Chapter 22

SABINA

I stole a glance at Aboloft, seated at the head of the massive dining table. It was large enough to accommodate forty people. I then turned my attention back to my meal.

I’d never had the luxury of eating at a dining table before. My father would sit at the table while I was relegated to the floor for my meals.

That’s why this felt so strange. I wasn’t accustomed to such comfort, such extravagance. I was more familiar with the cold, hard floor.

“Bina, why aren’t you eating?” Aboloft asked. His voice held a hint of disapproval. His presence was another reason why eating was a challenge.

He filled the room, making me feel insignificant and exposed. I was too frightened to eat, and King Bancroft wasn’t there to offer any comfort. I wondered where he was. I really needed to talk to him.

“I-I’m not hungry,” I managed to say.

I gasped in surprise when Aboloft abruptly put down his knife and fork and took my hand, which was empty of any utensils.

A blush crept up my face as I met his gaze. His eyes were intense, filled with a promise that made my body respond to him.

“Finish your meal, Bluebell. You’re not leaving this table until you do,” he declared.

“But—”

“No buts. I want this plate cleared sooner rather than later. You need your strength,” he countered.

What was he talking about? I didn’t need strength unless I was around him. I looked at Aboloft, desperately searching for the man I once knew.

He couldn’t really be gone. He was there. He kissed me gently. He wiped away my tears and brought happiness back into my life after a long time. I didn’t believe Aboloft. My Aboloft was still there. I just had to find him.

But I couldn’t do that right now. I needed to talk to King Bancroft first. Only then could I decide what to do next. For now, I had no choice but to sit and obey Aboloft’s command.

Once lunch was over, I’d go and look for King Bancroft. He was the only one who could give me answers about the king, the man I fell for when we were young.

I just hoped he was willing to give me those answers.

After finishing my meal, which took about twenty minutes, Aboloft finally let me leave the table. As soon as I stood up, Aboloft came and stood right in front of me.

“Starting tonight, you will sleep in my bed. If I don’t find you in my bedchamber when I return, there will be serious consequences,” Aboloft stated.

I had been sleeping in his bed for the past two weeks. Why was he telling me this now?

“Wh-where are you going?” I asked.

Aboloft cupped my cheek and smiled. Seeing him like this reminded me of the man he claimed was gone.

But his actions were proving him wrong. He was still the kind and caring man who kissed my pain away. There was just more to him than that.

“I have urgent matters to attend to. And it’s about time I dealt with those matters,” he answered.

“What kind of matters? Can I help you in some way?” I asked, savoring the warmth of his hand on my face.

“Matters that a queen should be kept away from,” Aboloft responded cryptically.

“I can help, Aboloft. Y-you can teach me,” I offered. I really wanted to tell him not to call me a queen, but I held back. My words might provoke his anger, and I didn’t want to see his eyes ablaze with fury.

“I will teach you other things, my sweet. But this battle is mine to fight and win,” Aboloft said, his thumb gently tracing my bottom lip, sending waves of pleasure through me.

“What kind of things will you teach me?” I asked. The Aboloft who ordered me to come to the dining room was not here right now. This was the Aboloft I knew and loved.

“Things that will make you bend to my will. Things that will make you obey my first command. Things that will make you mine in every way,” he answered, his dark eyes growing darker with each sentence.

~Maybe I celebrated too soon.~

“Aboloft—” I didn’t know what to say to him.

It was as if he wanted me to fear him. The way his captivating dark eyes held mine, it felt like Aboloft wanted me to see the monster inside him.

A monster I might’ve helped create if I wasn’t the sole creator of it.

“Shh, Bina. I want you in my bed when I return, is that clear?” His eyes made it clear that refusal was not an option.

I nodded. “Yes. I understand,” I agreed.

“Good. I’ll see you in the evening.”

With a tender kiss that made me want to stop Aboloft from leaving and instead take him back to his bed, Aboloft left the dining room, leaving me yearning and aching in a way I never had before.

Once the fog of desire lifted, I remembered what I had to do. I quickly left the dining room and began my search for King Bancroft.

The castle was vast, making it difficult for me to find the one man who was with Aboloft shortly after I left him. I wasn’t happy with my decision, but at that time I didn’t have any other choice.

I searched room after room, hallway after hallway, but there was no sign of King Bancroft. Growing desperate, I finally asked a maid to tell me where he was. I stopped a dark-haired maid while she was cleaning the floor.

“Excuse me,” I said to get her attention. She looked at me with soft blue eyes, questions evident in them.

“How can I assist you, milady?” she asked.

“Please call me Sabina.”

She shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t address you by your name, milady. King Aboloft would be displeased,” she replied.

“Oh…well, what is your name?”

“My name is Edith, milady,” she answered.

“Edith, do you know where I can find King Bancroft?” I asked, suddenly realizing that he might not even be in the castle. He could be with Aboloft.

“I can guide you to him, since you’re not sure where he is,” Edith offered.

“That would be great. Please lead the way,” I replied.

Edith started walking with a gentle smile. “Just follow me.”

“Sure.” I trailed behind Edith as she navigated the castle’s labyrinthine hallways. I quickly lost count of the turns we took and the rooms we passed.

The castle’s grandeur was overwhelming. It seemed to stretch on forever.

I wondered how long it took to build this castle. How much sweat and blood was poured into its creation?

My confusion deepened when Edith began descending a dimly lit staircase. I had no choice but to follow her, hoping there weren’t as many steps as the ones leading to the dungeons.

Thankfully, we reached the bottom quickly. The floor we arrived at looked like a different world compared to the rest of the castle.

