Chapter 139: You Are No King (Molly and Varek)

Molly

The next day, Molly woke up in the exact same position she had fallen asleep in, her body stiff and cold under the thin blankets.

She opened her eyes, seeing the morning light streaming through the gaps of the heavy tent flap. From outside, she could hear a loud ruckus echoing through the camp. Children were shouting and playing, and the rough, gravelly voices of rogues grumbled back and forth.

Molly sat up slowly, stretching her arms above her head. A sharp ache shot down her spine from the terrible way she had slept on the stiff cot. She swung her legs over the edge, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she looked around the spacious felt hut.

Trina was nowhere to be seen.

"Trina?" Molly called out, her voice raspy from sleep. "Trina!"

Receiving no answer, she pushed herself up from the bed and walked over to the entrance. She pulled back the heavy fabric flap, stepping out into the bright sunlight and fresh morning air.

The sudden glare hit her eyes so hard she had to close them tightly, shielding her face with her hand.

When her eyes finally adjusted, she spotted Trina walking down the dirt path, carefully carrying a bucket filled with sloshing water.

Trina quickly approached, her face lighting up when she saw the princess. "Princess!" Molly looked down at the bucket in confusion. "What is that?"

"Oh, I went to collect water from the borehole," Trina explained, taking a breath as she shifted the weight of the heavy bucket. "None of their pipes are working at all. When these rogues took down the mansions and brought the city to rubble, they completely destroyed the underground water lines too. Now everyone has to get water from the well. This is your bathing water."

Trina gestured for Molly to step back inside, carrying the heavy bucket through the entrance and setting it down on the rug with a loud thud.

Trina wiped her sweaty forehead, letting out a long sigh. "You have no idea how awful it was last night... I had to find out the hard way when I went to the bathroom and had to poop right on top of other people’s poop!"

Molly’s nose scrunched up in violent horror. "Disgusting!"

"Right?" Trina groaned. "But what can we really expect? They are rogues. Of course they live like savages."

Molly crossed her arms over her nightgown, watching Trina pour a smaller pitcher of water into a basin. "Anyways... how do you like it here so far?"

Trina paused, holding the pitcher. "Well, if I am being completely honest with you... other than the horrifying toilet situation and having no running water, it is almost... normal. I mean, of course the rogues are crude and rough around the edges, but I don’t think it is all that bad."

Molly looked toward the entrance of the tent, her brow furrowing. "When you told the Rogue boy yesterday that I wouldn’t be coming to dinner... how did he take it?"

"Oh, he was pretty chill about it," Trina replied, setting the pitcher down. "I don’t think he really cared at all. The one who I think actually cared was the witch. I could see her sneering at me the second the words left my mouth. I really don’t think she likes you, Princess."

Molly scoffed softly, a cold look coming into her eyes. "Good. I don’t like her either." Before they could finish talking, the entrance flap was suddenly thrown wide open.

"Oh, there is my beautiful bride!"

Varek’s deep voice boomed through the space as he strode right inside, completely unannounced. He marched straight up to Molly, leaning down before she could even react, and abruptly planted a wet kiss right in the middle of her forehead.

Molly gasped, instantly stumbling backward. She violently wiped her sleeve across her forehead, glaring at him with pure, burning disgust.

"What is wrong with you?!" Molly yelled, her chest heaving as her heart hammered against her ribs.

Varek blinked, standing straight up and looking slightly flustered. "Oh... was I too forward? This is all very new for me, you see. I have never been in love before."

Hearing those words come out of his mouth set something off inside Molly. Rage boiled up from her stomach, completely drowning out her common sense. She stared at his smug, arrogant face, and before her brain could stop her hands—

SLAP!

The sound cracked like a whip through the quiet tent. Molly’s palm struck Varek hard across his cheek, snapping his head to the side.

Trina let out a sharp, terrified yell, slapping both hands over her mouth.

Silence fell over the room like a heavy blanket.

Only after the burning sting left her palm did Molly realize what she had just done. Fear instantly shot through her veins, making her knees shake, but she planted her feet into the rug and forced her chin up, trying desperately to keep her stance.

Varek stood completely still, his jaw tight. He slowly turned his head back to face her, his hand rising to touch the hot red mark spreading across his cheek. His dark eyes flickered with shock.

"How dare you?" Varek growled, his voice dropping into a low, deadly tone.

"That is what you get for touching me!" Molly fired back, her voice trembling slightly despite her best efforts. "I’ll hit you even harder next time!"

"How dare you hit me?!" Varek shouted, stepping into her space, his scent spiking with sudden, aggressive authority. "I am a king!"

Molly let out a bitter, mocking laugh, her eyes narrowing as she stared right into his face.

"King?" Molly spat, stepping right back into his space without an ounce of fear left in her. "What do you mean, king? You are no king! Were you crowned in front of the Goddess? Were you anointed by a priest in the holy moon temple? Do you possess royal blood running through your veins? Do you have a throne? Do you have an official court? Do you have high packs sworn to your line?!"