~Zayne~



Descending from the steep hills, the sun reflecting behind us, the castle was now in our sight.

And as we rode quickly towards it, a little began lingering in my mind.



What if no one is there to welcome me? Or just a few people?

Or worse, assume I'm dead?



They were questions at the back of my mind. Questions that could only be answered once we reached the castle.


But suddenly, as we got closer, a distant rumbling noise in my ears.

I squinted my eyes tightly to see a huge crowd standing in front of the castle. Their mood was boisterous and electric, all of them excited to see me.

They formed a pathway between them, where Rowan rode through and inside the castle and then dropped off the horse at the stables.


'Welcome back! Welcome back!! Welcome back!!"

The chants of the people were loud and thunderous.


I had a smile painted on my face. My joy knew no bounds at that point.


I walked up on the uplift to address the crowd gathered there.

Their number was great, even more than the number that sent me off.


'Thank you all! For this grand welcome. Thank you.

You know, when I set out to battle Vadka, at one point I didn't know if I could beat him, or even lay a finger.

But I had to really fight for what I love and that's you guys!!"

I said, as a loud scream escaped from most of their lips.

'You are the reason I could kill him. You gave me a reason to fight, each and every one of you.

Up until yesterday, I never truly understood the value of these moments, especially when it could be your last.

Thank you again."

I said before walking down from the uplift. The crowd gave a massive round of applause for my speech.


I decided to finally go to my room. My body was in pain, everywhere really.

I couldn't wait to reach my room, and take a warm shower and try to ease off the pain.


Going to my room, I gave a sharp glance in the direction of Luther.

How his reaction could be, once he found out I'm alive?

And that all his plans and schemes were all a waste of time.


I quickly got showered and dressed in fresh clothes from the newest laundry.


'Let me pay Luther a quick visit."

I decided to rub it in his face, and show up to his room.

I walked past a few more rooms before him.


I harshly knocked on his door, and after a few seconds he finally opened the door.


His brows shut up in shock, and jaws dropped.

His face is a picture of disbelief.


'W-h-hat are you doing?" Luther's words stuttered.

'That's how you welcome me brother?!" I was actually enjoying seeing Luther so dumbfounded and clueless.


'Welcome back brother. I always knew you could take on Vakda!"

Luther said, a little less clueless than before.


I moved quickly and grabbed his neck around my right hand, carefully tightening.

His face was slowly turning purple, as he strove for air.

'You can do whatever you want brother. Steal my sword, ambush us at the temple or whatever really.

It will come crashing down, right in front of your eyes."

I said in a low and stern voice, carefully whispering to his ear.

'You seem to forget I have something even more powerful than a sword, Emily. True love, kept my heart going.

Something you can't boast of!"


I finally released my hold around his neck, as he struggled to breathe in air.


I hope I finally got through to that thick skull of his.

But knowing him very well, I doubted it very much.

He's going to come back for another crack at the throne, sooner or later.


So then for me, there was one more stop. The last but far from the least.

I needed to drop by the clinic to see Emily.


I walked fifteen minutes to the clinic.

The hallway was very busy, nurses going through and from around the clinic.



But giving it a much closer look, I noticed the crowdy scene was more in distress than work.


I was very confused about what was really happening.

I noticed the faces of some of the nurses, laced with urgency, some worry.


I finally reached Emily's room, but there was quite a crowd in front of it.


'I want to see Emily, can I go through?"


'Your highness, sorry but we can't let anyone in right now!"

A short, dark skinned nurse said to me.


'Why? I see her everyday, what's happening now ?"

I was surprised by her words, rejecting me from seeing Emily.


'She had an incident last night, your majesty."

What?

My heart skipped a beat as I heard the incident.


'Someone tried to stab her in the middle of the night."

But her words left me stunned for a few moments.

Soon a sudden anger stirred up in me.


Someone dares try to kill Emily?


'Please let me see her, It will calm her nerves a little once she does."

I said to the nurse. And after a minute to consider, she finally excused me to Emily's room.

'Sir, I can only allow you five minutes."


I walked into the room, anxious to see Emily and know she's safe.


'Hey!"

I said in a soft tone.


She sat down across from me on a chair next to the bed, her face tinged with worry.

She was very restless from the incident.


'Zayne!!!"

But seeing me, her mood immediately changed.

She rushed over to me and gave me a tight hug.

'I knew you could take him down. You just needed to believe it too."

Our hug lasted for almost two minutes. She was just as happy to see me, as I was her.


And also happy to see that she is now strong enough to walk and run on her two feet.


'Emily, what happened last night?", I asked as I pulled away from the hug.

Her mood immediately darkened, her face became pale.


