It was twilight by the time Kieran’s party reached Demir House situated amidst a forest in the East. The Prince, Kieran and two of his brothers rode through the broken gates and found their foes waiting for them.

The fire torches had already been lit in the compound. The mansion was pretty run-down, with broken windows, gaping holes in the roof and mould flourished along the walls. The only appetising feature about it were the tall animal sculptures situated within the compound, although most were cracked and exuded an eerie vibe.

As Kieran led his horse to a saunter towards what was left of the mansion, a hatred flared in his eyes when he recognized the man settled on a magnificent red and gold chaise on the terrace.

He counted sixteen men surrounding prince Jairah in total, at the steps and lined up at the bottom of the steps. Some were armed with swords, others with spears. Two of them were archers. All their faces were fixed in a permanent grimace.

“It’s been a while, General Kieran.” Jairah grinned just as Kieran’s party came to a halt. “I see you brought the Crown Prince with you as well. Not that I’m surprised. You two are like a pair of buttocks. One cannot go anywhere without the other.”

“Where is Elena?” Kieran inquired, not letting up on his glare.

“Safe for now,” Jairah replied, toying with a gold ring on his index finger. It was only his thumb that was not adorned. “Where is my letter of betrothal?”

Kieran smirked. “I didn’t bring it.”

Jairah’s smug face retracted, and a side of his mouth upturned, forming a sneer. “Not funny.”

“I do not jest,” Kieran replied, his gaze calculative. “I did not bring any letter of betrothal here with me, prince Jairah.”

Jairah rose to his feet at once, his body trembling with anger. “General!” he shouted. “I warned you that there would be no tricks. I have four men in there with your betrothed. All I have to do is give the word and you will be unable to reclaim her as yours.”

Kieran’s grip on his reins tightened and that didn’t go unnoticed by Luke.

“Kieran,” his best friend warned, urging him to calm down.

A malicious smirk crossed Jairah’s lips. “I know I wouldn’t want damaged goods returned back to me.”

“You-”

“Kieran,” Luke cut in a little louder, reminding him that acting on his anger then was not part of the plan. “Later,” he added in a whisper.

Kieran shut his eyes and drew out a breath to cool himself.

“There won’t be any need for that, your highness,” Kieran said to Jairah through gritted teeth. “I have brought something better.”

Jairah narrowed his eyes as Kieran blew out a loud shrill whistle through his fingers.

The horses gave way for a new horse that trotted into the compound. On it was a female rider with long golden curls, wearing a short sleeved beige gown.

Jairah’s eyes widened in disbelief as her horse came to a halt at the foot of the steps.

“My princess…” Jiarah called out, like he was looking at an oasis mirage after moving for days in the desert.

Debra smiled fondly. “Greetings, your highness.”

Jairah walked down the steps just as Luke got off his horse and helped his sister down from hers.

The happiness on Jairah’s face was immeasurable, a wide smile splitting his face. “It is really you!” he exclaimed and rushed towards Debra, his arms wide open for an embrace.

He was stopped by Luke’s hand pushing against his chest.

“Not so fast,” Luke spat, glaring at him. “You must bring Elena first.”

Jairah frowned, stepping back. Kieran and his brothers dismounted.

“An exchange will happen today,” said Kieran. “I take Elena back home with me and you take princess Debra to Rahandi as your bride.”

Jairah looked skeptical. He glanced between Kieran and Debra.

“Everything is over between you two then?”

“It’s been over for two years,” Kieran replied, glaring Jairah in the eyes. “The only woman in my life is Elena Rivera.”

“And the only man in my life will be you, Prince Jairah,” Debra added, her voice unnaturally soft. “That is, if you will accept me.”

There was instant tenderness in Jairah’s eyes. “Of course I accept you, my princess. You are my only love!” he declared, quickly reaching for her hands.

He was pushed back again, by Luke.

“You shall not touch my sister until you have sent for Elena Rivera,” Luke stated, grimly.

The Rahandi prince glared down at Rievelt’s Crown Prince, then at Debra, who gave him a warm smile and nod.

“Fetch the girl,” Jairah commanded one of the men, who bowed and started up the steps.

“Halt,” Kieran demanded, causing everyone to freeze. “My brothers shall go in too. Just a precaution.”

Jairah thought about it. “I suppose that’s fair.”

Kieran and Debra shared a look. Luke stepped aside, backing away from Jairah. At once, Jairah cupped Debra’s face and kissed her on the lips. Most of the men looked away.

