Chapter 4

The fire was set ablaze in the ring as Damianos and Zoe sat on bended knees with their eyes closed. Gaja began the rituals with incantations that were not familiar to Zoe nor Damianos. Gaja told Damianos to blindfold Zoe after he gave him a white cloth. He once again commanded Damianos to sit on bended knees in front of Zoe and press one hand against her heart as he held her right hand with the other.

"Now, you two will have to have a clear mind and repeat after me. Remember, you need to clear your head.'' Gaja said

''I, before the ancestors of the great land." Gaja quoted.

'' I before the ancestors of the great land." Damianos and Zoe chanted in unison as Gaja sprinkled sand on the fire.

''Choose to change my destiny.''

''choose to change my destiny.''

''And take over the tale of my life from now.''

"And take over the tale of my life from now."

''I will accept any consequence without skepticism.''

''I will accept any consequence without skepticism."

"By the power of the great land Zuk."

''By the power of the great land Zuk."

''Now, in a total state of taciturnity, you two will tell the ancestors and the land what you want from them then, it will be granted." Gaja exclaimed. As they both gave out to the ancestors and the land their disposition, they began to glow in an illuminating light within them. They sat in total silence with their eyes closed as Gaja performed the rest of the ritual.

''There is no way this vow won't come to effect. It will no matter what, IT HAS BEEN DONE!'' As Gaja proclaimed, he threw more sand into the fire making the fire widen its tract, and Damianos and Zoe slowly faded away. By the time the fire got to where Damianos and Zoe were, they were out of sight.

'' It is done" Gaja sighed heavily as the fire ceased to exist.

* * *

Zoe woke up all sweaty and wheezing on her bed. She turned her self slightly and discovered a figure close to her

''You look like you had a nightmare.'' Rita confessed as she wiped Zoe's face with a wet towel

''How... did...''

''No need to talk princess.'' Rita spoke to cut Zoe short

''When I came into the room, I saw you here, you know, I don't understand any of this. One minute you were not here and now, you are here'' Rita continued

''Damianos!'' Zoe murmured the name before she could stop herself.

''Who is that?'' Rita asked curiously

''I would love to... I need to get you ready for the marriage rite.'' Rita said

''Marriage rite. So soon!'' Zoe exclaimed in shock.

''Yes, I need to get you ready.'' Rita continued.

Zoe began to smile as she taught of the successful vow with Damianos.'' Finally Damianos, we are going to be together. I knew the vow would work but, it taking effect so soon, I might have done something right in life. I can't keep him waiting anymore. Zoe mused to herself and got up quickly so Rita could help her dress.

''Wake up! wake up!'' Halsey shook Damianos vigorously to wake him.

''Zoe, Zoe, we did it.'' Damianos blurted in his sleep.

''WAKE UP DAMIANOS'' Halsey tried again and this time, his eyes opened.

''Where am I? where is Zoe?'' Damianos demanded.

''Zoe? Who is Zoe?'' Halsey asked. Damianos fell silent for some time and became aware of his surrounding. He was back home.

''Nothing, the words just escape from my lips.'' Damianos replied Halsey as he stood up to leave. As soon as he got at the door, he turned to take a quick glimpse and spoke. "never enter this room until I have told you to.'' he slammed the door behind him to show his rage at that moment.

" Zoe, mmm, Zoe. No one in this kingdom is called Zoe. That name is not used by the lions and their colonies, anyway, I am going to find out who Zoe is" Halsey said to herself and disappeared from the room.

Zoe was all dressed up and ready for the marriage rite. She had six guards at her both sides and Rita in front of her. The entire Hyena clan and its colonies waited patiently for the grand entry. When they got closer to the parading ground, Zoe spotted queen Nepheli on her throne but no trace of her groom. Zoe sat close to her mum. " You look splendid Zoe." Nepheli complimented without looking at her. ''Thank you," Zoe said. Nepheli stood up from her throne when the sound of a beating drum echoed across the parade. All her colonies went on their knees to bow before her as she moved rhythmically to the parade ground. As she moved, her red velvet never seemed to have an end. Even at the center of the parade, her gown extended to her throne. The sounds from the drums were vibrant yet, conveyed a message of woman supremacy. Every beat at a time colluded with every step the queen took. When the queen halted in her tracks, the sounds of the drums spontaneously died down.

"It is a pleasure to have all submissives and the hyena clan here. Today, we will begin the rite for my daughter - the one who will bring forth the redemption we have all been waiting for. Our destiny, our future, the chosen one." Queen Nepheli proclaimed.

''Now, it's time for the benedict to show his face.'' Nepheli continued and headed back to her throne.

''This is it, Zoe, what you wanted is almost here.'' Zoe said to herself. Suddenly, a group of hyenas paraded in two-line towards the queen. A guard got out of the parade to give a little speech.

''Today, I present before the queen and the hyena clan, the man who no one could defeat with a sword, the son of the most daring worrier who has ever lived and now, the soon to be king who will bequeath to Zuk and the hyenas a chosen one. ACHILLEAS.'' All the guards raised their swords high in respect as Achilleas moved in. Zoe was lost in her thoughts as Achilleas moved it. Even though she was present at the parade ground, she could not hear the guard's speech. When she raised her head to see her groom, she was taken by surprise. Unconsciously, she rose from her seat in surprise and shouted Achilleas name earning herself the attention of everyone.

''Who is Zoe? Vasilis.'' Halsey asked as she stormed inside the king's great hall fuming with anger.

''Why do you ask Halsey?'' Vasilis asked

''I only want to know who Zoe is.''

