THE WARNRIN EMPIRE 1

Wilson woke up from his trance only to open his eyes on a bloody knife in his hand and a lifeless body lying right beside him in his office with his cup of coffee right on the table half touched. His hands were soaked in blood and his mouth was agaped in surprise that his words were stuck in his mouth that he hardly scream nor wail. He couldn't find the right words and he just stood looking at the lifeless body on the rug right beside him in his office.

Mate was the first to enter and the tray of pill she had brought for Wilson and the cup of water spilled right when it all fell from her hand as she covered her mouth with her palm to avoid screaming.

"How did.....?" She was stucked just like Wilson still looks on. Then, she stormed out of the room.

"Was this Shams? Shams of DeCour?" He asked himself as he bent down examining his lifeless body. Just at about time, Orlena walked in.

"What have you done Wilson?" She asked with utmost surprise.

"I ...didn't know how this got here. I .... met him here." He stammered.

"Already dead?" She asked.

"Yes. Already dead."

"Are you kidding Wilson? You don't know how a dead body got up here in your study? So, the ghost walked pass through all the Guards and the securities?" She almost screamed.

"Wait Orl. I didn't do this. I don't know how it got here. I was in trance and I opened my eyes and and found him here." He tried explaining.

"You've got a nice theory Wilson. I'm calling the cops." She said fumbling with her bag for her phone.

"No stop. Please.... " He pleaded trying to get up from the corpse.

"Really? You think anyone out there will believe the fact that the corpse just walked up in here? With his blood all over your body? And the knife? Just yesterday you made a deal to invest in his company. Were you trying to get him killed so as to take over his company just like the others?"

"I didn't kill anyone Orlena. Don't blackmail me." He pleaded.

"You think I'm blackmailing you? Then, let's see how the cops see this." She said trying to dial on her phone.

"Okay. Fine. I killed him."

"You killed who?"

"I killed Shams. I did it." Wilson admitted.

Orlena dipped her hands inside her bag and extracted a small recorder.

"I had that on record. You confessed to it." She said showing him the recorder.

"What did you want from me Orlena?"

"A secured future for my sons. The one you will be willing to give." She said and he stared hard at him.

"If you can do what I want, then I'll let this be between us. No third party. Or has anyone seen this other than you and me?" She asked curiously.

"No one." He lied.

"Alright then. That'll just be as good. I'm keeping this where no one will ever find it." She said tucking the recorder back in her bag.

** ** **

It's lunch time and all the student were seen at the cafeteria. Isla and Courtney were seated with some friends and so those Ariel but some miles away. Oliver was seated with Ethan and three others and Arabella was sitting a stone throw from Malthus.

"Have you seen Emery lately?" Isla asked.

"Why did you asked?" Courtney requested.

"She's been cold since resumption. Something is going on with her." Isla pointed out.

"Nothing is wrong with her. It's just the inside of your brain who wants to get revenge over what doesn't concern you." Courtney shut her up.

"Alright then." She said munching her pie.

On the other side of the table was Ariel wirh her friend, Layla.

"I can't believe you talked to him." Layla argued.

"Yeah I did. And it all went well. I can't believe i did that." She said happily.

"But he keep staring at Courtney." Layla observed.

"Don't be delusional. He is angry with her. Probably."

"Why? Because of what she said in the class?"

"Of course why else." Ariel replied.

"How are you going to put up with her? You were both put in the same dormitory."

"Just watch Layla. I really don't want to be the bad girl in front of Oliver. We're going neutral this time around."

"And you think that'll work?"

"It always does. You just have to sit back and watch." She said happily.

And on Oliver's table.

"I can't believe Court could say all that." Ethan complained.

"I really don't know why. But I felt somehow towards that. She made her intention cleared. Not so many people could do that." Oliver highlighted.

"I don't see anything spectacular in that."

"I really do love people who admit their feelings." Oliver replied smiling.

While Ethan watched Ariel staring at Oliver.

"Did you have any idea that Ariel and Courtney were Siblings?" Ethan asked.

"I know the Wilsons. All of them." Oliver said to Ethan's surprise.

Malthus couldn't get the image of the incidence that happened the day before he left for school out of his head. He keeps on hearing the name just all over his head. He doesn't know which way to head or which voice to follow. He just knew or probably feel the pain of a very close agony at arms' length. He walked out of the lunch after shutting Denver down and making for the library. He walked in briskly in just in time. He bumped into Michaela.

"Hey." She greeted noticeably.

"Hi." He answered casually.

"I'm Michaela."

"Malthus." He replied glancing at the books in her hands. "Did you read much of those?" He asked pointing at the books.

"That's what I do basically everyday." She said with a smile. "Do you want to take a look?" She asked.

"Hmmm... I don't know. I do really have taste in books. Like... I'm more of history stuff. Like..."

"Like the people of Warnrin?" She cuts in.

"Definitely. But it's not here in the library. It's at my grandfather's library at home." Malthus said peevishly.

"Here you go." Michaela said putting all the books in her hands on the desk and sorting them out one after the other. When he got to the history of the Warnrin people, she stopped. She hand it over to him and he looked stunned.

