Fight against Destiny M/M Mature AU Chapter 21+22? 07/10

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:09 pm

Title : Fight against Destiny
Author : CandyGirl1980
Rating : Mature
Coupe : M/M with a little bit of all
Disclaimer : I´m only responsible for the charakter which I have created.
Summary : Antar is split in two halfs. The westside reigns King Khivar, a very sadistic man. The Eastside reigns King Salem, a very good man. Khivar plans to invade the eastside to become ruler over whole antar. But before he can do anything, he must put his wife out of his way, because she knows the plan. As he kills her, his daughter comes along and sees this. Out of fear for her life, Marianna escape the palace and seeks shelter by the royals on the eastside. Then the story runs its course.
Author´s Note : Antar arises from my fantasy. Nobody can hold me responsible for that.

Antar Year 3589

Chapter One : The Dark Side

Khivar, a middle aged man with black hair and black eyes, sat in his study as usual.
He spent most of his time there, when he didn´t terrorize his attendants.
Nobody disturbed him in his little room, in which he could create his plan to conquer King Salem and his kingdom.
For a few weeks now he planed to attack the Castle of his enemy and kill the remaining royals there.
But he knew that he had to be fast and sneaky.
Althrough King Salem had much more Soldiers as him, Khivar had the most cold blooded and the most unscrupoloused men on the whole planet.
They had no knowledge of mercy, no consience and they hated to lose.
And the worst of it all, they were very powerful mindreaders, which meant they anticipated the move of their enemies.
On that thought a big smile spread on Khivars otherwise stoic face.
He looked on the timekeeper on his right wrist and discovered that he had still time before dinner was served.
Suddenly a noise outside his room disturbed his thoughts.
Slowly he walked to the west window and looked on the court, where his soldiers exercised.
Many of his men were the best in dealing with the lasersword or the hand in hand combat.
Nobody would have a chance against him and his men once they finished their training.
In the middle of the fighting troop Khivar discovered his son Nikolai, which he adored to no end.
He was the exact image of his father, appearance and attributes wise.
Khivar knew once the time came, his son would reign the Kingdom in his manner.
Nikolai was still young, but he possesed the same power to rule and conquer.
He could get anybody to do as he says with a snap of his fingers.
Just as Khivar wanted to turn around he saw something unexpected.
Among his many soldier there was a petite young girl with long dirty blonde hair.
She was fighting with a men twice her size and despite that he had no chance against her.
Whatever her opponent did, she dodged every blow he threw at her.
Khivar was quite impressed and observed his daughter for a while.
Her skills were above average and she seemed to be more powerful than Nikolai.
Despite the disadvantage of her size and the angelic face she was a born fighter.
Khivar shook his head and wondered why he never saw how strong his daughter really was.
Maybe he should have paid more attention to her.

KNOCK KNOCK

Khivar was abruptly torn from his thoughts as he heard a knock on his door.
With a quick “come in” he went to his desk and sat on his armchair.

A little man stretched his head trough the gap between the door and frame.
Khivar gave him a wink to enter the room and close the door behind him.

“ Your Highness, forgive me for the intrusion, but we have a problem”, the man stuttered afraid.

“ Ok Avicus, what have you to report?”, he asked his advisor.

“ The people are unhappy with the taxes”, answered the man, well aware that his king would not be interested.

“ And that´s my problem?”, Khivar knew about that, but he didn´t gave a damn, after all there were only subjects.

“ Sir, the peasants want to stir up a revolt, if nothing changes”, retorted Avicus a little bit intimidated from his king.

“ Tell them”, Khivar leant his torso threateningly forward and stared his advisor with a dangerously glint in his eyes. “ the first, which dares to make a move will be hung in public!”

“ Of course your Highness. I will deliver the message”, Avicus nodded respectfully.” I will do it as soon as possible” he bowed before his king and went quick out of the study, relieved to be alive.

Khivar however sat head shaking in his armchair.
What in the world thought those country bumpkin to set against their king.
If those good for nothings believed they could win against him, they were dumber than he thought.
Nobody, who dared to confront him, would see the next day of that was he sure.

Chapter 2 Life is like a house of cards

Marianna came as usual with a few fresh bruises in the palace.
Her dirty blonde hair was pulled in a braided pigtail which reached down her back right above her backside.
Her shirt was taped against her slender body from all the sweating and the pants were dirty.
The work out was really hard, everyday it got harder and harder and the commander demanded more of her, because she was a girl.
But it didn´t matter to her, she would show everybody that she was capable to defend herself if she had to it.
Nobody believed she could endure the exercise, not even her best friend Marius did that.
However one of this days she would demonstrate everybody how powerful she really was.
And then she would laugh in the faces of her brother, her best friend and her fiance Lykus, which didn´t believe in her.
With those thoughts Marianna strode straight through the empty corridor to her bedroom.
Suddenly a noise in her fathers study startled her.
It sounded like a moan of pain or something.
Marianna walked carefully to the big wood door and pressed her ear on it.
A few seconds later there was the same sound as before, only this time a little quieter.
Marianna got a strang feeling in her guts and she slowly opened the door.

“ Father, is everything alright. I´ve heard something....”, she didn´t came further, because the shock robbed her of any words. She found the source of the strang sounds.

Her father stood above her mother with a statue in his right hand from which droped red liquid.
Marianna got closer to her parents and she had to clamp her hand in front of her mouth to prevent from losing her dinner all over the floor.
Her mother laid motionless on the carpet, a little puddle of blood was around her head.

“ How could you do that?”, whispered Mariana sad.” Why did you kill my mother?”

“ She was nothing, she had to die”, retorted Khivar cold.

“ You egoistic bastard!”, screamed Marianna outraged towards her father. She couldn´t believe that he would be so cool after he killed his wife.” How can you be so cold about that!”.

“ Don´t speak to me that way, young lady!”, Khivar arose from his grouched position and went to his daughter.

“ And if I do it after all?What do you want to do? Kill me like Mother?” spat Marianna and glared with so much hate in her eyes at her father.

Khivar shrugged” If I have to”.

“ You will atone for this!”, threatened Marianna before she turned to the door.” I swear by my life, you will punished for murder!”. She would give everything to see her father hung for his crime and if it was the last she would do.

“ What are you doing?”, asked Khivar angry.

Marianna swirled around, threw a nasty look at her father and opened the door. “ Guards, Guards!”, she cried really loud.” I need help immediately!”

Within a few seconds two guards came running along the corridor, their weapons ready to fire in their hands.
Out of breath, they heard the story, which Marianna told them.
They couldn´t believe what they were hearing, which showed on their faces.
In the middle of the explanation they shook their heads in disbelief.
No, their King wouldn´t do something so unbelievable, ok he was not exactly the friendliest man on the planet, but to kill his wife? That was to unreal.

“ Don´t believe her!”, interfered Khivar.” She was the killer of my wife! I only wanted to prevent her from doing it”.

The Guards saw from their king to the little girl besides him. That was even more unreal than the story before. This girl should kill her own mother? A girl which was always so nice to everybody and loved her mother above all? No, that couldn´t be.

“ Don´ t let her fool you with her pretty face”, said Khivar as he saw the unbelieving faces of his guards. He knew what they thought.” She is more dangerous than she looks”.

“ Father. How can you say something like that?”, tears gathered in Mariannas eyes. “ I´m your daughter”.

“ Your a murderer”, retorted Khivar without remorse. “ And so will you be treated”.

“ Father!”, uttered Marianna shocked.

Khivar adressed his guards. “ Throw her in the dungeon”. He made a little break, because another thought occured him. “ Or kill her, I don´t care”.

Amazed about the casualness in which their king ordered to kill his own daughter, the guards could only stare open mouthed to the princess. She was on the brink of a full breakdown.
Khivar saw that his guards wouldn´t do anything anytime soon, therefore he gave the order to carry the princess off.
But before they could move a muscle Marianna threw a white blast at them and they flew full force against the westwall.
Immediately they both leaped on their feeds, but the princess was gone.
Only Khivar was present and he was not happy.
The Guards informed the soldiers over their communicators, that a murderer was on the run and everybody should be careful.
Afterwards they both took their weapons and took up the chase after the princess.
Marianna was meanwhile almost by the outer wall of the kingdom when she heard how her father gave the order to shoot her.
Shortly afterwards the silence was pierced through shots, which were directed at Marianna.
The soldiers shot with laserbullets and missed her by inches.
Just as she reached the gate, which lead her to the woods, something hit her left leg, she lost her footing and tumbled on the dirty ground.
But she knew if she wouldn´t get up, she was as good as dead.
With a little difficulties she managed to stand on her feets and she ran further in the woods.
She could hear the soldiers, they were nearby and that was so not good.
The adrenalin pumped strong through her veins and her heart pummeled hard against her chest.
But she couldn´t give up now, not if she wanted to live.
Althrough she had no idea where she could go or where she was, but her feet carried her through the woods, past the hugh trees and the little bushes.
Suddenly Mariannas left foot yielded and before she could catch herself, she fell down a hillside, which lead to a little lake.
Like a puppet she turned almost all the way down, before a trunk stopped her fall really painfully.
Somewhat dazed but alive she decided to stay a while on the ground to garther a little strength.
But destiny had other plans, because she could hear a soldier, which gave a order to swarm out and to encircle the murderer.
With the last strength Marianna possesed she got up of the ground and took a look around.
She thanked heaven that she knew the scenery, the sea was not far away.
But there was one probleme through, she was stuck in a pit.
In front of and behind her were solid walls of mud and the little lake couldn´t give her safety.
She would surely manage to arrive on the other side of the lake, but the soldiers would have free access to kill her.
She had to find a way to get to the sea without to be discovered by the soldiers.
Suddenly Marianna remembered the tunnel which Marius and her built in their earlier years.
Anywhere nearby was the entrance, but the sun was long gone and darkness engulfed her.
Slowly she leant her whole body on the dirty walls behind her and tiptoed quitely to the right, always careful not to make a noise.
A few minutes and much more pain later, Marianna found finally the entrance to the tunnel.
Relief and Happiness spread through her aching body.
Just as she wanted to make her way to the entrance, she noticed that somebody stood exactly above her.
Carefully she pressed her body flush against the wall and stopped breathing.
With her right hand she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.
After sometime the person left, hopefully sure that nobody was there.
Marianna could breath again and with shaking hands she tried to wipe the sweat off of her forehead.
That was indeed the most awful moments of her life.
One minute later and she would have pissed in her pants.
Now she had to wait until she could be sure that she was alone.
The waiting was slowly killing her, every body part screamed of pain at her, now that the adrenaline was ebbing away.
But she was the freedom so near now that she couldn´t give up.
After not hearing stomping feets or speaking voices Marianna scratched all of her strenght and made her way to the entrance.
Just as she wanted to crawl in the little hole a voice behind her startled her.

“ Stop or I´m forced to kill you!”.

Real slowly Marianna turned to the voice of her brother Nikolai, which stood on the hillside, his weapon directed at her.
Tears gathered in her eyes, not only had her father killed her mother and accussed her, but her brother would be her death.
Marianna closed her eyes and waited for death to come.
A loud bang penetrated the air around her and she expected every moment the bullet which would end her life.
But nothing happened, no pain (besides the pain from earlier), no scratch, no nothing.
Slowly Marianna opened her eyes again and stared unbelieving at her brother.
He couldn´t have shoot aside, because he was the best shooter of the whole kingdom and he could hit a object from a great distance.
But a look in his face showed her the reason for his miss.
With his left hand he gave her a signal to bolt.
Marianna cried a little for joy, blew a kiss to her brother and made her way through the tunnel.
Even from afar she could hear how he told the other soldiers that he had the subject elimitated.
For the first time she had the feeling that she would make it, if her limbs would carry her to the sea that is.
Much dirt and thousands of bugs later she got to the end of the tunnel and finally she could smell the sea.
It was a wonderful feeling, nobody was nearby and the pier was deserted.
Limping and totally exhausted Marianna made her way to the boats which where tied to the pier.
After she found one which would not be missed, she untied it and jumped in.
The waves would bring her to a new home and to a new life.
On that thought her mind gave up and she fainted dead away.

TBC

Be kind with me. That´s my first fanfiction in english.

Post by **Ti88** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:17 pm

wow. talk about some action in the first 2 parts. i like your marianna. she's strong. i'm glad she got a away but it maybe out of the fire into the pan. khivar is crazy. totally crazy. i'm glad her brother brought her some time.

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:53 pm

Chapter 3 The answer knows only the sea

The red sun stood high on this sunny afternoon, the wind blew lightly and the sea was extreme calm.
Despite the nice weather only one young man took a long walk along the seashore.
He seemed to be in deep thoughts, because he stared at the sand under his feets and his face changed from confused to angry.
Sometimes he would mumble something only he could understand.
At one point he looked up and his amber-coloured eyes grazed the giant palace to his right in which he lived.
It happened frequently that he felt like a tiger trapped in a hugh cage and then he dissapeared for a few hours in order to think alone without somebody in his proximity asking how he was feeling.
Sometimes it was like a curse to be the son of the commander, the second most important man after King Salem.
And then there was times when he was proud of his father and he couldn´t wait to step in his shoes.
One of this days he would be the commander of the royal army and he would reign with his cousin and best friend Zan.
There was only one problem which he couldn´t ignore, the reason why he decided to take a walk.

*Flashback*

A large man with grey hair and lightblue eyes stood infront of a big table.
His green cloak with the royal symbol, a dragon and a snake entangled, the golden crown with two emeralds in the middle, indicated that he was the King.
To his right sat his beautiful wife Lutecia, her lightbrown hair was pinned up in a bun and her green-brown eyes radiated warmth.
To the left was Mael, the brother and second in command, his black hair which reached to his chin was slicked back. His black eyes seemed to be always on the lookout and every move was observed.
On Maels left side sat his wife Abidale, which wore her long blond hair straight past her shoulders. Her gray-blue eyes sparkled of joy, because she knew why the meeting was called.
Her gaze fell on her daughter Ava, who was on her left side. She was the sunshine of the family. With her blond curls and her clear blue eyes she looked like a doll.
At her side sat her brother Rath who looked like he would be rather elsewhere then sitting here and listen to something the King had to say.
For once his shoulderlength black hair was bound to a pigtail with a brown leather tie and his amber-brown eyes stared bored on the table.
Opposite him was Zan, the son of King Salem. He played with his necklace and waited for the news.
His brown eyes searched the attention of Ava, who seemed to look a hole through the table. With his right hand he stroked his short dark brown hair from his face.
After a few minutes in which Ava ignored his flirting, he turned to his right where Vilandra, his sister, sat. She seemed to be in thoughts. Her crystal blue eyes stared to the ceiling. Her long blonde hair fell in light curles around her face and stopped at her breasts. Zan was certain that she thought about which of her many dresses she could wear tomorrow.
Suddenly the King cleared his throat really loud and everybody, besides Rath, paid attention.

“ Beloved Family,” King Salem begun.” Like you know, a important ball takes place in two month”. He waited till everybody nodded before he continued.” And I´d like to make a announcement”. Again a little break to breath. “ At this ball the engagement of Zan with Ava and Rath with Vilandra will be made public”.

Zan and Ava exchanged amorous glances, Mael, Lutecia, Abidale and King Salem beamed with happiness. Vilandra looked like she would throw up any minute and Rath seemed to explode with rage.

“ No, you can´t do that!” Rath jumped off his chair and knocked him to the ground in the process. His voice shook with anger. “ Not without my permission”.

Mael leaped on his feet” Of course we can. It´s tradition. Besides that was decided before you were born!”.

“ I don´t care about tradition!”, screamed Rath. “ I will not marry someone I care about like a sister!”.

Abidale took her sons arm. “ Please sit down. We can discuss this calmly”. She hated when there was tension in her family. Rath saw in his mothers pleading face and did as she told him.

King Salem began to speak again.” There is no discussion. The decission was made a long time ago. The engagement is a concluded case!”. And with that the meeting was finished.

* End Flashback *

Rath couldn´t get his head around the fact that he will be a married man in two month.
And then Vilandra of all people. He loved her that was out of question, but he was not in love with her.
He didn´t believe in true love exactly, but he wanted to wait for the right girl which would made him feel a lot more than a brother.
The very idea of sex with Vilandra was to much for him and he had to quell his nausea.
Angy about the feeling of no control he kicked a orange shell as far as possible.
And then he saw it. A little boat drifted on the sea.
It seemed to be deserted, but on the second view Rath saw a bloody leg which hung lifeless on the outside.
As fast as possible he ran into the red water, grasped the rope and hauled the whole boat to the shore back.
Afterwards he finally dared to look inside.
His first thought was on Caleb, one of the few fisherman of the kingdom, who drunk to much last night and slept it off.
But what he saw was not a drunken man, but rather a injured girl.
Rath took a closer look at the stranger and discovered a inflamed bruise on her left thigh, a laceration on her forehead and several abrasions on both arms and legs.
But he couldn´t be sure with all the dried blood and mud on her body.
He breathed a sigh of relieve as he saw that her chest rose with every breath she took. Thank God she was still alive.
Carefully he move his strong hands under the girl and lifted her up in his arms.
Then he made his way to the hospital ward of the palace, unaware that this moment changed his destiny.

TBC

Chapter 4 Rescue at the last second

There was never much to do in the hospital ward, besides the general injured soldiers.
They never had something serious though, except for little scratches and a bloody nose.
The worst case was a broken arm which they could heal immediately.
But that changed the day Rath brought a badly bruised young girl.
She was in a bad shape and barely alive.
Everywhere was so much blood, her clothes were torn and every visible part of her body was injured or dirty.
The healers didn´t know where they should begin and if they had the time to save her.
Rath, who didn´t yield from the girls side, could only stand around like an idiot and see to it that the healer did their work to save the girl.

One of the healer turned to him” Was she conscious when you found her?”.

“ No, I found her in this condition”, replied Rath slightly dazed. He looked like he would pass out any moment.

The healer nodded in understanding. “ Maybe you should wait outside. As soon as we have news we let you know”

That snapped Rath out of his state.” No, I want to stay here!”. He wouldn´t let her out of his sight before he knew she was better and not on the brink of death. Something told him not to go.

“ There´s nothing you could do to help her”, the healer laid a reassuring hand on Rath shoulder. “ It´s better if you go and let us do our job”.

“ Do you think she will make it?”, Rath didn´t understand why it was so important to him that she lived. He didn´t even know this girl. Maybe it was the fact that she was still young, not much older than his own sister.

“ I don´t know”, the healer turned to the other healers and saw the way they treated their patient. They would do anything in their power to help her. But it looked really bad for her. They didn´t know how long she was in this condition or if the injuries limited on the outside. The healer turned back to Rath “ We do what we can”.

“ Alright”, Rath trusted this man.” Let me know if something happens”. And that was an order not a request.

“ Of course, as soon as we are done here”. The healer gave Rath a ressuring smile and then made his way to his fellows, which were in the process of undressing the girl.

Rath glanced again at the girl and hoped it was not the last time that he saw her. Then he made his way out of the room. As the door closed behind him, he pressed his forehead on the cool wall to his right. Slowly the graveness of the situation sank in. The whole time he had one thought: save the girl. But now after he had done his part he couldn´t just sit around and do nothing. Maybe he should search for his father and tell him what happened. That was propably a good idea. With that Rath went to the trainig ground.
His father was just in the process to show some freshman how everything went as he arrived.
If the situation were different Rath would have laughed on the shocked look on the young boys face, but he had no time to waste.

“ Father, I have to speak with you”, usually Rath didn´t disturb his father. But this was a urgent case.

Mael turned to his son and was just in the process to snap at him why he couldn´t wait till he was finished, as he saw the state in which his son were. His clothes were wet and dirty. His hair hung in disorder from his head. But the worst was the expression on his sons face. He looked like a little boy which had lost his pet. Immediately he send the freshman away and walked to Rath.

“ What happened?”, Mael asked. Then a thought occured him.” Are you hurt?”.

Rath shook his head” No, I´m fine”. He made a break to think about what he wanted to say and how he could say it so that his father could understand it. But how could he if he didn´t understood it himself. Maybe he should start with the beginning. “ I was on the beach to think about a few things”. His father laid a arm around him and led him back to the palace.” On the water there was a little boat and I thought there was nobody in it, but then I saw a bloody leg.” Rath had to take a breath to quell his nausea.” I ran into the water and brought the boat back to the shore. I thought it was Caleb. But I looked inside and saw a girl. She was young and hurt. Really bad.” Rath couldn´t go on. The pictures were to fresh in his mind. So much blood.

“ Where is the girl now?”, Mael noticed that his son was in no condition to tell him everything.

“ I brouhgt her to the hospital ward. The healers took care of her”, Rath did feel a little bit better since talking to his father.

“ Do you know her?”, Mael thought since Rath was so concerned about the health of this girl, that he knew her.

“ That´s so strange about everything”, Rath scratched his right eyebrow, a habit when he was confused.” I don´t know her nor have I seen her around and yet I feel like I lost a friend”.

“ Maybe it´s because she´s still young or maybe she reminds you of Ava”, Mael know that despite his rambling about his annoying young sister, Rath loved her deeply and would kill everybody who dared to hurt her.

Rath shrugged his shoulders” Maybe. Maybe not. I don´t know.”

Mael stopped at once in his steps and took a good look at his son. There was more. He could see it in his eyes. There was a question which bothered him. But Mael knew that his son would not answer him if he pushed. Therefore he waited till Rath would be ready to tell him.

“ Why?”, blurted Rath suddenly out.

“ What why?”.

“ Why her?”, Rath couldn´t wrap his mind around the fact that someone so innocent deserved such treatment.” And who could be capable to do something like that”

“ I don´t know. That´s something only the girl knows. If we´re lucky and she survives we can ask her. Then we´ll see what we can do for her, alright”, Mael hoped that she made it. He didn´t thought his son could forgive himself if she didn´t. After he received a hesitant nod he embraced his shocked son. “ I´m proud of what you did”.

Rath blushed slightly. He didn´t do that to earn respect or praise. He did it because it was right. And he would do it again necessary.

“ There you are!”, came suddenly the voice of Ava. She looked like she ran a marathon.” Mom is looking for the both of you”. She stopped and viewed the appearance of her brother.” Oh my god! What happened to you”.

“ I tell you later”, Rath parted from his father and together they made their way to the dinning room.

TBC

Post by **Ti88** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:47 pm

of course she has to make it. i love this back on antar fic. i fee like this is the calm before a storm. things are going to get real crazy when they find out who she is.

Post by **Island Breeze** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:36 am

Welcome, CandyGirl1980! We're so glad to have you here! And I love your story. Please post more soon! I can't believe Kivar could be so cold hearted. He killed his wife and then tried to blame his daughter. What a slime ball! Well, of course, we know that he was evil. Great start!

And I agree with Roselle that when they find out who she is things are going to get very interesting!

