Chapter 18 - Two Birds

Sunain sat on on her bed, feeling exhausted from the day's activities. She had been made not to go to any minister again, fearing what she would do. The Gimbai was still disappointed at her and was avoiding her, Natty and Nancy made fun of her all day while she crumbed the floors away. Still all these didn't bother her, what bothered her was Diamant's absence. After that day at the dungeon, she hadn't seen her again.

Aaron had been here on some occasions to ask after Diamant. At first he thought she was hiding her when she told him that she didn't know where Diamant was. He later believe her and said he would ask the Dragon Lord.

The first day she met him at the door, he had to introduce himself and Diamant hadn't really spoken about him before her sudden disappearance. Still it felt like they both shared something, the way he was desperately looking for her like he had done something wrong, said it all.

Sunain had reported Diamant's absence to DL too. He had just waved it aside and told her to leave. She had a feeling he knew where she was.

She went to Diamant's bed and ran her hand on it slowly. She missed her. Her eyes misted with tears and she took in a deep breath.

Suddenly someone placed a hand on her mouth from behind, preventing her from screaming while the other hand made her struggle futile.

Sunain's heart raced in panic and she struggled as her as she could but whosoever was holding her was too strong for her to shake off. Her screams were muffled by the cloth that had been stuck into her mouth. Then suddenly she went numb. The person had hit her on neck. She fell to the ground losing consciousness.

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"Was that even necessary?! What use is she like this?!" Someone said, his voice laced with authority and power.

"She was struggling, Dragon Lord." Another person replied.

"I had to get her here through a secret passage way and her struggling will call attention."

"Just pray she wakes up quickly, Goben. I want her looking into Rina's health as fast as it can get." The person replied again.

Sunain blinked her eyes vigorously. This wasn't the first time she had been kidnapped. It had happened sometimes on the trip with her uncle. She came around slowly and looked around. Her eyes recognized the faces before her as she ached from having laid on the bare floor for quite a while.

"She is coming around." Someone said excited. Someone who hasn't spoken before.

She was offered a glass of water as she was now fully in control of herself.

The Dragon Lord walked to her. She was standing now and as he approached, she bowed her head in fear. The last time he had spoken to her was in the dungeon and he had threatened her with death. The times he had ever spoken to her were all a threat to her life. She feared what he wanted to say this time that he had to have her kidnapped.

"I want of you something urgent. Come with me." He ordered then started walking away.

Sunain followed immediately and there was a woman who wasn't in a good shape lying on the bed. Her face looked sulken and she looked very sick.

DL nodded to Sunain and she went over to the lady. She looked her over and discovered that the cut on her stomach wasn't healing and had been infected. Another cut on her arm had been stitched and that looked okay but the infection on her stomach was taking a toll on her.

"Can you heal her?" DL said and the room was silent.

"Yes, Dragon Lord."

Sunain looked on in confusion. Having tons of questions to ask.

"Then get to it." DL ordered as he turned around.

"My bottles! I need them." She called out quickly before he went further away.

"Goben will get them." He said and Goben nodded. They both left.

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Sunain came out of the room to see the DL leaning on the wall. The room was silent safe for a guy, who they call Roc, humming happily to himself.

DL turned to her, he could read her expression.

"Ask." He ordered.

Her eyes shone at the privilege.

"Why me? Why do you have to make me do this? I know Alusa has a lot of doctors and I am not even very experienced. Why do you have to kidnap me to do this?" Sunain asked, her eyes furrowing in confusion.

"Do you not notice that this is a secret place?" DL asked.

"I do, Dragon Lord. I am still confused."

"This is a private group of my own making to attack the uprisings against me."

She knew of the uprising but she never knew he had a private group of warriors on his own. Why a few warriors when he had thousands? Except if he thought the enemy could be from within.

"So you trust me enough to bring me here to work for you?" Sunain asked, surprised.

DL lips drew into a wicked smile.

"No. I trust you enough to know that you will allow your silence and loyalty to pay the price of your life and the life of that who is dear to you." DL said.

"Diamant?! She is with you?!" Sunain asked as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Where else would she be except in my dungeon?" DL chuckled wickedly and Sunain felt her heart squeezing terribly in fear.

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DL smiled happily to himself as he made his way up to his chamber. It was all going his way, all just like he planned it.

Then a warrior came to him and bowed. He recognized him instantly, he had been from the prison.

He gave the message that Diamant wanted to see him. He looked to the window and the sun was already setting.

What a stubborn lady!

When he got there, he saw her gripping her stomach as she bent over. Blood slowly dripped from the left side of her mouth and she rubbed the blood dripping from her nose away aggressively.

DL was horrified by the sight and he took a step back but kept his face straight. This wasn't the worst he had seen, for a warrior like him, this was nothing. Yet, it affected him.

Why had she waited for so long to give an answer. Sunain hadn't been this stubborn? When people have their lives on the line, they tend to make quick decisions, so why didn't she do that? His face grew harder as he examined the situation.

"I will do it! Give me the antidote." She said trying to make her voice come out as strong as she could afford but it came out weakly. Talking felt like a tedious task now.

"To be loyal and to serve me?" He asked as he walked closer to her.

"To be loyal and to serve you." She confirmed, her face angry, her voice coming out venomous and cold.

He opened the bottle of antidote and handed it over to her. She grabbed it and drowned it all quickly before her weakness would set it.

He started walking away from her, his back turned to her. His heart filled with triumph.

