Chapter 12 A new Challenge
Rath walk the whole morning around with a big smile on his face. His family was really worried about that. They hadn´t seen him so happy ever and especially not that earlier. It was just after breakfast and usually Rath was not a morning person. He was grumpy and snappish. He needed a few hours to act like a normal person. But this morning he floated all cheerful in the dining room and greeted his family. He even kissed his mother and his sister on their cheeks. Zan and Vilandra were a tad bit suspicious about Rath´ good mood. They thought he was a shapeshifter or possessed. But after awhile they notized the reason for the turnabout. Vilandra was the first who realised that Rath darted sneaking glances at Marianna. She on the other hand tried everything to avoid his glances. But everybody who made the effort to look closer would see how her cheeks would turn red everytime she felt Rath heated eyes on her. After that Zan notized the same, too. Within less than half an hour the whole family knew or in this case guessed what was happening between them both. Mael couldn´t think about a time when he saw his son so happy. He faced his wife and squeezed her hand lovingly. But he knew the look. It was the look of a man who fell in love. Abidale seemed to have the same thougth, because she smiled at her husband. Yeah their boy was slowly growing up. Too bad that Rath was betrothed to another woman. King Salem meanwhile observed Rath and Marianna silently. He was stunned about the display. They never spoke a word to each other, but the body language was loud and very clear. He turned to Vilandra to see how she reacted to this new development. After all she was Rath´ fiance. But she seemed to be happy about it. She didn´t care that her soon to be husband had feelings for another woman. But that didn´t matter. They both had a commitment to the royal crown. Maybe he should call a meeting with Mael and Abidale. They would discuss the new situation and decide what to do. And that was what the parents did at the moment behind the closed door of the conference room.
Meanwhile Vilandra and Ava were on their way to the local market. Zan was in the library to read a book about his upcoming duties as king. And Rath was on his way to his daily exercise with the other soldiers. Today they would train with boring sticks. That would be a day with no action. But as he stepped in the training room he changed his mind. Immediately he went to the new arrival. It was not difficult to see that there was a new soldier under the group. Firstly every soldier starred a little bit stunned and secondly she was the only female in this room.
" What are you doing here?", he eyed the black clothes which clung to her body like a second skin. She looked so damn fable at the moment.
" I want to exercise like the rest of you", Marianna didn´t understand why he asked such a stupid question. What did it look like she was doing here? Bake cookies?
" You do know that you´re the only female in this room", Rath was not sure if this was such a great idea. She was so small and petite and the men were tall and strong. He didn´t want that she got hurt.
Marianna rolled her eyes. What did he try to tell her? She knew that she was the only person in this room with boobs." Thank you. And I thought that their were really ugly women". She slapped a hand at her forehead for emphasis.
" Don´t get sarcastic with me. I´m only looking out for you", Rath couldn´t believe how long the truce lasted. They survived the night and part of the morning without a fight. And now there were back to bitching.
Marianna knew that. But she was not a weakly little girl that needed a bodyguard. She survived worse things in her life. " I´m sorry. I appreciate that. But I think I can handle it", then she added to calm Rath." And if I don´t, I quit. Alright?".
Before Rath could give his approval, the replacement for his fathers job interrupted them both. He was usually the highest of the guards. But if Mael had something important to do he covered for him. He was really rude and had his firm principles. But he was the best man when it comes to defending and how to handle a bad situation.
" I´m sorry miss, but I think you´re in the wrong room", he knew the stories about her. But he couldn´t use a distraction in his exercise. Not that he was against women, but he knew that she wouldn´t make it through the training. Women didn´t have the strength.
" No sir, I think not", she wouldn´t budge from her spot. If he wanted her gone he had to remove her himself.
" That´s not a tea party here, missy!".
Marianna wanted to blast the damn bastard into the next millenium. But Rath jumped in between to prevent that something bad happened. " Nolak it´s alright. My father allowed it".
" Is that true", Nolak decided to speak with Mael later on. He didn´t trust that girl. She was trouble." Fine, but if something happens I tried warning you". With a last dissapproving look at Marianna he made his way to the the other soldiers.
Marianna glared right back at him. Something told her that she should keep an eye on him. His aura was really dark and it felt bad. He was not what he appeared to be.
" Dont mind him. He is really old fashioned and thinks that only men should do the fighing while the women take care of the offspring", a new face appeared suddenly besides Rath. He was really cute looking. He had iceblue eyes who sparkled mischievous, a friendly smile and short black hair. And he was as tall as Rath if not a little bit taller.
" Yeah I noticed that", Marianna eyed his body really slowly. He was nice built. Not as nice as Rath. But then she got distracted from a grunt near her. She turned to Rath and noticed that he glared at her and then at the other boy.
" Oh were are my manners. My name is Larek", he held his hand out for her.
" My name is Marianna", finally a man who knew how to treat a girl properly. Not that she was against the attention of Rath. But it was nice to know that there were other men out there who didn´t think a girl loved it when a man tried to piss her off at the first meeting.
" I know. I´ve heard really great stuff about you", Larek was intrigued from the girl. She was prettier than he was told from Zan and Rath. And he liked it that she was not a woman who let someone dictate her life.
" Don´t believe everything you hear. I swear I´m not that bad", Marianna couldn´t believe that she was flirting with Larek. What was wrong with her? Yesterday she stripped for Rath and a few hours later she tried to put a move on Larek. She was sick. That was the only explanation.
" Could you both stop that. I want to keep my food down", Rath had enough. How could Marianna flirt with Larek when he stood near. Women were really weird. At first she kissed him and now she made eyes at Larek. What was wrong with her? With that Rath stomped angry away.
Larek and Marianna starred shocked after his retreating back. What was that? The whole morning he was in a good mood and suddenly he went back to his grumpy self. Larek knew why. He heard from Zan that Rath seemed to cast a eye at Marianna. But he didn´t do something wrong. He was only friendly. Ok that was not the whole truth. He liked Marianna from the moment she stood against Nolak. But he wouldn´t make a move as long as Rath seemed to be interested.
" Was it me or something I said?", Marianna didn´t know why she felt so bad. It wasn´t like she and Rath had a relationship. But why felt she like she cheated on him, althrough she didn´t do more than talking?
" No. I think it was me. I´m poaching in his territory", Larek didn´t want to be on Rath´ bad side. He was scary even if you was his friend. But he didn´t want to find out what he would be when he was really angry.
Marianna didn´t believe that. They both talked for maximum one minute. They didn´t rip their clothes off and had hot sweaty sex on the floor. But that confirmed her suspicion about men. Their were really sensitive. And a strange species, too. With that thought she began her training. After all she was here to work out and not to talk.
A few hours later
Mael, Abidale, Queen Lutezia and King Salem had finished their meeting. It was a really long and heated discussion. But finally they came to an agreement that both sides approved of. It was the best for all parties involved. The parents got their marriage and the kids had to live with the decision if they wanted or not. But they knew that one child would not be dissappointed. And the others had to get accustomized with the new situation. They only wanted to make their children happy and allow them to live a peaceful and long life. Pleased with the outcome the parents went to their seperate ways. But it was decided that the children would learn the news at the party who would take place in exact two weeks. Hopefully they made the right decision.