Ida walked down the hall, the cheers of the crowd faded slowly behind her.

She made a turn and then another, she already knew where he would be.

Her heart fluttered, she wasn't used to this foreign feeling, but she didn't hate it, she wished she could forever be in his arms. He was so innocent, true, and just, the only reason she hadn't become a monster like the others, but maybe she was, but she was just good at hiding it.

Ida could see him, jakob had been coming to the tower that overlooked the gardens ever since he had arrived from his kingdom, the gardens reminded him of home, he told her whenever she asked.

She slowed her pace and approached him as calmly as she could, wrapping her hands around his shoulders, she gave them a light squeeze, he jerked and turned to her to see her cold smile.

They stared at each other for a few minutes as she pressed her lips against him, she felt the warmth that it provided, she had kissed another, but it was cold and ruthless simply for the pleasure of it, but this was different. It made her want to run wild like a child in the garden below them.

Jakob pulled back and stared at her, she was taken back that he broke their kiss,

“Is everything okay?” she asked as he wrapped his hands around her waist to reassure her.

“You're beautiful, Ida” he said as her face turned bright red. She simply looked away in an attempt to avoid his eyes

“I don't know what to say” she replied, trying to find words, but nothing came out

“You don't have to say anything Ida, will you return with me to my kingdom?” He asked, but she immediately pulled away.

“I—I can't” she replied, shaking as she clenched her fist in rage.

“Why Ida? Why do you always drag me in, and then push me away? Why do you toy with my heart” Jakob complained

“You won't understand Jakob, it's beyond me, it's beyond anyone” Ida replied.

“Ivo,Ivo can help,” Jakob suggested

“No, you don't understand Jakob, I have been promised to another by my father—”

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“And?”

“What?”

“Do you expect me to walk away? I love you Ida”

“No, no you can't love me, please” Ida begged as she turned to walk away, but Jakob pulled her back and kissed her. She tried to push him away, but he held her.

Ida cried not from Jakob's touch, she knew that she could throw him if she wanted, but she cried because she couldn't, she was weak and just wanted to be held by him.

“I swear to you, Ida, I will prove my worth to you, your father and everyone else. I will be so strong that I will never be ignored. Then I will stand before your father and demand he give you to me! Upon my honor, I swear it.”

He said as he let her go, Ida couldn't face him as she turned and ran, she wept but kept running towards the noise before she stopped and wiped her eyes.

She forced a smile before walking back to her seat beside Ivo who turned to her,

“ it must have been intense” Ivo commented as he passed her a white handkerchief to wipe her face.

She opened the piece of cloth to reveal the butterfly sigil on it before turning to Ivo giving him a dirty stare.

“Do you know what this means?” She asked, but Ivo simply nodded and turned back to face the black thick trees that blocked their view, she knew his worry.

It was difficult to know what was happening in those woods, they could only pray and hope that whatever plan Ivo had was going to end in victory.

She turned to face the trees, she wasn't really a believer, she hardly prayed or even remembered the prayers, but she believed that there was something that turned the tables, something more powerful than a king, and she believed it was on her side or rather Ivo's side today.

Melisa watched.

That was exactly what ivo asked her to do, watch, count and learn.

She had to learn everything she could learn about them, her strong suit and fighting style, everything that could edge her to victory.

And that was what she did, it wasn't exactly her style, but she would rather not spoil her master's plan, everything he had told her was going accordingly so far.

The game was divided into three rounds, each of them was given a flag that signified who they fought for, the first round involved defeating and taking the flag from the opponent with the idea of reducing the fighters as much as possible.

She could see that the twins had the highest flag so far while she had none according to Ivo's order, this round didn't count much for the total point the last—

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the wood crack from her side, she held her breath and her eyes scanned. She could hear a whisper. No, it wasn't just one person they were two of them.

Not only that, but she felt like she was already exposed, she didn't dare move as the duo drew close.

“I can't find anyone here” one of them said with a hoarse voice.

“I swear, I saw the slave girl walk here at the first bell, she is weak and probably hiding to survive this round just like her bastard master.”

Melisa wanted to jump down from the top of the tree, but she didn't, she knew that they were no match for her, she had better weapons, and she had spotted them first.

How long before this round ended she thought as she tolled in the distance, almost swallowed by the trees. Finally, the round was over, and she was already contemplating withdrawal from the games.

But before then, she had to teach this fools a lesson, she thought as

she jumped down from the high shade.