Twisted Empire - Episode 23&24

 

TWISTED EMPIRE

Twisted Empire - Episode 23&24

(Her Blade, His Neck )

________________________

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2025 

by Naomi Cindy B.

__________________________

Yulia's shoulders tensed at first.

She stared at Four for more than a minute, evaluating possibilities in her mind, but after a while, she gave up, deciding she doesn't know him as much as she thought she did.

He'd kill?

And it's not just anyone, it's Sierra of all people?

Sierra has always adored Four. When he went on his sudden lockdown, she had FaceTime with him everyday cos obviously... Yulia wouldn't allow her inside the DeVille Castle.

When Yulia told Pedro earlier that she'd do anything to protect Teal, it didn't include killing, but then there's Four who'd have done that if he was high.

He spent one half of his life inside his room anyways, so she has no measure to the extent he can go.

But why is something in her wishing he was high before giving the order?

Maybe she wants Sierra dead.

She was too caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Four has settled beside her on the couch.

She was alerted by the press-down, and she looked up, noticing her cigar is already ashing away.

"Don't tell me you're surprised, that'd be pretty disappointing" Four said, casting her a dry look which made her smile.

She crushed light out of her cigar on the ashtray.

"Surprised? Try mystified" she said, and he pressed his back on the backrest, his hair gelling smoothly over his temples.

He's like obsessed with cleanness, perfection and exactness. He barely escaped the PTSD line, so you can never see his hair messy or his body open for showoff, or his place unorganized.

"We should protect her anyway we can, that's the only way to repay her family deeds.. At least, her parents would know in the afterlife that their daughter is in good hands" Yulia continued.

"She'd be awake before nighttime, and I'll send her back to the family housing for the night" Four replied, and Yulia frowned.

"Why would you send her back? Can't she spend the night here again? She's still healing" she said.

"Healing? She didn't talk like she was healing. You should have heard the words from that big mouth of hers earlier" he replied, smokes swirling out of his mouth in a straight line.

Yulia smiled, then she chuckled.

"You've been told about her personality, I expect you to get used to her talkativeness already" she said.

"Why should I..." He faced her. "...get used to her?"

"She's your wife, Four. Do I have to remind you always?" Yulia replied.

"No matter how many times I hear that word... Wife. It's funny." He stood.

"I'm no one's husband, especially not her" he said, and Yulia stood too.

"Then tell me why...why do you dislike her? Have you both met before? Is there a peculiar reason to this dislike?" She asked with concern.

The door to the bedroom peered open, and Teal's head ducked out, her eyes striking mother and son at once.

Her hair is a disarrayed mess, and her uniform is folded from her belly, revealing her small bellybutton which she definitely isn't aware of.

Her eyes scrutinized the two of them, and the smile on Yulia's face didn't fall as she limped out of the room.

Her leg is obviously not fine yet since the healing only just started, so she had to hold the wall as she limped on her left leg, but when she got to the end of the wall where she'd have to cross over to the living room, she stopped.

Four crossed over to her instead, and Yulia's smile increased when he swept her off her feet, carrying her in his arms as fast as the wind.

"You're not allowed to carry me" She snapped, refusing to wrap her arms around his neck.

Instead, her arms fell at her sides.

"Shut the f+ck up" Four replied, and she rolled eyes.

He carried her to the living room, dropping her on a couch beside Yulia.

"How're you feeling now?" Yulia asked, and she looked up at the woman, wondering where she has seen her before.

The fact that she has a mole on her nose like Four gave her the hint, and she blinked.

"Lady Yulia DeVille?" 

"That's correct" Yulia sat beside her, and Teal gasped lightly.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." She bowed respectfully. "And yes...I'm better than before, if only my hands and legs could magically heal in hours" she said.

Yulia held her right shoulder and caressed slightly as she stared at her messy hair.

"You should help her with her hair, Four. She shouldn't have to waste her energy over easy things like hair packing when you're around" she said, looking up at Four whose face is not even with them at all.

