CHAPTER 147: PILLAR FOR A BROKEN PRINCESS

{Music Recommendation: Muddy Waters ~ LP}

Kali didn’t write to Rhane after Nikolai’s visit that day. It was no use worrying her brother when he had his plate full with the tournament ahead of him. Bringing up Nikolai’s suspicious visit would be an extra burden, and Kali never wanted to be that to her brother.

She wanted to be useful to him no matter what. Mostly because she loved him, but certainly because she was scared of being abandoned.

That night, Kali had ignored Nikolai and his theatrics. She’d heard from Rhane how low their father could go if it was something he wanted. So his words didn’t worry her one bit, it didn’t. It shouldn’t...

Yet since that day, Nikolai’s voice wouldn’t leave her mind no matter how hard she tried.

’It’s in our blood to let go of what we love.’

Kali tried to sleep half the day or drink until she couldn’t stand, just as the night before, hoping to cleanse her mind. But the thoughts festered. And it spread.

The one thing deadly about venom wasn’t its killing ability. It was the ability to move fast and corrupt the other parts of a being. And that venom had been what Nikolai released into Kali’s mind. She hadn’t known it then, but her mind caught it and it was spreading slow but gradual.

Kali thought of it, the time Rhane left her for the first time. Their father had come to take him away, and all those years Kali spent horrible nights waiting for her brother. He did come, but it wasn’t all. Kali found out that Rhane had taken more time because he had his eyes on a noble woman whom he wanted to prove his love to.

Years later, after Rhane lost Jenna to Gerald, things became a little better— or so Kali thought. Until she found out Jenna had left her husband and Rhane found out. That time, Rhane didn’t return home, and if Jenna hadn’t moved herself, maybe he wouldn’t have returned.

’It’s in our blood.’

The words repeated in Kali’s mind again, and she gulped. Again Rhane had risked everything he ever worked for, leaving her behind.

Was Nikolai right? Kali bit her lips. Was Rhane going to leave her someday? There were two sides of it— if he did get Jenna, he might leave with her to build a home upon Jenna’s request. She was a noble lady; Rhane’s kind of life wouldn’t appease her.

On the other side, if Rhane lost Jenna again... Kali closed her eyes tight and sighed. He would go berserk, and this time... might be irredeemable.

"What do I do?" Kali rolled on the bed, feeling the hangover-splitting headache. She groaned. "What do I do?"

Kali had never thought of something this absurd, and she hated herself for it. She hated herself for not understanding Rhane, not being grateful that he found someone worth living for after all the hell he’d been through.

The least she could do was show gratitude to her brother and wish him well, not allow doubts to stem in her mind from a miscreant’s words.

Sitting up on the bed, Kali washed her face quickly before leaving the room. She decided to start her day again by overworking herself and her muscles. The strenuous work helped her body and mind, keeping her occupied until nighttime when she drowned herself in liquor.

In Kali’s defense, if she kept up with it, in a few days’ time Rhane would return, and everything would go back to normal.

"Master Kali,"

The men bowed in respect as she passed them, entering into the training court. Kali got rid of her jacket, leaving her only in a shirt.

She picked up a plank, folding her palm firmly around it.

"Hah!" Kali moved with skill, throwing her hands up and to the side as she practiced her attack.

Rhane will leave you too.

"Hah!" Kali screamed louder each time the voice tried to get into her head. She wasn’t supposed to be weak when Rhane needed her.

And if she had anyone to put her hope in, it shouldn’t be Nikolai. It should never be Nikolai.

When the world tears her to pieces, he’d be there?

"Tch," Kali scoffed. Moving in speed, she rolled on the ground and slashed the plank in the air.

The man really had a lot of devious tricks up his sleeves. For all the years he never acknowledged her existence, just one night he wanted to be a pillar to the broken princess he never claimed.

Never... Kali shook her head. She’d rather bow to her mother than take Nikolai’s hand. At least their mother knew her name and gave her a home.

After an hour of training, now drenched in sweat, Kali dropped the plank, ready to return to her room and take a cold bath. The day wasn’t moving as fast as she expected, but it was going to be over soon. She knew it. And with the day coming to an end, a decision of her trust for Rhane would have been made.

"Master Kali," one of the guards ran towards her, "Some noble men visited us... they’re willing to pay triple what we offer but..."

Kali rubbed the sweat on her neck with her hand. She noticed the look on the man’s face. "But?" she asked, shifting her gaze from the man’s face to the hall where guests were entertained.

"Take me to them," Kali used her shirt to wipe her face, briskly walking towards the hall.

Getting to the place, she found the maidens that served standing outside, some of them with bleeding faces and others with ripped dresses.

