~Zayne~



'Yes, come in!"


Rowan opened the door, the creaking noise rung through my whole room.



'You called sir!" Rowan said, his voice firm and strong.

'Yes I did.


Aren't you going to train Emily this morning?" I asked, almost rhetorically, fully aware of his response.


'Yes actually in about 20 minutes"


'Yes. I want to borrow for the next three days. You can help train if you want, but I want to train her to be ready to go the temple with me"

I said to Rowan, my tone almost as though it was a command.

'Okay, let me tell her" Rowan turned to leave when my stern voice halted him.


'Don't! She won't know until she's arrived at the ground"


'Okay sir"

Rowan said before he then left my room.


I had to set out to train Emily myself at least for the next three days.

Even though Rowan is a better teacher than me, I can train Emily on the survival instincts needed to cope with dangers lurking at the temple, something Rowan can't.


I got dressed into my training gear. My steps had an extra bit of finesse.

My mood was tinged with excitement.


I can hope today goes well with Emily. We have a great time, laugh and train together. And hopefully improve our relationship.


I left my room as I finished dressing and walked to my training fields.


'Where is she?"

I said walking up to the lonely figure standing at the centre of the fields…Rowan.


'She's late I guess"

Rowan said, his words twitched my heart a little.

Emily is late for training after I specifically told her she needs to train harder.


She can't get any better like this, or with this laziness.


'She's coming sir" Rowan sighted Rowan from afar.


I went and stood by the side of the fields, away from Emily's direct sight of vision.


She walked up to him, and they conversed. Emily wore a pitiful face, seeming to be apologising to Rowan, probably for coming late.


Rowan then pointed in my direction.

That's my queue!


I then walked towards them. Emily scrambled, turning to the direction Rowan pointed.


Her expression changed on sight of me. Her brows raised, her jaws slightly dropped.


'What are you doing here?" she asked me in a stern voice.


'Relax, I'm just here to train you and nothing more.

In three days time you will be going with me to the temple so I need you to be in top shape"

I said, although I had other reasons. One of them, to spend time with Emily.

Although she might not admit or make it seem obvious, I know she's just as happy as I am to spend time with me.


I had planned to improve Emily's accuracy with the bow and arrow.

From Rowan, I heard that was her best weapon and she has been successful with it.


I was the target and she had to target my head.

A bit reluctant at first he finally agreed to take her shots at me.

We used ordinary arrows, so they were practically useless.

They can't even give me a scratch talk less of bleed.


She fired her first two arrows straight at my chest, leaving her frustrated as I have never seen before.

But after a few words of encouragement from me. She was sharp and ready for her third try.

And she got in spot on, the tip of the arrow broke against my forehead.


'Congratulations Emily, now we have to continue until it's perfected"


I said my loud voice echoed to the other side of the fields where Emily stood.

It was important, I didn't praise her too much and let it all get to her head.

After all, getting a headshot out of three won't help you in a battlefield.


I could tell from her expression she wasn't at all happy with my comment.


Nevertheless, we continued all through the day. And gradually her accuracy was improving the more.

She aimed well for my head almost eighty percent of the time.

I had to catch a few arrows which were heading straight for my eyes.


I barely had time to compliment her, when I heard Rowan's voice from a distance.


He was running as fast as he could towards us, excitement filled his eyes.

'I've got the perfect blade!" Rowan said, breathing very heavily.

He bent his body over trying to catch his breath a little.


'So where is it?" I asked a bit impatiently. He can't just run up here screaming as loud as this, only to leave us in the dark.


He got upright at once, and pulled out an arrow and handed it to Emily.

The arrow tip was indeed customised. It had an even shaper head, its surface was of thick and hard metal.

Hard enough to pierce into the skull of a Lycan and a vampire.


In order to give it a good try, I ordered Rowan to get a rogue lycan locked up in our dungeon for almost killing a little Lycan girl.


Soon, he appeared in our sight. And with him, was a guard dragging the rogue lycan .


He dragged him all the way to the field and dropped him dead on the floor.

On close sight of the rogue, my heart twitched, a surging anger stirred up in me.

I walked up to him and grabbed him by the pieces of his collar and raised him from the ground.

'Emily, you will test your new arrow on him" I said to her.

I noticed her expression changed instantly.


'Wait, a moment I can't murder. He's helpless"


Emily's words left me stunned. Does she pity a rogue?

