3. A game

His peaceful sleep was disturbed by the soft and warm touches of hands. Turning around uncomfortably by the unwanted touch, he was shifting on his bed. When a hand slid on his shirt untying the laces, he swiftly stood into a sitting position and found two girls dressed in a thin silk gown, lying beside him on either side. Being aware of the sender, anger rushed over him.

"Out." He commanded.

"Why Lord Prince?" One of them asked in a seductive tone.

"Don't you like us?" The other one asked in the same manner.

"Don't make me repeat myself. You'll pay hard for this." He said and left his bed.

They slowly followed him, approaching him on both the side.

"Do you know who send us?" One of them whispered in his ear.

"We are the gift from the king on completion of your fourteen years." Other one took his hand, moving closer to him.

"I detest his gift," Lycaon said and form a fist.

"What's wrong, Lord Prince?" Again one of them asked.

"Do we disappoint you?" The other one continued using the same tone.

Tapping the foot lividly, Lycaon suddenly caught one of the girl's neck. By each passing moment, anger was raising in him.

"Calm down, Lord Prince. We are just here to entertain you." Said the free girl.

His facinorous smirk took over his lips. "Entertain?" He questioned with a quirked brow, looking at the victim in his hand.

The girl in the grip affirmatively replied with a smile.

Throwing her on the couch, he said the other girl to bring a quill and ink. She did as he said and sat beside her.

Turning towards the girls he then beamed a piercing smile with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Ready girls?"

They glanced at each other, thinking that it might be a game, so let's just play it. After all, they were here to entertain him. Giving a curt nod to each other they both said 'yes' in unison.

Walking a couple of steps away from them he turned around, facing his back to them.

"Now draw a line, 3lines, a box, and a triangle, one on one palm of yours." He said without turning towards them.

One of them drew a line and 3lines on her palms, respectively. While the other drew a box and a triangle.

"If done, make a fist." He said and turned to face them.

Asking them to outstretch their fits, he looked carefully. Again, the girls looked at each other with confusion and they were taken by his words.

"Now that you are here to play." He said floating his index finger on the fits one after another. "Don't you cry once you lose the game."

He then randomly stopped at one fist and asked her to open her hand. When she did there was 'a line' drawn on her palm.

"Ah!" He exclaimed.

"What is it, Lord Prince?" She asked.

"One of my toy." He replied and commanded the girlsto follow him.

They reached in a round arena, which was surrounded by wooden doors and empty wooden seats arranged at certain heights. The floor was covered with sand heated by the bright sun above them and wind blowing heavily. The bright rays and sand made the girls shade their eyes with their hand. Lycaon walked towards the huge wooden doors and slid opened one of the doors to pull out a horse. Confused girls looked around, never seen an arena before. Commanding the girls to stand in the middle, he took a whip and lashed it on the ground. Acting upon the sound, the horse ran towards the girls. They screamed in fear and moved back.

"Lord Prince, what are you doing?" A girl said, running away from the animal.

"I don't like being questioned." He said and lashed the whip again on the ground to turn the horse towards them.

It began chasing them. Afraid girls couldn't find a way out of the arena. They made rounds inside the arena to keep the animal away as much as they can. By each lash, it sped up. Whenever it turned away from the girls, he would beat the whip on the ground to turn its direction towards them. The girls ran screaming and begging. The sun above them burning their skin. Sandy hot air was eating their breath away. Unable to keep up the pace, one of them fell on the ground, hardly six-seven feet away from the mad animal. The other bends her knees before Lycaon, begging for mercy.

"Have mercy Lord Prince. Stop that animal, save her. Please." She pleads.

"I don't know the word mercy." He said looking down at her. His eyes were darker than the dark hole, fierce and dangerous. Anyone can be captured in the prison of the abyss. He slashed the whip again, to speed up the pace.

"Forgive us, Lord Prince, please." She begged.

A sharp scream left from the girl who was lying on the ground. Closeness of the animal causing sandy dust around. Bright sun rays falling on the dusty ground made the vision blur. Unable to see what was going on, the other girl screamed a cry. The head of the animal was turned by its reins; changing its direction away from the girl. He swiftly turned the horse around which raised its forelegs and whinnied.

"Shhh... My girl." He spoke to the horse that settled after two-three whinnied. Stroking its head, he calmed the horse.

Calming the animal, he sat on its back where both the girls fell on their knees beside him. "Lord Prince."

Ridding the horse, he commanded the girls to follow him. They quickly got on their feet, dusted their dress and followed him. The guard to open the gates for him, he let the horse in its stable.

When they were back in the castle, he was sitting on the throne and the girls were standing exactly in front of him, waiting for the punishment to be told. He called his adviser and asked for the punishment. Zorion suggested letting them go. Accepting his suggestion, he didn't punish the girls instead took them in his service and warned not to return to his father. Accepting his words, they bowed him and left.

"Am I missing something?" Zorion asked, looking at the trembling girls who walked away.

Facing Zorion, he said. "I had a little play."

"I can see," Zorion replied.

"And I enjoyed it." Lycaon looked at him by the corner of eyes.

"You are not supposed to do any of-" Zorion was cut in the middle sentence.

"Forward my words to the king that I detest his gift."

Ignoring Lycaon, Zorion turned to walk away. Seeing him go, Lycaon raised his voice. "Is this how you behave with your Lord Prince?"

Facing him, Zorion glanced at his head. Noticing him, Lycaon wore the crown and repeated himself.

"Forward my words to the king that I detest his gift."

Zorion gave a curt nod.

"You know, I don't like repeating my words." Lycaon looked at him.

"And I don't like misbehavior," Zorion replied.

Glaring at Zorion, Lycaon exhaled a long breath and said. "I guess I have a lot to learn."

"No doubt," Zorion replied and pulled out a scroll to read.

"A complain?" Lycaon asked.

"Yes, Milord." He said and took out a scroll. "A woman came to claim justice for the death of his son."

"How did his son die?" Lycaon asked.

"You killed him."

"The traitor soldier?" 

"Yes."

"Call the woman." He said and Zorion bowed him before leaving the throne room to call the woman.

He entered with the woman who was held by two soldiers. The moment her gaze fell on Lycaon, she began cursing him for killing his son. Her words were cruel but none of them affected him.

"You're a murderer." She shouted and ran towards him but was caught by the soldiers.

Ignoring her completely, he asked Zorion. "How many members she has in her family?"

"Your father is right; murder is born in his castle." She continued, though her words were being ignored. No more curses could affect him anymore.

"Just a granddaughter," Zorion replied.

"Do not ignore my words you little monster-" She was cut by Zorion.

"Your son betrayed his Lord." He said to the woman.

"I know, but the way he died was terrible. Who throws a man on the table of needles until he dies?" She yelled.

"I do. A monster has its own way of killing." Lycaon said and continued.

"Herr Zorion Pay her the same as her son was paid, throughout her lifetime." Zorion nodded.

"I am telling you, you're cursed. Money can't give peace to his soul." She screamed harder this time.

"I know and you can't survive on peace." Lycaon stood to leave. The soldiers bowed him and dragged the woman out of the room with curses leaving her mouth until her voice fades along with her form.

A maid came running and bowed them. "Milord."

"What's the matter?" Zorion asked.

"Your wife Milord-" before she could finish her sentence Zorion left the room in a swift.

Lycaon watched him disappear from his sight. His mind clicked with fear. Is she going to die?

•••••••••

LOCKHART