Destiny Scorns

CHAPTER TWO

 

  For the next two months Diane managed to avoid Victor. She sent him on missions, kept him busy with all sorts of assignments but Victor was not dumb he knew what she was doing and eventually he made his way to her private chambers. Though the guard had been told no visitors she went in anyway and announced him. He was let in.

  `What do you think you are doing?' he asked as he was walking in. He didn't care about the others in the room and they didn't know if they were supposed to leave or not.

  `Victor,' she called but didn't go to him this time. She just stared at him through the mirror. `I had a feeling you would know but I guess I was wrong.' Victor didn't answer. He just stared hard at her. She decided to change the subject, `I want a competition to be arranged.'

  `What kind of competition?'

  `Fighting of course!'

  `For what?'

  `For everyone who wishes to compete in.'

  `What's the grand prize?'

  `I don't know,' she paused as she looked down on the desk she was sitting on. `The winner will get to face Alice in a fight!'

  `You are losing your mind you know that,' he said softly.

  `I think my mind is clearer today than any other day,' she said not looking at him though there were tears in her eyes. He moved towards her but she raised her hand to him. `Not yet.' she was quiet for a long time then she said, `You have confidence in your student?'

  `It is too soon for her to face anyone in a competition.'

  `But this thing is happening, as soon as a week from now and if she wants to have me acknowledge her then she has to try. It will be some time before Alice is allowed to make appointments on her own; as long as five years at times.'

  `Okay, I will make the announcement and any person who is willing and capable will be required to sign up within three days. The competition will commence in a week.'

  `No cheating. I want a clean competition. Everyone who wins at the various stages of the competitions will be assigned to be the personal guards to any of the royals or if there is no other place then they will be given official duties and a medal of honor. You have all that?'

  `Yes, your majesty.'

  `Then start making the preparations.' Victor started walking to the door when Diane called him back. `I forgot. One more thing, no killing.' And Victor walked out without any other word.

  *

  The news traveled fast before Victor got organized to make the official announcement and within two hours the news had come to Gorham's castle where it got to Wendy. `You are Victor's student aren't you?' someone asked her.

  `Yes,' she answered.

  `I hear that you are certainly going to be in the competition.' `Where did you hear that?' she asked curiously.

  `Word travels around. Are you prepared?' she was asked.

  `Prepared for what?'

  `You are going to face some people who have been training all their lives. You have to be prepared. They will slaughter you.'

  And Wendy was left wondering if it was true. She waited and every single minute that passed made her more worried. Victor didn't show up for the lesson. She figured he must be busy with the competition plans. She became so nervous that every time someone called her name she found herself startled.

  Gorham noticed and called her back after she had dropped some books that he wanted. She was again startled, `Yes sir,' she went to him.

  `What's going on?' he asked. He knew that Wendy probably found it strange that he was always concerned but she never commented on it.

  `I heard that there is a competition in the Queen's arena and I am going to be in it.' `What competition?'

  `The announcement hasn't been made officially but what everyone is telling me is that I am definitely going to perform.'

  `I haven't heard anything like that. Jared?' he called. His personal guard came into the study, `You've heard something about this competition?' he asked.

  `Yes sir,' he answered.

  `What did you hear?' Gorham asked impatiently.

  `Anyone can register to compete. It is going to start within a week and the winner gets to fight Alice but there are other prizes before that.'

  `What did you hear about Wendy here?'

  Jared looked worriedly at Wendy and finally said, `It is said that the Queen requested that she be entered in the competition.' Wendy collapsed on the chair nearest to her and took a few deep breathes.

  `Who's organizing this competition?'

  `Victor Raymond, sir. He's expected to make the announcement today evening.' `Thank you Jared.' the guard left.

  `Can I be relieved from my duties in the library until after the competition, sir?' `You are going to compete?' Gorham asked incredulously.

  `Yes, if they both think that I am ready, then I must be ready.'

  `She's probably organizing this competition as a ruse to get you killed.'

  `Then I'd better not get killed. Can I take like two weeks, please sir?'

  `Of course.' He watched as Wendy went away. He wondered where she may be going but he would get a report of that later. He was being updated that the training with Victor. So far he was just driving her hard but she seemed to be keeping up with him. She was running every day in the morning then she would come to work and whichever time Victor saw fit he would come to get her from the library. She seemed to be getting better in her fighting every time according to the spy and now she was going to be in a competition that he knew she was in no way ready for. To Gorham he thought that Diane's obsession with Victor was probably the cause of this strange competition.

  Wendy went home directly after coming from Gorham's study. She took the horse and rode home then took the weapons she had been given and mounted and headed to the general direction that Victor normally went to. She didn't know what she was doing but she found herself in Victor's compound. She just knew that that was his house. She didn't see anything special about the outside but she could bet anything that that was it. She dismounted and walked around the house.

  She found a stable behind the house and put the horse in it. Now behind the house was different than the other houses. He had poles which seemed to be used for target practice. There was a clear round patch on the grass but she didn't know what it was used for. She took the bow and arrows and tried to hit the pole nearest the house. She was good with the arrows and always seemed to hit the targets. Eventually she got tired of that and went to see to it that the horse had enough to eat then she went and sat in front of the house. Darkness fell and she found herself woken up by the sound of hooves. She sat up and watched Victor approach then dismounted the horse.

  `I should have guessed you were here,' he said as he led the horse to the stable. Wendy stayed where she was until the door opened behind her. `Come in,' he said as he left the door open for her. She went into the house wondering how he had put on the lanterns so fast. She closed the door behind her and watched as he lit the wood in the fireplace. `Sit down,' he said then disappeared again.

  She sat down and watched the fire for a while. She failed to notice Victor coming back. He put a plate in front of her with a spoon. `You haven't eaten, have you?'

  `No,' she said as she looked at the plate. `What is this?' she asked as she looked at it. She had never seen anything like it before.

  `It's a simple dish from where I am from,' he took a spoonful of the noodles and watched her. She took a half a spoonful as she tasted it and seemed to like it.

  Finally after eating half the plate she turned to him, `Why is it a must for me to participate in this competition.'

  `She thinks you are ready,' he said simply. He was standing by the fireplace with his plate almost cleared.

  `Why would she think that?' she asked as she looked at her plate.