Kieran then leaned in to Joshua and ushered an order. “Kill every single one of them you find inside.”

Debra wrapped her arms around Jairah’s neck as she kissed him, but her eyes were wide open – her vision focused on Ray and Joshua climbing up the steps with one of Jairah’s men.

The moment they disappeared into the ruined mansion, Debra bit down hard on Jairah’s tongue and he screamed, releasing himself from her.

He was still crying out when Kieran brought down a fist to his cheek.

Havoc then reigned. Swords and other weapons were drawn as the fight began.

Debra spat out some blood and grimaced, wiping her mouth.

“Freaking disgusting,” she muttered and ducked to avoid a swinging sword.

She landed a kick to her assailant, and knew it would be difficult fighting in her dress.

“Cover me!” she yelled, throwing an arm up.

As if on cue, an arrow shot out of the blue, striking her assailant in the shoulder, and another one caught his other shoulder.

Debra then went straight to work at tearing up the skirt of her dress as more arrows injured anyone who tried to attack her.

For her guardian spirit was Aira, who was discreetly perched on the branch of one of the trees in the forest, just outside the house compound. Her bow and arrow were at the ready and as always, her aim was precise despite the distance.

Tearing up her dress left Debra in her fitting black leather pants which she’d wisely worn before the journey to the East.

Kieran, while holding Jairah by the neck, drew his sword and tossed it over to the princess. She caught it by the hilt and instantly swung it back, slicing the torso of a goon that had attempted to attack her from behind.

***********
Elena sat in her cell with her knees up as she awaited any of her captors. The one that came inside was Slink, his countenance a mixture of impatience and determination as he eyed her.

“Screw this,” he spat. “I’m going to take you right here, right now, before they come for you.”

He strode over to her and pulled her up by her upper arms, pinning her against the wall.

Elena didn’t need to be reminded to fight back.

With all her might, she lifted her leg and landed a hard kick to his groin, eliciting a shout of pain from him.

Shoving him back, she swung her still bound wrists at his face, nailing a blow with her fists. He stumbled, and because of his disoriented state, one foot of his went right through the hole in the floorboard.

Thinking fast, Elena swiped a dagger from his belt and used it to cut the rope binding her wrists.

“You bitch!” Slink barked and grabbed onto the skirt of her dress.

Maybe it was due to the fear, or the courage, but Elena swung the knife at him, slicing his arm. He let go with screech, and she bolted towards the only exit.

She found his bearded partner.

“Stay back!” Elena commanded, pointing the blade at him with both hands.

The man merely sneered and lunged at her, grabbing onto her wrists to wrestle the blade out of her hands.

So she did the only thing she could do. She kicked him hard in the groin as well.

When he released her to clutch his jewels, she slashed his arm with the blade.

His screams welcomed no remorse from her. She shoved him towards Slink and the two bumped into each other in a moaning bleeding heap.

They had tried to sully her to keep her from her betrothed; they had it coming. In fact, how dare they!

She clutched onto the knife and noted it was quite sharp, with all the blood gushing everywhere.

With a shudder, she fled from the cell, her resolve at escaping only strengthened further. And if anyone tried to get in her way, she would just have to knife them down.

******

Kieran had given prince Jairah quite the thrashing. The latter coughed, blood splattering from his mouth and onto the ground as he rested his hands on his knees. Kieran grabbed him by the shirt and forced him to stand upright.

The prince was already a colourful purple and maroon with bits of red here and there. The bruises spread from his eyes to his cheeks, to his jaw, as well as his neck where Kieran nearly strangled him earlier.

Kieran’s glare burned into the half-swollen eyes of his foe.

“You have angered me tremendously, Prince Jairah,” he growled. "Tell me; did you really think this would be a clean exchange? That I would spare you after you have caused my betrothed to go through this terrible situation? Tell me!” he head butted the Prince, and let him fall back to the ground.

Prince Jairah writhed about like a crippled snake, his moan akin to a deer hooked by a pack of wolves.

His pain did not stir mercy within Kieran.

“You…you are at fault here too, General,” Prince Jairah said, bringing himself to a sitting position, a hand clutching his injured side. “You…you are the one that caused me to go this far! An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. I wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me. My heart has been suffering for two years because of you!”

Kieran was unmoved by his outburst.

“It would have been better had you harmed me directly,” he stated, his frown one of pure spite. “But for you to come after one of my own? My precious one!” he flung his leg, kicking him across the jaw. It sent him slamming back against the ground.

“She had no part in this, Prince Jairah!”