LOL

I'm going to remove the copy of this that's in the Conventional Couples forum if you don't mind... since you say it is mostly M/M. That way you'll only have it here in the correct forum. :D

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:28 am

Chapter 5 The morning after

The next morning everyone in the kingdom knew about the incident the day before.
Most of the people couldn´t believe that something so cruel happened infront of their faces and nobody saw it.
The greengrocer told everybody who was willing to listen that the little girl was propably attacked from a wild animal. The forger on the other hand thought that the girl was an escapee from Khivars prison.
But nobody knew exactly what happened and therefore could only guess what the young girl had to go through. Add the fact, that nobody had an idea who she was and where she came from and the people had something to talk for ages.
Rath didn´t care about the gossip that spread around the kingdom or the whispered words in the castle, everytime he went by the guards. He only cared that the girl was alive and on the way to get better.
He was so relieved to hear that the wounds looked worst than they were and the patient was stable for the moment.

* Flashback *

The whole royal family sat around the big dining table. Dinner was finished a long time ago, everybody was sated and ususally that was the moment the family parted and everyone went their own way before bedtime. But not today. Rath and his father decided to tell about the incident. Furthermore they could explain why Rath looked like he crawled through a dirty tunnel and calm his mother who was worried that something happened to his son. Thanks to the red herring of his father she let it slide for the moment. But now everybody was curious what Rath had to say.

“ So Rath”, the King gave his nephew all his attention.” Your Father told me you that something happened this afternoon”

Rath let his gaze roam around the table to every member of his family. “ I found a injured girl. She was barely alive when I brought her to the hospital ward”, he saw the way Ava, Vilandra, his mother and Queen Lutecia held their breath with horror.” She looked really bad”.

“ Where did you find her?”, King Salem was stunned to no end. Nothing ever happened in this kingdom. Everybody lived peacefully together and conflicts were resolved verbally.

“ She was drifting on the sea with a little boat”, Rath saw the picture again. The bloody leg and the discovery after.

“ Do you know who she is?”, Queen Lutecia didn´t want to imagine what the family must go through right now. Not knowing where their daughter was or if she was alive.

“ No. I don´t have a clue about that”, Rath shook his head. But he would figure it out, one way or another. And then they could send a message to the family.

Abidale took the hand of her son and squeezed it in resurrance.” That doesn´t matter right now. What matters is the condition of the girl. Do you know something?”.

Just as Rath wanted to answer his mother there was a knock on the door. Usually nobody dared to disturb the royal family at dinner. But after the horrofying story they didn´t mind the little break. After King Salem shouted a quick “Come in” the royal messenger entered the dining room. He was slightly embarrassed to bother the dinner. But he had urgent news.

“ I´m terribly sorry to disturb, your highness. But I have news for Lord Rath”, he dropped a courtsey before his king.

Rath, hearing his name mentioned, jumped off of his chair and went to the messenger” Is it the girl? How is she?”.

“ I was told to inform you, that the girl is alive”

Rath, relieved about the news, felt like a huge stone had dropped from his heart.” When can I see her?”.
“ The healer told me that she has to rest now. But tomorrow you can go see her”, the messenger told him.

“ Thank you” and Rath meant it really.

The messenger bowed again before his king and made his way out of the room. The others looked after him and waited till the door shut before they stood up from their chairs. Abidale embraced his son. She was proud of him. He didn´t had to do it, but he saved a life of a stranger. Now all they had to do was wait and then they could finally find out who she was and where she came from. Everything else would take care itself after this.

* End of Flashback *

Rath had decided after everyone went to bed, that he would visit the girl as soon as he could.
And that he did now. After the breakfast was finished he excused himself and made his way to the hospital ward. Halfway there a bad feeling overtook him. It was a mix of rage, sadness and confusion.
Rath didn´t think to much about that. As empath he was used to feel what others where feeling. He shook his head to banish his uneasiness and continued his way.
Just as he rounded the corner to the hallway of the hospital ward, he discovered two guards on the ground. They were lying against the closed door of the consulting room. Immediately Rath ran to the men and checked their pulse. Thank godness they were alive, just knocked out.
Suddenly he heard a strange noise from the room infront of him. Carefully he wanted to grab after his weapon, but he realized he had forgotten it in his room.

“ Damn, damn and double damn!”, he cursed quietly. Usually his mother had to remind him to take off of his weapon halter before he went to bed. And today of all days, where he needed the weapon the most, he forgot it on his nighstand. If he had more time he would bang his head against the wall. But time was running out and he had to something right away.

Quietly he tiptoed to the door and tried to open it without to much noise. But the door had other plans. She creaked really loud and before Rath could put one foot in the room a hand grasped him around his throat. Out of reflex he tried to loosen the hold on his throat. But his attacker was pretty strong and Rath was in disadvantage because of the sudden assault.

“ Where am I and what I´m doing here”, growled a female voice in his ear.

“ You are in the kingdom of King Salem”, Rath was amazed how much power the girl had. He knew the moment she began to speak that it was her. For someone who was on the brink of death a few hours ago she had a deathly stronghold.” You were pretty hurt when I found you”, Rath had to struggle to breath. Slowly the breathing became harder and harder.

Just as he was about to pass out, the girl released him. Rath dropped coughing on all fours. Damn that was a close call. A few minutes more and he would have kissed the floor. That´s what you got for saving a life, a near death experience. He decided to never do something stupid again.

“ You know, a little thank you would have been better, don´t you think”, Rath tried to hide his embarrassment. He was taken by surprise by a girl half his size. Hopefully nobody would learn of this little incident ever. No wonder the two guards had no chance against her. Slowly he stood up from the floor and whipped the dirt from his pants.

Then he made the mistake and saw in the face of his attacker for the first time. In the moment their eyes meet the breath was knocked out of him. Never in his whole life had he seen such a beautiful girl, besides his sister and Vilandra. She was not so tall, she would reached to his shoulders, her hair was bound to a pigtail, the lips were full and red and made to be kissed. But what really got him were her eyes. They looked like two sparkling emeralds. And the message in them was clear. One wrong word and your dust.

“ Do you have to stare at me like that”, the girl glared at the intruder. It seemed like he had never seen a female before. She had to repress the feeling to strangle him.

That snapped Rath out of his state. She was cute. At least as long as she shut her mouth” Excuse me. I don´t stare”. He didn´t. Really.

“ Yes, you did”, replied the girl angry.

“ Alright, if it shuts you up. I stared. Now are you happy?”, Rath didn´t have the patient now to play this game. It was bad enough when he played it with Ava and therefore he knew how long that could go.” But I didn´t come here to fight. I wanted to see how you´ve been”.

The girl gave up her fighting stance and relaxed slightly.” I´m fine. A little wiped out, but fine”.

“ Do you remember what happened to you? Or why you were alone on the boat?”, Rath thought that after the girl lost her crazy look she was willing to answer some of his question.

The girl shook her head sadly.” No. I don´t know”.

“ Alright. Do you know your name at least?”

The eyes of the girl went wide by that question and her face screwed up to a mask of horror. Rath could feel her panic.” No. I can´t remember a thing. Why can´t I remember my own name. What happened to me”. The girl buried her face in her hands and began to cry.

Rath felt sorry for the poor thing. Not knowing who you are and what happened was really bad. He wanted to help her. But he didn´t know how. He wished Zan was with him he would knew what to do. It would be better if she would fight with him, with that he could deal. He hated when girls cried. But he had to do something. After he battled a few moments with himself he did something that he would denying till his death. He embraced the girl and let her cry on his shoulder.

TBC

Chapter 6 Changes, Lies and Trust

Marianna felt slightly bad about lying. Since she was out of the hospital ward, because her injuries were cured, except her left leg which was not yet fully healed, everybody was really nice to her.
They had pity with her, cos she had no memory, and therefore wanted to make her feel better. But nobody knew that she had full knowledge of what happened to her and who she was. She was to scared to tell them the real reason why she was found barely alive in a boat. Besides she was the enemy in their eyes and if she would come out with the truth, she wouldn´t have time to regret telling them before they would toss her in the dungeon or kill her. No one would ever know that she was Khivars daughter, she would make sure of that. Also she didn´t plan to stay too long. She would play the helpless little girl until she was doing better and then they would never see her again. Until then she had to make sure that she didn´t bind ties to the people of the castle. Althrough it would be difficult for her, because Vilandra and Ava were so friendly to her. They showed her the whole palace and told her stories to every room. Marianna was not used beeing around girls. The only female influence that she ever had was her mother. It was really nice with them and they had no reason to like her, she was a complete stranger and for all they knew she could be an assassin. But they accepted her and made her feel like home. Even Mael and Abidale treated her like a member of their family. They gave her a room where she could sleep as long as she was in the palace. And the King himself did everything to look after her parents or any relations so that her people would know that she was alive. But Marianna knew that nobody would report back. She was surprised that nobody recognized her as Khivars daughter. Or realized that she wore the uniform of the royal soldiers of Khivar. But that was better this way. That way she could rest and restore her power. And when the day came that she was strong enough, she would go back to her father and kill him real slowly. She would let him suffer for all the pain he caused her. And if it would be the last thing she did. She promised her mother that her father wouldn´t get away with this.
Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a hand that waved infront of her face.

“ Hey, I´m trying to talk to you for a few minutes now”, Marianna didn´t know that she was so spaced out. But now she noticed that Rath had made an appearance. He was standing infront of her and looked concerned. His beautiful amber eyes stared back at her.

“ Sorry”, Marianna shook her head.” What is it?”

“ Vilandra and Ava are looking for you.” Rath seemed to try to remember the reason” Something about new clothes or so.” He had to refrain from laughing” I didn´t exactly listen”.

Marianna had to laugh. She didn´t know Rath very long, But what she gathered from him was that he hated listening to “girl talk” as he refers to it. He was difficult to read. Sometimes he was so rude and seemed to hate everybody and then she saw the other side of him. The side of the protective brother, the concerned best friend or the good son.” Tell them that they should go without me. I´m not up to it today”

“ Is everything allright”, Rath had noticed that somethimes she would just sit in the family room and stare thoughtful out of the window or other times she seemed to be in her own world. He was afraid that she would remember her parents and then he would never see her again.

“ Yeah. I think all the things caught up with me finally”, Marianna looked to the sky above her.” You know, the strange people and the strange surroundings”. And the fact, that she had no home and no family. No one who could help her.

“ I understand”, Rath caught her suprised look.” Ok, I don´t. But if you need someone to listen, I´m here for you”, he earned a raised eyebrow.” I can listen if I want. Really”.

“ Thank you”, Marianna couldn´t understand why he was so nice to her. After all she had tried to strangle him at the first sight. And now he was always by her side and looked after her. Everyday she was on the brink of telling him her secret. But something told her she shouldn´t do it.

“ If you don´t want to be alone, you can go with us. Zan and I are going to a warrior battle”

“ No thank you” even if Marianna didn´t want to be alone, she wouldn´t go to such a thing. It was enough when the pictures from the murderer of your own mother disturbed her dreams at night. But to see how two men fought for their lives, that was not something she would do in her free time. “ I have plans with your father in a few hours”, this time Marianna earned a startled look.” Not that, you moron”, she punched Rath´s arm lightly.” He only wants to speak with me”.

Rath rubbed his arm” Ok. Then I´ll see you in the morning”.

Before Marianna could reply something he was on his way back to his room. She looked after his retreating back. If she wasn´t careful she would fall for him. And that was the last she needed. No she couldn´t do that to him. Besides he didn´t know who she was. As soon as he would know, he would hate her for sure.
She couldn´t allow to trust this people. She would never trust anybody again. You could only trust yourself and that she would do. She had to harden her heart to the whole family. No matter what they did, she had to stay strong.
With that thought in mind she went to her temporary room. She had to work on her plan to kill her father before she met with Mael.
And after several schemes and tactics how she could attack her father without the guards and the soldier knowing, she discovered that she had to be in the common room.
Immediately she stuffed the evidence under her mattress and made her way there.
With every step she took she grew nervous and the feeling of uneasiness consumed her.
As she stood befor the big wood door a picture of her fathers study door came to her mind and what she awaited behind it.
Marianna shook her head to get rid of the aweful memory and opened the door really slowly.
Her heart was beating like crazy and her hands were shaking.
But then she saw the friendly faces of Mael and Abidale, who were sitting by the fireplace.
Both turned to her as she walked to them. Abidale stood up from her armchair and went to her.

“ How are you today?”, she asked concerned. She was like her mother and it was nice to know that it mattered to somebody how she felt.

“ I´m better, thank you”, she replied while she took a seat infront of the fireplace.

“ You are wondering why I wanted to talk to you, aren´t you?”, began Mael who stayed on his feet and look down on Marianna. She felt like a little girl who did something wrong and was being lectured about it. She nodded and waited what he had to say.” My wife and I have long pondered what we could do with you. Nobody knows you or knows where you´re from. And as long as you don´t remember anything, we can do nothing. Therefore we all, meaning we both” Mael pointed to his wife and himself.” The queen and the king, decided to take you in our family” he faced Marianna and waited for a reaction.

“ But you don´t know me” Marianna was touched if not surprised. Why on earth would they decide to take a stranger in? Why couldn´t they be like her father? Why were they so nice and trusting towards her? They made it really hard on her “No attachment” rule. But what had she to lose? In a few month she was gone anyway.

“ It doesn´t matter to us”, Abidale laid her hand on Mariannas. The gesture touched something inside of her. Her mother had done that when she was sad. “ You´re still young and you need guidance and protection. We can give you that”.

“ Besides Rath likes you and he doesn´t let people close”, added Mael with a smile. He knew his son and nobody had managed to get under his skin so easily.

Marianna couldn´t struggle against the arguments and before she knew she agreed to it. Either it was the hopefully faces or the smell of the room, she didn´t know. But she would be living as a full member of the royal family now. What had she thought? Now she had to move her plan really fast before she began to love this people. Oh Boy what had she done!

TBC

IsabelleGuerin · Post by **IsabelleGuerin** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:21 pm

sweetie please come back i love this story ALOT

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:21 pm

Chapter 7 The truth

Vilandra and Ava were on their way to the beautiful garden outside the castle. They wanted to enjoy the good weather as long as it held on. Both sat on a little stone bench near the fountain, which was shaped like the crest of the kingdom. A dragon and a snake entangled. That was the place where they ususally were when they talked. It was far away from their parents and their betrothed. They wanted to take Marianna along, but she turned them down. Vilandra found that was really weird. Since their parents took her in, she backtracked more and more everyday from everyone. Every evening she hung out alone in her room and nobody saw her until the breakfast. Nobody understood what was up with her, but no one dared to adress the subject. Her parents thought that she had to settle in her new enviroments, before she would take part in any family business. They wanted to give her time. But Vilandra couldn´t do that. She wanted to help her or do something to make her remember. Vilandra liked her, enjoyed her company and it was never boring with her. Not that Ava was dull or something. But Ava was really quite and if she had anything to say it was most times about Zan and how sweet he was. Vilandra didn´t need to know that. There was things she didn´t want to know about her brother.
It was like she would tell her something disgusting about her brother. Speaking of Rath, he was pretty strange the last few days.

“ Ava, did you notice something strange about your brother?” Vilandra had to know if she imaged everything. Maybe she was not the only one who observed the change.

“ Vilandra, my brother is the strangest creature on this planet. If he would act like a normal person, he wouldn´t be Rath”, replied Ava amused. Brothers were a species of its own and definitely extraordinary.

Vilandra had to laugh about that. Ava was right. But she knew that something had happened.” No I didn´t mean that. Rath was alway a little bit different than us”, she made a devaluing gesture with her right hand.” Did you not notice that he has changed since the girl lives in our palace?”.

Ava thought for a couple of minutes.” Now that you remind me. Yes he is more open and he seems not so moody anymore”.

“ That´s what I noticed too”, finally Vilandra could breath again. So it was not her imagination. Rath was really changed.” I think he has a thing for our new arrival”, she was not surprised and also not disappointed. Maybe her father would realise that she and Rath were not made for each other and would break off the engagement.

Ava was not so excited about this new developement. She wanted her brother married with Vilandra. Besides her father would never be ok with it.” No. I don´t think so. I mean even if Rath would feel something for her, it could never work” No Rath wouldn´t be so stupid to start anything as long as he was engaged

“ And why not”, snapped Vilandra. She knew what Ava was thinking and she was wrong.” Because he is supposed to marry me. I don´t want him and he doesn´t want me”, Vilandra became really angry at this point. Why could nobody understand that she didn´t want to marry Rath. He was like a brother to her. Besides he was so not her type. She wanted to be romanced off of her feet. With someone who enjoyed every minute he was with her. Not somebody who thought romance was something for weaklings.” I for one hope that Rath falls deeply in love with her!”

“ How can you say that”, now it was Avas turn to get angry. Why was it so difficult for Rath and Vilandra to accept their destiny. They would learn to love each other in time.” We don´t even know who she is. She could be a spy from the enemy!”.

“ That´s ridiculous”, Vilandra couldn´t believe that Ava thought that.” Do you even hear how what you are saying”.

“ How do you know that”, Ava was so angy that she couldn´t think straight. But she knew that something was wrong. “ It could be all an act to gain our trust and then when we at least expect it she kills us”.

Vilandra shook her head forcefully. She didn´t feel treathened by the girl. Not for one moment. She felt only sadness and some other things.” That´s the stupist thing you ever said to me. She is a scared little girl and not some assassin”.

“ Fine”, Ava heaved her hands in the air. If Vilandra didn´t want to listen, that was her problem. But nobody could say that she didn´t try.” If you think so”.

“ I will prove it to you”, Vilandra couldn´t let Ava think so bad from the girl, who must have gone through hell and back. Besides she wanted to have the last word in this fight.

“ How?”

Vilandra would do something from which she knew that nobody was better than her.” I will visit her in her dreams tonight. Maybe I can find something in her mind. Sometimes you have a memory, only she is deeply buried in your subconcious” Vilandra asked herself why she didn´t thought about that sooner.” I will enter there, rummage around and maybe find something useful”.

“ Ok. But be careful”, Ava didn´t want that Vilandra jeopardised her life for such a silly quest.

“ You know me”, Vilandra couldn´t wait until tonight. She was excited about the things she would find. Maybe she could help the girl to remember, not matter how bad it was. A little smile appeared on her beautiful face.

Ava didn´t share the same optimism like Vilandra. It was not like that she hated the girl. She was nice and sometimes really amusing, when she put Rath in his place. But Ava could feel that there was more to it than meets the eye. And her feelings never let her down so far. Maybe they would know more tomorrow and could put their fight aside.

Later that evening just before midnight

Mael and King Salem were in the conference room. In a couple of days, they had a meeting with the other planets. It would surely be a battle again. All those leaders who wanted to hold on their principles or their tradition. They couldn´t understand the other side and then everybody would scream around. In the end nobody would be satisfied and the meeting would be cancelled because of the fight. That was the same everytime. King Salem wondered why he still went to this meetings, he knew how it would go. Mael was excited about it. He always had so much fun on this things. To see how the old blockheads lost their cool was always fun. Just as he imagined the stupid faces, a knock was heard.

“ Do you expect someone”, King Salem gave strict order that nobody should disturb their conversation.

Mael shook his head no. His children knew that they weren´t allowed to bother him when he had something important to do.Besides it was really late” Maybe it´s one of your children”.

King Salem saw on his timer on his right wrist” That can´t be. They sleep usually at this time”. He thought that at least. He turned to his brother, who didn´t have a clue who would bother them at this time. Before he could make up his mind if he should let him or her in, Mael went to the door and opened it. He was suprised to see the royal messenger standing in the treshold.

“ Excuse me Duke Mael, I didn´t want to disturb, but I have important news”, the messenger was slightly out of breath. He must have run the whole way. The first sign, that it would be bad news.

“ What is it?”, now King Salem strode to his brothers side. A bad feeling spread through his body.

“ We know who the girl is”, the messenger couldn´t say the name. It was bad, really bad.

Mael who didn´t have the patient like his brother, lost his nerves” Don´t keep us in the suspense here”.

“ Her name is Marianna and she is Khivars daughter”.

King Salem lost his colour for a moment. He turned to Mael, who didn´t look better.Then he turned back to the messenger” Are you sure? I mean do you have prove?”.

“ Yes your highness”, the messenger pulled a piece of paper from his cape and gave it to his shocked king. He couldn´t believe it either that this little girl was supposed to be the daughter of this gruel monster.

King Salem took the paper and read it. Mael moved closer to his brother and tried to read over his shoulder. After they had everything they both faced it other and said only one word at once” Oh Damn”

Meanwhile in Vilandras Bedroom

Vilandra was in bed for two hours now and tried to fall asleep. But the thought what she could find in the mind of the girl didn´t let her find rest. Or maybe it was the little fight with Ava earlier this day. But whatever it was she had to shake it off. She made herself comfortable and cleared her mind. Five minutes later Vilandra feel in a deep sleep.

* Dreamplane*

Vilandra was in a empty corridor, which was illuminated with a faint light. On each side of this hall there were doors, which lead to the dreams of the people. It was really freezing in there and Vilandra was cold. She crossed her arms infront of her breast and hoped that hear hands would be warm. Then she was on her search of the doors which would lead to the girls dream. After she searched for almost an eternity she found what she was looking for. Slowly she took the doorknob and tried to turn it. But the door didn´t budge.

“ What the hell”, That never happened before to Vilandra, the access was never denied to her. What did the girl try to protect behind this door.

But Vilandra would not give up, not after her interest was awakened. She concentrated on the doorknob and within a few seconds her hand glowed green. Afterwards the door opened easily and she stepped in the dream. Slowly she glanced around and realized that she was in another corridor, which was really scary. The walls were bare except for a few candlesticks here and there. It was the last place she wanted to be. Suddenly she heard footsteps, which moved in her direction.
Luckily she was invisible and she didn´t had to worry about to be discovered. From a distance she saw a small figure with a grimm face. Shocked she regnorized that it was the girl. She wore the clothes of a soldier and by the look of it she was a member of them. A sudden dull noise to her right startled her. The girl made a face and stopped her walk to listen at the door. After a couple of seconds the sound came again. The girl didn´t hesitate and opened the door. Vilandra followed her quickly. But what she saw was too bad to put into words. A woman lay on the ground and a man was bent over her with the weapon, a bronze statue, still in his hand.

“ How could you that?”, whispered Mariana sad.” Why did you kill my mother?”

“ She was nothing, she had to die”, retorted Khivar cold.

“ You egoistic bastard!”, screamed Marianna outraged towards her father. She couldn´t believe that he would be so cool after he killed his wife.” How can you be so cold about that!”.

“ Don´t speak to me that way, young lady!”, Khivar arose from his grouched position and went to his daughter.

“ And if I do it after all?What do you want to do? Kill me like Mother?” spat Marianna and glared with so much hate in her eyes at her father.

