"You know what concerns me the most?" asked Matt
"What??" asked Annie
"It's the fact that we are not even talking secretly anymore, and yet they are completely ignoring us, and focusing on their death match" said Matt
"Haha that is true" said Annie as she laughed.
"Who knew that watching two people play chess would be so interesting" said Matt
"Well it's because it's not just two people, it's Maddie and Curtis" said Annie as she laughed.
"Maddie why don't you forfeit already?? more than half of your pieces are gone" said Curtis smugly.
"Ha, you would love that wouldn't you?" asked Maddie as she scoffed.
"Well No, I am not giving up, I can still win" she said
"As long as I still have my pieces, I will be able to beat you" she said confidently.
"It's not about the number of pieces you have on the board, but it's how you use them that matters" said Maddie
"Ooooh good one Maddie" said Matt as he commented.
"Thank you" said Maddie as she looked at Matt and smiled.
"So stop talking book, and move" said Maddie
"Mhmm" said Curtis
"Who do you want to win?" asked Matt
"I don't know, they are both equally competitive and toxic when it comes to this" said Annie as she laughed.
"And they are both equally good, so I would rather remain neutral, before things get way more serious than they are now" said Annie
She knew that she was voted for one, she would upset the other and then a whole other fight would start and all because of a chess game, she could not deal with another silly fight right now.
"Oooh you are right" said Matt
"And you, who do you support??" asked Annie as she looked at Matt.
"That's not even a question, we all know that my guy Matt supports me" said Maddie after Curtis moved his pawn instead of his knight.
"Hahaha" laughed Matt sheepishly, when Curtis turned to look at him with an expression that read "Wow you support her? alright then"
"Umm haha, I would rather remain neutral too" said Matt as he quickly rethought his situation before he became an enemy of someone in particular.
"Awww okay then, but we know who you are actually for" said Maddie as she winked at Matt, and Annie was just laughing, because it was plain hilarious, the way Matt got himself caught in the middle of those two.
"This is just too funny" said Annie, their match was going on for too long, due to the commentary and laughs of their noble audience, but none of then cared, it was not like they had anything better to do anyway.
"Maddie, instead of trying to bribe people to support you" said Curtis
"You should instead focus on moving, as it has been your turn for a while now" he said
"Oh haha, we all know that you are just jealous because you have no fans, even Annie doesn't support you" said Maddie
"Last time I checked, she also did not support you" said Curtis
"Mhmm" said Maddie as she moved her knight and she killed Curtis' pawn.
"*Tisk* *Tisk* *Tisk* Curtis I thought you were better than this" said Maddie
"Already trying to get another queen, when your old one just recently passed away" said Maddie as she grinned, this was payback for what he said about her paw last time.
"Touché Maddie, Touché, at least I waited until mine was dead, and I did not decided to give my King another wife" said Curtis
"Oh haha" said Maddie
"What's going on??" asked Matt
"Oh, Maddie played that move because it was payback for when Curtis said that she was polygamous for trying to get another queen, when her queen was still in the game" said Annie
"Umm wow, you were right they are toxic, I mean wow, did Curtis actually say that??" asked Matt as he could not believe it.
"Oh believe me, he did, I was there, I would also not believe he could say such a thing, if I didn't hear it with my two ears" said Annie as she laughed.
"Do you think that we should maybe step in and you know, end this game before it gets too out of hand??" asked Matt
"Nope, with the way they are playing, either of them would loose soon" said Annie
"Besides we should just sit back, relax and enjoy the show" said Annie as she looked very calm.
"In fact the only thing we are missing is popcorn" she said as she laughed.
"Haha you are right" said Matt as he laughed.
"Your turn" said Curtis
"Wait, when did you move??" asked Maddie as she did not see him move.
"Are you blind?? I moved right here" said Curtis as he pointed to his pawn, that he had moved one block.
"Okay sheesh, no need to be mean about it" said Maddie as she was annoyed.
Curtis was just being a sore loser for no reason, but then again, she was winning, and being beaten by Maddie Wolf, was something to be angry about, so she would let him off, this time.
"Hehe" said Maddie as she used her castle to kill the pawn that Curtis just moved.
"I am not going easy on you anymore" said Maddie
"Oh you were going easy?? I thought that you were just blind" said Curtis
"You did not just call me blind" said Maddie
"What do you think?" asked Curtis as he winked, and Maddie scoffed at him.
"Move Grandpa" said Maddie
"What?? didn't you say that you were over a thousand years old??" asked Maddie with an innocent face, when she saw Curtis glare at her.
"Admit it, we all know that you have a crush on my beautiful face" said Curtis as he smiled and winked.
"Ha, don't flatter yourself" said Maddie as she laughed.
"Okay now this is funnier" said Annie
"Curtis, you are mean, who knew you could be so cheesy??" asked Annie as she laughed.
"Well Annie, I only save that card for important situations" said Curtis as he moved his king out, he realized that he was loosing his pieces very quickly, he was only left with eight pieces now.
"Wow Curtis" said Matt as he could not believe this right now, was this the same poker faced Curtis that they knew??
"Annie your Curtis is not as innocent as you think" said Maddie as she moved her knight, and she killed Curtis's remaining bishop.
"I can see that now, but he used to be so cute" said Annie
"Hey I'm right here" said Curtis as he moved his king again.
"We know" said Annie, Maddie and Matt in a chorus.
As if Curtis was mind controlled, he played right into Maddie's benefit, and Maddie was so cocky that she let her guard down and she made a vital mistake.
"Stalemate" shouted Annie
"Awww what no way" said Maddie as she could not believe it.
"Haha it's a tie" said Matt
"I cannot believe this" said Maddie
"This is so not fair" she said as she whined, Curtis didn't even look a bit upset, he seemed to be relieved that it was a tie.
"Okay okay, anyway, it's a tie, finally" said Annie as she laughed.
"Good game" said Curtis as he smiled.
"Aww alright, good game" said Maddie, at least she did not loose.
Meanwhile in Stella's office.
"My Chancellor you called for me??" asked Mira as she bowed.
"Yes Mira, you may rise" said Stella
"Thank you My Chancellor" said Mira as she rose, she was on edge, why wouldn't she be, after the last time that she was scolded for incompetence.
"Mira are you scared??" asked Stella as she noticed Mira's uneasiness.
"No My Chancellor, why do you say that??" asked Mira as she tried to calm herself down.
"Mira sit down, and relax" said Stella
"Okay My Chancellor" said Mira as she sat down, but she was still uneasy.
"Look Mira, I am sorry if I came off as mean and unreasonable, I was just really upset at that time" explained Stella
"It's okay My Chancellor, I understand, and I take full responsibility for not being on guard at that time" said Mira as she looked down.
"Well that is all in the past now, and I know that you will be more careful" said Stella
"But that is besides the point, the reason I called you here is because I want to discuss something very important with you" said Stella
"Okay My Chancellor" said Mira.
"You are the only person I fully trust to carry this out" said Stella
Oh boy here we go again, Mira wondered if having Stella's trust was a good thing or a bad thing, because she was always given more harder and difficult tasks than anyone else, and if she happened to fail, the disappointment in Stella's tone would be endless.
"I am honoured my Chancellor" said Mira, even thought she was not.
"Good, I knew that I could trust you" said Stella as she smiled.
"Anyway, tomorrow I would need you to escort some people out of the camp" said Stella
"Okay My Chancellor" said Mira.
"Please make sure to protect them no matter what, we cannot risk them being in danger" said Stella
"Do not worry My Chancellor, I will do my best" said Mira.
"I know you will" said Stella as she smiled.