He's currently in front of his flat screen, checking out the PDF materials Kash had sent him.

"Goodnight, Teal" Yulia talked again, and a minute later, the door clicked behind her as she left.

Four never looked back to give her a look or spare Teal a pinch of attention, so Teal stood from the couch, but her leg hurts, so she fell back to the leather with force.

"F+ck" she sounded.

"You might wanna sit still till it'll finish healing, else you'll render the antidote impotent. Your uncles are the vendors, I shouldn't have to tell you before you know" Four said, his back still on her.

Despite this warning, Teal still tried to stand, but it was futile cos she fell on the couch again, and she cussed louder this time.

Four dropped his flat screen remote after turning it off, then he came back to her.

His beige shirt clung to his elbows and tightened on his chest as he carried her in his arms once again, and this time, she involuntarily wrapped her arms around his neck, but the disapproval on her face is well-written.

"I really hate your hands on me" she said in protest, but he left her words hanging in the hair as he walked into the bedroom with that ironed face.

From his arms like this, he feels like an unending tower—so giant and long, and she feels so small and cocooned despite her own tallness.

She didn't receive any alert before he opened the bathroom door, and by the time she got herself together, he was already inside the bathroom.

Just like the other parts of this building, the designs are brown—even the bathtub, and the lights are tiny and dull, barely hitting the water.

His cologne soaked the air, and his eyes soaked through her as he peered down.

"If you're gonna spend the night here, you should wash up. You reek of sand and rotten snow" he said.

"I never said I wanted to sleep here" She said with wide eyes, clutching at her uniform in the front as if he's gonna shred it.

He began walking towards the bathtub with practiced steps, and her awareness broadened.

He's not gonna do what stupid couples call bathing together, right?

Cos never in this lifetime will this jagged edge of a cliff—aka Four, see her nakedness.

No man has seen it, and no man will.

She's not his darn wife.

If she doesn't die in the military in the future, she'd later become a nun—that's it, so he better discard any idea gathering in his dark head.

She didn't give him any suspicion before pulling his shirt in a fistful.

"I'm not bathing with you" She protested, and his face twisted with something she doesn't understand.

"Wasn't wrong, you're the delusional type. Not so bright" he smugly replied, and she held his shirt tighter. 

That one fistful feels like the shirt is gonna rip out of his body.

She's darn strong, and he could feel the pull at his hairy nape as their eyes clashed, but even the strongest lady has a tamer, isn't it?

And he's the type to make scapegoats from the stones in his path, maybe she's gonna become one.

Fact still remains that; she's like a baby coyote to him no matter her strength.

"I'm not bathing with you, Four!" She shouted again, throwing her fine leg up. As stubborn as she is, she dare not mess with the wounded one cos she still wants to walk obviously.

A smirk gathered on Four's lips, lifting his curved chin,, and her eyes widened cos she knows what it means.

"I swear to gawd if you try to rape me I'll kill you and castrate you! Argh!!" She screamed as he dropped her in the bathtub with a splash.

She's still fisting his shirt, so tight that when his hand slipped away, the shirt pulled apart, scattering dark buttons around the bathroom as her body landed in the water.

Water plastered her uniform to her skin and splashed on her face, but she quickly dabbed it away with her palm, making sure her wounded leg stayed on top of the tub to make sure water won't touch it.

When she opened her eyes, Four is standing beside the tub, his slacks wet from the water splash and his chest slightly bare cos of his fallen buttons.

Surprisingly, his chest is so clean,he's not tatted like most of the sergeants. No tattoo in sight at all.

Well...that's expected from someone who literally grew up in his room, and maybe he's hotter without tattoos like this.

Wait... hotter?

She slapped herself, and Four swiped his red tongue over his upper lip like his habit, causing her to scoff.

"Wash up, you have lots of tutorials to catch up on—with me" he said and left the bathroom.

