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Chapter 52
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2024-10-29 19:42:56“You sent for me Your Majesty?”
Garius was in the throne room with Octavius sitting on the ancient seat where generations of kings once sat to make laws and plans for the growth of the kingdom. There was a change in the king, a very unpleasant change that Garius couldn’t shake. Octavius wasn’t the young, vibrant boy he knew, the one who ran riot with his younger brother, who planned mischiefs and still managed to remain the most responsible of the Camele brothers. If he had brushed that change off after the war with the Amires it came back in full force when Octavius would not send soldiers to find the woman who he would have died for once after she ran away, not until the nobles and Garius himself had started talking did Octavius send soldiers
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Twice Cleopoda had wiped at the blood that dripped from her nose to the brown pages of the old book in front of her. She was grateful Garius wasn’t looking, sometimes the old man would be busy looking through the old books to care whether she read or not. But she read, she read because Garius asked her questions at the end of every session and he hit her cruelly and with frustration whenever she failed to answer correctly. It wasn’t easy to read the almost faded symbols and scripts from the old brown books, mouth the words which meaning she didn’t know and at the same time try to halt the voices in her head, they were so loud sometimes, they made her head ache and caused her nose to bleed but she did her best to hide it anyway. She scowled hard at the book in front of her and tried to make sense of the small letters, there weren’t any illustrations in this book like there were in the one of yesterday so she had to double her efforts to understand what was written.
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 54
It was a dark stormy day at Intavia, the streets were not as busy as people opted to stay inside their houses besides their fires with cups of warm milk. The rain was drizzling against the roof of the barn at the other side of the village. From the house beside the barn, Ira emerged with a bucket filled with water for the animal trough in the barn. She ran quickly to open the barn and stopped short when she saw Emilia there bending before one of the goats, the skirt of her apron dragged in the mud around her but she didn’t seem to care. Ira moved closer to see what she was doing. “I didn’t know you were awake so early.” Emilia was startled, she relaxed immediately when she saw it was just Ira who was coming closer with her bucket. She shifted so Ira could squat beside her. “I couldn’t sleep anymore so I thought I should make your workload lighter this morning.” She lifted the she-goat’s leg, it let out a fierce bleat and tried to scurry away bu
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 55
There was chatter among the servants, mostly the female servants. They seemed to be excited about something and Cleopoda couldn’t fathom why. They didn’t even seem to mind her walking the corridors of the palace, they seemed too distracted to care. She couldn’t ask any of them what made them all so excited so she went in search of Strukus, he had newly been given duty in the kitchen so she went there in search of him. On her way she passed by maids who hurdled close together, chuckling and giggling as they talked behind their hands, there wasn’t anything special going on in the palace as far as she knew and it has been months since Uncle Angus arrived and while everyone was still happy the excitement was already dead and to her knowledge, no one of importance was visiting. The kitchen was almost empty, there were a few servants who were cleaning the platters that had been used for breakfast that morning and Strukus was cleaning the stove. To avoid getting him into
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“You should have let me join the women at the theatre, I wanted to meet him too.” Strukus dragged her along. At first, she had been the one worrying about her safety but one look at Zenas and she lost all of her senses and wanted to be seen by him. He wanted to club her on the head with a stick but he couldn’t, not just because she was a princess but he liked her too much to cause any harm to her. “You are 11, Cleo! You can’t be seen by him or anyone else.” “Who says so?” she demanded. He stopped short abruptly almost causing her to fall back. “Garius. Your father. The list is long but I think you understand the message.” Her face fell and he regretted reminding her of just how many people were against her. No doubt the cloak with its hood reminded her of while she couldn’t be seen outside most especially not with him. She pulled her hand free of his and murmured something that sounded like ‘You’re right’ before continuing on th
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 57
Chapter 57 With a heavy heart Octavius approached the Council Room, he dreaded having to face his court, he knew why they were here, there was no reason they would come this early if it not to talk about the rising concerns in the kingdom. For months he had tried to avoid the conversation members of the court were sure to bring up. The issue had not just started, it did not just start with Amires, it started long before that, and not even the war in which he fought succeeded in quelling it. Reports had risen soon after his coronation of banditry and killings at the edges of the village near the river, reports of razed houses and stolen animals had sprung up and were worsening over the years. While his father was alive, when he still had Emilia to die for, he cared for the welfare of the people enough to sacrifice his first child so they would have peace and so he would be the hero to both the one he loved and the people for whom he cared for but now that he had nothing to fi