  `Because you haven't quit yet.'

  `So it's a way to get rid of me.'

  Victor laughed for the first t
ime with her around, `She doesn't want to get rid of you. She just thinks that you are ready and you will survive through most of it,' he paused but Wendy didn't say anything else, `She doesn't expect you to win.'

  `Well, everybody else seems to think that she wants me dead and I am inclined to agree with them.' She looked at him. `Are you having an affair with her?'

  `What answer do you expect?'

  `Yes. Nothing else can explain her fascination with you.'

  `No, I'm not having an affair with her.'

  `Have you ever kissed her?'

  `No.' he saw the relief on Wendy's face before he said, `However she has kissed me.' he went to put his plate down ignoring the questioning look on Wendy's face but he had her wait before he explained, `She thought I was someone else. It was a misunderstanding.' `She has never kissed you again?' Wendy asked.

  `No.' he looked at her, `You want something to drink?'

  `Yes, water please.' He took the plates to the kitchen and came back with two cups handed one to Wendy. She took it as she looked at him. `Why are you being so nice to me?'

  He was thoughtful for a minute as if wondering what the appropriate answer to that question was. `You are in my house. So what brought you here?'

  `Yes, I asked for permission so that I can train this week and be ready for the competition next week. Do you have anything I could use in the competition?'

  `Do you even know the rules?'

  `No, I was here during the announcement.'

  `First rule, no cheating.' Wendy frowned. `I cannot tell you anything that will make you be at an advantage against the others.'

  `But these are your rules. Can't you bend them?' Wendy asked. Victor shook his head. She started tapping her feet to the ground.

  `You don't know how to relax, do you?'

  `Not when I'm nervous, no.'

  `Okay sit down on the floor and fold your legs.' He sat opposite her. `You have to relax. You know all that you need to know and if you start worrying then you will forget them all. All that you are required to do is keep from being seriously hurt and try your best to proceed in the competition.

  Close your eyes now.' She did that. `Stop thinking. You can listen to my voice but don't think anything about it. Don't answer any questions in your mind; don't think of putting what you feel in words. All I want you to do is follow my words. If they go down you go down. If they go up you rise up with them. Leave your mind blank.' Then he was quiet for a long time. Wendy started to worry

  that he was not going to say anything. `Stop thinking Wendy, you are interrupting me.' She started to think. Well, say something...

  `Stop,' he said a bit harshly.

  Wendy let herself go. It took sometime but she managed to put everything else aside. Finally Victor started saying, `It is in your blood to be a warrior and not just a royal guard. You know everything that you need to know. Your weapons are your trusted allies and your horse your best friend. The environment is your protector.' He repeated the same thing over and over again as his voice faded. Then almost as if a slight breeze passed her she barely heard it. `You know where to go.'

  She felt as if she were floating in the night she was covered with darkness all around her but she was calm. Then everything was changing all as slowly as the darkness transformed to light and everything around her was being molded into something. It settled into a field with long grass but the grass was drying up. There was a slight breeze and the sun was gentle on her skin then Victor showed up from nowhere.

  `Where are we?' she asked starting to be worried.

  `Relax,' he said in a soft voice as he looked at the horizon. It was like a storm brewing. She took deep breaths and saw that the storm was dissipating. `Very good,' he said smiling. `Come on, we will walk.'

  He took her arm into his and started to walk. `Where are we going?' she asked.

  `Really Wendy, you can't go five minutes before saying something, can you?' he asked but

  Wendy knowing that he didn't need an answer just kept quiet. `We are going to see your friends.'

  She wanted to say something but she opted to keep quiet. They walked for almost an hour or maybe more but she couldn't tell because the sun wasn't moving. Victor seemed to be at ease and she envied him. Then he suddenly stopped. `You have to go on your own,' he said as he removed her arm from around his, `They have been waiting for you.'

  `Where will you be?' she asked as calmly as she could.

  `I'll be on this side. You can see me from there,' he said as he pointed and when she looked to that direction she saw a group of girls. She looked back at Victor and saw the reassuring look in his eyes. She started to walk toward the group without another word to him. As she approached the group one of them looked up first then the others looked up at her.

  She continued to walk towards them and could finally see their faces. She was looking at five replicas of herself except their hairs were pure white. One of them came and met her. They examined each other. Wendy stood still as the other one walked around her and then she touched her hair and came and stood in front of her. `How come your hair has white strips?' Wendy heard her voice ask.

  `It's been like that ever since I could remember.' Wendy answered. She saw a smile slowly develop from the one standing in front of her.

  She turned to the others and called out, `She's back girls, come say hallo.' she turned to her and said, `I'm Esther of earth.'

  The others came around her and started introducing themselves one by one. `I'm Felicity of

  fire.'

  `I'm Winfred of water.'

  `I'm Lucy of light.'

  `And I'm Daisy of darkness.'

  Then Esther asked, `You are?'

  `Wendy,' she answered surprised at the similar voices and faces.

  `Just Wendy?' one of them asked unbelievably.

  `No, Wendy Summer.'

  `Of what?'

  `Girls,' Esther interrupted, `She just got here. Can we at least welcome her first before heaping the questions at her?' They started to walk back to where they had been standing. `The rest have a strange thing about accepting someone new. They want to know everything on the first meeting.'

  `Who are you?' Wendy asked.

  `I thought I had answered you. I'm Esther,' she said then turned to the others, `Clear the path,' she ordered and the others stepped out of the way. Wendy watched curiously. Esther moved close to the others and seemed to be concentrating then she felt a tremor on the ground and watched as the ground slowly rose up and the soil on it cleared away. A smooth stone emerged and then it stopped when it was table height. Then smaller ones emerged. When it was done the others sat down.

  Esther pulled her to one of the seats.

  `How did you do that?' Wendy asked.

  `How did I?' she asked humorously. The others round the table laughed. `We can all control an element.' she saw the confused look on her face. `The hair,' she pointed at the other. `Shows that we are in complete control of our powers.' `Powers?' Wendy asked shocked.

  `Yes powers,' Esther narrowed her eyes. `You must have powers. You are one of us.'

  `No I'm not. I just got here. I don't even know where here is?' she was panicking now. The storm cloud showed up at the horizon again and was making its way to them. Esther took Wendy's hand and a strange calmness took over her but she felt the light tremor on the ground. `Wendy, there is no need to be scared.' She looked into her eyes. `We are friends.' `Where am I?' she asked.

