Vera"Just take it cool with yourself. It's a miracle that you are standing on your feet already," Killan warned as I flung my swords without direction. It's been a few days since I had come around and I was going crazy because I had lost my moves. Killan and Fred complained that I was pushing myself too hard but I just couldn't take it. The wounds I had on my arms were almost healed up but they made it difficult to wield a sword and they wanted me to just sit, lazing around."They won't just get better, I have to train with them," I fired back as usual and I was surprised that Killan responded. He had never responded before."You are over-exerting them. Do you think that is rehabilitation? Nah! You could cause more harm than good.""Really? You should have told me earlier," I mouthed and dropped the swords fearfully. Killan chuckled and I charged at him."If you are lying to me, I will kill you," I yelled, aiming to punch him."You are still exerting your arm, stubborn chick," he ca
JoashJenny was not my mate but were childhood buddies together with Pete. She had been a good companion throughout the years. She loved me and stood by me through thick and thin. She wasn't someone I wanted to hurt.I didn't feel anything special towards her but I was devoted to her and compelled to love her. She was gentle, kind and most importantly she trusted me. Since I didn't believe in chosen mate, I decided to go for her. She couldn't refuse my offer as she was already smitten by me.Over the past few weeks, I had come to agree that there was a strong difference between love and devotion. Although I wouldn't admit it, I seemed to have fallen in love with Vera Clams. Not that I wanted to pursue the feeling but it was there. Or how can I explain the searing feeling I began to have after making Vera leave?It all began two days after Vera was rescued. Instead of Derrick, one of my guards came with the report. It was an elaborate report about Vera's abduction.I got to know that s
VeraTraining was a great diversion for me and not only a great diversion, it was also needed in my course. I had fully recovered and I had lost count of the days. After my recovery, I trained so hard and Killan couldn't stop me.He acted like a big brother. No, like a babysitter and I didn't like it. But he was also my instructor and I had no choice. As I advanced in training, we began to spar and had duels. Of course, he always won, but Fred always got beaten up. Beating up Fred seemed to be a great achievement for me but I knew it was just the beginning. Fred was a small fry.I achieved one thing that had become my dream on the day that I won against Killan. At first, I thought it was because he went soft on me, but the shock in his eyes proved my victory.I rose up from the dust and he pulled me into his embrace. "You have finally emerged," he muttered, kissing me on the forehead."Perhaps, I could fulfil your fantasy and succeed where Fred failed… you are so alluring…" he cupped
VeraLeaving Fred and Killan was harder than I had thought. I had built a life around them and with their help, I was able to achieve the first part of my dream. Without power, I can't achieve anything.We shared a parting hug and they finally let me go. "Common! Why are you all gloomy? It's not a funeral and It's not like I am going to die or something," I put up a bold front and walked away from them in tears. I was going back to being Alpha Joash's maid. It had never been easy and I knew it would never be. Danger lurks ahead. When I got back to my room and opened the door, I expected to see it dusty and dirty. I had deserted it for about a year, but surprisingly, it was clean. The maids must have been sent to clean it up.What the heck is Alpha Joash up to? All that had transpired between us flashed through my head and I wondered what facing him again after a long time would look like. I still had my fears, but I was also enthusiastic! Partly because I wanted to see what it would
VeraDespite his drunken state, the artist was an expert. Although we finished late, his creation was mesmerising. Despite my fading memory of the man's face, the resemblance between the drawing and the man's face was uncanny. Staring at it sent shivers down my body.When we were done we were called to brunch and after that, the artist was released. I made my way down to the Alpha's office, but Alpha Joash wasn't there. I breathed in relief and returned to stay in my corner. He must have gone for some official duties and was probably joking about the sparring. It would be condescending for someone of his status to spar with me.A guard walked in and summoned me, "His Highness, awaits you in his chambers." What? His chambers? I wasn't expecting that!I swallowed my surprise and followed him. I remembered the night that he was drunk and invited me to pour his drink. It ended in a disaster. Just the thought of it made me shrink. As I followed the guard I felt insecure. All the enthusi
JoashI stood transfixed, looking at Vera as she walked away. That was an incredible performance! It's been a long time since I had seen such an incredible performance.I smiled widely, anticipating the next day's game. Although I still had some residual fear in me, it was from earlier when I almost struck her. It was too late when I realized that she couldn't dodge the hit. If I had struck her with that force, I was sure that she wouldn't be able to survive it. Saving her was just because luck was on my side, I thought I had lost her. I quit sparring with my men because of such accidents. Many years ago, during my rising, most of my men died accidentally in my hands during sparring My heart still tingled from the memory that I almost killed her, but the most wonderful part was saving her. When I crash-landed on her, I heard the crazy sound of her heartbeat. It felt like it was beating for me.Relishing the memories and anticipating for the next day, I left the training range. I was
