Clifford's POV
"I can't believe you didn't tell her how you feel!" Richard punched my arm.
I ignored the throbbing pain and replied, "It wasn't the right time, Richard."
Tightening my grip on the reins, I steered Hero onto a different pathway, trying to widen the gap between me and Richard. I didn't want to give much thought to Rakia's departure, because the more I thought about it, the more it hurt.
Richard covered the gap in a few minutes. "Look, I know you think this decision you took is the best. But c'mon Cli
Rakia's POV My head thumped like a base drum and the frequent jostles made it hurt even more, as I lifted my head up. "Auugh..." "Well, it's about time you woke up." My vision wobbled, but after a few seconds of intense blinking, it became stable, granting me a clear view of Granark shackled to wooden boards. My heart jumped in fear. "Wh-where are we?" I tried moving my hands, only to find them bound in some metal contraptions fixed to the wooden walls of a wagon. The reality of everything hit me like a rock. "No, no, no! They kidnapped us?" Granark nodded regretfully. "When I woke up, we were already on the move. I have absolutely no idea where they're taking us." The wagon jostled up and down again on what I guessed
Rakia's POV I didn't know when I fell asleep, but the sound of metal jingles and soft snores pulled me out of dreamland. Blinking a couple of times, my vision finally settled on a sleeping Granark, leaning against the wood and snoring his troubles away. My attention quickly shifted to the doors when I heard scuffles mixed with the same jingling sounds. Metal clinked, followed by a whispered curse, then my eyebrows descended into a frown. Someone was opening the door. Feeling a bit suspicious, I extended my leg and kicked Granark a few times before he jolted awake. "Wh-wha-what's going on?" I nudged my head to the left. "Someone's at the door." Not long after I completed the sentence, w
Rakia's POVGreen and black ribbons of magic parted way as we galloped through the boundary. The pathway Granark had created with his magic was beginning to close up from behind."Rakia!" Clifford appeared on my side, flicking his horse's reins."What's the plan?""Once we emerge from the boundary, follow me," I yelled, loud enough for our companions behind to hear. "I want to find my parents first before anything else."With that, I dug my heels into the sides of my horse. Luca got the message and picked up the pace, pushing Clifford behind us. The magic continued to part and soon green grass came into view. I forced down a lump in my throat. After spending a month here, travelling through the Midlands and being chased by bounty hunters, I was finally returning home, to face the confusi
Rakia's POVWe heard the wagon latch clack open."Ok. The coast is clear." Goon, the tall lanky gardener pulled the wagon doors open.We all jumped onto the cemented ground, happy to be relieved off the cramped wooden vehicle."Where are we?" Richard's gaze flitted around. "I mean which part of the castle are we in?""This is the servants quarters," Goon replied."Where can we find the dungeons, then?" I asked."The dungeons are two floors below us." Goon pointed to an open stairway. "But the guard's quarters is also located on that same floor, so you'll have to be very careful. Now that it's late morning, most of them will be down there slacking off and playing che
Rakia's POV"What!" Mother lunged for me, gripping my shoulders, "Rakia, No! You don't know what he's capable of.""He doesn't know what I'm capable of either." I snapped back, pushing her hands off. "I can take him!"Heavy footsteps thundered on the floor.Crap. The guards were coming."Go!" I yelled at Riley and Granark. "We'll take care of them. You guys need to get out of here as fast as you can."Granark grabbed Mother's arm but she jerked back. "No! I'm not leaving my daughter behind.""And we're not leaving you behind either!" Grasping Mother's arm, Riley forcefully yanked her backwards, taking off in the opposite direction of the approaching guards.
Rakia's POVA cocky grin crawled up the big man's face. "Fire!"As soon as the command left his mouth, arrows came flying at us from both directions and before they could reach us, I extended my water tentacles, wrapping my companions and I in ashield of water.The arrows, still locked on target, sunk into the shield. Once they were in, I had full control over them. Moving my hands, I flipped the arrows over and hurled back to the guards at a faster speed. Some were quick enough to block it, others got hit and plunged to the marbled floor.I released us from the shield. "Take care of the guards standing," I instructed the brothers behind me. "I'll handle the big guy.""Are you sure about that?" Uncertainty grazed Clifford's tone.
Rakia's POV"The guards were just telling me about your arrival," Adrian said out loud.The guards, who were much closer to him when I came in, were now drawing closer to me with arrows locked on me as the target.I glared at them. My water tentacles rippled, ready for an attack."Stand down, men," Adrian ordered.Heeding the command, the guards pushed down their bows and arrows.Taking a quick glance around, Adrian quizzed, "Where's Tristan?"At first, there was no answer, then the guard closest to him pointed an accusing finger at me. "She... she killed him. I saw her slam him into a wall several times with those water things on her arms."
