~Zayne~



Despite the darkness I managed to navigate my way out of the courtyard and to the hallway.

I was almost to the castle gates when a rattling noise reached my ears from the bush just behind me.



I halted in my movement and turned in the direction of the bush.

The rattling noise continued, becoming even louder.



'Who's there?!" My voice rang through the empty castle yard.

The noise suddenly stopped, but still no reason for me to stop.

I gently walked closer to the bush. My legs stretched out slowly at a time, pulling my body with it until I was just in front of the bush.

'Hello?"

My voice came again, this time laced with more mystery.

But there was no response. Leaving me with only two options, possible to think of.

It was either an animal in that bush, or if it is indeed a Lycan he must have run.

Only one to find out!


I bent closer to the bush and parted it.


Nobody here! It must have been a Lycan, but why would anyone be out here past curfew.


After giving it a little thought, I waved it away and continued till I was past the castle main gate.


I took a horse instead of a car, I had only a few minutes before the curse kicked in, a horse might be a bit faster.


I got on Randall, the ash and white horse, dimmed the fastest horse for the past two years in a row.


I rode him to the cemetery. We rode through the thick darkness, managing to q, bypass any obstacle in my way till I reached the cemetery.


'Wait for me here Randall" I said in a low tone to the horse, carefully rubbing my hand around the horse's fur.


I left him just outside the gate to the cemetery and went in.

The cemetery was filled with its usual cloud of mists.

The cold made me shiver, I placed my hands around my arms, providing a little warmth.

I finally reached Maya's tombstone.

Her name written boldly on the tombstone, always made my heart sink in sadness and despair.

I went ahead to kneel down just by the tombstone.


'Good day Maya. I've missed you well alright. How are you?

I'm sure you're fine.


You may know I'll be heading to the temple tomorrow with Emily.

In case you may not have known, I'm here to tell you.

It's not my will or desire to take Emily to somewhere so dangerous. I don't have a choice, if she's not with me then there's no way for me to retrieve the sword of ages.

And if I don't get the sword, then both me and Emily will be dead eventually.


I hope you can forgive me, for putting myself and her in danger?

I really hope so.


And before I go, I want you to do something important for me.

Please protect Emily for me. Please. I can't afford to lose her just like I lost you.

Please Maya.

And if at all you want to tell me anything please, I'm all ears."

I said, before sniffling. My eyes soon filled with tears.


I got up on my feet and dusted off my clothes, before walking away.


But just before I left the cemetery, a faint voice whispered to my ear.


'Sometimes a curse could prove to be a blessing in disguise."

The voice left me in awe. I turned my head left and right, but I was the only one here.


Who was that? Was it Maya? And if it was here what does she mean by that?


'Oh shit!" I cursed out loud, a sudden thought of passing time suddenly flashed to my mind.


I rushed outside the cemetery and quickly got on Randall.

'Let's go boy."

We then rode back to the castle, and I returned Randall back to the stables and walked inside the courtyard. J8 couldn't rest.

I could only think about Maya's words. If they were at all her words.

‘Sometimes a curse could be a blessing in disguise'

What could that possibly mean?


I spent most of the night searching my mind for answers.

And with a little closing and opening of my eyes it was already morning.

The morning of a journey to the sacred temple.

I could only imagine what may be going through Emily's mind Emily as I packed a few things for the journey.


By horse the road to the temple takes at least fifteen hours.

So there might be a need to camp in a small location and wait the night out.

I packed my medicines in case I turned into beast mode. I won't want to rage out and harm Emily.


KNOCK

KNOCK


'Come in!"

Rowan opened the door and walked a few steps inside my room.

'Are you leaving today?" Rowan asked, a bit surprised.

I forgot to tell him about the letter.

'Yes"


'Why the change of plans? You know Emily isn't ready."

Rowan protested, his voice raised. His firm argument didn't enrage me in the slightest. I was happy rather, happy that Emily had someone who cared for her so much beside me.

Someone like Rowan.


'Vadka changed the plans. He shifted the date a week forward, and added Emily and Steph to the stake.

We don't have time anymore. We have to move now. Don't worry about Emily.

I'll do everything I can to make sure he returns here unscaved."


'Vaska's a bitch…

Okay bro I trust you

Good luck."


Rowan said, with a gentle pat on my back before turning to leave.


'Rowan, I need you to watch over the kingdom while I'm gone.

Keep everything under control the best you can. Can you do that?"

I asked Rowan. After all he was the one first I could trust to keep this kingdom in one piece till I'm back.


'Sure. I can do that."


'And please don't tell Luther I'm gone. If he finds out, he's probably going assume king already and he's not ready to be king"

I gave another instruction to Rowan, against telling Luther of my leave.


