chapter 23

"If you truly believe that I'm this thing you say. Then I am. Sometimes I don't understand my self . The things I do is out of the ordinary.

Sometimes I wondered who I really am. A god, spirit or some form of a supernatural being. One time I'm strong and wise.

Other times I'm not. I see visions so clear yet I can't explain. I can't understand. If I tried to remember it I forget.

Another time I'm as vulnerable as a girl my age. So naive. I used to wonder if I'm a human. If placing my hand will lead me to my origin, if this will define my strange nature, powers, wisdoms and actions..."

Her heart was throbbing and her eyes cloudy. She squeezed her father's arm and hugged him. She released immediately and placed her hand back on the golden platform. The place glowed. The light from the lamps went off.

The light slowly crawled from that hand on the platform to the other part of her body. The action stretches her body and made her skin to radiates with dim white light. The room possessed a godlike aura.

king Ephraim walked away from where he was to the opposite end facing her. He observed her face carefully.

Her eyes changed to many colours. To glistening gold, to silver, to crimson, to emerald... It glows brightly. Her hair was thick and full. It glows with yellow light.

The hair was wavy, flowing with an unusual strength. A golden crown hovered over her head. It refused to fit in. It wasn't too big, it wasn't too small, it just won't let her wear it.

she tilted her body to the right as she tried to contend with the powers. The crown moved to the direction of her head. She went left, it went left. Side wards and all round it kept moving with the direction of her head, rotating round and round.

Princess Eleanor was completely different now. she took a different form, that of a goddess.

King Ephraim was looking at her in the eye. She lifted her head to looked back at him but the light shocked the king. It almost blinded him. He flinched and quickly looked away.

Suddenly the light from her eyes overshadowed the house. King Ephraim couldn't withstand, so he fell to the floor.

This power was too powerful for Eleanor. She tried to disengaged but couldn't. She shut her eyes, only to see her self in a spacious room with nothing in it. It was all hue

As she kept turning if she could see a way out of this. Her eyes met with a being she couldn't see the face.

A giant being. His skin was golden and it clothing was white and shinning.

"Welcome the bearer of the Kings' stone". She froze at the voice. She had heard frightening voices from the king of Serpent Land in the floating castle and in her garden when lord Zane was upset with her but she hasn't heard something closed to this.

She behaved. Why was she here in the first place. She thought. When she turned to looked at her front. The walls was now blue, it showed her father.

"father" she called

"He violated the command of the king's stone that an heir must not killed any person that is not a threat. Any innocent commoner that is deserving of protection. The stone was meant to protect and not destroyed". Came the voice again.

She would have turned to looked at this being she knew not what it was. But she still needed her eyes back knowing fully well that she couldn't see his face even if she looked.

"who…what…"she clears her throat. "Who are you?".

" I am the guide of the king's stone".

"The most powerful stone have a guide". She reasoned and snapped out.

"So the stone lost it powers in the days of my father's reigned and the enemies didn't find out. Only of recent did they know that the stone was not protecting our kingdom again". Eleanor said more to herself.

She jerked back but she couldn't pulled her hands off. The power was draining her physical strength. She was now resting her entire weight on the platform. Eleanor was back in the room again.

She saw another vision where the king killed a man with the Kings' stone.

"how was that possible?. If the Kings' stone lost it power, how was my father able to killed a super powerful human person with it?." She asked concerned.

"The kings' stone never lost it potency. It could only be dormant if it command is violated" . Came the voice of this fearful being which Eleanor never saw the face. The voice spoke like a god. She refused to be frightened.

"But the stone can still function in the hands of the king who violated it command only that it shall not protect or shield his people or kingdom in battle because the king's hands was soiled"

" but the killing was accidental". She folded both arms under her bust.

"It was not. His instincts guided him to the part of the woods where the pregnant woman was. He was supposed to save her from the man who molested her. She prayed to the king's stone for helped.

I guided Ephraim there. He ignored the pushed of his instincts and choose to hunt the deer that was passing by. As he fire the shot, the man, Phillips pushed the woman in the direction of his arrow and it pierced her to death.

"You could have saved her yourself" . Eleanor told him

"I worked through human, I do not have a body of my own".

He paused for a moment. Eleanor's eyes were on the still photo of her father. Though her eyes were focused on it. She didn't see the photo, her mind was in deep thought.

"That Phillips deceived Ephraim into marrying his daughter for killing the woman he would have killed himself". The guide continue.

"What would the king have done differently?".

"It all in the past now".

