Valerian, The Legendary

Valerian suddenly stopped and Morgana ended up in his arms. This surprised the girl even more and she said, “You are getting bolder and bolder. What happened to you in the time we did not meet?”

Valerian smiled while holding the girl and said, “I read a few books, and tried to figure out the meaning of your gift to me that night. Did I misunderstand something?”

Morgana was surprised and then she blushed slightly as she slapped his chest gently. Valerian smiled and said, “I also like you, Morgana. You are strong, and very smart, at the same time, you are gentle too. I wonder how you feel about me?”

The princess was surprised but then she lift her head and saw his sincere gaze. He wanted to know what she felt and depending on her answer his future behavior would be decided. Just when Morgana thought he will push her away if she said something he did not like, Valerian said, “Rest assured, I will keep my promise of helping you till the end.”

Morgana looked at his face and she could sense his heart beating slightly faster. She could tell that he was nervous and afraid. This made her even more shocked, to think this child who slayed a thousand enemies and had the intellect to play with Jamal Centurion, was showing fear. Even if it did not come out on his face, it was apparent from his changing breathing pattern and his heartbeats.

She was hesitating when she sensed his grip around her shoulders loosens, she sensed his eyes losing the sparkle that lit up when he saw her. This also made her feel afraid for some reason, these days this boy has been the greatest support behind her and he gave her the ideas in a crucial situation to operate without a flinch and execute her plans completely.

Thinking about this she instinctively tried to stop him and her arms coiled around his waist as she said, “I like you too, but...”

Valerian was surprised this time around and asked, “But, what?”

.....

Morgana said, “I have never been able to express my feelings honestly. I do not know how to say this, but you are the only person, who gave me any warmth in this life. I am grateful and I do not want to lose you. I do not know why I feel happy when you are around, but that is all I can say. You are the reason behind my smile.”

Valerian smiled and looking at her almost tearing eyes, he said, “Don’t cry, I did not come all the way here to see your tears.”

Then he leaned down and pecked her lips, just like she did. He said, “Now we are equal.”

Morgana blushed and with a sweet smile, she buried her head in his broad chest. Fortuna said, “Are you two done? Shall I leave this room so that you can make a mini version of yourselves?”

Morgana flinched and broke away from Valerian’s embrace. The boy was used to it and said, “You are so boring.”

The princess said, “Val, I need to head back to the palace, Ameer will make his move today, and Jamal will counter it. I need to be there to handle the situation.”

Valerian nodded and said, “I have a suggestion to make.”

Morgana nodded and the boy said, “You do not have to go out of your way to show all that is happening inside the palace. It will make you look like an opportunist. Just have your information network break the news out to the people and then have the masses gather near the palace. This way the information will leak out and if you managed to act well, you will be the heroine, and then the throne will not be far out of your reach.”

The princess thought for a bit and Fortuna said, “You have a point, but do you think, that Jamal Centurion will allow the masses to move that much? The streets are covered with soldiers to keep things quiet.”

Valerian smiled and said, “We can have a certain species of beasts ‘try’ to attack the city walls, and the deviation will be successful.”

Fortuna raised her head and said, “Sly fox.”

Valerian ignored the remark and glanced at Morgana. He asked gently, “What do you think?”

Morgana smiled and said, “When can I catch up to you?”

Valerian walked closer to her and said, “You can start by reading books in your free time.”

Morgana chuckled and slapped his chest gently as she said, “I need to go really.”

Valerian nodded and said, “Do not worry, I’m right here.”

Then the princess reluctantly left the room, and Fortuna said, “You found a diamond, I see.”

The boy turned around and lay down beside the leopard as he hugged her and said, “Thank you for your approval, Your Majesty.”

Fortuna glared at him and said, “Is this how you respect my Majesty, rascal? Take away your paws, you are messing up my fur.”

Valerian chuckled and then ruffled her fur even more.

...

The sun was gradually descending on the horizon and Morgana was walking through the corridor of the palace, heading towards Jamal’s room, when she heard a voice. She controlled her smile and looked up at a chandelier as she prayed, “Vita, lend me your strength and wisdom.”

...

In Jamal’s room, Ameer was standing with his head butler, looking at his father sitting on the rocking chair, staring at the void in a daze. He asked his butler, “Go, check if he is reaching the limit?”

The butler gulped and nodded. The servants who sought to climb the stairs of fortune, and indulged too much in the dirty work, would eventually have to do something that will make them regret their early decisions.

The butler walked forward and stood close to Jamal. He was so scared that his forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat already. He raised his shivering hand to check the pulse of the old man, but right before his hand could land on the wrist of the Old Emperor. The hand vanished from the armrest and the butler froze.

Before he could say anything, he was overwhelmed with a sense of suffocation and as he tried to move his neck, he realized that it was gripped by a cold palm. His pupils constricted and he held Jamal’s wrist.

Ameer was surprised and the next moment he saw his father raising his butler off the ground as he stood up. Jamal Centurion looked at his son and said, “You do not have the guts to come and kill me, you dared to send a maggot to come and touch me.”

Then a snap echoed in the room, and the butler’s corpse was thrown to the side. Jamal stretched his body and cracks issued from his bones. Ameer took out his sword, and said, “It is never wrong to be careful. It seems my plan has failed. You do not seem to be affected by the poison.”

Jamal chuckled as he grabbed the sword from the side of his chair and said, “Yeah, the seed of your sinful action foiled your plans. I said that one day this girl will be the cause of your death.”

Ameer sighed and said, “It is not her fault. After all, you had me kill her mother, you forced me to act like a demon in front of my most brilliant child. She is right to hate me, after all, hatred and disgust is the only thing that she received from me, and even the rest of the family.

My sisters always wanted a niece they could pamper, yet they were afraid that if they showed the slightest of affection to her, they will kill her. You killed my mother, my youngest sister, the woman who loved me, now, Ayat. You know that even animals do not consume their kin, but you are a cynical swine who would stop at nothing.

Well all that aside, I am more interested in knowing how you foiled my plan, after all, the smell of lunar daisy is still strong in this room.”

Jamal replied, “I have faced even more cunning opponents than you, I just asked the chief Medicus to get me a pod of Solar Lily. I turned that pod into a bead and hung it around my neck. It eliminated the effects of the poison. That easy.”

Ameer nodded and said, “Let’s get on with it then. We must not waste any time. I have to meet my daughter after I take your head.”

Jamal smiled and said, “How about I put her next to your grave after you die?”