"You will no longer stay in the pleasure home. I have somewhere else for you and Sunain." He said but got no response.

He turned back to see her leaning on the wall, letting the antidote do its work.

"Come on, don't waste my time! You will have a room to stay for the night. Get yourself clean and I will send to your room a dress. I have somewhere to show you tomorrow."

"Well at least, unchain me first!"

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Clara smiled to herself as she combed her hair. She was happy with what she saw in the mirror. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly happy.

She had tea with Nana this afternoon and she had thanked her. Nana was glad to have helped and had promised her to have it all totally call off as her grandson didn't want the wedding but was doing it out of his duty for Alusa and his dead father's wish.

She listened attentively to know if someone was walking up the stairs or heading to the dinning. She wanted to thanked the Dragon Lord with a cup of tea. Nana said she made the best ones and so she hoped it would, at least, express her gratitude.

She got tired of waiting and decided to go out of the room. She felt silly for even waiting in the first place, the doors won't guarantee her hearing anything.

She started heading towards the dinning when she ran into a lady.

The stench stung her nose and she looked up to see a very disorganized lady with a dirty dress and dry blood on her face. It wasn't a pleasant sight.

"Disgusting." Clara whispered, her face filled with disgust.

"I think the same thing too." Diamant replied, her face hardened.

Clara looked at her and was about to say something when she noticed someone beside her.

"Dragon Lord, my King." Clara said in surprise then bowed.

"Clara." He said, acknowledging her.

He started moving away with Diamant while Clara followed him, explaining that she had been hoping to talk to him.

He led Diamant to a room and handed her the key. Diamant looked at them with a frown and looked straight at DL before slamming the door in their faces. DL chuckled and Clara looked on, surprised. She didn't understand how the rude lady could get away with that.

"What do you want?" DL asked walking away.

"I want to thank you." Clara said trying to keep up with his pace.

"You already did that." He voice came out cold.

"I know," she laughed nervously "I was hoping that I could make you tea to show you my gratitude."

Tea...

It sounded ridiculous. What was she doing inviting him for tea?

"Nana really loved it when I made it for her this afternoon." She added quickly, hoping it will convince him.

He turned towards the dinning room then. He was in a pleasant mood and a cup of tea wouldn't cause him harm. She went with him, smiling about her success. She felt that her relationship with him had changed, he wouldn't even listen to what she had to say before but now, here he was walking with her to drink her tea.

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DL had Diamant walk through shady and quiet places to get to this place that they were going to. She had no idea where it was but whatever it was, it was a secret and she could feel it.

When they got there, they had to walk through into a house out of the houses that were in the middle of the forest. The houses all looked the same and deserted. Someone could easily get lost. The DL had half of his face covered with a black mask.

They came into a room occupied by some people and they all grew quiet when they saw them. They bowed to the DL but stared at DL questioning.

Diamant felt just as confused. Then she saw Goben, he looked highly displeased with his lips drawn into a straight line.

DL sat at the head of the table and they all settled in. The table was full so Diamant stood distantly.

DL ordered for a place to be made for her to the right side. It was made immediately and Diamant settled down, still feeling Goben's hard gaze on her.

"We have a new member added to us today. One who will serve will loyalty and protect our identity, all for the good of Alusa. One who will serve Alusa with everything, even her life. Welcome to the Black Mask, Diamant."

Diamant breath caught in her throat. Would she serve Alusa even with her life?

"I am greatly honoured, Dragon Lord." Diamant said and DL nodded in approvement.

Then the room started spinning before her eyes and she felt dizzy. Her stomach jammed with pain and she clenched her hands tightly.

She fell off the chair breathing heavily, blacking out.

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Diamant felt a coldness on her head as she blinked her eyes furiously. She saw someone but it was blurry so she blinked again.

Sunain?

"You are awake, thank goodness!" Sunain said with relief.

"You have to get out of here. This place is some kind of secret thing and they all have these dark aura around them. I don't think it is safe, I don't even know where this is!" Diamant said rushing over her words.

"Black Mask, this is the Black Mask." Sunain provided avoiding Diamant's eyes has she took the cloth away and disposed the water.

"How do you know that?" Diamant said breathless.

"I work with the Black Mask, I treat people. This is a secret society to stop the uprising against DL. You must have heard of it."

"Yes, in dungeon." Diamant said sarcastically.

"I have been provided a home not too far from here. This is the base where the trainings and meetings happen."

"How do you know so much and why are you here?"

"DL brought me here to treat Rina and he threatened to kill you if I don't stay loyal and keep this a secret. I am too scared to say anything anyway."

"He threatened you with my life?" Diamant said surprised.

"Yes." She said.

"He did the same thing to me too. I am only here because he threatened me with your life."

"How did he do that?"

"He poisoned me!" Diamant declared clenching her hands.

She explained what happened in the dungeon and Sunain was surprised to realize it. She found it surprising that Diamant was ever in the dungeon in the first place because she was released the very same day. Minister Nein had gotten back into shape.

Sunain also told her about Aaron and Diamant was surprised. She told him how Aaron got back to her that the DL hadn't really gave him a real response. She told him about what Aaron wanted to do to her and Sunain was totally angry. She paced back and forth and wished she had struck him to death when he came asking her for Diamant.

Diamant had calmed her down and td her that the DL had told her that Aaron didn't ask about her and that he had disappeared. That was also confusing.

As Sunain kept on explaining all that happened in her absence, her words faded away. She just couldn't stop thinking.

Why would the DL lie?