Ok... she's just a chronic overthink-er.

She looked around, taking her time to engrave the bearings in her head in case of necessity.

The eucalyptus-scented bathwater wafted into her nose, invigorating her senses, and she cautiously scooped some in her palm, bringing it closer to her nose.

She didn't expect to like the smell this much, but she does, and she smiled as she kept inhaling.

--

[Clinic]

"You're gonna visit your boyfriend in the city tonight?" Allegra said, her eyes unfriendly as she accessed the two ladies in front of her.

Morgan and Stormy.

"Yes. I miss him. I was supposed to go meet him on the day of our failed mission, but the failure numbed everyone including me, so I couldn't go. I have to go tonight" Morgan explained.

"And you're aware that tonight is the overnight training tutorials for Privates?" Allegra sneered, and Morgan instantly fell on her knees.

"Please... just... Help me. I know you can cook up a lie for the Sergeants that you sent me somewhere, and Sergeant Axel's influence won't make them question you. I don't mind getting exempted from the upcoming mission" she begged.

"She really needs to go, please" Stormy added.

Allegra looked back at Sierra who's still laying on bed painfully, but Sierra made no contribution.

"Take my bike, and you have two hours" Allegra said, and Morgan spranged up happily.

"Seriously?" 

"But remember this..." Allegra came closer...

"Anytime I ask for something from you, you dare not say no" she said.

"Of course...I wouldn't dare. Thank you!" Morgan bowed, then she rushed out with Stormy.

"Desperados" Allegra snickered, walking back to sit beside Sierra who's still sweating with pains.

"Is it normal to be born with a sickness like yours? How can you not be able to cry? At least...if you're able to shed tears, you'd cry away some of the pains" Allegra said.

"At least I'm not the only one with the sickness" Sierra replied, writhing.

"Are you sure Snowman will come?" Allegra asked.

"I trust him" Sierra replied, inching up a bit.

"And who was Axel texting earlier when father was here?" She asked.

"Are you saying he's texting another lady?" Allegra blinked.

"Might be, I've known Axel all my life, and when I tell you he's a insatiable nympho, believe me" Sierra replied.

Allegra frowned.

--

[Military Base, Male Barracks~Skye's Room]

Skye is preparing for the overnight lecture, and he's currently buttoning up his shirt.

He owns the last room in the barracks, so he's the only occupant, and that's because he was also a Specialist before he got locked up.

He's supposed to be in the units like Allegra, but just like April, he has been condemned, so it'd take time before he gets his place back, especially when he's being suspected as the terrorists informant.

All eyes are on him—including the eyes of General Pedro and Lady Yulia.

He saw the two of them giving him infinite looks earlier at the communal dinning during dinner.

He'll have to prove his loyalty to the military before he'd be able to save face, and he'll make sure he gets up with April and pay her back for every insult she took on his behalf.

He was brushing his hair when the door slid open, and he turned around to see April coming in.

His eyes widened.

"How are you able to enter the male barracks? What if you get caught?"

April hugged him, and he broke it as fast as possible.

"It's forbidden for males to enter the females and females to enter males...we can't add to our crosses" he said with concern.

"The barracks is empty cos everyone already went for the overnight, so no one saw me. Chill, I came for you so we'd go together" she smiled, holding the back of his neck and lowering him in for a kiss.

He reciprocated, the capture so sensual and wet as their lips stole their individual air.

By the time she pulled away, he was smiling too.

"Let's go" he pulled her out of the room, and she followed him with a nod.

"Shannon is waiting in front of the hall already" she said.

"The Teal lady is still not back?" Skye asked.

"Still with Snowman" she replied as they left the empty barracks.

Abbey and Paine emerged from behind a wall, and Abbey's phone is nestled in his hand with a wolfish grin on his lips.

"Did you capture it well?" Paine asked.

"Trust me, I was a videographer before I came here" Abbey replied.

