THE ANCIENT HUNT

KILL HER

The two eliminated contestants packed their bags and were already leaving for the gate when they saw Lebby appeared from behind the building where her quarters was located. She was putting on a long white robe decorated with furs round the collar down to the neck region, she was grinning with her face beautifully painted and glowing, they wanted to ignore her but she was already at their front with Morgan sticking to her behind so they had no choice than to face her

"It's just the beginning of the competition and you both are already out, I feel so sorry for you both, what will you tell your parents who has been expecting you to make them proud?" she said with a grin and they rolled their eyes

"You know, I have been wondering why we had to have the running stomach issue that exact day and that particular hour, if something isn't fishy then I don't know what to call it. I can't rule out the possibility that you know something about it" one of them said with a disgusting look on her face

"If you couldn't rule out the possibility that I was involved, why didn't you raise an issue to object your unjust dismissal" she asked eyeing her

"What do I do when I don't have evidence, you have even trained the maids to keep their mouths shut" the lady replied

"What can they say when you were the ones that didn't notify the royal kitchen that you were allergic to things, were you trying to get the king in trouble?" she lashed and they knew they couldn't win the argument at that rate

"How do we complain about anything to the gods? they are the ones that have the power to do anything they want and can so they must have wanted you not to be in the palace, made you forget to inform the chef, you ended up standing the king up and they also eliminated you faster than anyone could have expected" she answered with a snarky tone

"Don't you worry, even if we fail, the other ladies inside will make sure to oust you from that seat you have placed yourself, I will be here to mock your downfall so do not worry and just enjoy your stay while you can" the other lady snapped back at her but she only roared with laughter

"Did you twerps actually think you were fit to make me fall? you think because the king was going mad for a while, thirsty for connections which he thought I wouldn't be able to give him because I was a low born announced that he will be opening space for contests, you can automatically push me out? I will show both you and the King that I didn't just run up to that position, I walked for it and I will guard it with my life, no one can and will drag me down" she growled at them before moving closer to them

"Just thank your stars that you got out of this earlier because I can assure you that when your friends come back, the experience they will tell you will not be pleasant to the ear and also, don't forget to attend my coronation ceremony, I will make sure to reserve top seats for you both since we've been friends from here" she added before brushing the closest one by the shoulder and walked off to the pavilion

****

The young master was pacing up and down the room expecting the feedback of the people he sent out to search for her. His heart has been in turbulence ever since he heard the news of her disappearance, he couldn't help but think about what could possibly happen to her

"What if she's kidn*pped? what if she has been killed off mistakenly by some hunters? what if she has been shredded off by the wild animals roaming in that forest? If I lay my hands on those scoundrels, I will smoke them alive like fishes" he thought with his hands at his back

"those bastards, how can they even do this to her? I pray she's safe wherever she is" he added before he heard a knock on the door

"Come in and give me the feedback of your search" he called out immediately and the door opened to show two of the men he sent for the search

"How far? did you find her? any news about her?" he asked running closer to them

"I'm sorry, we couldn't find her or her trace no matter how much we searched. We didn't even find anything that belongs to her which was weird" one of them answered

"Weird? why is that weird?" he asked sticking his neck out in curiosity

"It's weird but it's refreshing, that means the possibility of her being alive is very high. We just have to expand our search to other towns in case of any doubt or if she has been rescued by anybody" the man answered

"if this is possible, what are you waiting for then? take your men and search for her far and wide. I don't care if you are going to search for her to the end of the earth, just name your price and I will give you anything you want in return" he growled at the innocent men

"Don't worry, we will find her and bring out to you sir" they chorused and ran away to do what they have been commanded to do immediately

"Please just stay safe till you are found, I will make sure to punish those bastards with my own hands so please stay safe for me till you are found" he cried before his father came him to check up on him

"I heard you have been refusing every meal sent in by the maids, are you planning to starve yourself to death over some run away slave? did I train you to be a weakling like this?" his father scolded him

"I don't have any appetite and I have the right to worry about my own slave, she's my personal slave after all" he snapped back and the father pulled him closer with his cloth, his face was beaming red as he stared into his son's eyes and held him firm

"You! don't tell me what happened the last time is repeating itself, there are other maids available in the house that you can take from, if nothing is attached then why are you bent on looking for her? why are you spending tons of fortune for a slave that was never useful for me? do not get me angry before I send you out of the house" the father scorned at him

"Father, she might not have been useful for you but she has been everything to me, she would come running whenever I knock on the wall, sing me songs whenever I could not sleep and those days, I sleep like a baby because of her soothing voice. Ever since she has gone missing, I lost the will to live, is it okay for you to lose me too? because if she's not found and brought here then I will either kill myself or leave this house just like you have said to chase after her all my life" he threatened back at his father who was shocked beyond words

"Are you threatening your father because of an ordinary maid? do you think I cannot disown you?" the father growled

"Do it! just do it! go ahead and do it! I don't care anymore! do I look I care about your ownership right now? I'm grown up now and I have the right to live as I want so do whatever you have in mind, I don't care anymore" he roared at his father, yanked his hands off his cloth and stormed out in anger

"That ingrate! How can he choose a mere slave over me?" the father spitted at him as he walked out of the room too before seeing one of the men pass by

"Come here!" he instructed and the man ran up to him immediately

"This is an order, whenever you see that tramp that ran away, either sell her far away from here or kill her. Don't ever report to my son that you saw her or else I will have your head rolling on the sand" he commanded and the man responded that he understood perfectly before running off to meet his other fellows.

"I will show you that I am the governor of this town and also your father" he fumed as he walked back to his own room

***

Morgan ran into the room to announce to Lebby that the King has ordered for the contestants to gather at the large kitchen within fifteen minutes

"Within fifteen minutes? why? that's so early and it wasn't announced previously" she replied jumping off the bed

"I don't know why but I saw the maids and servants bringing in different recipes into the kitchen, I think the next competition is based on cooking" Morgan informed her

"Cooking? what is he trying to achieve? he knows how well I can cook so he wouldn't involve that since he doesn't want me to pass, I have to find out what he's thinking" she stated as she paced the room up and down with her hand in her mouth

"My queen, I think you should try thinking about that while you wear your clothes and get ready" Morgan advised and she snapped her finger

"Yes, that's true. I can't be distracted by anything at this point, come closer and get me ready" she instructed and sat down in front of the mirror

"Argan, just keep scheming while I keep figuring them out, I will show you at the end of the day that I am someone you shouldn't have touched or messed with" she muttered as Morgan packed her hair up for her.