Khivar shrugged” If I have to”.

“ You will atone for this!”, threatened Marianna before she turned to the door.” I swear by my life, you will punished for murder!”. She would give everything to see her father hung for his crime and if it was the last she would do.

“ What are you doing?”, asked Khivar angry.

Marianna swirled around, threw a nasty look at her father and opened the door. “ Guards, Guards!”, she cried really loud.” I need help immediately!”

Vilandra couldn´t believe what she saw. A man killed her mother and she witnessed it. No wonder her mind shut down. But before she could think about the situation any longer, two guards appeared. The girl explained what happened.

“ Don´t believe her!”, interfered Khivar.” She was the killer of my wife! I only wanted to prevent her from doing it”.

Vilandra turned to the guards and like expected they didn´t believe the story.

“ Don´ t let her fool you with her pretty face”, said Khivar as he saw the unbelieving faces of his guards. He knew what they thought.” She is more dangerous than she looks”.

“ Father. How can you say something like that?”, tears gathered in Mariannas eyes. “ I´m your daughter”.

Vilandra forgot for one moment to breath. Her own father killed her mother. That was aweful.

“ Your a murderer”, retorted Khivar without remorse. “ And so will you be treated”.

“ Father!”, uttered Marianna shocked.

Khivar adressed his guards. “ Throw her in the dungeon”. He made a little break, because another thought occured him. “ Or kill her, I don´t care”.

Vilandra wanted to blast the gruel bastard to hell and back. She was his daughter and he treated her like a criminell. How could he do that to his own flesh and blood. Disgusted she tried to send him a death glare. But she knew that didn´t help very much at this moment. She decided that she saw enough, she could imagine the rest after all the girl was in a room in the castle of her father and left the dreamplane.

* End Dreamplane*

Vilandra shot panic stricken out of her bed. She had to lay her hand on her fast beating heart out of fear it would be jumping out of her body. That was the most aweful dream she had to see. No wonder the girl was so weird. After this trauma everybody would react that way. She could still feel the fear and the panic and she was only a observer. She couldn´t imagine how it would be for the girl.
She had lost her whole family at once and that only to survive. Vilandra had no clue how that must feel. She grew up in a lovingly family, which dictated what she did and who she had to love, but loved her nontheless. It could have been worse than marrying a man she didn´t love . Maybe she should be nicer to her parents and her brother from now on. Suddenly the picture of the girls father popped in her head. She had seen this face anywhere. And then came the realization.
OH MY GOD SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF KHIVAR, HER FATHERS BIGGEST ENEMY

Chapter 8 Consequences

Mael and King Salem were on their way to the room of Marianna. They wanted to confront her with the information they received. They still couldn´t get their heads around it that she was the daughter of their only true enemy. She was so nice, a little quiet and reserved, but nice nontheless. The paper showed however a different person. She seemed to have murdered her own mother and then escaped the palace. Supposedly one of the soldiers, Mariannas brother, had shot her and she was supposed to be dead right now. But the picture showed the same girl, they took in their family a few days ago. Now they knew why Marianna was so badly hurt when Rath found her. She was on the run from the soldier, which wanted to arrest her for murder. Mael couldn´t believe that he wasn´t more attentive to everything. He was the commander, he had to protect his king and he let a criminell in their home and their heart. He began to love this girl like a daughter.

“ Do you believe she did it”, King Salem broke the silence between them. He was not sure if he should believe everything he read. The girl seemed not to be the dangerous type.

Mael shrugged his shoulders. He know nothing at the moment. He hoped everything would clear up as soon as they spoke with Marianna. “ I don´t know. But I know that she has been lying to us for awhile now”.

“ You noticed it, too”, King Salem shook his head. It didn´t look good for the girl.

“ Yeah.I said nothing, because I didn´t want to upset anyone. I thought she would tell us everything when she was ready” Mael wanted to smack himself. He should have pushed. What if they hadn´t found out about Marianna, what would have happened?

King Salem had to laugh despite the serious situation. They were more similar as they thought.” Same here. But I don´t think she killed her mother”.

“ How do you know that?”, Mael wanted to believe that, too. But he couldn´t.

“ My heart tells me that.” King Salem didn´t know why he tried to protect the girl. It was a feeling.” And I listen to my heart”.

Mael wanted to reply that he couldn´t do this when they arrived at the door to Mariannas room.
Both men were really nervous and scared. They didn´t know what to expect and what they would learn.
King Salem thought it was best to knock before entering, but Mael had other ideas. He opened the door forcefully. Marianna, who slept really deeply in her bed, woke up from the noise in her room. She jumped fast on her feet and was prepaired to kill anybody who dared to attack her. But after she realized who stood before her, she dropped her fighting stance.

“ What is going on here”, Marianna tried to wipe the sleep out of her eyes. She was still slightly sleepy. She took a look out of the window. Like she imagined it was still dark outside. What happened that the King and his second in command had to disturb her sleep.

King Salem took a step forward and lifted a piece of paper infront of her face” What can you say to us about that”

Marianna observed the paper. There was a big picture of her mother with a big headline above which read “ Queen Leiana murdered from her own daughter” and to the right of the little article was a picture of Marianna. Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought about the worst hours of her life and everyone believed that she was a murderer. She knew that her cover was blown and by the look of it she was in so much trouble at the moment.

Mael, who was quiet the whole time, saw the tears and the sorrow behind those eyes. That were not tears of a girl who killed her mother, that were tears of a girl who lost her mother.” We know that you didn´t lose your memories. Why don´t you tell us your side of the story?”.

“ Why. You wouldn´t believe my anyhow. Nobody would believe me”, Marianna didn´t have the strength to fight anymore. No one on this whole planet was on her side. She was all alone and she would die that way.” You formed your opinion right before you went rushing in this room”.

King Salem let the paper fall onto the floor” Then try to convience us of the contrary. What have you got to lose?”.

“ What do you want to hear from me”, Marianna was close to losing her cool. She didn´t notice that she was crying and screaming.” That I killed my mother. That I´m a coldblood murderer. Or that I would kill again if I had the chance”. At the last part the ground beneath their feet began to shake violently. Paintings fell from the walls and the lusters crashed on the floor.

King Salem and Mael had to hold onto the wall the keep standing. They didn´t know what triggered the quake. They looked at Marianna and noticed that her whole body shuddered, her eyes turned to a deep black and her hair flew like crazy around her head. Both faced each other in shock. They didn´t know that Marianna possesed such ability. She was much more powerful than everybody on this planet. Mael tried to take a step forward and calm the girl down. But at that moment everything stopped and Marianna dropped on her knees. She hid her face in her hands and cried. King Salem and Mael didn´t know what to do with that. Suddenly the door flew open and Rath entered the room.

“ What happened?”

“ Nothing. Go back to your bed. We have everything in control” Mael didn´t think Marianna would want any more people around her.

Rath lifted his right eyebrow. Yeah that was convincing.” Really? Because I gotta say that I particular prefer to be awakend by my alarmclock and not from falling paintings”.

“ We talk tomorrow morning about everything”, Mael wanted his son gone and that really fast. It was hard enough right now and Rath wouldn´t be a big help.” I promise. But do as I say and go”.

Rath was a little bit irritated. What was his fathers problem? Why did he want him to dissapear? Then he heard it. It was a noice that sounded like a sob. Immediately Rath pushed his father aside to see what the noise was about. Shocked he noticed the girl. She sat on her knees and cried violently in her hands.

“ What have you done to her”, Rath wasn´t sure why he was so angry. But nobody was allowed to hurt her. Not as long as she was under his protection.

“ Nothing”, Mael received a unbelievable look from his son.” Trust me. We haven´t touched her in any way”.

“ Why is she crying then?”, Rath was beyond mad now.He knelt infront of the crying girl. Then he saw a piece of paper lying beside him on the ground. He took it in his with rage shaking hands. A few seconds later he faced Marianna. He couldn´t believe what he read. She was the enemies daughter. She had killed her own mother.Why didn´t he notice something. He was usually more attentive to everything. That was propably his punishment for thinking with his heart and not his head. He was in love with the only girl he couldn´t have. He felt cheated and betrayed. “ Did you know about that?”.

King Salem understood the feelings of his nephew.” We learned about it only a hour ago ourselves”.

“ That´s great. And when did you planning of telling us about it?. When she killed someone else?”, Rath rose from his crouched position and faced his father and his uncle.

“ We don´t know if she did that”, Mael laid a hand on his sons shoulder and tried to calm him down a bit.

“ I can believe you. You of all people try to protect a murderer. The man who said blast first, ask question later?”, Rath was on the brink of doing something stupid. She was the enemy, end of story. What more did they want? Prove?

King Salem couldn´t listen to the fight any longer. Besides they had to deal with Marianna. She had stopped crying and now observed quietly the little display.” We have a different situation here. We don´t want to protect a murderer as much as you do. But we need prove about that”

Rath lifted the paper and pushed it in King Salems face” What more do you need”, he showed a line with his finger.” Here it is”, he pointed at Marianna.” She killed her mother”.

Marianna had enough of the false accusation. As fast as possible she jumped to her feet and stomped angrily to Rath.” I did not kill my mother. I loved her and I would never hurt her. Do you understand me”. She poked Rath´s chest with her finger.

“ And how will you prove that”, Rath took her finger of him. Then he crossed his arms infront of his chest.

Just as Marianna wanted to say that she couldn´t prove her innocence, a out of breath running Vilandra stepped in the room.

“ I know who she is”

“ Congratulation Vilandra”, Rath clapped sarcastic.” We know that, too”.

“ You know. Thank god”, now Vilandra could finally rest for a few minutes. She wasn´t used to so much exercise. She wanted to announce the good news as soon as possible. It would all be better from now on.
“ Yeah we know that she killed her mother”, Rath couldn´t let it go.

Vilandra faced Rath and saw in his angry face.” No. That´s not true”.

“ And how do you know that?”, great, another supporter of Marianna. Why couldn´t they saw the truth. They had taken in a murderer and a traitor to her people.

“ I had a fight with Ava this afternoon. She didn´t trust the girl”, Vilandra made a little break, because Rath had to congratulate his obviously smart sister.” I wanted to prove her wrong. Tonight I went in her dream and I saw what really happened”.

King Salem embraced his daughter. She was like him.” What have you seen?”.

“ Her father killed her mother. She saw it by accident. When she told the guards what happened her father accused her. Then she had to escape because her father gave order to kill her”, Vilandra saw still the picture in her mind. The feeling of sadness and fury were still fresh.

“ Is it true?”, Mael glanced at Marianna. She nodded sadly. If Vilandra didn´t have saved her life, she would be very angry with her for invading her privacy.

“ Then we talk about everything tomorrow. Now try to get some more sleep tonight”, King Salem was tired. Now that their weren´t in immdiate danger they could rest.

Rath glared on last time at Marianna and left the room with pounding steps. Vilandra squeezed her arm and smiled encouragly before she left, too. Mael embraced her for a moment and then he followed the kids outside. Only King Salem remained.

“ Try to sleep. You have a hard day tomorrow” he stroked softly her left cheek.” Don´t worry. Everything will be better from now on. You are save here”.

With that the King made his way to his bedroom. Marianna stood still on the same spot she was early. After the door closed behind King Salem she crawled back in her bed and pulled her blanket over her face. She didn´t want to face everyone tomorrow. It would be the same like the scene earlier.But why now. She was almost ready with her plan against her father. Couldn´t they have waited a couple of days longer. Maybe she should take off. There was nothing holding her back anyhow. But then she thought about the friendly faces of Mael, Vilandra and King Salem. She had to face her problems head on. Besides if she tried to escape she had to be on the run for the rest of her life and everybody would think she was guilty. No she would listen and then she could still decide what to do. With that thought she closed her eyes.

Post by **Island Breeze** » Thu May 04, 2006 7:25 pm

Wow! Great parts! I loved this!

So now they know the truth about who Marianna really is... and thanks to Vilandra, they also know that she is innocent.

I loved this whole part when Rath went to see her...

Just as he rounded the corner to the hallway of the hospital ward, he discovered two guards on the ground. They were lying against the closed door of the consulting room. Immediately Rath ran to the men and checked their pulse. Thank godness they were alive, just knocked out.
Suddenly he heard a strange noise from the room infront of him. Carefully he wanted to grab after his weapon, but he realized he had forgotten it in his room.

“ Damn, damn and double damn!”, he cursed quietly. Usually his mother had to remind him to take off of his weapon halter before he went to bed. And today of all days, where he needed the weapon the most, he forgot it on his nighstand. If he had more time he would bang his head against the wall. But time was running out and he had to something right away.

Quietly he tiptoed to the door and tried to open it without to much noise. But the door had other plans. She creaked really loud and before Rath could put one foot in the room a hand grasped him around his throat. Out of reflex he tried to loosen the hold on his throat. But his attacker was pretty strong and Rath was in disadvantage because of the sudden assault.

“ Where am I and what I´m doing here”, growled a female voice in his ear.

“ You are in the kingdom of King Salem”, Rath was amazed how much power the girl had. He knew the moment she began to speak that it was her. For someone who was on the brink of death a few hours ago she had a deathly stronghold.” You were pretty hurt when I found you”, Rath had to struggle to breath. Slowly the breathing became harder and harder.

Just as he was about to pass out, the girl released him. Rath dropped coughing on all fours. Damn that was a close call. A few minutes more and he would have kissed the floor. That´s what you got for saving a life, a near death experience. He decided to never do something stupid again.

“ You know, a little thank you would have been better, don´t you think”, Rath tried to hide his embarrassment. He was taken by surprise by a girl half his size. Hopefully nobody would learn of this little incident ever. No wonder the two guards had no chance against her. Slowly he stood up from the floor and whipped the dirt from his pants.

Then he made the mistake and saw in the face of his attacker for the first time. In the moment their eyes meet the breath was knocked out of him. Never in his whole life had he seen such a beautiful girl, besides his sister and Vilandra. She was not so tall, she would reached to his shoulders, her hair was bound to a pigtail, the lips were full and red and made to be kissed. But what really got him were her eyes. They looked like two sparkling emeralds. And the message in them was clear. One wrong word and your dust.

“ Do you have to stare at me like that”, the girl glared at the intruder. It seemed like he had never seen a female before. She had to repress the feeling to strangle him.

That snapped Rath out of his state. She was cute. At least as long as she shut her mouth” Excuse me. I don´t stare”. He didn´t. Really.

“ Yes, you did”, replied the girl angry.

“ Alright, if it shuts you up. I stared. Now are you happy?”, Rath didn´t have the patient now to play this game. It was bad enough when he played it with Ava and therefore he knew how long that could go.” But I didn´t come here to fight. I wanted to see how you´ve been”.

The girl gave up her fighting stance and relaxed slightly.” I´m fine. A little wiped out, but fine”.

And I loved this, too...

“ It doesn´t matter to us”, Abidale laid her hand on Mariannas. The gesture touched something inside of her. Her mother had done that when she was sad. “ You´re still young and you need guidance and protection. We can give you that”.

“ Besides Rath likes you and he doesn´t let people close”, added Mael with a smile. He knew his son and nobody had managed to get under his skin so easily.

Marianna couldn´t struggle against the arguments and before she knew she agreed to it. Either it was the hopefully faces or the smell of the room, she didn´t know. But she would be living as a full member of the royal family now. What had she thought? Now she had to move her plan really fast before she began to love this people. Oh Boy what had she done!

But Marianna has a plan to get even with her father. That is going to create problems, I'm afraid, for everyone. I hope she succeeds, though. He is a really evil person!

Great chapters!

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:40 pm

Chapter 9 Battle of wills

Marianna tried to sleep but she couldn´t the rest of the night. She was wide awake and thought about the upcoming conversation. That would be breakfast from hell. Everybody asking her stupid questions which she would rather not answer. But what could she do? Just before sunrise she wanted to climb out of her window. However there were two problems. 1. She was scared of heights and 2. guards who patroled the garden around the palace. After her failed attempt to sneak out the door, because there were more guards, she gave up and waited till it was time for breakfast. And that was what she was doing right now. She was on her way to the dining room. She was really nervous and scared, althrough the King had ressured her that everything would be good. But Rath could be a huge obstacle. She didn´t know why he reacted so angry the night before. It wasn´t like she had threatened his family or something. He made everything worst than it was. Men, they were so sensetive sometimes! Marianna was so deep in thoughts that she almost crashed in the door to the dining room. She shook her head to get rid of her notion. She had still time to think about Rath after her questioning. With shaky hands she took the handle and opened the door. And what she saw was so not what she expected. The whole family was present. They sat around the large table and looked her way. She felt like she would be standing infront of them in the nude. That would at least explain why they stared so intensely. But Marianna wouldn´t let them intimidate her.

“ Good morning”, she said friendly and looked at everyone.

“ Good morning dear”, replied Abidale in her motherly tone. Her husband had told her everything last night. At first she was angry then after Mael described the situation she felt pity for the girl. No one should witness the death of the own mother. And her father was the murderer, too. No wonder Marianna was so sad.” Why don´t you take a seat?”

Marianna did as told and sat slightly apart from the others.” Why don´t we get it over with quickly”, she had no real desire to be here and the waiting would propably kill her, literally.

“ Allright. We only thougth that it was best to wait after breakfast. But if you´re up to it, we can do it now”, King Salem rose from his chair. He and his family had discussed it really long and although Rath had his objections everybody came to the same conclusion. “ You know what you did was wrong, right?”

Marianna nodded. Logical it was wrong but practical it was right.” I know and I´m sorry. But I thought I did what was best for me”.

“ And nobody will pass sentence on you. But still it was wrong and you have to bear the consequences” King Salem put on his father face, which looked like a mix of concern and anger

“ We only want that you are honest with us from now on. It was horrible what you had to experience. But we want you to trust us and in contrast we want to trust you, understood”, Queen Lutecia interfered. Vilandra showed her the whole incident and it was disgusting. How a father could do something to his own daughter, she didn´t know.

“ Wait. Let me get this straigth. You don´t hate me and I don´t have to go?”, Marianna believed she didn´t listen right. It couldn´t be. She had lied to them over weeks and they didn´t punish her? That was really a strange family.

Now Abidale had something to say.” Of course not. You thought you did the right thing”, she laid a hand on Mariannas.” We all make mistakes, but that doesn´t mean we hate each other”.

“ Besides, you are a part of our family now”, Mael repressed a smile.” That means we can give you house arrest or you have to do the chores for a few weeks”.

Mariannas eyes widened out of fear.” Chores? In the whole palace? You´re not serious, are you?”. No No. They wouldn´t do that to her. Allright, she was lying, but she didn´t destroy the planet.

“ Welcome in our family”, Vilandra couldn´t hide her smile any longer. She knew her uncle. He was dead serious about that. He let her trim the huge garden, only because she was a little late. So, she had help from Ava and her brother, but it was still horrible. She had to scrub her nails for hours and her hair was dirty.

“ Now that we have the important stuff out of the way, we can finally eat”, King Salem knew that it would be a while before everybody would trust Marianna again, but it was a start for now.

“ Yeah. I´m starving”, Zan rubbed his belly. He didn´t say much, but he trusted his father. If he said Marianna was not a threat then he believed him. Maybe he could try to make friends with her. Except for the lying she was a funny person, especially when she spoke back to Rath.

“ Tell us something new”, replied Vilandra sarcastic. Her brother was always hungy. If he wasn´t careful he would put on weight.

Zan glared at his sister.” Hey, I´m a growing boy. I need all the food I can get so that I will be tall and strong”, he tensed his non existing muscles.

The whole table broke out in laughter. That was what Marianna missed at home. No matter how cold her father was, her mother was always so tender to her. She stopped sometimes by her room and they gossiped about people or they teased Nikolai. Too bad she didn´t have the strong connection to her own brother like Zan and Vilandra did. But she couldn´t dwell to much on the past. She couldn´t change anything, although she would do it gladly. Maybe she could let go of her anger towards her father and move on. He would get what he deserved, no matter what. Until then she had to go a long way before she would feel completely at ease with these people. Marianna took a look at Rath. He was still angry, which revealed his scrowling face, which stared at her. She didn´t know what his problem was with her. At first he treated her like she would break any minute and now he did so like she would attack his family any moment. He was so hard to read. But Marianna was never a girl to back down from a challenge. Therefore she glared back at Rath. If she was really good in something than “who can hold the gaze longer”. A couple of minutes later the meal arrived and Rath was the first to drop his gaze. Marianna was pleased with herself and she clapped on her back mentally. She dropped her head, because she tried to hide her smile. She would show him who was the better soldier.

Later that afternoon

Rath was in the fighting room. In this room was the whole equipment to boost the strength. Only the soldier had access to it. Every day they met here and finished their training after they trained with the weapons. Rath was usually more often in this room, because he had the most pressure. As future Commander he had to be the best of all. Today he was there because he had to work out his anger. With all his might he beat at the punching bag over and over again. He didn´t know why he behaved like a jerk or why he treated Marianna like a plaque. She had lost her family and he should be more sympathetic towards her. But he couldn´t forgive that she was lying to him for a long time and that she thought she couldn´t trust him. If he was true to himself he was more mad at him, because he didn´t realize sooner that something was wrong. And a little part was furious that somebody could do such a thing to a innocent girl, which was not older than his own sister. If he imaged something like that would happen to Ava, he would propably tear the whole kingdom apart until he found the culprit and then he would torture him as long as his powers would work. Rath shook his head. He had to stop thinking about that. He would do everything in his part that his family would never be harmed. Everybody who wanted to hurt them had to go through him first.

“ You´re doing it wrong”, a voice startled Rath out of his thoughts.

He turned around and saw Marianna standing at the entrance of the room. She was leaning against the wall and had her arms crossed infront of her chest. “ What?”

“ You are fighting to uncontrolled. Every opponent would predict yout next move and dodge it” She seemed to be amused over his baffled expression.

Rath was not excited about the suggestion of Marianna. What could she possibly know about fighting and battles.” Yeah. And you know that because?”

“ Well first of all I was the second highest officer in my fathers army”, Marianna pushed away from the wall and walked in his direction.”Secondly every blind man can see that the anger leads you and not the other way around”. She placed herself infront Rath.” Rule number one : Don´t let anger cloud your senses”.

“ You were a soldier?”, Rath had problems to stifle his laughter. No woman had the physical shape to survive one week at the exercise. Only the strongest and fastes men made it to the troops.

Marianna didn´t like the way Rath was so amused about the fact that she was member of the royal army. She pressed her right hand at her hips and glared dangerously.” Why should I lie about that?”.

“ I don´t know”, Rath pretended to think about it.” Maybe it´s because you were lying to me before”.

“ Could you drop it. I said I was sorry”, Marianna´s patience snapped. Why couldn´t he stop the harassment. His family was in the process to forgive her. Why couldn´t he do the same?