  `We are in our mind.'

  `Our mind?'

  `Yes, our mind. We are you and you are every single one of us.'

  `No,' she said standing up and taking her hand away from the formers. `I am Wendy.'

  `And I'm Esther, she's Felicity, Lucy, Winfred and Daisy.' The storm got to them. There was thunder and the wind was blowing all around them. Esther was trying to say something to her. They started holding hands but Wendy was afraid. The wind
came and took her and she felt she was rising up higher and higher much faster and so much violently. She screamed.

  She suddenly sat up and found herself on a strange bed. She looked around the room and noticed the clothes that were hanging in a closet. Victor's clothes. She jumped out of the bed and ran outside. The sun was shining it was morning. She went to the stable and took her horse. She saddled it and mounted then she rode to her house. She found the house empty. In her room she examined herself and couldn't see any difference. It took her another hour to decide to go and ask Victor what happened.

  When she got the castle she was informed that Victor was out at the arena where people were registering. She found a long line but didn't join it. Instead she walked right through and went to the desk where Victor was seated. He looked up and saw her but didn't say anything. The others in the line were starting to complain but she ignored them.

  `I need to talk to you.' `Then talk.'

  `In private.' She commanded. Victor stood up and signaled to someone to take his place. She followed him aside and for some unknown reason to her, she was handed a bow and arrow. She thought that it was just for appearance.

  `Hit the target.' She did so then turned to him. `What did you want to speak to me about?' he asked as he handed her another arrow.

  `How did I end up in your bed?' she aimed the arrow and shot then turned to him again.

  `Straight to the point, are we?' She frowned but he handed her another arrow. `I carried you there.'

  `And where did you sleep?' she asked as she shot another arrow.

  `On the chair.' Another arrow.

  `What did you do to me?' Another shot.

  `Nothing.' Another arrow.

  `Are you sure?' she asked raising her eyebrow questioningly. Another shot.

  `Yes, I'm sure. What do you think happened?' He handed over another arrow.

  `Nothing.' she tried to avoid him. Another shot on the target.

  He handed her another arrow. `I was expecting you to sleep for another day or two,' he said.

  She lowered her arm and turned to look at him. `What's that supposed to mean?'

  Victor pointed to the target. Wendy took another shot. `I thought you met your spirits?'

  `Yes I met them if that was who they were.' She took another arrow. She shot. `You were there, you saw them.'

  `No, I wasn't.' He handed another arrow.

  `Yes, you were,' she insisted. She took the arrow as she studied him then she shot.

  `If I was there then I was a figment of your imagination. I cannot be in your mind.' He handed her another arrow.

  `So what you are saying is that you were there because I wanted you to be there.'

  `Yes. Now shoot.' She shot the tenth arrow without a miss. `How many were they by the way?'

  She turned to him. She shrugged, `Five.' She noticed that Victor barely managed to stop his mouth from dropping. `Is that bad? Am I going crazy?'

  `No, you are not. But do me a favor and try doing that again.'

  `But I need you,' she suddenly uttered and her mouth stayed open with the shock of saying that to him. She looked away shyly. Victor took his time before he tilted her face to his.

  `After I'm done here,' he said. She was going to say something but he added. `In the evening.' He walked back to the desk. Somebody came to her, `Congratulation. You are officially in the competition.' She started to walk away but Wendy pulled her back.

  `What do you mean by officially in?' Wendy asked.

  `You shot ten arrows to the target without a single miss,' she said then walked away. Wendy looked at Victor but he was busy. He hadn't even told her what was happening? What if I'd have missed? Would I have been disqualified? She wondered. But Victor knew that if she didn't worry about that then she would not miss. She went to another training field and watched as Alice was practicing. She was good. After a long time she went home and tried not to worry about that yet.

  *

  Gorham had been doing his research on wizards in order to understand Victor better. The information of wizards was very little in his library. He knew that the bundle would be in Diane's library but he doubted whether she would agree to let him see through them but for now he had a reason to go to her castle. He had to see that the competition that Diane wanted did not go against any rules. He also wanted to know why Diane insisted on having Wendy in the competition.

  He called up Jared to have someone send news to Diane that he wanted to see her. When the messenger came back and announced that she would see him at any time. He took his coat and his carriage was called up. Jared took his horse and was riding alongside the carriage while the other guards were either in front or behind. The streets were cleared as the carriage went along.

  Finally he was at the castle and Diane was waiting. She seemed like she didn't have anything better to do and that receiving him was the only thing in her agenda. The door opened and she was coming down the stairs. `Welcome,' she said as she put out her hand and he took her hand to his lips and kissed it slightly.

  `What did I do to be received by the queen herself?' he asked as he put the hand back down.

  `I'm just bored out of my mind,' she said smiling. She put her hand around his and dragged him into the castle. `What brings you here, Gorham?'

  `The competition...'

  `Yes the rules and the rights I have to hold such a competition?'

  `Precisely.'

  `Well, let me tell you the main things about it. The finer details will be handled by Victor.'

  `Speaking of Victor, did you know that Wendy spent the night at his house?' he studied Diane but she appeared surprised.

  `Did she?' her eyes were wide looking at him with interest.

  `Yes she did.'

  `Did anything happen?'

  `No, not that I'm aware of. You really didn't know?'

  `No,' she shook her head slowly as if in thought. Then she laughed suddenly, `Really Gorham, you and Nathan underestimate me.'

  `How is that?' Gorham was confused.

  `I am the one who assigns the guards to you. I hand pick them myself and that should tell you that they are the loyal ones that I pick. Then you use the same guards to spy on me or on someone else in my department like Victor. Obviously I will know about it.' She noticed Gorham looked at Jared who was with them. Jared never looked at them. He was continuing in the same walk as if he didn't hear a thing. Diane continued, `Of course I have your safety first and so I put at least one or two people who will be loyal to you and only you.' `Jared?' he asked questioningly.

  `He's all yours,' Diane answered then paused, `Of course if you part with him, I will be forced to reassign someone else to you.'

  They got to her very small office but it was functional. They were left alone. `Is that a threat Diane?' he asked.

