THE BLOOD ROYALS Book 2: Long Live The Queen!

Chapter Thirty Eight: The News

Author's POV
Tucked away in the dark basement of the infamous symbol of punishment that every subject of Chea Niva dreads, a distraught woman worried about the whereabouts of her son is pacing in the dimly lit 6ft by 6ft cell. Little light from the setting sun is sipping in through the narrow frosted window -with metal bars running across it on the outside- giving her a view of the rough filthy walls of her cell. Former inhabitants of this cell have marked the walls not just with obscenities against the crown but with numbers, counting down each passing day they spent in the cell.

Winter's idea of passing the time is a rigorous exercise routine  of press ups, planks until her body trembles violently and shadowboxing with her ex lover as the imaginary target. Many are the days she has won the imaginary fight against her ex lover who always suffers a total KO.

She can't help but think of the time she had an opportunity to fight the king. It was a day like any other on the Iron Army base. Winter was going about her usual duties when her commanding officer asked her if she wanted to do something fun. Being her adventurous self, she agreed and she walked into the mess hall where most of the indoor drills are carried out. She saw a group of screaming and cheering women, something uncharacteristic about the base. Donned in a yellow t-shirt and army cargo pants with black boots, she made her way through the crowd and saw a shirtless man fighting three women.

As expected of human instinct to notice the physical attributes of the other, she really noticed the King before she had time to wonder why he is at the base participating in a common practice of the Iron Army, hand to hand fighting with the aim of practicing their fighting skills.

He did defeat the three women and he wasn't pulling his punches.

"Come on! Challenge me!" Cathan demanded with his blue eyes scanning his audience. He paid attention to Winter after her commanding officer gave her a nudge forward. Winter was after all the only one to consistently top the lists where practicing hand to hand combat cane up. She had horrible aim when shooting but she never lost combat. "What's your name?"

"Taof." She never calls herself Winter. Deep inside she has always carried her family name with pride even if her family felt she shouldn't because if the disdain they feel towards her.

"First name?" Cathan asked while approaching him.

All Winter could see was the sweat trickling down his firm chest to the tight abs packed on his torso. The tall and dangerously handsome king stopped a few inches shy holding the gaze of the curious young woman.

"Winter." She answered.

He chuckled and stepped back. "Well Winter, do you want to pick team mates?" He asked. "Whatever number. I'm in the mood for a good challenge."

"No team mates." She answered confidently.

Winter had observed long enough to see that the problem with her fellow soldiers was their weakened state because this man is not just the Supreme Commander but he's oozing of a paralyzing sex appeal. She decided it won't inhibit her from winning. She is after all the best.

"Then get over here... and challenge me." He spoke in a teasing way.

That was Cathan's way of completely disarming female competition. He had a way with words and body language that lowered any defenses. But Winter Taof being strong willed and determined to prove she is not a victim of the King's sex appeal faced off with one of the mightiest men in Chea Niva. After being out down repeatedly, she kept on refusing to tap out each time. Blood or sweat, she was determined to prove that she can beat him.

Cathan was impressed. He let her win and he sold his defeat well when he struggled to get up after his defeat. Winter felt he has let her win and that is when he began to sip into her veins. He began ti weaken her walls with each encounter until she was the one chasing after him and Cathan liked that.