"What's the punishment for female Privates who enter the male barracks again?" Paine asked.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know" Abbey replied, and Paine grinned, but then Abbey gasped, his eyes on his phone.

"What?" Paine asked, and Abbey flashed his phone screen at Paine.

Morgan's pu§§y picture just hit half a million likes.

Maybe the armies bought likes for the image, he has no idea, but it's complete.

"Perfect, so when are you posting the full video?" Paine asked.

"Tomorrow" Abbey winked, and they both stepped away.

--

[7pm]

As planned, Privates are making their ways to the intellectual hall for their overnight lectures.

No snacks or drinks allowed, so Brent looks dehydrated already despite the fact that he had filled his stomach to the brim at dinner.

"Can the sergeants be lenient a bit? They could have allowed us take Oreos or oat cookies at least. How am I supposed to focus on the intellectual tutorials overnight with nothing to snack on?" He complained, and Rook laughed beside him.

"Of course you'd spend most of the night gossiping in the hall, why won't you become hungry?" He said.

"When is Teal coming back from Snowman's unit? She's the only one who understands me" Brent replied, and Rook just chuckled.

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Hey guys!" Shannon joined them in front of the gigantic hall.

"Hey, where's April?" Rook asked.

"She's with her boyfriend, been waiting since long ago for them" Shannon shrugged.

"Here we are" April said as she showed up with Skye.

When they saw he's wearing the same Specialist uniform as April, they gasped collectively.

"You're a Specialist?"

Skye nodded. "Yeah"

"Sir!" Rook and Brent and Shannon saluted, and April smiled.

"You both are the only specialists who deserves respect, not Allegra" Brent said, and at the same time, Stormy walked past them, saving that statement in her memory.

"Morgan is not with her? First time in history, Delilah is not with Jezebel" Rook said, and Shannon cackled as they entered the hall.

They found good seats in the closed-in chairs and desks.

Sergeant Kash is in front with six other sergeants—he's in charge of the tutoring.

April and Skye joined him in the front, and he didn't even object. He didn't smile either.

The projector is already on, and the lights in the hall are fully bright. It's definitely gonna be a really long night.

"Need to use the restroom before this shit gets started. Any idea of where to relieve my bladder?" Rook said.

"Out of the hall, go down for a minute and take the curve" Brent replied.

"When did you find out there's a restroom here? This is literally our first time in this intellectual hall" Shannon said.

"You should have gotten used to this informative raccoon" Rook laughed, exiting the hall.

He found the restroom like Brent said, but as he urinated, someone else entered.

Seeing that it's a man like him, he didn't bother bolting up fast, but it's actually Theo.

He totally pretended he didn't see him as Theo bolted down and began peeing on the low ceramic bowl too.

Rook cleaned up and began leaving the restroom as quietly as possible...

"Is this a new trick?" Theo spoke up to his surprise, and Rook turned around.

"New trick?" He said blankly.

"You pretending not to see me whenever you enter a room or ignoring me totally whenever you walk past me" Theo replied, his throat bobbing slowly.

Rook stayed blank for a few secs, then he walked two steps closer.

"Are you actually affected? Cos you've been striving on my attention? Were you enjoying all the run I did? Was it entertaining?" He said seriously.

Theo's throat bobbed again as if he's stopping a ball of lump from bursting out his throat.

"Yeah..." Rook nodded. "I fancied you the first time I saw you in the male barracks, but yunno what? After thorough study, I found out you're an attention-eating jerk who strives on the time of others. And me? I'm so not ready for that. I have something in common with Battery, and it's impatience... good luck with finding a new prey, Theodore" he called his full name and sighed before leaving the room.

On getting back to the hall, the tutorial was just about to start.

Fortunately, Brent guarded his seat for him when he wasn't around.

He was about to sit back when Stormy smiled at him from the front. She's sitting right in front of him.

He threw his face off and sat.

