Heart of Darkness

Roxana looked ahead at the castle. What was she doing still not having found an item to steal. She was letting herself get distracted and lose focus of her goal. That sinfully beautiful King was making her have sinister thoughts that somehow kept her awake at night.

Desires they say? She couldn't afford desire.

Straightening herself she went inside. Today she would have to do something about her bullies or perhaps Sir Fulker himself. Or maybe she could use Lord Quintus. Whatever she needed to do, she would have to wait and see.

Going to the defense quarters, she prepared her defenses. "Good morning, Sir Fulker." She greeted.

"Rox!" He shouted. "I hope you haven't been slacking during your night shift. I will be harder on you today. Especially since you will be Your Majesty's guard." He regarded her critically. "I don't know what charms you have used to get that position but I have my eyes on you young man."

Well, he wasn't one easily fooled. She liked him. This man she would have to win in some other way than charm.

"Sir Fulker. I want to be the best of all. People mock me for my size so I want to do my best. I want to be a skilled swordsman."

"You need to be a man first." He told her.

"Yes, Sir." She shouted the way he did and stood straight.

"Good. I have decided that we will have battles today. Fighting until one wins."

Oh, Lord! She didn't come here to break a few bones or lose some teeth. A good smile was important for her survival.

"When you have bullies, one way to stop them is to evoke fear in them. You beat one person, the strongest of them and the rest will stay away." He told her.

Oh. So he was on her side? I like you, furious Fulker. Except fighting the strongest of them… did he want her to die? Or did he just have too much fate in her? She hoped for the latter.

"Now, prepare yourself and be a man!" He said.

*************

"Your Majesty, I need a word," Lazarus interrupted Skender who spoke to a few courtiers. "It is important."

Skender gave him a nod and finished quickly with the courtiers before turning his attention to Lazarus. Lazarus led him away as if he was about to tell him a secret.

"What are you doing?" Skender asked. He had that mischievous look and Skender didn't want to hear his thoughts because once he began it was hard to stop.

"We are going to watch a fight."

"It is not time for that," Skender said.

"Oh, you don't want to miss this one. Rox the rock will fight with a bigger rock."

Skender frowned. Why? He didn't like hearing this. Nor did he care?

"I don't want to watch." He said.

"Alright then. I am going alone to see one of them getting beaten up." He shrugged and began to walk away.

Skender sighed frustrated and followed him. They came across Acheron and William who decided to join them.

"Your Majesty," Sir Fulker looked surprised upon their arrival.

"What is happening?" Skender asked.

"I am testing these young boys. Giving them something to be passionate about and fight for. Are you here to watch, Your Majesty. I am sure your presence will lift their spirit."

"His Majesty is here to watch," Lazarus replied instead of him.

Fulker turned to the boys. "Bring chairs to His Majesty and the Lords." He ordered.

Once they were seated under the terrace away from the sun, Skender looked around feeling uneasy. If she had passed the tests, he had no doubt she could do it but he doubted he could watch.

"This should be fun," Lazarus said.

Not the least, Skender thought.

The trainees came out of their barracks to the battlefield. In the crowd, Skender saw Roxana. She stood relaxed, not looking scared or bothered. You will win this, he heard her think.

"Alright. Attention! His Majesty, the king has honored us with his presence. Now show your best and don't embarrass me and yourselves." Sir Fulker told them.

Roxana turned her gaze, her eyes meeting his at the mention of his presence. For the first time, her gaze faltered and she looked away quickly. Why? Because of what happened during her nightshift? Why did he even say such things?

Lazarus stood up from his seat. "I would like to announce something." He called for attention. "His Majesty has decided to invite the winner to have a Royal lunch and dinner with him."

What? When did that happen?

The trainees were as surprised as him, but then they became excited.

Lazarus turned around and winked at him before sitting down.

"I hope you have a long life," Skender sent him a mental message.

"You have a way of cursing someone," Lazarus replied.

"A very long life," Skender added.

The fight began with Sir Fulker calling out a trainee. Then the trainee would choose his opponent. The one who won would fight the next one and so it would go one undefeated was left.

Ronny, a big man kept knocking out his opponents easily, winning time after time until only Roxana was left. He gave out an amused chuckle when he saw who was left, motioning with his hand for her to step forward and then showing that he would crush her.

Roxana stepped into the field and Skender could tell that she was nervous by the change of her heartbeat. But her face gave no hint of it.

In fact, her expression changed to something serious. Her eyes became sharp, her jaw clenched. Then she frowned and looked at her arms. She touched them to see if she had any muscle and then pretended to be sad. The crowd laughed. She was an entertainer.

"She is funny," Lazarus said leaning back to make himself more comfortable. All while Skender shifted with unease in his seat.

"He bullied her," Acheron said.

"So she wants to pay him back."

"I hope she can fight," William said concerned.

Skender looked at the man's fist. No matter how skilled she was, one miss and one punch would bruise her and hurt.

Roxana shrugged. She was playing a movie without speaking. I have no muscles but what can I do? She was saying.

The big man, Ronny stepped forward with a loud grunt to intimidate her but she remained unshaken.

Skender felt his heart race as he watched them prepare for the battle by choosing a weapon. Ronny picked a wooden sword and Roxana picked a wooden spear.

"Interesting," Lazarus nodded.

It was a good choice if she used it right. Since he was stronger than her, with a sword where she would mostly only have to use one arm she would be at a disadvantage.

Roxana stepped back into the circle again, rolling the spear in her hands and impressing the crowd. This infuriated Ronny who became eager to fight while she returned his fury with a taunting smile.

When Sir Fulker gave permission to start the fight, Skender tensed. Ronny quickly began to attack and Roxana stepped out of his way swiftly, time after time. Meanwhile, she put the spear between her back and elbows and Skender wondered what she was going to do until the next time she avoided his attack and landed behind him. She then turned around and used the force of her body to hit bottom with the spear causing him to fall forward.

