Princess Mariel still stuck her tongue out at Princess Rose then linked her arm with Prince Ron's, mumbling to Zedekiel; "Sorry brother.""Thank you" Prince Ron whispered to Princess Mariel. He suddenly saw her in a new light for he never expected her to stand up for him like that. Especially against his sister. It warmed his heart and he decided to be nicer to Princess Mariel. She may be annoying at times but the girl had a good heart and she cared about him.He was quite confused about his sister's behaviour though. First, she exposed his lack of skills when it came to archery then she tried to get him to cheat and now, she was trying to make him feel bad for what he had achieved. It was so unlike her. Normally, she would be happy for him and even encourage him. What changed? He'd have to have a word with her as soon as possible.Princess Rose suddenly covered her face with her palms and went to the King, pretending to cry. "Oh Your Majesty, I feel so awful." She whined. "I didn't p
The town square was packed with people all waiting to watch the fireworks. Prince Ron and the rest were in the highest building, sitting on an open balcony from which they could watch the fireworks clearly when they started.The building was the most famous Inn in Netheridge was owned by an old Elf and they served the best food. Prince Ron loved their beef soup the most and so did his Fox which was given a stool and a table of its own and was served the beef soup in a small bowl."Seriously Ron, you're already spoiling that thing" Princess Rose fussed. "Put it on the floor. That's where it belongs.""No. She belongs to me and I will put her wherever I want, sister." Prince Ron retorted. "And you can refer to her as Red for now before I decide on a more suitable name."Princess Rose gritted her teeth in anger. She wondered when Ron started talking back to her. Normally, he was very obedient and would listen to her every word but he seemed to have changed lately. She wanted to speak aga
"And I won him fair and square." Prince Ron didn't refute. He felt so proud. He reached out and carried the white and red Fox, rubbing their noses together. "Oh isn't she just cute? I still can't believe she's really mine.""You know, you two just fit in a way." Prince Ludiciel said. "You both have red hair and you're both cute. Quite cunning too. Making this yellow bird stick to me.""Hey he said he didn't do it" Princess Mariel defended Prince Ron. "I think Prince Ron is sweet and gentle."Prince Ludiciel; "........"Gentle? He could agree the human Prince is sweet sometimes but gentle? Since when could the Prince of Ashenmore be described as gentle? Couldn't she see the little troublemaker underneath all the kindness and beauty?Princess Mariel reached out to touch the Snow Fow but it jumped away, climbed Prince Ron's shoulder and draped its body across the back of his neck. She tried to touch it again but it flicked its tail, slapping her hand away."Hey!" Prince Ron chuckled. "O
He sighed, glancing at the beautiful human Prince beside him. Red curls swaying with the gentle wind, creamy skin shimmering under the silvery hue of the moon, emerald-coloured eyes filled with warmth and happiness then the beautiful smile that always made his heart race.Prince Ron was the human he liked.He had known for a while now but admitting it like that to himself seemed to release a lot of tension in his body. His heart was racing, his fingers slightly trembling but it was all in a good way. He found that he was actually excited to be beside Prince Ron, watching the fireworks together.5 of them stood side by side on the balcony, each person housing a desire of their own in their hearts.Prince Ludiciel wanted to watch the fireworks with a clean heart, accepting the human Prince that would soon be his brother-in-law and all the other humans he was yet to meet for once Zedekiel weds Prince Ron, Ashenmore and Netheridge would be united.Princess Mariel wanted to confess her fee
Zedekiel didn't know exactly how it happened but he also didn't know how long it would last. He could already feel his energy depleting. Not wanting to waste any more time, he switched his position with Prince Ron, sandwiching himself between Mariel and the human Prince.Now he would see how she would confess. He was about to release time when his eyes landed on the human Prince's rosy lips.He recalled the time he stole a kiss when the human Prince was asleep. Now that he had stopped time, it wouldn't hurt to steal one more right?Zedekiel nodded to himself. Yes. It wouldn't hurt at all. Besides, he was going to successfully woo the human Prince and marry him. Kissing him now was like getting kisses in advance. He was just taking what he would still have in the future. There was no need to fret about it. The human Prince would be his eventually."You brought this upon yourself, little Prince" Zedekiel whispered, caressing Prince Ron's cheek.Prince Ron was frozen along with time so h
"Oh Your Majesty, I did not mean to hurt anyone with my poisonous tongue. I am your future Queen so I'm just trying to assert my dominance by insulting everyone around me. Oh, do you not care about my feelings? Oh poor me, poor innocent me, blah blah blah blah blah!"Prince Ron stood in front of the full-length mirror in the King's chambers, acting like his sister while mimicking her voice.The white and red Snow Fox was sitting on the bed, watching her owner with wide eyes, wondering what exactly he was doing.Prince Ron picked up a brush and started angrily brushing his red curls. His sister had totally aimed to humiliate him yesterday. If it weren't for his beloved who offered to teach him how to shoot arrows thereby curtailing the situation before it could escalate, his sister would have made him out to be a laughing stock.Just like in Ashenmore!He could remember the day their father made him join the Huntingdon. It was a Scavenger hunt in Ashenmore. A grand event which many Kin
