The Cascading Effect

Hello, Stranger

"So who am I fighting anyway?" Tessa finally harnessed the courage to ask probably the most important question she was ever going to encounter in this lifetime.

"Me." Said a voice from behind, right in her ear.

She felt shivers run down her body.

She slowly turned around and sucked in a deep breath. Eyes wide.

How?
How was this possible?
____________________________________

"You seem familiar. Have we met before? Or perhaps it's just the fact that you're the first person from the other side that I've seen in ages which is making me feel this way." Said the man- the King, as he closely scrutinised her.

"You seem a little familiar too." Tessa knew almost exactly who he was. At least who the physical body the man possessed, belonged to. But she needed to be sure. It had been a long time since she had last met the guy she thought he was and it wouldn't be wise for her to let her guard down in such a situation.

"Huh? Interesting. I don't know how I'd feel about fighting a familiar face. And such a pretty one at that." He sighed.

......What was this? Flirting with the prey? Tessa felt like one of  those penguins in the penguin documentary she had seen in which the seals would flirt with the penguins and then kill them.

"Can't we solve this like normal, civil people? I truly have no interest in becoming a ruler or any politics of that sort. If you could just tell me how to go back, I'll be well on my way." Tessa tried.

"That would make life easier for the both of us but alas, there really is no way to go back. Now I could just let you be because that pretty face surely wouldn't do any harm *wink* but the laws state otherwise and the rule of law prevails. Truly, the crown is powerless when faced a choice between beauty and duty." Even though he said it all in jest, Tessa had a feeling that he truly did feel troubled about the situation. Perhaps he was a decent man. Perhaps he still was the same boy she knew 7 years back.

"Can't you amend the law? I swear to everything that is good on this earth, that, I will never do anything which may cause harm to this.. this dwelling of yours. I will spend my days looking for a way to go back and not disturb or interfere in anybody's business." Theresa pleaded.

The man took a quick glance in everybody's direction. They will not be happy about this, he mused.

His eyes met old man Guoshi's eyes. The old man Guoshi knew him the best. The old man knew that as strong as he maybe physically, he wasn't capable of actually killing somebody in cold blood.

"Well.." the King started.

"No. You cannot stay here." The old man Guoshi said firmly, interrupting the King mid sentence.

"Then, Guoshi, do you propose I actually fight with this... girl?" The King inquired.

Tessa did not like how he said 'girl' with such disdain. Tessa definitely had better odds at surviving this than any of the guys she knew. But now was probably not the best time to bring this up. The weaker they think she is, the better.

"That's upto the lady. She can choose to flee as well." Guoshi replied.

"But either way I die right?" Tessa argued. This f*cktard Guoshi. What the hell was a Guoshi anyway? A fancy word for old and heartless?!

"Unless..unless I can arrange for you to move to the other kingdom. Guoshi, we can do that right? We don't need to follow the law word by word." The King suggested.

The power dynamics were quite strange, Tessa observed. The king was definitely very respected which she gathered from the stark silence the crowd now maintained in his presence and did not when Guoshi was present but in the actual decision making, the Guoshi seems to be at the top of the pyramid.
Or maybe he is like the judiciary? Holding paramount jurisdiction over matters dealing with their law.

Why Tessa was here, deliberating on their political system, when her life was hanging by a loose thread, was beyond her.

"No. Follow it word by word. No exceptions." Guoshi stubbornly held his ground as the ground beneath Tessa seemed to shake and her knees felt weaker.

Before meeting the King, she had made her peace with the idea of dying but now with this extended conversation, she had thought that there might be hope. Yet things hadn't since progressed in the direction she wanted them to.
She still had her trump card though. She could only hope her memory and luck were on her side. Just this once! Please!

"Guoshi, then I guess I am left with no choice. Miss, do you wish to fight or flight?" He finally asked, resigned.

"Neither." Tessa replied. She was playing a risky game and could only hope it would work.

"Miss-" he began.

"Theresa.At least know the name of the person you are bent on killing." She snapped. He frowned a little as she mentioned her name. Tessa hoped the frown meant what she thought it meant.

"Miss Theresa. As much as I detest the idea of  hurting a scintillating beauty such as yours, you see, I am left with little choice. Yet, if you choose to-"

"Nate. Do you really not recognise me?" Tessa finally asked.

Now it was the King's turn to feel the shock.

Hi everybody! Short chapter, I know but I like to end at dramatic points. I hate it when other authors do this but I kinda do get why they do it.

Anyway, please Vote and Support 💮

Until next time
XOXO