Subjected Power ( Fire and Ice )

Pay What You Owe.

I slapped myself, snapping out of my daze, and decided to cautiously peer out to see if anyone was present in the room. The coast seemed clear, and I saw no one. I stepped out of the bathroom, my eyes scanning the room, searching for any presence of life. My gaze landed on my clothes, in the tray on the table and I hastily rushed over to grab them.

My fingers wrapped around the garments, and I quickly put them on, forgetting about my undergarments in my haste. Just as I was adjusting my clothes, I felt a presence behind me. I turned to see him standing there, his eyes fixed on me.

I stared at him surprised but he said nothing and walked towards the bathroom. No! I shouted making him stop in his tracks, he turned around, and gave me a piercing stare. Then, he opened the bathroom door and disappeared inside.

As I stood there, a jacket that he had casually dropped on the sofa landed on my body, and that's when I remembered, that I hadn't worn any undergarments beneath my outer clothes. The realization sent a shiver down my spine.

I laid the jacket on the sofa and wore my undergarments,then headed for the bathroom. I noticed that clothes were already hung on a standing hanger, as if waiting for me. I stared at him, wondering if he had planned this all along, and he returned my gaze, his expression unreadable.

He walked into the bathtub, and as he slowly descended into the water, his robe slipped off, revealing his chiseled physique. I felt a flutter in my chest, but I quickly looked away, trying to compose myself.

"You didn't change the water," I remarked, trying to sound nonchalant despite the turmoil brewing inside me.

However, he didn't respond, and I decided it was best to leave. As I turned to exit,

"Can you give me a scrub?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

I turned to give him a glare, my heart racing with anticipation. But I didn't respond. Instead, I walked out of the bathroom, leaving him to his bath.

After some moment to myself, I went to check on him. I stood there with my hands folded, staring at the water, wondering where he had gone. Suddenly, he emerged from beneath the surface majestically, his naked back coming into view. As he climbed out of the bathtub, his linen-covered body was revealed, and he began tying his robe around his waist.

I stared into his eyes, and for a moment, the room seemed to darken, as if the lights had flickered out. But almost immediately, the room lit up again, and he was standing right in front of me. It was as if he had teleported across the room.

He walked past me, and I followed behind him, shutting the door. He made his way to the bed, while I sat down on the sofa, lost in thought. My mind was racing with questions and doubts, trying to make sense of the strange and mysterious events unfolding around me.

The room was shrouded in silence, and my gaze drifted towards the window, where the crescent moon cast its silver glow, as it was already evening.I sat there, lost in thought, imagining myself in a peaceful state. Suddenly, I envisioned him sitting beside me, and I shook my head in disagreement, dispelling the illusion. My eyes refocused on the present, and I stared at him.

He was lying on the bed, his posture exuding nonchalance. I broke the silence, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Can I sleep in my room?" I asked, my eyes locked on him.

However, he didn't even respond. His indifference left me feeling frustrated, and I clamped my mouth shut, deciding it was pointless to pursue the conversation.

The silence stretched out, feeling like an eternity. Then finally, he spoke, his voice low and husky.

"When you're done with whatever you're doing, join me in bed."

His words hung in the air, leaving me feeling uncertain and vulnerable.

I stared at him, but said nothing, instead relaxing further into the sofa. He turned to face the wall, and I shook my head, wondering what was going through his mind. As I sat there, I started to feel a creeping sense of dizziness wash over me. My eyelids grew heavy, and I decided to close them, letting the exhaustion take over. Before I knew it, I had finally drifted into oblivion.

When I came to, I was disoriented, and it took me a moment to realize that I was lying on his bed. My hands were resting on his chest, and my legs were wrapped around his. I swallowed hard, my heart racing with surprise and a hint of fear. I sat up gently, trying not to disturb him.

As I looked down, I stared at my clothes, still intact, and felt a wave of relief wash over me. I carefully got down from the bed, trying to process what had happened. But as I turned to move away, I felt restricted, as if something was holding me back. I turned to see that he was sleeping on my outer linen, effectively anchoring me to the spot.

I bent down, my hands grasping the linen, and started dragging it little by little. As the fabric slid out from under him, I turned to leave, but a sudden, inexplicable force drew me back. My feet seemed rooted to the spot, and I felt myself falling onto the bed.

I was shocked to see him lying there, his eyes wide open and piercing. His hand was supporting the back of my head, cradling it gently. I stared at him, knowing instinctively that he was the cause of my sudden, unexplainable movement.

"You didn't say hello," he said, his voice low and husky, "after you made use of your body last night." His words sent a sting of shyness through me, but I knew I had to maintain my composure.