VeraWhen I got to my hideout. I was deadly tired. I crashed at the base of one of the trees that had become my fighting buddy and I tried to regain some strength.Is this some sick joke? It better be real. I was really late and I expected that whoever summoned me should have arrived already. But apart from the usual cries of birds and cricket, everything was as still as usual.I tried to relax but I couldn't. I kept thinking about what the truth would be. Although I had a glimpse already, I wasn't satisfied with the direction. I needed someone to feed me with what I wanted to hear. Yes, my conviction! My reason for living! It's that my parents were innocent and wrongfully killed.An alien sound erupted and I looked around, judging the direction. It was an arrow with a strange speed, aimed to take me out.Quickly, I dived out of the way and hid well behind the tree. I could tell that whoever took the shoot was highly skilful and was out to kill. Is this the person that drew me out or
JoashWhen I woke up, it was dawn. I was the only one in the room and I reeked of alcohol and sex. I felt a pang of ache in my head and I groaned as I pushed myself up from the floor.Different layers of my regalia lay strewn here and there and I still wear the innermost layer of my regalia. I didn't remember walking in, sleeping on the floor of my living room last night or having sex with anyone here.Sniffing again, I caught a whiff of another smell in the room, it was a familiar sweet fragrance. It was an underlying smell, one I was used to.It smelled like Jenny… it must surely be her… Was she the one I made out with? Holy fuck! "Jenny…" I muttered and my eyes shone wider, trying to remember all I did overnight. Right on the floor was a scarf that I had bought for Jenny. It was carefully folded like it was kept there deliberately to pass a message. Typical of Jenny! "Jenny was here! It was her!"And I did all that to her? When I was on the verge of breaking up with her! What th
JoashAt first, when I perceived Vera's scent in my subconscious, I was happy. I had been hanging on, wondering why she hadn't shown up since I ended up in thus state. I thought she had left me again. But all my fears melted away when she suddenly showed up, crying her eyes out.Her regrets, confessions and profession of love were sweet. They transcended into my subconscious mind and kept me going. All I wanted was to return to her, hold her in my arms, tell her that I had forgiven her naughtiness, clean up her tears and make her know that all that matters was that she wanted me now.In my unconscious state, I couldn't keep a record of time and my subconscious floated in space.At some point something changed, affecting my subconscious existence. I began to fade away. All that I thought that I was holding onto, thinned out and I was all alone in a dark abyss. At that point, I had given up. I couldn't hold on anymore and I knew death was around the corner. I couldn't see nor feel my
It was a long day and the sun was almost setting. I hadn't gone to check on Alpha Joash since I left his room in the morning.After speaking with Fred, a glimpse of my past flicked through my eyes and I was taken down memory lane. I was just a maid until the mating ceremony between I and His Highness. I guess that was why I was treated like a Queen when I returned. What if the mating ceremony didn't take place? I would have returned to continue my life as a maid.Power and luxury is intoxicating. Despite the aftermath of the ruins, I enjoyed the privileges of a queen. Everyone treated me with respect, my words had effects and they were prioritized.My emotions were high and I just kept a low profile all day. Now that it was evening, I was planning to go see His Highness when I heard a soft knock."Your Highness! Targon seeks to be in your presence," a guard announced."Oh! Targon, let him come in," I responded and signalled to the maids to leave.The door opened and Targon walked in
Vera"Where the heck is this place? Am I a prisoner here?" I charged at the guard who now stood rigidly against Blake's door. The guard remained unfazed and ignored me. Seeing that my ranting wouldn't yield any result, I let him be and retired to my bed. I should conserve my strength."Think, Vera," I muttered to myself. I needed to escape from this hell hole, but how? I didn't even know where we were and how to navigate.I remembered the dangerous steep wall and the tunnel. How do I get to safety? I tried to mind-link my mate but all I felt was blankness. I must be far away from him.Blake then came to my mind again. Hatred surged up within me immediately. But I had to convince myself, I needed him now. If we escaped together, he might know how to navigate…But as sweet as the idea was it was still dangerous! Escaping with Blake with his level of injury was almost impossible. Moreover, who knows where he would lead me after getting him out of here?"Argh! Where are those bastards w
