A Royal Obligation
Chapter 164: The Letter

Chapter 164: The Letter

Outside the door, Carl chuckled darkly, the sound of Eirik’s muffled screams barely penetrating the heavy wood. The twisted pleasure dancing in his eyes as he turned and met Sadiki’s gaze was undeniable.

Sadiki stood stiffly, his posture betraying the rigid control he tried to maintain. His face was drained of color, the weight of guilt and fear hanging over him like a storm cloud. Carl’s grin widened, cruel and mocking, as he closed the distance between them.

"Can I see my mother now?" Sadiki’s voice was barely a whisper, stripped of the authority it once held. The usual confidence that marked his presence as Prince Eirik’s personal guard was nowhere to be seen. His eyes, usually sharp and watchful, were now dull with desperation. He was pleading, something he had never thought he would have to do.

Carl’s smile faded instantly, replaced by a chilling darkness. His eyes narrowed as he sized Sadiki up, his expression twisted with disdain. "You’ll see her when you prove yourself," he sneered, the words rolling off his tongue like venom.

Sadiki swallowed hard, panic creeping into his chest. He had done what Carl asked, he’d handed over Eirik, drugged and defenseless. Surely that was enough?

"But I... I got Eirik for you," he stammered, his voice barely audible, as though the words might disintegrate before they reached Carl.

Carl’s eyes flickered, and his lip curled in disgust. "You got Eirik?" he mocked, stepping closer, his breath hot and cruel against Sadiki’s face. "Anybody could have done that if I wanted it badly enough. You think handing him over was special? You think that was enough to earn her freedom?"

Sadiki’s heart sank like a stone.The coldness in Carl’s voice hit him like a physical blow. He had sacrificed everything, his loyalty, his honor, and now his soul, to get Eirik into Carl’s hands. And still, it wasn’t enough.

"Until you truly prove yourself, you won’t be seeing your mother," Carl hissed, his eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction. "Maybe never again."

The words felt like a knife to Sadiki’s gut, twisting with every second. His knees threatened to buckle, but he stood firm, barely able to keep his balance. He tried to hold Carl’s gaze, but the prince’s cold sneer was too much. He dropped his eyes, feeling the weight of Carl’s disdain pressing him further into despair.

Carl’s lips curled again, the mockery returning. He clapped Sadiki on the shoulder, the gesture laced with condescension. "So be a good boy and guard my Eirik," he said, his voice dripping with venom.

As Carl turned to leave, he paused, casting a final, dangerous look over his shoulder. "And remember, no funny business. I know where to find your lover. Killing Drystan wouldn’t be too hard for me."

The threat slammed into Sadiki like a sledgehammer. His breath hitched, and for a moment, the world seemed to spin around him. Drystan, his lover, his only light in this dark nightmare, now dangled over him like another pawn in Carl’s cruel game.

Sadiki’s hands shook at his sides, the terror creeping up his spine like ice water. Carl’s cruel laughter echoed in the corridor as he strode away, leaving Sadiki frozen in place, his body trembling.

He stood there, rooted to the spot, his heart pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else. His mind raced, replaying Carl’s threat over and over until it was all he could hear. The thought of Drystan in danger clawed at his insides. It was too much to bear. He had already lost too much, he couldn’t lose Drystan too. Even if he hates him now.

But then the sound of Eirik’s muffled screams seeped through the door again, and Sadiki’s heart clenched painfully in his chest. The guilt was suffocating, wrapping around him like chains, dragging him down. Every scream was a reminder of what he had done, of the man he had betrayed.

He had never imagined it would come to this. That he would be the one responsible for Eirik’s suffering. But here he was, standing outside the door while the man he once loved screamed for freedom.

"I’m sorry," Sadiki whispered, his voice shaking, barely audible. He pressed his hand to his mouth, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "I’m so sorry, my Prince." The words felt hollow, useless, but they were all he had left.

But his apologies would change nothing. The damage was done, and now, he had to live with it.

Sadiki’s mind drifted, pulling him back to the moment that had set this all in motion, the day he found the letter.

It had been a rare off day, one of the few chances he got to visit his mother in their small home in the Valeidio Kingdom. He had been eager to see her, to take a break from the pressures of guarding a prince, and just be her son for a while. He remembered calling out to her as he entered the house, expecting her usual warm welcome, her soft smile.

But instead, silence greeted him. His heart had dropped into his stomach as he stepped inside, his senses overwhelmed by the emptiness.

The house, once warm and full of life, was now cold, abandoned. Dust coated every surface, the air stale and thick with neglect. The table, where they would often sit together and talk about life, was covered in cobwebs. The dishes from what seemed like weeks ago still sat in the sink, untouched. Papers and belongings were strewn across the floor as if someone had left in a hurry.

Sadiki’s pulse quickened. His mother was meticulous, always keeping the house in order. This wasn’t her doing. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

He called out again, louder this time, but the silence that followed was deafening.

His heart raced as panic clawed at his chest. He searched the house frantically, his footsteps echoing in the empty rooms. But there was no sign of her. No sign of anything except for... the note.

Pinned to the wall with a dagger, its blade gleaming under the dim light.

Sadiki’s breath caught in his throat. His legs felt weak as he approached the note, his hand trembling as he reached for it. He pulled the dagger free, his pulse roaring in his ears. The note was hastily written, the jagged handwriting almost impossible to read.

"If you ever want to see her alive again, you will do exactly as we say. Keep a close eyes on Valeidio kingdom, Report every thing to us down to the very detail. And your mother might live."

The words blurred in front of Sadiki’s eyes as dread filled his entire body. He staggered back, the note falling from his hands and fluttering to the ground. His knees gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.

His mind raced, trying to process what he had just read. His mother, his only family, gone. Taken by people who wanted him to betray everything he stood for.

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