There was only one door. A large, thick door made of various types of wood. Torches lit the hallway, casting flickering shadows on the walls.

The castle was always shrouded in darkness. It felt heavy, even when the sun was shining outside. Without the torches, it would be impossible to see anything.

“What is this place?” I asked Edith as she started walking towards the door.

“This is King Aboloft’s harem,” she replied. Her answer made me stop in my tracks. A harem? Aboloft had a harem? I vaguely remembered him sentencing some women to his harem.

I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten about it. But I guess anyone could forget in my situation.

The thought of Aboloft having a harem didn’t sit well with me. The idea of him with other women caused a strange ache in my heart. It couldn’t be true.

Aboloft wouldn’t do something like this. He said he waited for me for eight years. Was he lying? Did he sleep with other women during the eight years I was gone?

“Milady? Are you okay?” Edith looked at me with concern.

I forced a smile, not wanting her to see my pain. “Yes, I’m fine. Please, lead the way.”

We reached the giant door quickly. Edith knocked loudly, surprising me with her strength. The door slid open, revealing Aboloft’s harem.

Edith entered with an encouraging smile. I followed, my eyes darting around, trying to take in everything. The sight made me gasp.

The harem was exactly as I imagined. Red silk curtains hung on the walls, red beds were scattered on the floor, and gold silk cushions adorned the beds.

Women, barely clothed, lounged on the beds. They all wore red cloth that covered their faces below their eyes. It was mesmerizing.

And painful. These women might’ve given Aboloft what I couldn’t. They might’ve helped him forget me. I despised them.

“King Bancroft should be here. Oh, there he is.” I followed Edith’s gaze to King Bancroft. Aboloft had told me he was hiding his true self until I was ready.

But as I looked at the King of Sodora, I couldn’t help but think he was hiding his true self too. The kind king I was growing fond of was gone. In his place was a stranger.

King Bancroft stood over a girl wearing only a mask. She knelt before him, her body shaking, tears soaking the cloth on her face.

He raised his hand to strike her, but Edith’s voice stopped him.

“Lord Bancroft?” His head snapped towards us. Something flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared before I could identify it. He gave the trembling girl a pointed look before striding over to us.

“What is it?” he asked Edith, giving me a soft smile.

“Forgive the intrusion, my lord, but Lady Sabina wanted to see you, so I brought her here,” Edith explained, her head bowed.

“Very well. You may leave us, Edith. I’ll call for you when we’re done talking,” King Bancroft said.

“Yes, my lord.” Edith bowed deeply and left the harem, leaving me alone with King Bancroft and a room full of naked women.

“Yes, Sabina? You wanted to talk?” King Bancroft asked, smiling. His attempt to put me at ease was failing. I had seen his true self, and no amount of smiles could erase that.

“Uh…Y-yes. Wh-what is this place?” I had completely forgotten why I came here. Seeing these women ignited a fire in my soul that only Aboloft could extinguish.

I wanted to hurt them. Even though they were forced to be here, just like me, I still wanted to hurt them.

“This is Aboloft’s harem,” King Bancroft replied.

“No, I mean…I…” I didn’t know how to tell him that I hated the fact that Aboloft had a harem. The thought of Aboloft with these women brought tears to my eyes.

“Relax, Sabina. Aboloft has this harem for his friends, for the Kings and other important people who visit him. He rarely comes here,” Bancroft said, sensing my inner turmoil.

“Don’t feed me lies. I’m not blind. Aboloft has been with these women.” My voice was shaking, my heart pounding. I wanted to scream. I wanted Aboloft to cast these women aside.

“No, Sabina. He doesn’t even know how many women are in his harem. The men who visit, they know,” Bancroft countered, trying to convince me.

But I couldn’t believe him. It was impossible to think that Aboloft wasn’t with these women when they were right under his roof. He was a man. He had desires.

And as much as it pained me to admit, I wasn’t there to satisfy those desires.

“Eight years. Eight long years. He must have been with these women. He’s a man, he has needs…” My voice trailed off.

Seeing these women, I regretted my decision to leave Aboloft. Maybe if I hadn’t left, they wouldn’t be here.

King Bancroft sighed. “Okay. I won’t deny that there were times when Aboloft… succumbed. But he only did so because I pushed him to.”

I shot a glare at the man I once considered a friend.

“And before you ask why, it’s because he’s a king. He has a kingdom to rule. And Aboloft couldn’t do that if he was constantly thinking about you.

“You have no idea how hard it was for Aboloft to rule without you by his side. So, I had to make him see other women. But even when he was with them, he never forgot you.

“He couldn’t. Eventually, he told me he couldn’t be with other women when all he could think about and see was you.”

I was stunned. In just a few moments, King Bancroft had rendered me speechless. He extinguished the flames of my jealousy with a harsh dose of reality.

I had no right to be angry when I was the one who caused all this. How could I be mad at these women when I was the one who pushed Aboloft towards them?

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, yearning for Aboloft to return. Regardless of who he was now, I had to accept him.

He was still the Aboloft who lent me books and made me smile. He was just different now; time had changed him. And I had to accept him because he was doing the same for me.

“It’s okay, Sabina. Do you want to know about Aboloft, what happened to him after you left?” King Bancroft asked, his tone returning to its usual friendly lilt.

I nodded. “Yes, I want to know. I want to understand Aboloft. That’s why I came to you.”

“Come. Let’s find a quiet place to talk.” King Bancroft turned and walked deeper into the harem, with me trailing behind.

I was finally going to get the answers I craved.

I was finally going to understand Aboloft.