Word Count: 3029

An uneasy feeling crawls across my skin, forcing me awake.

My room is dark, an icy chill breezing through the open balcony doors I must have left open before I went to sleep last night. Tucking my duvet up closer to my chin, I address the strange feeling that has fallen upon me, almost like I'm being watched.

I sit up suddenly, seeing a figure coming into my room, closing the door behind him. Before I can scream at the intruding shadow, the light flickers on, revealing Marek in his hunting gear and dark coat. He looks awfully stoic, as if he hasn't just entered my room at this ungodly hour with no warning whatsoever.

"What are you doing in here?" I gasp, resting my palm on my chest, feeling my racing heartbeat beneath.

Marek steps toward my bed, looking around calmly as if he expects to see something I don't. "I came to get you yesterday morning, but you weren't in your bed."

I shiver. Yesterday morning I woke curled up and Tai's side, my head on his shoulder. The sun streaming through the window had awoken me, so I quickly snuck out to my room, where I spent the entire day avoiding Tai. I didn't want to think about how comfortable I was last night, and how I hope no one witnessed me leaving the

"I was...you didn't answer my question," I demand, glancing toward the clock at my bedside. "What the hell are you doing in my room at...four in the morning?"

"I've got a lead on someone who may know how to get us out of here," Marek mutters, opening my closet before rifling through my clothing. I sigh, rolling my eyes.

Oh no.

"Wait, we may not need that," I say groggily, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Before it can come out of my mouth, I already know Marek's reaction to what I'm going to tell him isn't going to be positive. He hates Tai, and his life here.

Marek pauses from where he was pulling clothes from my dresser. "What do you mean?"

"Taius is willing to give you a promotion, as my personal guard," I say uneasily. Saying that makes my throat dry, the reality of that sinking in. "You could have a real job."

Marek continues tugging clothes off their hangers, tossing them onto the bed. His movements are stiff, tense, even if his expression is coolly impassive. Clearly my offer of a job for him on Tai's behalf isn't going to stop him from continuing with his plan.

"I don't want a job. I want to leave," Marek says calmly. He is angry at me, thankfully. His gaze raises to mine, consumed with a tumultuous storm of darkness. "Is he threatening you?"

Tucking my knees up to my chest, I shake my head. It's hard, wondering whether I should be completely transparent with him right now about the political standing between Tai and I. It's also hard to tell him that I first tried to get him a job so he would have a new sense of direction, a new life he could live instead of the one previous to these events.

And more selfishly...I don't want him to leave without him.

"No. Maybe I could ask for your freedom," I say softly. Marek shakes his head, hair falling down across his forehead.

The look in his eyes is jarringly adamant. "He's never going to let us go, don't you get that?"

Maybe he is right, about us never getting out of here. I could keep my options open, or indebt myself to Tai for what could be the rest of my life. As I pick out the dark, inconspicuous clothing Marek chose for me from the closet, I decide that if I can't get him out through Tai, maybe I can get him out another way, or at least accompany him.

"Fine, I will go with you to meet this guy," I exasperate, kicking my legs out from under the covers, secretly noting Marek's gaze, and the slightest linger of it on my exposed skin. "Now can you wait outside while I dress?"

***

It wasn't hard to get past the first gate and into the village. Not after we have established an understanding with the vegetable cart driver.

By the time we rolled into the village, the sun has risen and midday is approaching. I haven't told Marek where I was that morning he came into my room looking for me. It would be too hard to explain that I fell asleep in Tai's room after what happened with Kailor. I'm already cursing myself for allowing that to happen.

Once we arrive, we walk together out of the town and into the forest, Marek alerting me that whoever this person is that can supposedly get us out of here lives a good walk west, where hopefully we won't be interrupted by guards, or a Shadow Spider.

"Is Taius going to be wondering where you are?" Marek says suddenly, after a long moment of silence between us.

His voice is deep, almost getting lost in the dark tones of the forest. It took less than a few shared moments to have so much become tumultuous between us. Marek kissing me has changed everything. Now I know how he feels, I'm beginning to have feelings of my own that I can't control, yet desperately need to.

"He's usually very busy during the day," I respond quietly.

Around us the forest sighs, hardly a sound to accompany our footsteps. Despite it being close to midday, shadows linger in hoards, the canopy of leaves above us casting an icy over my bare arms. Marek may be from the mountains, but I'm convinced he is born to dwell in a forest as magnificent as this one, with his wild eyes and untamed nature. A lot must have gone into his persona for him to be so calm and coherent for someone so untamed by nature.

"So, you really are marrying him."

It took all but a day for the rumours are spread around. I wonder, did he hear that from his hunting party, or from a few gossiping servant girls?

