Centuries ago,
At the top of the mountain was a shed with a poor construction.
By its side was a fallen tree and that was where Falkur took Zelda to rest. She sat there as her close to malfunctioning body system tried to act properly again. Falkur left her there as he walked to the opposite side of where Kamaz was standing.
There were quite a number of weapons on display.
Two bows bigger than the usual ones Zelda was used to, with over a thousand arrows. Different make of swords with various shaped hilts. Kamaz had crafted and sharpened the arrows by himself and they were the sharpest of their kind.
Zelda watched as Falkur drew a string of arrows from afar and fired at Lord Kamaz. Her heart raced as she watched the arrows get closer. But just before they could touch him, he used his sword to hit each of them off.
"Faster Falkur!" Kamaz ordered and a shot of more arrows with steel tails came from the trebuchet. Before Kamaz was done wading them off, another set was fired. Still, with the skill of one who was used to such Kamaz began to hit them off one after the other.
Zelda had been so scared of the number of arrows that were charging towards Kamaz all at once - her attention and concentration fixed on the distance and the man looking at the arrows that were still high up in the air - that when the arrows finally began to fall around Kamaz, she fell off the fallen tree which was sitting on.
She grunted in pain as she kissed the hard earth and Kamaz had been distracted by the sound of pain he heard that he turned towards her.
He was yet to hit one of the arrows when he turned to check on her and it grazed his arm - tearing the light apparel he had worn for training and causing a cut on his skin.
Zelda stood up from the floor to see Falkur running towards Kamaz with concern lacing his expression. She turned towards Lord Kamaz and was stunned to see blood dripping from the side of his arm.
She also ran towards him.
Falkur got to him before she could. "I think those were more than…" Falkur started but the sound of a cloth being ripped stopped his words. He looked directly behind him to see Lord Kamaz' new maid tearing off the hem of her garment.
"There is no need for that" He assured but Zelda didn't listen and only stopped when she had her desired length.
"What do you mean by that? He is clearly bleeding because you couldn't slow down. Just move away and let me.." Zelda said as she brushed past Falkur to attend to Lord Kamaz.
But as she looked at the arm where she was certain she had seen blood dripping from, a few seconds ago, she was bewildered to see the skin closed. The only evidence that he was cut was the blood stains around the rim of the shirt where the arrow had pierced.
Kamaz looked at his new maid who happened to be the first person in his lifetime that he couldn't predict. He wanted to know what she was thinking at that very moment.
Her hands fell by her side and she took a step back from him. She was clearly surprised and terrified by what she had just seen.
It was a clear sign of his monstrosity.
Nobody heals from a steel arrow's cut in a matter of seconds…no one! Except if the person isn't human.
She had seen the hunger in his eyes whenever the beast within him was alive and she had attributed it to being possessed by evil. She didn't know this evil also came with a lot of extra shocking features.
"The number of arrows should be tripled. And be faster! Go back to your post!" Lord Kamaz ordered Falkur, his voice chasing the kind of atmosphere that had permeated.
Falkur bowed his head before he ran back to where he was.
"I do not care if you die by the arrows coming next but don't distract me by standing in my way " Kamaz warned.
That was when Zelda realized where she was standing. Her face was still pale and she still looked a little dazed as she turned back and slowly walked back to where she was seated.
Falkur was surprised that she had not even passed out by this new finding.
****************
The ride back to the Palace in the evening was a very silent and tense one. Zelda was only holding on because she didn't want to fall but Kamaz could smell her fear and it irked him to no end.
'Solid mistake thinking she is going to be different!' He thought as he rode faster and Zelda ultimately clung to him.
When he got to his building, he dropped Zelda off while he went to his stable to keep the horse.
He was alarmed when as he got closer to the garden, he began to hear the voices of two persons - it was that of Zelda and Prince Acheron. His steps increased even though it was still as light as ever.
"I think I know you.." Prince Acheron said to an excited Zelda.
"Uhm yes…no! Not exactly but we have sort of exchanged pleasantries my Lord. Uhm, one of those days when you graced us with your presence at the market area. We..we did" Zelda stuttered. Her joy was almost palpable and it made Kamaz' normally nonchalant self quirk a brow.
'Why is he speaking to her?' He thought.
He was about to make his presence known to them in the garden when Acheron's next words had him halting.
"I know just like the others, you don't want to be here. Anytime you need help, I'm always here to set you free. I care for my people more than I like to admit" Acheron said, his voice dropping an octave.
He was standing very close to Zelda, charming her with his smile and good looks but Zelda felt a little weird.
He didn't seem like the good Prince she like many other girls have nurtured a little infatuation for.
'Why would he say that?' She wondered.
She took a step back, shaking off his presence that was almost confusing her.
"Uhm. Prince Kamaz is my master now and…and even though this isn't what I wanted for myself in the beginning, I have no plans on leaving the Prince." She answered briskly and honestly.
Something indescribable bloomed in Kamaz' chest. All everyone has ever done was to want to flee away from him. Prince Acheron had the power if he so wanted to take her away but Zelda had declined…
Prince Acheron's smile fell. No one has ever said that before but he quickly picked up his smile again as he closed the distance between them.
"You really are a sweet girl Zelda.
But will you stay by his side even after knowing that harm could come to you at any time?" Acheron pressed.
Kamaz had heard enough and he strode into the garden. His eyes could have driven a sword into Prince Acheron's belly. He was standing so close to Zelda it made Kamaz' gum itch - itch so bad that his teeth slightly grew to fangs, wanting to sink into Acheron's neck.