From the Depths

“He- He’s going to-” Kirea felt like she was about to hyperventilate.

The walls were closing in around her. Her lungs disobeyed her as her body entered a state of complete shock. She had speculated that it wouldn’t be a nice ritual, but to kill such a marvellous creature. To sacrifice a life for one person's selfish desires.

King Haith was a cruel man, she hated him, but she would never understand him. This so-called king who was known for his brutality, she had wanted to believe that he wouldn't do such a thing to such a special find. But she was deluding herself, she should have seen it sooner.

Henry was by her side as she lost all sense of self. Now helping her stand his own eyes trained on the open pages before them. His jaw was rigid but he was nowhere near as shocked as she.

Kirea hadn’t even realized she had crumbled until she was clinging to him and gasping for air. Her limbs became weak and unable to carry her weight as the seriousness of the situation set in.

“Kirea, calm down. We still have time, we’ll figure this out.” Henry tried his best to bring her back.

He slowly sank to the ground with her as she tried to get her breathing under control. Her eyes were full of fear as she looked up at him, her fingers clenching tightly and beginning to dig in.

“He can’t do that.” She muttered.

“I’ll be damned if I let that bastard live forever, not fucking happening,” Henry spoke with venom. “I’ve waited too long for him to drop dead, military control won’t ever be an option if he gains eternal life.”

The piercing glare that stared back at her helped her regain some control. Before she could respond both their heads snapped to the door, the sound of approaching footsteps echoing down the hall and toward them.

They'd taken too long as it were.

They needed to get out, and now!

She scrambled to her feet, picked up the book and replaced it in the draw. They couldn’t let on that they knew. They darted out of the room and closed the door behind them, but they had nowhere to run and no way to explain the reason they were down there. They couldn’t even lie about wanting to see the King, everyone knew what time he dined and he never missed it.

Henry cussed under his breath as he frantically looked for an answer. Kirea ran for the window using her arms to hoist herself up onto the ledge, this only caused Henry to panic.

“Are you crazy, we won’t survive that!” He hissed in a low tone.

Lifting herself up onto the sill she spun around, planting her backside on the ledge before motioning for him to approach her, in response he eyed her confused.

“We need an excuse, come here!” She ordered in her own hushed voice.

His head lingered in the direction of the approaching steps before he let out a frustrated groan. He knew what they had to do, but he didn’t have to like it. “We’ll be punished.” He warned.

“Better for this than for snooping.” She pulled up her skirts bunching them up around her waist, then proceeded to untie his shirt that was laced neatly around his neck. Lastly, she concluded the disguise by pulling the hem of his shirt out from his trousers.

“Are you going to put in any effort or must I do all the work!?” She hissed.

With a huff he grabbed her as he stepped between her legs, a hand disappearing under the material of her dress while the other firmly held the back of her neck. “Don’t cry at me if you regret this.”

She didn’t even get time to respond, he swiftly pulled her head down, his lips impacting hers. He was kissing her, if she hadn’t hated him she’d say he was damn good at it too.

Normally in this situation, it would be easy to get into it right? She felt nothing, it was odd, forced and unpleasant. He was talented and could probably make any woman melt in his arms, but not her. To her it felt as though she were kissing her brother, it just simply felt wrong.

Utterly repulsed. there was no denying that his hands were soft and warm, but the embrace felt cold. It just didn’t compare to the feel of Ren’s touch or his lips on hers. The butterflies she’d felt during their sweet little date didn’t come while she was in Henry's embrace. It only confirmed to her that it was Rendrick alone who made her feel that way. The only way she could pull this off was by closing her eyes and wishing it was him instead of Henry.

Thankfully he didn’t stick his tongue in her mouth, honestly, she would have felt tempted to bite it off if he did.

The footsteps were growing louder.

They'd be rounding the corner at any moment now.

She wished they would walk faster, wanting nothing more than for this to end.

Her heart was pounding and not from the crazy display they were putting on.

She arched her back into Henry and groaned, the little sound of pleasure was completely fake and they both knew it. This was doing nothing for either of them.