"I insist".

"Ephraim should have told the council the truth and faced the consequences but he chooses to hid it. He chooses the wrong path".

The guide wave his hands on the wall a man appeared.

"What has this man got to do with anything!" . Eleanor asked a little relaxed now.

It was Tyson Odin Anaconda. The same man she saw queen Margaret chatted and laughed with wholeheartedly in Serpent Land.

"why is he here and why his he weeping?" .

"He was the greatest magician on earth that Ephraim met to make him a father. His powers was requested of him if Ephraim must have a child after he murdered a child in the woods. He was not worthy to have his.

"But it was a mistake" .

"It was not accidental. It was purposeful. He saw a shadow of a person. He ignored the need to confirmed first, he decided to fired the shot at the animal before him". The Being said annoyed as if she didn't understand the first explanation.

"The man who pushed her into the way of his arrow and him, the shooter shared the same guilt. Ephraim would have done the right thing than come into terms of marrying Charlene, Phillip's daughter. He would have been vindicated.

She saw as sir Phillips finished raping the pregnant woman in the woods. Then her father who didn't see them shot an arrow while sir Phillips immediately yanked her up and pushed her in the direction of the arrow with his right leg.

"You called that mistake then some mistakes are paid with either life or death. Other times life punishment and torments. It is either you faced it and maybe get pardoned along the way or hid it and perished".

There was silent for a while before she heard the guide whispered. "only cowards and fools refused to face it".

Eleanor didn't want to take it to mind that the guide was saying the king, her father was a fool and a coward. She waved it off.

"so Tyson appeasing, made king Ephraim to have me. Why then did he have to used the stone for me to stay alive and why did my mother died?".

"You were supposed to die because Tyson requested of his powers back when he realized he was utterly powerless.

Ephraim's contrite heart made the king's stone spared your life. You must returned the king's stone to the depths of the sea. Until it is returned to it source to regained it former glory, it can never protect again. Returned it. Whenever evil befall mankind they shall go for it.

The guide turned away from her.

"wait!... please…please can I see my mother".

He turned back to her. "Go to your father".

She shrugged confused but she had another question. "As the bearer of the stone I see not. Won't I die returning it?".

"go there and you shall find out".

"lord Zane I'm sure you know him. He promised to defend my kingdom in battled. Was he the one or was it the Kings' stone"

"He was the one who came to plead".

"Plead". Her eyes dilated.

" He could not have fought to defend the kingdom which was formerly being protected by the Kings' stone meanwhile the Kings' stone was still in that kingdom. No power on earth is as powerful as it is.

He pleaded with his life in line before the power of the Kings' stone manifested through you in fraction".

"In fraction". She stood face to face with the guide. "So what happened on the battlement was a fraction of what the king's stone could do".

"Returned it to it source or doom shall befall mankind. Cassius is a threat. He might channeled the power to his loins and become immortal. Only the demon can help you, your people and kingdom out of his hands ".

"If Cassius is a threat then let the power of the king's stone eliminate him". Eleanor said firmly.

"He is a human and not a spirit beast. What he can do is limited. The stone primary function is only to defend and protect man from evil supernatural spirit. In time it also protects the kingdom that possessed it from wicked men".

She was more confused. She could see his face now. It was nothing but white shinning light.

Her hands was off the orb when she wanted to asked and hear more. She hissed. Her eyes caught her father lying still on the floor. She ran to him.

"Father are you alright?".

They laughed and talk simultaneously.

"You are the kings' stone.."

"I am the kings stone" she said but kept a face void of expression.

How was she going to return the king's stone and not die. She was the king stone. Then she shall surely died if she returned it. She thought.

"Eleanor" are you alright. The king asked.

"Yes father". She lied and fake a smile.

The king felt her face with the back of his hands.

"My child. It real, you are the kings' stone".

***

Eleanor dismissed Beatrice as soon as she was done with what she commanded. Usually they would gist together for a while and Beatrice would watched her fall asleep. Things was not the way it used to be this past few days.

After she helped the princess to take her bathed and prepare her for the night. She relaxed on the couch like she used to. Sadly she was sent away.

Eleanor was wearing a red transparent night dress and a robe on top. She sat proudly, backing her dressing mirror before lord Zane was invited.

He was looking calm and collected.

"How is it that you invited me today. You said I should not come unless I have another dues in mind".

" You can't sit on my bed. Get up". She clenched her teeth and kept tapping the air for him to stand up. She went to covered the blinds properly.

