"Nyra, have any of your Glaux-damn blasted soldiers got anywhere in this search? We are wasting time in searching for it rather than finding a way to take over the world." The Striga asks
"Elanore hasn't informed me of anything yet. Where the hell is she?" I reply
What is taking that child so long? We have told her to pass on orders and to collect any Intel. She finally arrives five minutes later. What could have taken that long? Striga and I give her death stares. We are as impatient as each other when it comes to Elanore and her time wasting. I see that her scarf is a bit lopsided and I fix it before going to sit back down. I think some soldier was being cocky to her and she had to beat the bastard.
"Go any slower, Elanore?" I sarcastically ask
"I am sorry, my lady. Here is something that will make you happy: Coryn is hiding away with Soren and Princess Liana in the Ga'Hoole Library." She replies
"Perfect. That would be three less owls to worry about. Besides, Soren would inherit the damn thing because he is related to that dumbass. Josh would kill him." I exclaim with happiness "How many kingdoms are down?" I ask
"Three complete, three to go, my lady. We have done Tyto, Northern and Middle Kingdoms. We have not found the ember yet." She replies
"Going according to plan?" The Striga asks
"Yes. Now, let's move to the next phase. I am planning assassinations and two coups. With Coryn almost being ripped to shreds, Josh going to rip him to shreds and Liana not in Middle. Zeke and Lydea will fall before the might of the Pure Ones." I reply
Meanwhile, in Ga'Hoole, the situation is more intense. Josh is looking everywhere for Coryn and he searches practically everywhere. Since scaring Coryn out of his study, he is looking for where he has been hiding. He is looking all over the tree and has neglected to go to the library. Meanwhile, Coryn is hiding in the library, as he paces. Liana is sleeping on a pile of straw and other soft things that they had managed to get together and Soren is guarding them both. She ended up lying down because she sort of had fainted after seeing the massive bruise on Coryn. Coryn is lacking sleep and is becoming more and more stressed from the pressure upon his shoulders
"Coryn, I think you should get some sleep." Soren suggests, "You are stressed as you are tired and haven't slept in at least a night. I know you want to think things though and to protect Liana, but you need your rest. If Liana wasn't asleep, she would tell you the same."
"I can't. I am trying to stay alive and protect Liana. I have no intension of sleeping until I know things are ok." Coryn replies while pacing
It will come to a point where I will be killed for being a "usurper". Josh doesn't understand what violence is doing to the unity of The Great Ga'Hoole Tree. He doesn't understand anything. He is following his anger and not thinking at all. Jumping into conclusions in a sheer second. The tree is being torn apart as everyone is against each other. It is Ga'Hoolian Disunity; Friends against friends, families that will eventually will lose a member or two from the fights. It is lucky that no one has been killed from the fighting. Sure, there are a few injuries from fighting in the streets, but they will heal over time.
I want Liana to be safe, because we don't know what is going on or why it is taking so long for the reply from her father about moving the ember. I wonder what King Zeke has against Liana to reprimand her as a child. That is plain mean. I am getting crabby with the lack of sleep. Might need to go to bed soon. I also want to keep her safe, as I do love her. I just don't know when to tell her that. I am hesitant to lie down with her. I just don't know why.
"I know you want to protect her. You love her." Soren says in understanding
I don't know what to say. I do not think he is insulting me this time.
"Are you mocking me?" I ask
"No, nephew. I am sorry for yelling at you earlier." He says
"Well… you were making fun of me." I reply
"Coryn, it was a bit of joshing. I guess Nyra never took lightly to anyone calling you names or playing around like that." He explains
"She never did. I would be secluded away from the others when they were playing around." I reply
"Rather ignore her, besides, you have a lot of friends now. Liana is one of them." He smiles
It just goes to silence as I look at Liana. She is peacefully sleeping… well after fainting… and by the smile she has on her face, she is having sweet dreams. I love how cute her smile is. She is always happy with that smile. I had never seen her sad before. I would never want to see her frown or have a tear come to her emerald green eye.
"I just love Liana so much. I don't know when to tell her." I mention
"The time will come, Coryn. Whenever that is, you and Liana will be happy. I know she might be thinking about you also. She has a funny mannerism when she is around you." He replies
"You think so?" I ask
"Would I lie?" He replies
"Maybe to aunt Pelli. You said that you were looking for a scarf for Blythe and you were playing chess with aunt Eglantine's fiancé, Dylan." I reply with a scoff
"He was beating me and that was it." He whines before clearing his throat "Besides, I did give Blythe her scarf and took her to choir practice."
