HIS ATLANTEAN PRINCESS

CHAPTER 10* WHAT'S MINE*

“My Lord, you called for me?”

The head bearer of the west quarter in the castle says walking into the training room that belongs to Dragozani, who had sweat dripping down his entire form onto his joggers, which hung low below his waist, exposing his V-line. 

 Dragozani ignores the head bearer, throwing a jab at the heavy bag swinging from a strong iron with his nondominant.

 Next he throws a powerful cross against the heavy bag with his dominant hand and the head bearer gulps, taking a few steps backward. 

“What did I tell you, yesterday?”

Dragozani asks, not loosing focus with his punches against the heavy, nor did he spare the head bearer. 

“To inform you if there is any meeting held in the Skull palace.”

The head bearer replies, and Dragozani aggressively throws a double jab to the heavy bag, followed by the powerful cross from his dominant hand.

Keeping his breathing steady and tongue poking the inside of his cheek, he throws repeated hooks at the heavy bag with both his lead hand and dominant hand, go at it with so much force that at the next cross punch the heavy bag flies across the training room, crashing into the wall and sand comes pouring out of it. 

With streaks of sweat dripping down his systematically define muscles, the buff man turns to the head bearer with a pint of anger in his eyes.

“Did you?”

Dragozani asks, and the head bearer shakes his head, while his entire form trembled with fear. 

“You know how much I hate talking too much, yet you chose not to use your words. Do I need to demand an explanation before you talk?”

Dragozani asks and the head bearer shakes his head with trembling hands hidden behind his back.

“Of course not, my lord. I apologise for not, as my lord instructed. Right after I saw the primeval families assemble in the throne room of skull, my first line of action was to inform you. However, the king saw me leaving, and he requested me to run an errand which I couldn’t decline my lord. When I returned, the king made me wait until the end of the meeting to release me. It was past midnight My Lord and I didn’t want to disturb your sleep.”

The head bearer of the west quarter says already on his knees and face planted on the ground in a plea.

“And?”

Dragozani says knowing well the offense of the head bearer wasn’t all done.

“This morning I had a few other duties to sort out. I got carried away, and I forgot. Please pardon this foolish fellow for his mistakes, My Lord. It will never happen again.”

The head bearer says, and Dragozani nods, picking up his jug of water, and he takes a sip.

“Details of the meeting Michail.”

Dragozani says, in an irritated voice, and Michail, the head bearer, nods vehemently.

“Yes, my lord, I heard little, but the king and the Lords of the Primeval families talked about the kingdom and passing the throne to Prince Tueur once the current king vacates the throne. Although that might not happen soon. Few months ago I overheard the prince and the king having a heated argument. And Prince Tueur stressed he doesn’t want the throne. From yesterday’s meeting, it seems the Lords are aware of Prince Tueur’s reluctance to find his blood-link. The King, however, promised to make him do his bidding. And then they talked about the three clans. I heard nothing important, as their voices were barely above a whisper. That is all My Lord.”

Dragozani’s fist clenched as he listened to the words of Michail. Anger boiled in his blood as different thoughts ran through his head. But he knows he needs to calm down if he really wants to claim what’s his.

“Pokinut,”  

[Leave.]

Dragozani orders in a low snarl, and the head bearer rushes to his feet, scrambling all the way out of the training room. 

Picking up his drenched shirt from the bench to his left, Dragozani stomps out of the room, heading to the only place that brings temporary peace to his heart and mind. 

“Brother.”

Dragozani paused at the sound of the name in the silent passageway and he pivots, to the unwanted guest who called his name.

“Cousin?”

Tueur chuckles at Dragozani’s response, already in the mood to banter with the other, all for the fun of annoying him.

“You look like someone stole your evening meal. Do you need help to find them?”

Tueur says, and Drago hisses lowly as he fights the urge to wipe the sly grin off Tueur’s face.

“If you have no one to kill Sacha, piss the fvck out of my sight before I mess up your face.”

Dragozani warns and Tueur laughed, going to throw his hands over the shoulder of his self acclaimed brother, but Drago shrugs it off.

“I only come to spend time with my brother Zani. Why must you choose violence all the time? You are not about to shame my choice of work, right? Knowing my status brother, the name Tueur carries power. You shouldn’t just say in such nonchalance manner.”

