am the King! You will have respect for me, young Prince!" said His Eminence.

His anger slipped into his words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. Waide glared at the man. Even after returning this man still has the galls to treat me like this! Waide's mouth began to salivate.

"Ofcourse ... not!" As the last word left his lips to the widening of His Eminence's eyes, a small white mass left Waide's mouth and splattered across King Ambrose's face.

Waide heart pounded in his chest as the King transformed into his haala. Fear and longing sat side by side in his chest. His body was whipped to the left sending him into the center of the wall. A decent sized crater was revealed as his body slid down the wall from the place of impact.

A defensive wall was raised. The strong thud of boots were heard. Waide closed his eyes. This was not like their last encounter, he was in the open. They were here to come to his aid.

Eyes darker than the midnight skies glared at the rows of men that stood before his intended target. More footsteps were heard, men he recognised as his own came to his side. Ambrose reverted back to his human shell. There was no way around the men before him without sabotaging the goal of his visit.

His Eminence's second in command spoke saying, "King Thetoris is requesting to meet with you My King. He wants to get things underway as soon as possible."

Giving the words spoken some thought, he stared long and hard at the black haired man. Ambrose decidedly packed his temper away. He had business to conduct.