" LONG MAY SHE REIGN ."
where in kingdoms exist gods and goddesses
and a tournament to prove their worth
but with lies , deceit and darkness lurking
can one really find true love ?
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"AGAIN," he heaved his sword up and charged towards his opponent.
His glistening sweat free falling off his forehead , suddenly obscuring his vision . His opponent took the opportunity of his temporary blindness and tried to knock him down . Yet he willed the wind to come forth and the sweat in his eye was gone as if it hadn't been there in the first place . Within the next second, he had his opponent pinned under him , the blade of his sword angled at his neck.
" Good try mate , but try harder ." He grinned and extended his hand towards his best friend , Lukas. Lukas went on about how he wanted another rematch but Dimitri wasn't having any of it . He was tired and he needed a good bath , food and sleep . Perfect.
He waved his hand in the air , signaling to Lukas that he was taking his leave , and was already half way up to his chambers when he spotted his younger brother , Mikolas , sitting on the stairwell .
Upon seeing him , Mikolas's eyes lit up and bounced with excitement into his arms. " Hey , D . I heard from a fellow birdy you are going to the God's tournament . Can I go too ? Puh-leese ."
He stared amusingly at his younger brother and ruffled his hair tenderly , before shaking his head as a response to Mikolas's question . Never has he seen someone so eager to participate in the God's tournament , most of the time they had no choice but to do so just as to uphold the dignity of their kingdom. After all , no one wants to be seen as a coward by the other kingdoms . It makes them seem fearful and vulnerable even.
He recalls the day his father summoned him to the hall. The atmosphere there was eerily ominous , but he payed no attention to it , thinking it's one of his father's rather foul moods again.
" Dimitri , " his father's voice was deafening above the silence in the hall . " You are expected to participate in this year's tournament , your elder sister renders incapable at this very moment ." The king glared disapprovingly at Iana , the first princess of the earth kingdom .
He allowed his glance to stray from his father's stern eyes to Iana's , noticing her now rounded belly sticking out her loose dress . Dimitri groaned under his breath , transfixing his accusatory eyes onto hers .
It wasn't that first time Iana Salvatore had gotten herself pregnant and it definitely will not be the last time. Just to make things clear , it's not that she goes around screwing a different man every year , her love is only for Henry Robertson . Yet she makes sure to get herself pregnant just before every single tournament so that she wouldn't have to participate . That cunning vixen .
He fights the urge to lunge and tackle his sister to the ground. He knows how perfectly capable she is despite her rounded tummy , and he knew how perfectly incapable he was. After all , she was the only shape shifter in their entire family line , and well he only has ordinary "earthy" powers . Not to mention he had just barely turned 18 , and they are already sending him to die . Great. Such cunts .
" Yes , father ." He bowed , trying to keep his emotions under control at the same time. He cannot let his fear get the better of him. He has to prove to everyone that he is fit to rule as the next king.
As he turned to return to his chambers , probably counting down the number of days to his death , he caught his sister's eyes . At that moment , Iana saw fear seep through the facade her brother tried to put up and mentally berated herself for being so selfish .
She had expected her father to send cousin kithos , after all he was of a more suitable age than Dimitri . And his brother, Kris , managed to get to the third round the previous tournament . That is before his head got severed off by the opponent the following round.
She winced at the memory and quickly pushed it away before the wave of nausea engulfs her again. Yet nothing was comparable to the guilt that was starting to eat her alive from the inside . She had just sacrifice her own brother's life for her own. A life for a life. Even if she were to live another day , the unbearable weight of the guilt would probably crush her to death first.
She stared helplessly at her brother's retreating figure and can only hope he is strong enough against the odds .
