Chapter 5

" Now the ritual is over, you need to get some sleep" Rita said to break the silence between Zoe and her as they made their way to Zoe's room

" I do not want to sleep.'' Zoe mumbled as they entered her room

'' Hey, you ain't a lion. You need to sleep'' Rita responded softly.

''You don't understand anything, do you? I am so senseless for asking you that question. In fact, no one would understand me. Just get out of my room, I want to be alone" Zoe demanded. Rita noticed the look on Zoe's face and gave up trying to comfort her.

" Okay, but do not forget to call out to me when I am needed." Rita said and left. Zoe closed her eyes and leaned against the door after closing it and begun to process what happened the entire day. She had a lot of questions on her mind. ''Did the ritual work, when will I get to be with Damianos forever, when will this crazed up war come to an end...'' she thought not knowing which answers she really wanted or that she was ready for the answers. As she slowly moved to her bed, she began to think of reasons why she was going to be with Damianos and why the war would finally end. ''The chosen ones'' she whispered as she laid her self to sleep.

"Looking at the sun, I must admit that you are extremely late." Vasilis said as Damianos approached him.

" I had to get ready, I need to be at my training ground." Damianos said.

"Training ground. Come to think of it, it is very awkward. No one knows this training ground of yours''

''I discovered it when I was young dad, it is a secrete place. It is holy ground for my eyes only. No one else needs to know about it."

'' That is fine by me however, you can't go out to train today. Everyone has to be within the four walls of the castles for a while"

''I can't go out? But why? I need to go out today''

"It is not a compulsion son, it is an obligation"

"Fine'' Damianos said after he sighed.

Rita did not understand Zoe's behavior the morning. She looked so pale, confused, and frustrated the night before and now, it looked as if her spirits were raised up in her sleep. She unostentatiously dressed her up and combed her hair

"Can I say something princess"

"Since when did you need my permission to talk'' Zoe said

''You are acting all weird today"

" Why do you think I'm acting weird?"

"You have been smiling since you woke up. It is written all over your face." Rita said as she raised Zoe's chin to take a good look at her.

" It is nothing Rita. Just keep your thoughts to yourself and help me dress up. I am in a hurry"

"If you say so, princess''

Queen Nepheli was having a general meeting with the hyena royals when Achilleas interrupted the meeting with an all angry expression and a scroll in hand.

''What is this Achilleas! How can you just come in here and...''

''Take this scroll'' Achilleas handed her the scroll before she could complete her statement.

"We need privacy queen Nepheli'' he continued. Nepheli dismissed the royals and opened the scroll to read which took her by surprise. Her eyes kept bulging as she read the scroll's content.

''This is impossible" she asserted

''I'm afraid it is possible and it is happening" Achilleas added.

" No, we will stop this. My daughter, the clan, and the colonies will be safe. No one will know about it. If the Lions want a clandestine war, we will give them more than they have bargained for''

A clandestine war was a war that originated far back to the ALAIT ( After Leonidas And Inferna's Tragedy). At the time, the lions and hyenas had equal colonies. It was a means to reduce the people in one kingdom gradually without the entire people of Zuk knowing. The war always took place in a sound belt zone in Zuk to prevent a tremendous attack from both sides. Mostly before the war, the warriors took an oath to stay quiet if they were to ever make it out of the sound belt zone alive.

''My father and I will lead the war'' Achilleas spoke

''Nonsense, I can not risk losing your head. Your father and I will lead the war. They want to reduce our population until we go extinct, too bad for them because after they killed the king they evoked a new kind of hatred in me. Not the one from bloodlines but the one from personal issues. I have a score to settle. Tell the warriors to get ready and make sure they take the oath of secrecy, that way the ancestors themselves will strike them down if they misbehave. Lastly, make sure no one else knows. Remember, it is centuries secrete. I leave my daughter in your hands Achilleas. I trust you to not hurt her and make sure you do not miss her sight not even a blink. She shouldn't realize I am not around tomorrow''

''I need to fight for the kingdom. I can't sit around like a damsel. I have trained all my life for this thing''

''I can see you do not know how important you are to the kingdom at this moment. You are the vessel through which we will get the chosen one. That to me is the greatest battle ever. Now all you must think of is how to stay alive more than ever''

''Okay, I will give the order''

Damianos sat in his room thinking of how to get to Zoe. After sinking into his thoughts for a while, he took a scroll and wrote a brief letter to Zoe. He then quickly dressed as one of the warriors and left after he tricked the palace front-barrier guards. Satan went on guard the moment she spotted Damianos out of the palace.

