Rise of Athena

Chapter 28

The entire assembly of cowards went quite, an outsider was voicing out crucial problems they were too scared to admit.
"You really don't know when to stop do you?" Damien started to walk towards him. Were you no a guest here I would have severed your head before the echoes of your words died down.
One more foot out of turn and your existence will cease to be a problem."
"Damien, calm yourself." Athena surprised everyone with her calm demeanor. "As you have mentioned, Alex is guest here, we and we do not sever the heads of our guest no matter how tempting it maybe, rather we hear them out and listen to the reason behind false accusations." She turned her head to Alex as she said the last words.
"During my search for the traitor amongst us I realised that perhaps the person's anger might have been justified."

"Are you on the side of treason?"
Damien was determined to get Alex out of the way.
"I am of the side of justice and truth."
"So who is unjust and a liar then? You dare call the Alpha a liar?"
"I call her stubborn and in need of guidance not a liar."
"There truly is no limit to your audacity."
"Yes, as we have established several times."
"Its your limit I have questioned."
Tomato tomato, tomato tomat-"
"Potato potato, potato potato." Athena finished with a smile. "The phrases confused me as much as they intrigued me in my childhood. I guess I now know the meaning."
"Glad to serve as an eye opener."
"I will tell you this, I do not like your

insolence, whatever hierarchy you are used to back where you are from discard it, when you are Rome you act as the Romans, know your place."
"And where is that? In the stables with the horses failing my people by ignoring my duty or cowering behind your skirts like Damien."
"How dare you?" Damien roared and pulled out a sword and ran towards Alex, he quickly snatched one of the spears from the guards to block the attack but not return it.
"In my presence?" Athena's eyes blared with rage and Damien's hand stilled. "You dare disobey my clearly spoken order?" He lowered his weapon and Alex did the same. "Have you perhaps forgotten the punishment for sedition?" Damien's weapon clattered to the floor.
"I should throw both of you- status regardless- into a small dungeon so that you will learn to treat what is

important at what time is important and not pick fights with each other thereby making fools of yourselves."
TIThat will not be necessary. My apologies." Damien fell on one knee with a fist across his chest and the other behind him.
Alex did not mimick the submissive position, he instead walked forward to Athena.
"IYou are what is important, I tell you this because I don't want you harmed.
Even if one of us takes down this killer there will be more."
"One of you? This competition of yours how long do you plan to stretch it for?"
"His head will roll before you in less than a fortnight." Alex vowed.
W'A week. One week and you no longer have to watch your back." Damien stood up to stand closer to her.
"Bold of you both to think I need protection. But i admit to being curious

about how this will unfold, maybe we should invite other young men to make things more interesting." She was making a mockery of them. Alex was tempted to make her submit to him there and then. It seems there was a limit his ego could take afterall.
"Regarding your concern for the kingdom and my stubbornness, who do you propose is able to guide me to the path of righteousness. The decrepit Beta? Or perhaps you plan to volunteer your humble self?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
lIThe latter."
"Of course."
"My place is beside you, being a part of of this pack's authority until the proclaimed time."
'I haven't forgotten, rather it seemed that you were occupied with chasing dreams instead."
He looked at her and smiled.

"I can't say the dream isn't worth it."
水*水
With half the pack as suspects he was meant to find a killer in a week. If he hadn't hated Damien before he definitely did now.
He looked to the time piece on the wall of his new room. She had heeded and taken him out of the servants quarters.
It was almost seven pm. After the days event he wasn't sure she would welcome him. But then again she had never really welcomed him with anything but sharp words and objects.
But she had a heart and he knew it, he saw a glimpse of it when she sent a physician to tend to his wounds after he had left his room.
****
"That is quite a ghastly sight, if you don't do something about it quickly it will fester. Lucky for you I'm here to fix you up."

The funny looking man began to spread out his equipment on a small table.
"I did not send for you, who did?"
"The Alpha, she told me to treat it urgently and thank God I did, she wasn't exaggerating like I thought she.might have been, you know how women can be sometimes with the theatrics, one time a woman came to me in tears. I asked what the matter was and this woman, she told me her husband was on the very bring of death I left my poor week old puppy at home to fend for himself and rushed to what I thought would be the death bed bf her husband but there was no bed at all, her husband was on the field farming! I said to her, 'woman what is this? You said he was barely breathing.
\ Just because her husband didn't wake as early as she did that day she assumed he was dying and my poor little doggy fell in to the stream near my house and drowned- after that incident I rarely take women se-."
"Stop."
"Sorry, I have bored you with my takes of woe, I'm a bit of a talkative you see?
"Not that. Actually that too but I was talking about the treatment. Don't treat my hand."