' Emily, you can't pity a rogue. He deserves death. Your only doing him a favour by ending his life peacefully"

I said my voice stern and dead cold.

She still protested against it.


'Emily, you're going with me to the temple. You need to have that ruthless side in you. If you mercy someone, you do it at your own detriment"


Rowan then walked up to her and said something to her, in a friendly tone. And she soon changed her mind.


So she listens to Rowan but ignores me! Insulting.


She grabbed her bow and positioned her new arrow between it.

And with total conviction she let the arrow fly straight to the forehead of the rogue, piercing deep into his skull.

He drops dead instantly, blood gushing out from his head, his eyes wide open and his lips wide open.

The arrow pierced through to the other side of his head.


Woah! That is incredible. I couldn't help but be impressed.

What did Rowan tell her?


'Incredible!" I sang my praise for her and so did Rowan.


But amidst my jubilee, I noticed Emily's expression.

Her face looks pale. Her brows lowered in despair.

Is she remorseful for the rogue? She isn't supposed to be.


I was walking towards her when I heard a loud voice.

'Sir Zayne!!"

I turned to the direction of where the voice came from.

Cedric!

'What is it now? Can't you see I'm busy" I answered him, my voice stern.


'Sir, another letter from Vadka arrived for you just now."

My heart skipped as the name ‘Vadka' reached my ears.


What does he want to talk about? I've accepted his proposal already.


I grabbed the envelope from Cedric's hands, and gently opened it.

Pulling out the letter, my eyes went searching through it.


'King Zayne!

Preparing well enough for the day you die!

I certainly hope so!


I've written this letter, not for good news, at least for you.

Due to unanimous vote, the date of the battle has been shifted to a week earlier, that means you have just six days.

And the stakes involved have just been lifted.

When you die soon enough at my hands, I take your human girlfriend and her sister as my slaves, until they are to be sacrificed.


I can't wait! Hope you're just as excited as I am?"


Oh no!

I held the letter tightly in my hand, as I stood frozen to the spot in disbelief.

Isn't fighting me to the death enough for him. Now he shifts the date and places Steph and Emily as part of the deal.


'This is bad, bad, bad!!" I said out loud to the surprise of Rowan and Emily.


'What is it?" Rowan asked as he approached me.

But before he could reach for me, I stepped back away from him.

'I need to go, now! Both of you meet me in my room by 7 pm"

I said before running off and away from the fields, leaving the both of them dumbfounded.


I entered my room and slammed the door behind me.


'What is happening?!"I paced around my room, frustration creeping in me.

I began smashing vases and ceramics on the floor.


What do I do now!

I go toe to toe with Vadka in six days and I haven't even retrieved the sword.


'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."


'Ready for what?"

A voice came from my door behind me.


I slowly turned around to see Emily, standing at my door. Her hands folded and her brows furrowed at me.

'Zayne tell me what is happening?" he voice came again, this time, tinged with more concern than anger.


'Phew!"

I took a deep breath and sat on my sofa.


'Come here!"

I said to Emily pointing to the wooden chair just across me.

She walked into my room and sat on the wooden chair.

'Don't freak out when I tell you this OK?"


'OK, I won't," she said with full confidence.


'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"


'What? He can't do that just because he wants to!"

Emily spoke out even before I could finish, she was deeply annoyed by Vadka's act.


'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"

My words left Emily silenced. She lowered her pondering or reflecting on something.


'Fine.

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

Are you going let Vadka do this to us?"

Emily asked again, her voice filled with renewed hope.


'NO I'm not!" I answered with conviction.


'Then. What are you going to do about it?" Emily's question left me thinking for a brief moment.


'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"

I said to Emily, my hope renewed by her.


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

I gave one last instruction to Emily, before she turned to leave.


But just before she reached the door, she heard my voice once more.


'Oh and Emily…" I walked closer to her and held her two soft hands.

'Thank you"

I said my voice was soft and warm.


'For what?" she asked, a bit puzzled by my appreciation for her.


'For believing in me, even when I lost all hope in myself"

I said, genuinely from my heart. My eyes staring deeply into her kind soul.


I then pulled her closer to me for a warm and gentle hug.

My body on hers just felt right, a feeling I always want to have.


'Good night Zayne" we broke the hug, and she then left my room.


'Good night"


I then walked up to the terrace, staring deeply into the stars above me.


Maya!

'I must see her, now!" I never take any decision without seeing her.


I grabbed my coat from my sofa and stormed out of my room at once and into the darkness.