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Leon P.O.V

As the moon moved higher in the night sky, we started to move slower. Alena was acting weird. She didn't complain about anything, but when I forced her to ride on the same dragon, her eyes were clouded with anger.

She protested about this switch more than anything as I kept hearing her cursing words before she curled herself against my chest like a little cat. It didn't matter how many times I tried to keep her hair away from my face, but still a curl would escape. If there was one thing that left me speechless would be her sweet scent.

She smelled like fresh lilies. I knew that we had to stop soon and that Alena was tired, but I wasn't sure if I could survive another night near her.

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Alena P.O.V

It was impossible for me to fall asleep when Leon board chest was my perfect pillow. As the dragon moves forward, it Kept rocking me gently like a little child in Leon's arms.

I know that I was in deep trouble because I knew that I loved him and I wasn't but a passing step to his dream. I was the only obstacle that stood in his way to rule The Ancient Maze.

I knew that this time there was no room for errors. I shivered to the memory and Leon's warning earlier because if he did decide to go on with his threats, everything Will be ruined.

I yawned and stretched my body pretending that I just woke up from a deep slumber. If I wasn't mistaken we will stop near an old town. Leon lowered me to my feet, my body slid all the way down his. My eyes flew open in shock. His body was in the same status I found it that morning. I looked up at him slowly.

I was aware that his knights were few feet away, I lowered my voice as I spoke. "Didn't you say that this happen only in the morning and this got nothing to do with me?"

"I lied and beside stop acting so innocent you're already carrying my child Alena." He shot back.

I had enough of this man and everything that happen till now leads to this, in a swift movement and with trembling hands I pulled his sharp dagger, pressing it against his abdomen.

It didn't take Leon's knights long to realize what was about to happen as the unnatural silence took over. One of his kngiths smile dropped as he stared at the dagger. Soon everyone's attention was fixed on us. Their smiles began to fade.

I slowly started to back away from Leon, keeping the sharp edge of the dagger on his heart, long sharp swords magically appeared in the hands of the knights, each one of them was aiming me.

"Why does history keep repeating itself?" Asked Ardal, staring back at me, but everyone ignored him.

"You take our prince's live and we shall take yours." Said the same knight who lost his smile first, all the humor in his eyes were gone. Even Winter was standing nearby playing with her sharp tail.

Leon warned me before, he told me that his knights were willing to die for him. I could see them all with the corner of my eyes, but I refused to take my eyes away from Leon with the dragon on his back. I knew that there was nowhere for him to run.

"Lower your swords," said Leon in a cold voice. Even though his eyes were fixed on me, his knights understood that he was talking to them.

"But Leon," whined the same knight, clicking his tongue. "What did you expect us to do? Did you expect us to watch while she feast on your heart?"

"Lower your swords," warned Leon again in a deadly voice. "I'm ordering you all."

Ardal exchanged a look with them, then they obeyed his order. They lowered their swords, but it was still near their reach.

I started to back away slowly away from Leon, hoping that if I was far enough I could think clearly. But our gaze never broke as I could see a clear promise in his eyes. My heart was beating so fast, but then Leon dropped his gaze to my flat stomach for a second then our eyes locked again.

I needed a dragon. I proved earlier that I can't survive these mountains alone on foot. But before I could come up with the perfect plan, Leon moved his arms, making himself an easy target.

"So what are you going to do now, angel?" Asked Leon in a challenging voice. "Are you going to hand me to your beloved Alvin? Or maybe you're going to stab me with this dagger?"

I tightened my hold on the dagger, I thought maybe I might be safe like this, but I was so wrong. "Maybe I never wanted to hurt you!" I hissed. "Maybe I just wanted you to feel what I've been living my entire life."

"My entier life, I had someone holding a dagger against my heart," He said with such fury. "I know exactly how it feels."

Even though I was scared to death, but I could see someone sneaking on me with the corner of my eyes. However, I was faster as I pulled a sharp knife and pointed at him and still had my full attention on Leon as I spoke.

"I won't test me if I was you," I said to the other knight. "I might look harmless, but don't let this fool." As I watched the movement of their eyes, an idea occurred to me. "Which one of you is Art?"

