Chapter 22 - Forced Promised

In a palace of white furniture, white tiles and white curtains sat commander Sevilon's wife, Reena. She ignored her servants moving up and down as she quietly read her book. Her body was decently covered in a long red dress that matched her red lipstick. She let her brown hair drop down to her shoulders.

Her first son, Waxx, was playing with a crawling pink haired baby girl on a white furry carpet. As Reena read, she would occasionally pause to see if Waxx was playing safe with the baby. When she saw that he was, she would resume reading.

Reena often resorted to reading as a way of passing time. She was a housewife with the privilege of having servants to cater to her every needs. This kind of lifestyle made her feel like she lived the same day everyday.

Reading was the best way to get her away from her life. That was of course, if her children didn't keep her busy. She only hired one nanny to help her look after her children because she wanted to be involved in their lives.

The baby suddenly cried and Reena took her eyes off her book. She looked sternly at Waxx who appeared unremorseful for what he had done. Reena put her book on her couch and continued to glare at Waxx.

"How many times have I told you to be gentle with babies? Why is Melonina crying?" she scolded him.

"She keeps putting Mr Horsie in her mouth and I don't like it." he explained as he held the doll away from the baby.

"Let her have it." she ordered him but he held it to his chest. "Waxx, I am warning you." she threatened him.

Waxx got up and ran away with the doll. Reena yelled after him and her raised voice frightened the baby. She went to her and picked her up. She spoke softly to her as she gently rocked her in her arms. In no time, she calmed down. At that point, the baby's mother came and Reena handed her baby to her.

"Please mistress, may I be excused in order to breastfeed my child?" she humbly asked without making any eye contact.

"By all means do. I have to return to my reading. When you are done, please make me a cup of tea." she kindly said.

"As you wish mistress." she replied with a curtsy and left.

Reena sat back down and continued reading. She only read for a little while when Queen Lavila entered her living room with her guards not so far behind. She offered herself a seat and smiled at Reena who was already smiling at her.

"I wasn't expecting you today. You hardly ever visit me. If I had known that you were coming, I would have prepared something special for you." Reena sweetly said to Lavila.

Lavila chuckled softly at her words. "Just a glass of water will be enough for now." she said and a servant went to go and get it. "How have you been?" she asked Reena.

"I have been okay. My boys are fine too." Reena quickly answered. "I got wind of what happened last night. How are things now?" she asked, worried.

Lavila sighed. "Meelzib is refusing to speak to Raglan and I don't know what to do."

"You have to admit that Meelzib went too far this time. I understand why his majesty was angry with him." Reena freely voiced her opinion.

Lavila was so disgusted with her response that the appalled look on her face failed to hide it. "Are you saying that Raglan almost hibernating my son over a stupid whore was okay?" she blurted out.

Reena lowly held up her hands in surrender, "That's not what I mean. I'm just saying that Meelzib is out of control. He is going to turn into a monster that even you will fail to tame. He has to be stopped." she tried to explain.

"I did not come all the way to your house to listen to you bad mouth my son. Raglan said all he had to say and I am still feeling angry with his words. I can't stand his presence so I came here so that you could take my mind off him." Lavila angrily stood up. "Maybe I should just leave."

"No, don't leave. I'm sorry, Lavila. You rarely visit me and you just can't leave like this." Reena went to her and held her hand. "I'm I not your best friend? Come on, sit back down and let's catch up." she smiled at Lavila who smiled back.

"Okay, I have some fresh gossip for you." Queen Lavila giggled.

****

Emelinia nervously paced around in Sharaina's room. She had already checked to see if she was back three times that morning. She had been covering for her since the previous night and she was growing wiry of it. Just when she thought things weren't going to get worse, a delivery man came at their door with a package for Sharaina.

Akirexer asked Emelinia to call Sharaina down and her request left her panicking. Emelinia looked out the window and couldn't see Sharaina returning to the house. She bit her lip and left the room taking care not to leave the door open.

"She is still fast asleep." she explained to Akirexer when she was back downstairs.

Akirexer held her waist. "That means she won't be able to come down here. This is so like her." she lamented. "Give it to me, I'll sign on her behalf." she signed the form and the delivery man left.

Akirexer caught Sharumez looking at the package confused. "I think they are her uniforms. Not so long ago, a man came to pick up her measurements." she briefly explained to him and he nodded his head. Akirexer picked up the box. "I'll take it to her room now."

Emelinia's eyes widened in fear and she reached out for the package. "Please allow me to take it to her room, ma." she offered, trying her best to hide the anxiety in her voice.

"Thank you, dear." Akirexer gave the package to Emelinia.

Emelinia slowly walked back upstairs to Sharaina's room. She hoped that she was going to find her there. When she saw that Sharaina wasn't back yet, she sighed.

"Emelinia seems to be getting close to Sharaina. I have seen her spending so much time in her room." Akirexer said to Sharumez and Naian.

