Chapter 24 - Help me!

Zaffera's Pov

Someone familiarly bigger than me is holding a napkin over my mouth which completely prevents me from screaming for help as I'm being muggled away.

"Don't worry... I won't formally tape your mouth shut as you hear people do. I know you are smarter than to scream for help." Ginn's husky voice resounds in my ears as I'm I thrown in the back of a ship. His breath that dampened the back of my neck as he was just now so close in proximity to me is then exposed to the cold stench of the new environment.

This ship is diffrent. Unlike the ones I've been in before this one is quite modern, yet small in size which probably means it has an up to date sound system so nobody knows I'm here as they wouldn't have even heard the ship coming.

"Maybe... what is happening here?!" I squeal in pain. If he has truly ever loved me he won't hurt me and I'm really holding on to that like a thread. He has surprised me quite a lot recently with he's rash, aggressive behaviour and occasional threats. Nothing like Ginn I used to know and believed to love.

"Well, today's rundown will be as following: I've realised that you are too blinded in naivety to realise your enormous mistake in going ahead with the dumb King, so I'm bringing back an old game." He grabs a piece of paper and shows it to my face. My eyes widen as I recognise the handwriting.

"It's the riddle Fenyang figured out! The door... Wh-where did you get that from? I never gave it to you!" I push my body against the wall behind me even further in an attempt to distanciate myself as much as possible from this person that only outwardly resembles to be Ginn.

"Let's not get too into the details of things. The point is that today after I've put you to sleep to avoid any loose ends, I shall open the door and resolve the riddle. Then, I shall wish for complete power and authority and together we will rule over the world."

"But why with me?"

"Because though I know that you have taken some stupid desicions lately I still love you." I feel a disgusted reflex as those words sound so wrong coming out of his mouth.

"Why the sad look in you eyes? This should make you happy." He adds.

I feel some cold droplets of liquid fall on my shoulder and my vision goes hazy until it goes completely dark.

My next concious thought is a rather sweaty looking Ginn with his hair platrstered on his forehead and a few fresh scratches on his face.

"Are you okay?"

Why am I concerned for him right now, why do I feel a slight move in seeing his scratched face and knuckles bleed?

He spits in the air inbetween his deep breaths. He walks past me and disappears in the next corner ignoring my question entirely. If I wasn't chained up to the wall I'd chase after him and demand a reply. He later comes back with a damp towel he is using to wipe his wouds.

"Your Fiancé did this." I look at him confused. "I infiltrated their Palace aiding myself of a decoy but he was smarter than expected and figured me out. He tried locking me in The Door after beating me up like this, but I managed to escape before the guards came back to get me.

"He wouldn't." I say lowly.

"Well he did!"

"And, did you manage to open the door?"

"About that I-" he is struck midsentece as a group of arrows tase him to the floor and his painful screams fill the atmosphere.

"Zaffera!" exclaims Fenyang coming towards me. I embrace him as soon as I'm free of the handcuffs but I realise a slight resistance from him. Knowing Ginn he must have told him things and that's probably the reason they fought because I don't picture Fenyang fighting a stranger for no reason.

Back in Palace a meeting is held to discuss today's happening.

"As you might have understood from today, Ginn is after us as he lost something quite valuable to him... You" Speaks Mother locking her glare at me in her last word which makes me point at myself in confusion.

"Ginn doesn't care about me", I brush off, which ignites a response in Fenyang as a notice his jaw clench and I hear him clear his throat loudly.

"He does. You too were matched under his request and he's had his mind fixed on you for quite some time. He flattered me with flowery language and grandiose gestures which made me think he was a sutable match. In retrospect, now I understand my mistake."

Silence fills the room and after a bit Fenyang leaves angrily. I chase after him and now we are sat by the hallway floor.

"What did he tell you?" I ask with a sad tone.

"Things you didn't bother telling me. Like how HE is your fiancé and what you thought of me... I'm such an idiot for trusting you so blindly, no wonder you told him those things. And-and, we stopped researching into the door because of him didn't we?" I keep quiet and lower my gaze in guilt which results in him forcefully hitting his head back against the wall.

"I need time." he stands up dusting off his garments and disappeares in his room. Shy tears I've been holding back come out of hiding and in a few minutes my shirt is soaked by my excessive crying. Only half of the things he said are actually true, but for some reason something is stopping me from explaining myself to him. I have too much baggage and maybe the partnership was a mistake.

"Mother, I have reconsidered. I don't thing I will be joining Fenyang in marriage." Mother looks up at me concerned but I'm determined. This is what is best for both Kingdoms and as Queen of Zyron I ought to take my people first.