The footsteps stopped and they knew they had now been spotted, but they couldn’t stop, not yet, it would be too convenient. If you were truly lost in someone else you wouldn’t notice the footsteps of a slowly approaching person.

She gasped as his hand grabbed a fist full of her hair, wrenching her hand back as he trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone.

“Please, please Henry enough teasing.” She pleaded breathlessly.

Someone cleared their throat from behind them, which was her clue. Her eyes opened, her gaze meeting the king’s menacing glare. She took a sharp intake of breath with wide eyes, reinforcing her shock and hurriedly pushed Henry off of her.

Fumbling with her clothes she stumbled from the ledge before she knelt on the ground with her head low, not saying a word. She knew she couldn’t, they’d been caught in an indecent act. She wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

Henry’s shocked demeanour morphed to his Knight stance as he turned. His hand swept in front of him as he bowed forward.

The King clicked his tongue like one would have at disobedient children. “My quarters, now.”

Henry’s face fell, he glanced at Kirea with his head still slightly lowered, panic evident in his eyes.

“Y-Yes, my Lord.” Kirea stood with her head still low as she hurriedly reached for the King’s door. Opening it she waited for the King to enter.

“Sir Henry, that means both of you.” The King ordered sternly.

Henry’s shoulders relaxed a little, slightly relieved that Kirea wasn’t to face the King’s wrath alone. He entered after the King taking Kirea’s place as the doorman. Once all three were inside the room he closed the door and stood beside her with his hands at his back, ready for his next command.

“Lock the door.”

Kirea’s blood ran cold, the door hadn’t even been locked for her punishment on her first day here. She remained completely still as Henry moved to do as he was ordered.

“Kirea my girl. Have all your chores been seen to today?” Haith proceeded to sit on the end of his bed and disrobe as though they weren't there.

“Yes, my Lord. I have seen to the Siren, fed him and cleaned the rocks early this morning. Then I proceeded to go to the library for research on marine life to better keep him in good health for you.” She stated.

“Care to explain the scene outside?”

“Yes, my lord. Having done all I needed to for the day I wanted to...” She bit her bottom lip as though embarrassed. “See to Sir Henry’s... needs.”

He laughed, taking her by surprise. “What a good girl.” He cooed. “How lucky a man my dearest Knight is.”

His change in attitude had them both shocked and confused. But maybe, just maybe, if he was okay with this then they were to be let go? But as the King’s face morphed back to his stern gaze they knew that was not to be the case.

“What's wrong with your own quarters?"

"The shared quarters for the knights isn't the best for personal matters. We were on the way to Kirea's... though ended up distracted." Henry lowered his head in shame.

"You knew full well where you were in the castle, it couldn't wait a few more minutes? But still, you see it fit to flaunt your happiness.” He sighed. “I know I have done well setting you up, but for the love of all that is holly.” He had stripped down to his undergarments now. Making himself right at home in front of them.

“Forgive me, my Lord.” Henry apologized for them. “I simply got carried away, the hall was away from prying eyes at the time, and I wasn’t thinking with my head.”

“Not the head that matters.” The king chuckled to himself. Raising a finger to his chin he tilted his head. “Oh, I forgive you my boy, but that doesn’t mean Kirea here can escape punishment.”

Henry’s mouth fell open, his eyes bulging. “My Lord, I beg of you, I am to blame not Kirea.”

The King smirked. “You would defend her, how noble.” He mocked. “What say you Kirea?”

She glanced at Henry. “I- We are both at fault my Lord, not solely Sir Henry.”

“And she is loyal to fault.” The King leaned back on his bed. “Here’s what going to happen.”

Kirea’s heart was beating incredibly fast. The King was enjoying seeing them squirm, she knew it and still, she couldn’t stop her fear from creeping in and settling deep within. The joy on his face as he mulled over what to do with them sickened her.

“Ah yes, I’ve got it.” He leaned back further, rolling onto his side and probing himself up using his elbow, a sadistic smirk widening on his features. “Continue what you were doing. Show me just how much you love each other’s company.”