“ But that could be a lie also!”, Rath raised his voice. If he would be any louder the whole palace could hear him.

“ I´m so sick of your attitude towards me”, Marianna took her shirt and pulled it off. Then she threw it forcefully down on the floor. Thank god that she wore a tank top underneath otherwise she would have given Rath a glimpse of her almost nude body.” Let´s deal with the situation like men”.

Rath was slightly distracted through the little top that did nothing to hide her breast. But he heared the last part.” But you´re a woman”.

“ That´s beside the point”, Marianna was so furious that she couldn´t think clearly at the moment.” Let´s do it right here and now and I´ll show if I´m lying or not”.

“ I don´t fight with girls”, Rath had never raised a hand against a woman. His father taught him that much. Althrough he was quite angry at her, he wouldn´t touch her in any way.

“ Too chicken? Afraid you could lose against me?”, If Marianna knew something it was that men had one weakness. Their ego. Tell them they were to afraid and they would do everything. Men were so easy sometimes.

Rath was really mad now. Nobody questioned his manhood and would get away with it.” Alright, fine. Let´s do it”.

“ Wait a minute. I just have to adjust my bra”, Marianna pushed her breast upwards with both hands.

Rath stared fascinated at the white flesh which peaked out of her tank top and the next thing he knew he landed with his back on the floor and Marianna sat on his belly. She pinned down his arms to the ground beneath his head.

“ Rule Number two : Don´t get distracted. Be on guard all the time”, Marianna smirked happy about her successful attack. She used the oldest trick in the book. Men think always with their dicks.

Rath felt really embarassed. He was usually not so easily fooled. Hopefully his father would never know about this. It would be too humiliated for him. “ That was not fair. You tricked me”.

“ Fighting is never fair”, Marianna bent forward until her mouth was at his ear.” But if you want I can play nice”. Her breath tickled his throat and let every hair stand at his neck. Something in his pants began to stir.
“ Don´t do me any favours”, Rath rolled really fast to the right side. And now he was on top. Yeah he liked this position much better. Now he had the control again.

“ You´re really good”, Marianna had to give him credit for that. But they were only at the beginning. Now it would be really serious. No cuddling, no holding back. With that thought Marianna used her powers to throw Rath off of her body. He landed with a thud a couple of feet away from her on the floor. “ But I´m better”. Marianna rose from the ground

Rath jumped immediately back on his feet.” Alright. You want it rough. I give you rough”, he pulled his tank top off of his sweating body.

Marianna had to swallow for a moment. He was built really nice and very tasty. His belly muscles were well trained and the light hair at his belly button which seemed to reach inside his pants were a total turn on. Just as she thougth about that a blast hit her square in the chest and tossed her at the nearest wall. If she would be a normal girl that would have had hurt. But her body was used to bruises and she didn´t hurt that easily anymore.

“ Did you forget Rule Number two”, Rath imitated Marianna and tried to sound like a woman.” Don´t get distracted. Be on guard all the time”.

Marianna knew he would throw her words back in her face. Why couldn´t he be ugly or have a big belly. No he had to have a body like an Antarian god. But she couldn´t let him think he will win this figh. Immediately she stood up and gathered her strength. She stretched her right arm out and Rath hung a few feets above the floor on the wall.

“ Now that is a sight you don´t see everyday”, Marianna droped her arm. She didn´t need it anymore. She pinned him down with her mind.

“ Let me down, right now”, Rath tried to fight against the spell with his powers. But they were not strong enough. Irritated he scrowled at her. She seemed to enjoy it to much.

“ No. I let you hang there for a while”, Marianna thought about something funny.” Maybe I can torture you while you´re at my mercy. You know for the way you treated me”, the evil twinkle in her eyes made Rath a bit afraid.

“ What will you do to me? Talk me to death?”, no matter in which situation Rath was, his sarcastic comments never ceased. Besides what could she do really to him? She wouldn´t hurt him. At least not badly.

“ No. Althrough that´s a great idea”, Marianna stepped closer to Rath. Maybe she should let him hang until he begged to release him. Or she could have her way with him. Oh my. Where did that thougth come from? Marianna shook her head. No sexual fantasies about Rath. She noticed how her cheeks got warm and a blush covered her face. Immediately she tried to hide it with her hands.

“ Marianna”, Rath cried. She seemed to think really hard about his punishment. Hopefully it would be not to bloody and hurtful. Suddenly her face changed her colour. Was she blushing? “ Hello. I´m still there”.

Just as Rath wanted to call again he crashed with full force on the floor. She must have lost her holding on him. Quickly he attacked again. He knew that his powers couldn´t compare with Mariannas. She was stronger, but hand to hand fight he was the best. Therefore he tried it with a frontal attack. But Marianna expected it, althrough she seemed to be still in her thoughts. She sidestepped him. Rath lost his balance and fell to the floor. However Rath was no newbie in fighting. He kicked his leg out and brought Marianna down, too. Rath reacted immediately and rolled on top of her. With his hands he nailed her on the floor.

“ You seem to like it on top”, Marianna laughed. Not that she minded. No stop it. Why couldn´t she have other thoughts about him. He was a jerk.

Rath smirked down at her.” Of course”, he dropped his head until his mouth reached her ear. “ I like to have control”, he waited a second and then he added.” In everything”.

Marianna had to fight against her lust. If she wasn´t careful she would beg him to take her. Here and now. Her heart threatend to jump out of her chest, her breathing was heavy and her eyes changed to a dark green. Rath noticed the change in her. He saw in her lustful eyes. Before he knew what he did, he pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth was soft and tasted wonderful. Carefully he pushed his tongue against her lips. Seconds later she opend her mouth. Immediately both tongues were fighting for dominance. Marianna moaned quietly. Rath knew what he was doing. His right hand traveled from her wrist to her cheek. He was so sensitiv and rough at the same time. Her whole body shuddered for longing. Her nails bore in his flesh. Suddenly Marianna realized what she did and with who. With all her strength she pushed Rath off of her and jumped to her feet.

“ We can´t do that”, she stuttered embarressed. She avoided eye contact with Rath. “ It´s wrong. Your engaged and so I am, at least in theory”. She felt her cheeks blushing again.

Rath had to laugh about that. She was really cute if she was nervous.” Relax. It was only a kiss”. His smile grew wider.

“ That was not only a kiss!”, Marianna threw her hands in the air.” I know what a kiss is, that was definitively more than a kiss”, she pointed a finger at him. “ you forced yourself on me!”.

“ I didn´t notice that you were against it”, Rath retorted back. He felt no pain. It was worth everything. Now he could sleep really good tonight.

“ You surprised me. That´s all”. Marianna knew that was a lie. But she wouldn´t admit it to him. Ever.

“ Tell yourself that, but I know that you loved it”, Rath winked at her seductively.” Admit it, you want me”.

“ I admit nothing!”, Marianna stomped forcefully her right leg against the floor. She cursed her body, who yearned for his touches and tingled for longing.” I go now and try to forget that this”, she pointed at them both.” ever happened”, she glared at him.” I would do the same if I were you”. With that she turned around and made her way out of the room.

Rath could hear her babble that she would get to hell for this. He couldn´t restrain his laughter. This girl would definitely make his life more interesting, that was for sure. He noticed Mariannas shirt, which lay on the floor. He took it in his hand and smelled. Yeah he would keep it as a trophy. If she wanted to forget about the kiss, he would do everything to prevent it. No matter what she said, she wanted him like he wanted her. With that thought he went to his room. He needed a cold shower, badly.

TBC

Chapter 10 Chores and other problems

Marianna was dead tired. Since the early morning she had cleaned almost every room in the castle. And that was really hard work considering that the palace had about 42 of them and they were not small. Every muscle in Mariannas body arched from the slave labor. She had made 41 beds, cleaned 54 windows and dusted 125 furniture. Ok that was exaggerated, but for Marianna it seemed so much. Her arms felt like they weighted a ton, her legs were wobbly like jello and it seemed as a herd of really big animals stomped on her back all day. Never in her whole life she felt so bad like today. And the worst was, that it was only the beginning. After the cleaning she had to report to the laundry room to wash all the dirty clothes. That meant the rest of the day in a room full of steam and stuffy air. No that was not her idea of fun. Thank god she only had to do the chores for today and not the whole week. That would have been cruel. With that thought she went to the last room of the castle. A room she had tried to ignore. Rath own little empire. Carefully she opened the door to his room. She was pretty surprised about the appearance. The room was spare furnished. In the middle was a kingsized bed. The covers were dark blue. Next to it was a little nightstand. There lay a book about fight tactics and something that looked like a stunted plant. Marianna stepped closer in the room. At the end of the room there was a bureau with a lamp. And then there was a large bookcase with many books in it. Marianna took one of the books and eyed it interested. It seemed as Rath was a little bookworm. She didn´t know that he could read at all. She had to remember this, so that she could tease him about it sometimes. Carefully she put the book back in the rack. She was not here to snoop around but to clean. Therefore she made her way to the bed. The blanket felt really nice and after she shook it she realised it smelled like him. Just as she bent her whole body over the bed to straighten the corners she heard the familiar voice behind her.

“ Now that´s a sight I could get used to”, Rath stood at the doorframe in all his manhood. His arms were crossed infront of his chest and he wore is trademark smirk.

Marianna was so startled that she lost her balance and dropped with her face down in the fresh made bed. And because she tried to get rid of the disobendiently bedspread so fast she got tangled up in it. After a few minutes of fighting with the stubborn thing Marianna made it out alive from it. Now her hair stood in every direction, her clothes were lightly wrinkled and she noticed that she was blushing, again. Why did she have to blush everytime Rath was near. As if it was not bad enough without the embarrassed situations.

“ If you wanted so badly in my bed why didn´t you say so?”, Rath was completly turned on by the picture. Marianna in his bed. But in his fantasy she was always naked and not dressed. Maybe he could change that?

“ Dream on, pally”, Marianna could not believe him. Who did he think he was. He wasn´t that attractive. Ok, that was a lie. But he didn´t need to know that. “ I´m only here to clean your room”.

“ Then don´t let me keep you”, Rath loved it when he could Marianna all flustered. She was even more cuter when she was mad.

Marianna jumped to her feet and got back to work. She had to be fast now or she couldn´t keep her timeplan. She wanted to eat before she had to be in the laundry room. But there was only a slight problem. She felt watched. A look at the window and the reflection there confirmed her suspicion. Rath hadn´t left his place by the door.

“ Do you have nothing better to do, besides bugging me?”, Marianna was at the end of her patience. She didn´t understand why she was so a bitch every time Rath was in close proximity. Usually she was a nice person to be around, but not with him. He managed to bring out her bitchy side each time. She was like two persons in one.

Rath moved from his postion and went in her direction. “ Nope. I don´t have something to do. Besides you´re so easy to tick off”.

“ Only if you´re near me”, Marianna turned around and glared at Rath. He was so annoying sometimes, no, actually all the time. “ That should tell you something”.

“ Yeah”, Rath came closer and closer. He was like a predator who stalked his prey.” It means you want me and you dream about me at night”.

Marianna was not impressed with the direction the conversation took. And she didn´t like the look in Rath´s eyes. It made her inside quiver slightly. She tried to take a step backward, but she was stopped from the bed there. One step closer and she would fall on the bed again. That would not be a good idea. “ In your dreams maybe”.

“ Well actually my dreams are pretty naughty, if you know what I mean”, Rath raised his left eyebrow. He was so close to Marianna now, that he could smell her lust. She obviously wanted it too. But why did she struggle against it.

Marianna was slowly starting to get nervous. Rath was too close. His eyes were not amber anymore, but almost black. If she didn´t do something in the next few seconds, she knew that she wouldn´t get out for the next hours or so. No, she couldn´t let that happen, althrough it was really tempting. She knew it would be wrong to act on these feelings they had now. She pushed Rath out of her way and went to the door” Great. Now I have nightmares for the rest of the week”.

“ Where do think you´re going?”, Rath couldn´t let her get away so easily. He hoped for a little something and she couldn´t let him stand there like an idiot.

“ I have done my work here. Now I have to go to the laundry room, if you don´t mind”, Marianna didn´t know how long she could resist him. He was so damn frustating and confusing.

“ I do mind. My bed is a complete mess”, Rath pointed to his covers which were all over the bed. Besides he didn´t mind seeing her bent over his bed again.

“ That´s not my problem anymore. I have done my work”, with that Marianna stepped out of the room and made her way to the laundry room.

Rath rubbed his face with his right hand. That girl would be his death sometime. She was so damn sexy and annoying at once. Now he had to take a cold shower, AGAIN. Damn her.

Meanwhile Marianna tried everything to cover her flushed face. She couldn´t let on that something might have happened.With lightning speed she walked down to the basement of the castle, where the laundry room was. She was so deep in thoughts that she even forgot to eat. Earlier than expected she started her duty. The old lady showed her what she had to do the rest of the day. It was not so difficult and she would certainly get along. Besides if something should go wrong she had help.
The only negative side effect was the steam and the stuffy air. She could imagine how her hair would look after her work. It would stick to her face and look like she hadn´t washed it for a long time. Thank god she didn´t get the job of trimming the garden. The mud would have been in her nails for days. Not that she was afraid of dirty work, but there were things she didn´t need to experience. But the work was actually not that bad. After a few tries she got the hang of it. It was really easy and funny. She heard the most hilarious tales from the employees. They had something to say about every member of the royal family. The funniest were the stories of Zan and Rath. They were pretty wild when they were kids. They played tricks on their parents and messed up the whole castle. Poor Ava and Vilandra weren´t allowed to join them. In revenge to that the girls told their parent who done the pranks. Which led to two angry boys, because they were punished for their pranks. Marianna had to laugh about most of the stories. It was nice to hear something funny for a change. Her childhood was not so good. Sure she had friends and a family. But her father ignored her, her brother did everything to impress their father and her mother tried to avoid every contact with her husband. A really wonderful family. Her only true friend was Marius. He was always there for her and tried to make her laugh or dried her tears when she cried. He was the only bright spot in her life. And she didn´t have had the time to tell him that.
Suddenly a small hand waved in front of her face.

“ Is everything alright with you?”, Corly, a young attendant of the palace, tried to snap her out of her thoughts.

“ Yeah, sorry”, Marianna shook her head. She must have zoned out for a moment. “ I was only thinking”.

“ Seems like it was not so happy”, Corly was really nice. Her smile was contagiuous.

“ It´s alright. It was a long time ago”, Marianna didn´t want to think about it to much. It was in the past and it should stay there. Besides she couldn´t change anything anyhow.

“ If you want to talk about it I´m a great listener”, althrough Corly didn´t know Marianna that long she felt a connection with her. It was like they know each other for a long time. It didn´t matter that Marianna was a rich princess and she only a poor attendant.

“ Thank you”, Marianna was grateful. Corly seemed like a nice girl.” So what should I do next?”.

“ The pile next to you”, Corly pointed to the mountain of black shirts and black pants. “ That are the clothes of Rath”.

Marianna eyed the clothes really intensly. “ Aha, Rath´s clothes. Very interesting”, a plan formed in her little mind. She could pay him back for the incident earlier. He would think twice before he did something again after that.

Corly didn´t like the twinkle in Mariannas eyes. It looked really scary. But she had her own pile to do, therefore she couldn´t keep an eye on her all the time.
Marianna didn´t care that everybody could see what she wanted to do. They had their own work and wouldn´t bother her. Just as anyone was distracted she let all of Rath shirts shrunk two size smaller. Now the only person who could wear that was Ava or her. Rath wouldn´t fit in it anymore. After she was done with that she washed the shirts and the pants.

Later in the evening

Marianna and the royal family sat around the table. Everybody talked about the day and what happened. Ava and Isabel told their parents about their new dresses, Zan tried not to roll his eyes at that, Mael and King Salem talked about politics and Queen Lutecia and Abidale gossiped. From time to time somebody would look on his timer. They were all waiting for Rath. The dinner would get cold if he didn´t came soon. Suddenly they heard angry steps coming their way. It was really loud and really fast. Then the door flew forcefully open. Rath glared angry at his family. Until his eyes found the culprit.

“ Marianna, what have you done to my shirts”, he was pretty furious and he didn´t trie do hide it. He didn´t have prove, but he knew that she was guilty.

At the last part the whole family noticed the shirt Rath was wearing. It was to small for his size and covered only the upper half of his torso. You could see his belly button and a little bit more of that.
Ava and Vilandra burst out laughing at that picture. Zan hid his smile behind his hands. Mael and his wife tried to hide her laughter decently. Queen Lutecia couldn´t hold her laughter in and King Salem only grinned.

“ I did nothing to your shirt´s”, ok, that sounded not so innocent like she thought. But the picture was just too funny. “ I only washed them, like I was told to”.

“ You let them shrink”, Rath was on the brink to strangle Marianna. What should he wear now? He couldn´t go around shirtless.

“ I did not. I´m sorry if the shirts shrunk. But that is not my fault”, and he couldn´t prove it. Besides it was fixable. Althrough she didn´t mind seeing Rath topless.

For the first time Rath couldn´t find a remark. Filled with rage he stormed out of the dining room and made his way to his bedroom. Maybe he had to calm down, before he did something he regretted later, like to choke Marianna to death or something like that. But he would get his revenge. If not today then tomorrow.

TBC

Post by **Island Breeze** » Fri May 19, 2006 9:25 pm

Great new chapters!

I loved the whole Marianna and Rath thing (And now he needs a cold shower for the second time.

) It was funny how she distracted him and then he distracted her.

And I liked this part, from the previous chapter, a lot, too...

“ Wait. Let me get this straigth. You don´t hate me and I don´t have to go?”, Marianna believed she didn´t listen right. It couldn´t be. She had lied to them over weeks and they didn´t punish her? That was really a strange family.

Now Abidale had something to say.” Of course not. You thought you did the right thing”, she laid a hand on Mariannas.” We all make mistakes, but that doesn´t mean we hate each other”.

“ Besides, you are a part of our family now”, Mael repressed a smile.” That means we can give you house arrest or you have to do the chores for a few weeks”.

Mariannas eyes widened out of fear.” Chores? In the whole palace? You´re not serious, are you?”. No No. They wouldn´t do that to her. Allright, she was lying, but she didn´t destroy the planet.

“ Welcome in our family”, Vilandra couldn´t hide her smile any longer. She knew her uncle. He was dead serious about that. He let her trim the huge garden, only because she was a little late. So, she had help from Ava and her brother, but it was still horrible. She had to scrub her nails for hours and her hair was dirty.

:D

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sat May 20, 2006 1:20 pm

Chapter 11 May the revenge be with me
Rath was trying to plan a act of vengeance since he woke up that morning. He couldn´t forget the embarrassing situation from yesterday evening. Ok, he had fixed his shirts with his powers after he calmed down, but that was not the point. He didn´t need to fix his shirts if Marianna would have kept her fingers away from his clothes. That was pure revenge on her part. For what he didn´t know, but it didn´t matter anyway. He would get her back for that. After some thinking he had the perfect plan of action. Marianna wouldn´t know what hit her. If she thought her prank was good she didn´t know him. He was the master of pranks and nobody could beat him. Not even a spoiled little princess like her. With that thought he made his way to the kitchen. Halfway there he saw Ava and Marianna on their way to the garden. Carefully he hid behind a statue, which portrayed a legend of their planet. Then he heard something quite interesting.

“ You have to try it. It´s wonderful at night”, Ava was really excited. Her whole face glowed.

“ I don´t know. What if someone sees me”, Marianna seemed to be not so ok with the suggestion Ava made.

“ Nobody is there at this time. Trust me. Vilandra and I were there a few times. And we were alone the whole time”, Ava wouldn´t give up. She wanted to do something nice for Marianna. She needed a little distraction. And a little time to think.

“ Alright. If it will shut you up. I will visit this boiling spring”, Marianna rolled her eyes at Ava. She was such a girl. But now she was curious about this spring. Maybe she could relax her still aching bones for a few hours or so.

“ Great. I´ll show you the way there”, Ava grasped the hands of Marianna and dragged her in the direction of her bedroom.

After both girls were out of sight, Rath came out of his hiding - place. That information was really helpful. Actually he wanted to put snails in her food, but this was better. He only had to wait until tonight. Thankfully he knew the way to the boiling spring. He met a girl there a few years ago and she wanted to be alone with him. Therefore the secluded meeting point. It was really quiet and peaceful, except for the noises they made themself. With a smile Rath went to the training ground. If he had to wait until tonight he could work out at least. But not too much. He still needed his strength.
After a few hours and a lovely dinner for once later, Rath walked to the boiling spring. It was not so far from the palace, but far enough that nobody would disturb. He went by the old trees whose leaves blossomed blue and yellow, the little stream whose water was red and the cave that was known as the home of a croubeeg ( on earth called grizzly bear ). Then he arrived at the boiling spring. Immediately he searched for a suitable hiding spot, which he found quickly. Quietly he hid behind a pricky shrub. He had to be careful or he would hurt himself at the thorns. Just as he decided to take another hideout, because a thorn stabbed at his bottom, he heard footsteps coming his way. Through a little hole in the bush he saw Marianna with a towel in her hand. For a moment she saw to the blue moon above and it seemed like she searched for something. But the moment went by as fast as it came. Slowly she took the hem of her shirt, pulled it over her head and threw it on the ground. Then she kicked her shoes off. After that came the pants. Now the only clothes on her body were her panties and her bra. Marianna took a look around to see if someone was near. To her relieve she was alone. That was the moment she unsnapped her bra and let it drop to her other clothes. It was a little bit cold, therefore Marianna jumped right in the bubbling water. Rath meanwhile had problems with his pants. They were a little tight at a certain place. If Marianna would have dropped her panties too, he would have made a mess in his pants. He had seen many naked girl, but none could compare with Mariannas body. Her breast were small but firm, her legs really long and she had curves at the right places. She had a body who made men howling like wolves. Rath shook his head. He was not here to observe her nude body. He had a mission to fulfill. He took a look at Marianna. Great she had her eyes closed and seemed to be relaxing. Maybe he should cancel his plan and jump in there too? No. Don´t let your mind get there. Rath put himself up and sneak quietly to the place where Mariannas clothes lay. Carefully he bent down and took the clothes. After that he retreated really quickly. His mission was almost completed. He couldn´t wait to see her face when she stormed angry to his bedroom. Only clad with her panties. With fast steps he went to his room and get rid of the evidence. Then he took a book from his shelf and sat on his armchair. He was sure that he wouldn´t read a line, but he had to make an impression that he was in his room the whole time. Everybody who would look in his room now would think he was reading a book peacefully. But his mind was elsewhere. He imagined how Marianna would waltz through the door and demand where he put her clothes. He would of course play the innocent who didn´t know where her clothes were. She would accuse him about stealing it and he would throw her on his bed. Then he wouldn´t let her out of his room the whole night. Suddenly he heard angy footsteps in the hallway. Immediately he put his nose deeper in the book to cover his laughter. Seconds later his door flew open and Marianna stormed pissed and clad only in the towel in his direction.

