After the amazing dance of the flying dragons a huge applause raged inside the throne hall. Then the king stood and raised his hand, everywhere became silent.
"Today we celebrate our victory over the Xamors. The great impaler and his armies completely annihilated the rebels, not one was speared. No one threatens Axis Mundi and walks away, they'd pay with their lives!" the king's voice sounded loud and clear in the hall, and then after a while a loud cheer arose from the crowd. The king raised his hand again and silence came again.
"My bastard son has brought us great victory. So tonight we celebrate him. Will the great impaler rise so that we can toast to his great victory" the king said, and the eyes of everyone shifted to the table where Zander's men sat, just to discover that his chair was empty.
Murmurings arose from the crowd - Zander's men began to glance around clearly stricken by perplexity - their lord was just right here with them, when did he leave?
The whole hall was in a state of confusion and murmuration.
"The third battalions!" The king called out in anger. The third battalions which were Zander's men(armies) all jerked up on their feets immediately.
"Where is your lord?" the king asked - it was clearly rude and inconsiderate for a god to leave his own ceremony.
Since Ian - the second in command was absent too, Rio spoke up, "We have no information about his whereabouts, your majesty" he sincerely said. The third battalions were known for their straight forward ways especially in their speech.
"This ceremony is over" The king said before he stormed out with a train of guards and dieites following behind.
"Well this ended quick" Ivo murmured before he stood up and left, with Cassandra and his right hand man by his side.
Various gods and goddesses started to stand from their seat, while some clustered - clearly gossiping. The news about the great impaler absence in his own ceremony will spread throughout the seven realms before the day breaks.
The third battalions excused their selves immediately. And Queen Katherine smiled deviously before she stood gracefully and exited with a train of maids and guards.
Raphael drank from his goblet. "This is one of the many reasons why Zander is extraordinary. How can a god be crazy enough to leave his own ceremony, ah he is amazing" then he stood.
"I hate to leave brothers. But they are goddesses that need my presence" Raphael said.
"It would be a shame to let them down" Kal told him.
"It certainly will" he answered before he left.
"The ceremony has turned into a gossip club" Theo stated. "But where could Zander be that is more important than his ceremony?" Theo pondered.
Kal raised his eyebrows. "I wonder too, brother. I really do" he said as he drank from his goblet, smiling.
*********************
"What were you doing all by yourself outside in the middle of the night?" Zander asked the mortal girl in front of him.
"I need some woods for fire" she said but suddenly added to defend herself, "but how am I to know that they would be a bloodthirsty creature, crawling around looking for someone to eat"
Zander smiled widely - the girl's way with words was quite funny.
"If I knew I would have barred the doors, and stayed inside" Aurora said, "No one wants to eaten by a creature" she added again.
Zander nodded, "I am aware of that" he said still staring at her, he was taking his time to observe her - she was so much different from females he knew. Her face was bare with only a smooch of flour across her cheek, but yet she looked exquisite with her cream white skin color. She wasn't wearing a fancy dress, as a matter of fact she wore a plain red gown with an apron over it.
But her blonde hair was what drew Zander's attention the most - it wasn't silky and neatly packed up with pins, nay - her white blonde hair was wavy, it might look a little unkept because she had abundant hair. But the great impaler found it appealing.
"Can you stand?" he asked.
Aurora shook her head, "I can't. Not yet" seeing his questioning look she explained, "My leg, tis'... n-not right. Tis' being that way since my birth. Whenever I walk or run a long distance it gets like this..." she trailed off
"Does it hurt?" Zander asked eyeing her closely.
"Nay," she blurted falsely. She didn't find it easy lying, even to a stranger. But it wouldn't do to tell this strikingly handsome stranger how badly her legs ached.
"I'll wait it out, I will be fine after few minutes" she added.
Zander nodded with a smile, and just then did Aurora sight his dimples. 'He has dimples too? -' she thought 'Could he look more unreal. Perhaps she was dreaming, because she has never seen anyone like him in her entire life.
Zander glanced around as he said, "Well I can assure you that they wouldn't be any more creatures tonight"
Aurora nodded with a smile - she was grateful, this stranger had saved her life.
Zander reached out to her face and with his fingers he tucked in some stray hairs that seem to have shadowed her face behind her ear. Aurora felt her heart skip a beat at that single act, but then she felt disappointed when he retrieved his hand.
"You should avoid being outside by this time of the day" Zander said, he knew that it was pass midnight.
"I'll try my best not to, and -" she didn't finish when she heard her name being called out in a distance. She was certain that it was Amberly and Annika.
"Are they back already" Aurora whispered, before she said, "My friends they must be searching for me" she turned her head to see if her friends were in view.
Zander stood up, "Well I have to go then" she heard the stranger say.
"Wait. I haven't..." she trailed off when she turned around to see that he wasn't there anymore. She whipped her head around, her eyes searched around but he was no where in sight - impossible.
But he was right in front of her. Did he disappear into thin air? Aurora was dumbstruck.
When her friends finally reached where she was, "There you are Aurora. We were looking everywhere for you. You were not in the cottage" Annika said coming to crouch in front of her. When Aurora didn't respond, Annika shook her. "Aurora are you listening you gave us a scare"
"Aye. And why do you look so soiled. Did you fall?" Amberly asked, standing with her hands on her hips. Aurora still didn't respond and Annika shook her the more.
"Aurora are you alright? Did something happen?"
Then she looked at Annika and said, "Well considering the fact that I almost died, I don't..." her friends cut her off immediately.
"What?!" Annika asked perplexed.
"What do you mean by that, Aurora. What happened?" Amberly asked eagerly.
Aurora exhaled, "Let's head inside first and I'll tell you everything" she said, then their assisted her to stand, before they started making their way to the cottage.
Zander watched as they made their way to a cottage few paces away from them.
"Ian" he called to his right hand, his eyes still fixed on them.
"Yes, my lord" he answered.
"I want you to find out everything about that girl" he said before his eyes finally left Aurora and her friends.
"Her name is Aurora, start from there" the great impaler said.
"Of course, my lord" Ian replied, before they stepped into the open portal, and it vanished.
Author's Note.
Hello dear readers, I hope you are enjoying the novel so far, please don't forget to vote and comment on Along with the gods. They would be regular updates so don't forget to check in. Thank you.