Arabella’s point of view.
(King’s palace)
I hugged Wymond very tight and didn’t wanna let him go, today’s the D-Day, the day he’s gonna face the masked man and he’s about setting out.
I’m very confident that he’s gonna defeat the masked man, but I’m also very scared too -there’s a nagging feeling at the back of my head, that something’s gonna go wrong.
“Baby, I’m gonna be fine” he said soothingly as he pat my back gently.
“I know”
I nodded but still didn’t let go of him, in fact, I even hugged him tighter and he chuckled lightly at my action.
“Then let me go”
I shook my head in disagreement and hugged him tighter again, as if I wasn’t already hugging him too tight.
“Whatever happens, try to get the pearl bead first, it’s very important to us” I reminded him for the one thousandth time.
He laughed.
“Why does it sound like you can’t wait to mate with me? Are you so eager to carry my pup?” he asked jokingly.
But I didn’t see it as a joke, I glared at him, then hit his chest and he laughed again.
“Are you still trying to crack jokes at a time like this?” I scolded him.
“Of course, I’ll get the Pearl bead first” he said.
“And…” I pulled away from him and held his hands in mine. “,… don’t underestimate him and let down your guard, he might wanna play tricks, you must stay cautious at all time”
He smiled and nodded, he held my chin, raised my head slightly then leaned down and crashed his lips on mine, he kissed me shortly.
“Save me some worries and always stay by Renee’s side at all times, ok?”
Stay by Renee’s side always? Does he think I’m some kind of damsel in distress?
I scoffed mentally but nodded anyway, I don’t need Renee’s defense because I’m not a damsel in distress -i’m a damsel in defense!
“Your Majesty” Edward called him and whispered something in his ear, I couldn’t hear what he was saying because he was whispering extremely quietly, but I heard something like *it’s time*.
Wymond nodded and planted another short kiss on my lips, then pushed me towards Renee who quickly held me back.
“I’ve got to go, I’ll see you later” he said looking in my eyesight, then rushed off with Edward.
I wiggled from Renee’s grip and released a tired sigh, I have a bad feeling, could it be this battle isn’t gonna be in our favor?
I stared blankly at the direction Wymond and Edward just rushed off, my heart’s having a weird feeling that is making me feel so suffocated at the moment.
“What’s wrong, Ara?” Renee asked touching my face.
“Huh?”
“Your face… you look so pale, are you okay?” she asked again.
“Oh, I get pale when I’m worried.” I answered.
She sighed and laughed at my response, then she threw an arm around my shoulder.
“Ara, relax, Wymond’s gonna be fine, that masked man isn’t a match for Wymond” she assured me.
I nodded.
“I know, but I just can’t stop worrying”
I walked towards the window and saw people going about their nightlife, as if their King isn’t having a battle tonight, they’re so relaxed -what if the masked man breaks in? How are they gonna defend themselves?
“Don’t worry about the masked man breaking in, nobody can break Wymond’s protection spell unless something happens to Wymond” she paused. “Which of course is not possible” she laughed.
I simply sighed and continued watching the people.
“I think that masked man is Oak” Renee said.
“Oak?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’m hoping it’s him” she grabbed my hand and led us towards a chair. “I want Wymond to face him once and for all”
I shook my head in disagreement as we sat down.
“He’s not Oak, the masked man must be someone we know very well, it seems like he’s got free access going out and coming into the king’s region freely” I narrowed my eyes slightly. “He doesn’t need to break Wymond’s protection spell before coming in”
“You’re suspecting the masked man is someone in the palace?”
I nodded, narrowing my eyes even more as a name crossed my mind.
Renee tilted her head and thought about it for a moment, then gasped quietly.
“Are you suspecting…. Is it Edward?” she asked extremely quiet, but I shook my head.
“No, it’s not Edward, Edward is very loyal to Wymond and he’d rather chop off his head than betray Wymond”
“Then who is the masked man?”
“Elder Marshall”
“Elder Marshall?!” she exclaimed as if she doesn’t believe what I said.