“ Where are my clothes?”, Marianna was at the end of her patience with him. He was like a kid trapped in a body of a man.

Rath tried to mask his joy. With a serious expression he dropped his book and faced Marianna.” What?”. Then he let his look wander up and down her body.” What happened with your clothes?”.

“ Don´t play dumb with me. I know that you stole my clothes, you pervert!”, Marianna was on the brink of exploding. She knew exactly that he did it.

“ Are you crazy? Why should I steal your clothes?”

Marianna wanted to strangle him. “ How should I know. Maybe for your pleasure or the get back at me for shrinking your shirts!”.

“ Finally you admit it. You shrunk my shirts on purpose”, Rath jumped from his chair. Now he had Marianna dead on.

“ I admit nothing. It was an accident. Nothing more nothing less. The world doesn´t resolve around you”, screamed Marianna.

“ Yeah, you should keep that in mind if you run around accusing people of stealing your clothes”, now Rath was becoming really angry.

“ Do you know how annoying you are. You´re like a too tall grown child”, Marianna didn´t understand what has gotten into her. Why couldn´t they both act like grown ups. Everytime she was near Rath she transfered in a child.

“ Look who´s talking”, Rath seemed to think the same thing. Because he shook his head and began to laugh.

Marianna wanted to be angry at him for laughing, but she couldn´t. It was too funny. Here they were acting like spoiled little brats even through they should act like adults. They were soldiers in the army for heavens sake.

“ Ok. I say we call it a truce and forget about everything”, Marianna wanted to be the mature one and held her hand out for him.

Rath took it.” I agree”. Besides he wanted to avoid that his parents did notice something. He didn´t want to be punished for his childish behaviour.

“ Can I have my clothes back then”, Marianna wanted in her room asap. It was really cold now. And she had to cover her hardened nipples. She didn´t want Rath to think it was because of him.

“ What do I get if I give you your clothes back”, maybe she would kiss him. Yeah that would be nice.

“ I let your balls in one piece”, Marianna knew what he wanted. But he wouldn´t get it. At least not that easily.

Rath lost his colour for a moment. Hopefully she was only kidding. But he never knew with her.” You wouldn´t do that”.

“ Try me”, ok she wouldn´t do it, but his face was too funny.

“ Alright. You win”, Rath went to his wardrobe and snatched her clothes out of it. Then he gave them back to her.

“ Thank you”, Marianna bent slightly forward and kissed Rath straight on the mouth. Before he could deepen it she parted from him. Then she whispered in his ear.” I hope you liked the show at the boiling spring”.

With that Marianna went to her room and left a dumbfounded Rath back. He stood in his room with his mouth wide open. She knew he was there the whole time and she didn´t say anything. Why did she strip then if she knew that she wasn´t alone? A little smile appeared on his face. Yeah she wanted a piece of him. With proud steps he went to his bed.

TBC

Chapter 12 A new Challenge

Rath walk the whole morning around with a big smile on his face. His family was really worried about that. They hadn´t seen him so happy ever and especially not that earlier. It was just after breakfast and usually Rath was not a morning person. He was grumpy and snappish. He needed a few hours to act like a normal person. But this morning he floated all cheerful in the dining room and greeted his family. He even kissed his mother and his sister on their cheeks. Zan and Vilandra were a tad bit suspicious about Rath´ good mood. They thought he was a shapeshifter or possessed. But after awhile they notized the reason for the turnabout. Vilandra was the first who realised that Rath darted sneaking glances at Marianna. She on the other hand tried everything to avoid his glances. But everybody who made the effort to look closer would see how her cheeks would turn red everytime she felt Rath heated eyes on her. After that Zan notized the same, too. Within less than half an hour the whole family knew or in this case guessed what was happening between them both. Mael couldn´t think about a time when he saw his son so happy. He faced his wife and squeezed her hand lovingly. But he knew the look. It was the look of a man who fell in love. Abidale seemed to have the same thougth, because she smiled at her husband. Yeah their boy was slowly growing up. Too bad that Rath was betrothed to another woman. King Salem meanwhile observed Rath and Marianna silently. He was stunned about the display. They never spoke a word to each other, but the body language was loud and very clear. He turned to Vilandra to see how she reacted to this new development. After all she was Rath´ fiance. But she seemed to be happy about it. She didn´t care that her soon to be husband had feelings for another woman. But that didn´t matter. They both had a commitment to the royal crown. Maybe he should call a meeting with Mael and Abidale. They would discuss the new situation and decide what to do. And that was what the parents did at the moment behind the closed door of the conference room.
Meanwhile Vilandra and Ava were on their way to the local market. Zan was in the library to read a book about his upcoming duties as king. And Rath was on his way to his daily exercise with the other soldiers. Today they would train with boring sticks. That would be a day with no action. But as he stepped in the training room he changed his mind. Immediately he went to the new arrival. It was not difficult to see that there was a new soldier under the group. Firstly every soldier starred a little bit stunned and secondly she was the only female in this room.

“ What are you doing here?”, he eyed the black clothes which clung to her body like a second skin. She looked so damn f***able at the moment.

“ I want to exercise like the rest of you”, Marianna didn´t understand why he asked such a stupid question. What did it look like she was doing here? Bake cookies?

“ You do know that you´re the only female in this room”, Rath was not sure if this was such a great idea. She was so small and petite and the men were tall and strong. He didn´t want that she got hurt.

Marianna rolled her eyes. What did he try to tell her? She knew that she was the only person in this room with boobs.” Thank you. And I thought that their were really ugly women”. She slapped a hand at her forehead for emphasis.

“ Don´t get sarcastic with me. I´m only looking out for you”, Rath couldn´t believe how long the truce lasted. They survived the night and part of the morning without a fight. And now there were back to bitching.

Marianna knew that. But she was not a weakly little girl that needed a bodyguard. She survived worse things in her life. “ I´m sorry. I appreciate that. But I think I can handle it”, then she added to calm Rath.” And if I don´t, I quit. Alright?”.

Before Rath could give his approval, the replacement for his fathers job interrupted them both. He was usually the highest of the guards. But if Mael had something important to do he covered for him. He was really rude and had his firm principles. But he was the best man when it comes to defending and how to handle a bad situation.

“ I´m sorry miss, but I think you´re in the wrong room”, he knew the stories about her. But he couldn´t use a distraction in his exercise. Not that he was against women, but he knew that she wouldn´t make it through the training. Women didn´t have the strength.

“ No sir, I think not”, she wouldn´t budge from her spot. If he wanted her gone he had to remove her himself.

“ That´s not a tea party here, missy!”.

Marianna wanted to blast the damn bastard into the next millenium. But Rath jumped in between to prevent that something bad happened. “ Nolak it´s alright. My father allowed it”.

“ Is that true”, Nolak decided to speak with Mael later on. He didn´t trust that girl. She was trouble.” Fine, but if something happens I tried warning you”. With a last dissapproving look at Marianna he made his way to the the other soldiers.

Marianna glared right back at him. Something told her that she should keep an eye on him. His aura was really dark and it felt bad. He was not what he appeared to be.

“ Dont mind him. He is really old fashioned and thinks that only men should do the fighing while the women take care of the offspring”, a new face appeared suddenly besides Rath. He was really cute looking. He had iceblue eyes who sparkled mischievous, a friendly smile and short black hair. And he was as tall as Rath if not a little bit taller.

“ Yeah I noticed that”, Marianna eyed his body really slowly. He was nice built. Not as nice as Rath. But then she got distracted from a grunt near her. She turned to Rath and noticed that he glared at her and then at the other boy.

“ Oh were are my manners. My name is Larek”, he held his hand out for her.

“ My name is Marianna”, finally a man who knew how to treat a girl properly. Not that she was against the attention of Rath. But it was nice to know that there were other men out there who didn´t think a girl loved it when a man tried to piss her off at the first meeting.

“ I know. I´ve heard really great stuff about you”, Larek was intrigued from the girl. She was prettier than he was told from Zan and Rath. And he liked it that she was not a woman who let someone dictate her life.

“ Don´t believe everything you hear. I swear I´m not that bad”, Marianna couldn´t believe that she was flirting with Larek. What was wrong with her? Yesterday she stripped for Rath and a few hours later she tried to put a move on Larek. She was sick. That was the only explanation.

“ Could you both stop that. I want to keep my food down”, Rath had enough. How could Marianna flirt with Larek when he stood near. Women were really weird. At first she kissed him and now she made eyes at Larek. What was wrong with her? With that Rath stomped angry away.

Larek and Marianna starred shocked after his retreating back. What was that? The whole morning he was in a good mood and suddenly he went back to his grumpy self. Larek knew why. He heard from Zan that Rath seemed to cast a eye at Marianna. But he didn´t do something wrong. He was only friendly. Ok that was not the whole truth. He liked Marianna from the moment she stood against Nolak. But he wouldn´t make a move as long as Rath seemed to be interested.

“ Was it me or something I said?”, Marianna didn´t know why she felt so bad. It wasn´t like she and Rath had a relationship. But why felt she like she cheated on him, althrough she didn´t do more than talking?

“ No. I think it was me. I´m poaching in his territory”, Larek didn´t want to be on Rath´ bad side. He was scary even if you was his friend. But he didn´t want to find out what he would be when he was really angry.

Marianna didn´t believe that. They both talked for maximum one minute. They didn´t rip their clothes off and had hot sweaty sex on the floor. But that confirmed her suspicion about men. Their were really sensitive. And a strange species, too. With that thought she began her training. After all she was here to work out and not to talk.

A few hours later

Mael, Abidale, Queen Lutezia and King Salem had finished their meeting. It was a really long and heated discussion. But finally they came to an agreement that both sides approved of. It was the best for all parties involved. The parents got their marriage and the kids had to live with the decision if they wanted or not. But they knew that one child would not be dissappointed. And the others had to get accustomized with the new situation. They only wanted to make their children happy and allow them to live a peaceful and long life. Pleased with the outcome the parents went to their seperate ways. But it was decided that the children would learn the news at the party who would take place in exact two weeks. Hopefully they made the right decision.

Post by **Island Breeze** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 3:47 am

Great chapter!

Marianna didn´t believe that. They both talked for maximum one minute. They didn´t rip their clothes off and had hot sweaty sex on the floor. But that confirmed her suspicion about men. Their were really sensitive. And a strange species, too. With that thought she began her training. After all she was here to work out and not to talk.

It will be interesting to see what the children say at the party coming up!

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:27 pm

Chapter 13 New friends and new enemies

Marianna was in a great mood all day and that with a good reason. The exercise ran smoothly and she was able to impress most of the soldiers. Even Nolak seemed to be slightly stunned, because he stopped sending her glares. He was really strange and he made her skin crawl. But Rath said that he was trustworthy and the best guard in the castle. However something told her that she had to be careful around him. She decided to keep him always in her sight, no matter what everybody thought about him. Her instinct said that she had to be on guard when he was near and her instinct was never wrong. Thank god he would be not present in the next training, that was a relieve. Marianna was excited about the exercise and not only because Larek would be there. He was a really funny guy. Reminded her about her best friend Marius. He told her that he didn´t want to be a soldier. He did that only to please his father, who wanted his son as a fighter. But in reality Larek was a lousy warrior and he wouldn´t survive if a war would break out. However he had other qualities. He was good in science and technology. He was really bright and he had a mind full of new ideas. Marianna liked that about him. It would defenitly never be boring. And he is the complete opposite from Rath. Speaking of Rath, he was really strange the whole time they were in the training room. He seemed to be angry and moody. Sometimes he would sent glares to Larek or her and sometimes he ignored them both. Marianna didn´t know what bug crawled in his butt and died there, but he behaved like a jerk. At first he was the cheerfulness in person and a few hours later he pulled the heads off from people who dared to talk to him. He was the strangest person on this planet and Marianna didn´t know what to think of him at times. He was hot one time and the other ice cold. And she didn´t think it had something to do with the way she was talking to Larek or like he said poaching in Rath terrority. It´s not like she was together with Rath and flirted with a stranger infront of him. But why did he act so weird? That was the only bummer in her mood. Suddenly she was thrown out of her thoughts when some one tapped on her shoulder. She must have spaced out again, because she didn´t notice that somebody approached her. She was sitting on the little bench near the fountain in the garden and tried to relax, before the exercise. The day was so beautiful and she didn´t want to waste it indoors. As she turned her head to the intruder, she was sure that her decision was right.

“ Hey Dollface, I brought something for you”, Larek stood there in all his glory with a little blue flower in his hand, which he held in her direction. His smile was contagious and before Marianna knew what she was doing a smile broke out on her face.

“ Thank you”, Marianna took the flower and smelled it. The smell reminded her about the good days at home. Her mother loved flowers very much and everday there was fresh flowers on the dining table. “ To what do I owe this pleasure of receiving a flower from you?”.

“ I saw you sitting here. You looked like you needed a brightening”, Larek placed his butt next to Marianna. He was actually searching for her. He talked with Zan this morning and he said that he was on Rath´ bad side now. He wanted to know what there was between Marianna and Rath before he faced Rath.

“ That´s really thoughtful of you”, she had never received a flower. Not even from Lykus and he was her fiancee. But she knew that men didn´t give out flowers without wanting something in return.” But now tell me the real reason”.

Larek was impressed about Marianna. She let nothing fool her or he was simply too transparent. “ Why do you think there´s another reason for giving you a flower. I´m a pretty thoughtful guy, you know”. After he received a unbelievable look from Marianna he knew that he had to tell the truth for his visit. “ Ok, you got me. I´m here to know about the relationsship between you and Rath”.

“ We have no relationsship”, Marianna wanted to know why he thought that. Rath was engaged to Vilandra or almost engaged. But he was off limit for her and she respected that. “ Why are you asking?”

“ I talked to Zan and he told me that Rath is extremly angry with me”.

“ And that´s something new?”, Marianna didn´t Rath any other way. But it would confirm her thoughts. He acted out of character even for his circumstances. Larek seemed to think so, too or he wouldn´t be so concerned.

Larek had to laugh about that. She knew Rath not for a long time, but she had him already figured out. Smart girl. “ Usually no. But he was never angry with me”.

“ No? Then you must do something wrong”, or maybe he reserved that only for her. She had seen him mad so often that she thought that was his nature. But she forgot sometimes that other people knew another side of him. A side she had yet to discover. “ Did you try talking to him?”.

“ Do you think I´m stupid! I want to keep my balls attached to my body”, there were few who had survived an angry conversation with Rath and one of them sat across from him. She was the only one he knew could stand against Rath. “ Besides I wanted to know first if they was something between you two”.

“ Don´t worry. There is absolutely nothing between Rath and me”, Marianna didn´t tell Larek about the kisses and the little strip by the boiling spring. He didn´t need to know that. Besides that were only exceptions and wouldn´t happen any time soon. “ If you want I can talk to Rath?”.

“ No, it´s alright. We´re friends and the whole thing will go by”, Larek hoped that at least. No matter what Marianna thought, there was something. And everybody saw that. Even the people outside the kingdom noticed the attraction.

“ So now that the serious discussion is out of the way we can talk about more important things”, Marianna wanted to know more about Larek. He was the only male friend she had now and she missed having a male friend.

Larek leaned back slowly and stretched his arms away from his body. Carefully he dropped his left arm behind Mariannas backside. Then he slid a little closer to Marianna. “ And that would be?”.

“ You know what I mean”, Marianna lifted her right eyebrow and tried to look real sexy. She knew that that was only fun. Therefore she played along. Too bad that she couldn´t feel more for Larek besides friendship. He would be a great boyfriend.

Larek couldn´t resist any longer. He broke out into loud laughter. After a few seconds Marianna did the same. And there they both sat on the bench and laughed together.

In the castle

Rath stood now for a half an hour at the big window which showed the whole garden. He saw the little display between Larek and Marianna. At first he didn´t think to much about that. They only talked. Althrough he didn´t like it that Larek seemed so interested in Marianna. But they only spoke with each other. However when Larek laid his arms on Mariannas back something in Rath told him to eliminate the threat. He didn´t know where those feelings were coming from. Larek was his friend and Marianna not his girlfriend. He had to do everything in his power to hold his anger at bay, before he destroyed something. He couldn´t hear what they were talking but the body language spoke volumes.

“ Hey Rath. What are you doing here?”, Vilandra was searching for Marianna. She had great news, but she couldn´t tell that Ava or her family. They wouldn´t understand it and the only person she could confide in was Marianna.

“ What does it look like I´m doing!”, Rath was in no mood to deal with Vilandra at the moment. She always put her nose in things that didn´t concern her.

Vilandra saw out of the window and discovered Marianna in a heated discussion with Larek. No wonder Rath was so pissed. “ It looks like you´re spying on Marianna”.

“ I´m not spying on her. I only want to look out for her”, ok that was not the best reply. Larek was no threat and Vilandra knew him better than that.

Vilandra tried to hold her laughter in. “ What do think Larek will do? Kill her with his jokes? No better he bores her to death”.

“ Your really funny”, Rath was close to lose it. If Vilandra started to laugh he would surely do something stupid. But she was right. Larek was not dangerous, at least not to Marianna.“ I don´t know what she sees in him?”.

Now Vilandra realised what was up here and why Rath was so moody. Why didn´t she know it sooner. It was so obvious. “ You´re jeaulous!”.

Rath turned finally around and faced Vilandra. “ No I´m not”. And if he were he wouldn´t admit it. Not to Vilandra and not to anybody.

“ Yeah. Try to tell yourself that and then maybe you believe it”, he was jeaulous and if he would say the opposite a hundred time, she knew better. Rath loved Marianna. Now everything made sense. Vilandra was really happy for him. Maybe now their parents would accept that a marriage between Rath and her would be wrong.

“ Do you have nothing better to do than bugging me?”, Rath turned around and saw through the window again. He wanted to watch Marianna more. She looked like an angel when she laughed. Her whole face seemed to glow.

“ Actually yes. I wanted to talk to Marianna”, Vilandra almost forgot that she had something to do. She saw on her timer. She didn´t have much time, before Marianna had to be in the training room. She had to be fast now. “ Maybe I can ask her out about Larek?”.

Rath shrugged his shoulders. “ Do what you want”.

“ I will do that. And if I´m in a good mood I tell you what I found out”, with that Vilandra made her way to the door which lead outside. But before she went through it she stopped and turned to Rath. He was so far gone that he didn´t notice it himself. Love was a strange thing.

In the garden

Larek and Marianna talked about the training when a shadow fell over them. Immediately Larek jumped to his feet, afraid it could be Rath and he was too close to Marianna. But to his relieve it was only Vilandra.

“ Hey Vilandra. What are you doing here?”, Marianna seemed to be really popular today. At first Larek and now Vilandra. And she felt the presence of Rath since she took a seat on the bench.

“ The weather is so wonderful today”, Vilandra had the feeling that she interrupted something and she didn´t like the feeling. She tried to tell Marianna her real reason with her eyes. But Marianna didn´t seem to catch it.

“ I think I go now. I have something to do”, Larek in contrast understood the signals. Vilandra wanted to be alone with Marianna. “ We´ll see each other later”, with that he said good bye and dissapeared.

Immediately after Larek was out of the way, Vilandra took his place besides Marianna. She was really curious what happened between them. It looked more like a friendship. Poor Rath. It seemed like he didn´t have a chance. No, she couldn´t let that happen. Not when she was so close to prevent the engagement from happening. She wouldn´t let herself hold up about something so trivial. And if she had to force Marianna to love Rath.

“ What´s up with you two. You looked really cosy?”.

“ It´s nothing”, Marianna had to quell the urge to roll her eyes. Why was everybody so interested in her none existing lovelife. Larek thought she had something with Rath and Vilandra thought she had something with Larek.

“ It didn´t look like nothing to me”, and to Rath. Vilandra saw the rage that was waiting to break out.

“ But it was nothing. He is a friend. Nothing more”, Marianna meant no harm by it. Her two best friends were male. Was there a rule that didn´t accept friendship between different gender?

“ I think Rath will be glad to hear that”.

Marianna snapped her head in Vilandra´s direction. “ What has Rath to do with it?”.

“ He saw you both and he didn´t like the way Larek touched you”, Vilandra could practical feel the rage in Rath. He was close to losing his control. Any longer and she was sure that the palace would not be standing there anymore. “ He´s totally jeaulous”.

One part of Marianna was happy about that. But another couldn´t believe it. Why should he be jeaulous about something as harmless as a conversation. Besides he had no right to be angry, at least she was not engaged and could do what she wanted. He on the other hand was engaged and would be married in a few weeks. “ I think not. You have to be mistaken”.

“ Believe me. I know Rath well enough. I´ve never seen him so worked up about a girl before”, Vilandra wanted to take Marianna´s head and smash it against something hard. Why couldn´t Marianna admit that she felt something for Rath, too? It was so obvious that she had feelings for him. But why did she try to ignore them?

Marianna couldn´t believe her ears. Did Vilandra try to play matchmaker? Rath was her future husband. “ Doesn´t this bother you? I mean your engaged with him”.

Vilandra didn´t want to, but she had to laugh. How could Marianna say something like that to her? She and Rath. Ewwww. Already the imagination let her stomach do flip flops. It was like she would do the nasty with Zan. Double ewwwww. But Marianna didn´t know that. She only knew about the upcoming engagement between Rath and her. But she didn´t know that they weren´t in love with each other.

Marianna found that question not so amusing. She didn´t know why Vilandra broke out in laughter. Did she say something strange? “ Why are you laughing?”.

“ Do you think if I had any romantic feeling about Rath I would be here and tell you that Rath has feelings for you?”, the girl was too clueless sometimes.

“ But you´re engaged?”, Marianna didn´t understand anything anymore. Why would they be marrying if they didn´t love each other? What was the point of that. She wanted to marry Lykus because she thought she loved him. And she thought that it was the same for Rath and Vilandra.

“ Only on paper. Our parents made the decision without us. It has something to do with tradition or so. But Rath and I are not in love”, maybe that was the reason why Marianna was holding back. She thought she would hurt some one. If Vilandra wouldn´t find the whole situation so funny she would be moved that Marianna wanted to be a good friend.

Marianna was glad for the first time, that her father ignored her most of her life. Otherwise she would have been betrothed to a man she didn´t love like Vilandra. Thank god her father paid no attention on her love life or what she did with who. “ That sounds aweful. It must be horrible to marry some one your not loving”.

“ Not anymore. I think I´ve found something that will convince our parents that a marriage between me and Rath would be a big mistake”, Vilandra´s face showed complete happiness. Obviously she had something planned.

“ And that would be?”.