"An Elf. Not of noble blood."Prince Ron gasped. This meant Frederick was born out of wedlock! He could recall that Fredrick called his beloved 'cousin' and that he was banished. Could he have been banished for being a bastard? And again, was his mother male or female? He had to pry further! This was for his future with his beloved!"How did it happen?" Prince Ron asked, confused. "I thought you were in love with a human. Nathan.""Before him, during the war, I met an Elf" Prince Kayziel answered. "Her name was Myra."Prince Ron's excitement deflated like a balloon. So Frederick's mother was a 'she'. He sighed. So much for male pregnancy."How did it happen though?" He asked. "You and Myra."Prince Kayziel proceeded to explain. "During the war with the humans, I had sustained grave injuries. I was also poisoned and I would have died if it weren't for her. Myra was a healer and she saved my life. She took care of me for weeks until I could stand again. During those weeks, I felt undeni
Prince Kayziel still thought Prince Ron's beloved was an Elf soldier so being saved by one wasn't impossible. Frederick wasn't that strong anyway. An Elf soldier could fatally injure him."What do you think he wanted from me though?" Prince Ron questioned. He wanted to know if the Elf spirit would have some ideas and if the ideas were related to reincarnation so he could squash them right away."Maybe he wanted to kidnap you to create a war between Ashenmore and Netheridge. That's the only reasonable thing I could think of." Prince Kayziel said. "If he is still angry about what happened in the past which I know he is, that would be the best way to get revenge on Zedekiel. How he survived for so long is beyond me. Most banished Elves end up dying at the hands of humans. I'm surprised he lasted so long. The coward must have found a way to disguise himself."Prince Ron shrugged. That wasn't any of his business though. As long as Prince Kayziel had no thoughts related to reincarnation, al
Frustrated, Prince Kayziel grabbed one of them. "You're just a bunch of cowards! The boy is not even a 100 years old! If you do not fight-" he directly slit the throat of the soldier he grabbed. "You die!"Upon witnessing the scene, the soldiers pivoted their attention to Zedekiel, brandishing their swords. Knowing Prince Kayziel's prowess as a fighter far exceeded Zedekiel's, they speculated that confronting the boy might afford them a chance of survival, albeit slim. However, facing Prince Kayziel spelled certain death for all. Besides, Zedekiel was injured and had lost a significant amount of blood. Putting him down should not be difficult. And so, they collectively surged toward him.Young Zedekiel strived. He fought with all his might, killing some soldiers while fatally injuring some. He fought like a mad man, swinging his sword with reckless abandon yet maintaining an unparalleled level of precision at the same time for he drew blood with each swing. The vale was quickly litter
He sighed, placing on a hand on Zedekiel's cheek, stroking the cold skin gently. "You know, I wanted to spare your life but when I saw the way you took hold of everything in the castle, I just couldn’t. You're still so young, yet you were already ruling the Kingdom like a proper King. When your Father died, I thought the entire Kingdom would be in a state of disarray and I would return and take charge like a grand hero but I was surprised to find that everything was under control. Even when I commanded the Officials to do something, they would say that they had to run it through you first so I knew that I had to get rid of you.""If you desired the throne, you could have just said so." Young Zedekiel gritted. "I haven't even been crowned King yet. I could have willingly abdicated in your favour.""Yes, you could have." Prince Kayziel nodded. "But would you have let me marry your Mother?"Young Zedekiel fell silent but the answer was evident in the intense glare that emanated from his
He had tried to go beyond the garden but he found that he couldn't. He was bound to his younger self and could only go where his younger self went or the places he had been to before. Which meant that if Ron didn't go back to the garden, he wouldn't be able to see him again. He just hoped that Ron would not give up on his stupid self and come back or is stupid self would stop being so stupid and go find Ron.Prince Kayziel had gone to his younger self in the middle of the night and convinced him to join them in their journey to Ashenmore so they could start their revenge. At first, Young Zedekiel didn’t want to go for he had already agreed to wait as his mother had instructed but Prince Kayziel managed to convince him by reminding him of the things the humans had done to his father and brother. He then told him that if they waited too long, the humans might fully prepare themselves for what was to come and they would lose the element of surprise.Hearing this, Young Zedekiel put on hi
