IMPRESS. [Book 1]

Chapter Fifty-Four: The Deadly Stage 4

IMPRESS.

Chapter Fifty-Four: Deadly Stage 4

[A/N: sorry for any mistakes I will fix them later and warning: a lot of pov switching between Cathryn and Natalya so bare with it]

...

[ Monday... ]

Cathryn's POV~

"You miss her, don't you? You miss being her mentor and getting to know her..." I leant across the table, reading my brother's eyes as he pushed a black chess piece forward.

He was playing against me but I had given up once my first white piece was taken from the board, I hate losing.

"Continue," Xander simply said whilst stroking his chin, wondering which white piece on the board to move.

I sucked my cheeks in and squinted my eyes in order to read him further, "you want her back but something is holding you back... What is it?"

As he reached over the board to move  a white piece forward he chuckled, "time," he stated, "good things come to those who wait."

"Yes but if you wait too long someone else may steal away the thing you have waited so long for," I reminded him and he lifted his head thoughtfully, registering my words.

The door to the discussion room we were seated in opened and in came my other brother, popularly known as the future king of Asten, Prince Zachary.

"Goodmorning, sleep well?" I enthusiastically greeted.

"How can one sleep well after the witch attacks of yesterday, everywhere I go I feel paranoia," Zac lifted a lonely glass of blood I had poured and left on the nearby table not long ago.

I pouted standing from my seat and gesturing that he take it instead. And as he approached me I held onto his shoulders and squeezed reassuringly.

"There is no need to feel paranoid," I soothed pushing him down to the seat, "all you have to worry about for today is the next stage of IMPRESS and your future Queen."

Zac sighed leaning away from me and towards Xander who was occupied with his board game, "why are you so quiet this morning?"

"Define quiet," Xander blankly challenged and I rolled my eyes, moving over to stand by Xander, leaning against his chair.

"Alexander is playing the waiting game," I folded my arms and smiled knowingly in which Zac rose his eyebrow up.

"Waiting game?" He thought aloud, "ahhhhh I see... my own brother is waiting to come to the Natalya Ascelyn's rescue when I screw up again."

Xander shook his finger in the air responding, "bingo."

When Zac grumbled in objection of any games being played by his brother that involved Natalya, Xander finally stopped focusing his attention on the game board, "between us, I was first to show a liking in Natalya and therefore, I shall wait for her to be ready for me as I am."

"Then I guess we are both playing the same game, I may not have given her the best of treatment in the past but the present is all that matters right now, Natalya will be mine soon..." Zac shrugged sending a challenging smirk to Xander who clenched his fist.

Alexander abruptly stood up fixing his collar and narrowed his eyes at Zac, "game on brother, game on."

Meanwhile...

Natalya's POV~

I buried my head in my hands, sat at the edge of my bed trying to comprehend my absurd life.