“ A threat to the good reputation of the kingdom. What do you think will my father do, when he realize that his daughter and his son in law are unfaithful”, Vilandra knew her father and she knew that he would do everything to keep his reputation intact. Besides he wanted his daughter happy and if she didn´t get what she wanted she could get really annoying.

“ You´re evil, you know that”, Marianna didn´t know that Vilandra could be so headstrong. She liked it. It was always good to fight for the things you believed in. She learned that lesson a long time ago. You had to fight for the things you thought matter and you didn´t have to be satisfied with less.

“ I only know what I want. And believe me it´s not Rath”, Vilandra shruddered by the thought. Even if she would have feelings for Rath, which she didn´t, she had no chance. He was so in love with Marianna that he didn´t see anyone else. “ I want a man who sweeps my off my feet”.

“ Do you have somebody in mind?”, now Marianna was intruged. She saw the smile and the glowing. Obviously there was some one special out there who could make Vilandra happy. Hopefully he was worthy of her and didn´t play with her heart.

“ That´s actually the reason I was looking for you. I met a man yesterday”, Vilandra couldn´t hide her joy any longer. If she didn´t tell Marianna soon she was going to burst.” His name is Davico, he´s the same age and he looks really hot”.

“ Really. I´m glad for you”, and because Marianna couldn´t restrain herself, she embraced Vilandra wholeheartly. Usually she was not so mushy. But since she had two girlfriends she learned that showing your feelings was not so bad. “ You have to introduce him. I have to see if he is worthy of you or not”.

“ I will do that sometime”, Vilandra saw on her timer. Marianna didn´t have the time, because she had to be in the training room in about five minutes. Otherwise she would have took her along to meet Davico. “ But not now. You have to be at the training in exact five minutes”.

Marianna took Vilandra´s arm and saw on her timer. Damn she was going to be late, if she didn´t get her butt in gear. She swore a blue streak. “ I have to go now. But tonight we have a little chat about this Davico. We meet in my room and then you can tell me everything”.

“ Ok. After the dinner. And then you have to confess about Rath”, Vilandra rose from her position and said goodbye. With a smile she saw after Marianna who ran like the devil was after her through the door which lead inside. Now everything was going to be alright. Vilandra had found her other half, Rath has found his also and nobody was going to destroy that. Not even their parents.

Chapter 14 Two boys and a bloody nose

Rath was still standing at the window and tried to understand what the two girls where talking about. A long time he wanted to read from their lips, but they both had turned their heads in another direction. Besides he couldn´t lip-reading. Then he opened the window to hear better. But that was a bust too. They were to far away. Now he stood there like an idiot and observed Marianna and Vilandra like a perv. What has got into him these days? He should concentrate on his training. He wanted to be a commander like his father eventually in the near future. And what did he do instead. He wondered if Marianna had feelings for Larek and what she thought about him. How pathetic was that? Rath shook his head. No he wouldn´t be a slave to his hormones. Just as he wanted to turn around he saw how Marianna jumped to her feet. She seemed to look at something at Vilandras wrist. What could possible be so interesting that Marianna would act so strange? Suddenly Marianna ran fast through the door and whizzed by him. During the short time she was in earshot he could make out a few words, which didn´t make much sense. Late, training, Mael, kick ass. Rath needed a few seconds to undestand the meaning behind it. Oh shit. He saw on his timer. Damn he was going to be late to his training. With that he ran after Marianna. For a girl she was really fast and quick on her feet, althrough she was in a light disadvantage because of her short feets. But nontheless she was a few seconds earlier in the training room than him.

“ Finally our last few guest are there. Now we can start with the exercise”, Mael threw an angry look at his son. Rath was usually never late. Hopefully it would stay at this one time.

Rath tried to avoid the glare of his father. Therefore he made his way to his trainig partner immediately. Now he had to make an affort to reassure his father. But he knew that he could prepare himself for a lecture tonight at dinner. He could recited what his father would tell him. He had to be a example for others and he shouldn´t think because he was the son of the commander that he could be careless. The same old story over and over again. So what, he was late for the first time. It could happen to anybody. Besides he was not the only one late. Marianna was only a little bit faster than he.

“ So today we are starting to practise with the sticks. I know what you are thinking right now. How can something simple be good if I´m fighting for my life”, Mael stopped and faced every of his men and the one girl. He saw the faces and knew he was right about the statement. “ I will tell you why it could save your life sometime. What are you doing if you´re alone and have no weapon at hand? Some would say nothing and run. Everybody who thinks so too can go now, because then he is in the wrong place” Mael stopped again. Nobody made a move. Good. “ But a real soldier tries to find something he could use as a weapon and fight with it. There are no bad weapons, only bad soldiers. Tried to remember my words. Maybe it could save your life in the future”.

Mael stepped to the side and observed how everybody stared at the sticks in their hands. Some made funny comments about it, other played with it. Only two people in this room tried to find the right handle to hold their weapons. One of them was Rath and the other was Marianna.

“ What are you waiting for? A written inventation? Get started”, bellowed Mael after a few minutes.

Immediately everybody started the exercise. Mael watched from the sideline. Most of his men were really bad with the sticks. More often they bashed next to their partners or they let the sticks fall to the floor. He shook his head. They had much more training to do. Then he glanced at Marianna. She seemed to be born with a stick. She handled it like she did nothing else in her life. Larek had no chance against her. Within a few minutes Marianna had disarmed him. The girl was a born warrior and if she would learn to control her power she could be dangerous for all her enemies. After he was sure that Marianna and Larek worked again together he turned to his son. Rath was the same as Marianna. He was a born warrior and leader. He would be his successor sometime, that was for sure. He knew it since he saw his son fighting with Zan when they were still kids. And now it was obvious that Rath would be a great leader. He and Zan would carry on the kingdom like their parents.

“ Oh dammit Larek”, Mael was startled out of his thoughts through the loud cry that was coming from Marianna. Immediately he walked in their direction.

“ I´m sorry. That was not my intention”, Larek looked like a mix between fear and worry.

Mael stepped to Marianna and tried to see what she was hiding behind her hands, which she held infront of her nose. At a closer look he saw something red tripping from her hands. “ What happened?”.

“ Nothing big. I was being careless for a moment and Larek hit me in my face with the stick”, to prove her point she dropped her hands from her face.

Mael took a closer look at the damage. The nose was red and a little swollen. But it didn´t seem to be broken. “ I´ll bring you to the healers”.

“ No. It´s nothing. It will be healed before I wake up tomorrow. Trust me. I survived worst”, Marianna didn´t want to be treated like a baby. Besides it didn´t hurt anymore.

Before Mael could reply something he was interrupted by a little fight between Rath and Larek. Both men were lying on the floor and were trying to punch each other. It was no brainer who would win this fight. Rath was more heftier than Larek.

“ You could have really hurt Marianna you bastard”, Rath was really pissed. How dare Larek to hurt Marianna.

“ I didn´t want to, it happened”, Larek tried to defend himself. He didn´t want to harm her. Really. Why should he hurt the girl he had feelings for?

“ Stop it. Both of you”, Mael couldn´t believe it. They acted like children and that only because of a girl. Sometimes he was glad that this time was over and he was smarter now.

But Rath and Larek didn´t seem to hear a word Mael said. They were so absorbed in their battling that they didn´t hear anything. They kept up with the cursing and the flying fists. But then suddenly both men were teared apart and thrown at the wall opposite each other. Mael was slightly stunned about the act. He turned to Marianna. She had both arms stretched from her body. Every arm pointed to the directions Rath and Larek were pinned to the wall.

“ Are you both out of your minds?”, Marianna was so sick of their behaviour. Rath seemed to think that he had to defend her.” What were you thinkin or were you thinkin at all?”.

“ It was all his fault. He...”, Rath wanted to lay all the blame on Larek. After all he was the one who hurt her. But Marianna interrupted him before he could tell her that.

“ Don´t try blaming Larek for your childish behaviour. I know why you attacked him and it had nothing to do with hurting me. You were angry with him before he hit me with the stick. I don´t know the reason why you´re angry at him nor do I want to know it. But if you don´t start acting like a grown up I will kick you ass to another planet and back. Are we clear on that”, Marianna enjoyed it that she had the upper hand for the moment. And maybe if she was lucky Rath would learn something. But she didn´t believe it.

“ But..”, Rath wanted to have the last say in this. He couldn´t let Marianna win this fight. But it didn´t look to good for him. Because she wouldn´t let him have a word.

“ I don´t think you understand me. I asked you if we´re clear on that”, no Marianna wouldn´t let him get away with it this time. He did something wrong and now he was faced with the consequences.

“ Yeah, We´re clear”, what. She wouldn´t give up before she had her wish. Why fight it she would get her will eventually. Besides he wanted down.

Marianna seemed to be satisfied with the answer. Then she heared a quiet snicker next to her. Immediately she turned to Larek, who couldn´t hold his laughter in. “ Now to you. You heared what I said to Rath and you should remember it, because that applies to you, too. And don´t think that´s an empty threat. I will do it. Understood?”.

Larek thought it was best to do as Marianna said. He knew what power she had and he wanted to remain in one piece.” Yeah understood. Loud and clear”.

“ That´s what I wanted to hear. Now be good boys and put this stupid fight behind you. And act like friends, again”, Marianna dropped Larek and Rath to the ground. Now that she said what she wanted to say she could rest happily. Besides she showed the other soldiers that it wasn´t smart to go against her.

Rath, who was really embarassed by the whole display, took his sticks and tried to do like nothing happened. Mael who watched in bewilderment how Marianna put both men in their place with little to no effort on her part was really proud of her. Now he knew that he and the other parents made the right decision.

“ So now that the show is over I think we can pick up where we left off”, but he had to change something first. Slowly he went to Marianna. “ I think you should swap your partner. It would be better if you would train with Rath”.

“ I don´t think it´s a good idea”, she had embarassed him infront of all the soldiers just now. It could get really ugly with him.

“ I don´t care. You need a equal opponent and Rath is one of the best”, and if she had someone who could ward off her blows Mael was sure that she could be as good as Rath if not better.

Marianna was really moved. Althrough Mael didn´t say it out loud he told her without words that she was good. And how could she refuse something like that. Without another word she went to Rath, who was not amused about the switch. But he didn´t utter a word, because his father glared at him. Therefore he started immediately with the training. Marianna was thankful that he didn´t say anything. So they both could concentrate on the task at hand. Over a hour they both attacked each other. Marianna performed a perfect blow which Rath dodged instantly. And so it went the whole time. Nobody wanted to be the loser in this fight. Mael couldn´t take his eyes off of them both. It was like they knew the punches from each other. Their bodies moved in perfect tandem. Like they did that a long time already. That was the reason why he wanted to train the younger generation of soldiers. Mael decided to speak with both after the exercise. Which was, now that he saw on his timer, right now.

“ Ok everybody. We´re finished. See you all tomorrow”, he waited till everybody went outside. Thank god Rath and Marianna were the last in the room. “ I have to talk to you both. So if you have nothing better to do tomorrow, we´re meeting after lunch at the training ground”, Mael waited till he received nods from both and then he disspeared through the door.

“ What do you think he wants to tell us?”, Marianna didn´t have a good feeling about that. Hopefully it was no lecture. She didn´t think that she did something wrong.

“ I don´t know. But if he was angry with us he wouldn´t wait until tomorrow to yell at us”, Rath hoped that at least. Maybe it was because their were to late today or the little stunt they were doing before.

“ I hope so”, Marianna wanted to believe it. But Rath seemed not so sure himself.

“ How are your nose? Does it still hurt?”, Rath stared at Mariannas face. It seemed not so bad anymore. The swelling was gone, but it was still red.

“ Not if I move it”, Marianna smiled at Rath. He was worried. That was so sweet of him. “ Tomorrow it looks as new. At least I hope so”.

“ If not you can punch my nose and then we look the same”, Rath laughed at that thought. He could picture them with their red big noses wandering through the castle.

“ That´s really sweet”, Marianna caressed his left cheek. Then she moved past Rath without looking back. She was starved and dinner was almost ready. But before she went through the door she stopped” But don´t tempt me, I might take your offer. I´m still pissed at you for punching Larek”.

“ And that´s something new?”, Rath couldn´t help himself he put on his famous smirk. Too bad Marianna couldn´t see it now.

“ No. So stop smirking. It´s not as sexy as you think”, with that Marianna made her way to the dining room. Her stomach growled already.

Rath couldn´t believe it. Either she had supernatural powers or she knew him too good now. How did she know what he did without looking. He had do ask her that sometime. Now he was starving and the great smell of food attracted him to the direction of the dining room.

After dinner in the room of Marianna

Marianna sat eager on her little bed and Vilandra was opposite her. Like they both promised they meet after dinner in Mariannas room. They had so much to tell.

“ So. Now I want to know everything from this mystical Davico” Marianna was on the brink to burst with excitement. She never had a girlfriend and she enjoyed these moments.

Vilandra´s complete face broke out in a smile. She couldn´t hold it in any longer.” I meet him down by the boiling spring. He said that he got lost, because he just moved here”.

“ I don´t care what he said. I want to know how he looked like”, the appearance was far more important than his ability to talk.

“ Oh he has short black hair and really beautiful black eyes. He is a bit taller than me. His hands are big and soft. His voice is deep with a touch of power. And he is a great kisser”, Vilandra was deep in her memories. He was the father of her future children. She knew it deep down inside.

“ You kissed him!”, Marianna was surprised. At least she knew Rath a bit longer before it came to a kiss. “ You don´t even know him that long”.

Vilandra either didn´t notice Mariannas little outburst or she didn´t care, because she continued like Marianna hadn´t said something. “ Doesn´t matter. Sometimes you see someone and you know immediately that he´s the right one”.

“ I don´t want to burst your bubble, but don´t you think it´s a little too fast”, Marianna hated to burst the good mood Vilandra was in.
“ No. I know in my heart that he´s the man I will marry someday”, Vilandra wouldn´t let something get between her and Davico. Even if that something was her family.

“ Ok”, if Marianna didn´t know better, she would think Vilandra was brainwashed. But as long as Vilandra was happy, who was she to destroy it. “ If you think so”.

“ I know so”, Vilandra couldn´t get rid of her smile. Then she remembered about the rumour she heared. “ Enough of me. I want to hear about the incident today at the exercise”.

“ I don´t know what you´re talking about. Tell me more about your feelings”, Marianna knew that she tried to stall the talk about Rath. Maybe Vilandra would fall for it.

“ Don´t try to avoid it. I heared from Zan about the fight between Larek and Rath”, Vilandra wouldn´t fall for the oldest trick. She grew up with Rath and she knew when someone tried to avoid a subject.

“ It was nothing. Really. Larek hit me with a stick. My nose began to bleed. Rath and Larek fought with each other. That was all”, and Vilandra wouldn´t get more out of her. She didn´t see anything unusual in it.

“ That´s nothing to you!”, Vilandra couldn´t believe it. Why didn´t Marianna see that Rath felt so much for her that he even punched his friend. He was usually not for violence. He was all speak but no action. “ I think your underestimating the situation here”.

“ I don´t think so. Why should I make more of it if it isn´t so”, ok Marianna knew why Larek and Rath fought and she knew also that she should be glad. But she didn´t want to destroy a friendship. Not like that.

“ Because Rath punched Larek not because he hurt some one, he hurt you. And if you didn´t notice, he has really strong feelings for you”, Vilandra wanted to take something heavy and whack Marianna with it until she finally realised what everybody knew already.

“ Can we please not talk about it anymore”, Marianna was slightly uncomfortable with the topic. Of course she knew that Rath was attracted to her. But she was not sure if Rath felt that because he wanted out of the engagement or because he saved her life.

“ Why do you fight against your feelings? I know you feel something for Rath, too”.

Marianna knew that Vilandra wouldn´t budge from the subject. Maybe she could try it with the twisted truth.” Because he´s engaged and althrough you have no romantically feelings for each other you have a commitment towards your parents and your kingdom. I don´t want to be responsible for breaking that”.

“ That´s b***shit and you know it. Now tell me the real reason”, Marianna wouldn´t get away without telling her the truth. She knew there was more to.

“ I don´t know what you want me to say. I just told you the reason”, if Vilandra wanted to be stubborn so could she. She wouldn´t get something out of her today. Maybe never.

Vilandra seemed to think about it. “ Ok. I give up. For now at least. But don´t think I won´t get it out of you sometime”.

“ Thank you. Now tell me what I should expect at the meeting with the commander?”.

Vilandra said nothing, but broke out in laughter. Rath and Marianna were in so much trouble.

Post by **Ti88** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:49 pm

i caught up. these parts were great. let me guess. the parenta have decided that marianna and rath can be together. hmmm is ava going to be the one not happy? will ava and zan have to marry? this new boy that isabel found is it maria's old friend. can i say this story cracked me up. i love our candy couple.

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:24 pm

Hi Ti88

I don´t want to reveal something. Therefore I only say one thing : You have to wait and see, or in this case to read and see

CandyGirl1980

Post by **Island Breeze** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:20 pm

“ Don´t worry. There is absolutely nothing between Rath and me”, Marianna didn´t tell Larek about the kisses and the little strip by the boiling spring. He didn´t need to know that. Besides that were only exceptions and wouldn´t happen any time soon. “ If you want I can talk to Rath?”.

Yeah, right! HeHe! Cute. I also got a kick out of Rath wondering how she knew he was smirking.

Great parts!

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:42 pm

Chapter 15 Decisions and other problems

The weather was awful the next day. All along it rained. The ground was softened and muddy. The sky was really dark and the three suns hid behind thick, gray clouds.The wind blew forcefully and the trees looked like they would fly away any moment. Everybody stayed in their dwellings. Nobody dared to move a foot outside, afraid they could catch a cold or get dirty. Only two people stood wet and frozen at the training ground of the palace. Not that they wanted to stand there in the damn weather. They had a meeting and they didn´t even know why. All they knew was that it was really important. If they had a say in the matter they would be inside and doing something fun.

“ I´m cold”, Marianna had her arms wrapped around her body. It was f****ing cold and she stood there like she had nothing better to do. Thank god she was not alone. That would have pissed her off more.

“ Yeah me, too”, Rath tried to keep himself warm with movement. If he wasn´t careful his balls would be freezing off. What could his father possibly thought to let them meet outside in this weather.

“ I can´t feel my legs anymore”, Marianna was not in the best mood right now. Then a thought occured her and her face changed its expression.” Are they still there”.

Rath glanced at Marianna. He let his look wander over her wet clothes, which revealed all the right places and stopped at her feet. “ Yeah. They´re still there”.

Marianna wanted to bitch a little bit longer about the cold weather and the damn rain, but she was stopped when Mael suddenly appeared. He was clad in his raincoat and he looked really dry. “ What are you doing in this weather? You´ll catch your deaths here!”.

Rath and Marianna stared at each other. Did they mishear the meeting place? But if that was the case, why did both hear the same? Rath was the first who spoke.” You said we are meeting at the training ground”.

“ Yes. But I couldn´t knew that the weather would be so nasty today”, Mael shook his head. He thought those two were smarter. He was on the brink to break out in laughter. No wonder they both looked really funny, all wet and pissed off. “ Did you not hear when I told you we are meeting in the training room because of the weather?”.

Rath thought about it. No he couldn´t remember that his father told him that. “ When was that?”.

“ After Lunch. Just before you were in a hurry to leave your seat”, Mael should have known better. Rath was no great listener. Especially if he was far away with his thoughts.

Rath scratched his eyebrow slightly nervous. Damn he didn´t hear that, because he was too busy staring at Marianna. And he thought about how he could convince her about his feelings. “ Sorry. I didn´t catch that”.

“ It´s alright. But now let´s go. It´s freezing cold out here”, with that Mael made his way to the dry and warm palace.

Marianna would have beat Rath to death if her limbs wouldn´t be deep-frozen. Instead she threw him her meanest glare. If looks could kill he would have died instantly. “ If I have feelings in my arms again, prepare yourself for a beating”.

“ Great. It´s my fault again”, Rath didn´t have the nerve to listen to Maria bitch about his failures. Did she think he only did that to piss her off? Then he would let her wait in this weather alone, while he watched from a warm place.

“ Of course it´s your fault”, Marianna threw her hands, as far as her frozen limbs would let her, in the air. Then because she couldn´t help herself she pushed Rath to the side and stomped angry off the field.

Rath went immediately after her and tried to catch up. “ Do you have to bitch at everything I do?”.

“ I´m not speaking with you”, Marianna threw over her shoulder. Because of him she probably catched a cold or a running nose. She hated to be ill.

“ But you just did”, she was just too funny when she was mad at him. He took a sick pleasure out of it. Maybe he was crazy. But he liked it. Much.

Marianna knew what he tried to do. But she wouldn´t give him the satisfaction and fall in his trap. Not this time.

Mael meanwhile was in the exercise room and waited for Rath and Marianna. He couldn´t believe that they were outside the whole time. The weather was aweful and nobody dared to sat a foot out there. But he had to give them credit for it. Every other member of the royal army would have left or wouldn´t have appeared at all. That was the actual reason why he wanted to speak with them. They were different than the others. They fought hard and didn´t show any weaknesses. And they were the strongest in the whole bunch. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted. He could hear his charges in the hall outside. They were arguing as usual. Mael rubbed his face. He would definitily get a heartattacked because of them. If they didn´t try to play pranks on each other, they were fighting. Hopefully they learned to work together, soon. Some of his men were already placing bets on who would win the next fight.

“ Don´t you ever shut up or do you actually like listining to yourself”, Marianna was the first one through the door. She looked like she would snap every moment. It didn´t look good for his son.

Rath wanted to retort some nasty remark, but he swallowed it quickly when he saw the amused face of his father. But he swore that she would get back for that when they were alone.

“ Are you both done now? Or should I wait some more”, if Mael wouldn´t find the whole situation so funny, he would be really pissed right now. But it was nice to see that his son was capable to love someone besides his family.

Marianna sent a last glare in Rath´s direction, before she faced Mael. “ We´re done now”.

“ Thank you. Then I can tell you the reason why I wanted to speak with you both”, Mael noticed that Rath and Marianna lost their colour for a moment. They probably thought they would be yelled at. “ Don´t worry it´s not a lecture”, Rath and Marianna breathed out relieved.” You know I´m looking for someone who takes my place as a commander in the near future”, Mael waited till he received at nod from both.” I always knew that Rath would be that one. But he wasn´t ready yet. That was until you”, he pointed at Marianna.” Showed up. He has still much to learn, but I think now is the right time for the training”.

“ Great. And what has that to do with me?”, Marianna didn´t know what the whole point of this conversation was. Ok Rath would take after his father, naturally. But why was she here?

“ Actually for the same reason. I observed you both and what I saw made my extremly proud. Therefore I decided to train the both of you”, Mael knew it was really strange that he educated two soldiers. But they both were great and he couldn´t decide between them.