  `Certainly not!' She sat down on the other side of the desk. `All I am saying is that, the loyal guards I put to each of you are supposed to put your safety first and should they be sent on spying missions that will not be of any advantage to you, protection-wise, then they are not doing their job.'

  Gorham realized that this was the Diane that he had known before the arrival of Victor though she seemed older. Her eyes still had the youthful shine on them but her skin seemed to be creasing with age as her hair was thinning but one couldn't tell unless they watched her very closely like he always did.

  `Please don't look at me like that,' he heard Diane say.

  `Like what?' he couldn't take his eyes off her even then.

  `Like you know that I am getting older.' Gorham didn't say anything. `Does age matter?' she asked herself. `Because I know I am getting older and I don't look as beautiful as I once was. And I know beauty is the first aspect of attraction.'

  `Diane, I didn't come here to talk about that.'

  `Well, I want to talk about it.' And just like that the old Diane was gone.


  `You may be older but you are still the same Diane who some people love, a few hate and everyone is afraid of,' Gorham tried to console her.

  `Flattering. What brought you here?' she asked looking at him like it was the first time she had seen him.

  `The competition?'

  `Yes, well...' she paused for a while before she said. `The basic rules: no cheating and no killing. Is that alright with you?'

  `Yes, those are the ground work to good competitiveness. But I don't see how no cheating will be taken if the person arranging the competition and setting up the fights is training one of the competitors.'

  `You are talking about Victor and Wendy?' No reply from Gorham. `I have explained explicitly to Victor that there will be no cheating. If you have seen him fixing the matches or telling

  Wendy the strengths and weaknesses of her opponents then tell he and she will be disqualified.'

  `Because of Victor trying not to get her killed?'

  `No killing, remember? Anyway the student's morals are only as good as the teacher's. Should Victor cheat then he will be out of the royal guard and Wendy will never be able to be a guard.'

  `That is setting the stakes too high.'

  `No, that is being fair. A fair competition is what you want, don't you?' `Yes.'

  `Then that is what you will get.'

  Gorham adjusted himself on the seat. `Diane, being fair should not be done only because I am here. It should be your own desire to have it in whatever you do.' Diane didn't even blink. `If you don't enforce that in what you do then what are you teaching Alice?'

  `I don't teach fair. In the battlefield there is no fair. That will be your job to teach her morals. You are the most moral person around. Nathan is far from it and don't even think that I am close because if you knew everything that I have done...' And the old Diane was back. `You would think twice about the fact that you are in love with me.' `Diane...' he tried to cut in.

  `Don't try to tell me that I am wrong. I know it, everybody knows it and I know you know it.

  It is for the same reason that you keep your eyes closed to the bad that I have done. It is for the same reason that you fail to see what is right in front of your eyes but you will not admit it. You will not do what needs to be done.'

  `I wanted to have a look at your books on wizards.'

  She chuckled unbelievably, `Why don't you just ask me what Victor is doing here? You have to try to have theories about that when you could just ask and I will tell you the truth. You are afraid of the truth that is why you wouldn't dare ask.'

  `I asked and you told me.'

  `No you didn't. If I can remember correctly you said and quote; did you? There was no question what I did and did not, no references to names, no nothing. You are afraid of the answer I might give you if you asked the right question.' She stared at him, challenging him.

  `You want me to ask the questions?' he asked after sometime. Diane didn't answer. `You will just lie to me when you see fit.'

  `I have never lied to you!' Their eyes were locked on one another's.

  `Then answer me, why is Victor Raymond here?' he asked.

  Diane leaned back on her chair, quite relaxed. She answered, `He is here for two reasons more or less related.'

  `Do I need to ask again because you haven't answered the question?'

  `No, I haven't answered the question.' she took a deep breath before saying, `I am dying,

  Gorham.'

  `That's why you are training Alice to take over. I know that.'

  `No, you don't understand. I'm not talking figuratively. I do not mean that my line is dying, I do not mean that I have to step down,' she paused and saw the questioning look on Gorham's face. But she kept him waiting for a while then eventually said, `I am dying physically and I will join the spirits soon.'

  Gorham was lost for words. He stared at Diane who seemed to have accepted her fate. Now that he looked at her he could see it. There wasn't an old Diane and a new Diane. There was just one who was still ruling and the other putting her affairs in order. He wanted to ask but he didn't know how. Instead he said, `you lied that Victor was just satisfying your craving for power.'

  `No, it was true. After receiving the rejuvenating breathe for a long time you finally start craving for it more and more each time you receive it.'

  `For how long have you been receiving it?' Gorham asked curiously.

  `Almost two decades.'

  `Two...' his jaw dropped. Diane didn't say anything. Again after a long pause he said, `Victor has only been here for five years at most.' Again Diane didn't reply. It was common knowledge that Victor had showed up approximately five years ago. `How did you get it before he got here?' he asked.

  `Brief encounters with another.'

  `You know of the existence of two of our foremost enemies and you keep it to yourself?'

  `I wouldn't have if my life hadn't depended on it,' she said simply then got up. `Can we go for a walk?' Gorham stood up and they went out. She waved the guards away and they went out of the castle. They were walking with no one around them arm in arm. Privacy in the open, she thought.

  She turned to him, `You have something else that you want to ask?'

  `Yes, you said Victor was here for two reasons,' pause, `what’s the second reason?'

  `I will answer that later. Any other thing?' she asked. They were heading to the training sectors.

  Gorham thought for a while. `Why now? Why are you telling me all this now?'

  `Because I am dying.' She laughed at that then continued, `I am a dying woman who is arranging her affairs in order. It is only reasonable that I talk to the person who will ensure that my wishes are granted.'

  `Wishes like what?' Gorham asked.

  `Like I get a last kiss from someone who loves me.' She didn't look at him.

  `Eric...'

  `Eric doesn't love me. He married me for my throne and a legacy. He wanted to be remembered that's all.'

  `Victor...'

  `Victor has no interest in me whatsoever.' `Then who?' Gorham asked unwittingly.

  Diane stopped and turned to him. He also stopped and looked at her. `You know, sometimes I can't tell whether you play dumb or you really don't get it.' It didn't seem like he was following. `I want you to kiss me.'

