Chapter 10

THE VENINE TEMPLE AT THE ISLE OF GILMORSH.

A young lady kneels flatly on the floor with an incense burning before her. Her hair is covered with a dark red cloth, while half her face is covered with light interlocked gold chains which forms something like a mask.

The room is dimly lit with candles which is accentuated more by it's deep red color painted on the walls. She kneels flatly on the floor chanting incantations with her hands spread out. Two young women kneel beside her, each holding a candle with closed eyes and softly humming.

A man with covered hair walks in and kneels behind her with hands held together.

"Hera, you said there was a message." He says.

She ignores him and continues chanting the incantations when suddenly she gasps loudly which echoes throughout the empty room.

In a shrill voice different from hers, she begins in a loud voice, "The prophecy has been foretold and it doesn't lie! It has been told centuries ago, passed down through generations! The prophecy of the goddess who will be birthed to live among us, the one who has the power over life and death! The one who has been revered and worshipped since time immemorial, the crucial existence and meaning of the Venine Temple. It has been revealed to me that she has been born seventeen years ago, she lives amongst us! You're assigned with the task to find her Robert!"

She gasps again and collapses on the floor being held by the women.

GARCIA'S MANSION

Zelda's POV

After a while of talking and sitting in comfortable silence staring at the waterfall, the sun gradually begins to set that makes me wonder how much time we've spent here.

He stretches out his palm before me which I hold and we begin our walk back to the carriage. The walk seems a little bit longer than when we first arrived. We hasten our pace to make it back to the carriage before before it's completely dark.

Immediately, I stumble on a dried log, twist my right foot and fall down with a yelp. Aidan rushes and kneels before me examining my leg while muttering sorry, he makes a move to carry me up when I gasp.

"Are you alright? Does it hurt that much? I'll be careful!" He says in quick succession.

"Aidan!" I say in a shaky voice and point behind him.

His mouth forms an 'O' shape as he looks behind him. Fallen trees and dead plants starts growing at an incredible height quickly. That wasn't the issue! The wood around us was growing into a thick dense forest with no routes which would make it difficult for us to find our way back.

"Sh*t!*" he mutters under his breath, he carries me up swiftly, places me on his shoulder, unsheathes his sword and runs.

Once in a while he cuts off some tall thick plants obstructing our paths. Suddenly, a creeping plant hurls at his leg without him being aware. He stumbles and falls with a loud groan, still holding me firmly. I gently release his grip on me.

I get hold of his sword and try cutting down the creeping plant that's now on his thigh making it's way up, but the sword doesn't leave much of a slash mark on the plant talk more of cutting it.

"Aidan, stay calm!" I shout.

The plant makes it way up to his chest, slowly getting to his neck. Groaning and shouting in frustration and anger, I pull at the creeping plants with all my might. Immediately everywhere quietens down, the already grown trees and plants begins to fall and wither in quick succession.

I pant and within a second, lose consciousness.

I wake up to the feeling of the comfy bed beneath me and the familiar smell of Aidan's chamber that I've grown used to.

"Zelda!" Aine screams as she rushes towards me and hugs me tightly.

Feeling limp, I manage to hug her back.

"Aine! How did you manage to gain entrance here? Where's Aidan?" I ask looking around.

She chuckles and sits beside me, "Aidan left earlier for some meeting. He said he'll be back soon. He brought you in here unconscious yesterday, so he called me to give you a bath and dress you up."

I look down at my dress and notice that they've been changed into something more comfortable.

She draws nearer to me and asks, "Zelda, what's going on? I mean what's going on between you and Aidan? Are you really his mistress? And why were you unconscious yesterday, did something happen between you two? She asks.

I sigh and place my palm on my forehead sitting up. "Aine isn't it a little bit early for the questions? Actually Aidan and I….."

Just in, the door opens and Aidan walks in removing and hanging his coat "I'll take it from here." He says to Aine.

She squeezes my hand lightly and leaves. I sigh in relief that I didn't get to answer her questions.

Aidan walks and sits beside me, gives me a light peck on my forehead and asks, "Are you feeling alright?"

I nod and look away, "Aidan, I need answers."

He chuckles, "Don't think much about it and get ready, you'll be joining in for breakfast today."

My mouth gapes and he chuckles.

"Don't look so surprised, you've been cooped up here for a while, take it as a treat." He says jokingly.

"There's a dress in the closet, put it on. The guard at the door will direct you there. I'll be at the dining room." He says and swiftly gets up.

When the door closes, I get up and walk to the window. Intrigued by the swarm of colourful butterflies on the flowers below in the garden, I stare at them. I seat there for a while until a giant butterfly however manages to fly high enough to the window leaving it's swarm behind. I chuckle as it perches around and flies away swiftly owing to the sound I made.

I stretch out my hand for it to perch on but it avoids my hand and keeps flying in the air. I groan as I try to reach it and suddenly it halts in the air motionless with it's wings hanging still on each side.

I gasp as I look at it and my heart drops, "No, no, no! Not again please." I say as I return to the room face palming.

I turn to look at the butterfly hanging motionless in the air. I walk slowly to it, reach out my hand to it but remembering that I feel unconscious for hours after touching things, I withdraw my hand and close the window, mentally blaming myself for the butterfly's predicament.

'This is the top floor, no one will notice a butterfly hanging in the air from downstairs', I console myself.

Just in a knock is heard and I open the door.

"Ermmm, I was asked by Prince Aidan to come help you with the dress and makeup." A maid says.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I'll be needing any help." I say due to the fact that I intend putting on a simple look but it seems Aidan has a different plan.

"Please, it was a strict instruction." She says with a shaky voice.

I sigh thinking it would be unfair to attract her a punishment for my decision, so I let her.

I hurriedly have another bath and change into the dress in the closet. She helps me in tying the corset which she does very tightly. I gasp anytime she pulls a string to make it more tight, finally it's done and I can barely breath. She braids my hair at the two sides, holding it firmly with designed silver pins to let it fall at my back.

She also does my makeup which I consider much and unnecessary since it's just 'breakfast'.

I frown as I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

The dress is a brightly coloured red sleeveless gown, which reveals my bare shoulder, it hugs my body tightly to flow at my knees forming a mermaid. The dress accentuates my curves, which is more prominent due to the tight corset.

My cleavage is so graciously exposed at the top and my hair which only falls to my back does little or nothing to cover it.

I look at my face, from my eyes which has an alluring smoky look, to my cheeks dabbed heavily with powder, then my lips which is painted a dark shade of red.

She kneels before me holding a pair of shoes, I slide my feet into them and find them comfortable.

I look again at my reflection in the mirror, "All these just for a breakfast, I better not go then."