“ Wow. I mean. Wow. I don´t know what to say”, Marianna was close to tears. She was really moved that Mael trusted her enough to offer her such a position.

“ That´s a first”, Rath couldn´t believe it. He had to share the position with her. They couldn´t decide one thing without biting the heads off of each other. How should they leading an army that way? Oh boy what did his father think by that.

“ But that means more work out and the assignment will be harder than usual”, Mael observed their reaction. Rath seemed to accept it. He know what was demanded of him. Marianna was slightly undecided. “ You don´t have to tell me your answer right away. Think about it and then inform me about your decision”.

“ That´s not necessary”, Rath wanted this position since he was old enough to hold a weapon. He often watched his father when he barked orders or tried to show the newbies what they had to do. And now he had the chance to that and he didn´t need time to think about it. “ I´ll do it”.

Marianna didn´t need time either. “ I´m in. When do we start?”.

Mael smiled at that. He knew they would do it. But at first they had one more lesson to learn before they could begin with the exercise. Althrough he dreaded the chaos they both would surely left behind. However it was necessary. “ Tomorrow. Early in the morning after breakfast”.

“ Alright. We will be there”, Rath was excited, althrough he didn´t show it. For the first time he finally knew that all the hard work was worth something.

Mael was really glad that he made the right decision about these two. His son would follow in his footsteps and Marianna would be his second man or in this case woman. They completed each other and they were stronger together than apart. It must have been destiny that brought Marianna to them that day. She made Rath stronger and work harder. And she showed him that love truly existed. What more could he want now?

“Damn. Broke a waterpipe again?”, Mael, Rath and Marianna turned to the door. There stood Larek with a few more of the soldiers. Mael looked on his timer and swore. It was time for the training. Damn he forgot completely about the time. Immediately he prepared everything for the exercise.

Marianna meanwhile went, under watchful eyes, to Larek. “ For your information that is a new look”.

“ I like it”, Larek saw to Rath.” On you”. Then he turned back to Marianna. “ How is your nose?”.

“ Good. I told you it would heal fast. Don´t worry anymore”, Marianna made a devaluing gesture with her hand. Something like that happened all the time when you´re in an army. Besides he was beating like a girl.

“ You know that it wasn´t my intention and I´m sorry?”, Larek began to pout and looked at Marianna with sad eyes.

“ Stop that”, Marianna had to laught. Larek was such a goofball. How could she say no to this face. “ You´re forgiven”.

“ That´s what I wanted to hear. I know that nobody can resist my charme”, Larek wrapped his right arm around Mariannas shoulder.

“ What charme? It was your funny face”, with that Marianna moved to her already pissed partner, who was impatiently waiting for her.

TBC

Chapter 16 A trip to a new understanding

Breakfast the next morning was really strange. Abidale and Queen Lutecia didn´t talk the whole time they were in the dining room. Zan and Ava weren´t openly flirting like usual and Vilandra seemed to had lost her good mood. King Salem and Mael were the only ones who behaved like they did normally. Rath and Marianna wondered what brought this change. Actually they hoped that everybody would congratulate them for their promotion. But they acted like someone had died. Therefore Marianna and Rath tried to eat as fast as possible so that they could escape the weird vibe they were getting. Thank god that they both didn´t have much appetite that morning, because they were too nervous. Just as they finished their meal and wanted to excuse themself from the table, Mael stopped them.

“ We´re meeting at the gate. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes”.

Rath and Marianna were a bit confused about the information, but nontheless they nodded and made their way to their bedrooms. Both deep in thoughts what they should expect from Mael and why was the feeling in the dining room so odd this morning. After they put on their work out clothes and comfortable shoes they walked the long way to the gate. People on their way bowed and greeted them friendly. Nothing unusual so far. Then they came to the gate. To their surprise the whole family stood there. Vilandra, Ava, Queen Lutecia, Abidale, Mael, Zan and King Salem.

“ Ok. What´s up here”, now Rath knew that this was not a normal exercise session. Something was fishy here.

Mael took a few steps forward till he stood before his son and Marianna. There he dropped two backpacks at their feets. “ You´re both making a trip into the forest”.

“ What? Is this some kind of punishment?”, Marianna was slightly shocked, which showed on her face. No No. That had to be a cruel joke.

Mael smiled despite the serious situation. “ No that´s not a punishment”, then a thought occured to him.” Did you do something that needs punishment?”.

“ No. Of course not. I was only asking”, Marianna was quick to respond. She didn´t do something. At least not at the moment. What happened in the future she didn´t know.

“ Then why the backpacks and the trip in the forest?”, Rath was curious and wary. He thought that this things were not here without a purpose.

“ That´s your first lesson”, Mael paced between Rath and Marianna. He had to do it or else they wouldn´t learn something.” You´re both the best soldiers, there´s no doubt about it. But being a leader is not only about strength and powers. It means you have to trust the people you work with”, Mael tried to find the right words to describe the situation so that Marianna and Rath would understand it.” And I don´t see that with you two. You´re constantly bitching at each other. You have to learn to rely on your partner or else it could get really ugly real fast”.

Rath tried to decipher what his father told them. “ I still don´t understand the meaning of the backpacks?”.

“ I have a assigment for you both”, Mael grabbed in his right pocket of his cape. After a few minutes of searching he pulled out a piece of paper. “ Here is a map. We have hidden a treasure. You and Marianna have to find it. Together without help from others”.

“ That´s a joke”, Marianna didn´t know if she was still dreaming or not. Did they lost their minds or what?

“ No. In order to be a good leader you both have to learn to work with not against each other. I give you three days to find the treasure and bring it back home”, Mael was sure that they could do it. And maybe they would get closer during this little adventure.

“ And how will you know that we didn´t part on the way? I mean we could go our separate ways and this lesson would be fruitless”, not that Rath would do something like that. Althrough three days alone with Marianna it was not so a bad idea.

“ Don´t worry. We have our ways”, Mael smiled knowingly. They had put sensors in their backpacks. If they would move more then a hundred feet from each other they would trigger a really loud alarm.” So you should be on your way. You have only three days”.

Marianna didn´t want to go. But she didn´t have a choice. With a heavy sight she took her backpack and put it on her back. Then she said goodbye to the others. Surprisingly all the females embraced her and wished her luck for the little journey. Rath did the same. Only a little more uncomfortable. After that they walked together in the direction of the forest. The whole family stood still at their places and looked after the two.

“ Do you think we did the right thing”, althrough Abidale was quiet the whole time, she did have her doubts.

“ I´m completely sure”, Mael wrapped his arms around his wife and pressed her to his body. “ And if not, we have one child less to worry about”.

“ Mael!”, Abidale slapped her husband pretty hard on his shoulder. How could he make jokes at a time like this. She was Raths mother and therefore was always worried about him. He was still her little boy.

Mael shook his head. He was worried, too. But he had complete trust in his son and Marianna to make it back save and sound. No matter what happened they would make it, there was no doubt. He only had to convince his wife about that. But like he knew her she would only stop worrying when Marianna and Rath were back at home. With that thought he made his way back in the palace. The others stopped looking after Rath and Marianna and followed him.

Meanwhile near the forest

Rath and Marianna, loaded with their backpacks and a treasure map, were quickly walking on the path which lead to the forest. Thank god it was morning and the suns didn´t shine that bright. Rath tried to read in the map which way they had to go. But he couldn´t regnorize a thing on this damn piece of paper. He should have be more careful in this class. His father told him that he had to learn it. But no he thought he would never need to read a map. F****. He glanced at Marianna out of the corner of his eyes. Maybe she could read the piece of crap. No. What was he thinking. She would only laugh in his face and make fun of him the rest of his life. Ok. That option was out of the question. What should he do now?

“ Are we on the right way?”, Marianna faced Rath without breaking her step. He was looking at the map for a few minutes now. Hopefully he was better at reading it than her. That´s the only thing she didn´t understand. She couldn´t read a map and if her life depended on it.

Rath made a grunt that sounded like a yes. He didn´t want to lie to Marianna and he didn´t want to admit that he had no clue where they were going. For all he knew they could be on their way to another planet. Maybe he held the map wrong. Rath turned it around. Dammit. He still couldn´t read it.

“ You have absolutely no clue where we going?”, Marianna noticed it the moment he turned the map. He was as clueless as her when it came to maps. Great. They were probably going to die in these god forsaken forest.

Rath wanted to smack himself. Now he had to lie. “ Yes I do”, he held the map a little closer to his face and moved his forefinger along the drawn path, who would hopefully lead in the right direction. “ I think we have to move north”, he pointed with his hand ahead of him” and then walk until we come to a building”.

“ Are you sure about that?”, Marianna wanted to laugh. First of all he held the map wrong, she knew that much, and secondly north was not in front of them but behind them and thirdly the building was the castle.

“ If you don´t believe me then look for yourself”, Rath pressed the map in Mariannas hand. See if she could do it better.

Marianna took the map and turned it the right way around. Then she tried to identify something. How hard could reading a map be? But everytime she thought she had found a way, she discovered that every path lead to a blind end. Dammit!

“ Ha, you can´t read it either!”, Rath pointed his finger at her. She was no better than him. If he wouldn´t be so mature he would start dancing and teasing her about it.

Marianna was glad that she was mature enough to admit her failures in contrast to Rath.” Alright. I´ll admit that I can´t read it. But at least I know where North is. That´s in this direction”, Marianna pointed behind her with her thumb.” And the building you mentioned is the castle”.

“ Alright, Miss I-know-everything”, if the situation wouldn´t be so serious Rath would be laughing. They weren´t even in the forest and they both were in the process of fighting again. “ Then tell me what we should do now?”.

“ I think we have to move south”, Marianna pointed ahead of them and then turned to Rath. She wanted to know what he would say about that.

Rath didn´t say anything. Instead he simply started walking in the direction Marianna was pointing at. They didn´t have much time to waste. Marianna stared suprised after him. That was strange. But then she remembered why she was here in the first place and followed Rath.

3 hours later

The suns were shining brighter now . It was really starting to get hot. Not even the trees could give them shelter from the heat. Marianna had pulled her shirt off and rolled up the legs of her pants. Her white tanktop was tied under her breasts and the sweat was tripping down everywhere on her body. Her hair was plastered against her face and from time to time a curse would fly from her mouth. Rath was no better. He was only clad in his pants and his shoes. His shirt was tied around his head to keep off the heat. The sweat glistened on his really great body. Marianna tried to not look. But she couldn´t help herself. She watched how a single bead of sweat fell down from his forhead to his chest and further down his abs until it dissapeared in his pants. How she wished she could be the bead of sweat. No stop it. Oh God the suns were getting to her. She had a sunstroke already.

“ I think we should take a break”, Rath was wasted and really hungry. He needed a little breather, before they went further. Besides it was too hot to walk.

Marianna, who was still arguing with herself because of her nasty thoughts earlier, didn´t hear what he was saying. “ What”.

“ I said we should take a break. It´s really hot and I´m hungry”.

“ Yeah I agree”, hopefully she could bring her thoughts under control while they were eating.

Rath held a hand over his heart mockingly. “ Did I hear you right? You´re agreeing with me?”.

“ Yeah. Don´t get accustomed to it”, Marianna smiled at him and then made her way under the biggest tree she could find. Maybe if she would come out of the sun she would remember that Rath was only a friend and not her sex object.

Rath watched how she went to a huge tree. Her butt moved nicely with her steps. Rath bend his head slightly to the side to see it more clearly. But to his dissapointment in that moment she turned around. Damn! With a quick curse he followed her.

Marianna breathed easier after she threw the backpack on the ground. Her shoulders felt really sore and uptight. She rolled her head from side to side to relieve some tension on her back. When she´ll come home the first thing she´ll do is to fall in her bed and sleep for a week or two. And nobody should dare to wake her.

“ Finally I can take this damn thing off of my shoulders”, Rath did the same like Marianna and threw the backpack on the ground. Then he took a seat beneath her. His feet were killing him. If he would be alone he would take his shoes off. A moan escaped him as he leaned his back against the tree behind him. Yeah that was perfect.

Marianna watched Rath how he relaxed at the trunk of the tree. He looked so peaceful with the smile on his face and his eyes closed. Like a little boy. She didn´t know that a man could look so beautiful. But now she knew better. A little smile broke out on her face.

“ Why are you smiling?”, Rath had his eyes only half closed. He was observing Marianna. She was different when she thought nobody was near. Then she was not so guarded. He liked it.

“ I was just thinking about you”, just as these words left Mariannas mouth, her eyes grew big and she clasped her hand over her mouth. Oh God. She did not just say that out loud. But the smug smile of Rath told her something different. Immediately she tried to cover up her slip.” Hey, why don´t we check up what we have to eat? I´m really hungry now”.

Rath noticed how Marianna tried to avoid his eyes. She pulled the backpack to her and opened it quickly. Then she rummaged in it, searching for food. Rath bend slightly forward and laid a hand on her arm. “ Don´t be afraid”.

“ What? What are you talking about?”, Marianna knew exactly what he meant, but she wanted to avoid this conversation.

Rath took Mariannas face in his hand and turned it in his direction. When he had this conversation he wanted to have eye contact at least. “ Don´t be afraid of your feelings”.

“ I´m not afraid of my feelings”, Marianna wanted to run in that moment. Rath said exactly what she felt. But she would never admit it to him. It was not easy to confess your fears, especially when you thought you couldn´t trust anybody.

“ Oh yeah. Then explain to me why you never talk about them. I know you have feelings. Why are you hiding them?”, Rath wouldn´t give up until he had his answers this time. Now they could finally talk about things without getting disturbed from other people. He knew that he could come behind her wall or at least knock a few stones out of it.

Marianna pushed Rath´s hand off of her face and arose from her position. Why couldn´t Rath simply let everything like it was? Why did he ask so much question she didn´t want to answer? She had to get away. Fast.” I´m not having this conversation with you”. With that she stormed deeper in the forest.

Rath couldn´t let her get away without his answers. Immediately he jumped to his feet and followed her quickly. “ We´re not finished here. You can´t just run away from me”

“ Watch me”.

Rath knew that he wouldn´t get far with his tactic. She was more stubborn than him. And he didn´t think that was possible. He was now almost running to keep up with her. After a while he grasped her right arm and stopped her in the process. Marianna tried to release her arm and struggled against his hold.

“ Stop that. You´re only hurting yourself”, Rath pressed his hand tighter around her arm. It didn´t matter if she would get bruisings, she wouldn´t get away from him now. And if he ripped her arm off in the process.

“ Please let me go. You´re hurting me”, Marianna tried to hide her tears. She didn´t want Rath to see how vulnerable she really was. How broken she was inside. Everybody thought she was this tough girl but in reality she was only a scared little girl.

Rath heared how her voice broke while she spoke. He knew she was crying. But why didn´t she want him to see it? “ I will let you go when you´re answering my questions”.

“ Why can´t you let it go? Why do you care?”, Marianna didn´t have the strength to fight any longer. She was so sick of hiding and pretending.

Rath turned her around and pulled her close to his body. Then he lifted her chin with his forefinger and saw in her beautiful eyes, who were filled with tears. “ Because I love you”.

Marianna was speechless for a moment. Nobody ever said that to her. Ok Lykus had said it once, but that was during sex, so it doesn´t count. But Rath said it like he would really mean it. “ No. You can´t love me”.

“ And why not?”.

“ Because it´s too dangerous”, why couldn´t Rath understand it. Everything she loved was ripped from her. And she couldn´t bear it again. It would surely be her death this time. Her heart wouldn´t survive it.

“ I don´t care about that”, Rath wouldn´t let go because she thought it was too dangerous for him. He would fight everybody who wanted to break them apart. And if it would be the last he did. He never backed down from a challenge and he wouldn´t start now.

Marianna laid a hand on Rath´s cheek and caressed it with her thumb. “ But I do. I couldn´t take it if something happened to you because of me”.

Rath didn´t know what to say. He partially understood what she was saying. She was really scared. Scared of opening her heart for somebody who could be ripped from her again. But did she want to live her whole life without love? She was pretty young and a life could be really long. Did she want to die as a lonesomely old woman who didn´t live her life to the fullest? Love is strange and it hits you when you at least expect it. Life was not a straight way. Sometimes you will be thrown off way or you had to take a turn. But that was what made a life livable.

“ We should go back. I´m starving”, Marianna didn´t wait for a reply and walked back to the tree, where their backpacks were still lying.

Rath looked after her for a moment. A small smile playing on his face. She didn´t say it out loud, but in her own ways she told him that she loved him too. Now he only had to convince her to act on her feelings. Maybe tonight, when they were lying side by side at a nice campfire, the sky above them and the wonderful nature around them. With that thought he made his way to Marianna.

TBC

[/b]

Post by **Island Breeze** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 11:03 pm

Interesting idea, making them work together to accomplish a goal! And Rath said the L word! Woohoo! But Mariana is scared. I have a feeling that Mael knew what he was doing when he sent them into the forest together. :D

Great parts!

CandyGirl1980 · Post by **CandyGirl1980** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 2:18 pm

Chapter 17 A common ground

After a defty lunch, consisting of gruggles with endig and marquise ( PJ sandwich), a little time to regenerate their strength and a long discussion about which way they had to go, Marianna and Rath shouldered their backpacks and continued their hike. They knew that they had still a long way to go and it would be getting dark soon. So they marched quietly side by side the seemingly never ending path. The only sound they heared was the trampling of their feet and every now and then a clapping, because of the annoyingly buzzing haibz ( mosquitos). Thankfully the suns were not shining so brightly, which meant that they wouldn´t get crushed by the heat anymore. Marianna however didn´t notice it. She was too occupied with observing the surroundings around her. It seemed that on this side of the planet the plants would grow bigger and brighter than on the side she grew up. It was strange that she never saw how dark and dead everything was. Maybe it was because she didn´t know it better. She only knew it like that. Or she didn´t want to see it? Her mother would have surely liked it here. It was like walking in another world, where everything was animated and so full of surprises. Marianna tried to repress her tears. It was still painful to think about her mother and the missing opportunities. Maybe if she would have been earlier, or if she noticed before that something wasn´t right, or she regnorized that her father was not the man she imagined. Marianna shook her head. She couldn´t dwell on things she couldn´t change anymore. She had a new life now. A life full of people who cared about her. At that part she faced Rath. He seemed to be in thoughts, too. He was staring straight ahead. He looked really funny with his shirt around his head. She still couldn´t believe it that he confessed his love to her. And she could see in his eyes that he really meant it. For a moment she was tempted to tell him the same. But then her mind screamed that she shouldn´t do it. She only would get him in danger if she told him her true feelings. Maybe someday she would be brave enough to admit her feelings for him. Marianna turned her head and watched the wonder of the nature again. Meanwhile Rath was thinking about ways to convince Marianna to overcome her fear. He knew it would be hard and take time. But it would be worth it. Marianna was worth it. He never met a girl like her and he never fell in love so quickly. Ok he never fell in love peroid, but that was not the point. He knew her exactly a few weeks and he couldn´t imagine a life without her. How whacked was that? At first he thought he was feeling sorry for her, but after awhile he notized that his feelings went deeper. He never was so attracted and annoyed at the same time by a girl. She was everything he never knew he wanted. The girls he made out with were all different. They were barely talked and giggled a lot. Ok he could admit that they were all airheads. Marianna however was the opposite. She was not afraid to stand up to him or to tell him that he was wrong. And she made his life a little brighter. Strange that you never know what´s missing in your life until you see it. Rath turned his head in Mariannas direction. She was watching her surroundings like she would see something like that for the first time in her life. It was so sweet to look at. Suddenly he was thrown out of his thoughts.

“ Hey look. A zwiddle ( a mix between a deer and a hedge hog)”, Marianna went slowly to it. She wanted to stroke its face. She never saw a real zwiddle from such a close proximity. Careful she stretched her arm out and tried to stroke the snout. But in that moment the zwiddle thought it was in danger and bit in her finger. Immediately Marianna pulled her hand back and let out a scream of pain.

In an instant Rath was by her side and took her hand. He wanted to see the damage. Thankfully the zwiddle had no sharp teeths, because he was a herbivore and the wound didn´t look too bad. Rath tried everything to hide his smile. “ Are you alright?”.

“ Yeah”, Marianna sent a glare at the beast. They should come with a warning. Don´t stroke or your fingers are gone, or something like that. “ I was only startled for a moment”.

Rath finally lost the battle against his face muscles. He really tried to not laugh. But he couldn´t hold it in any longer. Marianna was startled when Rath broke out in laughter. He was laughing so hard, that he had tears running down his face and his whole body shook.

Marianna couldn´t believe it. How dare he laugh at her. “ How can you laugh? This thing almost took my arm off!”.

“ I´m sorry. But your face”, Rath tried to take deep breaths. But then he saw Mariannas pissed off face and he started to laugh again.

“ I´m glad my pain is so amusing to you”, Marianna really wanted to be mad at Rath. But after she thought about the whole situation and how it had to be looking to him, she had to laugh, too. Besides Rath looked to funny when he was laughing.

For about 5 minutes they stood like in the forest with their body bend and their hands holding their bellies. It was quite a picture. For the first time since they knew each other they did something together. Even if it was something like laughing over a slightly hurt finger.

“ I think we have to move on. It´s getting dark”, Marianna wiped the tears from her face. Thank god that she didn´t wear make up or else she would look really awful right now.

Rath saw to the sky above. She was right. It was getting dark. The suns were in the process to disappear. They didn´t have too much time to waste. But it was nice. Now he knew that Marianna had more expression, besides her angry and her annoyed face. And she had the most beautiful laugh he ever heared.” Yeah. You´re right”.

“ Did I hear you correct. You´re agreeing with me? Be still my beating heart”, Marianna couldn´t resist the pun. She could play this game, too.

“ Yeah. Yeah. You´re really funny”, why did Rath knew that she would say something like that. She always had to have the last say in the matter. Why couldn´t he feel more for Vilandra. In contrast to Marianna she was at least quiet. “ Now let´s go!”.

“ Yes sir!”, Marianna stood at attention and saluted. Then she marched in step away.

Rath only shook his head. What was his father thinking. Sending him away with her. She was so damn frustrating and sweet at once. And why did he like it so much. Maybe he was sick. Yeah that was the explanation and he would stick with it until his dying day.

An hour later

Rath and Marianna finally found the right spot where they could camp for the night. The place was really nice and pretty deserted. Nearby they could hear a little brook quietly burble. There were not so much trees who could cloud the view at the sky. And in the middle was something that looked like a fireplace. While Marianna checked the backpacks for a tent or something they could sleep in Rath made a little trip for firewood. Althrough the heat was almost unbearable by day the nights on Antar where really cold. And it scared the creatures away who came out of their hiding place at night. He didn´t want to get eaten alive while he slept. Or Marianna. After Rath found enough wood to start a fire he went back to Marianna. She in the meantime had made their sleeping place a little cosier. They didn´t have a tent, but two sleeping bags, which Marianna spread out next to each other. Their backpacks where lying beside it.

