...25...
WHO IS SHE?
His clear and silky voice was what instantly announced his presence in the open space.
His powerful stride also followed his unarguable authority.
Every damn person stopped whatever they were doing in order to acknowledge him being at the training grounds.
The lot bowed to him, paying obeisance except Rose who simply stared at him.
She was surprised at his arrival.
What was he doing here?
She was still angry with him for chasing her away from the dining room so that he could secretly be with Hera-Mera.
Now he was here again, calling her stupid name in that silky smooth seductive voice of his.
She humped as he neared her without glancing anywhere.
'What?' she snapped at him. 'Why are you staring at me like that?' she demanded with a clear.
She was forced to speak because he only kept looking at her with a silly smirk on his face.
Was he here to mock her?
Well, it wasn't as if she even gave a damn about that.
He could laugh at her all he wanted because she didn't care.
'What a fine spear you have there Mine,' he said to her.
His eyes ran down the length of the spear and back up.
Then, those gaze settled on her with a startling intensity that caused her inside to melt.
She didn't like how does deep dark orbs made her feel.
"I can see that you have made a good choice."
She glanced away and swallowed in a bid to keep her composure.
"Well, I actually had that crafted for you for or whenever you were ready to wedge a weapon."
Her head snapped to him.
"Especially against me,' he finished with a grin.
Now, that had her attention.
She stared at him, a little bit puzzled.
He had done that?
She stared the spear up and down, doubting his words.
She didn't believe him.
He was all lies!
Definitely all lies!
'Mine?' she asked him.
'Yes,' he nodded as the corners of his lips lifted into a soft but devilish smile.
The sight caused warm shivers to travel down her spine.
"Yes Mine, definitely yours.'
'Hmm,' she nodded as she evaluated the spear once again with her eyes.
She looked up at him and noticed the smirk on his face.
Then, she instantly realized something.
Her eyes widened in terror.
It was their brief monosyllabic conversation.
She realized what it had meant to him when she caught the double entendre behind it.
To everyone and even her who was innocent, they had been talking about the spear.
But to him, he had been referring to the both of them.
He had just stylishly affirmed once again that he was hers.
He belonged to her.
It kind of infuriating her, that moment when he did that.
She belonged to herself.
'Seriously?' she asked him.
He realized that she had caught on to his little play of words to mean something else.
He began to think of what to distract her with.
'Shall I spar with you then?' he asked with cocked brows.
That caught her for sure.
He watched the light that swiftly filled her emerald eyes.
The gesture from her made an organ in his body work faster.
He pressed his hands deeper into the pockets of his pants to hide the fact that her smile touched him.
"It seems you are bored playing spear with Vura and you really want a new sparring partner."
This was sid nonchalantly, in a calm and composed voice.
But, he was fighting inside of him as heat was stealing his entirety.
'Really?' she leaped towards him in total surprise.
He nodded at her question while wondering if he should step back.
Her proximity was doing things to him, hard things.
Her fragrance was wafting his nostrils and calling to the deep innermost part of him.
He was struggling for control.
Meanwhile, Rose was looking at the emperor in a new light.
How had he known that she was fed up of practicing with Vura?
How had he known that she was bored by taking one look at her?
Was he that attentive to her?
She was actually bored and that was the real reason that she had wanted to take on Winnie.
She wanted to do it because she was already so bored with Vura.
She was not accepting just because Hera-Mera kept urging her to do so.
She smiled softly at him.
The emperor didn't need anyone to tell him to take a step back.
Her radiant smile was like a bow, shooting a Cupid arrow straight into his heart.
She would most definitely not be the death of him.
'I am currently free and even if I was not, Mine, I would still say otherwise,' he drawled.
She stared at him, unsure.
Was he playing with her?
Did he really mean that?
But wait, he wanted to spar with her, with weapons?
She subtly gave the spear in her hand a knowing look and then rested her eyes on him.
The emperor noticed the way her eyes darted between the weapon and him and knew instantly what was going on in her head.
It amused him to pieces.
Rose watched as the sides of his lips began to curve.
And then, he surprised her a second time.
He let out a mirthful sound.
The laughter was heartily and wholeheartedly wholesome.
The sight caused butterflies to dance in the pit of her stomach.
For a moment, she forgot to breath as she stared at the man.
It was a sight so beautiful, so hot and yet so seductive all at once.
He must have understood what she was thinking, the smart man.
She did not even have time to dwell on how he could easily read her like she was book that he had read several times.
All she could see was him.
The handsome sight before her made her heart do cartwheels.
