After half an hour of walking, Ami and I arrive at the place where she said that Princess Kissa and Theo are. Only, it's not only the two of them. It's also not what I expected.
Theo is inside a thatched house surrounded by Duran women. Princess Kissa is in front of him. She is looking lost as she stares at the strange group.
Upon entering, my eyes meet Theo's, and a look of pain passes over his features. Seeing the pain on his face, it's as if I felt his pain, too.
"What's happening?" I ask, confused by the situation.
"Who is this, slight little girl!?!" one of the women beside Theo growls.
Another woman kneels beside Theo and hugs his legs to her. Theo is only wearing a small cloth to hide his crotch. I feel jealous at the way the woman presses her huge chest to him. Other than Princess Kissa and the other women in Pitchford, am I to share him with these Duran women, too?
"My King, please return to us. We've been delayed enough already. We need to return to Pitchford."
Another woman hisses at Princess Kissa. "We claimed this man. He is ours! He will stay here as our husband! So, leave and return wherever!"
Their husband? Are they referring to Theo? The King of Pitchford will become their husband?! More than jealousy, I feel anger. I clench my fist and glare at the group. Yet, I keep my mouth shut. This is Princess Kissa's job.
"I enjoyed our time together, despite it being short, but I am sorry, Princess Kissa. We must part now," Theo says. "As they said, I have been claimed."
From the slur in his voice, it's obvious that he's drunk. I travel my eyes around the house and notice empty bottles on the table. I move towards it and smell it. Confirmed. It's alcohol. I reach for the other bottles under the table and same as the ones on top, these are also alcohol.
"We will have his child and we will fill this village with little versions of this amazing, handsome man!"
My ears perk up. His child?! I sniff and scour the thatched house. I can smell it–the different smell of women's perfume and him. He… I clench my teeth and close my fist. If he impregnates any of these women, and by some miracle, has his eldest with them. What will he do? Will he ask all of them to abort the children? Or will he stay with them here and abandon his kingship?
I smirk. I feel weak in this ludicrous situation. Then, I laugh. I am pretty stupid, aren't I? Why am I so affected back then? Instead of weeping over the realization of the shallowness of his love for me, I roar in laughter. Everyone is quiet. They might have thought that I had finally lost my mind.
Well, probably I am. I feel weak in my mirth. To support my weight, I lean over the table. I am very, very stupid, a foolish little girl who believed that a fucking King can love her!
And so, I laugh. It was so easy. Alcohol and a group of voluptuous women. And that's all he needs to give up his Kingdom. Even as a joke, he can't give that to me back then. It doesn't even cross his mind!
I turn towards Theo and all his new women. I smirk at the same time that I place my hand on my hips. I even wipe the tears that resulted from too much laughing.
"Why are you laughing?!" he asks, finally acknowledging my presence.
I snort and withdraw my eyes from him. Instead, I look at all his new women. The corner of my lips turns upward. This is just absurdly funny.
"Even if you beg me, I won't return," he says. "Unless you tell me that you still lo-"
"Who says I will beg for you to return?" I cut him off.
I walk closer to him and look down at him. How did I even think that this little man was amazing? He is a smart King and powerful in both magic and combat. But he is nothing but a child. Did my love blind me too much not to see the immaturity and insecurity that he hides within? Did his kisses and caresses brainwash me enough to only see the good things in him?
And now, to get my attention, to force me to return to his bed. He does these things without even thinking how childish he is. Princess Kissa is even lost for words.
And so, with a voice laden with repulsion, I say to him, "You are disgusting."
I watch his mouth open. His complexion pales at the same time that hurt and fear appear on his face. He reaches for my hand and I swat him away as if he is nothing but a nasty insect.
"Stay here and don't return. At least, I won't suffer from guarding a hateful King like you," I hiss at him. I turn away from him and Ami walks beside me.
"But… Kaiya… You can't say that to our King… He might really-"
For the first time, I glare at Ami. "I don't care!" I scream at her and she is as surprised as I am in my tone of voice. Yes, this is anger. I am furious and I don't care anymore!

**********************
"Oh god, fill me up! Ahh! That's it! Fill me up, my King! Ahh! Yes! I love it! More!!"
It's Princess Kissa, getting lost in her passions again. I have already become dull to it. And Ami is looking weirdly at me even after I apologize for screaming at her. I wait by the door while I play with a dagger in my hand. These two will last for another hour, then it will become quiet.
Kissa will then leave after half an hour to take a bath in her room, leaving Theo inside. After that, I can enter and find him in a tub of water.
The door opens and Princess Kissa nods at me. I nod back, noting the same smell she has every time she exits Theo's room-that of sex, sweat, and Theo-a knowledge that never fails to prick at my heart.
Any minute now, and Theo will call for me.
"Kaiya?"
That's my cue. I stand up and open the door. I bow at him. He is in the tub of water, as I expected. He hands me the brush and I take it. All the while, he is looking at me with a defeated expression. His back is hunched over and he looks smaller than he is.
I move behind him and brush his body, removing Princess Kissa's smell from him. I try to empty my mind as I focus on the task. It's a bit harder because all he does is stare at me while I work.
"It's done, my King," I say.
I place the brush and soap on the side and hand him a dry towel. I walk to his bed and change the sheets. Before he finishes drying himself up, I have already prepared his night clothes.
"Kaiya, I'm sorry…" he whispers.
I evade his touch and proceed to help him with his clothes.
"Talk to me, please," he whispers. He continues to talk while I help him with his shirt. "I returned early for you when we were in Duran. I'm sorry that I caused a delay after that mage attack. But I am just too jealous. I know you've been with Klevon. I've forgiven you, so will you please forgive me too?"
"There, it's all done, my King," I say.
"I want to make you jealous, too. Like what I feel every time another man takes your attention."
I move away at the same time that he tries to touch my cheeks. He obeys when I force him to sit on the bed. I feel like I am tucking a child in, although I haven't had a child before.
He catches my hand and presses a light kiss on it. "Don't look at me as if you find me repugnant."
I forcibly snatch my hand and push him into his bed. He looks pained at the way I treat him, and it hurts me too, but lately, I have learned to guard my heart against him.
"Kaiya, sleep beside me. I-"
"I will be at the corner if you need me," I say, cutting him off.
He tries to hold my hand again, but I yank my hand free. "Good night, my King," I say and force a smile before moving away from him.
I turn the lamp off and take my part in the room's corner. And tomorrow, Princess Kissa will return and they will be together the entire day. I, on the other hand, will shift my duties between him and the navigation and training.
I close my eyes. This has been our schedule for the past week since we left Duran. It's exhausting, but at least, my heart doesn't do backflips anymore. It's been stable for a while. Yet, I hope we arrive at Pitchford soon. I am sure that I will have more freedom once we are there, rather than the four corners of his suffocating room.