A Royal Obligation
Chapter 171: Valeidio’s Fury (1)

Chapter 171: Valeidio’s Fury (1)

King Xavian’s eyes darkened as he stared at the messenger, his face pale but his expression hardening with each passing second. His son, his youngest, Eirik, was gone. Kidnapped. And the one responsible for this unthinkable act? Sadiki. A name that now felt like poison in Xavian’s mouth.

The air in the hall thickened with tension, and Queen Morgana, seated beside the king, couldn’t hold back the tremor in her voice as she whispered, "Sadiki?" Her voice was hollow, almost disbelieving, but there was no mistaking the pain in her eyes. "How could he do this?"

Sadiki had been more than a guard to them, he had been family. Eirik had personally chosen Sadiki to be his bodyguard on his eighteenth birthday, convinced of the man’s loyalty and honor. He had protected Eirik at every turn, served him with what had seemed to be unwavering devotion. They had trusted him. They had allowed him to follow Eirik to Zephyros to ensure his safety. And now, this betrayal, this treachery, felt like a knife to the heart.

Queen Morgana’s heart ached, each beat sending waves of pain through her chest. Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to spill as the weight of the news settled in. Her baby boy, her sweet Eirik, was somewhere out there, kidnapped, vulnerable, and in danger. She couldn’t bear it.

"Eirik..." She whispered, her voice barely audible, but filled with a mother’s desperation. "How could this have happened? How could he have done this?"

King Xavian could barely contain his rage. He pounded a fist against the arm of his throne, the sound echoing through the silent hall. "I should never have allowed Sadiki to follow Eirik to Zephyros," he growled.

His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he paced, fury radiating from him in waves. "Sadiki has betrayed us in the most unforgivable way. I will not let him get away with this."

King Xavian’s gaze snapped to his eldest son, Theron, who stood stiffly by the throne, his expression taut with shock, anger burning in his eyes. He had grown up watching over his younger siblings, always protective, always responsible. And now, the youngest of them all, his beloved brother Eirik, was in danger because of the treachery of a man they had all trusted.

"Theron," Xavian barked, his voice cold with authority, "take as many guards as you need. Go to Sadiki’s home and tear it apart if you have to. Bring his mother here. If she knows anything, we will get it out of her. I don’t care how long it takes, but she will talk."

Theron nodded sharply, his jaw clenched. The betrayal of Sadiki was personal to him too. Sadiki had been not only his brother’s guard but a trusted figure within the palace walls. To know that this man had taken Eirik, had stolen him away, lit a fire of righteous anger in his chest. "I’ll bring her back," Theron said, his voice hard. "And I’ll make sure she tells us everything she knows."

He turned sharply on his heel and began to stride out of the throne room, his steps purposeful. But just as he reached the door, it flew open with a sudden force, and two figures barged in, their faces flushed with anger.

Lucian and Julian, the twins, stormed into the throne room, their eyes blazing with fury. Their expressions mirrored each other in a way that only twins could, their rage almost palpable as they stormed past Theron, heading straight for their parents.

"Mother," Lucian said, his voice softening as he knelt beside Queen Morgana, taking her trembling hand in his. His voice was filled with both anger and sorrow. "We’ll get him back. Eirik will come home. We won’t stop until we find him."

Queen Morgana’s face crumpled, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at her sons, her grip tightening around Lucian’s hand. "How could this happen? How could he do this to Eirik?" Her voice cracked, barely able to form the words. "My baby... He trusted Sadiki... We all did."

Julian’s expression was far darker. He stood rigidly beside his brother, his eyes narrowed in barely controlled fury. "Sadiki will pay for this," he spat, his hands trembling at his sides. "I swear, when we find him, I’ll make sure he suffers for what he’s done."

Lucian nodded in agreement, his jaw clenched. "Yes mother he will pay for this. I’ll skin him alive for what he’s done." His hands trembling as he imagined what he would do to the traitor who had taken their brother.

Theron , standing at the doorway, watched his family for a moment, understanding their pain and rage all too well. But there was no time to let emotions cloud his judgment. He had a job to do, and he would not fail. With one last glance at them, he turned and left the throne room.

As Theron made his way out of the room, a new thought seized Julian’s mind, his rage now burning in a new direction. "This wouldn’t have happened if Kaelix had been able to protect him," Julian growled, his voice low but filled with venom.

"He’s supposed to be Eirik’s husband, his protector, and yet here we are, Eirik went to Zephyros for him. If he hadn’t been so careless, our brother wouldn’t be in this situation."

Lucian’s eyes flicked toward his twin, his mouth set in a grim line. "He should have known better. If he cared about Eirik half as much as he claims to, he would never have let this happen."

Queen Morgana gasped, her hand flying to her chest in shock. "Julian! Lucian! Stop this. Kaelix loves Eirik. It’s not his fault, he would never..."

"He let this happen!" Julian shouted, his voice echoing in the hall. " He’s the reason Eirik was even there. If he had done his job, if he had kept his promises, this wouldn’t have happened. He should have known better, than living our brother in the hands of Zephyros."

Lucian nodded, his face dark. "Sadiki might be the one who kidnapped Eirik, but Kaelix’s carelessness was the reason Eirik was taken in the first place."

King Xavian raised his hand, his voice booming with authority. "Enough! This is not the time to lay blame. Right now, we must focus on getting Eirik back. The time for blame game will come, but not now."

The twins exchanged a glance, their anger still simmering beneath the surface, but they remained silent. Their mother’s sobs were the only sound in the hall now, a heart-wrenching reminder of what had been stolen from them.

"I want every effort made to bring Eirik home," Xavian said, his voice hard and resolute. "We will leave no stone unturned. We will tear apart the world if we have to. Sadiki will face the full wrath of Valeidio when we find him, and he will wish for death by the time I’m done with him."