The prince could no longer move. Blood flowed from his nose, mouth and burst skin at his temples, but he made no move to wipe it off.

“Are you going to kill me?” His voice indicated he had resigned himself to Kieran’s wrath.

Kieran pushed his hair back from his face. “One thing saving your life is that your brother, Crown Prince Rukh treasures you. I will not be the cause of his pain at the loss of his family.”

Crouching beside Prince Jairah, he grabbed him by the neck and pulled him up close to his face. “The other thing is that you and Debra have unresolved business. Everything that you have told me regarding your pain…that is to be heard by the princess. She is the one that broke your heart, not me.”

He let go of the Prince, and picked up a quiver of arrows as he stood. His eyes searched the ground for a bow. Luke and Debra were still fighting with the remaining four men, and it seemed like Aira had run out of arrows.

Kieran was suddenly attacked by another goon, who swung his sword at him. He could only dodge as he was forced back by the assailant, but he quickly found an opening and kicked his shin, then tripped him.

Kieran rushed behind a nearby rabbit statue for cover, and that is when his name was called. The voice was Aira’s.

He turned his head just in time to see the bow in motion she’d thrown towards him, and caught it.

Fishing an arrow from the quiver strapped to his back, he steadied it against the bow and abandoned his cover, releasing the arrow into the goon’s chest.

*****

Elena was still running in the mansion corridors, and had had to take a couple of staircases going down. She did not know where she was going, but had hope that she would make it out.

She saw that there was a path branching to the right at the end of the corridor, which she would no doubt take.

However, shouts and groans of pain from said direction caused her to halt immediately.

What was happening?

She flinched when a man was suddenly flung against the corridor wall, from that direction. He slumped helplessly to the floor, but an arrow was then shot right into his chest.

Elena gasped and lifted her bloody blade, clasping onto the hilt with both hands. She braced herself to fend off whoever the assailant was.

There were more groans and screams, and another man was flung right next to the dead one. The second man, however, was most definitely a corpse already, and didn’t need an arrow to the heart.

Elena was shaking like a leaf, and her throat was dry. But she held onto the knife and her feet remained planted in that spot. She bit her lip hard in an effort to keep it together, and it nearly bled. Her resolve would not be weakened. She would fight whoever it was.

Anything to go back to Kieran.

She heard the sound of footsteps approaching from up ahead, and the person that walked into the corridor was…Joshua Hammedatha?

“Elena?” He was more surprised at the sight of the blade in her hands than at actually seeing her there.

Elena let out a breath. “Joshua,” she whispered and rushed over to him, relief flooding every vein and fibre of her being.

She hugged his torso while he stood there stunned, his hand holding a sword dripping with blood.

“You don’t know how glad I am to see you,” Elena mewled, her eyes shut as she welcomed the feeling of finding a familiar face.

He hugged her back with his one hand, his cheek brushing her temple. “Thank heavens you’re safe,” he murmured.

“Sister-in-law!” Raymond’s loud voice had never sounded sweeter to her ears.

He dropped his bow and hugged both Elena and his brother very tightly.

“Elena, you need to get out of here,” Joshua said, pulling away to gaze at her. “Go to Kieran at once.”

Elena’s heart leaped in her chest. “Kieran…Kieran is here?”

Joshua gave her a warm smile and nodded. “Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting,” he said. “We’ll deal with everything else here. Keep right and make a left. That corridor will lead you straight outside. Go.”

Elena needn’t be told twice. She dropped the dagger that had been her trusted weapon and started running towards her courage.

Two men stumbled into the corridor shouting profanities, and Joshua’s eyes darkened with anger when he spotted them.

“Where is she!” the bald one blared, clutching his bleeding arm. “Where is that little bitch!”

“Ray.” Joshua calmy motioned to his brother, who picked up his bow.

“Aye,” Ray responded, his eyes on the bearded man who also had a bleeding arm.

The goons lunged with a combined shout.

Ray fired two arrows in succession; one right through the bearded man’s eyeball and skull, the other through his heart.

Joshua swung his sword once, slashing right across baldy’s throat. The latter clutched his neck and fell down, sputtering and choking on his own blood.

******

No matter how quickly her legs carried her forth, Elena thought it wasn’t enough. The first corridor seemed never-ending, and the mild darkness seemed hell-bent on suffocating her vision so she would not see the way out; the way out to him.

If she could fight the darkness, she could.

When she turned into the next corridor, her momentum increased with each step, and she ignored the strain it placed on her still recovering shoulders and arms. A flicker of light ahead raised her spirits higher. Little by little, the light expanded until she could see the exit.