''Zoe, let me see if I can... oh! Zoe, she is Nepheli's daughter.''

''Queen Nepheli you say'' Halsey asked curiously

''Yes, our enemy.''

''Is she the only Zoe you know?''

''There is only one person who is named Zoe right now.''

''Interesting.'' Halsey said to herself.

''Is there any problem?''

''No king, I only asked out of curiosity. I will take my leave.''

''You can.''

Deep in the woods, Damianos was wondering how he ended up on his bed after the ritual. The more he thought, the lesser he understood. He transformed into a lion and moved as fast as he could to the mountain to seek answers from Gaja. Halsey after her conversation with king Vasilis went to her room to dress up in a way no one could see her. After she was done dressing up, she kept on a long black hood and left the kingdom on the back of her wild horse.

''I can see you are back.'' Gaja said as he turned to see Damianos in a lion's form.

''I prefer talking to you in your other form Damianos'' Gaja commanded and Damianos obediently transformed back.

''I came for answers, Where is Zoe?'' Damianos asked in despondency

''Zoe is in her kingdom, I forgot to tell you two you would end up in your kingdom in a deep sleep after the ritual was done.'' Gaja explained.

''You mean she is safe?''

''Yes, Damianos, as safe as you are right now.''

''I hope the ritual works'' Damianos admitted his trepidation.

''It will work as long as you followed the procedures in your mind. I am sure you and Zoe thought of nothing else but yourselves during the ritual.'' Gaja spoke pointing to Damianos's mind.

''I will leave now. I need to be in my kingdom. I will meet Zoe tomorrow.'' Damianos said and disappeared.

Deep in the forest sat an old building that was almost impossible to see. It was all covered up by creeping plants and the surroundings were hazy- a place that spelled danger in capitals. Halsey stopped and descended from her horse as she made up her way to the building. When she got to the door, she turned to make sure no one followed her and entered taking off her hood. She clapped her hands trice and eerie dark dust filled the building. The dust kept whirling around her until she spoke up.

''It's just me, no need to cringe, you can all come out.'' A particular glowing ghostly dust directed all the eerie dust back away from her and took the form of a venomous cold-blooded snake with green radiating eyes.

''How can we forget about our master. We were only joking around'' the snake that looked like the head of the ring, opened up.

''You need to keep your joke for later Satan. I have work for you.'' Halsey said

''We are forever indebted to you Lady Halsey, we've got your back, now spill your beans.'' one snake said.

''I want you Satan and your ring to use your best ability to my favor.''

''What do you want us to do?''

''Follow Damianos, I think he is mingling with a hyena.''

''That will be bad for the kingdom if it true.''

''I also hope not, Damianos can't jeopardize the lion kingdom because of his heart. I would do anything to keep the kingdom safe. I've made a lot of sacrifices for this kingdom Damianos can not sabotage everything. That is why I need you, Satan, to follow him.''

''If I find out you are telling me the truth, then what should I do.''

''Deceive, I told you, you need to use your best power to favor the kingdom. I don't want to publicize this. It will put Damianos in trouble-treason- that is why I came here.''

''You made the right choice, you have the kingdom's best interest at heart. The ancestors made the right choice. Only someone like you can give the kingdom its chosen one.''

''Even with the compliments Satan, your work starts now.''

The snake transformed back into dust and made it out of the building.

''Is something wrong Zoe?'' Queen Nepheli asked.

''Y...ye...no, no, nothing is wrong'' Zoe assured and took her seat. Achilleas sat at the left-hand side of queen Nepheli as one of the hyena warriors gave a speech for the inception of the ritual. Zoe scrutinized the parade as she contemplated what was happening. After the warrior was done, the ritual began and she had no other option but to comply.

Damianos locked his room but got a scare when he saw Halsey on his bed.

''What are you doing here?'' Damianos asked furiously.

''Don't you realize this room is officially mine as it is yours Damianos. Three days left, you won't have a reason to ask me that question'' Halsey grinned.

''Three days, we will see about that'' Damianos smirked

''Don't you think you are talking with a high level of certainty, don't you want to give the kingdom its chosen one?'' Halsey asked with a seductive tone as she slowly pulled her gown down from her shoulders.

''We don't need to get married to give to kingdom what it wants, we can start now.'' She said as she moved out of Damiano's bed making her gown fall to the ground. Damianos looked at her discreetly and without a speck of lust in his eyes.

''Do you just want to look at me, there is a lot about this body you can find out Damianos. You can explore both in and out. Halsey said once again.

Damianos moved one step at a time towards Halsey and finally stopped when they were so close they could feel each other's breath. Halsey smiled in triumph as Damianos cubed her face in his hands. He looked into her blue eyes for a long time and placed his forehead on hers. They stood intimate for a long time and finally, Damianos gave her a brief kiss on her lips. He moved his head slowly to her neck and below as he breathed against her skin till he was on his knees in front of her. Halsey grinned in the realization of what Damianos was up to but was taken by surprise as she felt him pull her gown to cover her up and smirked at her.

''You are indeed beautiful Halsey, but if I can steal your words, you said just 'three days'. So be a good girl and find your way out of my room.'' Damianos said. Halsey touched her lips and spoke

''Three days, after you just kissed me, three days seems like forever. I can't wait to have those lips of yours on mine once again. Poison indeed gives pleasure'' Halsey left after she was done.

''In your wildest dreams Halsey, you can't take someone else's place. I'm certain Zoe and I will be together before three days.'' Damianos said to himself after Halsey left.