  Gorham stared at her. Was she serious? His thoughts were whirling in his mind. She looked serious to him and seemed to be expecting a kiss or an answer. He looked at her face. He loved looking at it. He looked at her lips and wondered how it would be like to kiss her again after all these years. His thoughts left the kiss and he knew why he was pushing for her to step down. When she would have done so then she would have divorced Eric without much controversy. He would have also agreed to do that without much fuss. Finally, he always thought that then Diane would be free to marry him.

  Now she was telling him that she was dying and the waiting that he had done was in vain. He saw the disappointment on her face when she thought he wasn't going to kiss her. He threw all caution to the wind and leaned down to kiss her. She tilted her head upwards to him to receive him. His lips brushed hers. He felt a glow in him as Diane shuddered. She raised her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss.

  His hands were around her waist and he was pulling her to him. Gorham had thought that when he had the chance to kiss her he would do it with all the fury in him but this kiss was more like the first lovers had. It was soft, passionate and intimate and when finally their lips parted, their heads stayed together with the eyes closed. He opened his eyes first and his hand caressed her face. At last she opened her eyes.

  Oh God, what had he done to her? He wondered. She still loved him as much as he loved her.

  He kissed her forehead and saw her smile. `What?'

  She laughed out loud at the question and put her hand around him as they started to walk. `It's just that I thought that you were the best kisser.'
>
  `And now?'

  `Now,' she paused and looked at him, `Now, I think that you are the best kisser I'll ever kiss in my lifetime.' Gorham didn't say anything about that. They walked in silence with Gorham's arm around her. He was in deep thought and didn't notice people staring. Finally Diane stopped. In front of them Alice was training in a ring at the center.

  `She's beautiful, isn't she?' she asked as she put both her hands on the fencing.

  Gorham removed his hand from around her as they were now within people. `Who?' he asked as he followed her eyes. `Alice?' he asked.

  `No, not Alice. Wendy.' Gorham looked for Wendy and saw her directly across from them. He turned to look at Diane instead. `She is something.' she said again but he didn't know what to say about that so he kept quiet. `Why are you so protective of her?' she turned to him.

  `Am I?' he asked.

  `Yes you are. You are very concerned about her that if I didn't know you any better...' Gorham smiled. It was Diane's turn to be doubtful. `She's young enough to be my daughter.' `Of course she is.' she said then turned to watch Wendy who was in turn watching Alice. `Open your eyes and look at her.' she told Gorham and he looked at Wendy. He noticed she was standing exactly the same way Diane was standing. Her eyes were firmly on one thing as Diane's eyes were on her. Then he started to recognize the small things and finally he knew.

  `She is your daughter?' he questioned not taking his eyes from the latter. Then he turned and looked at her. `That is the second reason that Victor is here. He is training her because you cannot.'

  `Yes.'

  Gorham was quiet. When Diane had told him that she had done some things that he would not approve of her hadn't imagined it was as big as this. `She is not Eric's daughter.'

  `No.'

  `She is only two years older than Martin.'

  `Yes.'

  `You had her when you were abducted?'

  `After, yes.'

  `Do you know the father?' he asked her worriedly.

  `Yes,' she turned away from Wendy and looked directly at Gorham, `She is a very special girl.' She walked away leaving him there. He turned in time to see Wendy walk away also. Wendy was Diane's daughter and she didn't even know it. Diane had done a good job keeping this a secret. In fact, he realized, Diane was very good at keeping any secret when she wanted to. He didn't go back to see her though every fiber in him wanted to.

  *

  Wendy went to Victor's house but he wasn't there yet so she waited. This time she had come after eating so that she would not intrude on Victor's food. Eventually he came by and the same process as before. He took the horse to the stable then opened the door from inside and let Wendy in. Wendy watched him eat then at long last he was done. `Are you ready?' `Yes,' she answered.

  `Please,' he signaled the floor then they sat on the floor and closed their eyes. It was the same process as before and when she was in a trance, Victor carried her and put her in bed. He stared at her for a long time then he left. In his own short trance he had sensed something dangerous about to happen at the castle. He went out again and took his horse and headed to the castle.

  *

  Most people had seen Gorham and Diane kiss. It was the talk of the castle and certainly it was the talk on every other person's lips. They all knew that Gorham was attracted to her but for Diane to have allowed him to kiss her like that then it was the talk of the day. This meant that eventually Eric found out.

  He headed to Diane's private quarters and being the husband he didn't need permission to go in and the guards let him go through. As usual, they could not hear what was being said inside and so they were not prepared for what was about to happen.

  Eric stormed into the bedroom and the commotion woke Diane up from her sleep. She got out of bed. `What are you doing here?' she demanded.

  `What do you mean by that?' he retorted.

  `I don't want you here. Leave,' she ordered.

  `I am not going anywhere! I'm your husband and I'm here to be with my wife.' `That will not happen,' she sneered.

  `But you sleep with every other man that comes in front of your eyes. I'm in the line and I think I've been waiting a long time and I can't take any more of this.'

  `What are you talking about?' she asked quite ignorantly walking around the room.

  Eric walked towards her though it seemed she did not notice. `I was okay with you privately having an affair with that bodyguard of yours but I can't take it when you do so publicly with

  Gorham nonetheless.'

  Diane barely looked at him as she said, `What will you do?'

  `I can only allow you so much but my pride is at stake.' he came until he was standing right in front of her.

  `Pride is all that there is to you...' She started but didn't finish the statement. He hit her hard. She tried to hit him back but the blow had disoriented her and before she knew it he had pinned her down and was strangling her with his massive hands and whatever Diane tried to do to get out of it she could not manage.

  Victor arrived at the castle and didn't bother putting the horse at the stables. He ran into the castle and went directly to the upper rooms. He pushed past the guard outside the door who was not prepared for a confrontation. He got into the room with the guard in tow trying to restrain him. It took her a second longer than Victor to locate Diane and Eric on the floor. Diane was not fighting anymore. Victor went and dragged Eric off her. Eric attacked Victor in a murderous rage. The guard at the door called for re-enforcements who managed to hold Eric down though they could not shut him up. He was shouting now, `That whore. She's a bitch, an ungrateful bitch...' and it went on and on.

  Victor, having been relieved from fighting went to check on Diane. The guard at the door had been kneeling over her. She turned to Victor who had come to join her. `She's not breathing.'