The knights were speechless for several moments, then their eyes started to move toward the same guy who tried to sneak behind me. I narrow my eyes slowly studying him. He looked handsomely devilish, but he was nothing compared to Leon.

The knights started to move away from him as he flashed me a sheepish grin. "I'm really pleased to meet you, princess," he taunted.

"I'm not pleased to meet you," I said coldly. "You said horrid things about me to Leon. You even dare to speak about me as if I was your equal. I'm sure I'm going to use this on you first." Waving my sharp knife.

Art swallowed nervously as his face went from yellow to white.

"Now, princess, I didn't mean what I said. I was just-" Winter interrupted him as she spoke.

"You'll finally get what you deserve..."

"Both of you shut it!" Leon snapped.

Art shot him a helpless look.

"You have no respect toward woman's! Your eyes are always wandering. I think if I throw this knife I'll end some people's misery." I said coldly.

Slowly Leon started to fold his hands across his chest. "I couldn't blame you if you used this knife of him. If it was to me I would've killed him long ago if he wasn't one of my good friends."

"What!" Shouted Art, giving him an aggressive look.

"But I'm afraid that you can't attack us both at the same time, love. So you'll have to choose." He kept talking as if he wasn't interrupted.

I moved the dagger back to his heart as I spoke, "I'm not your, love!" For the very first time, I felt as if I was controlling my destiny. "I don't belong to anyone and especially not you." I hissed in a low voice.

Leon gave me a lazy grin, "If you're going to keep acting this way, I'm afraid that you'll have to use my mother's famous dagger on me." He said with a knowing smile.

Panic started to build within me, I took a step backward and pushed the dagger in Leon's flesh.

He stood still, watching with amused eyes as I attacked him. I squeezed my eyes shut to block the sight of his face. I didn't want to see him lying in a pool of his own blood on the cold forest ground. When I opened my eyes, I found Leon still standing on his feet, but I could see his blood running down his chest.

"Not bad for a princess, but I have to say it did hurt a little... I'm really grateful you didn't hurt my dragon."

My arms left to my side, and soon the dagger followed. I was defeated and I had no choice but to accept my punishment whatever it was. I will not cry and I will not beg him for mercy. Whatever he'll do I deserve it because I couldn't control my temper. I had the best chance to escape and didn't use it wisely.

With all my courage, I flinched when I saw Leon left his hand. He stopped right away and I could see anger clear in his beautiful eyes, but without me knowing he pulled my wrist, forcing me to follow him.

As we passed his knight, they cheered in victory until my eyes were locked with Art his eyes flashed with something I could never understand.

Leon moved so fast, forcing me to keep up and before I know if we were at the edge of the forest. I looked nervously back at him as I knew perfectly what he wanted to do, there was no one to witness what will happen.

My breath started to grow shorter and my lungs started to burn. I tried to catch Leon's attention a couple of times, but there was no use. He kept walking as if my pleading meant nothing.

In a surge of anger, I pulled my wrist away forcing him to stop, "I can't walk anymore, we're far enough don't you think?"

Leon stared down at me with anger flashing through his eyes. "I'm not worried about them hearing your screams or whatever madness you want to pull. I'm worried about them hearing my screams! After that stunt you just pulled! What were you thinking Alena!" Leon leaned closer to me as he spoke. "If you ever used that dagger on me ever again be prepared to bury it in my heart."

"I did use the dagger on you and I aimed your heart!" I reminded him with an icy voice.

"But somehow it missed it!" He taunted.

I continued to glare back at him.

"You are nothing but a foolish child! My knights might've attacked you back there and killed you in cold blood. What if one of them actually attacked you and my child?" He said with anger.

"I guess you'll lose your chance to get The Ancient Maze easily and Alvin will need to find a new pride," I added coldly.

Leon gazed at me with disgust and took a couple of steps backward, his body was controlled with anger. "You will not put yourself nor my child in such a situation ever again." He hissed.

My gaze dropped as I spoke, "can you blame me for what I did? Alvin locked me in that tower and now you're doing the same."