Theo entered the hall too, sitting not far from that angle. His right hand is shaking as he tried to concentrate.

Abbey and Paine were the last to enter, and they sat at the far end.

"Morgan Hall?" April said when she didn't see her.

"Specialist Allegra sent her somewhere!" Stormy replied.

Sergeant Kash gave her a doubtful look, but he started the class anyways... projecting the PDF files on the wall.

Every light in the hall went off at this rate, and the hall went silent as everyone concentrated.

Axel appeared by the door, and as he watched the class through the small opening between the hinges, he smiled and left the hall.

--

[Sergeant Kash's Suite]

Trying not to think about something is already hard, but what's crazy is the fact that Axel didn't stop with his unending reminders.

Cassie's phone is full, and she's reading the texts as she sat on the edge of the bed, wearing nothing but her short nightie.

Unknown: I like you.

Unknown: You don't regret it, I promise you.

Unknown: Please, Cass. Do me.

The ring from the doorbell made her jerk up, and she quickly turned off her phone before exiting the room.

She opened the door, and shock slapped her in the face as she beheld Axel, standing there...

Before she could process anything, his hand went to her necklace and pulled it off, destroying it and letting it fall on the ground.

"You!" She gasped, and his eyes turned extra drowsy as he entered the suite with her, stepping over the necklace ruins.

"What do you think you're doing" she said, her voice shaky.

Axel dipped his hand into his uniform back-pocket and brought out a shinny velvet box.

He opened it, and Cassie's eyes glowed when she saw what's inside.

A glittering necklace with blinding sparkles, rhinestones and dainty diamonds. It's so freaking otherworldly.

"It's yours" Axel handed it to her, but she didn't make any move, so he took her palm and placed it on it gently.

"It's all yours, Cass. And this is only just the beginning. Stop wearing the fake cheap gifts from your husband" he smiled.

"Are you drunk?" She asked slowly.

"Drunk? Yes, in love with you" he replied, and she gulped.

He closed her palm around the box, and the moment she turned to leave, he spanked her arse.

She didn't complain.

Axel grinned as he watched her return to the bedroom, and he left the suite eventually.

Now he only has to make sure his phone is beside him always. 

She's gonna call by herself, within 24 hours.

--

[General's Suite]

The suite is the largest in the center of the base, painted green—both inside and outside with floor-to-ceiling windows, encrusted ceilings and thick panelings.

The suite smells like wind in the dessert, so cold and at the same time warm as the fireplace glowed, fighting the winter weather.

Yulia stood in the front balcony, her nightdress hugging her body as she stared into the base that's full of armies sinning away under the night cover.

There's a glass of cognac with her, and as she sipped, she spaced out.

Soon, Pedro joined her in the balcony. 

He's just returning from his office where he had a screen meeting with the president, so he's still in his uniform.

Before he could even talk to Yulia, his phone rang in his pocket, and he retrieved the mobile.

It's Four calling.

"Yes, son?" 

"Why the hell is Kash getting payed low when he's like the most hardworking army in this base?" Four's voice danced in the speakers.

"He's getting payed that low cos he wants it that way." Pedro replied.

"Make it clear" Four said.

"Come to my office tomorrow, we'll talk about it over some gin" Pedro replied, and Four hung up smoothly.

"It's hightime we talk, Yulia" Pedro said, dropping his phone on the flat handrails.

"Can you not ruin my moment, Ed?" Yulia replied without looking at him.

"No, Yulia. You can't have it that way after the stunt you pulled with Sierra earlier. We promised the Ambrose couple that we'd take care of their daughter after their death, but I wasn't even there when you planned with them to betrothe Teal to Four. Yet, I agreed to it when I found out cos the Ambrose family are good people, but you prioritizing Teal's safety that much? Why? Or has Four told you why he was on lockdown for years?" Pedro replied, and Yulia faced him.

"Goodnight, Ed" she coldly said, leaving him at the balcony.

