Chapter 25 THE SLASHES SESSION

PYRO'S POV

"Sorry." Zephyrus gestured like zipping her mouth.

King Arealdo looked at me in an intense way. "You disappoint me, King Fire."

"How about King Lightning, Father? He was there, too. Why is he not going to take the punishment?" Hali talked in a boastful tone. He really disrespected everyone, our father was not an exemption.

"I gave him a task." King Arealdo said shortly.

"Why did you give me the task, too, father? So that I have a reason to go to the city?" Zephyrus' unclosed mouth talked again. "I promise I will do my—"

"Let's start whipping!" Father ordered.

"Oh, no! This must be the worst nightmare of my life!" Zephyrus acted like a child who was covering his mouth while his eyes were widening. Well, he is the younger among us and we are forcing ourselves to accept his kiddo attitude, sometimes funny, sometimes annoying.

I walked lazily to the table and grabbed my clothes out. I threw it on one of the guards. Then, I laid my frontal to the table, the back was exposed to the guard.

"Father, give us justice! Please, my lord!" Zephyrus never stopped saying words. He was now climbing up on the table and positioning his back.

"Stop talking! If our father added a slash, you will go to hell!" Hali was annoyed by him, he even hit him with the back of her hand.

"You are so bad, Hali! I hope you are not my brother!" Zephyrus was pouting like a kid. His elbow was leaning on the table while his hands were on his chin. He was shaking his feet in the air.

"Father! Zephyrus wishing something bad to me!" Hali reported as if Zephyrus meant what he said.

"I was just kidding!" Zephyrus shouted back.

I covered my ears because it was bleeding with their uncontrollable noise.

Can we just start so I can take the pain relievers and then sleep?

I looked to my left side. Colden loved to position himself near me. A handsome friendly curve of his lips formed when he saw me staring at him.

"It must be hurting us, Pyro. How I wish I will not get mad." Colden's voice was soft. He was worried about what he could do when his blood boiled.

I found where my father was when I saw him, I got his attention. "Father! Can you give King Ice a chain? Can you chain him?"

Father just nodded, he knew what I was talking about, that was why he commanded a guard immediately.

"Thank you, King Fire." Colden showed me his bright smile.

I was not looking when they were tying him with the chain, it felt like hurting my chest. I just hope that one day he could manage his emotions well.

"Start the whipping!" Father ordered. "Let's see if you go back again to the city once you feel the punishment!"

I felt the leather strap on my back. Then, it hit me so bad. I just closed my eyes and tightened the hold in the corner of the table.

"Ouch! Ouch!" The loud sounds of Zephyrus' mouth filled the room while the other was just groaning in pain. When I looked at Colden, he was just biting his lips, avoiding being mad. Hali was biting his lower arm while Raiden was not looking away. He did not want to watch us.

I could feel the pain in my back, every slash was intensifying. It was just ten slashes, but I felt my back was ripping. Every hit was reckless.

After the session, we walked like a drunk man. My back was bleeding and it was painful. This was the first time, but probably not the last because for sure, they would go back again to the city no matter how much punishment they got.

We fell in line after the slashes, even Raiden was in the line. He was just looking down.

"You learned your lesson, didn't you?" Father looked at us, one by one. We were all wincing.

I heard Colden was gritting his teeth. He was glaring at father with the fire in his eyes. "King Ice, calm down. You need to remember why you got slashes. We made mistakes."

"I am mad. So mad!" His face changed into a kind expression and then, dark emotion then went back again to kind. It was shifting until he blew a loud sigh and managed to calm himself.

"Good boy." I whispered. I knew he had difficulties dealing with himself, but he was trying.

"It hurts my back." Zephyrus was twisting his body, glimpsing on his dorsal as if he could see that. "I am bleeding to death! Justice, plea—"

"Do you want another ten?" Father asked him while glaring.

"Oh, no, Father!" Hali was protesting immediately. His lips were pale.

"We are fine, Father!" Zephyrus gave him a small smile.

"Father, that is enough. They will learn from their lesson." Raiden interrupted.

"How about your task, King Lightning? I will give you three months and if you fail me, you will be punished." King Arealdo started to walk forward towards Raiden. "I know you are a good son." He tapped his shoulder while having a smirk on his lips. When his eyes viewed me, it changed into a disappointed expression.

"I don't want to see you again in this courtroom, King Fire."

I looked down. My mouth was shut. I could not promise. I was just a teenager who did a mistake sometimes.

"Do you understand, Fire?"

"Yes, Father," I answered in a low tone.

He turned his back to us. "Don't make me mad again, my sons!" He finally walked away.

"Ouch, my back." Hali was groaning.

"It hurts." Colden winced.

"I think I will die." That was Zephyrus.

I just shook my head and went away from them after putting on my garments.

Where is Fira? I need medicine.

I walked away from the courtroom. I had no energy when I stepped into the hallway. I could feel the waves of pain in my back, the stinging, the stabbing. It was painful that I could not imagine.

I went to the kitchen, but Fira was not there.

Is she not done with her duty in the mining area?

I was walking straight, not showing people that I was having back pain. I was about to go to the way, going to the miners when I saw her in the distance, talking to someone else. To a guy, specifically.

My forehead wrinkled. I leaned my back on the wall even though it hurt me. It was better to feel this sensation than to see this blabby woman talking to a man. I waited for her to finish and when she was done, she walked towards the kingdom.

"King Fire!" She waved her hands when she saw me from a distance. She ran towards me and stopped in front of me. "I am not yet going to King Lightning, your majesty. Please give me a—"

"Who told you to speak with another guy when my symbol is on you?"