Sir Gareth shot his eyes open after what felt like eternity. But what had made him open his eyes was the sudden coldness in the room. He lifted his head to the left side and saw a not so happy King Griffin drinking some alcohol. Their gazes met as he twirled the glass with that same look.

Wait! What was he doing and where was he? And what exactly was Griffin doing here? The last thing he could remember was Isadora trying to help him and then, everything went blank. His eyes shifted back to King Griffin and he had now stood up.

"You are awake?" He said and turned to face the now open window. Gareth’s eyes squinted at the sudden light as they tried to adapt when he took notice of something on the wall. His now squinted eyes grew as wide as saucers. Isadora’s father and mother were smiling back at him in a portrait. Wait! That meant that he was in Crescia! The sudden realization made him surprised. How and when had he even come here? And if he was here then, where was Isadora?

"How... What happened. How did I get here?" He asked trying to sit up. "Where’s Isadora?" His eyes scanned around the room searching for that familiar face but there was none unfortunately.

Griffin turned to face him with that same serious face he had before. He took a few steps closer to where Gareth lay, his scrutinizing gaze never leaving Gareth’s.

"My knights saved you," he replied calmly. "And Isadora is in Valoria." He stated as a matter of fact.

And now Gareth was confused. "What do you mean by your knights?" Gareth asked. His face had now turned a few shades darker as he anticipated for the answer.

"Well," he began and took a few steps to face the other direction as well. "After I sent the both of you to Valoria, I was worried of your security, especially Isadora. So just to be certain that she was okay, I sent some two other knights in the disguise of Valorian knights. And they have been helpful." And turning to Gareth, "Isadora asked for their help without knowing, thus why you ended up here." He took in a deep breath before he walked closer to where he had sat before.

"Since I feel okay, I guess I’ll be heading back to Valoria then," Gareth said trying to stand up. His muscles felt fine now and his stomach was not hurting. Of course he had someone to thank for that.

"Thanks for taking away the pain," he said. He grabbed his shirt and was sliding into his boots when Griffin’s cold aura intensified in the room making him halt on his actions. He slowly lifted his face to be met by a pair of moonly eyes. An angry Crescian royal family member was the last thing anyone would like to encounter, especially Griffin. And he was now angry. Gareth knew that he was not happy at all. Maybe he should leave as soon as possible before something bad happens to him.

"And where do you think you are going?" He asked in that icy tone that would send fear into any living soul. Gareth was quick to stand up and take a few steps back, almost colliding with the table. Griffin also stood up and stalked towards where he was with the same cold expression. Gareth held out his hands defensively.

"Please try to calm down Your Majesty," he begged, taking steps backwards at the same time. Griffin scoffed at his statement.

"You? I sent you to watch over Isadora. But what did you do? You just took in our enemy as a disciple! And you are telling me to calm down?" He asked with a raised voice. Gareth was startled by the revelation. How did he know?

"Of course I knew. I knew everything," he said. Gareth’s hands suddenly turned numb and before he knew, he was lifted a few feet above the ground by an invisible force.

"I sent you to watch over Isadora but you did the opposite. Did you even know that the two had started to fall in love?" He asked. Gareth was now dumbfounded. What! Isadora and Alexander? In love? No, that was not possible. Not the Isadora he knew would do that. If Griffin wanted to punish him, he should look for another excuse but not this.

"No, you didn’t. And you still don’t know." His face flashed in anger and Gareth squueled in pain. Veins popped on his neck and forehead and one look was enough to show the kind of pain he was going through. He tried to say something but his neck suddenly got chocked by an invisible force. This was the full potential of a Crescian royalty.

"I don’t want to hear anything coming from that filthy mouth of yours. I raised you Gareth. Picked you from a slave ship when you were about to be sold for as less as two gold coins. And how do you repay me? By disobeying me? And you expect me to have mercy on you?" He asked. His face turned even more colder and Gareth could only guess what would happen next. And it did. His neck was choked more tightier this time. He threw his legs dangling in mid air as he held his neck as if that would stop the choking. His pained eyes searched for Griffin’s and when they met, all he could see was a heartless being staring at him. But something about his gaze told him he could not kill him.

Griffin took in a deep breath before he let go of the dangling Gareth. He fell on the floor with a thud as he panted to catch his breath. Griffin just moved to the table and poured more wine into his cup as if he had done nothing. He took a sip before leaning on the table to face Gareth who was now struggling to stand.

"I will give you one last chance, Gareth. I want you to go back to that palace and bring me the prince’s head. Do you hear me?" Gareth looked at Griffin with bloody red eyes. The strangling had knocked the air out of him. But he had vowed to waste no more chances. He would not risk his life again for a person he could just behead while sleeping and return to Crescia as if he had done nothing.

"Yes. I understand your majesty," he said rubbing his neck while trying to keep his composure. His hair looked a mess right now. It filled all of his face so he combed it with his fingers.

"Good." Griffin said. "And if Isadora fails to do what she is supposed to, you know what you have to do. Stick with the plan." Griffin stalked towards where Gareth stood and patted his shoulder heavily. "Good luck." And with that, he vanished into thin air.

Gareth slouched onto the ground while he fisted his hair in his arms. How could he have failed to notice it? The way that prince looked at Isadora the very first day that they met! How could he have failed to see it? He cursed again. Damn. And she was working as his personal maid now! He could only guess the worst scenarios in his head. An image of Alexander kissing Isadora flashed across his mind and he almost hit his head. Damn it! He was going to behead him sooner, if not later. That guy did not deserve Isadora. He couldn’t imagine losing Isadora to that shameless prince. That could happen over his dead body.

And Isadora? Was she mad falling for the enemy? Had she forgotten that this was the same man whose parents had brutally killed hers in a fire? Or was she so naïve as to fall for his looks? Was he even handsome that him? Gareth asked himself? He moved closer to the mirror and gathered his messy hair revealing his cute face. He was more than sure that he was more handsome than Alexander.

But why did the news feel so devastating to him? He had known Isadora since she was young. He could remember the old days when they used to hide and play in the stables. That memory brought a smile on his face but it was quick to be replaced by fear. Fear that he could lose her to another man, Alexander at that? No, that was not going to happen. At least not when he was alive.

With renewed determination. He slipped into his shirt and armor and picked his sword. He was not going to just sit and watch as Isadora fell for the wrong person. Rage filled his being when he thought of what Alexander could have done to Isadora all those days that he had been blind. He was surely going to behead him on the spot. He envisioned the Valorian palace and appeared right on the hallway. Only several fire torches were on, and a few guards awake.