River licked his chapped lips and tasted salt.

He raised his hands to brush his hair out of his face , the heavy golden shackles clanking with his every movement .

"You have the prettiest hair"

When they chop my head off ,I hope they chop all my hair with it .

River held a palm over his eyes to shield them from the merciless sun . He wished it would at least rain heavily today ,so he could have a dramatic exit from life but there was not a single stray cloud to be seen in the vast expanse of azure.

The weathered shrine of Vorine loomed infront of him . Its tall windows rattled in the salt laden wind ,sounding like they were weeping . The structure was a mighty god on a hill, watching over Salkow as the cerulean below payed homage by crashing rhythmically in to rugged cliffs.

River closed his eyes. He felt calm , too calm .

He had lead the procession from Wesown to the shrine in Salkow. The West King and High priestress had walked  behind him.

Kaizer Schulz wore a simple blue robe , his crown absent.  He was no king infront of god . It was River who wore a golden crown ,its neck- breaking weight forcing his head down in to submission . He could not look up, he could not look behind . He could only look down at his dirtied ,bloodied ,chained feet.

He was followed by a troop of heavily armed soldiers , like he was a criminal that had commited unspeakable crimes. He had walked in this shameful manner for two days. The people came flooding to watch him and stood on either side of streets. River could not see their faces , only their feet.

They fell to their knees at the sight of the procession and bowed. Some prayed soundly. They were not bowing to their king . They were bowing to him . To the sacrifice.

People threw gold at him , strewing his path to death in shimmering precious metal. Ones who could not afford gold threw flowers. Some sang to him. Some offered him wine and fruit by the side of the road.

River Verlice had many thoughts during the parade. They emerged and died in his mind at such a blurring speed that he could not hold on to one solid thought for long.

But mostly he thought ,

Why?

Why ? Why? Why?

Why had he trusted Wolfram Schulz?

*        *       *        *         *        *       *     *

"Wipe that down too "

If Im doing the work load of a maid , at least pay me like one too!

River vigorously rubbed his rug on Einar's tool shelf , trying to get rid of stubborn  oil and rust stains. They were finally cleaning their workroom before one of them trip,fall and spilt their skull open on a sharp tool.

"We should find you a nice girl soon "

River snapped his head to look at his master.

Old man , why are you in such a hurry to marry me off? 

"Is there anyone you like ?" Einar grinned from where he sat on a window ledge , swinging his skeletal legs.

What are you ? A school girl?

"No," River deadpanned. Dealing with Einar's prying questions about love life was like trying to tame wild horses – the faster you wrangled the reins, the fewer awkward hoofprints you left behind.

Einar looked mighty dissapointed. "You are supposed to go wild and have fun ..and fall in love !! "

Arent you supposed to preach me  against temptations of flesh ? What kind of master are you!?

"I think Narin's lady in waiting likes you"  Einar wiggled his brows "I saw her stealing looks at you "

"Master," River said flatly "she's twenty nine "

Einar rolled his eyes and groaned "You are no fuuuuun"

Go nag Wolfram !

"When I was your age ," he coughed " I went on ton of dates! "

"I heard " River scrubbed the shelf grudgingly "that you had quite a few romantic escapades "

Einar's grin widened and his eyes dissapeared in a sea of crinckles  "Girls asked me out all the time "

River rolled his eyes "That' s impressive "

"You got the looks ,deciple ,yet you lack charm! "

"I get that quite a lot"

To River 's utter relief a gaurd appeared , like an angel sent by Gods.

"His majesty wishes to see you" he said to River .

That was odd . But even if the head of underworld summoned him right now  ,he would gladly go .

River excused himself and let the soldier lead him to the throne room.
He went inside and the soldier shut the door behind him .

Kaizer barely went in to the throne room. His court meetings were usually held in this colossal sumptuous hall and Kaizer Schulz left it the moment his ministers were dismissed .

So River found it peculiar to find the West King slumped on the regal throne , his head drooped like the West crown weighed a world. In that vacant hall, against giant pillars and high ceiling ,he seemed to  have shrunken.

River lowered himself on to one knee and bowed his head .

"You may rise ," his voice echoed off the walls  "River Verlice "

River felt his heart jump to his throat.

In the deafening silence that followed West King's ominous address, a searing chill ran down River's spine as he felt an inferno of hot, damp breath caressing his nape, sending every hair on end.

His whole body shuddered in alarm. Something was behind him ,it was growling ,and it was huge . River's gaze plummeted to the floor, revealing the nightmarish shadow of a beast with more legs than reason allowed him to comprehend. His brain, in a state of semi-functionality, struggled to grasp the monstrosity that was looming behind him ,growling ,panting and probably salivating .

Kaizer Schulz.

The patriarch of heavenly beasts.

"Make no sudden moves," Kaizer Schulz's chilling whisper permeated the air, as if even he harbored a trepidation for the monstrous entity at his command.

Forget moving . River did not dare to draw breath.  He stood like a marble statue ,trying to calm his pounding heart.

It can hear .

It will know ..that its prey is paralyzed with fear.

If it smells fear..it's over.

Kaizer rose from his throne , his crown tilted on his snow white hair. He looked aged than yesterday.

Kaizer took measured steps toward River , his footfall reverberating in the hollow chamber. His cold gray eyes stared in to River's widened azure ones , like he was seeing through River's soul.

"You will listen ,silently , to what I have to say "

Author has something to say

Thank you so much for reading my story . Author apologizes for the short chapter. Author spent the whole day planning the chapter.

Author will speak no further to maintain the tone of the story.

Comment and vote!

River verlice