When she came back, the demon was seated on where she sat before. He was adding to his beauty.

"What is wronged with you". She scuffled to him in a haste.

He had wore a red lipstick and powder. He pouted his lips and crossed his legs now backing the mirror.

Eleanor gave up. She was standing very closed to him. He shut his eyes when he perceived her lavender scent.

She didn't take her eyes off him. His platinum hair was parked in a ponytail. His clothing was the same colour as his hair.

lord Zane opened his eyes to meet that of Eleanor which was staring into his. He was vibrant, young and charming to behold.

She gulped and looked away. She stepped two steps backwards because of their closeness.

The demon closed the distance. She stepped back until she was resting her calves by the side of the bed. lord Zane snapped his fingers and the blinds opened.

"Are you planning to raped me in here that you would cover the blinds". He said in a scared voice.

"oh please stop it already". Eleanor said worried "You know I don't want any one seeing you here". lord Zane was still coming closer. She sat on the edge of the bed, stiff.

"No one can see me if you don't want them to. So stop acting up". He crouched to her level.

She slipped away from him and went to closed the blinds again.

"I don't want any one to see me talking to myself as if I'm insane".

He chuckled. He sit back on the sit in front of her dressing mirror. He fed his eyes on her.

She stood by the window. Her robe was left to stand on her body. It reveal the sleeveless and transparent night gown.

The candle light made her skin to be yellow gold.

His eyes skimmed from her neck and halted at the twin melons on her chest. She caught his eyes where it was. She quickly covered up the robe.

"what are you looking at". She asked.

"Those" . He responded pointing at them.

She breathed in deeply and moved to the footboard of her bed and sat there. She sat backing him. Her hand still holding tight to her robe. It was now red because of the force.

"You took my bracelet. It was my mother's. My father gave it to me".

"I thought you cherished it. You allowed your father to remind you before you could remember it was no longer with you".

"How did you know". She said and turned to looked at him.

He winked an eye at her. She got lost.

"How did you do it?".

"Do what?".

"At the battlement".

"Don't you want your bracelet again".

She held her breathe and shut her eyes. Then she took a deep breath. She was beginning to loose her mind with him around. He was making her feel uncomfortable. Before she could opened her eyes.

He was right there, sitting beside her. His fingers removed the robe from the left part of her neck. He began to fondle the tiny sleeve of her night gown with his hands.

Each movement of his fingers from her neck to her shoulders makes goosebumps to take hold of her. He planted a kissed on her shoulders.

"T…thank you". She whispered and shifted away from him.

"For what?" he asked. He shifted closer. "For the kiss. I can give you more, so that you can keep thanking me". He was punishing her with the tips of his finger.

"For risking your life for me and my people at the battlement".

"you were mad at me before that I didn't come on time. What happened with the changed of mind and attitude. How did you know I risked my life".

She could no longer take it. She stood up. "Please leave". She said.

"Why are you stopping it. Why are you denying it. You hurting yourself".

He was up standing behind her.

"What are you talking about?" . She asked still backing him.

"you love me. It is written all over you. Stop holding back. I love you too Eleanor". He held both her hands from behind.

"since the first day I set my eyes on you as a child. I waited for you". He pulled himself closer to her. Hugging her from behind. He left his neck rest on her shoulders.

Her heart skipped. She closed her eyes and observed the silence with him.

Her eyes opened in an instance. "No" she said and loosen his gripped from her and turned around.

"I do not love you lord Zane. I'm a human princess who needed your help. I was the one who invited you here. Now I need you to leaved.".

She was looking at him in the eye. Unflinching. His once bright black opal eyes became dull.

"Stop reminding me every time that you are the human here and I'm not. I already know. The heart has it own will. It chooses whom to love and whom not to. I shall give you time. As long as you want. I know that one day, some day. You shall follow your heart".

Their eyes did the talking. Their hearts were throbbing. "I wouldn't forced it on you because you promised to give your heart to me. I would have manipulated you to have my own desires".

Her eyes dilated. She looked away. He moved closer. Showed the bracelet to her.

"I will give it to you on the condition that you will look in my eye and tell me that you don't love me".

Eleanor took her eyes to his. She stared in them for sometime.

"I don't and can never love you. Go away from me" she said boldly.

"I shall leave you to your own will". He was deeply hurt. He gave the bracelet to her and left.

She sat back on the bed weeping for what she is not sure off.

The was a knocked on the day. She wondered who it might be that would disturbed her in the middle of the night. When the knocked came again.

She opened the door

"Good morning my princess".