“ No tent?”, Rath asked a little surprised.

Marianna shook her head. If they had a tent she would have set it while Rath was away. “ No tent. We have to sleep outdoors”. At the last part she grimaced.

“ What´s up? You don´t look too happy about that”, Rath didn´t understand that. Only they both, the starry night above them and two cosy little sleeping bags seperating them. It was the most romantic thing he could imagine.

“ It´s nothing”, Marianna didn´t want to admit that she hated sleeping in the nature. All this little creatures with their many hairy legs, who waited until you sleep before they crawled over your face. Marianna started to scratch her body at this thought.

“ Alright. If you think so”, Rath placed the twigs on the fireplace. Then he put his hand over them. Within a few seconds his hand started glowing green and the twigs started to burn. For a moment he held his hands over the fire to warm them. It was slowly getting colder now.

Marianna noticed the change in the temperature, too. Therefore she went to her backpack and fetched the jacket she saw while she searched for something they could sleep in. After she put it on she joined Rath by the fireplace. He was searching for some food in his backpack. And judging from his little outburst of joy he seemed to have find something. With a grin on his face he pulled a can of klieht (antarian name for Ravioli) out of the backpack. Then out of the blue he threw the can at Marianna, who catched it in the nick of time. Luckily for her or else it could have been really painful.

“ Why are you giving me the can?”, if Rath thought she would cook he was mistaken. Ok it was not that difficult to heat a can of food, but it was about the principle. He couldn´t just expect her to cook because she was a girl.

Rath looked at her funny. Did she really ask this question?” You´re cooking”.

“ And why is that?”, Marianna glared for a few seconds at him. He was such a guy.“ Because I´m a girl. And you think because of that I should do the cooking. But not with me, you chauvinistic pig”.

Rath stared open mouthed at Marianna. Now he knew that she really was crazy. Why did she make such a fuss about something simple like who cooks? He didn´t think for a moment that she should cook because she was a girl. “ You´re nuts, you know that? I only thought you should do the cooking because I brought the firewood. In our world there is something called work arrangement. Both parties split the work in equal parts. But I´m sorry. I´ll try to never do that again”.

Marianna blushed in embarrassment. She really put her feet in her mouth this time. “ I´m sorry. I didn´t mean that. I´m just hungy, tired and cold. Don´t listen to the things I say”.

“ It´s alright. I think we both are pretty on the edge right now”, Rath noticed that the trek finally caught up with them. They were cranky and took it out on each other. Maybe if they ate something they would be more relaxed.

As if on cue Marianna put the can on the burning fire. Then she searched for flatware in her backpack. After a few seconds she found two forks. When she came back to the castle she would thank Abidale at first. Because she was probably the reason that they had food and flatware. Mael would let them hunt their dinner, expect them to slaughter it and eat it with their finger. Ewwwww. One more reason to hate the whole camping thing even more. Marianna shook her head to get rid of her disturbing thoughts after all she still wanted to eat something. Then she gave Rath one of the forks. They waited until the sauce started to bubble. After that they shared the can with each other like a old married couple. The whole time nobody spoke a word. They only sat side by side and enjoyed their little meal. It was strange that two people who couldn´t be in the proximity of the other without starting a fight could be so quiet. It was a really comfortable silence. The only noise was the spit of the fire and the normal sound of the nature around them. The suns were long gone and dived everything in darkness when they finished their dinner.

Immediately Rath layed down on his sleeping bag and saw to the sky above and the million stars that shone bright down on them. “ Do you believe that there are living organism out there on another planet?”.

“ Yes. I mean it´s pretty naive to think we´re the only one in this universum”, Marianna had thought much about that the last few weeks. Maybe on another planet a other her lived peacefully with her mother or her father was changed and loved his family there? Everything was impossible. At least she had to believe it.

“ My father told me that a few of the scientist found a planet, who isn´t that different from Antar. They think they found a proof of life there. They called the planet earth or something like that”.

Marianna slowly snuggled in her sleeping bag. She really was tired now. “ Do they know more about the planet?”.

“ No. But some mens are on their way to it. They want to check the atmosphere and the living conditions. Maybe they´ll find something interesting”

Marianna only half listed to Rath. Her eyes were almost closed and her body was in the process to let sleep overtake her. “ Hopefully some really great looking men”.

Rath turned around and faced Marianna to glare at her. But to his dissapointment she was already sleeping. How can someone sleep so fast? She was just speaking with him. Then he watched her. Her face looked so peacefully, like a sleeping child. Rath wanted to stroke her flawless face, but he knew that he shouldn´t do it. She would probably break his wrist if he tried it. Therefore he decided to observe her and memorize her beautiful feature in his brain for a time when he couldn´t see her. But after a while sleep overtook him, too and he closed his eyes. Hopefully he would dream about Marianna again.

TBC

Chapter 18 Overcoming fear and moving on

Marianna was the first one to wake up the next morning. That was probably because a sunbeam fell exactly on her face. Reluctantly she opened her eyes and closed them immediately. Oh it was too bright for her eyes. Slowly she tried to open them again and this time she made it. At first she felt a little confused, because she saw no walls or windows around her. But then she remembered that she was sent on a mission in the damn nature. Carefully she rose up with her torso and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. Then she yawned really loudly without hiding it behind her hand. She knew that it was not Lady like, but for one she was alone at the moment and two she didn´t care about such thing as manners. While she stretched out her arms, she observed the surroundings. Last night was too dark and she was too tired to notice where she was. But now in the bright daylight the place they choose was really nice. They had a clear view on the sky above and there were not so much trees around. And she heared something dabble nearby. Which meant she could wash herself or take a swim before they went along. Suddenly a big snore brought her out of her thoughts. Immediatley she turned to her right and looked at her companion. Rath was lying on his back. One arm was thrown over his head and the other was on his belly. His mouth was wide open and a little drool was trickling down his cheek. And Marianna found that picture really sweet. He looked so at ease, like nothing could happen when he slept. Usually he wore his mean face, except when he thought nobody was looking or he watched his family. But now that was gone. There was only that peacefulness. Marianna was tempted to touch his face and feel the slight stubbles on his unshaved cheeks. But she didn´t do it, however tempting it was. Besides she had a necessity to do. Nature called and she better listened. Without making to much noise, Marianna peeled herself out of her sleeping bag and went hunting for a nice place to relieve herself. After that she made a little trip to the little lake to wash herself. When she saw her reflection in the water she was on the brink to scream. Her hair looked like a storm had been blowing. Thank god for her powers. Within a few minutes she looked like a girl again. And the cold water did wake her up fully now. But now she had a other problem. She was really hungry and her stomach demanded food. So she went back to Rath, who was probably still snoring loudly to himself. And when she arrived at their bivouac she saw that she was right with her assumption. Silently she sneaked up on him and kneeled beside him.

“ Rath. Wake up”, Marianna slightly shook Rath. Hopefully he wasn´t like her when it came to waking him up. She was cranky and it could happen that she would blast someone away.

But Rath only turned to the other side and continued sleeping. That lazybone! How could he sleep so deep. They were freaking outdoors with no protection. If they would be attacked Rath would probably sleep soundlessly through it. But Marianna had still some tricks up her sleeve. She would wake Rath sooner or later.

Marianna bend slowly forward until her mouth was at his ear. Then she used her sultry voice. “ Rath baby. You have to help me. I got my clothes all dirty and now I don´t have any clothes to wear”.

The only response she got was a really loud fart. Immediately Marianna jumped to her feet. That dirty bastard! How dare he to fart at her. She was tempted to kick his butt for it. But she could controll herself in time. Besides she already had a new idea in her head. With a smile she went to her backpack and searched for a container. To her dissapointment her luck ran out and the only thing she found was a little waterbottle. But beggers can´t be choosers. So she made her way down to the lake with the bottle. There she filled it with enough water to fullfill her evil plan. On her way back to Rath she used her powers to build pressure inside the bottle. When she finally arrived at the sleeping place of her companion she took of the cap and splashed to whole content on him.

Rath immediately woke up and jumped up from his place. “ What the hell!”.

“ Good morning. Did you sleep well”, if Rath didn´t know Marianna better or they weren´t the only ones here he would believe her innocent appearance. But because it was not the case he knew she was behind the water attack.

“ Why did you have to do that?”, Rath could imagine better ways to be woken up. However getting wet was not one of them. Desperate he tried to try his soaking clothes. Unfortunaly his body was not yet fully awake and his powers weren´t active.

“ I had to wake you somehow”.

Rath couldn´t believe it. “ You could have tried another way”.

“ I did and it didn´t work”, Marianna really enjoyed the picture of Rath all wet and pissed. He was just to damn funny. She wanted to laugh so badly that her complete body shook. She knew that she couldn´t hold her laughter any longer.

Rath was close to laughing himself. Marianna looked too cute for words. Her face was slightly red with her preventing to laugh and everything. He wasn´t mad at her for splashing him. Ok maybe he was at first, but now he found it just funny. But that didn´t mean that she wouldn´t be punished for her attack.

Marianna got a funny feeling when Rath watched at her really strange. A little smirk graced his face and he looked like he wanted to attack her any moment now. “ Don´t you dare do something stupid. I´m warning you”.

Rath didn´t intend to do something stupid. “ You´re warning me? I´m shaking in my boots”.

Marianna wanted to throw him a nasty remark, when Rath raced in her direction. Immediately she ran the other way. Over and over again she screamed at him that he should stop that. But Rath didn´t listen. He chased after her. Thankfully he had the longer legs and he catched her within a few minutes. He grasped her and threw her over his shoulder.

“ Rath! Put me down!”, Marianna was trashing with her whole body. He coudn´t do that to her. Althrough the view was really nice. She had his trained butt infront of her face. And if she was already so close to it she could do something she wanted to do for a while now. She pinched it.

Rath jumped a little. He didn´t expect her to pinch his ass. But it felt nice. “ Stop that. Or I´ll drop you”.

“ I didn´t do anything”, it was not like she hurt him. He should be flattered that she found his butt so irresistible. There were not so many girls out there who would do the same. “ Where are you dragging me anyway?”.

“ Wait and see”, and because he couldn´t help himself he slapped her ass really hard. If she could do it, so did he.

“ Ouch. That hurt”, Marianna only pinched, she didn´t slap. Now she would have his handprint for the rest of the day on her cheek. If he could see her now, she would be pouting like a little girl.

“ That was for the rudely wake up call”, Rath stopped his walk and then he threw Marianna with all his might in the little lake. He was glad that it was deep enough that she couldn´t hurt herself.” And that´s for the water attack”.

Marianna fell ass first in the water. After the shock was dissapearing and she could stand in the brook, she started to swear fast in Antarian. Even Rath had problems understanding the things she said. But he got the main thing. She cursed the day he was born and she called him names that turned his ears red. Damn some of the words he hadn´t even heared. But it was funny to see how Marianna bashed her fist in the water and everytime she did that drops would splash around her. He knew he shouldn´t do it, but he had to laugh. However that made Marianna swear some more.

“ Don´t laugh at me!”, she pointed with her finger at him. She found that not funny. She was wet and her clothers were glued to her body. If Marianna would come out of the water, Rath could see her breast through her shirt.

“ I´m sorry. But you look so unbelievable cute at the moment”.

“Cute! Cute!I´ll show you cute!”, with that Marianna concentrated on the structure of the water and then she nudged it in Rath´s direction. Within seconds a huge fontain shot out of the lake and gushed over Rath. Now he was as wet as her.

Rath couldn´t believe that she did that. For like a few seconds he stood there with his mouth wide open and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. His hair was glued to his face and the same applied to his clothes. And Marianna didn´t have something better to do as to laugh at him. “ You will pay for that”.

“ I´m terrified”, replied Marianna sarcastic. What could he do to her? Make her even wetter? That was impossible.

Rath pulled his tank top over his head and threw it on the ground beneath his feet. “ You should be”, and then he jumped with his feet angled at his body in the lake. Water was splashing everywhere and Marianna was almost drowned by a wave, which washed over her head.

Just as she surfaced from the water, she saw that Rath was right infront of her. He smirked at her and she didn´t like it. Before she knew what he wanted to do, he laid his hands on her shoulders and pushed her under the water. Marianna didn´t want to lose this fight. She grasped Rath´s legs and pulled him down with her. After that it was a water fight, which nobody wanted to lose. They behaved like little children on a hot summer day. It was quite a sight. If somebody would have seen them, they wouldn´t have guessed that these two were the best soldiers of the kingdom. Marianna was never so happy and so carefree like in that moment. Rath enjoyed it, too. In all his years in which he had contact with the other gender, he didn´t have so much fun ever. And it was a beautiful sight seeing Marianna so cheerful and her laughter seemed to float over the whole planet. Rath could have watched her like this everyday of his life. Sometime later they were really wasted and decided to go back to the shore to let them relax a little bit. And get their clothings dry. Marianna was the first who slumped on the ground just a few feets away from the lake. A little while later Rath followed her and laid himself besides her.

“ That was fun”, Marianna felt young and really happy for the first time in her life. She couldn´t remember a time when she let her guard down with someone other than her mother. It felt really great to let go from her problems for a while and just be herself.

Rath couldn´t get the smile out of his face, even if he wanted. He saw his first glimpse of the person Marianna really was under her stonewall.” Yeah it was”. And he didn´t mind if they would do something like that more often. “ Althrough you were no opponent for me”.

Marianna snorted at that. “ Yeah. That´s what I let you believe”. She knew Rath´s ego by now and she didn´t want to hurt it in any way. He was like every male on this and probably on another planet. They were so sensitive if they lost against in their eyes the weaker sex. “ If I wanted I could have taken you down”.

Rath propped his torso on his elbows and faced Marianna. “ Is that a Challenge?”.

“ Maybe another time. We have still something to do”, Marianna would love to take Rath down. But they were not here on vacation. They still had a mission to fullfill. And she didn´t want to dissapoint Mael. “ Now get your big ass in gear”. With that Marianna jumped to her feet and walked to their sleepingbags.

Rath got up from the ground insulted. He tried to turn his body that he could see his backside. But he wasn´t that flexible. “ I don´t have a big ass. Maybe hairy, but not big”.

Marianna looked back at her companion. He was trying to see his butt. But it didn´t work. Then he seemed to grumble something to himself, but she was too far away to hear what he said. She had to laugh about the picture. He behaved like a girl. Ok he had no big ass, but he was at least on his feet. With that thought in mind she waved her hands over her body until everything was dry again. After that she started to clear the camping side.

When Rath arrived by Marianna she was dry and in the process to put their sleepingbags in their backpacks. Either she was very quick or he wasted more time with praising his trained butt than he thought. So without a word he followed her example and helped to put everything away and destroy all evidence that someone was there. That was one of the first rule his father taught him. Clean your own shit and try to be one step ahead of your enemy. Strange that he remembered everything his father told him now and when his father asked him he didn´t know it.

“ Are you ready to go?”, Marianna jolted him out of his thoughts. She was finished with her backpack and was carrying it already on her shoulders.

Rath saw to her and then to his backpack, which was lying at his feet, fully packed and closed. “ Yeah, we can go”.

So they both resumed their trek, althrough neither of them knew which way to go. But they agreed that they should stay on the path as long as it was there. After all it had to have a reason to be there in the first place. Rath took the map and put it in his pant pocket. Just in case they needed it quickly at hand. Marianna smiled at that. Even if they tried to use the map they wouldn´t get far with it, because neither of them could understand a thing that was written there. They only could trust their instincts now and both hoped that they would find their way to this treasure and back again. They walked in a comfortable silence side by side and for the first time they had a feeling that their friendship reached a level where they could be open with each other. Marianna wasn´t afraid to show her feelings anymore and Rath finally saw behind Mariannas wall, even if it was only for a while. But he knew that he knocked a few stones out of it and he would do it as long until the last stone was gone. Sometime later Rath was the first who broke the silence between them. He wanted to know more about her life, before she came to their castle. He hoped that she didn´t avoid the topic or refused to speak about it. To his surprise she started to tell him some things about herself. Beginning with her 8 Birthday where she wanted to have a turquoise refty ( a pony with wings) and her mother gave her a beautiful pink dress. Althrough she was a girl and should have been happy about it, she was dissapointed and never wore it. When she was thirteen she wanted to do something nice for her mother and tried for her sake, to be more like a girl. She even had lessons in which she learned how a princess had to behave. But the teacher was speechless when she saw that Marianna wore boots under her dress. And the way she ate was not “proper for a princess”. Just because she didn´t cut her meal in tiny bits and chewed with her mouth wide open. Sometime later the teacher gave up and declared her a “hopeless case”. Thank god that her mother never expected her to do that again. With fourteen she started to train with the soldiers. Althrough Hewik, the leading commander of the army, didn´t think she was capable of defending herself, he let her train with his men. Then he saw what power she possessed and started to give her private lessons. He was technically the first male who treated her nice. She was something like his daughter. He was sterner with her and demanded more of her than any other men, but he believed in her. She would never forget the scene where one of the soldier tried to hit on her and she blasted him into the nearest wall. Hewik came immediately and looked what happened. When he saw that she wasn´t hurt in any kind he clapped on her shoulder and said that he was proud of the woman she was becoming. It was the first time that somebody appreciated what she did and showed her that she was good in something. Even her jealous brother seemed to be proud of her. He didn´t say anything, but his eyes weren´t looking so icecold at her anymore. At this point Marianna stopped talking. The thing with her brother was still bothering her. Even after the long time she had to think, she couldn´t find a reason why he helped her escape. Most people would think that it was because they were siblings. But not in her family. She and her brother weren´t that close like she saw with Rath and Ava or Vilandra and Zan. They were more like rivals. Marianna wanted the undivided attention of her father which her brother had and he wanted to be the best soldier in the army which Marianna was. Suddenly she was ripped out of her thoughts, because she noticed that Rath stopped walking beside her.

“ We have a slight problem now”, Rath pointed infront of them. There was a parting of ways. One path led right and the other left.

Marianna eyed both ways. Which was the right one? And where did they lead to? Marianna faced Rath. “ What do we do now?”.

“ I think we can rule out the map, because neither of us can read it”, Rath sighed loud while he scratched nervously his right eyebrow. There had to be a way to know for sure which way they had to go.

“ The only suggestion I have is that we seperate and go different paths”.

“ No! My father told us to go together and we stick to that”, besides he wanted to keep Marianna in sight. She was a trouble magnet and he wouldn´t let her leave his side because of that.

Marianna was startled, because Rath reacted so strongly about her suggestion. It was only a thought. Geez what was up with him now? “ Alright. Then tell me Oh great one, what do you have in mind?”.

Rath turned to the girl beside him. She really was a royal pain in the ass. But he liked it when she called him names, because she only did it with him and that meant something. “ We choose a path”

“ That´s your plan?”, Marianna threw him an angry glare. Was he for real? Did he think that it was that simple? They couldn´t even agree on ordinary things and then they should choose a way? Great, they would be here for a while. Maybe she should look for a place to sleep.

“ Yeah. Do you have a problem with it?”, why couldn´t Marianna simply be on his side for once? Everytime he said something she had to say the opposite. Damn women!

“ Actually yes” and even if she wouldn´t have a problem with it she would still say the same, just to see Rath with his pissed of look. He was so sexy when he got mad. His eyes changed to a darker colour and his aura screamed dangerous. It was a total turn on. “ If we take the wrong path we´re losing valid time, which we can´t right now”.

Rath thought about that. She was absolutely right. Even if he wouldn´t say that out loud, especially to her. She only would tease him with it. But what could they do then? Just as he tried to thought about another plan, Marianna started walking to the right path. “ What are you doing?”.

“ I´m saving time”, what did it look like she was doing? “ I´m going that way while you take the other way”.

Rath opened his mouth to disagree. But something in her eyes told him that he should shut his mouth and do what she said. Besides it was the only way they could abide to the time his father gave them. So without saying anything he took the left path.

Marianna tried everything to hide her smile. She knew that Rath wanted to voice his objections, but he didn´t. Finally he realized that her suggestion was the best one. Suddenly a really loud sound startled her. Shocked she tried to see where the noise was coming from. But there was nothing, besides trees, bushes and other greens. Then she noticed that the sound was coming from her backpack. Immediately she threw it on the ground, just in case that it was something that could explode any minute. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw that Rath was coming her way.

“ Stay back. I think my backpack will blow up”, Marianna went to a safe distant. She was rather safe than sorry. Rath meanwhile did the opposite. He walked straight to her backpack.

“ Don´t worry”, Rath knew what was up and why their backpacks made such a noise.” My father put sensors in our backpacks, who give alarm when they´re too far away from each other” Just as he said that the noise stopped suddenly.

Marianna breathed out relieved. The alarm was really annoying and she would propably still hear it when she slept. She put her middle finger in her ear and wiggled it. “ I think the noise cracked my eardrum”.

“ I can make it better”, Rath wiggled his eyebrow seductively while he tried to stiffle his laughter. He only wanted to check if Marianna heared it. Judging after the face she made her sense of hearing was still intact.

Marianna went to her backpack, took it off the ground and strapped it on her shoulders again. Then she turned to Rath and smiled at him. “ I quite believe that”.

“ What are we doing now? Going seperately is out of the question”, Rath stepped closer to Marianna, out of fear that the damn alarm would go off again.

“ You decide. I´m doing whatever you say”, Marianna just wanted to find the bloody treasure and go back in the castle. She missed her bed and the food there.

Rath faced his companion. Did she really mean that? He knew what he wanted her to do to him. And it had nothing to do with choosing which way they were going. “ Really”.

“ Yeah really”, Marianna didn´t immediately realize what she had implied and how Rath understood it. But then she noticed the big smile on his face and she finally put two and two together. “ Get your mind out off the gutter, soldier boy. I meant which way we´re going”.

“ Damn”, upps did he said that just loud? Ok he should concentrate on the task at hand. He could dream about Marianna, who danced for him without any scrap of clothes on her body, later. “ Alright. If we´re both already on this way, we should continue it”.

Marianna stretched out her right arm and bowed. “ Lead the way, commander”.

Rath shook his head laughing. That girl was so damn unpredictable that he never knew what he should expect from her. Sometimes she was bitchy, then she was funny and other times she was so closed off. But one thing was for sure. Life with her was never boring. So with that Rath started walking. Marianna close behind him. Both were paying attention that they weren´t too far away from each other. They wanted to prevent that everybody in a hundred mile radius could hear them.

TBC

Fan Fic and More

Fight against Destiny M/M Mature AU Chapter 21+22? 07/10

Fight against Destiny M/M Mature AU Chapter 21+22? 07/10

Chapter 3 and 4

Chapter 5+6

Chapter 7+8

Chapter 11 + 12

chapter 13+14

Chapter 13+14

Chapter 15+16

Chapter 17+18