Chapter 23

Pell who had been placed in a cell to stop her from escaping, enthralled the guards who were guarding her cell and commanded them to let her free. The Emperor had told her that she would be tried after the celebration and this time she was not going to escape.

Several years ago, Pell enthralled several soldiers who were manning the gates of the palace and then ordered them to kill each other just because they denied her entry into the palace. She then proceeded to enter the palace against the Emperor's orders and rescued a prisoner, her then lover, named Timothy who had been arrested for duping land owners and selling their lands without their permission and taking all the money.

Immediately after rescuing Timothy, she realized Timothy had another lover and out of anger and frustration, she dug out Timothy's heart and hanged it out by the door of the other woman. She was seen by a passerby who reported her to the Emperor. The Emperor ordered for her arrest but she vanished and had never been seen by the Emperor since then. After finding her with Malin, the Emperor personally arrested her and rode back with her to the palace on his horse while making sure Malin didn't realize she was under arrest. But due to the massive celebration in the palace, he forgot to pay attention to the details of how Pell was to be held, leaving her in the hands of normal soldiers.

Pell knew more than anyone that if she was tried by the laws of Dalawa and found guilty, she couldn't escape the Emperor's sentence for in Dalawa, the Emperor was like a god. Her chances of ever seeing freedom again would be lost forever. But if she escaped, she could still return for Malin if possible but if not, she'll just get herself another human. After all, she could have any man she wanted, even king Orinda of Mukuro kingdom who she had enthralled and slept with on several occasions. If she had the power she could have enthralled the Emperor and made him his slave a long time ago but the Emperor and her father were the only people she could not do anything about.

A guard informed the Emperor of her escape while the Emperor was still busy entertaining his guests. Her escape brought the Emperor back to reality. He remembered immediately that maybe, just maybe, Malin was another victim of Pell. Malin had done him more honours than any one could and as such, he couldn't let Pell ruin his life. He called for Lord Parafon who was Pell's father and who had defended Malin as if he were his own and together they entered the Emperor's private chambers, leaving all the guests in the courtroom.

"What's going on Lord Parafon?" he asked as the High Priest closed the door behind him.

"I don't understand My Lord, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your daughter, has she done to the boy what I suspect she did?"

"Unfortunately sire, the answer is in the affirmative."

"I knew it. Damn that girl! How serious is it?"

"So serious the boy believes he is genuinely in love with her and he is ready to defend her against anyone, including me."

"What do you think she plans to do with him? Does she plan to kill him?"

"No My Lord, I don't think so. I believe Pell's love for Malin is real. The only tragedy is that Malin's love for her is forced. Maybe she intends to take him with her."

"In that case Lord Parafon, she leaves me with no other option but to do what I should have done several years ago."

"What are you talking about sire?"

"I'm going to bind her."

"What?"

"You heard me Lord Parafon. It's something I should have done along time ago but didn't so because of our friendship. But now she has gone too far, causing too much harm. I just can't sit around and do nothing as she ruins that boy's life."

"I understand My Lord but I think that's too much of a punishment for her sire. She already is in your custody and you said she will be tried after the celebration. Why don't you punish her according to the judgement you'll make in the court sire. She can't escape from such a punishment My Lord."

"What you are saying is exactly what I intended to do Parafon but your daughter is no longer in my custody."

"What do you mean, she escaped?"

"Yes Parafon. She enthralled the guards and escaped. Who knows what her plans are now? She could be scheming how to sneak that boy out and take him away. She will use him and once she gets tired of him, kill him like she killed Timothy."

"I'm sorry sire but the two don't compare. She didn't compel Timothy to love her. They both loved each other..."

"And does that justify killing him?"

"No it doesn't sire, my apologies."

"Now, do you agree with me that there is nothing else we can do to Pell other than binding her?"

Lord Parafon pondered over the Emperor's question for a moment. He may have had differences with Pell but she was still his daughter. She may have been a beast but despite all her follies, she still had his blood flowing in her veins. He had himself cast her out but that was because she gave him no choice. Binding her was however too much, too painful and as her father, he couldn't let her go through it. She was his only daughter, the product of a human and a goddess. There was always other ways. He would find another way to break her spell but binding her was out of the question.