Tueur responds, and Dragozani scoffs.

“Tueur carries power what about Sacha? The prince who lives in the shadows to please his father? We both know you only kill to look good in front of good ole daddy, no matter how tough or powerful you try to act at the end, you’re nothing but a pawn at his hands. Enjoy your glory Tueur even though he gets praised for creating the best killing weapon. Lets see how long that lasts before he finds someone else to replace you when you can no longer do his bidding.”

Tueur’s jaw ticked at every word that escaped Dragozani’s mouth. The prince clenched and unclenched his fist in anger, and Dragozani smiled, seeing he had successfully hit a nerve. 

“I hate saying too much, move I have places to be.”

Dragozani says, shoving Tueur aside as he continued on his way to the dovecotes built on the open field outside the castle. 

********

“Vy prikhodite syuda tol’ko togda, kogda zlites. Chto segodnya, milord?”

[You only come here when you’re angry. What is it today my lord?]

Dragozani turns his head to the small entrance of the dovecote, smiling at the middle-aged woman who just walked in with baskets in hand and he rises to his feet, relieving her of the burden.

“Izvinyayus, totya, ya ne khotel vtorgat’sya.”

[Apologies aunty, I didn’t mean to intrude.]

He says to the woman, bowing respectfully, and she waves him off.

“Muzhchina ne vtorgayetsya v sobstvennyy dom, pochemu u vas trevozhno serdtse?”

[A man does not intrude in his own home. Why is your heart troubled?]

Dragozani sighs at her question, leaning against the brick wall of the dovecote, watching as she pours food into the desired place for the doves. 

“Vchera v moye otsutstviye oni proveli yeshche odno polunochnoye sobraniye.”

[They held another midnight meeting yesterday, in my absence.]

“A takzhe?”

[And?]

The woman asks, brushing off the grains on her palm and she turns her full attention to Dragozani.

“Oni planiruyut peredat prestol Tyuyeru. YA ne znayu, kak skoro oni planiruyut eto sdelat, no ya prosto ne mogu sidetslozha ruki i smotret, kak oni igrayut v shakhmaty moim pravom rozhdeniya. YA dolzhen chto-to delat.”

[They are making plans to hand over the throne to Tueur. I don’t how soon they plan to do that, but I just can’t sit back and watch them play chess with my birthright. I have to do something.]

Dragozani says, and the woman bops her head slowly in agreement. 

“No vy znayete, vy ne mozhete prosto proyti vo dvorets cherepov i poprosit vashe mesto. Da, vy naslednyy prints, no eto korolevstvo nikogda ne ignoriruyet traditsii. Vy ne mozhete zanyat tron bez krovnoy svyazi i zaversheniya rituala blizosti. Tol’ko togda lordy pervobytnykh semeystv uvidyat, chto vy dostoyny pravit korolevstvom.”

[But you know, you cannot just march up to the skull palace and request for your seat. Yes, you are the crown prince, but this kingdom never overlooks tradition. You cannot take the throne without your blood-link and the completion of the affinity ritual. Only then will the Lords of the primeval families see you worthy of ruling the kingdom.]

Dragozani shakes his head, poking his inner cheeks with his tongue at the words of the woman.

“YA ne proboval? YA iskal, a totya uzhe pochti vek. Chto, yesli mne povezlo, chto u menya yest krovnaya svyaz?. Chto proiskhodits moim tronom? Chto proiskhodits moim naslediyem? Moy otets umer, chtoby sokhranit mne zhizn, no ya ugasayu, ne v silakh zashchitit’ ispugannyy tron, ne v silakh vozdat’ chest’ yego imeni.”

[Have I not tried? I’ve searched, and it’s almost a century aunty. What if I am not blessed to have a blood-link?. What happens to my throne? To my heritage? My father died to keep me alive, yet I waste away unable to protect the scared throne, unable to bring honour to his name, It is time I take action.]

“Da, vy probovali, vozmozhno, vy ne postaralis. Net ni odnogo iz nas, kto ne blagoslovlen krovnoy svyaz’yu. Krovnyye svyazi - eto dary nashey miloserdnoy materi Artemidy. Ona by ne stala terpet odnogo iz svoikh otpryskov i otkazyvat im v tom yedinstvennom, chto dobavlyayet tseli nashemu sushchestvovaniyu. Terpeniye, moy prints, i to, chto tvoye, pridet k tebe. Sud’ba nikogda ne podvodit.”