They were risky ones that caused her mind to go blank for a moment, having only him in it.
She didn't even know when she started to melt into a smile.
But, she caught herself before she could do so.
'Why are you laughing at me?' she managed to mumble even though she knew just why.
'You know why.'
It was not something that she could argue about.
She decided to evade it.
'I know nothing,' she muttered before staring at her spear once again with that previous look that had made him all mirthful.
The emperor simply shook his head at her tactics.
'Don't worry Mine. You can not do it though you think that you can. I would not even let you do so if you could.'
She smiled at his answer.
He was correct alright.
He had indeed understood her subtle eye gesture well enough.
She had thought of wether to simply harm him with her spear during the friendly spar.
Well, he was correct because she really could not kill him during the spar like he had said.
This was because his people would have her dead the moment that she tried to harm him.
Also, though she could think to do such, she was sure she could not actually do it if a chance came.
She was not a killer.
Her soft heart will cause her to hesitate if she tried.
This was unlike the time that she had woken and first wanted to be away from him.
But oh, he was so sure.
It was his confidence that made her want to attempt it.
"So, shall we spar?' he said to her with a knowing look.
She simply nodded at him without any grievance.
'What weapon do you want?" She began to say and stopped.
He raised a questioning brow.
"Wait, don't answer that! You will use a spear too since I am using one,' she stated in a matter of fact way. 'Vura shall get you one."
Before he could even speak, Vura stepped forward with a bow.
'Yes My Lady,' Vura answered and went to do so.
He simply stared unable to say a word to her, just watching.
Vura was back in a breath with a spear that she handed the spear to her mistress who in turn offered it to the emperor.
He stared down at the offered weapon with a sigh.
'Well, I do not actually need a weapon," he pointed out.
Rose gave him a dirty look.
"It will only make taking you on three times easier,' he concluded.
Something hot instantly bubbled up inside of her.
She recognized it as anger the moment the urge to hit him with the spear possessed her.
"You should know."
She nearly hit him then.
'Do not talk trash-' she reprimanded him sternly.
Now, her comments surprised most of the spectators who were gathered round.
This statement drawing murmurs from all directions.
'-and just take the spear,' she finished.
'Yes My Lady,' he said jocosely with a slight bow.
She flushed at the joke, assuming that it was to remind her of his status as the great emperor of Linamine.
Well, as if that bothered her.
'Take the spear then,' she told him in a more polite tone.
He chuckled softly, his eyes shining mischievously.
He stepped forward and took the spear that Vura had brought.
Now, everyone on the large training ground stopped whatever they were doing.
The entirety came to watch their Emperor spar with a woman.
The question "Who is she?" was the only thing that lingered on in their minds respectively.
'Who shall attack first Warrior Rose?' He asked her.
He was testing the waters.
'Shall I do so?' he asked her again when she said nothing.
But, she had only just stopped to ponder on the better option.
And idea crossed his head and he decided to take her off guard.
Then, he attacked her.
Her eyes widened in surprise as he began to come towards her with lightning speed.
But she met his attack swiftly, defending herself properly.
'Cheat!' she sneered as they stepped back, going in circles.
He only chuckled at her anger because he had well expected her to defend the attack.
Her speed pleased him.
Her sparring skills were nowhere even near rusty.
"I was still pondering on your question," she added, tamping.
'I didn't cheat. You just took too long to make a choice,' he simply told her with a small shrug.
The gesture made his shoulders shake in an attractive way.
'You did it on purpose you liar,' she accused him.
He chuckled again.
Now, he was quietly infuriating her with his actions.
She didn't mind because she would most definitely teach him a hard lesson soon enough.
'Shall I attack again Warrior Rose?' he asked her.
His brows rose on his forehead.
"Or shall you-'
This time, she was the one who took him by surprise.
She attacked him brutally without waiting for his attack.
He almost didn't even see her coming like he had anticipation.
But he was prepared.
He dodged and re-attacked.
And so the main spar began.
They went on and on for a while, about thirty minutes.
They were attacking and defending, fiercely, unwilling to succumb to the other.
They played jam and hit with their spears.
They were concentrating yet enjoying the weapon dialogue that they were having.
She brought on a slight attack with a smirk on her face.
But, he put on a feint as a defense, momentarily fooling her.
But when she realized that, it was a little too late.
She could not stop his incoming attack that instantly disarmed her of her spear.
The emotion took her off guard and she thought quickly.
But before he could point his weapon at her, she spoke out loud.
'Halt!' she said to him.
...OmaPhinaPhire