Chapter 6 : Clutches of Possession

In the dimly lit chambers of the palace, Levyoka's voice pierced the air, laden with irritation. "Impossible!" she shouted, her words echoing off the stone walls. "Who dares take my husband away from me?"

Her attendant, Missty, stood nearby, her expression composed. "The Gordon Kingdom has requested his presence, your highness," she replied calmly.

Levyoka's steps echoed through the corridors as she made her way to the throne room, her mind ablaze with frustration. She found her father seated upon the throne, with Rafael standing dutifully before him.

"Father, won't you at least consider my opinion in this matter?" Levyoka's voice rang out, filled with determination. "Is this what marriage has become? A state where wives are powerless and husbands are controlled?"

The king's expression betrayed his surprise as he gazed upon his daughter, her aura pulsating with defiance. "But didn't you once claim that marriage was the folly of fools?" he countered. "Surely this is what you desired – a separation that would grant you both freedom."

Levyoka's eyes blazed with intensity as she fixed her gaze upon her father. "No, father. This time, you know nothing of my desires," she declared. "Do not assume that this is what I wanted, for you have never bothered to ask."

The king's demeanor softened as he regarded his daughter. "Then what is it that you truly desire?" he inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"I wish to discuss it with you alone, father," Levyoka insisted, her resolve unwavering. With Rafael's departure, the two retreated to a more private setting to continue their conversation.

***

Meanwhile, in Rafael's chambers, the atmosphere was tense as he reclined upon his bed, lost in thought. Suddenly, the door creaked open, revealing Levyoka's figure silhouetted against the dim light.

"Sneaking into someone's private chambers, are you?" Rafael's voice cut through the silence, his tone laced with amusement.

Levyoka's expression hardened, her usual composure giving way to raw emotion. With a sense of urgency, she began to disrobe, her movements deliberate and seductive as she approached Rafael's bedside.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rafael's voice rose with alarm as he pushed her away, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Pushing me away, are you?" Levyoka's voice dripped with venom, her aura darkening as she glared at Rafael. "Yet you were the one who sought me out that night, sneaking into my chambers under the cover of darkness."

Rafael's expression faltered as he struggled to find the words to respond. "That's because..." he began, his voice trailing off as Levyoka's demeanor shifted once more.

"What? A split personality?" Levyoka's voice echoed with disbelief, her mind reeling at the revelation.

Rafael nodded solemnly. "Yes," he admitted, his expression pained.

Levyoka withdrew, her mind racing as she tried to digest the shocking revelation. "Arghh, whatever," she muttered under her breath, her frustration palpable.

-

As the door closed behind her, uncertainty hung in the air, leaving both Levyoka and Rafael to grapple with the weight of their newfound knowledge.

***

The night of departure has come.

Outside the chambers, the moon cast a soft glow upon the palace grounds as Rafael prepared to depart. With a blush tinting his cheeks, he retraced his steps, pausing briefly before leaving.

"Sir Rafael has departed, your highness," Missty announced, her voice barely above a whisper.

Levyoka watched from a nearby window as Rafael boarded the carriage. As the distance between them grew, she resolved to chart her own path, one that would lead her to newfound strength and purpose.

***

Morning came.

"He has arrived safely, your highness," Missty reported the following morning, her demeanor transformed as she stood before Levyoka in her ninja-like attire.

"Then take me to your village, Missty," Levyoka commanded, her voice filled with determination. "There is much that I wish to learn."

---

"Ah, didn't you say you wanted to learn something? Was it how to defend and fight all the time?" 

Recalling the conversation, Levyoka reminisced about meeting Missty's brother, an undoubtedly skilled fighter and former army general of the Gordon Kingdom. The reasons behind his dismissal remained shrouded in secrecy.

The two had agreed that Levyoka would assume another identity and live as a local within the village until she mastered the art of swordsmanship. Missty, having learned her skills from her brother at a young age, had been sent as Levyoka's personal attendant at just 16 years old. Their bond, forged outside the confines of the kingdom, ran deep.

"Huh, are you kidding me?" Maduko's voice rumbled with dissatisfaction as he scrutinized Levyoka, his skepticism palpable. "Who learns what? You're so thin, can you even lift a spoon?"

Levyoka's mind seethed with anger, her thoughts consumed by revenge. Yet outwardly, she maintained a calm facade, her expression betraying none of the turmoil within.

"Ah, please teach me, master. I really want to learn," Levyoka implored, resorting to embarrassing antics in a desperate bid to win Maduko's approval.

Missty watched from the sidelines, her cheeks flushing with secondhand embarrassment as Levyoka persisted in her efforts.

After a long day filled with trials and tribulations, Levyoka found herself drifting into a deep sleep, exhaustion weighing heavily upon her from the arduous journey and the fruitless endeavor to gain Maduko's favor.

***

 In the quiet solitude of the palace, the king sat alone, his mind adrift in memories of the past, particularly the moment Levyoka took her first breath in this world.

"She's so lovely, her eyes... she took them from you," the king recalled, his thoughts drifting to the tender words spoken by his late wife, Leimore.

"Oh dear Leimore, I'm sorry," Dante whispered, his voice barely above a whisper as he addressed the empty chamber, his heart heavy with the weight of his memories.

The day after Rafael's departure, as per his father's request, the king reflected on the events that had unfolded. With Rafael summoned to the Gordon Kingdom, Levyoka learned of the agreement between the two realms. It was arranged that Rafael would keep in touch with Paresthesia kingdom every other month only if he has the time to spare.

"Father, if that be the decree, then allow him to sojourn for the year and let him finished what has to be done there. Yet, upon its conclusion, he shall return to my embrace, shielded from further separation," she implored, her voice resolute.

"Any who dare to contravene this vow shall find their tongues silenced ere they utter a word," she declared, her gaze unwavering.

"Father, also this time, there exists a fervent desire within me. Grant me the tutelage of swordsmanship, that I may hone my skill. And thereafter, permit me to rally a force under my command," she beseeched, her determination palpable.

"This, dear father, is my fervent wish."