[Yes, you’ve tried, perhaps you’ve not done your best. There is not one of us who isn’t blessed with a blood-link. Blood-links are gifts from our merciful mother Artemis. She wouldn’t suffer one of her offsprings and deny them that one thing that adds purpose to our existence. Patience, my prince, and what’s yours will come to you. Destiny never fails.]

Dragozani frowns at the word destiny, smacking his lips in disapproval.

“Vozmozhno, mne ne byla naznachena sud’ba. Vy govorite terpeniye, no skol’ko yeshche mne zhdat? Kogda kazhetsya, chto ya chakhnu, ozhidaya togo, chego by ne bylo. Vy znayete, ya mogu polozhit etomu konets. YA mogu zastavit ikh vsekh zaplatit to, chto prinadlezhit mne.”

[Perhaps destiny is not for me. You say patience, but how much longer do I wait? When it seems like I waste away, waiting for what wouldn’t be. You know I can put an end to this. I can make them all pay take what’s mine.]

“Chto togda? Chto proizoydet, kogda vy ub’yete tekh, kto pryachetsya v teni, chtoby proyavit zlo? Ostal’naya chast korolevstva ne uznayet ikh zlykh putey. Vy nastroite klany protiv vas, vse korolevstvo budet protiv vas. Chto vy ot etogo vyigrayete? Nichego takogo. Ty mne kak syn, Drago. YA nablyudal, kak ty prevratilsya v cheloveka, kotorym ty yavlyayesh’sya segodnya, da, mne bylo by priyatno videt tebya vossedayushchim na etom trone, no nes korolevstvom i klanami protiv tebya. Bud’te terpelivy i pozvol’te sud’be vzyatverkh.”

[Then what?, what happens when you kill the ones who lurk in the shadow to manifest evil? The rest of the kingdom wouldn’t know their evil ways. You would turn the clans against you, the entire kingdom will be against you. What do you stand to gain from that? Nothing. You are like a son to me, Drago. I watched you grow into the man you are today, yes it would gladden my heart to see you seated on that throne, but not with the kingdom and clans against you. Be patient and let destiny take control.]

The woman moves closer to him, bringing his head to her bosom, and she caresses his hair gently, running her finds through the locks, knowing that had always calmed him down even as a baby.

Dragozani sighs as he feels himself relax against the woman, he’s revered as a mother even before he learnt the truth about his mother. 

Galina has been present in his life, from when he could speak, tending to his needs until he could do things himself, and now even as an adult Dragozani always seeks her for comfort when his heart troubles and spirit bridled. 

“Pochemu by tebe ne prinyat chistuyu vannu, a zatem vyyti na ulitsu. Vy ne pokidali steny etogo zamka tri mesyatsa.”

[Why don’t you get a clean bathe and then go out. You haven’t left the walls of this castle in three months.]

Galina suggests, and Dragozani refutes.

“YA ne v nastroyenii dlya etoy teti. YA prosto vyydu na pensiyu na den.”

[I am not in the mood for that aunty. I’ll simply retire for the day.]

He responds, and Galina smacks her lips, snorting in disagreement.

“Net nichego plokhogo v tom, chtoby nemnogo poveselit’sya. YA skazhu nosil’shchikam prigotovit dlya vas tepluyu vannu, vymyt’sya, odet’sya i otpravit’sya v mir lyudey. Veselites, kormite i otvlekaytes ot vsego. YA slyshal, chto u lyudey dostatochno energii. Vy pitayetes energiyey, moy prints, idi i kupi sebe nemnogo.”

[There is no harm in having a little wild fun. I’ll tell the bearers to prepare a warm soak for you, get cleaned, dress up, and go to the human world. Have fun, feed and take your mind off everything. I heard the humans I’ve quite the energy. You feed on energy, my prince, go get yourself some.]

“Okay,”

Dragozani says, agreeing to her suggestion, and he pulls away from her embrace, placing a kiss on her cheek before walking out of the dovecote. And Galina calls for the nearest bearer.