JoashSwords clanked, arrows danced and gunshots rocked the air as the combat peaked. The few soldiers who escaped the explosion battled hard with my men, but they couldn't beat us.Either way, they were going to die. They either die at my hands or die at my father's hands for losing me. Their fate was decided since they were assigned to this battle.Derrick and I pounced out of our hiding places alongside our subordinates. We charged along the open space making us visible to the enemies.Seeing me, they went mad! Yes, I was their target and it was their chance. Their strength doubled and they attacked without mercy.While they battled with my men to get through to me, I dodged every shot, dart, dagger, and arrow that came my way. Simultaneously, I fired my muskets, taking some of them down while Derrick and the two men who were with us covered me on every side. Speed was an essential tool, our enemies were well-trained but we outshone them with our incredible speed.In a brief moment
SilasMy heart bled as I peeked at the ex-lovers. Having them together was more intense and heated than I had thought. I felt sorry for them, they were caught in a web of conspiracies and were victims of circumstances.What if the adults did their job? What if they weren't greedy? Those two might have been together and their love would have blossomed.When Vera accepted Blake's rejection, I saw him quake and my heart bled. The tiny bit of humanity that bound them together was shed off. In that instance, the anger in Vera's eyes turned murderous. Blake became nothing but one of the bastards that she wanted to kill to avenge her parents' death. But with a brave restraint, she stopped herself and walked out on him."Vera!!!" He yelled her name but she was done.Love has always been complicated. As for me, I had seared my emotions and love was out of the picture. No love, no fated mate, just the throne!Heaving a sigh, I lifted the lid to the dungeon to return to my bedroom. I wanted to d
JoashMy assertion was right. My father's men hadn't shown up and it was almost sunset.It was our gain and his loss this time. It afforded my men and me enough time to bond. Apart from the bond, Derrick and I discovered each man's expertise.We paired them into groups. We also formed our rules and different combat strategies and hacks that we needed to win the battle.Normally, I would have expected that my father would send just a few of his men since he knew that I was a small fry and had lost everything. But I didn't want to take chances. Since it was about me, Father wouldn't hesitate to empty his entire army to come after me.One of our strategies was to maintain different positions. We also had potent leaves stuck to our bodies as camouflage and also to conceal our scents. By Twilight, we were already set. We had assumed strategic locations. Each man with the weapons he knew how to use best.I and Derrick were stationed at the entrance, but he wasn't with me. We were stationed
SilasI knew when Vera and my men arrived. I was well informed about the journey from the beginning till they entered my underground chambers through the tunnel. The path through the tunnel was an alternative route known to me and a few of my men.After I left the palace in the morning, I tried the link up with Joash all through the day but he wasn't responsive. The bastard was ignoring me whilst I wanted to know what the hell was going on in his head.I was up till past midnight and I heard Vera when she entered the room where Blake was locked up. I had not seen him since I visited him and broke his nose.I was sentimental at first and I wanted to stop my plan of making the ex-lovers meet but I changed my mind. Their meeting could be pivotal to my backup plan.I wanted to watch what was about to go down to pick my cues. So softly and gently, without alarming anyone I climbed down through the stairs and stood at the vantage position from where I watched.As I looked at Vera, all I saw
SilasI sat on the ground in father's yard with Kepler all night until the rising of the sun. It was about time that my father resumed his office. I thought Kepler would go in to fix his duty but he didn't leave. He stayed with me until I heard my father walking out and fully ready to resume the day's assignment."Long live, oh King! Long live,Your Highness!" The palace workers greeted and I turned around. Father was fully dressed in his kingly regalia and was strolling out of his chambers. The first set of assignment everyday was his morning patrol."Your Highness," I greeted with my forehead kissing the floor."Take him to the courtroom," he ordered without looking my way.Kepler left with my father while two other guards carried out my father's instructions. They dragged me down to the court room like I were a criminal.They threw me in but I landed on my feet. Father's seat was empty as he hadn't returned from his patrol. Why is father doing this to me? What has he found out abou
VeraI was led into a clean room where an array of maids were waiting for me. My guards had disappeared and there were a new set of guards waiting for me.I threw myself towards the bed, but before I hit the bed two maids rushed towards me. Skillfully, they dragged me away from the bed and began to unclad me.My clothes were full of filth and grime, they were stinking. I wondered why I didn't notice this earlier, but now that I noticed, I was too tired to clean up. "Get your hands off me!" I yelled at them and threw one of them on the floor."Enough!" One of the guards commanded as the other maids rushed at me. He walked towards me, lifted me up and helped me back to the bed. "She is tired. Let her get a first round of sleep before working on her," the guard commanded.Some of the maids were dispersed and I flung my tired body on the bed.I shut my eyes and sleep carried me into the dream land.When I woke up I felt a little disappointed, the sleep didn't last as long as I had expe