I finished packing up all my stuff I might need into a small bag and wore it around my back.


I needed no one to know about my trip. The people will get worried if they find out I'm gone.


~Emily~


Zayne stormed out of the fields, leaving me and Rowan very puzzled.


'What's wrong with him?" I asked Rowan, my voice tinged with worry.

'I'm not sure, but I do know it has something to do with that letter Cedric gave him."

Rowan said.

'Go and check on him. He's missing you alot"


'What? No! Of course he's not. He's a king, he probably has other things to attend to."


I cooked up an excuse not to meet Zayne. I was sure he's missing me, just as I'm missing him.

But, going to him now, might make him feel everything is fine between us, but it's not.


'Please. I know your angry at him, but he needs you right now"

Rowan's words left to ponder. Maybe going to him isn't a bad idea after all we head out to the temple in a few days.


'Okay."

I left Rowan at the fields as I walked away to Zayne's room.

The fields were quite far from his room so it was a long walk for me.


KRANK! KRANK!


Reaching his room, I heard a loud noise coming from it.

It was as though he was smashing ceramics to the floor. But why?


I gently walked to his door, and stood there for a moment.


'Emily isn't even ready yet, it's all happening too fast!!

She can't go. Even if I die, I need to make sure she's safe."

Zayne was talking to himself, his voice very loud.

His words caused worry in my heart. He's talking about him dying, making sure I'm safe. I can't stand and watch him talk like this.


'Ready for what?" I asked, my voice tinged with urgency. He stopped trashing his room and gently turned around to see me.



'Zayne, tell me what's happening?" I asked as I came closer to him.


Taking a moment, he finally walked up to his sofa and signalled him to a wooden chair just across him.


'Another letter came in from Vadka just a few minutes ago.

The conditions of the fight have changed. He shifted the date to a week before, now we only have six days left"


Zayne said, making my heart twitch heavily.


I was deeply annoyed by Vadka and his petty tricks.

He's making a fool out of Zayne. I don't care who he is?

He can't just change the date at his own will.


I made my feelings very clear to Zayne, not even letting Zayne finish with what he had to say.


'I'm not finished…

He also included a new stake.

If I'm not able to kill him and he does that to me.

He takes you and Steph to his kingdom to be sacrificed"

What?

My mind went blank for a moment, as Zayne's words reached my ears.


There was really more at stake indeed, and Zayne in this condition being with a sword will die to Vadka.

I need to snap him out of this, he's miserable.

'Fine.

So King Zayne, are you going to let that happen?

Are you going let Vadka do this to us?"

I asked, trying to motivate him.


'NO I'm not!" he answered back, his voice laced with more purpose


It's working, Zayne is coming back to himself again.


'Then. What are you going to do about it?"

I asked, giving him something to really think about.


And after a short while, he finally said something.

'Emily, tomorrow we set out to the temple. Once we get the sword, me and you finish any training we have left for Vadka and anyone else.

I won't lose you, Emily. I promise you that"


'Pack your things up, Emily tomorrow we set out early"


I turned to leave almost at the door, when Zayne called me back to thank me.


And in the romantic tension of the moment, we shared a warm hug.


The hug just felt right, despite the problems I might have with him.


We finally broke the hug, before I left his room.

Standing just outside his door, my eyes caught a figure moving away from beside me and just in front of Zayne's room and dash outside to the yard.


I had an urge to chase after him, eventually waving it off.

Maybe it's just a creepy guard stocking Zayne.


I returned back to my room, I needed to get enough rest, tomorrow was going to be a big day.


With a gentle closing of my eyes I soon slept off into the empty void.


KNOCK

KNOCK


A loud knock startled me up from my sleep. 'Ahh, who can possibly do this"

I moaned out, my tone very grumpy. I gently rubbed my eyes with the back of my palms. The fatigue was still in my eyes, my body was very weak.

I managed to drag my feet to the door to open it.

'Emily, you're late for training!" Rowan stood in front of my door.

His voice tinged with urgency.


'Training? Didn't Zayne tell you?" I was deeply confused by Rowan's words.

Why would I train the same morning I leave with Zayne?


'Tell me what?" Rowan's question confirmed it. Zayne didn't tell him.

'He shifted the date of our leave, to this morning"


'What, but why? Emily, I have to go!!" Rowan said, his voice laced with a bit of rage.


Well, it was time to start packing up. Zayne instructed us not to carry much load and we should keep the travel as discrete as ever.


So I got all my things packed up and ready to leave.

I went down to the stables, and waited about ten minutes before Zayne came out.


And as we got on the horse and gently moved away from the castle, I could only wonder what adventures lay ahead of us.