"Who did this to you?" Kali’s jaw ticked, raising the chin of the first maiden she spotted, her eyes grazing over the rest.

The young woman pointed at the door, her fingers trembling.

Kali sucked in her breath, pressing her lips together. She pushed the door open and entered.

"Who?" one of the men inside bellowed. "Have you brought a better woman?"

Kali gripped the doorknob tightly. She’d heard that these men were rich— the kind of men that boosted their trade. She couldn’t let personal feelings ruin things for her.

She convinced herself it was just business— all she had to do was bow, apologize, and leave. Quietly, she turned around.

"There she is! I told you she serves here now."

Blood drained from Kali’s face when she turned and recognized the men in the room. She quickly turned around again to leave, her hands shaking with fear.

"Oi, are you leaving already?" one of them asked with a frown. "We traveled two nights just to meet you again, and you turn your back on us?"

Kali’s palm turned cold, her lips parted, but she couldn’t say a word.

"She’s all grown now. Do you think she would taste better now, or..."

"I bet she missed us too. Turn around, little one."

Kali’s chest heaved, her palms slick. She tried to move, but her body refused. How did these men find her? How did they enter the estate?

Rhane... Kali closed her eyes, wishing her brother would come in and make them stop.

"If you continue to ignore us... I don’t know what we might do."

"The Scourge is known for good trade. If you don’t want us spreading rumors about his services, be a good girl and come over here. You know it’ll be quick."

Kali gritted her teeth. She wanted to say something. She wanted to stand tall and speak to them with authority as she’d learned, but an invisible lump in her throat made her look like an idiot.

"Silence, men," one of the men ordered. "You know little Kali is quite a menace. A mischievous little thing that loves the iron hand... I’ll help her remember." The man that had spoken stood up from his chair, walking over to Kali in slow steps. With a cane, he played.

He tapped the cane on Kali’s back, and when she flinched, the men’s loud laughter shook the entire room.

Kali staggered. "S-stay away from me before... before... I ki- kill you." She hated herself. Kali hated how pathetic she sounded. She had trained herself better than this... she had waited for a day to kill these men, but why?

"Did you all hear her? Our little kitten is now a vixen..."

The men went into another fit of laughter, hitting and clapping their hands together. Their laughter wasn’t just noise— it was a wall, crashing into her until she almost shrank back into the girl they once broke.

Every mocking cheer stripped her training away, leaving only the trembling child beneath the warrior’s skin. Kali touched her waist, searching for her dagger. Even if her mouth couldn’t move, maybe her hands would remember. Her dagger wasn’t there.

Of all days to be unprepared!

"If you don’t want us to use force, you’ll come here and sit down to serve us. Do you understand?!" The man tried to drag Kali’s shirt with his cane, but Kali forcefully pulled back, causing her shirt to rip open.

"Look at that... she has learned entertaining skills."

Kali’s trembling hands tried to cover her body, her knees almost giving out.

The man with the cane tried to use the opportunity to hug Kali and kiss her face. "Come here, my little—"

"Stay away from my daughter!" Nikolai stormed into the room, right on time. He pushed the man away from Kali.

"It’s Lord Nikolai..." the men murmured.

Nikolai’s eyes darkened. "You dare disrespect my bloodline? All of you— every single man here, shall be punished for this..." His voice cracked, yet beneath the fury was triumph, as though he had been waiting for this moment to claim her before an audience.

Kali gathered herself and stood up. With her hands holding her shirt, "Who is outside?" Her voice croaked, but a guard rushed inside.

Dragging the guard’s dagger, Kali pointed it at the men. "You..." she closed her eyes and inhaled. "All of you... I’ll pretend nothing like this happened today." She swallowed.

"You’re alive because of trade honor. Leave after you’re done... and if anything like this should happen again, I’ll be glad..." Kali bit her lips hard until she tasted blood.

"Glad to kill you all." She clutched the dagger closely to her side. As she turned to leave, Nikolai took her hand.

"You look unwell. Let me have the servants prepare something for you, and also you need to rest. I’m sorry you wi—"

Kali pulled her hand away with force. "This is the last time I’d entertain you, Nikolai. The next time, your head will roll along with your tongue." She spat with disdain.

Turning away, Kali walked out of the room, with the unnerving silence she created booming behind her.

Rhane, please, where you are... Rhane...

She chanted as she walked farther away from the hall.

"Kali! Kali!" Percy waved, running towards her. "Rhane—"

Kali closed the distance by falling into Percy’s arms.

"Kali?" A confused Percy tried to move back, but she held him tightly.

"W-hy did you leave... you le-leave... me—all alone..." The first tear slipped, then others poured.