“Yes, it’s him, he is the masked man and that puts Wymond at a disadvantage”
“Why did you say that?”
I frowned.
“Elder Marshall is very familiar with Wymond’s strategies, he’s gonna use it to his advantage but….” I cut myself off and sprang up. “We must secretly follow them, we must help them”
“No”
“No?” I asked.
“No” she repeated. “Wymond has given me strict orders that I mustn’t let you out, he’s gonna have my head if I disobey him”
“Renee, Wymond’s gonna kill elder Marshall once he finds out he’s the masked man, and that’s what we are going there to prevent”
She blinked and tilted her head confusingly.
“Elder Marshall must know something about Oak’s whereabouts, we can’t just let him die and wait blindly for Oak -we should be ahead of him”
She raised a questioning brow at me.
“And what made you think Wymond doesn’t have this thought already?”
“Er….” I’m rendered speechless.
“You just wanna sneak after him and cause troubles for him, right?”
I shook my head quickly.
“What troubles can I cause when you’re by my side?” I laughed.
We stayed in silence, with her looking at me through squinted eyes, then she suddenly clapped her hands and sprang up too.
“Let’s wait until they’re far gone or Wymond’s gonna feel our presence” she said.
I gaped at her, wasn’t she just strictly denying my request? Why is she suddenly going with me? Or is she possessed?
★★★★★
Third person’s point of view.
Wymond stopped at a safe distance from the cave, his eyebrows furrowed when he saw the masked man’s troop, he wondered if they’re all here, or more are coming?
“Your Majesty, the royal armies have surrounded the whole place per your command” Edward reported to his King.
“Hm” he hummed not taking his eyes away from the masked man’s troop. “What do you think? Is he playing tricks on us?” he asked nodding at the growling creatures.
Edward’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“According to our spies, that should be all he’s got but they’re very powerful, they kill mercilessly and….”
“Your minister of state affairs is very correct, Wymond!” a voice interrupted Edward’s words.
They both snapped their head towards the direction of the voice, they saw the masked man walking towards them but he stopped at a safe distance from them.
“Don’t tell you me you brought only these men to launch an attack on my cave” he said.
Wymond squinted his eyes as he found the masked man’s voice very familiar, he sniffed the air and clenched his jaw when a scent hit his nostrils.
“Take off your mask” he ordered the masked man who simply laughed.
“Who do you think you are to give me orders, Wymond?” the masked man asked, then gasped dramatically. “Oh, you’re the King” he said in a mocking tone.
Edward growled at him for speaking to his King with such disrespect, he made an attempt to attack the masked man but Wymond pulled him back.
“Your Majesty, do you think he’s Oak?”
The masked man burst into laughter when he heard Edward’s question, he walked towards a fallen log of tree and sat down.
“Sniff the air” Wymond told Edward.
Edward quickly took a sniff and his eyes grew wide.
“Elder Marshall?”
“Bingo!” the masked man said and laughed, he removed his masked. “There’s no need hiding since we already know ourselves”
“Elder Marshall, what is the meaning of all this? Why are you plotting against your King?” Edward questioned him.
“My King?” Marshall scoffed. “He doesn’t deserve to be my King, he’s just a cursed monster who’s gonna live forever without a heir!”
“How dare you say that about His Majesty?!” Edward growled again.
He looked at Wymond, expecting him to give a go ahead to beat the masked man to pulp, but Wymond simply stood quietly with his arms tucked in his pockets.
“I know what you’re here for” Marshall said.
He dipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small box, he started waving it across their eyes.
“You’re here to get this, right?” he nodded then continued. “I can give it to you but on one condition, you can only get it if you and your troops can beat my creations”
He opened the box, there’s a small white bead inside and it’s sparkling so brightly, beautifully.
“Your Majesty, it might be a trick, I don’t think that’s the pearl bead” Edward told Wymond.
“Is it” Wymond replied quietly.
Marshall laughed as he closed the box and shoved it back in his pocket.