"-Raise and shine!" Ayana pulled the sheets that were over the sleepy girl who whined when the sunlight hit her.
"-Mal we have a lot of things to do for today. Wake up girl!
-I don't talk with betrayals." The sleepy girl murmured and covered her face with the pillow.
- We can discuss betraying later…by the way how is your injury now?
-It's better thanks to your care and regular use of Andrew's treatment. It already healed so you don't have to worry anymore.
-the doctor said you can have a full shower tomorrow with no worries." Mal stretched back on the bed felling happy.
"-breakfast is waiting let's go.
-I will come in ten."
They had breakfast with the king and Mal told him about her plan and the gifts and aids she want to send and he reassured her that he will take care of everything for her. She felt relieved that everything is going according to what she prepared smoothly.
"-a letter again…what are you planning now Kieran?"
"You think high of yourself but you are just following my orders and plan like my submissive little doll Mal. You could have killed me when you got the chance but you decided to make up offers to protect what you called friends while you drown them more with you. If you really want to prove that you deserve your name as the best huntress; meet me at the fountain in five."
"-Miss Chace…your clothes.
-thank you, you can leave."
She smiled when she saw the clothes and she knew he is up to something: a black off-shoulder black blouse with brown belt around the waist, black pants and brown boots.
"-he have something for off-shoulder items." She thought to herself and tried her best to hide her shoulder scar from eyes in the brow daylight.
"-where is he now?
-on time that's not expected from you.
-you are the one late Nox…what do you want?
-is that how you talk to your fiancée?" she rolled her eyes in annoyance waiting for him to explain this unexpected meeting.
"-BEAT HIS ASS!" Ayana shouted from far and the huntress' eyes widened then traveled between Kieran and the princess who was cheering for her.
"-I am going to beat your ass in all cases because of that letter you sent, why I am here?
- ohh little Mal got offended…but anyway; you always brag about how you are the best fighter and…
-BECAUSE I am the best fighter.
-Prove it then.
-you really love to embarrass yourself Kieran.
-we will see who is going to get embarrassed sweetheart…one round and we can decide. What do you…?
-Sword fight." Ayana yelled before Mal could answer him and she just nodded at her friend's choice.
Mal smirked and she just went where swords are hanged. She took one and threw the other to Kieran who caught it easily and flipped smoothly.
"-nice reflex but let's see if you really know how to fight." He just smirked back and before she could take her fight position he attacked.
She dodged every attack easily so did he. They were nearly the same level. They were good; extremely good that Ayana couldn't know who to cheer for. However it was for one person to win, it was for the best between them.
"-she know how to hold a sword properly but she can't hold a fork like a lady.
-yeah…did you see the scar on her shoulder. How can she walk with it exposed…I would feel ashamed to even look at myself in the mirror." The two maids were talking and laughing quietly so that the princess won't hear them but someone else did.
"-you got good moves for an amateur.
-you still think high of yourself.
- You think I am going to lose for a stupid selfish jerk; who get fooled easily.
-the stupid selfish jerk made a fool out of you when you followed his plan and submitted to his orders. You could have killed him or find another plan that assure that you are out of this stupid marriage thing, even that you know well I was planning to use since the beginning. But your heart softened for two dropping tears and your friends encouragement to get trapped with the devil." He finished and pushed each other away.
They kept turning in a circle never breaking eye contact with their swords raised upward.
"-I don't make decisions based on others preferences or because I have that big heart to help others anytime…or did you think I didn't have an escape plan under my sleeve.
-enlighten me." She attacked him and kept their swords crossed for a while:
"-You could marry any other girl to replace the princess when no one saw her since she was seven… I could have stayed at the back; guarding and doing my investigations hidden from eyes and Ayana stay safe.
_Well... Why didn't you suggest this plan when you got the chance?
_I have my reasons.... But looking for a new puppet is tiring.
-What do you mean?
-illegal human traffic… girls that would never come back sometimes, either dead or won't talk about what's happening in the castle....there were rumors about the prince but I don't trust vague info from strangers.
-you made sure now I was alive, existing precisely.
-yeah, rumors about you may be worse than the ones about me at times.
-Said the famous assassin; who has no mercy in her heart while killing.
-I made my name.
-you may be a hero for humans Mal.
-but I prefer to be called nightmare for incubus."
His rhythm started to slow down, she found it an opportunity to knock him down.
Their swords were crossed in front of their extremely near faces, eyes burning with rage and the tension hitting the max.
"-you have the worst reputation between us.
-I earned it fairly.
-You mean…" he stopped for a while to smirk widely even though she was few millimeters from spluttering his throat but he didn't let out of his cocky behavior "-as you earned this scar."
She was shocked and caught off guard, he flipped their positions, disarmed her; pinned her arms and put the sword near her neck but she didn't react all she was glaring intensely at him.
"-you are dead." He grinned at her but she pushed him harshly. She was about to get up but he pulled her next to him.
"-you did it on purpose.
-you mean the clothes…yeah. And I won so I can ask you for anything I want." He smirked while she sighed and rubbed her temples before she answered:
"-fair enough what do you want to know?
-how did you get the scar and what…
-no…no…no, one thing if you want to know more it will be a story for a story.
-if you were good at making good offers as killing at the perfect time you won't be in that miserable situation.
-who said I didn't get a chance to kill you even before we met.
-what? ...But…
-what was your question, oh…the scar. It's a long story.
-I am listening…