  She backed away a little bit. Victor was opening her eyelids and felt her pulse. It was very low. He breathed on her face but it wasn't helping. He realized that she hadn't breathed it in. he turned to the guard, `I want you to restrain her.'

  `Why?'

  `Just do it.' The guard came to pin Diane down then Victor bent to Diane's face. The guard watched as he clipped her nose then opened her mouth and breathed into it. He pulled away as he looked at her face and removed his fingers from her nose. Then he did it again and he was murmuring, `Come on, Diane, come on.' Diane took a deep breath as she pulled herself trying to sit up but the guard had restrained her. She looked at her in panic and then relaxed. The guard was telling her that it was fine. Victor collapsed back in relief then turned to the guards behind him who were restraining Eric. `Take him to the dungeon,' he ordered.

  `Are you arresting me?' Eric asked incredulously as if Victor was out of his mind to do that.

  `Yes.'

  `On what charges?' Eric demanded. `The attempt on the Queen's life.' `We were just...' he started.

  But Victor interrupted, `Take him away!' Eric was dragged away.

  The guard turned to Victor as she smiled, `You have to teach me how to do that?'

  `Maybe another time.' He was staring at Diane who was still calm on the floor. `Send someone out there to come and clean up this mess.'

  `Yes, sir,' she answered with new respect to him. She left. Victor carried Diane and put her on the bed. Then he breathed on her face the sacred breathe whether she wanted it or not. She breathed in and the silence between them continued.

  Then as if knowing her thoughts he said, `I'll send someone over to Gorham's castle.' `Yes, please do.'

  `And we will need an official report from you on the attempted assassination...'

  `I know the drill.' She raised her eyebrow. `I will give you what you need.'

  `You could have...' he started then thought better of it. Instead he continued, `I will send out word for him.' And then he left her in peace but the security had been upgraded. One guard would
stay in the room with her.

  Gorham was not asleep. He could hear the commotion outside then a knock on his door. He waited a few seconds then heard the second knock. `Yes,' he called.

  Jared walked in. He had to wonder if Jared ever slept. They probably thought the same for him. He walked until the foot-board of the bed and said. `Sir, your presence is required at Diane's castle.'

  `Why?' he was still lying down but his voice was clear. Jared knew he had not slept yet.

  He answered, `It seems that an attempt has been made on Diane's life.' Gorham sat up without another word.

  In the darkness he asked, `Is she alright?' he was glad that Jared couldn't see his face but his voice trembled.

  `Yes, she sent word herself.' or at least through Victor, he wanted to add but he knew the news itself was tormenting to his boss without adding Victor's name to it.

  `Have my horse ready.'

  `Yes sir,' he turned and left telling someone to take a light to Gorham's room but he hadn't needed it. He was already dressed by the time the light got there. He put on his riding boots and was heading out. Jared came round with the horses. The other guards were following on their horses. He mounted with ease and was off as the others followed.

  Getting to the castle he was escorted in directly to Diane's quarters. The door was slightly open and so he walked right in. Jared and the others stayed outside but the door didn't fully close as before.

  Gorham stopped short when saw her. It wasn't that she was looking bad on the contrary she looked like an angel with her white hair and the white bed sheets. He realized that he had never really seen her in bed. He approached her slowly and her eyes were following him. He sat next to the bed and took her hand to his mouth. `What sort of maniac would do this to an angel like you?' he whispered.

  Diane smiled then pulled herself up and put her hands around him in a hug. `A maniac nonetheless.'

  They stayed like that for so long and when she pulled away he looked into her eyes, he asked with sadness in him, `Why is it that I keep realizing too late that I need to be with you?' At this the guard inside left them knowing that they needed privacy.

  `Because you are dumb the way I thought.' she chuckled.

  But Gorham wasn't joking he caressed her face and leaned slightly to her as if to kiss her but the door opened abruptly and Victor walked in. Gorham didn't react he was just staring at her face. `You need to sign your name on the statement,' Victor said handing the document over to her. She took it and looked through it then signed. `What is the verdict, Gorham?' `Guilty.'

  `Sentencing?'

  `Death,' he answered without thought.

  `It cannot be death,' he said.

  Gorham turned to him in shock, `Why not?' In his mind he was cursing Victor as he wondered, how dare he say that when Diane almost died?

  `Because it was Diane's husband who tried to kill her and because it is your fault that he even did that.'

  `Eric?' he turned to Diane who was looking down on the covers in guilty. `What do you suggest?' he asked looking at Diane but addressing Victor.

  `Life, hard labor and should he try to escape will be killed.'

  `Done.'

  `One more thing, should he have the common sense to ask for an appeal you will grant him that after Diane's death.'

  `Guaranteed.' he answered. Victor put it down then left. Gorham didn't say a thing.

  `He is angry with me,' Diane eventually said.

  `So should I.'

  `I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking when I asked you to kiss me,' she apologized.

  `Why do I find that hard to believe?' Diane didn't answer instead she kissed him on the lips as she started to remove his shirt. `Diane,' he called her name but there was no reply. `Diane?' he called again and like before no answer though there were kisses on his lips, cheeks, neck as she unbuttoned his shirt. `Diane?' he called again pulling away from her. He couldn't believe what he was doing. He really wanted her but was now acting as the reluctant party.

  She looked at him calmly but questioningly. `Tell me you know what you are doing.'

  `Of course I know what I'm doing.'

  `Do you really?' he asked looking straight through her soul.

  `Yes,' she kissed him slowly on the lips. `I love you.' And that was the green light for Gorham. He lay her on her back, pulled away the sheets and was caressing and kissing her passionately. No one interrupted them.

  When Victor left the room he ordered that Diane and Gorham not be disturbed. Gorham's guards were dispatched back home and would be called when Gorham was ready to go. They all knew what the orders meant. They knew what was going on behind the closed doors and didn't dare to ask any questions about it. It seemed to them that Victor was angry and as he gave the orders it seemed he would kill whoever defied them. They watched him go to the dungeons.

  Eric looked up as the doors to the cell opened up. Victor walked in with a lantern and set it up at the end opposite end of the room. `I have your sentence here,' he said.

  `That fast? Why am I not surprised?' he spit.

