Kareivis: Warrior

CHAPTER 5: IN THE NEDRAG

Varens looked at Muhali with such pride and joy and realising that he wanted some time with Muhali; Vesma cleared the room for them to be alone. Varens who was still in his seat stood up and moved to where Muhali was standing

“My princess, over the course of two days you have shown what true royalty is. You amaze me each time I have an encounter with you. I am aware that this is not the ideal time or place to say this but permit me because I can no longer hold myself. I have with me my family crest, only two were made. One was made for my brother and another was made for me. At the royal coronation I not only want to be your escort, but I would like to present you to my father as my intended.” In Inthia when a man wanted to marry a woman he presented her with his family crest. It would be in the form of an arm bracelet and the family crest would be engraved on it. When Muhali heard the words of Varens her heart melted as she too had loved him for a very long time. She had always been a reserved individual never quick to act; she always had to take every variable into account before responding. Even with this development she did not react because after all she was cold in nature and one could never really tell what she was thinking or feeling. But one thing was certain, when or if she did not agree with something one would not have to guess. One would know. And since she did not wear any one of her particularly intimidating demeanours he boldly moved closer to her. He took her by the tips of her fingers and gently drew her nearer to him. He intertwined his fingers with hers. He then led her hands over his shoulders and across his neck. With his hands now free he took one and it continued to make its way around her waist entirely whilst the other one gently and slowly moved up her back. He held her like that for a long while.

ALL STUDENTS TO NOTE TRAINING WILL RESUME AS PER NORMAL WITH THE NEXT SOUNDING SIREN. ALL STUDENTS TO NOTE TRAINING WILL RESUME AS PER NORMAL WITH THE NEXT SOUNDING SIREN…

Zionas’ announcement seemed to extract them both from their reverie. But neither of them could let the other go. With his hands still on her waist Varens put his forehead on hers. His eyes were closed, and her eyes were closed, and he could not stop smiling. Finally, he opened his eyes and kissed her forehead. He took out the data cube where he had put the bracelet and he put it on her left arm. His right-hand index finger gently stroked her face before he put his entire right hand on her face. He followed by putting his left hand on her face as well. Her face seemed to fit perfectly in the palms of his hands.

“It will take every ounce of strength that is in me to leave you now. Everything that I am made up of wants to remain here with you. In this moment. Just like this my princess…” In that moment Varens did not have to ask if she felt the same way or wait for a response, he just knew. He leaned in to kiss her on the lips, but he was interrupted.

“ehem…!” It was Kilnus standing near the exit with a disgusted and disappointed look on his face. Even though he did not want to let go of her, he still had lessons to attend and the chancellor was not lenient toward persons who were tardy. There was also his disapproving brother who was starring awkwardly, and he also knew that she was on assignment in Thyatira. This meant he probably would not see her as often as he wanted so he quickly added: “…meet me at the Nedrag after training. I want to see more of you before the coronation.” As Varens was exiting Kilnus said nothing further he just took his brothers hand and led him to the lesson they were supposed to attend together. While in training, Varens was so overjoyed that he failed to notice the absence of his training partner Lietus who had excused herself from class. Because of the influence of Lietus, Kilnus did not care for Muhali and upon learning that his brother wanted to make her his intended, he resolved to separate them no matter the cost. Lietus had sent a communication to her mother stating that Varens intended to present Muhali as his intended at the royal coronation. This news greatly disturbed Lady Vadas as she had planned to marry Lietus to Varens. In response Lady Vadas sent a communication to her daughter as to the course of action to take to destroy the relationship between Muhali and Varens at the same time realising their plans of marrying Lietus and Varens. But this would require the assistance of Kilnus. He was to speak to his father Commander Kilnus and inform him of the budding relationship between Varens and Lietus that very day. He was to tell him that Varens was heavily burdened by the fact that Kilnus was betrothed to royalty and as a result Varens felt compelled to marry royalty as well. He was to also tell him that because of this burden he could not present Lietus as his intended to Commander Kilnus and he could not confide in him either for fear of his disappointment. While Kilnus was telling his father this Lady Vadas would visit the Commander and tell him the same story from the point of view of Lietus. After this manipulation had been completed a concerned Commander Kilnus summoned his sons to the chancellors’ chambers where he told his younger son that he had betrothed him to Lady Lietus of the house of Vadas. He gave his son no choice or opinion in the discussion as he thought he was protecting the discretion of his eldest son as well as the freedom of his youngest. After the meeting with their father Varens wore a guilt ridden and sad look on his face to which his brother dismissed.

