Chapter 8

Everything between me and Arvan is quite crazy and unexplainable. Clearly, not someone a simple person can get their head wrap around at the very least. 

Arvan sneers hearing me, running his tall and thick fingers through his silver hair attractively. His eyes darken, tilting his head he gives a dangerous look. Intimating but I keep my porker face on. 

"What are you doing here?" He asks me, voice low and deep. "I should be asking this," I cross my arms over my chest, raising my left eyebrow. 

He starts laughing, shaking his head as though I asked him a very obvious question to which the answer is known to me. I didn't want to sound scared, but I am, I am scared of the power he wields like nothing. Breathing in the same air with this man is more dangerous than drinking poison every night. 

He lowers his head a little to match my eye level, crook smile on his lips is irritating yet attractive at the same time. "Haven't you guessed the answer?" he says, looking into my eyes. 

It's nearly impossible not to get enchanted by those golden wolf eyes, soft pink lips, flawless skin despite spending years in flaming battlefield just like me, pointed nose and high cheekbones. It's nearly impossible to breathe with his musky fragrance around me. 

"Give up, Elimer will never be yours," I say as cold as possible, as dominating as possible. He blinks his eyes slowly, allowing me to continue. 

"Not until I am alive." I speak. "You want me to kill you so easily, I thought you had more in you, Silver Warrior." He pretends to be disappointed, but I know better. 

"You can never kill me, but I can kill you." I say copying Cassian's crook smile which he gives when he has the upper hand over a situation. 

"And how you going to do that?" Arvan leans closer, his warm breath mixed with the nostalgic smell of rose wind touches my skin. The sound of water trickling down from the fountain on the left side of the ground floor was vividly clear thanks to the silence between us. 

Arvan seems thinking something deeply and I am conflicting over what to say next. If only I could just have him locked into the underwater prison underneath Rose Hall, I could be happy and satisfied. 

"Hmm, Wanna spar?" He suggests out of the blue. I frown, what nonsense is he saying in that situation? 

"Have you finally lost your mind?" I ask, he shakes his head in denial. "Just wished to judge your skill. Who knows what if it has turned rusty in the meantime?" He smiles innocently, making me angry. 

"Spar?" I scoff, "Gladly, don't blame me if I rip off your one of two limbs." "Oh surely, Silver Warrior. I would love to have one or two scar given by you." He smirks, arrogantly full of confidence. I shove him away, drawing out my sword, I say looking at him coldly, 

"Take out your sword." 

"I will never point my sword at you." He replies while grinning deviously, "But I can still get you on your knees like nothing." 

I bite on my Toung and strike at him fast, but he moves away smoothly, making me stumble on my own. My grip on sword tightens, head handing down, frustration boiling in my veins. Why? 

I strike again, one blow followed by another, breathing heavily and piercing pain in my stomach from the cut earlier. I am Maria Elimer. 

"Is that all you got, Silver Warrior?" Arvan's tone is playful, and I hate it. He kicks my right calf when I was targeting his shoulder, making me stumble almost falling on my face. But I maintain my balance. 

"Opps! My bad," He laughs arrogantly. Standing, catching my breath, contemplating over trick that might give me chance to witness him on his knees. 

"Give up, silver Warrior. You can't defeat me." 

He shrugs his shoulder, tired of a foreseeable fight. I grip my sword tightly and strike once again unannounced. My eyes were on his right hand, but my target was his left leg. He slid his left arm and that was my chance. Ripping through his crimson doublet, my sword created a deep cut on his left arm, I kicked him on his knees getting him on his knees. He was about to do something but with my I kicked his chest, making him lay on the ground. 

I step on his chest firmly making him groan in pain, with my blade against his neck. 

"Woah! Go easy, Silver Warrior. You can't kill the heir of Dahors in envoy's palace at the very least." He surrenders with both his hands risen. I smirk villainously, "I would rather kill you and get beheaded than letting you eye on Elimer." 

The pointed part of the blade created a slight cut against his pale neck, causing blood to come out. This is my chance, Kill Arvan, Cassian won't let me get beheaded when I saved him from greater problem. 