"Where did you get this? My grandfather inscribed in it that it's only three of these books that existed. He did you get it?" He was surprised and happy at the same time.

"Well, you aren't the only one with a grandfather obsessed with history. My grandfather is a great collector." She explained.

"He is still alive?" He asked.

"Of course. Come let's sit." She beckoned and they both walked to the desk to sit.

"I really don't know how to appreciate you for this Michaela."

"You can call me Mick."

"You've got a beautiful name." He ascertained.

"Not so many people say that." She said and they chuckled.

"You know... I don't really talk much and I really don't talk to most of my class mates."

"I do realize that Malthus."

"But I do like people who have the same passion as me. That was what made me become friends with Denver in the first place."

"I must tell you that that was awesome."

"Yeah of course. Can I take a look?" He demanded.

"Why not?" She said pushing the book across to him.

He inhaled hard before placing his hands on the book. As soon as he opened it, the voice came rushing back in.

"Axel! Axel! Axel!! Axel!!"

Then he slammed the book shut of a sudden.

"What's the problem?" She asked acting surprised.

"Oh... nothing. That was nothing." He stuttered.

"Okay. I was hoping maybe one day, I'll get to know your grandfather." She said.

"Oh no. He is dead."

"Whaoo!"

"I didn't get to know him." He said chuckling.

"Well, that was something. You're still lucky though."

"You think?"

"Of course. You have everything. You still do."

Malthus just smile.

"What did you know about the Warnrin people?

She asked him.

"Alot. I know quite alot about them. They have great warriors."

"You bet. But I do think they're the villain. They slaughtered the Queen. I think they should pay for it."

"No Mick. I think the King of Tampol was weak. He supposed to protect his household."

"He was only following the wish of the gods. It has been written that the war would come and the household of Tampol shall be ripped off their stance....."

"Sometimes, the law of the lands need to be changed. Why would the King allowed his Queen to be killed just so for a prophecy to come to pass? And now, see what that caused after that? Calliope, the god of calling went missing. That was the doomed day for them. They're aren't wise enough to me." He explained.

"You aren't wise up in the aspect of the law Mal. There will be hundred of lives lost if the Queen didn't offer to sacrifice herself."

"That's not sacrifice. Because she died and millions of the Tampol kingdom died right after her." He argued.

"Well... that was due to the hindrance of the birth of the prince." Michaela argued.

"There is no Prince anywhere Mick. I can assure you that there is no prince anywhere."

"There is proof for that. The second Queen was pregnant when the king went in exile." Michalea said sounding concerned.

For some minutes, Malthus looked at her. He hasn't read that part in the history.

"That part wasn't in the book." He said.

"Hmm... really?" She asked acting surprised.

" Yeah. I didn't read that part."He said looking suspiciously at her.

"Oh... maybe my grandfather said alot to me then." She stuttered.

"Your grandfather told you all that?"

"Yeah he did."

"Tell me about it." He said curiously.

Emery was seen standing by the rails. Just before Ethan walked up to her.

"You're alone? Can I join?" He asked stepping forward.

"Yeah." She answered calmly.

"You do like staying aloof Emery." He pointed out.

"I just don't have too much friends."

"Or maybe you don't want to make friends with anyone."

"No Ethan. It's just....eversince Dad's involvement in the outbreak, I haven't had quite some friends around."

"Oh! You shouldn't worry about that. Don't listen to people."

"If I don't listen to people, I would have already been dead."

"And now that you do? You think staying aloof is part of living?"

"Just forget it Ethan."

"No."

"Your friend is cute." She changed the topic.

"Oliver? Damn he is. And cool too."

"How is Ophelia holding up with Artemis?"

"Why are you all worried about her?" He asked.

"Because they just got engaged."

"So, you think Ophelia might run away with Oliver?"

"It's just thinking Ethan. It might not happened."

"Yeah of course. How is your Dad holding up?" He asked.

"With the press?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, they're all there. As always. I just wished he wasn't my father."

"You can't say that Emery."

"I know, but he took Samantha." She said.

"What did you mean he took Samantha?"

"I really don't know the details. But I think Samantha is sick. But it all seems like experimenting on her. You can't tell anyone."

"Oliver is Samantha's brother."

"Yeah I know that. Promise you won't say anything. I just say it so I can feel better."

"Yeah, I promised."

For some minutes that Michaela go into the details of the Warnrin people, Malthus found himself not listening. She had a very cool voice and a beautiful face to compliment that. And he realised he love the way she pick her words. One after the other. He wanted to come out of the trance but he couldn't. He hadn't ever think so deep about opposite sex and something more like a pull had joined him to her the moment she mentioned her name to him. And now he seems engrossed and willing to see more of her.

"That was just the history...:" she said after a long narration which he wasn't part of

"I.... yeah.... that was awesome." He stammered.

"So, you can see that the people of Tampol were so lovely."

"We have different view of things Michaela." He said at last.

"Hmm... agreed."

"I hope we can see each other more often." He said and Michaela smiled. He shook her her hand and he made towards the entrance.

Arabella who had been eavesdropping on them, came out of her hiding. She heaved heavily.

"You're getting on my nerves Mick." She whispered.