Yishumi nane

Nikola's POV

I was more annoyed than anything else. She couldn't allow anyone to find peace outside of her. She wanted to be the orchestrator of every emotion that those around her experienced. Even if they didn't want her. Even if she was the last face on the planet they wished to look at. She didn't care. She invaded none the less.

She was foolish too – looking for a fight with me. She was still as stubborn as always. Today, she would learn that I was no longer her playmate. The fact that she was choosing to fight whilst still dressed in a short nightgown would not distract me from knocking her on her voluptuous ass. If anything, it would serve as motivation.

Shit. No, I reprimand myself shaking my head.

Either way, if the princess wanted a fight, she would get one. I would remind her what it really meant to be a princess of the Chiefdom of Knysna – to fight for one's people. Not that I wished war on her people, it was more that I hated that she walked around with a crown attached to her name but no scars to show that she had earned it. A princess – a queen – should have scars.

Luckily for her, tonight I would gift her with a few. Orishas were nothing if not generous to those below us.

I watched her movements. Her eyes moved before she did – giving away ever plan she had before she could enact them. It was too easy. She lunged at me, spear in hand. I stepped to the side and turn on my heels, knocking her spear upwards. Tip to the shaft and a princess of her balance. Her reflexes were too slow for her inexperience to defend.

I ducked under her next hit, slipping under her slicing spear, and knocking it out of her hand with one flick of the wrist. Unarmed, she stood up.

Her eyes were burning amber as she spoke in frustration: "You are fighting like a coward. Fight back!"

I continued to dodge her advances, tossing my own weapon to the floor. No need for her to be out armed and outmatched. She was having a hard-enough time laying a finger on me without an advantage between us. I knew that I promised her a full-on fight but the thought of actually hurting her made stopped me from striking back.

Finally, with claws visible, she pounced and slashed into my bicep. I winced in pain. Look at little Riles, claiming first blood. That was enough for me to reconsider my stance on violence. My blood is that of the orishas and I would not allow it to be spilt for free.

The next time she attacked, I caught her arm and pushed her back. She didn't let up, spinning on her heel and propelling herself towards me. She unleased countless kicks and punches, all of which I blocked. She growled in frustration and tried switching up her tactics, by aiming for my legs. I stepped over most of her moves until she clawed me across the face. Bitch. She was really asking for it. I elbowed her in the jaw, delivering an upper cup and spearing her to the ground. We landed onto the ground with me on top of her.

"Get off me!" she growled, trying to free herself from my grip. I knocked my head into herself. Her nose was spurting blood. I was seeing red. I was breathing heavily. I wanted to hate her and allow that hate to consume me.

"Idiot!" I seethed at her. This was her fault. Why did she follow me? I just needed space from her to get my head back on track, but she needed to give me space. I needed space to protect her from the world; but also, from myself. Hated her. I just wanted to see her suffer for everything she stole from me – for taking my only person from me.

"Nikola," she whispered. She had stopped wriggling. Her voice was calmer and almost concerned. A droplet of water fell onto her cheek. I met her hazel eyes, glistening with concern. I climbed off her and turned away from her. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my frantic heartbeat. I wasn't working. Everything was too fast. It was blurring quickly and all into one. The world was dissolving into one ongoing streak of light and noise and I couldn't focus on anything.

Something was grabbing at my arms. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream either. My voice was stolen from by the sonic binds wrapped around my eyes and mind. I couldn't do anything – I was trapped, and I didn't have the energy to free myself from whatever was encapsulating me.

Breathe, I instructed myself, just breathe, Nikola.

As more oxygen flooded into my lungs, the world slowed down steadily, and the chaos calmed down slightly. I felt slightly lightheaded and unsteady. I finally opened my eyes and realized that there was a pair of arms holding me up. I looked down at the intertwined and fingers against my now lulled heart cage. I was tempted to relax into the familiar embrace and release my sorrow into the safety of Riley's arms but that was a please reserved for the past. I gently unwrapped her arms from around me and turned to look at her.