"Bad Idea. I can't die yet," He smirks croakily. 

"Bad Idea. I can't die yet," He smirks croakily. 

Arvan holds my ankle and flips me on the ground across from him. It feels as though all bones were crushed into pieces, before I could stand up, he gets me into an Anaconda Choke. 

I slapped his arms, but it was too tight around my neck, too hard to breathe. My vision started getting blurry, I tried to get a hold on one of my draggers but failed miserably 

"Give up." Arvan breaths heavily, exhausted from bleeding and fighting. Give up? I would rather die than give up. 

"As if," I managed to breath out those words. Suddenly the door opens up in a swing, Arvan's hold on me loosens a little as we both look to the other side. 

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" Edwin and Velmud both shout at the same time. Arvan let go of me. Coughing badly, I could finally catch my breath. He lays down next to me while breathing heavily himself. 

"Have you two lost your mind?" Edwin sounds angry. He held my arms and made me stand up. My legs were wobbling, almost giving up. Valmud wraps a piece of cloth around Arvan's arm. 

"Is this how the Prince of Dahors treated in Elimer?" Velmud says. His purple eyes darken when they look into mine, intimidating, overwhelmed by the power of dragon. But I care less about him. 

"Worse things can happen when your Prince eye one something that doesn't belong to him." I say with the same intimating aura of his. Velmud was visibly gritting his teeth in anger but was stopped by Arvan. 

He stands up while holding his arm, ordering Valmud, "Enough, Valmud,'' Valmud nods and steps back from me. Both Dragon and its rider are crazy. 

"You need to improve more, Silver Warrior." Arvan says, amusing grin on his lips. I clench my fist tightly. He is right, he is right. I am no match for him. I can never defeat Arvan Dahors. I can never be better than him. 

"Fuck You," I say before stomping my feet's out of the Phoenix Hall followed by Edwin. 

If only I hadn't hesitated, I could have gotten rid of Arvan Dahors. I have no idea what he might do during his stay in Elimer. But one thing is sure, 

Arvan Dahors Wants Elimer, He wants to take the Golden Crown by engaging me and Cassian in battle. His crooked smile and arrogant gesture are dangerous. 

"Why are you so care less, Your Highness? Your older wounds are already unattended." Edwin groans tiredly. My waistcoat was dirty, hair messy but I cared less. We can't kill Arvan Dahors, but we need to stop him at all cost or else- 

I stop and turn my head to look at the beautiful scenario, blooming red and white roses, white lilies, oak trees, yellow and pink tulips, golden sun ray reflecting on the lake's water nearby. This is Elimer, beautiful and calm. Though there is a silent shift of power happens in the Court of Elimer, the beauty of Elimer never gets harmed. 

The common people of Elimer have never been affected by battle of Throne. I hate my father, but I can't deny he is nearly a perfect ruler who never ignores the agony of his people. I despise Cassian but he never drags any third person between us. If he wanted, he could easily put his secret knight of order against me and the Special Sword masters Unit, that would cost hundreds of innocents. Yet, he kept it between us. I have spent my years fighting side by side with Royal Knights, mercenaries and spies but none ever showed any discrimination against each other. 

A primitive law for every Imperial Member of Elimer, 

Never drag a third person in the battle for Golden Crown. The Crown wants a good ruler not a tyrant at the cost of blood. - 

"What are you looking at?" Edwin asks softly. 

" Elimer, I must protect it." I whisper under my breath. 

That's right, I must protect this land at all costs. What I want is misery of my father and brother but not Elimer's destruction. This land gave me a reason to survive when I had nothing. 

Now, it's my turn. 

I wipe my bleeding lips; A new rage is burning in my heart. A rage like never before. 

"Gather all, Edwin. I won't wait till sun goes down and moon arise." I ordered him. His eyes widen, wanting to say something but stops. 

"As you order, Your Highness." 

Arvan Dahors, yes, you are more powerful than me, you have 4 dragons when I have none. But, 

I won't give up, neither on Golden Crown nor on bringing you down. 

If it's war you want, great. I will give you the most astonishing war where you will find yourself at the pit of abyss. 

Elimer will never be yours.