"Keep dreaming, uncle. Keep dreaming." I roll my eyes
"Why don't you just go to sleep? Liana wouldn't mind you lying beside her." He replies
I just do what I say, because I think I annoyed him. Sorry uncle Soren. I just lie beside Liana. She is so peaceful until something disturbs her and she wakes up. She notices me.
She does a delicate yawn before she softly asks, "What time is it?"
"Around 2 in the afternoon." I reply
"You going to sleep?" She asks
"Yeah. I am getting cranky." I reply
"I just woke up, I think." She smiles
She rolls over and I can see that she is cold. Soren is giving me a look. I can't tell what he means by this one. I know… I get up and use one of the secret passages to get into the palace. Barran put them in when she needed a quick way to the library. I come into my room and then go into a closet. I then return and place a small blanket on Liana. She smiles and blushes at the notion. Uncle was right, she might like me back. I just fall asleep anyway.
After a few hours, I hear a noise that perturbs me from my sleep. It is just before dusk and I think I know what that is. Josh. We are looking around to see a shadow passing the barricades. Soren stands in front of me as the barricades come off the entrances and Josh comes in with a ferocious charge of strength. He lurches toward me and Soren tries to take him on. They spar a bit and my uncle is thrown aside like a doll. Landing against the library wall with a crash, rendering him unconscious. He pins me down and I am trying to get free.
"Don't try!" He says with a sinister chuckle (What have I don't to him?!) "Guess what. I am an honourable opponent, studied in the basis of the art of war; you have 12 hours to stand down. But, first. I deserve a little revenge from earlier." He then extends his talons and places them poised to strike at any moment. He then has a sickening evil smirk on his face with pure rage in his eyes "What you did really hurt, Coryn. You don't realise how much of a fighter I am. I have fought against Pure Ones several times and now, I am going to show you how much power I really have."
I close my eyes and pray to Glaux. I don't want him to take that too far and to stab me in the gizzard and kill me. Or worse… Pull out my heart and rip me clean open in front of Liana. I would imagine screaming in horror before he could kill her too… if he is that dark… I hear a loud screech and then I look. Josh was knocked off me. I see who did that and it is Liana. She is standing in front of me and she is in battle stance.
"Well, well. Looks like you have one hagsmire of a female on your hands." He darkly comments
"I am more than a woman. I am Liana Cyorts. Daughter of Zekery-Zayin Cyorts." She replies with confidence
"Liana Cyorts, eh? A fine piece of female shouldn't be hanging with the condemned." He replies
She then starts to fight him. He doesn't go easy on her because she is ladylike. What have I done to Josh? Holy racdrops! I have unleashed his dark side. Racdrops… He throws her to the ground and she doesn't hesitate to hit him where it hurts. Her father taught her well, he trained her after some crud threw down in some sort of thing ages ago. He then gives up and leaves. She goes up to the door and she is still rearing to have a fight.
"Get lost, Josh! No one messes with my friend and gets away with it." She yells out the entrance with her fury exploding
"You saved me, again." I say as I join her
She is still riled up before she looks towards me and screams. I don't know what she did that for, but I see it for myself.
"Oh my Glaux! Coryn, you are bleeding!" She screams in shock
I look down and there are three talon marks on my chest, they are spilling out blood. She starts freaking out and tells me to lie down as she gets the Medical Chaw. I can tell she is worried sick for me now. How the hagsmire did I get them when Josh didn't even lay a talon on me? Soren is still unconscious and remains by the library wall. Liana returns and she is still freaking out. They apply bandage to it for now and place me in a basket. I look and see she has tears coming to her dark green eyes. She is worried sick for me and had never seen this sort of wound before
They take Coryn to the hospital and I am scared. What if they wounds were deep enough to make him bleed to death? I just don't know what to do. I just don't know. I am freaking out. What if Josh did some damage to something important. Oh my Glaux! I am just so scared. Soren wakes up a half of an hour later and comforts me as I tell him what happened to his nephew. He says that Coryn is a fighter and I know he is right. We end up going to the hospital. We are waiting for the news. They said that he had to be sedated… or was it that he passed out… so he can have stiches done. I am just trying to calm down.