I cleared my throat and met her soft eyes, muttering a pitiful "thank you". I looked at the bruises on her forehead and across her nose. It had already healed but the blood had painted her lip. Wordlessly, I walked towards the training mat and picked up my discarded shirt. I walked back to the curious girl.

I dabbed the blood from under her nose and then brought it to her forehead. I really did a number on her. I imagine she could still see the remnants of her craw marks on my face. I healed slightly slower the lioness. She looked taken aback by my sudden gentleness, but I was more than certain that my face read of one thing at that moment – remorse.

"Riley, do me a favour?" I asked quietly. She met my eyes.

"Don't look for a fight with my again," I whispered. I whipped the last of the blood from her face, scanning the softness of her freshly healed skin. We were standing rather close – close enough that only whispering seemed appropriate.

"No promises, Nix," she whispered in response. I glared at her choice of the nickname but it was halfhearted at best. The sage flecks were dancing in her eye and her pupils were nearly eclipsing the hazel surrounding it. Why was she happy right now? I asked myself.

I stepped back from her and looked towards the clock overhead. It was nearly four o'clock. "We should get to bed … try to get some sleep," I said, clearing my throat.

She simply nodded my head. I walked back to the room, not bothering to check if she was following me. I knew she was.

I couldn't convince my body to sleep so instead, I busied myself with listening to the soft snores of the princess. She was blessed with the enviable ability to sleep during a hurricane, so sleep came easily to her when we returned to the room.

I didn't want to sleep. I didn't want to see my brother's face flash across my eyes or worse yet find myself standing at that damned cliff, looking into the mouth of that watery grave.

The rest of the morning went by without a glitch. Riley and I didn't exchange a word to each other but there was a newfound sense of ease between the two of us that wasn't there the day before.

We were sitting in the eating hall, enjoying a breakfast spread. Every tribe was well represented. The tribes of the highland and agriculture sectors were obviously outshining everyone, but our proud selection of fish was nothing to turn your nose up at.

"So, is it just me or is the Princess looking at you with a little less distaste in her eyes?" Quaahir asked. I rolled my eyes in response. He was right – Riley looked up from her meal and offered me a soft smile.

"We … its been a long night," I mumbled. I silently thank the ancestors for allowing the North-Eastern tribes to join us. They brought us their holy coffee beans; something that I definitely needed this morning.

The raven-haired boy smirking as always. I nudged him harshly, causing him to chuckle.

"We had a fight, jackass," I said. He raised his eyebrow. I sighed and massaged my temples.

"Look, We just had some stuff to talk through but now its out there so we can get this weekend over," I grumbled.

He leaned back in his seat, massaging my shoulder, before leaning in to whisper to me, "You know this would all be much simpler if you just took a knee. With you by her side, no one would question her crown again."

I rolled my eyes. I knew that was the obvious solution, but I was already committed to another and I would sooner bite of my welding hand than disrespect Melissa in that way.

He chuckled at my dilemma and stood up. He took a moment to put one more nail in my mental coffin, "You sure a ghost is worth giving up on a chance with her?"

I looked over at the princess. She was currently wearing a canary yellow backless dress, with ropework across her midsection and shoulders. Her mocha skin was catching the morning sun beautifully. There was no denying her beauty or grace (when in public).

But beauty was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to what I needed or looked for in a partner. While Riley was intelligent, elegant and unrivalled beauty, my heart already belonged to a woman who had all of those qualities and ones that Riley couldn't hope to claim, like honesty, loyalty and a deeper understanding of the world. Those were the things that cemented Melissa as my soulmate and ensured that I would never stray from her side.

After this weekend, I wouldn't have to worry about Riley's potential as a partner – she would be happily committed to someone else and I would be one step closer to enjoy the life I wanted with the one woman who would never betray me.