"So tell me Vanessa, what brings you here? Are you here to rub my fall on my face again? Not satisfied with you and your mother painting me bad in front of everyone?"
"I will never be satisfied in making sure every bit of you is wrecked." She said between gritted teeth.
"Good then. Don't worry, I will never get tired of hearing those threats from your mouth. It's like words that motivate me every day."
"That's very good it does motivate you." Vanessa looked even angrier. "I'm here to ask you an important question and not ready for your stupid talks. You must be thinking of getting ahead of me by seducing the Marquess's son. Why? Do you think he will fall for you? He will ask for your hand in marriage?"
"Seducing the Marquess's son?" Gabriella scoffed loudly. "Now tell me, who is the one saying something stupid here? What even made you think I seduced Darkon? Darkon had been my friend before he and his father left the castle. You think reuniting with an old friend, talking and dancing with him is an act of seduction?"
Vanessa suddenly smiled as if to cover up her accusation. "You act like you don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, I'm not ready for your explanation because I have something more important to know from you." Vanessa moved further inside the room making Gabriella make way for her while keeping her eyes intensely on her.
Gabriella watched as she stopped at some point in the room before she turned to look at her, her face contorted with disbelief.
Despite the anger raging in her heart, her lips managed to curve in a treacherous smile, and an amused glint formed in her eyes. "Gabriella." She suddenly said. "Your braveness amazes me these days. I can see you're too brave for yourself that I fear you will survive it."
"I don't think I'm as brave as you are. I'm still learning from you, you little thief." Came the taunting smirk on Gabriella's voice.
"No matter how much you and your mother call us thieves, insult us or do whatever you like, a thief is still better than a loser, because that's what you are. You are a sore, shameless loser."
Gabriella made a slight laugh before saying, "Why don't you hit the mean point? I don't have time to waste on your stupid word banter."
"Same here, I only came to compliment your braveness in hiding the priest. You're very smart to have considered doing that."
Gabriella twitched her brows in pretence and said, "What do you mean by me hiding the priest? I can never do that."
"Tsk, Gabriella, don't take me for a fool. You're the one who met the priest first before I did."
"If you're sure about your accusation, why don't you tell the king about it? Will you let him believe the priest has blessed you already?"
Vanessa paused and managed to keep her shoulder straight at Gabriella's words. She knew right from the time the priest would refuse to bless her no matter how much she pressured him.
Having convinced the king that the priest had met her several times and informed her she was the chosen one, she had gotten the royal seal from the king so she could gain entrance into the house of the priest.
Having the motive of killing the priest and putting the blame on Gabriella, to her disappointment, on getting to the priest's house, he was nowhere to be found. Now, she believed Gabriella had something to do with it.
Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she struggled to come up with something to defend herself. "I promise, Gabriella, the day I will fully get back at you and your sick in the head mother, I can only imagine how that smile of yours would turn into tears. Mark my words."
"Dear sister, there's no need to threaten me. My arms are already crossed. I'm ready to sit and watch. Don't worry, very soon, you will not be bothered by my presence in this castle anymore. I have gotten the royal seal to leave the castle and live in the mountain of Agris guarding the altar of Horndragon. All you have to do now is fight hard so that I won't get married. That will be the only reason for you not to see me in this castle ever again."
Hearing this, Vanessa's eyes glinted with excitement. "It's a good thing you accepted defeat."
Gabriella nodded as if truly defeated. "What else should I do if not accept defeat since your mother infiltrated the King's mind? I would be alive when the King is gone and you will be made the queen. I can only imagine the horror that will befall this kingdom. I wonder how the people will survive..."
"I won't be a stupid leader, Gabriella. I'm not as stupid as you are. Just make sure you are not planning anything hidden. I have seen people who fall into the grave dung for another person. As the saying goes; whoever digs a grave for someone, they end up falling into it."
"Oh, my dear sister, do not worry about who falls into a dung grave because I have not dug one yet. Since it's whoever digs a grave falls inside it then that's good. That is why I wait for my enemies to dig their own grave so that they will also be the ones to all into it." Gabriella mischievously chuckled making Vanessa's anger increase.
"I wouldn't be surprised if you follow the footsteps of that mistress of a mother you have. She seduced my father into marrying her so easily. That's what sluts do. Maybe yours would be worse."
Vanessa's initially angry face now turned to rage. With gritted teeth, she moved with speed towards Gabriella. "How dare you say that to me!" Ready to hit her, Gabriella cut her hands in mid-air wriggled her wrist and shouted,
"Dare touch me and I will send you where you should be!"
"Let me go, you wretched woman!" Vanessa writhed in pain, trying so hard to get her hands loose from the torture of Gabriella's strong fist.
"Does that hurt? If it does, it's not as painful as what I go through because of you. Maybe I still have to remind you of the saying; if you feel you're too good, don't be too proud of it." Gabriella added more pressure, making Vanessa flinch as the pain writhed her flesh down to her bone.
"You should have thought twice before attacking me. You know your strength can't match with mine, yet your pride won't keep you in place." Gabriella mused.
Gabriella too engrossed in her words didn't notice Vanessa's brave defence.
"Just to remind you too, I didn't cause the downfall of a tiger, it is its addiction to weakness that made the lion the king of the jungle." Vanessa smacked Gabriella's jaw and returned the irritating scoff Gabriella gave her.
Just as Gabriella tried to comprehend Vanessa's move, a fretting pain erupted in her abdomen. Vanessa had kneed her hard on her stomach, ramming her fist at her ribs.
Immediately Gabriella got the chance, she pulled on Vanessa's hair, flipped and tossed her on the floor and with her hands on her strand, she pulled herself off in a swift fast move. Now taking the lead in the fight again, the two of them now wailed and cried, tiring at each other's flesh.
It was then that someone from outside burst the door open.
"Your Highnesses, please stop!"