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He dreaded the moments when he woke up to prepare for the council room meetings. As he slipped his royal robe on he couldn’t shake the feeling that today’s meeting would be different, it was a wariness by the daemon in him that gave him that knowledge. He looked at himself, ran a finger over the vein that thumped inhumanly slow in his wrist, the place where daemon blood mixed with his own human blood flowed and knew. The dark clouds around his head hung lower today but he squared his shoulders and opened the door of his chambers. He walked down the hallway with a raised chin, an arrogance that he would never feel as long as he was half daemon. The soldiers in the corridors bowed at his approach, he raised his hand and passed by them to the council room. There his heart dropped, his suspicions confirmed. This would not be like the previous ones, if not the feeling he had in his guts and his bones, the faces of the nobles gathered around the room confirmed it. T
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He knew something was different. He could tell that the meeting in the Council Room today would be different from the others. He could feel it in the gloom that hung in the air around him and he almost didn't want to don on his royal robe. As he walked down the hallway of the palace Octavius wished he could merge himself with the wall away from the world and his responsibilities as king of Camelorn. He had woken up sharply after dreaming of several ways to kill Ashterah and has woken up disappointed to find that he was on his bed with her brand on his neck. The guards stood at their place by the wall and when he approached the dark wood door of the Council Room one of the guards stationed there pushed it open. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the nobles standing rather than sitting. Unlike before when they would be feasting on the food the servants served for them even before he arrived, they were standing around with grim faces that didn't bode well with him. At hi
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Robos sat on a glass throne watching the priests deliver the blows to Octavius' naked back, on his face was a smug smile and his eyes were ruthless. The nobles had been relegated to the shadows for fear of angering the god. They watched with fear as Octavius received the lashes without a single sound, he grimaced and clenched his tied hands but refused to openly make a sound to indicate the pain he was going through. With every rise and fall of the whip blood flew from torn flesh still Octavius refused to make a sound. When the beating was over the old priest took a bowl and placed it below Octavius' bowed body so that the blood that ran from his back fell into it. At Robos' behest, the priest took the bowl to the statue and poured the blood out on the feet of it. Robos eyes glowed and on his skin ran white light that climbed all the way to his neck and around his mouth. He smacked his lips with a satisfied smile and stood up approaching Octavius. "Now your sins are
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Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Author's note
I have now come to the end of book one of my Cursed by the gods series. It has been a long journey I'm not gonna lie. I lost commitment along the way of writing this book, lost inspiration, even changed the plan I initially had for it. I am really glad that I got to finish it and if you stayed till the end I just want to say thank you for even choosing this book in the first place. I will start with the second book as soon as possible and do my best to make that one better. I hope I have been able to tell you a good story dear readers and once again I thank you for reading Cursed by the gods. Thank you.
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 123
Octavius stepped back at the sight of the change that came over the brother whom he thought he knew. "What do you mean Angus? Don't do anything stupid I beg you by the gods." Angus laughed as he reached into his robe. "I am not doing anything stupid. This is something that should have been done a long time ago. I am doing the gods a favor. I am doing Camelorn a favor by saving then from the one person who has caused many troubles on them." Octavius kept his eyes locked on Angus' and as soon as his hand came out from behind his robe he knew there was no use fighting. Angus thought of everything. In his hand was a dagger with a golden liquid covering it. It was the Mekai. The one liquid that was known to kill gods and make them wandering souls. "You really want to do this?" Angus approached him. From the corner of his eyes tears fell from Octavius eyes. He knew this was the end, knew this was all his life was coming to and in that last mom
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Cleopoda ran hastily down the hall, her legs barely touched the ground as she ran. She feared that one of the people in the library knew she had been there and may come for her. Tears threatened to blind her as she went. Who would believe that Uncle Angus took so many years to plan his own brother's downfall? The same Uncle Angus who loved her when no one else did, the same one who brother food to her when she was younger, the same one who risked war with an enemy nation to see that she was brought back home. How can the man in the library be the same Uncle Angus? Some part of her was glad that Father would be stripped of his power as King of Camelorn, the other part of her heart broke for him. He loved his brother very much yet that brother planned for years on how best to take his kingdom away from him. She felt sad for him but her anger at his treatment of her over these years threatened to overcome her pity for him. Uncle Angus even knew of Amelia's infidel