“This should be the last time we meet.” Young Zedekiel said. “Normally I would kill you for being a witch and lying to me but since we have been together, I will spare your life. Never make the mistake of coming before me in the future because I will kill you.”With that, Young Zedekiel turned and continued on his way, leaving Ron kneeling there, completely and utterly heartbroken.**********Zedekiel wanted to stay and see what Ron would do but something told him to follow his younger self and so he did. He followed even as his younger self sprinted away from the garden, his movements a blur of speed, almost as if he were a shadow racing across the earth. The wind whipped around him, tousling his silver hair. His dark robes billowing behind him like the wings of a dark angel.He dashed past the castle, his supernatural speed carrying him effortlessly, propelling him forward with a sense of urgency that mirrored the turmoil within his heart.Finally, he arrived at the labyrinth, a pla
"I'm not deceiving you," he insisted, locking eyes with Zedekiel, “I swear it. My true identity is Raldore Nightshade, a witch—the youngest child of Malik and Yara Nightshade, leaders of the esteemed Nightshade Coven."Young Zedekiel's shock was palpable, his features frozen in disbelief as Ron's words washed over him like a tidal wave. He shook his head, taking a few steps backwards. “No. No you’re lying. You cannot be a witch. You smell different. You smell human.”“That’s because my magic is extremely weak.” Ron explained. “I am the weakest Nightshade to ever exist. Look, this is the only thing that I can do.”He crouched down on the grass, closed his eyes and muttered some words. Slowly a small plant germinated from the ground and gradually grew a single red juicy looking apple on its branch. But Ron already knew that the apples he grew were not tasty at all. He plucked the fruit, stood up and held it out to Zedekiel. “See, I’m a witch.”To say Young Zedekiel was shocked was an un
He ran and hugged Young Zedekiel tight from behind. “I’m sorry okay? Please talk to me. Tell me what I did wrong and I promise never to it again. I love you Zedekiel. I can’t live without you.”“Lies!” Young Zedekiel snarled, yanking Ron’s arms away from his body. He turned around, his eyes blazing with fury. “Lies lies lies! All you humans know are lies, deceit and betrayal. You do not love. You can never love. All of you are too selfish for that!”Ron stared at Zedekiel, unable to understand what he was talking about. “What are you saying?” he asked. “What do you mean?”“You know exactly what I mean.” Young Zedekiel replied. “Stop acting like you’re innocent. You humans are all the same.”“No we’re not.” Ron argued. “I don’t know what you’re talking about but we’re not. I have done none of what you mentioned. I love you wholeheartedly, Zedekiel. I have been waiting here for weeks, at this same spot where we both first met. I have been waiting for you like you asked me to but not onc
“Good. You will rest for two full weeks and heal properly. Only then will I allow you to take my children into war with the humans. I get that you’re all angry. I too am brimming with rage and there’s nothing I wish more than to see those humans dead but we all have to wait. We have to be patient and strike when they least expect it. We have to be at our best so we can avenge the lives they took from us. Understand?”Prince Kayziel nodded instantly.She turned to Young Zedekiel and although he didn’t want to agree, he could not go against her. Especially after his uncle had agreed. “Yes, Mother.”Zedekiel, who was watching, closed his eyes and sighed for he knew what came next and he wished he had listened to his Mother. His stubbornness and impatience had cost them the lives of more Elves and had nearly cost that of his Mother and siblings as well.********After listening to Prince Kayziel's side of the story, Young Zedekiel was walking back to his room when a guard frantically appr
Without hesitation, Alaric closed the distance between them, enfolding Ron in a gentle yet firm embrace. His arms wrapped around his younger brother, offering a comforting anchor amidst the storm of emotions. He pressed Ron close, as if trying to shield him from the pain and disappointment that threatened to overwhelm him.Zedekiel floated into the shadows, his heart hurting as he silently watched Ron cry. He couldn’t believe that in the past, he hurt Ron so much and made him cry. He felt like total jerk. A complete asshole. He was the one who had approached Ron first and declared him his wife but here he was, abandoning the person he claimed to love. This must be why Alaric had been so mad at him back in the coven.The Elf King had no idea that he had seen nothing yet.That night, Alaric succeeded in convincing Ron to go home, rest, and eat some good food then come back the next day and wait again. Zedekiel on the other hand, floated back to the castle. On getting there, he noticed t
“My brother is yours?” Alaric chuckled coldly. “What an introduction.”“Brother, he’s the one we saved some months ago.” Ron informed Alaric.“That drowning smelly Elf?” Alaric asked.Ron nodded. “He’s the one. I’ve told him many times that I cannot return his feelings for me but he just won’t leave me alone. He said he’d rather see me dead than with someone else.”Hearing that, Alaric's anger ignited like a roaring inferno. “You want to see my brother dead? My brother?" Alaric's queried, his voice rumbling like thunder, laced with a dangerous edge that sent chills down the spine of anyone who heard. Even the neighbouring leaves, bushes, flowers, and animals were not spared. They trembled at the sound of his voice and the intensity of his magic.His chest tightened, and muscles tensed as if coiling to strike. The mere thought of someone wishing harm upon his beloved sibling was enough to send his emotions spiraling out of control. He shielded Ron behind him and held out his hand as he