"I suppose so," I murmur. This is the last thing him and I should be talking about right now. "It's not for nothing. I'm getting a lot out of it."

He raises an eyebrow, so I proceed carefully. "Money, for my family. And safety, for my father."

He nods slowly, brushing an errant branch out of our path. His eyes are thoughtful, but don't give anything away. I wish I possessed that ability, to be so stoic and unreadable until I wanted to be.

"As long as you're safe."

"I'll be okay."

More silence. The beaten track we walk down seems to be narrowing, as Marek allows me to step in front of him so we can walk comfortably. Striking at foliage and cursing beneath my breath, I silently pray we will make it to this person's cabin soon enough. Once it turns dark, who knows what we may stumble upon out here.

Marek clears his throat. "You're not the same around me."

"Can you blame me?" Honestly, I don't know how to act. Before we had a comfortable understanding. Marek would try to find us a way out of here, and I would wait for his debt to be paid to me. I can't tell what's complicated everything more; Tai proposing to me, or Marek kissing me.

"Is it hard knowing I want you," he says softly from behind me. I shiver, and not from the fresh pine scented breeze that has drifted by.

Keeping my steps quick, I hear him have no issue in keeping up close behind me, his gaze burning into my back. "You can't want me. It could get us killed."

"I know."

"Then why kiss me...why put me in that situation?" I practically growl, before lowering my voice. It's unlikely anyone is this far deep into the forest, but I don't want to risk anything. For all I know, we may be close to stumbling upon Tai's outer perimeter where guards could be waiting with rifles in hand.

"You kissed me back," Marek reminds me.

"That's not the point."

This is definitely partly my fault. I should not have agreed to go to Vaia's place. She still has no idea Marek kissed me, and thinks that he wasn't convinced by my pleading to date her any further. Surprisingly, she wasn't as devastated as I thought, almost as if she is distracted by someone else.

"Because in that moment, when I realised it was you, I wasn't confused as to why you were there," Marek explains smoothly. "I no longer had control over my body. I just knew I needed it."

Needed it.

Steadying my breath, I focus on the hues of greens and browns bleeding together before me, keeping at a good pace. Marek is good at saying words to steal my breath away, leaving me scrambling for a response as silence lingers. Perhaps if this were a normal situation he would be a romantic. It makes me wonder about other lovers and how many he's had.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I curse myself for needing to ask..."Was it worth it?"

"More than worth it," he affirms gently. Thoughts flood my consciousness, all sinful memories. His lips, his hands...the way they swept over my curves, grabbed and pulled exactly where I wanted him to...

I clear my throat. "Well, that changes nothing. If Taius..."

Marek suddenly grabs my arm, forcing me to turn to face him. "Why do you care so much, Akara? He's so obsessed with you, he would forgive you."

I nearly flinch. Marek's eyes are half-wild, however the rest of him remains composed. He doesn't know anything about what Tai and I speak about when he is not there, however I doubt that critique would go down positively right now.

"But he wouldn't forgive you. He only keeps you here for my sake...we can't push his hospitality," I say uneasily. If Marek makes any mistakes, Tai could have him thrown in prison, which I can't allow to happen. But at the end of the day, Tai has the power, he is the King...he can do whatever he wants with us with no consequences. I'm simply lucky he is giving me compensation for this engagement to him over taking it forcibly.

"Hospitality? He's basically kidnapped you," Marek growls.

My eyes narrow. "You're no better."

"For information, not for your body."

I summon control over my entire body, letting out a steady breath.

Instead of responding, I turn around, starting to walk again. Marek quickly follows behind, murmuring something under his breath that sounds like an apology, but I don't quite catch it.

"You can deny this all you want, but I won't. Hide from it, fine," Marek murmurs, even as I refuse to turn around acknowledge him. "Just know that when I'm free, I'm going to kill Taius. Then you won't have someone to redirect your feelings to."

My throat goes dry, but I keep walking.

***

I'm not sure how he managed to find this man, and how he plans to get us out of here. He's an older man, with a face riddled with wrinkles, a mangled back and an eye that has clouded over, although the other watches us keenly. He doesn't look friendly, as he looks me over, thin lips framed by a rusty coloured beard turning over slowly.

"I'm assuming you want to get out of here," he mutters gruffly, that Jade Province accent so thickly ingrained into his voice it's as if he has never left.

Marek steps closer until his boot is planted on the first step. He's good at intimidating people, getting what he wants with very few words. This is aided by his dark hunting coat, the hood he has pulled over his head as hints of the storm become more evident. I stand back a little, not wanting to intervene.

"Yes. Myself and the girl."

"No," the man says immediately, his one working eye meeting mine. Instead of frowning at him, I remain impassive, keeping my stance steady and unintimidated. "She cannot come."