Pedro grabbed the handrail, trying not to combust.

--

[Base, Master Sergeant's Unit]

Teal took another look at the iPad in her hand, and she nearly sighed out, but she's trying not to show any sign of tiredness in front of this meticulously strict tutor.

After she had her bath earlier, Four brought her a change of clothes and pushed it inside through the bathroom door gap, and she's glad they're not his clothes.

He actually went to the family housing to get sports shorts and a black shirt from her bag, so she's wearing those right now.

After she clothed herself, she refused any contact from him, so she limped out of the room by herself and met him in the flat screen area which she has found out the name as 'Edu Room'

He had handed her this iPad which contains intels and blah blah blah about the upcoming mission.

She grasped everything in the first thirty minutes, but he kept going with persistence like that uptight English teacher in every highschool.

It's as if he's trying to engrave every word to her brain, and now they've spent hours on it.

Sierra is the main reason she's in this situation, and gawd...if she catches that biich.

She misses Rookie and Brent, maybe April and Shannon too. 

Especially her Rookie.

She can't wait to get out of this shady unit tomorrow.

It's past 12am, and she's surely not getting any sleep just like the Privates at the intellectual hall.

Her attempt to stay awake failed, and she found her eyes closing.

Her head lulled off her neck, and the iPad nearly fell from her.

"Eyes on me!" Four ordered from the front, and her eyes snapped open.

His voice could be a dub play for demons in nightmares for real.

"Since the next attack is happening at the president's son's birthday, why not tell the president so it'd be cancelled?" She suddenly asked.

"I wonder when your IQ would come in handy" Four rigidly replied.

His veiny right hand is in his pocket, and the left one is holding the screen remote a little too tight. 

"It's just a question, not an opportunity for you to bully me" she replied with a scoff.

"If it gets cancelled, it'll provoke Usman, and he'll target somewhere else that same night. He would make sure the casualties is thrice the number of people at the masquerade ball." He explained.

"And what is my role gonna be at the ball since we're doing roleplay?" She asked curiously.

"You're not going to the next mission" he flatly replied, and every sleep in her eyes flew off as she spranged up despite her legs.

"What do you mean I'm not going? But you've been lecturing me about it for hours and I understand everything!" She shouted.

"That high-pitched it? And the brattiness? I told you to lose it" he glared, his sternness tripling.

"But I wanna go on the mission! I messed up in the last one, so I should get an opportunity to redeem myself" she quickly said.

"Go on a mission with your right leg like that? Are you daft?" He replied.

"But my leg will heal before that day! My uncles antidotes are potent and I'll heal even before the end of tomorrow!" She shouted without intending to.

"You're not going on the mission, my tutoring is only to make you align with your Co-Privates, not for the mission. And try me, if you use that loud voice one more time, I'll punish you in my own way" he replied, the curves on his jaws bolting.

He turned off the flat screen and began going in, leaving her there...

"I'm going on the mission, weather you like it or not. At least I get to see how handsome the president's son is, and maybe he might fall for me at first sight, who knows" she said resolutely with no humour.

Four's step stopped with a sharp pause, and he turned back with a harsh lift to his full lips.

"And what makes you think your opinion matters here?" He said, his eyes holding that brewing storm again, so much that it affected the depth of his voice.

"What do you mean?" Her lips parted.

"You're just a countryside lady from a town that's not even on the map of Greece. A fuckin poor thief who steals paintings from her town museum to paint their fakes. A nobody with dead parents and two criminal uncles. Dirty, sinful, vain, and razz" he said unapologetically, cutting her open with each utterance.

"What!" Her ears heated up as unrefined fury bursted into her flesh.

How dare he? How dare he say all of that? How dare he f+ckin...

But then he wasn't done, cos his next words dropped immediately, calm and condescending...

"What makes you think that the bastard president's son will be interested in a lady with these foul qualities?" 

TBC

Next Episode 

Previous Episode