He was running breathlessly throughout the dark woods nearby the a kingdom, somewhere in another realm or perhaps somewhere in Sydney.
He just wanted to reach the royal palace and urgently want to speak to king Matteo Leste, the current Vampire Lord.
Just for once he wanted to reach safe and sound as knights were out there on a march and alarmingly alert to pass a spade across his throat.
They were searching for him like hungry packs of wolves who remains in the search for their prey. He knew if he didn't make it up to the king the mystery of lost princess would never be unfold.
The whole matter would never be disclosed if he died, or got killed, or got kidnapped, it was obvious he could be tortured to death.
Panting in sweat and running with uneven breath, gasping for air to fill in his shrinking lungs, the man was afraid of the dark even being a master of spells and a Vampire minister to the King Matteo Leste.
He was terrified of the knights and forcefully pushed his body helplessly, which had run up to it's limit and could not go beyond the endless and restless marathon of four hours.
His feet were swollen by now, neither he had food nor water to wet his dry throat, he licked the dry lips, quiver upon the mere thought of circumstances, the man had to face to step in Vampire territory again.
He wanted to rest but didn't want to be called a traitor in the pages of history of Vampire kingdom, forever. So, he kept on crawling on his weak limbs, dragged his whole tired body along the damp and dark forest.
When his vision was getting blurry with every step taken towards his previous home, from which he escaped for saving his life. He knew he was labelled as a traitor years ago but now when he had gotten the chance to clear his name from the notorious list of treachery, he rushed towards the kingdom.
Why would not he, when the former Vampire minister and master had finally gotten a clue about the long lost princess, who was abducted from the secure high walls and powerful barriers of Vampire territory at the age of sixteen.
By the morning he reached the palace gate, he wanted to go in and ordered the guards to open the gates. The naive man didn't know he had been charged with such strict false allegations of abduction of the princess that the lackeys on the palace gates were even allowed to insult him, the guards beat him and dragged with hands tied to the main hall of the palace.
~~~~~
"Morning grandpa! You slept well? How are you feeling now?"
Syna asked Mr Lorenzo when Sinclair was seated beside him avoiding her penetrating stare, in his room downstairs opposite to the office.
Syna forcefully dragged Sinclair out of his den and demanded to meet her grandpa as to compensate her for lying about spending a night with her, but the temper of the queen flared up instantly when she came across another lie as she witnessed that the view from her window was also a lie.
When they stepped out of his manor Syna realized that she was kept confined by using so many lies, the slowpoke queen came across this idea when she sneakily peeked into Sinclair's office.
Her gaze first landed on the portrait hung to the wall right above his leather swivel chair, she encountered her reflection but within the next blink her vision changed to a forest painting.
Syna clicked on the realization that maybe everything around her is an illusion, everything is a dream and soon she would wake up from this nightmare.
But about one thing she was sure that her feelings for Sinclair are true and she didn't want to lose him at any cost.
The queen quarreled with Sinclair and her every sentence bore a 'why' attached to it, she wanted to get clear on every term and it was agitating her that why only she was kept under so many illusions.
Without listening to his further explanations which might lead her to the revelation that Sinclair was the real Ghost King, she hurried towards the Bentley after hearing his 'sorry'.
"Yes, honey. Quite comfy, and it's good to be back at home. There are people to take care of me, don't you worry."
Mr Lorenzo chuckled softly as he sat on the bed, back tucked to the pillow.
"Ah! sweety, my birthday is coming. Remember?"
"Oh! great, sir. So what do you want as a gift? I want to celebrate this auspicious day with you guys and we will get a gift for you, together."
Sinclair intentionally asked him as Syna glared, maybe he wanted another chance with her to explain the things.
"Actually, Mr MacLaverty, I loved a painting from the latest collection of a famous gallery. I want that as my present."
Mr Lorenzo winked at him, although he wasn't a poor guy himself rather he could buy a pile of such famous paintings without any effort.
"Why don't you both get it for me today?"
Sure he planned to buy them both some time alone because the old man already sensed some tension in the atmosphere.
"But grandpa... I can buy it on the phone, they will deliver it home. The manager will handle it personally after hearing your name, why bother to go there."
Syna explained not willing to go, she wanted to stay miles away from that man now who lied to her.
"No, Syna we would go personally as your grandpa want us to go together to bring him that present."
Sinclair proposed the idea neglecting how Lorenzo addressed him out of huge status gap, which initiated a tingle in her body from her head to toe.
Syna glared at him, throwing spades of anger but remained quiet by sealing her mouth as her beloved was on his side.
"Okay. Let's go on the mission."
Sinclair chipped in a euphoric tone as his eyes flickered a little red, he could sense the eye color changing which manifested either his anger or his happiness.
He immediately averted his eyes not to scare them as Syna kissed her grandpa's forehead and they both left.