Poloria's POV
"What is he doing here?" Kai asked as he wiped his sweat. I didn't need to turn to know who the disgusting person was. The children all turned look at the man approaching us. I glance at Bira and she bowed her head before walking away quickly.
"Children!" The prince called out to them, but the children didn't smile, laugh or run to him. "What? No hello or greetings for your father?" He tried to put his hand around my waist, but I stepped aside.
"Children, greet the prince." I turn to him as the children bowed. "Greetings, Prince." They turn to me. "Let's continue." They nodded and got back into their positions.
Jailin was learning on his own since he was way too small and now learning compared to the others. The other four were sparring against each other and testing their limits. "Are you trying to turn my children into soldiers?"
"I'm allowing my children to be able to protect themselves on this Continent that will only get worse before it gets better. As someone who's trained, you should have that view as well." He nodded. "I do but you do understand that I was joking. Do you not?" I chuckled dryly. "Very funny."
He glared at me and reached out to grab my hand, but I slapped his away. "I don't like dirty things." I said simply and walked towards Jailin.
An hour later, Bira came back. "Alright. That's enough for now. Go back and get cleaned up for lunch." We walk off the training field, leaving the prince standing there alone.
The children returned to their courtyards while I discreetly left the palace. "You're getting lax, Bira." She bowed her head. "My apologies, Master. The information was sold outside of the Pendant Tower, that's why..." I scoff.
"Since when is outside of a Pendant Tower not in our domain? He couldn't have randomly known that I was in Palk." Bira didn't answer. "Did you suddenly become deaf or mute?" I asked her seriously. "No, Master."
The carriage came to a stop and I got out. The day after the festival, the Pendant Tower in Palk Kingdom is always closed but I didn't go there. I went to the courtyard two streets away from the building.
"Master." Manager bowed to me as I stood in his front courtyard. The doors closed as I stared at him. "Bring him out." Manager bowed lower. "Master. I-..." I step forward. "Shall I do it myself?"
"No. I shall go immediately." He rushed off. "Master. Maybe it was a mistake?" Bira asked but I glanced at her and she didn't say another word. Manager came out minutes later, dragging his brother.
"Normally, I take in people who have no family to be Manager, but I took a liking to you can decided to make an exception. What did I get in return?" I grabbed the brother's neck and punched him. "Betrayal."
After around an hour, I sit on the brother's trembling back and look at Manager. "Master. I truly had no idea." I scoffed. "Your brother was selling my information, pocketing the money and you wish to say that you didn't know?"
"Master. I really didn't!" I kick him in the face. "If you really didn't know this makes things worse for you, Manager. Under your nose, your brother is selling information about his Master, and you had no idea. Did you think that because he's posed as my husband that he can have my whereabouts as he pleases?"
He knelt down closer to me. "Master, please punish me to appease your anger." I scoff. "My anger? It wouldn't stop with just you. You know my methods. I'd kill your mother, your limping grandfather, your three aunts, their husbands, your younger sister, her newborn, her husband, his entire family in Ojun, your heavily pregnant wife and your twelve children." I grab his hair and pull his head up.
"I'd let you continue working for me, the person that you saw completely kill all your living relatives and left you utterly alone. Every time you would try to rebuild, I'd personally pull it down. Anyone you got close to, I'd brutally kill. I'd make sure that everyone that died on your behalf would be a part of you, every day, for every meal." I smile. "Even then my anger wouldn't be appeased."
I release him and stand up. "Let this be a lesson. Since it's not a huge danger, I'll let it slide. If it happens again then I will do worse than I described and enjoy every minute of it."
*************************************************************************************
It was time for dinner when I entered the Palace, so I headed straight for the dining room. "Mother!" I smiled as Jailin ran towards me. I leaned down and kissed his head as the rest of the children stand up and bow to me in greeting.
I gently push him back to this seat and walk towards my seat, on my father's right. "You've taught them well." Mother mused. "Barely, the children have their hearts in the right place." I say as I motioned for them to sit down.
"I saw that man today, he doesn't seem like the person Ri described." Father spoke soft enough that only I could hear. "That's because he's someone else." He didn't look shocked, but he nodded. "As long as you have everything figured out." I nod as the doors opened and he walked in. "Talk about the devil and he appears." Father chuckled.
He walked up behind Ri's chair and tapped her shoulder. Ri glanced at me and I made no move, so she didn't get up. "I wish to sit next to my wife." He whispered. "Maybe if you were wanted." She replied.
"Palari. That's older sister's husband. You should move." Pikla said as he and Palin walked in. "I don't have to do anything. If he thinks he can, he can try to move me from this seat." Pikla chuckled and looked at the children.
"Which ones are blood?" I smile but didn't say anything. "You?" He tapped Kai's shoulder. "He's too old." Palin said as he also evaluated my children. "We don't know how wild older sister was while she was out there for so many years.
I pick up the knife and throw it at Pikla. It went straight through his shoulder. "Drag them out." Bira directed the guards to take the two outside. I stand up. "I'll be back." I walk out of the room. "Follow me out and I'll break your legs myself." I warned the prince and he stopped immediately.
Bira took them to the training field and threw them on the ground. I stepped on Pikla's bleeding shoulder. He yelled out and grabbed my foot, trying to push it off. "I never imagined that you'd get stupider after the last lesson you were taught but since you can't seem to learn manners, then I'll personally teach you."
"Can you not kill your brothers?" Mother asked softly after standing there watching me for a while. "You can still have another. It's not late, your body is healthy enough. If not, have Lia take over when she gets of age. Why harbor such wastes." I wash my hands in the basin of water.
"If the children see such violence-." I raise my hand. "Lion and Lia have been travelling with me. They've seen me disembowel someone with an arrow. Kai has killed multiple men and Heri has seen me rip a woman's throat out. They've seen more than enough violence." She nodded.
"Okay." She kissed my blood covered cheek. "Get some rest."