“Brolis(brother), do not wear such a face. You and I both know that an alliance between you and that slave would have brought shame upon our family. I know that you may feel certain emotions toward her but think about our family and its honour. Think about father and his prestige and how the people hold him in the highest regard. It is not good to taint our bloodline by having an alliance with such a girl. Are you fully prepared to deal with the scorn and whispers of the people behind your back? Are you ready to face ridicule from the people? And when they demand that we step down as the protectors of the royal family because of your actions, how will you deal with father’s shame? Marry Lietus and uphold the family name. Marry her and keep our bloodline pure. After all is she not equally as beautiful? And is she not a more skilled fighter than that slave who parades herself as a princess of Inthia? Think very carefully my brother about your next course of action. I trust you will make the right decision.” Kilnus hugged his brother and headed over to Lietus to give her a report on the matter regarding her betrothal to Varens. When Kilnus gave her the news she felt victorious, she felt no love for Varens, but she revelled in knowing that she had taken something near and dear to Muhali. So, she went in search of Muhali so that she could gloat and rub Muhali’s face in the fact that Varens was hers and she had been given Varens’ crest. When she could not find Muhali she contacted Vesma and asked for Muhali’s whereabouts. She told Vesma that she wanted to apologise for her unruly behaviour. Since Vesma had always entertained the idea of Muhali and Lietus being friends, she told Lietus where to find her sister. Vesma had also told Lietus that Muhali would be alone. Lietus then rallied her followers and ambushed Muhali just as she was exiting a test run of the Zionas system she was integrating onto the Thyatira moon facility. Muhali had no guards with her and even though she felt the energy blast before it hit her, she made no attempt to dodge it or to counter attack. When the blast of energy hit her, she fell against the wall of the corridor. Lietus then laughed with a mocking tone.

“So, is this the kind of pathetic weakling that is to teach us how to do battle? Get up you slave. Get up and fight me…” while Muhali was getting up she responded: “My lady Lietus, I cannot raise a finger against a pureblood of Thyatira. How can I when I am not even worthy to even kiss the ground you walk upon?” When Lietus heard these words, she became rife with fury and she created another blast of energy and hurled it toward Muhali.

“You pitiable slave-you have the effrontery to mock me even when you are at my mercy? Allow me to educate on respect…” Two of Lietus followers held Muhali on either side and helped her up. Lietus approached them; she stood face to face with Muhali then slapped her using the back of her hand.

“You see my little ambitious servant; the inside of my palm is not worthy of touching your filthy and unclean face. It is only worthy of touching Varens my betrothed…” As Lietus was speaking she braced herself to hit Muhali again but her hand got intercepted by Skydas who threw the hand back at Lietus. “My Lady Lietus, unless my eyes deceive me I would like to believe that her highness slipped and fell, and you were merely assisting her to get back on her feet. Not so? Because if I am mistaken then the alternative would be a treacherous act that I as the personal guard of her highness-am obligated to report to the King. The consequences of which would be disastrous and embarrassing for both you and the house of Vadas.” That very moment they all left separately without uttering a single word to Sky or to each other. After they had all gone Sky looked at Muhali wondering why she didn’t defend herself and before he could ask she answered him saying, “I know that I am stronger than her, I do not need to validate or prove myself by humiliating her. That would make me exactly like her. As for her insults on the issue of pureblood versus unclean blood, she was just spewing utter nonsense. When we bleed the colour of our blood is the same. I have no time for such frivolities. Now then, may we please go train?” Sky knew that he was much older than Muhali but in these three days she had shown him a maturity that he had not met before in someone of her age and he hugged her, just so she knew how proud he was of her. But then he quickly let go before she could get the chance to give him her dagger glare of disapproval. They went to the tower and through the secret entrance into the simulation where they repeated the last simulation exercise that they failed to complete. But this time Muhali showed intense focus and concentration, such that once they finished Zionas’s report showed that they were one hundred percent accurate. Muhali did not inform Sky that she was going to meet with Varens; she just changed and stormed out like a hurricane. In her haste she failed to sense the trap she was about to fall into that had been laid by Lietus and Kilnus. As she approached the entrance of the Nedrag she could sense that there were two individuals that were inside already and a third nearby, and she could hear voices arguing. She assumed that it could be Vesma and Kilnus because Vesma was extremely fond of the Nedrag. When she entered she saw two shadows behind the trees. She moved a little closer and that is when she realised that it was Lietus and Varens that were in the Nedrag. Varens did not see her but Lietus saw her and she took the opportunity to really hurt Muhali. Varens seemed to be begging for something from Lietus.

“…do not say anything to Muhali until I have spoken to her. I beg you, if you have any love for me then allow me to speak to her.”

“What must I not say? That you only asked her to be your intended because you felt compelled to marry into the royal family just like your brother. Or that the crest you gave her was old and discarded and didn’t even belong to you? Or that you presented me with the real one given to you by your father especially for me? Or that you have presented me to your father as your intended and at the coronation you will present me to the King and Queen. Do not worry my love…” As she was saying this Muhali could hear every word and her eyes turned blank like the pages of a book. The life that had been injected in her by Varens’ love was instantly expunged. Lietus then put her hand behind Varens neck, she kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear

“I will do all that you have asked my love.” In objection to all her statements Varens replied, “you know that is not t…” but before he could finish his sentence the crest on Muhali’s arm fell off alerting Varens to her presence.