Survive As The Brute's Wife

[I found him! I found him!]

Her heart bubbled with joy. Like she found an oasis in a vast desert after wandering without water for days, she lunged at him. She wanted to hug him.

"Tubby…"

Her eyes watered and she didn't know what else to say other than his name. She had a lot of questions. She wanted to ask him if he remembered their past life. She wanted to ask him if it was him she saw in her home. She wanted to ask him a lot of questions but no word came out.

She could see that he was as overwhelmed as her, but his eyes darted to the window and he hid pressing his back against the wall.

"Alexandra…" he placed his index finger over his mouth and shushed her. He then pointed through the window. Felixa didn't fail to notice his boney fingers trailing over the carved lion head at the pommel of the sword he had in his waist. His hand tightened at the hilt of the sword.

Felixa looked out and saw Maximus standing at a distance. She didn't see the men who he was supposed to meet.

"I'll meet you later," he said and Felixa's heart skipped a beat when he jumped down to the lower level.

"Tubby…" she ran towards the railing but he had already reached the opening on the wall.

"Arioch," he turned at her and smiled. "I am called Arioch these days, Alexandra… I'll find you again," he said and ran out like the wind and disappeared.

Felixa held her heart that was beating like crazy. Her knees went weak and she slumped on the dirty floor as she couldn't bear the happiness.

[I've finally found Tubby! He is here! He will come for me!]

Hugging her knees she cried. She didn't know what made her cry. It could be the sadness she had knowing the ending of her beloved grandfather, or it could be seeing the state of her home or it could be the happiness that she has found Tubby, or it could be all of it.

And she cried.

After a moment, her tears dried up and she walked to the place Tubby was standing previously. She saw the box on the floor and picked it up. Seeing the lily carved on the box, her eyes teared up.

This is the box her grandfather got for her. Lily was associated with purity and her grandfather always called her 'pure' and 'divine'.

Inside the box, she stored her valuables. Tubby would try to sneak a peak but she would never let him. It was something that held her secrets.

She looked at the box closely. The hinges had rusted and were ruined but the box is in a better condition. She opened the box and one of the hinges broke into pieces. She carefully removed the lid and took a look.

Inside was the shattered sword Tubby gave her. It still is in the same condition as she left it. Her fingers trembled as she ran her fingers through it and her eyes watered. After centuries, she has returned to her home and she found something that once belonged to her. For the first time since she woke up here, she felt like she belongs to this world.

Inside the box she saw some little thin sheets of something. She took a close look at them and she recognised them. They are the petals of the flowers Tubby gave her after her parents died. They were not her birth parents but they took good care of her and she was broken after their death.

Tubby was her everything back then…

Ah, Tubby…

Hugging the box, she cried once more. And this time, her tears were filled with joy.

[I found you, Tubby!] 

-----

"The King of the South did meet with the resistance, Sire. It seems like he is very close to pledging his alliance with the resistance. And one more thing, Sire… Arioch is around here. We followed his trail but lost him in the Bartoz forest. We were under the impression that he was going towards Riza since you are there but…"

Maximus listened to the reports of the men.

«He's right there in that dilapidated house… Arioch…»

He snorted in his heart. Everyone knows him as the leader of the resistance, Arioch. But only he knows who he truly is. It is said that Arioch has rallied a lot of allies together to fight against the Brute Emperor of Lethusia – for freedom.

«As if freedom is what he wants… heh! I will never give him what he wants!»

"Sire!" The slender man kneeled holding his hands together. His quiver was filled with arrows and his green eyes sparkled even under the gloomy sky. He looked like he is resilient to all the sufferings of the mortals.

He is not a mortal, after all.

"You don't have to kneel to a mortal, Theodas," Maximus waved his hand and Theodas got up with a friendly smile and hugged him.

"There is news spreading that a great plague is set free by the darkness of the Begida. People are panicking and sightings of some murder of ravens are reported in the South. I got a letter saying that ravens are frequenting the Eirene Gardens…" he shrugged.

Eirene gardens are accessible freely only to the Dowager Queen and he probably is the only one who would report this to the Emperor.

"What do you see, Theodas?" Maximus asked and Theodas sighed.

That told Max everything he needed to know. Tough times are ahead.

"Stop!"

The other guy started running and Maximus turned to see Arioch running away towards the hill in the distance. Theodus stared at Arioch and pressed his lips.

"Did you find out the location of the Uilaeg Forest?" Maximus asked.

"No," Theodus bowed in shame. The hood covering his head fell revealing his long, silky smooth golden locks, and his pointy ears.

Theodus closed his eyes. That serene place that is one with the nature that used to be his home is far from his grasp for years now.

Uilaeg Forest – the home of the Nandor Elves; his home.

The place that is green forever with everlasting spring and the silver river flowing making the land flourish. The sun rises, rain falls, the moon shines, and lives thrive in there.

But he had to leave.

He was exiled and his father made him forget the location of his home with powerful magic. All because of an unwise decision.

"Your father still is not accepting you? How long has it been..? Three hundred years?" Maximus asked and Theodus gritted his teeth.

"I put my faith in the wrong person and… You know it, Max," Theodus' lips twitched in anger. "If I ever la my eyes on the-"

"Let's forgive and forget, friend!" Maximus patted Theodus' shoulder and he let out a snort.

"Fool!" Theodus mumbled and stared at the house. "You found her, didn't you?"

Maximus looked at the house and shook his head. "No, she found me first…"

"Fool!" Theodus repeated. And then he looked around. "So it is cleansed…"

"Yes," Maximus let out a sigh of relief. "The curse is lifted. Flowers will bloom, the scent of ripened wheat grains will fill the valley, and hares will jump around this place once more. Desolation is defeated and once again there will be prosperity…"

There was a silence as Theodus and Maximus looked around. The rain stopped and a ray of sunlight slipped through the clouds.

"I once wanted to live here, Theodus… To become a farmer, to till and plow, to sow and weed, and to grow things… Me and her, with our kids…"

"But then you got drunk with her power, got greedy, and wanted the throne," Theodus scoffed. "And then came your downfall…"

Maximus said nothing and stared at the distance. Theodus is not entirely wrong. He did want the throne. And now he regrets everything.

"I thought there are no monster attacks in Riza because of her presence, Theodus… But…" Maximus looked up rubbing his neck. He could never forgive himself for letting her face all the abuses.

"So her blood… She was abused?" Theodus raised his brows.

As there was no answer from Maximus, he stayed silent. His eyes ended up at the house.

"Does she remember the past, Max?" Theoden asked.

Maximus shrugged as pain filled his eyes. "I don't know… She doesn't trust me anymore, Theodus… She's… hurt and scared. Scared and scarred. And… It hurts…" he rubbed his chest. "I am a fool…"

"The Aion stone will keep you together," Theodus said.

«Is this him trying to comfort me? He is failing…»

Maximus sighed. It is not his intent to keep her bound to him just by the magic of that stone.

"Keep an eye on him, Theodus. You know he cannot be allowed near her," Maximus said pointing in the direction Arioch went.

Theodus nodded. Maximus walked towards the house. He did what he came here for.

"You can still become a farmer, Max," Theoden's voice stopped Maximus. "Forget everything else. You have the land, you have her… what stops you?"

Maximus turned at Theodus. In those green eyes, he saw care. Something he comes by rarely. With a smile, Maximus turned back and walked towards the house. 

"You're still greedy, Max," Theodus let out a deep breath in frustration.

"Mortals!"

Theodus called for his horse and climbed up.. Arioch would be halfway around the plains now.