Moving from one town to another and from village to village was not enough to ease his mind.
He tried to forget that morning incident by riding the long distances instead of using flight.
He arrived at Silverado, a small town that was located at the Silver Bay. The harbor he noticed was under construction. He dismounted his Nightmare and walked up to the labor worker who were working at the site.
"What's going on here?" He inquired up from the passing man.
The man immediately bowed and told Erebus that they had begun the repairs of the harbor that was destroyed by the flooding from last year.
"We had begun once you had approved for this my lord. And some of the people came from Ironfall with the material and the approved budget for making repairs.
Erebus winced. He had not done anything of such sort. Even if he tried to get rid of the paperwork he still remembered the contents and how he acted upon them.
" Luciana..." The name slipped from his mouth. He knew it was her. Since Jafar and Blake never proceeded until they received his approval.
He asked them for the records. The worker took the one in charge of the project.
" Greetings my lord. What brings you here today?" The man in his mid thirties asked Erebus about his sudden visit.
"Is it not my responsibility to overlook the domains' concerns?" He looked at the man.
"M-my apologies. " The man bowed immediately after he saw Erebus' frustration.
"Give me the record of the budget and materials that was recieved." He demanded.
The man hurried inside the shack as Erebus followed him inside.
He rummaged through the stuff that was scattered across a temporary desk made from wooden crates and planks.
"H-here it is my lord." The man did not make an eye contact and was slightly trembling.
Erebus took the scroll and unwrapped it. He found the records. Everything was incredibly detailed. From the materials to be used to the budget planned and the manpower. He was surprised to see how cheap the cost came and how budget friendly the entire thing was planned.
He felt nothing but the talent Luciana had displayed. She was born to rule. But him? He was only a war orphan f om the sewers abandoned and became a murderer and a hound on leash. He did not deserve her. He knew it well.
By the time he was done with the inspection of the site, the sky was already changing colors from blue to violet.
The town wasn't bustling with people. Only the locals were found busy with their daily lives.
There seemed to be no trouble with the pirates who occasionally stumbled upon this part of Wahrheit and caused riot taking women and whatever goods were of benefit to them.
He had stationed soldiers and archers along the coastline that expanded till the northwestern mountain range.
He found a merchant trading medicine with the fishermen who became allergic to seafood.
The alleys in the main market were occupied by destitute and orphaned children who found their way into the town or some that were runaway slaves or who lost their parents by the hands of pirates.
There were no orphanages or welfare houses to shelter them or the old people who slept on the streets and begged for bread or a day's meal.
He went to stall where the merchant sold variety of herbs that he never saw in Stygian. They were exported from human realm or other parts of Wahrheit.
He asked for their cost.
They were more expensive than he had calculated. Luciana had taught him somewhat about the market price.
"So sir will you buy them? If you buy three it will be five gold coins."
"How long have you been conning others?"
He grabbed by his collar putting the small glass bottle on the table.
"I-I never did ! It is expensive to...Kugh! O- obtain them!"
"You must want me to cut out that lying tongue out of your filthy mouth."
He dragged him to his garron and tied him with a rope.
"Orcus...instead of following me bring back his belongings." He looked back as the shadow transformed into a humaoid figure.
"As sharp as always Commander! Should I ask other voids to help me?"
"They won't be listening to you either way." He got on his garron and wheeled it around and left the town."
-"The Void Skulls have changed.... because of me."
They were the members of his shadow guild who informed him about the nobles and problems that occured in other places.
They sold their souls and lived like puppets to receive power from their manipulator.
By nightfall he arrived at the fortress.
His mood soured recalling the morning events.
Cornelius and Octavius were nowhere to be found. Jafar attended to him.
He entrusted the con merchant to Ciaran.
"Start interrogating him. I will join you shortly.Make it quick."
Ciaran obeyed and left in silence pulling the fat man behind him with the ropes.
The man hauled in pain and exhaustion from being dragged all the way to the mountain.
"Master... It seems like you have letters this time."
"Must be from him. He's itching to claim another man's wife as trophy." He scoffed and went upstairs.
"Well... I have no say in this matter however, I must bring your attention to the other letters. Some are from the newly appointed lords seeking your favor."
Erebus wasn't interested until Jafar handed him the letters.
One of those among them caught his eye.
"Callum." He read.
He put aside the others and opened the letter and read it's contents.
"My friend, hopefully the letter has arrived to you. I write to you so you maybe on guard. I heard the imperial court is beginning to take action under the crowned prince's orders. Word has spread that you have been confining the princess of Amanécer who was supposed to be his bride. The upcoming ball is a going to become a battle ground. They are taking extreme measures to blame you for conspiring with Amanécer against them. There will be war and bloodshed that is going to engulf the whole world. Or so I've heard
The Armageddon has begun!"
"Blast it!" He crumpled the letter in his bare hands feeling helpless.
Luciana was in Nemesis' room reading him a story that was the history of Wahrheit.
The old history book Blake had brought for Erebus to read years ago during his days when he was newly appointed the lord of Stygian.
Mina was intently listening to her. She loved the way Luciana would express every word with heart. Even boring things would become an interesting story when she read it out her way.
Erebus barged into the room nearly frightening Nemesis who was about to sleep.
"Seven Hells! Master! Can't you just come in like a normal person would?" Mina was startled out of her skin.
Erebus ignored her and saw Luciana who too was alarmed.
"Dadda!" Nemesis jumped up. Mina caught him on time and shook her head.
"Not now young master." She whispered.
Nemesis stopped and laid down in his bed.
"We need to talk." He told her without beating about the bush.
Luciana closed the book asking Mina to put Nemesis to bed and left with Erebus.
Neither of them made at attempt to talk until they went inside the master chambers.
"You'll have to come with me this time." He told her to prepare herself to travel to the Central Capital.
"I- I don't understand. All of a sudden-? It makes no sense-"
"Just do as much as I'm asking of you." He snapped at her.
She felt bitterness in her mouth and felt tightness in her chest as if she were slowly being suffocated.
"I won't." She refused.
"Not until you realize that behavior won't let us proceed anywhere."
"Hahhaha~ You've gotten bolder." He grinned.
-"He's losing his sanity! Did the void grow again?"
What she saw now was a beast driven by hunger and lust.
She couldn't fathom his behavior. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the bed.
"Ahh!" She winced in pain.
"Did that bastard wring in something to you? That ex fiance of yours who's desperate to get you back." He pinned her beneath him.
His grip was painful on her frail wrists.
"So you were just jealous of Octavius all along. I'm disappointed."
The moment she provoked him, she instantly regretted making a mistake.
"Serve me tonight.",
His every touch made her subconsciously react, forced to follow his lead.Pushing him in vain only fueled his wildness, his restraint slipping away.
"Please stop!" She tried to push him but it was a futile effort.
He traced her tears with his tongue as they slid down her neck, a deliberate act that startled her and sent wave of humiliation and embarrassment washing over her.
"E-Erebus! I...I am sorry...Please....hic-! Let's just talk it out-aah-!"
Despite her efforts to remain resistant, her body responded on its own giving itself up to his lead much to her dismay.
She could no longer follow up her own will that gave her a sense of shame and vulnerability.
As his eyes settled on the subtle swell of her abdomen, a rush of realization hit him-the unmistakable evidence that she carries his child within, that was thriving and growing into the proof of the life that has yet to come. He could see the transformation of her body.
As night stretched on, his need for her only intensified, his obsession evident in a way he explored every inch of her, unwilling to let her go even for a heartbeat.