Chapter 9

Cal is still inside on the couch with the TV going, but he isn't listening. He isn't even watching it. He extended his hearing abilities to outside on the porch to zero in on the conversation between Rose and her parents.

"It's time My Lord, they're talking now. Her mother just started." He mind links him. He responds immediately as if he's been waiting, "Allow me to listen through you Calum." Without another word he extends his hearing again so he is on the "connection" to listen. Almost like a 3 way call.

"...all takes place before you were born. There was a strong Lord. He didn't just rule his country, his ruled multiple countries. He was so powerful. Extremely powerful. He wasn't any ordinary Lord. People bowed down to him and shook in fear when he walked past, on the streets. For a good reason. He was so terrifying. All the fear from the people pleased him. He loved it and he loved watching people run from him when he was simply being a man and going for a stroll. Somehow he got so strong, feeding off of these people's feelings that he became immortal. He stopped aging.

He was drug into such an evil world of pain and hurt, he didn't even know what 'good' was anymore, not even how to be that way. He was not a kind man. He loved his power and continued like that for hundreds of years.

At some point he got tired of doing the same things over and over and over. He tried to be good again or at least do kind things, but the damage had been done. He couldn't come back from how far he'd taken things. He went into a deep depression. He disappeared for a long while. It was rumored that he'd died, that he'd killed himself or sunk to the bottom of the ocean or even that he'd buried himself alive if he couldn't die.

Then there was war. Between three of the countries he'd ruled. It was a fight for power. To see who would now rule because the three countries had merged and their ruler was still nowhere to be found. Word got back to the Lord somehow. He was furious that his people were all fighting each other. He was so angry that the war was all over who would now rule, because he was still alive and these were still his countries. They had no right to attempt to replace him or change how his countries were laid out. No merging would happen unless he said so. And he certainly did not say so. So he went back.

There was so much killing. So many murders. Everyone was turning on each other to try and save themselves from this Lord. Other countries got involved, but the killing wouldn't stop. He couldn't be stopped. To the point that everyone was desperate. They couldn't possibly survive any more deaths or loss of loved ones.

So a large group of them went to a potion princess. Who is simply a witch, but an extremely strong and talented witch. They asked for her guidance. They wanted to know if it was possible to beat this man, can they stop the murders, and if so - how?

So this potion princess put together a concoction in a large cauldron and stirred it. She stirred and stirred and stirred. Never taking her eyes off the liquid, as if she was in a trance. She stayed like this for hours. No one could get her attention, whatever she saw, she had to see through to the end. So they all sat, and they waited.

Finally she stopped, she gasped in a deep breath as if she hadn't been breathing. She fell to her knees and grabbed her chest. Still taking heavy breaths, trying to control it and calm herself down.

Once she was calm, she looked up at the group gathered around her. Looking at each one of their faces. And then, she stopped. She stood up on her shaky legs and hobbled over to a woman and kneeled down at her feet. This woman was shocked, she had no idea what was wrong with this potion princess and was about to turn around and leave the group when the potion princess grabbed her hands. She told the woman, 'You're the key because your great grand daughter is the key. Her love. If you want this to stop, you must go to him. He won't hurt you. Promise her to him as his bride, she WILL love him or pretend to, very well. She will be born to be with him' She looked around at the rest of the group and then back to her said 'Go alone. You have to go alone, anyone else will die. If you want the senseless murders and brutality to stop, go to him. Agree to his terms, let your heart break, but you must do as he says. It's the key to surviving... and I saw the world if you do not go. He will ruin it. There will be no world. So go! GO. GO NOW CHILD!!' And so she ran. She ran and ran and ran.

Until she was lost. She had run right into the woods and didn't pay attention to where she was going. She was terrified. That witch didn't know what she was talking about. She stopped against a tree to catch her breath and wrapped her arms around herself as if to protect herself. She leaned her forehead against the tree bark. As she was breathing, she realized it was silent. She was in a deep forest, there should be sounds of wildlife, birds, deer, or even the wind. She heard nothing.

Until there was a crack behind her like someone had taken a step, and she felt a weird heat. It was getting hotter as if it was getting closer. She squeezed her eyes shut and sank to the ground. Refusing to look up. Until someone grabbed her arms, lifting her up and spun her around. 'Look at me." He commanded. She peeked one eye open and saw a man. There wasn't any fire, so why did she feel the heat?

She opened her other eye and looked at this man. 'My Lord.' She said quietly, barely above a whisper. He oozed power and confidence. He was still holding her in the air and she looked down at his hands and traveled up the length of his arm to his bicep. This was a strong man. She tried to stop looking at him but couldn't. He too, was staring at her intently as she asked 'Could you set me down on my feet please, I'd like to stand on my own.' Shocked at her bluntness, he set her down and continued to stare at her.

She curtsied and kept her head bowed. He said 'Why are you out here? It's dangerous out here for a woman. Are you lost child?'

She snapped her head up to him and narrowed her eyes 'I am not a child. But yes I am lost... Now found.' More silence, then he asked 'What were you running from?' At barely more than a whisper she says 'You.' He looks at her bewildered. 'Explain. Because I know I was not chasing you, child.' She goes into detail about what the potion princess said. At the end she holds her breath waiting for his response. When he doesn't speak she looks up at him, he seems thoroughly confused. 'Are you saying you must promise your great granddaughter to me?' Suddenly the heat she was feeling intensifies, it's coming from him! She senses danger 'How can I trust a witch that my bride to be whom I've been searching for hundreds of years, is your granddaughter? How do I know she won't hate me and run from me as everyone else does?' He laughs, 'Am I supposed to end this war over a little vision a witch had? I am not capable of being loved or loving anyone! Especially not my bride. She is to do and be everything I want, not to love or be loved. Your great granddaughter will be miserable.' He spits off to the side and sneers at the woman, 'Fine, I will take your great granddaughter. Because I'm bored with this war. If she doesn't fulfill everything I ask of her, she's dead. I will kill her with my bare hands and will make sure she knows it's at your fault and doing."

'She will be born to love you, the witch said that, and if not she will make sure of it.' The woman said.

'Get out of my sight...' she turned to leave, and he grabbed her and said 'If you've lied or embellished any part of this. I will find out. And I will find you, I know much more than you think.' He released her and she stumbled off, hoping to make it out of the woods alive.

That night he slept. Hoping to have a vision of what was to come. Could someone possibly be capable of loving him, as the woman said? Someone who doesn't cower in fear at his sight? Finally he fell asleep... and he did dream of her.