And when she finally reached the exit to the place she’d been trapped in, she stopped; not only to catch her breath but to allow her eyes scan around for him.

She saw a couple of men lying unconscious at the steps down the terrace and on the bare grounds, some with arrows sticking out of them.

She saw Crown Prince Lukas and Aira standing together on one side near a fire torch stand. One the other side, she saw Princess Debra squatting infront of a man who was kneeling, his head hung and his wrists bound behind him.

She recognized him as the leader of her captors although messier and bloodier, like he’d just received the beating of a lifetime.

Her eyes trailed away and finally spotted Kieran.

He was standing a couple of feet away from the princess and his back was facing the mansion, a quiver of arrows strapped to it. One hand rested on his hip, and the other held a bow. He was watching the night sky.

Her heart was filled with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and she could not help but shriek out, “Kieran!”

He turned around. They all did, but at that moment, she did not care for the others.

She ran forth, tumbled down the steps and skipped over a corpse as she went. Her plait was now unceremoniously loose and strands of hair stuck out like pieces of tumbleweed.

She knew she must have looked a complete mess to him, with the dirt and dust having mixed with the sweat on her skin, and other men’s blood staining her white dress.

But she still crashed herself against him nevertheless, wrapping her arms around him. And he pulled her closer; his hand caressed the back of her head and his lips kissed her temple.

She welcomed his embrace, savoring every bit. She had not expected him to be there, but he was. She was back to him at last; her source of strength, her flames.

“You came for me,” she murmured in his chest.

“How could I not?” was his response.

Elena pulled back to look up in his face. “But how did you...”

“Another time, Elena,” Kieran said, placing a palm on her cheek. “I will tell you another time.”

He smiled a smile so full of affection, she had to look down to hide her blush.

And that’s when she saw it. Behind Kieran was a man who seemed injured – like a dead man walking – hiding near a tall statue.

The only thing that escalated her fear from zero to one hundred about him was that he was aiming his bow and arrow right at Kieran.

It was a fear reaching heights she’d never experienced until that moment. Her body moved on its own, holding onto him and turning them around, so they swapped positions.

Kieran was confused for that very brief moment before spotting the man lurking about the statue, who had fired his arrow already.

It was within a fraction of a second that Kieran moved them both aside, and the arrow swooshed past, missing Elena by a leaf’s margin.

Kieran fished an arrow and drew his bow at once, and in a flash, his arrow was lodged right into the attacker’s throat.

Even though the danger was averted and dealt with, Kieran was completely stunned at what had just happened.

What was that which Elena had tried to do?

“Elena…” he whispered, his hand brushing her shoulder.

She pulled back a bit, her panic-stricken blue eyes meeting his shocked ones. He could feel her trembling.

“He…he was…” She turned her head to the side, but he quickly lifted her chin so she could look back at him, stopping her from peeking at the gory sight behind her.

“Eyes on me, Corporal,” he said, and she nodded meekly.

“You’re…you’re okay.” Elena’s voice and lip quivered as she said the words, tears welling up in her eyes. “I thought you…he was going to kill you.”

And her cheeks wetted as the tears spilled down her face, stunning Kieran even more.

“I could not…” She shook her head adamantly. “I could not let that happen.”

Kieran’s hands cupped her face, and his thumbs wiped away the tears, but more of them poured down.

“I c-cannot let anything terrible happen to you, Kieran,” Elena wept, her body heaving. “I just cannot.”

She buried herself in his chest, letting the sobs break free.

In his dumbstruck state, the bow slipped from Kieran’s fingers, and he swiftly wrapped his arms around her, tightly.

He did not know what to say. He’d never seen her cry before, even when she was upset or worried. And now she was crying this much, because of him.

His eyes found Luke’s, whose lips were parted in shock. Aira was in the same static state.

“It’s too scary…” Elena sobbed, her dainty fingers clasping onto his shirt like he’d vanish forever if she let go. “Too scary tuh-to lose you, Kieran.”

His heart was torn in two. One side felt full; overflowing with affections specifically for Elena. The other side was bleeding. The kind of bleeding that could eventually lead to his heart withering and drying out – till there was nothing left but a void; an abyss.

Author’s ramble:

Well then.

I thought of Elena and Kieran’s fortune while writing this. Also we are at what I like to call ‘the climax chapters.’ It’s going to get a bit intense, and my emotions have been all over the place with how intense the chapters are.😪

Thanks for reading and please vote!