'Zayne, someone tried to kill me!!" Emily said, her voice laced with fear.


'Okay, calm down Emily and tell me everything that happened last night.

I spoke in a calm and still voice trying to ease Emily's nerves.


After taking a moment to calm herself a little, she finally opened her mouth to speak.


'Well, it was very late at night. I was the only patient sleeping at the hospital yesterday, and me and a couple of nurses were on night shift.

Surprisingly, I could sleep at all. All I could think about was you.

I stayed up till midnight, when I started hearing distant steps until it reached my room.

And then a guy showed up with a knife.

I screamed as loud as possible in fear, bringing the attention of the nurses, and seeing that he ran away."

Emily explained in detail.


Hearing her words, my rage only rose the more.

This guy planned a pure assassination on Emily.

'That's unforgivable. I'll get the detectives to work, and once he's found, then I swear I will eat him in an instant."


But for now, it was not safe for Emily to stay here or anywhere really.


'Emily, once you get discharged later today, you'll come and sleep with me in my room!"


~Luther~


'Make sure, she doesn't see you, in case things go sideways, is that okay?"

I said to Thorn.

He was dressed in a black top and trousers, and also a black hoodie jacket.

I was sending Thorn on a very delicate task. To murder Emily while she's asleep in the clinic.

I've given him the information he needs to handle it.

She's too much of a pest in my plans. She knows too much.

The only reason I didn't kill her sooner was because of Zayne. But now, he's soon to die, if not dead already, nothing is stopping me from killing her.


'Yes sir I am!"

Thorn said confidently before walking up to the door.

'Wait, Thorn!" I halted him before he reached the door.

'Remember not a word to Steph or Reta about this."

I whispered to him.

Thorn nodded in agreement before leaving.


If things go well as planned by tomorrow, we'll have both Emily and Zayne out of our lives, and then getting rid of Rowan is very easy.


After a few hours of waiting, I heard an urgent knock on the door.

My heart skipped a beat, the sudden noise startled me.


I opened it to see Thorn.


'What happened, is it done?" I asked anxiously. The look Thorn wasn't encouraging.

'No, sir. She was asleep when I entered and then she screamed out loud. If I stayed any longer, I might have gotten caught."

Thorn words ticked me off somewhat. But it's no use raining down my anger on him.


'Okay, as long as no one sees you then we're good. We'll get another chance to kill her." I excused Thorn, and then finally had my moment to rest.


In a short few hours, the sun was up and shining very bright.


I woke up feeling very alive and active. It was the best sleep I've had in a while.

Waking up to the thought that Zayne is dead is the best feeling ever.


I heard some noises downstairs, but I decided to ignore it.

It's probably from Emily, claiming she was almost killed.


I got dressed, and ate breakfast. I was getting ready to leave when I heard a loud knock on my door.


I was a little surprised to be getting a knock by this time.

But I decided to check it out.

I walked to the door and opened it.


What?

My mind went blank for a moment.


I couldn't believe my eyes. Zayne was standing across from me.


'W-h-hat are you doing?" I managed to speak.

'That's how you welcome me brother?!" Zayne said with a broad smile on his face.


'Welcome back brother. I always knew you could take on Vakda!"

But the next moment, Zayne charged at me and grabbed me by my neck.

'You can do whatever you want brother. Steal my sword, ambush us at the temple or whatever really.

It will come crashing down, right in front of your eyes

You seem to forget that I have something even more powerful than a sword, Emily. True love, kept my heart going.

Something you can't boast of!"


He finished speaking and let go off of his hold around my neck.

He then stormed out of the room.


Normally, I would explode in frustration that Zayne is still alive, but I couldn't dwell on that. I rather thought of another way to take him down.


I sent a guard to call the troops to my room. And after almost half an hour, they all arrived.


All of them were curious to know my next move after Vakda didn't work.


'Okay, I have a new idea to take out Vadka. No more complications like before!"

'We'll just have to weaken him first, and once he's vulnerable we'll strike!"


'And how do we do that?" Crystal, whose normally quiet peached in.


'By taking out Emily for good!!" I said in a murderous tone.


'NO, you can't. She hasn't done anything." Steph protested, as expected.

I had already made up my mind, that if Steph opposes my plan, she can as well join her.


'Emily, is a liability to us. First of all, she knows too much.

She's capable of implicating us and then secondly, she's Zayne's greatest strength.

Once she's died, Zayne is like a powerless lion, very vulnerable.

So it's decided Steph, she dies and you can't change my mind!!"


'Please, you can't kill her, please.I,I.. I can get her locked up for good, and despised by Zayne!"

Steph's next words caught my attention. Leaving me very intrigued.


I turned towards Steph, giving her a cold glare.

'Say more!... '