"Not as smart as you think you are young king'' she said as she swerved her snake body on a tree.

''Now, let's see what you are up to'' she said as she flicked her long lean tongue. She moved slowly along the bark and branches of the trees in the moist evergreen forest as she followed Damianos to his destination. When Damianos made it to the love tree, he immediately buried the scroll under some scattered leaves on the floor and made his way back to the kingdom. All the while, Satan watched him vigilantly however, she did not follow him back. She turned herself human and moved to dig out the scroll. After a while, she untied it and read.

Beloved Zoe, there is a lot we have to talk about. Gaja corroborated the success of our ritual, we will eventually be together however, I can't meet up with you today. Strict orders from my father. He wants everyone in the castle and nowhere else but I promise to meet you here tomorrow.

your love, Dami.

Satan brushed her hand on her bald her as she scrutinized the letter.

''Gaja! Damianos is a traitor. And to think we snakes were banned for misleading. I will make sure to use this to my advantage and gain my place back in the lion kingdom. As a chosen one is born, a demon will also be born'' she said stroking her tummy through her black robe. She commanded fire into her left palm and burnt the scroll.

''From now onward, the game is how I choose to see it played. firstly, the birth of a calm bride for the chosen one and slowly the demon I have assembled if the chosen one does not comply.'' she transformed back to a snake and hid on the love tree awaiting her next victim.

''The hyenas must have our message by now'' Halsey said to the king.

''yes, we need to crush them'' he fumed demonstrating his anger with his tight fists.

"I can not wait to see Nepheli face to face and deprive her of life. I want to see her blood boil when I tell her how her husband died."

"You mean the hyena king was killed by your hands?" Halsey asked surprised

''Yes, the king of the hyenas was killed in the last clandestine war. If there is one person we all know of that well, it is the heads of the hyena clans. The hyenas choose damsels as their leaders because they have no emotions. They are guarded by their senses to have power and nothing else. Nepheli will be present at the war tomorrow and I know it is for personal reasons. Her revenge will guard her to make the wrong decisions and I know we will have her where we want tomorrow. The next heir I have heard is so young and sensitive. The hyena kingdom will come crashing down in her hands. The hyena kingdom sooner or later will be at our mercy'' Vasilis explained.

''Who is the hyena's next heir?'' Halsey asked

''Heiress my dear'' Vasilis corrected

''Heiress, interesting'' Halsey iterated

"Nepheli's only daughter. That is, because I killed her husband before she could ever get pregnant again. She is Zoe'' Vasilis concluded. Halsey looked at Vasilis in shock when she heard the name 'Zoe'.

''I need to rest Vasilis, I will see you tomorrow'' Halsey said and left

Zoe rushed to the love tree with a basket of flowers in hand but was disappointed when she did not find Damianos. She waited for some time and realized Damianos was not going to show up. She remembered the scrolls they both used to leave for each other when they could not make it and moved to the spot they used to bury the scrolls and begun to dig. she halted in her tracks when she heard a voice.

''You won't find what you are looking for'' Satan whispered. Zoe slowly turned and screamed blue murder when she saw the serpent on the tree.

''DO...do...Do not come closer to me'' Zoe said as she made her hands ready to use her powers.

''Do not be afraid of me young lady, I am here because of you'' Satan whispered.

'' You...you what! What do you want from me? You are a serpent. You have been banished from both kingdoms...''

''And so is Gaja'' Serpent interrupted. Zoe looked at her defeated when Serpent mentioned Gaja.

''At least he is not a serpent or a crow'' Zoe defended.

''He was still banned for the same reasons as us'' Serpent said calmly.

''I do not need your help. Thanks.''

''You might not need my help but you need to see clearly''

''Well as you can see, I have eyes that are really good. I've got twenty-twenty vision so you can get going and I promise I will not tell anyone about you'' Satan chuckled at her defenseless threat.

''Under what circumstance did you meet me princess. Answer that. If you can answer this then I think you are good to go and tell everyone you met a snake or should I say a serpent''

''The holy books are right, you do know how to manipulate. I give in, what do you want me to see''

''Damianos''

''Damianos? How...''

''Ah, young love. You do love Damianos that I know is undebatable but the question is, does he love you?''

''Who are you? Where are you from? What do you want?''

''You might not believe me when I say I want to help you but it will be better if you decide on that after you hear me out...no, see for yourself''

''You do know you are wasting your time if you know how much I love Damianos. I trust him completely''

''Love does make people blind. Come with me, I will walk you out of this abyss before you are consumed fully'' Satan said as she turned human and stretched out her hand to Zoe.

