The Prisoner’s Princess Chapter 121

Bryson

I held my mate while the pups would sleep for the first time in their own beds on the floor… They cried about it until they went to sleep, but this was needed. They were about a foot and a half tall a piece, weighing about as much as the average one year old human formed pup.

“My my they have grown.” Said the Horned One, in black scaled armor. It looked as if he’d ripped them off a mighty beast, though I could smell the metal… it was craftsmanship I could only assume he made... that and the black iron pitched fork on his side…. for some reason the name of it came to me on its own: The Trident of Tartaron. Isabelle was asleep almost unnaturally so. I shot him a silent glare.

“I suppose you come to coddle them?” I asked and he shook his head.

“It would not be fair. I merely observe while my captor cannot see my choices.” He said firmly.

“How so?” I asked seeing them snuggle together closer.

“I did not coddle you, nor your brothers.” He said plainly.

“Why not?” I asked swinging my feet to rest on the floor. He scratched his chin.

“It is not the father I was. Also, your mother begged me not to interfere. She wanted you to have a mate, as Xaxas, and even Asanguis will…. Even though he has no mother. He was created.” He said quietly. “She wanted you to grow here with mortals, not in the palace in Tartaron. I was going to take you the night her avatar birthed you…. the thin flesh she made to hide within was too weak to birth a god.” He sighed agitatedly. “Then the Lord of Time found out. Oh… you do not know the old stories; you will not know who he is.” He scratched his chin,

“Chroviel is the Lord of Time. The beginning and end of all things within a universe. The energy generated from his death and rebirth make it easier to form new realms without too much work. The grand secret kept from mortals, as they think ‘father time’ is merely an expression… as he himself is as frail as a mortal. He never leaves his realm, waiting for me, the literal ender of time.” A throne appeared for him to comfortably sit, and he did so with high crossed legs.

“That is confusing.” I grumbled, and he nodded.

“He is not a god, but rather time given a shape. He holds the appearance of an old decrepit man. He crowed to Arviel as a fatted raven while she birthed you. He felt since she was technically flesh, you should be as well, and I ultimately agreed… because she was suffering inside the false flesh. You are as you are because of Me. And I would do it again… I cannot bare her pain if I would have taken you where she could not see you… also before my heart was softened, I know I would have trained you as I did Xaxas. A killing machine with the grace of a thousand swans, and the heartlessness of his father.” He chuckled. “It also does not help that Chroviel does not like me since I repeatedly kill him to kick off a new universe…” He admitted.

I didn’t really have words for all the information he’d given me in such a short time. I had already figured out that she didn’t want him raising me. Hell would be no place for a pup, even one born under the red moon. Had he raised me… I would be more than the monster I already was, no, even worse. I would likely know how to use whatever powers I had and crushed this world. Before Isabelle, I wouldn’t have cared what happened to this place… but to change the subject, I would ask another question.

“…. Are there any gods that side with you?” I asked. He looked at me as if I should have known that answer, but he was patient since he knew that I was not told the old stories, nor the tales of the pantheon.

“No; all that do not fear me, side with Arviel to stay in his good graces,” He chuckled. “Also as I said Chroviel is not a god, nor does he need tribute… he simply Is. He is the only of three, possibly four constant forces besides me and Arviel that cannot be destroyed once I kill him…. He is time given form, as I am Darkness, Arviel is Light… Xaxas and you share Law.” He said quietly.

“I still don’t really see what any of this has to do with my pups.” I mumbled.

“My son be patient. You are just like your brothers.” He chuckled. “He often calls us his sons since we are what come immediately after, though none of us share blood. First there was time, then darkness, then light… possibly Law. Of all the pantheon you and your brother hold this mantle… Chroviel crowed like a fatted raven to spite me since I am his executioner…. And the last time I killed him was a little … unnecessarily brutal I admit that. I should not have taken out his spine and used his scull for my wine cup, but I was angry at the moment… He also thought it not fair that I was technically not adhering to the terms me and Arviel agreed on upon my surrender many years later. All this information is important to your children, as they are affected by your lineage. I see you make no attempt to show this world what your wrath is capable of, and that is why you are constantly harassed. Do you not agree that that is important?”

“Why tell me this now?” I asked and he looked at my pups, then me.

“Because you are More. You are My son. I do not regret allowing you to grow into your horns before interacting with you directly. However, you should know why you are Bryson, not Birrai’shivaal, the God of Retribution. It means ‘He who Smites.’ Punisher of those who disrupt Law.” He said a little louder than his usual whisper …. and it made my chest hurt. I could feel the tattoo on my chest pulse angrily, and I could assume that that must have been my real name… but I did not want it.

“What if I choose to stay as I am?” I asked, and he frowned.

“Nothing, but I understand. For your mate’s sake you do not even attempt to access your truest nature. I too stay as I am for Lulliba, even though I can easily leave my confines, restarting a war that would likely end in her death since I will not reach her in time… As selfish as it sounds if I never see her again, I would do that if it meant she were free of harm. If it meant I could hold her, I would destroy if not for our children and the tears that would cause her.” He mumbled. “We both knew I would give her child…. but we had not seen each other since she was taken... It took her that long to do something so simple.” He sighed. “There is also the fact that Lenni had never touched her… he didn’t even mark her. I did.” He said in a whispered growl. “All of my wife is mine.”

I carefully picked up Tyson, my hardest sleeper, and put him in his hands. I figured if Isabelle was awake, that this is what she would’ve done. “I know you came to see your grandchildren… hopefully sometime soon you will be able to visit without worry, and be with your mate.” I said seeing him sigh. The smallest smile came to him while he held my sleeping pup. He rubbed his back with a single knuckle, and put him back, petting the other two.

“You indeed are worthy of my hammer. I see why she asked to have it…. She had her plans, and I have mine should opportunity ever arise.” He said a little louder than his usual whisper. That was the second time he’d done that, but this time there was almost an invisible weight placed on my shoulders.

I blinked.

I woke up at my desk, in the office. My boys yipped happily playing with a toy while Grace was pet by Mini. “What the-where- How long was I out?” I asked, seeing Isabelle rummage through the fining cabinet, then running to her computer once she found a pack member file... they looked at me confused.

“You were asleep in here when I got up, and we figured to leave you be.” Said my mate, and I chose not to tell her. There was no need to add worry to her heart.

“I must be working too hard.” I grumbled truthfully, knowing full well it was real. Though now I was dressed in a red Polo shirt and jeans. It hid my slightly painful brand on my chest.

“We know. That’s why we’re going to take the pups with us while we get her a breast pump, because I have no idea where I put mine.” Grumbled Isabelle.

“Actually, I don’t mind watching them. Go ahead.” I said getting up and popping my neck. My chest still burned… my tattoo pulsed painfully in sync with my heartbeat…. And I had a small feeling that the Horned One had done something to likely me and the pups. What he’d done I had no idea, but for now I wouldn’t say anything so as not to scare everyone else. They didn’t even notice his scent still lingering in the air….

“Alright.” She smiled, taking Mini’s hand and leading her away. She missed this full moon, meaning if she had her pup normally, she would be six months pregnant when she delivered. That was the normal time most women pupped, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t have her another day like my mate… I really hoped that wasn’t the case though. Caleb was a mess as it was. I could scent his agitation that they were leaving from my office, as he used the guest room as his.