  `Do you want to hear it?' he asked. He couldn't believe how Diane ended up marrying this guy but he knew she didn't have a choice. He was the best warrior at her time and she had to marry the best. Just like everyone thought that Alice would be married to him. `Do I have a choice?' `Yes,' he answered.

  `Answer me this, how does it make you feel that Gorham is going to win this tug of war?'

  `The question is, how does it make you feel that he is making love to your wife right now and,' he paused as if listening, `and they happen to have already forgotten all about you already? He is remolding her to the way he wants,' he listened again, `and she happens to like it.' Eric suddenly tried to reach for him but all his limbs were chained up and he could only move so far. Victor was unperturbed. Eric tried again with the same results. Then all of a sudden he was calm.

  `The way it is eating you up?' he stared Victor who was in front of him.

  `You got that wrong, I am only angry that you almost tainted my record big-time.'

  `How about you be angry at this; you are the best warrior out there these days. In twenty years or so you will be at the same spot I am in right now. You will be in chains as your wife does it with another man in the same bed you used.'

  `I am genuinely sorry for your misfortune.' he said between his teeth.

  `Save it for yourself.'

  `But I am not you who doesn't know how to please a woman!'

  Eric spit on him. Victor was about to move on him when the former said, `You do not beat up a defenseless person. That is the code. It would be breaking the rules to beat up a prisoner.'

  `I don't do anything by your code,' he said then stepped back and waved his hand in front of him and the chains fell off from Eric's limbs.

  Eric looked at him with wide surprised eyes. He was about to say something when he felt a strong force push him hard against the same wall he had been hanging. He saw the look on Victor's face and was suddenly afraid. `Please stop.' But he wouldn't. He felt multiple invisible pins on his skin and was calling for help. Then he couldn't breathe and the force that was holding him back gave way. It was like his lungs refused to enlarge. The guards had heard his cry for help and were running to the cell. The door was unlocked and so they just walked right in.

  They found Eric on the floor as he tried to reach for Victor but the latter did not move to help him. Some of them went to Eric while the others tried to ask Victor what had happened but he was keenly watching the former. Finally he went down and looked at Eric, `The only rules I follow are those of my queen and be thankful because she didn't order me to kill you,' Eric gasped for air as he

  started to breathe again. `Because I would have done so without a second thought.' He then got up and left the shocked group of people.

  *

  Gorham held Diane close to him the whole night and as m
orning approached he wondered how all this had started years ago. Gorham was just starting out as a king and Diane was to be appointed queen sometime later. His father was still handling Diane's mother. He was to start briefing Diane as they bonded and finally in the important issues they would be free to discuss no matter what topic it was.

  He liked her ever since he was a teenager and saw her at a party. It was the first time he had set eyes on her. He had wondered a lot about her and finally she was coming to see him. His father left them alone and for a moment he didn't know what to say. Diane smiled at him, `I was told that I am to come here and be briefed about something that I've done wrong or a better way to handle things.'

  `Yes, that is how it works.'

  `But since there is nothing that I have done, yet, that anyone considers wrong,' she paused, `Can we skip it all and do something much more interesting?' her eyes twinkled.

  `But this is interesting.' She raised her eyebrow questioningly. `It is interesting, trust me.' `Why? All you have here are books.'

  `The books open up a doorway to another world. We get to live in another time and see ourselves in a whole new light compared to what it was before.'

  She started fidgeting in the chair. `Well, I suppose I should tell you right now that I hate the books here. They are very boring.'

  `Which books do you like?' Gorham had asked curiously. He wanted to know in order to find the type of book that she would enjoy.

  `They are only found in my mother's castle.' `What are they about?' he asked.

  `Queens and wizards,' she shrugged as if it was no big deal but didn't fail to notice Gorham's eyes widen with interest.

  `I would like to see them,' he said more to himself than her.

  `Do you ride?' she asked.

  `Yes.'

  `Then come over and I will show them to you but you can't read the diaries. My mother says they are only for a queen's eyes.'

  `You are not yet a queen,' he pointed out.

  Diane wiggled her nose thoughtfully then she smiled, `Good point. I will see if I can get one to you.' Then she laughed. Gorham just stared at her. She continued, `Now that I am planning to do something bad what does the laws say about that?'

  `I have read nothing about sneaking the king a dead queen's diary.' Again she laughed. He only smiled then stopped looking at her for a while. After she stopped he asked, `Do you have a diary?'

  `Yes, though I will officially start using it when I take power.' `What goes into a diary?' he asked watching her carefully.

  She pushed the hair behind her ear, `Everything.'

  `Everything?'

  `Well, what we want to go into the diary.' she looked at him thoughtfully, `do you know that you will read my mother's diary before me?'

  `How?'

  `Well, it is something to do with you ripping away the parts that you think will poison the future queens if left.'

  `But the kings aren't allowed to see the diaries.'

  `Most of the kings witnessed the life of the ruling queen and so it will not be a secret to them,' she saw the unsure look on Gorham's face. `It will be handed to you when she dies.' She had said and it happened like that.

  Now he looked at Diane beside him. She was stirring awake. Finally she opened her eyes and stared at him adoringly, `Morning,' she murmured.

 

  `Morning to you too.' he replied. She then put her head back down. He brushed her hair from her face. `Do you know what I was just thinking of?' `No,' she answered in a low voice.

  `The first day at the library study,' she suddenly laughed.

  `Do you know what I was thinking that day?' she asked as she raised her head again and saw him shake his head, `I was thinking that you shouldn't spend your time behind a desk.' `Why?' he asked curiously.

  `Why? Because I remembered you from the party and couldn't believe that the most handsome man at the party was to be my law king.'

  `You really didn't know who I was?' he asked.

  `Nope.' she shook her head with a smile. `I was always on the field, didn't make it to your coronation.'

  `I can't believe this.'

  `It is true. That day I was mad at my mother for dragging me along with her but when I met you, the day suddenly changed for the better.‟ she paused. Then said in a low voice, `Why am I telling you this if you are going to read it anyway?'

  `Because this didn't happen after your coronation.'

  `I lied.' She started to laugh. Gorham could see her finally happy like that first day. `I started writing mine way before the coronation.'

  `What other surprise should I expect when I read your diary?' Gorham asked.