The crowd laughed until Ronny looked up to threaten whoever laughed with his gaze.

"She knows her physics," Acheron said impressed.

Ronny rose and turned around with a growl to attack, letting his anger get the best out of him. Roxana cleared the way except for her feet which caused him to stumble and fall again.

Skender who was tense suddenly found himself relaxed and enjoying the fight. Especially since Roxana was putting on a show by pretending to be shocked by his fall and grimacing.

Acheron chuckled beside him. "She is something." He said.

Lazarus nodded in agreement.

"What are you watching?" Blayze suddenly joined and Rayven trailed behind.

"Join us," Lazarus said.

Blayze sat at the stairs beside them and Rayven remained standing, leaning against the wall behind them.

The crown laughed without fear this time. Ronny rose again, his eyes blazing with fury. He glared at Roxana. "I will break you in half, little boy." He promised.

This time, he learned from his mistakes and became more calculating despite his anger. He took his time to watch her before attempting to attack. He knew where she would move so he pretended that he would strike but then held back until she moved. Then he hit right for the first time, his sword clashing with her spear that she used to block his attack.

Skender tensed again, feeling the force of his blow that brought Roxana to her knees. She held on with all her strength as he pushed her down. Retreating just enough to make her shift, he landed his sword on her spear again, causing the wood to crack.

She was in trouble now.

The next time their weapons met, he broke her spear in two and damaged his sword.

Roxana dropped her spear that was broken in half and groaned in pain that shot through her hands and wrists. With a growl, Ronny threw away his broken weapon deciding to use his fists. He reached down and grabbed her ankle, dragging her on the floor.

"Oh no," Lazarus said.

Skender's hands clenched around the armrest. He was fighting the urge to stand up and tear that man into pieces.

What was wrong with him? Where did that thought even come from?

Roxana tried to kick his hand away from her ankle but to no avail. When he stopped his dragging and turned around she lifted herself up with her elbows and kicked him in the balls.

"Ouch," every man felt that pain that made Ronny groan loudly and grab his groin while Roxana crawled away.

Ronny didn't allow himself to recover. He hurried after her, walking like a crippled man. This was about his honor and he didn't want to lose to a little boy. He grabbed Roxana by the hair before she could get away and turned her head, just to punch her face.

Skender rose from his seat without realizing, his eyes fixated on Roxana who lay on the floor with her face hidden in her arms.

"Alright, Rox are you giving up now?" Sir Fulker interrupted knowing that must have hurt a lot.

Roxana remained hiding her face without a reply for a while but then she pushed herself up and turned around. Her cheek was red and blood colored her mouth. "No," she said.

This woman!

"Alright then. I will finish this for you." Ronny said grabbing her by the collar and lifting her up and above the ground.

Skender felt an itch that alarmed him. He was going to burn this place down soon and fly away with Roxana.

As Ronny lifted her up causing her legs to dangle above the floor she suddenly grabbed his arms, lifting herself up further and wrapping her legs around his neck. Then throwing herself back she used her weight to bring them down on the floor.

Ronny was surprised by the sudden maneuver and tried to remove her leg. But she grabbed him by the hair and did not only squeeze her legs around his neck but also used her weight to press down. That way he suffocated faster and panicked to free himself.

"Do you give up?" She asked him.

He struggled some more, unwilling to.

She squeezed harder, turning his face pale, and then he gave up. "Gi..give u..up," He chocked before he almost lost consciousness.

Roxana released him and he turned over, gasping for her. His face turned different shades as coughed and gasped.

"Well, then we have a winner." Sir Fulker said.

Roxana stood up and wiped the blood from her mouth as the crowd began to cheer for her victory. She adjusted her hair and then put on a charming smile and gave an elegant bow.

"Thank you, gentlemen." She said and then motioned for them to cheer louder. When they did, she chuckled and threw her hair back like a woman for a moment. Did she forget or was it a deliberate act, he wasn't sure. Either way, his itching self felt suddenly proud.

"You may sit down now, Your Majesty," Lazarus said tauntingly.

Sit? Skender looked around and remembered that he had stood up. The lords watched him amused as he sat down again.

Sir Fulker came forward and gave Roxana two hard slaps on the back. "Well done. As His Majesty declared, Rox will have a Royal lunch and dinner with His Majesty."

Another thing he had forgotten. Roxana glanced his way the same time he looked at her. Those beautiful yet mischievous eyes gave him so many mixed feelings. Heat, anger, frustration, admiration. He was lost in a bundle of emotions.

"You should probably clean up before having lunch with His Majesty," Sir Fulker spoke in hushed tones only for her to hear.

She nodded and went into one of the barracks.

A few of Ronny's friends helped him up while others chatted about the victory or were jealous of Roxana having a royal lunch AND dinner. Bloody Zarus. He was close to sending him to a far kingdom with a wave of his hand, which made him think he probably could right now.

The exploration of his powers, he could surely test on a few annoying subjects.

"Well well," Lazarus smirked turning around. "Enjoy your lunch with Roxana. You might want to attend to her wounds as well if not for your needs."

"There was a time I liked you," Skender said.

"I knew it. You always liked me. And now," He sighed with a romantic look on his face. "You love me."

Skender rose from his seat, the frustration getting to him, the itching returning.

"Just don't have her as lunch. Or maybe do," Acheron added.

"Or let her have the lunch and you could have her for dinner," Lazarus suggested.

All of them looked at him amused by the situation. Except for William whose face turned red from the conversation.

"Oh. William knows what kind of dinner I am talking about."

"Just be quiet," Rayven said.

"Well then, I am off to eat my lunch or dinner," Skender said leaving them behind.