I swallowed hard, trying to appear nonchalant. "I would love to go out today and see the market square," I said, attempting to change the subject.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'll take you," he said simply, his voice dripping with an air of quiet confidence.

"You'll go with the guards," he instructed but I had other plans. I sat up, a sense of determination washing over me. "I want to stroll around the castle," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Before he could respond, I scrambled away. After a refreshing bath and dressing in a lovely outfit, I felt revitalized. I set out to find Derek, but he was nowhere to be found.

Undeterred, I continued with my plan, accompanied by his guards. We navigated the palace security checkpoints, and surprisingly, no one stopped us from leaving, as if I had been given implicit permission to exit.

When we arrived at the gate, I found it open, waiting for me. I walked through it, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. The cool breeze on my face was invigorating, and I felt a sense of freedom that I hadn't experienced in a while.

The moment I stepped outside, I felt an intense force rushing towards me. Panic set in, and I hurried to get back into the castle, but to my dismay, the doors were locked. The force enveloped me, sweeping me away.

Before I knew it, I found myself in Amanda's castle. I stared at her, unsure of what to do or say.

"You intend to betray me, Lavender," she accused, her voice dripping with malice.

I shook my head vehemently. "Time is all I need," I replied, trying to sound convincing.

Amanda's expression turned skeptical. "I think it's enough, Lavender. You were absent from the last meeting without a proper reason. And I see you've gotten closer to the prince," she said, her eyes narrowing.

I shook my head again, trying to deflect her accusations.

"Did you mean 'no'?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

I just stared at her, unsure of how to respond.

"Don't tell me you're in love," she said, her voice laced with disdain.

"I'm not, my lady," I replied, trying to sound firm.

Amanda stood up, a calculating glint in her eye. A piece of paper and ink appeared in front of me, as if conjured out of thin air.

"Draw everything you know about his looks," she commanded. "You must know them."

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. "My lady, I know nothing about his looks or name," I said, trying to sound convincing.

Amanda's eyes seemed to bore into my mind, as if trying to extract the truth. "You're the first lady, or should I say, the second lady, to have been close to him. You must have some idea," she said, her voice dripping with manipulation.

But I shut her out, determined not to reveal anything.

Amanda's eyes narrowed, her voice laced with venom. "You always let me in," she spat. "What has happened now?"

I remained silent, refusing to engage with her.

"He doesn't love you, Lavender," she sneered. "He needs you. Don't be deceived by his gestures or what he did last time."

I felt a surge of anger at her words. "And what about you?" I retorted. "You're using me to your advantage. What's the difference between you and him?"

Amanda's face twisted in rage, and she slapped me hard across the cheek. I fell to the ground, my head spinning.

"You owe me," she hissed, "and you must pay what you owe."

I stood up, my heart pounding with anger. "I will," I said, my voice steady. "But at my own time."

"You must kill the prince, or you will pay with your life, Lavender," Amanda spat, her eyes blazing with malice. "Your life will atone for his."

I remained silent, but gave her a withering glare.

"You may leave," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

I turned and walked out, my heart pounding with anger and fear. As I made my way to the gate, I saw some familiar students, and we exchanged warm greetings. After a brief chat, I continued towards the gate, but was stopped by the security personnel.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you out," one of them said, their expression apologetic.

I stared at them, incredulous, as I knew them personally. Without hesitation, I forced my way past them, determined to escape.

Just as I emerged from the gate, Amanda appeared, her eyes flashing with anger. "You can't wait to get back to him, can you?" she sneered, hurling her sword at me.

I reacted instinctively, catching the sword and hurling it back at her. It struck her with a loud thud, and she stumbled backwards.

"Don't test my patience, Amanda," I warned, my voice firm and resolute.

The atmosphere around me grew tense, and people from every corner of the courtyard prepared to cast their weapons at me. I stared at friends and people I considered family, but the memory of my own blood family's betrayal still lingered, leaving me unsurprised by their hostility.

I gathered my power, preparing for any potential attack. Amanda's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze piercing.

"I need you to allow me access to your mind," she said, her voice laced with manipulation.

"Why would I?" I asked, my skepticism evident.

Amanda signaled, and spears hurtled towards me. I raised my hands, and with a swift motion, I sent the spears flying back towards the crowd. However, Amanda's spear managed to touch me, and I smiled, acknowledging the minor blow.

"Stop this act, child," Amanda said, her voice dripping with condescension.

But I stood up, feeling a surge of power coursing through my veins. The crowd prepared to hurl their weapons at me once more, but just as they were about to attack, he appeared.