Rakia's POVRegret. Remorse. Guilt. Pentinece.I desperately searched for them in my half brother's eyes. But those feelings were basically non-existent. His eyes were a reflection of the brewing anger, hatred and pain dwelling inside of him. He did not regret what he had done. He was not swimming in a pool of guilt. He was satisfied with everything he had brutishly attained. And he was not going to let anyone take it away from him.A blast of ice came flying at me from Adrian's direction and I quickly dodged to the side.Coming up with a counterattack, my arms shot out, drawing enough water from the fountain to create a series of icicles. I shot them all at Adrian but he skillfully moved past them with smooth ease that it began to piss me off. I launched out more of the icicles at a fa
Two years laterRakia's POVLove was a very strange thing.It had this magical ability to wrap you in a cocoon that did nothing but to make you feel warm, soft and jelly inside. That was exactly how I felt, standing in front of the man who owned my heart.Dressed in a silvery coloured suit with matching shoes and a beautiful blue iris sitting in his breast pocket, Clifford gave both of my hands a light squeeze. This was the day we had both been yearning for. The beginning of our new life together and a new age together."Clifford," the priest's called out. "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in good health as long as you both shall l
Rakia's POV"Good people of Hartland," my smile broadened when my voice came out clear, without any signs of anxiety. "Thank you so much for accepting me as your queen. Words cannot express how grateful I am to be taking on this position. Over the past months, Hartland has been through a lot." I paused to pull in a breath. "We've discovered shocking truths, we've been betrayed and we lost a great ruler. But through it all, our beloved kingdom stood strong. I'm not saying there weren't any casualties, because there were; myself included."A babble of murmurs coated the air and I wasn't surprised. During rehearsal, Granark told me that labeling myself as a casualty might not sit well with the citizens. But if I was going to be their queen, they needed to know how I felt about everything that had happened these past months. I needed to be honest with them.
Rakia's POV Mother and Hammond led me through the quiet halls of the castle. My gown swished round my legs and my shoes squeaked on the tiled floor. The sparkly blue satin train Hammond had fixed behind my dress, trugged on silently.The feel of Clifford's lips still lingered on my mouth. I enjoyed the kiss so much, that couldn't wait to be in his arms, locking lips with him again. The thought warmed my heart with excitement. Is this what it feels like to be in love? You feel all warm and fluttery inside? If this is what it meant, then I would never want to fall out of it."We're here," Hammond announced, pulling me out of my thoughts. The big dark courtyard doors stood before us. Blue ribbons had artfully been twisted round the door handles. The incessant bubble of chatter drifted in from t
Two months later Rakia's POV"Rakia." Someone nudged me from my beauty sleep. "Wake up!"I just groaned and turned to the side, hoping she'd get the hint to go away and leave me in peace. But she didn't because she pulled the duvet off me. "C'mon Rakia, Get up. You have to get ready for the coronation."I blew a raspberry into the pillow. Over the past months, Granark and the council members had cramped my head with a lot of stuff I should and shouldn't do as queen. Everyday, I had something to do or learn. Yesterday's coronation rehearsal was the most stressful. Now I had to do the whole thing in front of the entire kingdom."But I'm soooo tired," I groaned, pushing myself sideways to
Clifford's POV "St-stop it!" The queen sniped, but it was too late. King Reginald swiped both hands in the air, and she took those last steps, putting herself straight in the king's grasp. His right hand wrapped round her neck.We were suddenly interrupted by the sounds of clanking armour. A battalion of warriors, led by a blond middle aged man sporting a deep frown, forced their way through the crowd and surrounded us."Unhand the queen, Araknee!" The man yelled in a raspy voice. "Or suffer the consequences." To make the threat terrifying, the warriors wasted no time drawing out their weapons."Your return to Hartland has brought nothing but chaos and despair!" Th
Clifford's POVKing Reginald moved with a purpose. Every step he took in his daughter's body was poised, swift and precise. There wasn't a drop of water around as we moved through the castle to find Adrian's mother but somehow, King Reginald was able to move the guards out of his way against their will. They'd come charging towards us, then in the flick of a second, they'd freeze, like someone had pressed pause in their brain. They stood still with their eyes wide open, and wouldn't move a muscle until King Reginald let them. And all he would do was to throw them knock them out. Granark insisted that we help him with his...unfinished business. So here we were, tr
Clifford's POVThe doors were blown wide apart, granting us access to the courtyard."Yes!" Richard and I turned, but the archers took that as cue to release their arrows. Thankfully, Granark hadn't worn himself out. The wizard blasted out three huge balls of fire, turning the arrows into ashes and setting the guards on fire.Ignoring their shouts of pain, my companions and I ran through water and clouds of steam, into a chaotic and messed up courtyard. I felt cold all of a sudden."Wooah," Granark and Richard exclaimed in unison as we all beheld the scene in complete shock.Ice blocks lay everywhere in awkward shapes, sitting in puddles of water. The different topiaries and hedges the gardeners must've spent weeks trimming, had all become wrangl
Clifford's POV I couldn't stop thinking about Rakia. After she disappeared behind those double doors, I never saw her again. That uncomfortable feeling that something bad had happened to her kept knawing at my brain. But I couldn't jump up to go find her. The number of guards had increased these past few hours, plus my arm muscles were now sore from constantly swinging my sword. Richard and I had found refuge in an old, dusty storeroom and decided to catch our breath there."Sheesh! I can literally hear your heart threatening to jump out of your chest," Richard remarked in a snarky tone. "Calm down, bro. She's fine." I sat on the floor and swiped sweat off my for
Adrian's POV I can't feel her pulse anymore.My eyes widened.I can't feel her pulse anymore!"Holy shit!" I pulled my hands away and the lifeless corpse dropped into a puddle of water. She's dead... she's finally dead!My heart leaped with joy. "Yes! It's mine!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, stretching my arms out wide. "Hartland is finally mine! Mine and mine alone!" I twirled around and a loud cackle left my mouth. I swear I'd never been this happy my entire life. Everything had finally fallen into place and there was absolutely nothing standing in my way now. I could finally enjoy being king."Oh thank you, sweet sweet Creator!" I dropped