"No My Lord," he said. "I'll find another way to unbound Malin from her spell but please sire, don't bind her."

The Emperor, sensing a fatherly defense from the High Priest, walked closer to him and asked respectfully, "and what is that other way? How long is it going to take you to come up with that other way?"

"I'm not sure My Lord but I can't bind my own daughter sire," he replied as he looked at the Emperor, his eyes pleading with the Emperor to have mercy on his daughter.

"Your daughter?" The Emperor asked more to himself than to the High Priest. "You still call that monster your daughter? After all that she has done, you still regard her as your daughter?"

"Pell may be a monster as you say My Lord and I won't try to defend her. But that doesn't negate the fact that she is my flesh and blood sire. I just can't do what you are asking of me sire, I hope you understand."

"That monster drained your wife Parafon, why can't you open your eyes and see that your love for her is spoiling her?" the Emperor shouted angrily. "Look at you. Having to spend all these years lonely all because your beloved daughter literally killed the love of your life and you still regard her as your daughter?"

Lord Parafon felt saliva filling his mouth forcing him to swallow hard and spit some out. The Emperor shouldn't have said that. Pell may have killed his wife as Micaleaon said but that was because his evil son Nicadeaus had duped her and messed with her head when she was just a teenager and still didn't recognize her powers. Had Nicadeaus not done what he did his wife could still be with him and maybe Pell could not have turned into such a monster. The Emperor himself had promised him that he would never speak about that incident ever again. This was not fair."

"Had your son not brainwashed Pell maybe we could not be having this conversation right now," he answered sternly, surprising the Emperor with his challengeful tone.

"Are you saying this is all my fault?"

"To some extent yes and that idea of using my wife to persuade me against my own daughter is just so lame coming from a person who had sworn never to bring up my wife's death again. What do you think Micaleaon, that you know what's good for my daughter better than me? How about your son who keeps roaming the dimensions, causing havoc everywhere he goes? Why can't you tame him or bind him too? Why my daughter? Has she committed worse crimes than Nicadeaus or ...."

"Enough!" the Emperor shouted, his fingers fisted and raised as if to punch Lord Parafon in the face. He glared at him in a bellicose stare that was punctuated with heavily constrained belligerent impulse. "How dare you!"

"I'm sorry My Lord, I..."

"Quiet!" he silenced him harshly. "You might be the High Priest of Dalawa but don't forget that as the Emperor I have the power to sentence you to death and execute that judgement myself. Don't you ever think for one moment that you can challenge me like that because I have had enough. I may have given you too much liberty in this palace but that's because you are my friend, not my superior." Relaxing his hand and moving slightly back, "if you ever mention that name again or ever try to challenge me like you have today, I will spit and trample on our friendship and kill you with my bear hands. How dare!"

Lord Parafon cowed and bowed his head before the Emperor his heart throbbing faster than normal. "Please forgive me sire, it won't happen again, I promise."

"It better not, Parafon, it better not." The Emperor responded as his anger receded. It was stupid of Parafon to bring up Nicadeaus name into this matter for the Emperor considered mentioning that name in front of him a profanity against him and the crown.

"I'm sorry My Lord." Lord Parafon offered his apologies once more. He realized just how deep he must have angered the Emperor by comparing or blaming his family for the misfortune or sins of Pell.

"It won't happen and mustn't happen again. However, I've heard your point and I'll give you a day to find a remedy to Malin otherwise if by tomorrow nothing shall have changed then there is nothing you will do or say to stop me from binding Pell, nothing."

"It's ok My Lord, I'll respect your decision sire."

"You'll respect my decision?" the Emperor asked, lowering his voice as if to hear his own words clearly.

"My apologies sire, I respect your decision. That's what i meant to say My Lord," Lord Parafon replied, his head still bowed.

"Fair enough. You can leave," he said as he pointed at the door for the High Priest to exit the room. Lord Parafon bowed his leave without uttering a word.