I care about Coryn so much. I mean, I am head over and I have been like this for a while. Sometimes, I just want to tell him, but I am afraid he will turn me down. I mean, I have dated before, with a friend I had since I was an owlet, but we had broken up before I met Coryn. I am not that gaga, but I… I don't know what to say really. He cares so much about me and I think he is just so awesome and stuff… Any girl would want to be his mate. I wouldn't think of myself as one of those girls who would desire to become his mate, but I would like to date him at least. I know that someday, I might be married with my friend from childhood.
Coryn's cousins have come to see what is going on. Soren and Pellimore's daughters are the nicest girls I have ever met. They are at least 9 years younger than Coryn and treat me like I am their sister. Blythe is giving me a manicure, Sebastina is dressing me in so many scarves and finally, little Bell and I are playing tea party. All of this outside of Coryn's hospital room. Later, Pellimore takes them home to go to bed and it is just Soren and I. Then the doctor comes out and I brace for the worst. By this time, Soren had fallen asleep, possibly from staying up all night and day and it is just me up at this time.
The doctor takes a bow and then says "They are just only minor cuts. They did need some stiches, but they didn't go deep enough to cause any damage. He will be fine, Princess Liana."
I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, he is ok and I ask, "Can I so see him?"
"Yes, your grace." The doctor replies
"Thank you." I say before entering
I brace myself for what I would see. It wouldn't be bad, since they would have to cover the stiches in bandage and stuff, but that is beside the point. Coryn is sleeping and I come by his side. He is just so in peace when he is asleep. There are bandage over the cuts and it isn't as bad as I think. Coryn slowly wakes up and I am standing by his side with a smile.
"Wake up, sleepyhead." I say before giggling
"Hello." He sleepily says returning a smile
"How are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?" I ask
"I guess so." He replies before yawning, "I thought that you'd be asleep by now? Where's Soren?"
"Soren is ok. He fell asleep about an hour ago." I reply "You have three hours left before you have to either Surrender or die. What will we do?"
"There has to be a way to stop him." Coryn replies as he tries to get up and strains himself.
"Stay in bed. Soren and I will find a way around it, once he gets up." I say before giving him a kiss on the cheek.
I blush as he is shocked to realise that I gave him a peck on the cheek. Soren comes in and comes to see his nephew by the bedside also. They look quite alike, but Coryn has scar on his face. He told me that his mum gave him that one that is across his eye. By the time he notices, Coryn started blushing also. Soren does not know what is going on and he laughs when he sees us blushing.
"Did you just… Your faces are so red and… It is like you just made yourselves turn into…" He says while laughing
"What are you laughing for?!" Coryn asks, a little peeved off
"I'm sorry. Just can't help but laugh." Soren says
"King Coryn, Princess Liana, Lord Soren. We have some news of the Pure Ones." The head guard says interrupting us
"Let me guess. It cannot wait? What is so urgent that it has to be right now?" I ask, a tad peeved myself
"No, Princess Liana. It cannot wait." The guard replies
"So, what is it? Unless it is Josh and his new dark persona, I will deal with that later." Soren asks
"Nyra has not given up her search. She is getting closer and closer and we fear she will not stop until she finds it." The guard informs us
"What do we do, Coryn? If Nyra finds it, game over. Some badass sprinked up stuff will go on and I don't want see any of that." I ask
"We have to deal with Josh first. I know this a matter of national security, but the violence has to stop before we have to deal with her. Nyra will not find it anyway. She is the stupidest owl there is, anyway. I mean, she had lost her touch over the years. Besides, we still have hope of your father accepting, Liana." Coryn says
"I know, but…" I start
"Liana Cyorts, I suggest that you listen to him." Soren says
"JUST LISTEN TO ME!" I scream. A silence comes onto the room and they all look at me expectantly "I don't know what is going on and my father sent me away for a reason. I don't care what anything you say, but I know my father and he is up to something. He might say the one word."
"I think you might need to go to bed." Soren says "If such an outburst and such a fighter of your calibre is yelling like that, I think one shall go to bed."
"I am sorry, Lord Soren. I have been up all day and…" I start to explain
"You're fine. I know you have stayed up. I thank you for caring, Liana. I hope my uncle can apologise for such words…" Coryn smiles and gestures toward Soren
"Sorry, Princess Liana." Soren says
"I think you might have to go to bed now." Coryn says
"You are right. I am going to lie down. I'll be back soon. Bye, Coryn." I say before another kiss on the cheek.
"Is there something going on…?" Soren asks
"NO! We were just… Why would you think…?" We yell professionally and awkwardly
I end up going off. I can't believe that I kissed Coryn on the cheek… Oh my Glaux…