  Diane sat up. The sheet that was covering her slipped off and her bare breast hang in the open. Gorham found himself staring. She waited until he lifted his eyes. `The biggest surprise, I suppose, would be the identity of Wendy's father.'

 

  Gorham was quiet as he took that information in. He asked, `Did you love him?'

  Diane shrugged and answered, `I suppose so.'

  Gorham sat up and tilted her head to his, `Do you still love him?'

  `That answer is complicated.'

  `It's just a yes or a no.'

  `He is the father of my daughter.'

  Gorham kept quiet and just stared at her. He had no idea what he was saying and so he would leave it that at that. `It was during the time when we thought you were captured, were you captured?'

  `Yes, and then I escaped barely a month later.'

  `You didn't come home.'

  `No I didn't. There was nothing for me to hurry back to. I had a broken heart because the man I loved wouldn't marry me and I was wed to an arrogant fool so I sought solace somewhere else and I found it.'

  `I should have married you no matter my beliefs and our customs,' he said. He buried his head on her shoulders and kept repeating it until Diane stopped him.

  `It wasn't your fault. It was fate. This is how it was meant to be,' she smiled at him and kissed him. They ended up making love again. They would have stayed in bed the whole day had Victor not come to knock at the door. He was the only one with the bravery to do so. Gorham got up from the bed reluctantly. But he was dressed and ready to go. `I'll come to you,' she said before he disappeared out of the door.

  After a while an attendant came in and asked her if she wanted something. Five minutes later a bath was prepared with herbs in it and she pulled away the sheet that was around her and stepped in. One of the attendants made sure the water was not too hot while the others removed the sheets and made the bed with fresh sheets. Suddenly the door opened. All the attendants turned and saw Victor walking in with the guard at the door in tow but he didn't care. He came and stopped right in front of Diane's bath tub.

  Diane looked up slowly at him. There was no anger in her eyes. The attendant didn't know if she was supposed to cover Diane but both didn't seem to mind the nude body in the clear water so she just moved back.

  `Did you have a good night?' Victor asked not even bothering to lower his voice. `It was great actually.'

  `I'm glad for you.'

  `Thank you. How was your night, Victor?'

  `Bad, but thanks for asking.' they just stared at each other for a while as Diane was pouring what over her body part that were not submerged. Then Victor leaned over to her. His hands on opposite sides of the tub trapping her if she wanted to escape. He whispered harshly but given that the room was so quiet it was like he was talking in a normal voice. `I'm not here to play mother, waking you up in the morning and I'm not here to play babysitter, trying to stop fighting in the playpen. Understand?'

  Then Diane did something unthinkable at the moment. She put her wet hands on Victor's cheek and kissed his forehead then said, `I understand.' He started to get up when Diane said, `I also know that you didn't have to do any of those things but you did them anyway. Is Victor Raymond finally beginning to ca
re?' she asked him smiling.

  Victor stood upright again. `It is my job.'

  `Keep saying that but I do know that even you are fallible like the rest of us. I wonder what it will take for you to admit it.'

  Victor chuckled, `Admit what?'

  `Oh!' she put her hand over mouth then laughed anyway, `You already know. Who is she?' `Diane, you are losing your mind,' he tried to deter her but it was impossible.

  She narrowed her eyes at him, `My mind is fine. I just want to know who she is.' Victor stared into her eyes and she knew. She relaxed, `Then you have my blessing.' Victor smiled at her. `Do you know what her father will think of it?'

  `He wouldn't like it one bit,' Victor said then continued as if there was nothing that they were talking about. `You shouldn't put your life in danger like that again.'

  `But am I allowed to sleep until two in the afternoon?' she asked childishly.

  `Why would you...' then he realized what she was saying. `Forgive me for inquiring. You will stay safe?'

  `Yes.'

  `That's all.' Victor walked away leaving the attendants shocked at how the conversation went. But they went on with their work as if nothing happened as they watched Diane fall asleep in the water.

  *

  Alice was not mad that she was going to be put up to fight the winner of the competition. She was the best female warrior and that was why she was chosen to replace Queen Diane. She also had the advantage of being from the closest line to the Queen's and therefore she had the support of the council and when Diane had been taking her time to accept her she went and complained to the council. Her father being the head of the council was the first to tell her that the Queen had to call on Alice herself or else she could just live in the castle doing nothing.

  But Alice was very impatient. It was in her nature and she couldn't help it but eventually she was summoned by Diane. She moved into the castle. She expected to meet Victor but for some reason she was always missing him. When she finally met him he was in the arena where he was supervising the setting up of the competition.

  `Hi,' she approached him.

  Victor turned to her. `Hallo Alice.'

  `I was wondering about some of the details in the competition.'

  `Like what?' Victor was looking into her eyes but he didn't smile or come close to it. Alice was still taken by his looks and forgot what she wanted to say. `Alice, like what?' he asked again patiently.

  `Um.' she couldn't believe that she forgot what she wanted to say. She racked her mind for clues and finally remembered. `Like I don't know if you are going to compete or not.'

  `I'm not competing.'

  `Oh,' she thought of something else to say, `Does it have categories?'

  `We have to have categories in order to be able to eliminate competitors.'

  `So how are the eliminations going to take place?'

  `We have over a thousand entries that have succeeded. The first part of it will be eliminating half of the competitors.'

  `And I do not compete in the first parts of the competitions.'

  `Unless you want to.'

  `Why is Diane doing this?'

  Victor narrowed his eyes at that, `Queen Diane has her reasons and has a right to hold such competitions, but if you don't want to participate in it then you have to tell her that. She will not force you to do something that you don't want to do.'

  `No, I'm in.'

  `Good,' he said then turned and looked at something that made him frown. `Please excuse me. I have to take care of some things.'

  Alice nodded and watched him go away. He was magnificent. His walk, his talk and his eyes. He seemed to know what she wanted but waited for her to speak her mind. She knew what Diane wanted from her. The latter was always telling her that she needed to keep her eyes focused only on one thing and not to let it change no matter what.

  Diane would tell her something and watched then after that tells her exactly what she was thinking. She tried but she never managed to hide whatever it was away. How could she do it when she didn't even know what it was that she was supposed to keep hidden? Either way she was the best in what she did and was sure that she would be able to handle whoever comes out the winner.