"It is really good that she is." Sharumez replied and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "According to this, her mother shouldn't be difficult to find. I am familiar with the area of this address." he said and got up. "We have to go now." he told Akirexer and she nodded her head. "Come Naian, Jenu must be already waiting for us."

****

Sharaina slowly opened her eyes and the rays of sunlight from the window blinded her. She sat up and moaned at her thirst. She was stunned to see Light sitting on the other side of the bed writing. She remembered that she wasn't in her room but in Light's. He smiled at her and gave her a bottle of water.

"Good morning, Sharaina." Light greeted her after she finished drinking the water. "It's so nice of you to finally wake up." he teased her.

"You should have woken me up." Sharaina gave him the almost empty bottle.

"I tried but you were out cold." another smile lingered on his face.

"So, you just sat there writing in your book?" Sharaina peeked at what he was writing and he quickly closed the book suspiciously.

Sharaina pointed at it and he hid it. She narrowed her eyes at him and smirked. Sharaina dived for the book and the two of them wrestled for it until they fell on the floor.

Light was on top of Sharaina with his waist in between her legs. His right hand held both her wrists up and the other firmly held onto the book. His wide chest was slightly above her breasts.

Their hearts started to race as they completely froze. Light felt his body heating up as he felt Sharaina's body against his. His lips slowly drew closer and closer to hers.

A tingling sensation ran through Sharaina's body. It was an electrifying and peculiar feeling that she couldn't quite describe. As she saw his lips draw closer, she didn't stop him.

She just laid there waiting for the feel of his kiss. At that point, nothing mattered. For the first time she felt vulnerable and she was okay with it. She closed her eyes. Light's lips were slightly above Sharaina's.

The door suddenly flung open.

Light and Sharaina turned to see who was at the door. Light's second sister, Jayniss, stood shocked with her hand covering her mouth. She looked closely at the compromising position the two were in and grinned deviously.

"How much will it take for you to be quiet about this?" Light blankly asked her. From the tone of his voice, it was clear to both Sharaina and Jayniss that he was irritated with Jayniss for not knocking.

"How much is your life worth?" she asked him back with a smirk and closed the door.

Light got off Sharaina, "Well, there goes my allowance."

Sharaina got off the floor and watched Light put his book in a drawer. He went into his closet and came out with her boots. She took them from him and sat down on his bed to put them on. As she was putting on her shoes, Light looked at her thoughtfully.

I can't believe that I almost kissed her. he thought with mixed feelings of regret and excitement. No, I must pull myself together. Kissing her would have complicated things. Best I tell her the truth right now. he decided.

"Wow, if I didn't respect you earlier, I sure do now." Sharaina spoke up ruining Light's chance to come clean.

"What do you mean?" Light asked, puzzled.

Sharaina chuckled softly, "I slept in your bed and you didn't do anything to me."

Light crossed his arms and looked sternly at her. "Don't do that again Sharaina, I'm serious. I have been having a tough time keeping my mother away from my room. It has been especially difficult because she has been smothering me for the past three days. Something she always does every time she gets me upset."

"Is that so?" Sharaina coyly asked him, smirking at him.

"Yes,"

"Stop avoiding me and I won't see the need to come to you like this. I'll use the front door like a normal person." Sharaina rolled her eyes at him with a smug.

"You are too much." Light laughed softly.

Sharaina went over to him and gazed into his eyes. Light took a step back but she drew even closer. "Promise me that you will stop avoiding me." her tone serious.

Tell her the truth. Now is your chance.

"Promise is such a strong word." Light uttered.

Wrong! Just say it damn it.

Sharaina drew closer to him. "I'm serious Light. I don't like it when avoid me."

Light, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Just tell her. She needs to know.

Light abruptly backed away from Sharaina. "I have to send you home."

Goodness! I have blown my chance to tell her. I am so pathetic.

Light pulled out a special piece of chalk that looked like the night time sky. Sharaina watched him draw a circle on the floor and fill it up with several triangular shapes of different sizes. He pointed at the center of the circle and Sharaina folded her hands and faced away.

"Sharaina, you have to go home. Aren't you afraid that you will get into trouble?" he tried to reason with her.

"I'm not leaving until you promise me that you will stop avoiding me." she demanded with seriousness.

Light dropped his gaze in thought. 'If only you knew how difficult it is for me to make that promise.'

"Light," Sharaina called out to him and he remembered that he didn't give her his response. "Well?" she asked him.

"Okay, I promise." he finally said and Sharaina beamed with joy.

I am such an idiot.

Sharaina stood at the center of the circle with a wide smile on her face. Light folded his legs and put his hands together. With his eyes closed, he chanted a spell that Sharaina couldn't understand.

The circle turned red and a gash of wind blew up Sharaina's skirt. She had to hold it down with her hands. When Light stopped chanting, the wind was no longer there. Sharaina knelt down and reached out for his collar. She gently pulled him close and gazed into his eyes. Light could feel the sweet warmth in them.