''You can lead me, I will follow. There is no need to hold your hand'' Zoe mocked.

''That is fine by me''

Damianos entered his room after his devious breakout and found Halsey in his room. He showed no concern for her and laid on his bed to rest.

''Persistence does evoke something on the one who is always been vexed. I can see you no longer care if I am here or not'' She waited some time for a response and realized he was not going to indulge in her small talks.

''You can ignore me all you want. I know that I am not wasting my time by talking to the air because you are right here. I was looking for you everywhere, where were you?'' Halsey asked as she settled beside Damianos on his bed. Damianos gave her a disgusting glance and turned his back to face her on the bed.

''You won't be able to ignore me for long Damianos. We both owe this kingdom a wonderful child''

Satan led Zoe to a brook and turned to look at her.

''Do you have any idea what this is?'' Satan asked.

''Of course, I'm not feeble-minded'' Zoe blurted out.

''I know you are not feeble-minded'' Satan said as she glided to stand closer to Zoe.

'' But this is more than what you think it is. It isn't just a small river Zoe, It shows you many things. Things you desperately need to know...''

''Things like what?'' Zoe spoke before Satan could finish.''

''Things like what is happening in the lion's kingdom. Let me show you something'' Satan squatted closer to the brook and brushed her hand in the water.

''Now, look closely into the water'' Satan said. Zoe with curiosity headed and watched intensively into the water. The water displayed the night Halsey went to Damianos's room to seduce him to the time he gave her a slight kiss and also a display of Halsey seated close to Damianos which was happening at that particular moment. Zoe blinked off what she sow and gave Satan a questioning look.

''What you just sow is real princess. The brook never lies. The last scene is actually ongoing at this moment. I wonder what happened after they kissed. The water only shows intimate situations to an extent and as you said, you are not feeble-minded therefore you will be able to anticipate the passionate night they enjoyed...''

''SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!'' Tears began to roll down Zoe's cheek as she covered her ears with her palms.

''Look, I do not want to rub salt to your wound but I have to also tell you he is getting married in two days' time'' Satan confessed. Zoe wiped her tears with the back of her palm and looked Satan in the eyes.

''Two days' time?'' Zoe asked as she was shocked by the news.

''Yes, is it too soon?'' Satan asked

''No, on the contrary, it is perfect I am so foolish. Here I am wanting to lay down everything for our sake and he stabbed me in the back'' Zoe shrieked.

''His bark is worse than his bite dear, all lions are that way'' Satan said as she moved around her.

'' His bark 'WAS' worse than is bite, not anymore'' Zoe said and teleported before Satan could speak again. Satan smirked in the realization of her success and moved on with her next calculated machination.

''Halsey, Halsey. You do not know the favor you have done me for making me stalk Damianos. The perfect opportunity to put my plan into action when the chosen ones are born. What I have planed will change Damianos and Zoe's lives forever. They made the most stupid decision by going to Gaja. The past will forever haunt them. As for me, I will just stand aside and watch the tragedy unfold. After all, I am only needed when things go horribly right and from now, things will go the way history wants them to go. A kill for a kill and a vow for a change.'' Satan conjured a scroll in her hand and wrote using her eyes to control the words she made up in her mind to assemble in the scroll. She then hid the scroll where Damianos hid his and transformed back into a snake and made her way back into the woods.

Achilleas summoned all the warriors of the hyena clan and gave them their rules and duties during the war. As he spoke, he took a step at a time with his hands together behind him.

''The queen and my father will lead you during the war however, I leave the queen into your hands. She must return the same way she left not even a scratch should mark her flesh.'' All the warriors answered in unison

''Okapis, you animals will take them in the human form. You will use your camouflage to get to the lions''

''Yes lord!" The Okapis answered in unison. He gave the animals their duties one after the other making sure they heard him right.

Zoe arrived at the castle safe and sound and rushed to look for queen Nepheli. She was so confused she did not realize her mum was in her room rather than the throne. Nepheli spotted Zoe and went over to hug her. She knew her fate was not certain at that moment and she wanted to share as much time with Zoe as she could. The tears began to roll down Zoe's face uncontrollably.

''You were right all along mum, the lions are our sworn enemies'' Zoe cried

''What is wrong my dear, don't shed tears. You know I hate it when you cry. Let's spend the entire night together''

''As mother and daughter?'' Zoe raised her head to ask.

''Of course as mother and daughter'' Nepheli replied. They both found solace in each other's arms for the uncertain path ahead of them. They needed each other not as the queen and the princess but as a mother and daughter.