"She has to. Either she comes, or you don't get any money," Marek says calmly. I can't see his expression, however I can imagine it's unforgiving. My mind drifts to the mention of money...Tai surely isn't paying him, so how can he afford to pay this strange man.

"I don't support Beast loving fools. Those people are old-fashioned and delusional," the man growls, his gaze dipping to meet my exposed necklace.

Clasping it protectively, it's all I can do not to gape at Marek, who turns to look at me, the coldness of his atlantic eyes striking me for a moment. I've had plenty of unique insults thrown at me for depicting the Beast as a guardian Tani, and not a predator, but I've never been excluded from anything purely because of my belief.

"She's not like that," I hear Marek say before I can defend myself. "That won't change what I will give you in return."

The man simply focuses on me. "Do you see this hand, girly?"

Swallowing past a dry lump in my throat, I see nothing but one hand draped over the arm of the wooden chair he lounges back on, the other tucked into his brown leather coat, the colour of it matching the dying plants that grow through cracks in his deck.

I don't know how to answer. "No?"

Pulling his arm out from beneath his coat, he reveals nothing but a wrist where his hand should be, but is missing. I flinch back, my stomach turning uneasily. I hadn't expected that, but nonetheless, I refuse to look away, matching the intensity of his gaze.

"I was out in the forest one night with my daughter, when the Beast came and took her from me. When I tried to fight it off, it took my hand and left me near-dead on the ground," he mutters, before resting his arm on his lap, allowing me to keep seeing as he explains his story.

The Beast has never hurt a single soul. It is a magical creature which remains unseen, granting magic in return for our devoted faith. My mothers chants ring through my mind.

"You must be mistaken," I stutter breathlessly, wishing Marek wasn't looking at me right now.
"My Tani would never do anything like that."

The main rolls his eyes, letting out a raspy cough that echoes through the forest. "Like I said, delusional."

"If it was night, you likely didn't see anything," I tell him firmly. "Maybe you were wrong."

As it comes from my mouth, I can hear the foolishness of it. Past the very blatant injury he sustained from whatever he faced that night, I see scars of what must be related to the attack. They are thick and white, trailing down his neck before disappearing beneath his clothing.

"I looked straight into its hideous green eyes as it tried to tear me apart," he comments bitterly, looking at me, knowing the colour of the carved eye that is strung around my neck. "We never found my daughters body."

Wiping at the tear that slips from my eye, I refuse to acknowledge the pain, the fear, the doubt that rises up within me, accompanied with nausea. This can't be real, what he is telling me. But I'm looking at it, the evidence. The pain in his eyes is proof enough that not a single lie has slipped from his mouth.

"The girl comes, regardless of her belief," Marek says quickly, drawing the attention to himself. Even his voice is hoarse.

"If I smuggle you out, she takes off the necklace," the man proposes, leaning back in his seat.

"No deal," Marek says dismissively, backing up a few steps to grab my arm. "We find someone else."

The man doesn't protest, so deeply damaged by his experience that no amount of money is worth doing me any favour. And I cannot blame him.

Marek leads me back down the path until the cabin is well out of sight. I wonder if he can feel how much I'm quivering, how hard it is for me to hold back tears as we battle through the thicket. He never lets go of me though, his grip firm as he leads me while my mind is occupied with an unnerving amount of emotional turmoil.

"Thank you," I manage to say. He knows I wouldn't agree to be taken from here, yet he gave up his own chance purely because of that mans words. He didn't let me hear more, taking me from the situation when my legs surely would have failed me.

He pulls me closer, glancing up the storm following us back to the village. "Let's find somewhere to sleep for the night."

🧡••🧡

If you guys want to read ahead, you can read more of KING'S POSSESSION on Radish! It's chapters ahead of Wattpad (:

🦑••🦑

Hey guys!

Phew, this was a long one.

Hope you and your families are all doing well and are safe and healthy wherever you are (: Here in New Zealand we are out of quarantine and back to a semi-normal life. However, I promise updates will continue to be regular for King's Possession.

Curiously, I wanted to note how split everyone is between Tai and Marek, which I honestly didn't expect.

It's interesting, as I've noticed my Wattpad readers lean more toward team Tai, whereas my Radish readers prefer Marek. It's fascinating.

Anyways, thank you all for reading!!

🔥••🔥

I'm officially rewriting Alpha Jasper's story now on Radish! It will be following the same storyline with the same characters, but with revised scenes and some new ones!

I love Jasper's story so much that I wanted to go back and rewrite it. I hope you guys will enjoy it, you can find it now on Radish (:

Instagram: Sophie_Midika

~Midika 💜🐼