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Cleopoda ran down the length of the hall looking for Angus. It was amazing what one declaration from the mouth of a prince could do. Since Uncle Angus made that declaration of her royalty in the morning the servants had treated her with a little more dignity even though they were still wary of her.She wasn't used to having any servant look at her with anything besides disdain, as though she was a common thing stuck to the bottom of their sandals, and curiosity. Now some even bowed slightly. Even Demeris seemed to acknowledge her presence when she stopped in the kitchen for some food for Ajun.As she walked the length of the hall ignoring the soldiers who stood guard she looked from side to side hoping to catch a glimpse of her beloved uncle. She was just about to give up searching for him when she heard his voice coming from the library. She stopped in her tracks listened to be sure it was indeed Uncle Angus. Sure enough, it was he.The door of the
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Octavius raised his hands to silence the people who only yelled more, pumping their fists in the air as they shouted. Octavius looked helplessly at the angry faces as they demanded that he open the gates so they can destroy the temple or do something about their predicament. They spoke simultaneously and loudly that he could not hear a single word.Taking a deep breath he raised his voice high above the din. "People of Camelorn what is it you want?"The replied all at once. Octavius' ears hurt at their shouts. He took another breath and shouted louder."I can not hear what you all are saying and as such can not respond to your complaints. If you may please chose someone to speak for everyone."It was an impossible task. They were an angry mob and everyone wanted to represent the crowd. After much time had been wasted with much pushing and fighting the people finally chose a certain merchant who held a little girl in his arms. He held her
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 119
Even before the day started Octavius already knew it would be a day he would dread. It started with Asterah visiting him, draining even ounce of his strength before the day even began. How the goddess could never be satisfied with sex he would never know. He was glad that he was able to please her this time. But as soon as she left him and he heard the knock on the door he knew his bad day was about to get worse.It was Angus who knocked. He wore a light tunic and over it was his royal robe of dark blue with the coat of arms of Camelorn sewn below its shoulder."Brother," Octavius greeted, doing his best to sound formal and regal. "You look well."Angus entered the room."You look terrible," he chuckled. Octavius laughed too but in his heart, he knew that he was indeed a miserable man. He picked himself from his bed and drew his robe around his shoulders with a show of confidence."Any news from Amire?" He asked Angus."Much news. They w
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 118
Cleopoda looked at a sleeping Ajun at the foot of her bed. The palace was quiet at this time of the morning, it was just before dawn but she was already awake. In fact, she couldn't sleep throughout the night because her mind was troubled. Since her return to the palace a week ago there had been changes. The servants were still the same as ever, eyeing her curiously and wondering why she should be allowed to live in the palace but there was a bit of respect for her too because Uncle Angus had commanded that she should be treated like royalty. She still had to cover her head and eyes when moving about the palace, especially when she had to go to the kitchen or the washrooms to hide the allure that drew people to her. But these things weren't troubling her, what was the fact that she had seen someone who didn't belong in the palace creeping around. Her surprise at seeing him there had held her rooted to the ground especially when she had seen from whose room he was coming from.
Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1 Chapter 117
Days after they left the Summer Palace to Camelorn the tension was still high in the atmosphere. The talk and fear of war increased drastically and words of it were whispered from soldier to soldier and servant to servant. Cleopoda remained in her room because Angus told her to. She knew he feared that if she ever ran into her father, Octavius in the halls he would send her back to the temple or someplace where he may never find her again. Father never visited her and neither did his new wife, Amelia and it hurt her but by now she was used to his lack of concern for her. She wanted nothing more than to see Mama Remin and Strukus, maybe even pay a visit to Zenas at the temple if he was still there but she was to remain within the walls of the room Angus had the servants prepare for her. She shared her room with Ajun who did nothing more than to eat and sleep and read the books Angus sent to her through the servants, they were folklore with sketched pictures. The boy barely had storie
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"What have you done Angus! I sent you to Amire to congratulate our new comrade and you went to stare up trouble! The king of Amire has sent messengers promising war." He turned hateful eyes to her and glared at her with so much venom that made her want to sink to the ground and die. "And what is this cursed child doing here in my palace?!" Shocked Angus moved to shield Cleopoda from his brother's hateful glare. He had not expected Octavius to be here. He had planned to hide out here and plan the next way to let his brother know he brought back his daughter. "What are you doing here, Octavius? I thought you were at the palace in Camelorn" "Angus answer my question, I did not come here to trade petty words with you. What is this cursed child doing here?" There was no way he could distract his brother decided to be blunt. "Your child!" "Not my child! I did not birth evil. How dare you bring her here? Do you not know she possesses ev
