Eliana got pushed aside by the pretty girl with doll-like eyes, a small nose, and a tanned body who was tightly hugging Damien. Jumping off him, she pouted with her melodious voice. "There you are, Damien! I can't believe you took off without telling me."
Awkwardly laughing at her childish behavior, Damien glanced at Eliana to check if she was alright. To his surprise, she had a look he couldn't decipher. "Raya, I don't believe I have to report to you, do I? - Let me introduce you to Eliana and Georgina. They are our guests, and Eliana will start studying medicine in one week."
Scanning the girls' looks, the girl called Raya put on the most fake smile there was. "Pleased to meet you two. So, the rumors are true. You brought back souvenirs from the divine land. How wonderful." She didn't even try to hide the sarcasm in her tone.
"Careful, Raya, don't be rude to my guests." His warning was friendly yet stern. There was no question about him being serious. Raya looked disappointed with him taking their side but kept her façade. "I was only joking. Welcome. We are always happy to snatch the good people from Paxos. What are you guys up to?"
"We were on our way to the market." The following weird silence forced him to do something he didn't want to. "Why don't you join us?"
"Oh, I would love that, Damien! I missed you so much." - and so they continued their way to the market while everyone had mixed feelings about the current situation.
Georgina was boiling with anger. Eliana scolded herself about feeling jealousy for no apparent reason, and Damien's obvious dilemma purely amused Simon. He welcomed the distraction the drama would bring due to Raya's crush on Damien since childhood.
Raya ignored everyone and walked alongside Damien, always close enough so that their arms could touch, speaking nonstop about recent happenings. She wasn't aware that Damien didn't really listen. His mind was with Eliana, who was walking behind him with Georgina.
A moment ago, they had a sweet moment before Raya jumped him, and now, he felt uncomfortable. However much he had enjoyed her reaction toward Raya, which seemed to be jealousy, the last thing he wanted was for Eliana to misunderstand him again.
Arriving at their destination, they came across a bustling market in the city's center, filled with the sounds of vendors shouting and the smells of spices and exotic foods. With the change of atmosphere, Eliana let the matter of Raya and Damien go and paused to try some fragrant spices. At the same time, Georgina examined the intricate patterns on a piece of jewelry. Simon intently watched her wonderous gaze that was fixated on one particular piece. 'Maybe I could surprise her by buying that for her? – What on earth am I thinking right now? Get your s*** together, Simon.' – his inner battle remained troublesome.
Meanwhile, Raya had pulled Damien to one of the stands to bargain with a vendor over a hand-carved wooden box. Successfully buying it for half the price, they returned to the group at Damien's persistence to do so. Walking through the market, Eliana and Georgina kept chatting and laughing, enjoying the lively vibe and the chance to explore a new place. After the market, they passed by the open-air theatre, which was even more impressive up close, and went to their next stop, Damien and Simon's favorite spot: the Flower Temple. On their way there, Damien told the girls about the folklore connected to the temple.
"In a land shrouded in darkness, where supernatural creatures roamed, there was a werewolf king named Bane. Known for his strength, wisdom, and fierce loyalty to his pack, Bane ruled with a just and steady hand. One fateful night, as the moon hung full and radiant in the sky, Bane stumbled upon a hidden sanctuary where the vampire princess, Calanthe, dwelled.
When their eyes met, an inexplicable connection sparked between them. With her ethereal beauty and grace, Calanthe captured Banes' heart, and with his raw power and noble presence, he stirred something deep within her. Despite the eternal divide between their species, love blossomed, defying the boundaries that separated their kind – creating the sacred bond of fated companionship and becoming mates." Damien captured everyone's attention while stealing secret glances from Eliana.
"In secret, they met under the moonlight, sharing stolen moments of passion and tenderness. They dreamed of a world where werewolves and vampires could coexist peacefully, where their love could thrive without fear.
One day they decided to announce their union as Calanthe was with child, even though they knew they would be met with fierce opposition and hatred from their respective races. It took them hundreds of years and many sacrifices to unite the races, but they created peace for the first time. Achieving what they had dreamed of, they could finally live happily ever after.
The land they had called Agora flourished under their rule, becoming the most powerful yet. Unfortunately, their bliss was not for long, and tragedy struck when Calanthe's jealous brother, Viktor, consumed by rage and blinded by his allegiance to the vampire race, attacked her, taking her life in a devastating blow.
Wrecked and absorbed by grief, Bane's love became a fiery rage. Determined to avenge Calanthe's death, he unleashed his wrath upon the vampire race, igniting a bloody, brutal war ravaging the land. Werewolves clashed with vampires, and the once peaceful realm became a blood-filled battleground.
As the war raged on, Bane fought with unparalleled ferocity, his heart consumed by vengeance. But with each vampire he defeated, his heart grew heavier, haunted by the memory of his lost love. Despite his valiant efforts, the war could not bring Calanthe back nor heal the void left in his soul.
In the end, weary and broken, Bane stood amidst the ashes of the war he had started. He realized that the cycle of hatred and violence would never fill the void within him. In the act of penance, he renounced his claim to the werewolf throne and retreated into the shadows, seeking solace in solitude.
While roaming the deserted desert, he found a rare flower blooming between a group of rocks, against all odds. Reminding him of his dearest, named after a flower, he built the Flower Temple in honor of her.
And so, the tragic tale of the werewolf king and the vampire princess echoed through the ages, a reminder of the destructive power of hatred and the demolishing consequences of forbidden love."
Everyone stood there, not able to utter a single word. Damien's story had captivated the whole group to the extent that they had arrived at the temple a while ago but had waited for him to finish.
"Goodness, brother, I had forgotten how drag the story was." Simon tried to lighten up the mood but angered the girls instead.
"What is your problem? It is a beautiful story and has many lessons hidden in it." Georgina retorted.
"Haha, what kind of lessons did you take from it then?" Her reaction amused Simon.
"Well, first, you werewolves seem to be the reason why there is an unstable situation between the two species. Second of-" Georgina couldn't continue because Simon interrupted her.
"Wait, what? Do you honestly believe that we are the problem? You cannot be serious! If that stupid vampire brother hadn't killed his sister, there would have been peace right now!" The two stood near each other, holding their chins pridefully high. Damien didn't understand why his brother was so easily triggered by her words, especially since it was evident that she was trying to provoke him.
"Simon, calm down. This is not the place nor the right time to discuss such matters. Wouldn't you agree, Georgina?"
"Yes, Georgina, wouldn't you agree that we can talk about this some other time in a more relaxed environment?" Eliana butted in.
Simon and Georgina calmed down and stepped back to release the tension. "Come, Eliana, let us go inside and see what this mad werewolf king built." Georgina passive-aggressively said while looking at Simon with a piercing gaze.
Watching the girls leaving, Simon was about to answer when Damien came to stand before him and put one hand on his shoulder. "You know that you started it, right?" He didn't wait for Simon to respond. "So please let her have the last word and enjoy the rest of the day."
As an Alpha, Damien's words were more than a request; they were an order, so Simon could not deny his demand. He nodded slightly, breathed in deeply, and went into the temple. Damien was about to follow when Raya stopped him to say something.