"No, Alvin didn't lock you! You were weak enough to give him your kingdom on a plate if gold. Tell me, Alena, how did you try to stop him? Tell me!" He shouted.

A traitor tear escaped my eyes, but Leon spoke again. "Wipe your tears they disgust me. Instead of crying and hiding fight, fight for what is yours."

Leon started to move away from me only to stop seconds later and spoke, "I'd rather die than to end up in the mercy of someone like me."

"Just what kind of a man are you Leon? Judging by the look Art give you, I can tell that you're manipulative." I shouted.

"That was before you forced yourself in my life, Alena. And for sure you are not helpless, you are far more dangerous than any man in a battlefield."

My breath was uneven as Leon's hand started to trace the curve of my cheek.

"Like what Leon?" I whispered, knowing that I'm a fool right now.

"You're bright spirit and the fact that you're willing to sacrifice yourself." Leon's voice deepened, "your beautiful eyes and your soft lips."

Before I could understand what was happening, Leon's lips were on mine. His kiss wasn't a kiss of a lover, but a kiss of a murderer. It was a kiss of a man who stole what wasn't his.

Yet, I was helpless when it came to him as my hands slipped under the hem of his shirt. One of his hands slipped around my waist and before I know it, I was kissing him back.

Panic started to take over once again as I pushed Leon away, I was trembling, like a little child who just lost both of her parents all over again.

Our eyes met once more as I spoke. "You've won, Leon," I said in a weak voice. "I promise that I won't cause any trouble any longer and keep your fine lips away from mine. Do you hear me!"

With that, I turned around and walked away from him as fast as I could.

"Princess?"

"What?" I snapped.

"The camp is the other way."

We walked silently for a while until I heard a faint sound, I moved closer to Leon, poking him. "Did you hear that?" I whispered.

"Hear what?" He asked with annoyance clouding his voice. "Just keep moving."

All of a sudden a storm of arrows started to buzz through the sky, I looked up and saw the horrific sight and shouted. "Take cover," as I ducked behind a tree.

Leon didn't need to think twice before he followed me fast and before I knew it strange men felled the forest, I could hear their armor chiming as they moved forward.

"I saw them here seconds ago," shouted one of the men.

And before I knew it, a plague of soldiers surrounded us. Leon took a deep breath as his sword rose and with fury I've never seen before he dived into the plague of soldiers. I could hear the clicking of the sword and sound of the bone breaking and popping, but I froze when I heard frighting roar within the heart of the soldiers.

I knew that Leon was strong, but this wasn't an even war. I closed my eyes and refused to allow history to repeat its self. With the corner of my eye, I saw something approaching Leon fast.

I shouted trying to warn him, but I wasn't fast enough as the rider had a clear shot. A cry of anguish escaped my lips as I ran as fast as I could trying to reach him, through the countless numbers of soldiers. One of them throw a sharp spear on me, I almost gave up until I saw Winter landing right next to me blocking the spear with her metallic tail.

"We are not giving up too soon, are we?" She hissed.

"No," I whispered back.

"Save him, I'll try to hold them back." She cried. When I reach him he was on his knees, a stream of blood was running down his chest.

"You'll be fine, I promise you. You'll be fine Leon." I whispered and before I knew it the rider started to move closer to us once again, but Winter was a vicious warrior and forced that rider to drop on her knees.

The rider wore a dark cloak, covering herself perfectly. I saw the rest of Leon's knights approaching us, but they were still so far away. The rider was back on her feet so fast, attacking Winter in a deadly manner and before I knew it the rest of the soldiers were following her.

I had no control over my body as I started to whispered slowly, "I control future and space," with each word my blood started to boil. "Fire of vengeance, The goddess of fire orders you to end this!"

A great golden wave started to spread in the forest wearing everything, forcing the army to fall back and the knights to kneel. The rider's hood was removed showing her face.

Winter got up slowly, staring at her. "Ahavah?" She asked in pain.

Tears, escaped the riders eyes, as she jumped on the back of her Lipizzaner, whispering. "I'm sorry Winter, Please save me."

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