She's the Strongest Woman I Know

Oliver's POV 

 I stood next to my mother as she listened to what a few of our business owners suggested to her for ways to increase their profits, which in turn would increase the Kingdoms. 

"Yes, well, we could just raise the tax if we need more," she dismissed him with a mere hand flick. 

I looked down at her, as she sat bored in her black throne chair atop a small flight of stairs while citizens bowed at the bottom. 

Her hair was in an elegant style that sat upon her head with a large crown of gold to compliment it. She wore a long crimson dress that never showed her feet, the decor of it black, and despite being immortal, her and my father were the start of the vampiric curse which had aged both of them to no less than 50 in appearance. 

My father's chair remained empty as he was in a council with some of his council members to discuss the events that have been happening. He feared a collapse to be underway and was working to fix it before it began. 

"I have gotten word that one of our guards has caused a scene upon a collection job." I leaned down sideways to whisper into her ear as we awaited the next businessman to approach. 

"Yes," she replied unfazed, "it was only the poors. No precautions need to be taken." My mother was so dismissive. 

"They're not just 'the poors,' mother. They provide crop, meat, labor. The men of upper class will not do that. They hire the ones that do." 

She flicked her hand at me, "go, that's what the orphanage is for, my son. You'll learn if you become King. Though the way you're heading you will never be one. You're too soft, too caring." 

"A king is supposed to care for everyone within their reach," I protested quietly. 

She looked up at me, her red eyes cold, "we don't care about them as much as you'd like to think. You fuck the poor, the rest of us would rather not carry diseases." 

Realizing I wasn't going to get anywhere with her, I stormed out of the throne room, before running outside; apparently just in time to see a pair of guards that worked directly under my father approach a collection carriage, though without a soul on board. 

As I descended the stairs in full royal attire due to the meetings of the day, I realized who was the leader of it, and what carriage it was. 

"What did you do, Gregory!?" I yelled out at him as he gave one of the servants the reigns of his horse to take it back to the stables. He looked up at me, removing his helmet and placing it under his arm. 

"Hello, My Prince. I thank you for your presence. Have you come to wish me congratulations on a job well done?" He smirked. 

"Job well done?" I was shocked. I couldn't see into the carriage, as I was still partially on the stairs, but anyone with vision could see no one was inside. "Where are they then? You were in charge of collecting, not execution. Word spreads fast, and your armor is far from black." 

"Yes, but upon collection, if people are to resist then we can carry out a suitable punishment," he replied acting smart. 

I grunted in disbelief, shoving past him as I made my way to the carriage. One of the guards came to stop me, but when I looked into his eyes, he seemed broken. "Do not stop me, my dear guard," I warned. 

It was a carriage full of slaughtered souls mostly because of their lack of wealth. The barred windows of the carriage were too high to look through from the ground, even for me, so I requested the same guard to unlock it. 

"My prince," the man tried to urge me otherwise. "You really shouldn't look." he finally whispered. 

"What do you mean?" 

He looked past my shoulder, and back where Gregory was still standing upon the stairs, staring at me. I looked over my shoulder, moving myself to block the view between the two. "What happened, Santos?" 

He was surprised I knew his name, "he told us everything about you two." Was all he mustered. "I'm sorry." 

You two? I thought to myself. "Thank you, but please unlock it." 

He exhaled in defeat, "as you wish." I followed him to the door, immediately opening it when I heard the loud click of the lock releasing its grip. 

Inside I saw the body of Adeline and her parents, as well as more then 25 souls all perished. He had even slaughtered a few noblemen and women. 

I instantly felt a bloodthirsty rage begin to overcome me; the thought of Gregory's blood spilling made my mouth water. "You call yourself a man?" I spit, turning to him as my eyes shot daggers at him as he began to descend the stairs once more to join me; a large smile upon his face. "No wife should be treated as such by a man that's supposed to love her." 

"No, she shouldn't. But I don't love her, Oliver." He chuckled to himself; the only one laughing. 

"You just married her!? If you didn't love her then why all of this!?" I didn't care who heard at this point, I just saw the mother of my child, my best friend, my love, lying in a pool of blood next to her parents. 

"Don't you see what I got out of this mess?" he raised his arms out to the side as if to show off. "And you two are the ones I have to thank. I've already proven myself more useful to the kingdom than you have as the son of the King himself." 

"I will-" 

"Oliver..." I heard the sweet sound of Adeline's voice faintly chirp behind me. I instantly shot myself around, "you're alive...." I started to cry almost immediately as I scooped her into my arms, giving her the tightest hug I could give without hurting her. "I'm so sorry," I bawled into her chest, the blood of everyone transferring from her, to me. 

After setting her back down, she walked past me, weakly, confronting Gregory one last time. She reached into her apron, pulling out a ring, before shoving it at him. "I'm sure Edith will love it," Adeline wept; though only of heartache for her parents. 

Edith? I thought to myself. I watched as Gregory took the ring from her with pleasure, before punching her in the gut, making her drop to the ground like a corpse. 

My cold heart stopped, and I was on him in a second, toppling him to the ground as I began to beat his head, breaking the skin upon my knuckles as it tore the skin from his face. 

I bared my fangs at him, prepared to beat him to death before I drained him. 

"Oliver!" I heard Adeline scream at me, before I finally stopped, Gregory's face bloodied, purple, and swollen. I was thousands of times stronger than him, but Adeline knew he had more power than me in the given moment. He was carrying out the duties of the King after all. My love came up behind me as I still straddled Gregory, placing her soft hand upon one of my shoulders while my fist was raised, ready to smash his face once more. He wasn't dead, but I knew he was hurting. 

I stood up from his body, turning to face Adeline. 

"I will save you. I promise, but I can't do that If I'm dead." I told her, leaning in and kissing her, much to the shock of the other guards that were still trying to comprehend everything. "You will be okay." I had to let her go back into the carriage. I could find her as fodder, but if she escaped, I would only find her dead. 

She wrapped her arms around my neck as I lifted her off her feet, kissing her like I hadn't seen her in years. I missed her, and I wasn't about to lose her again. 

I was going to protect her with everything I had, become the king, and fix this new hell my father had created. 

The city will not fear their King again, I silently promised. 

"I trust you," Adeline's smile was the purest, even with everything that has been thrown at her. She is the strongest woman I have ever known, and she doesn't even realize it.