"What exactly,--" A streak of lightning flashed, "--Minister, were you thinking?" Damien's forearm was pressed against Minister Gallum's neck as he pushed him harder into the wall and his words were deadly calm.

I knew I should probably go and stop him, but for some reason all I felt like doing is letting Damien do some damage.

Don't worry, I'll step in when it gets too much but since I'm usually calm, my reinforced ice fortress a strong armour, and yet I feel like turning into a mountain lion and going on a run to calm down, I'll take my chance and not draw attention to myself.

Or the reason I feel angry.

Like Damien, apparently.

Which is a mystery to me.

Slowly and cautiously, like a termite eating way at wood, Cara seemed to be carving out my ice. And it was irksome.

I leaned calmly against the wall as I watched the scene play out, tempest raging on the inside.

Emotions I had not felt in a long, long time and they were not welcome either. Yet they stayed, infuriating and connected to a little human girl.

"Be careful, Your Majesty." Gallum sneered and Damien scoffed, easing up on him and backing a bit. Gallum was taking advantage of being a powerful and old respected member of court.

But I knew that Gallum wasn't off the hook yet.

"Who gave you permission to touch her?" Damien glared at Gallum and I blinked.

I'm sorry what? This is about....Cara?

I narrowed my eyes as Damien unsheathed his sword, "Who said you could touch her?"

Gallum eyed the sword but then glared back and took out his own sword which was, to be honest, merely for show since he hardly ever used it. He knew he wouldn't be a match for Damien and all three of us also knew that Damien wouldn't harm Gallum but that didn't mean temporary damage wasn't in order.

When I'd returned two days ago, Damien had informed me that his father told him about Killian's return and so I had bitten down on my anger and started on the moving of our troops. I'd been busy. And despite how I felt about the decision, I didn't like being kept in the dark and nor did I like Gallum being aware of things more than me or even Damien.

But I knew what a big threat Killian was. Sure the world had changed a lot in the past four hundred and fifty years, but that didn't mean he was forgotten and after the last battle, we wouldn't stand a chance against him.

We all thought he was banished for good.

Apparently not. And some of us knew that fact way before.

But how and why?

Even after that all, I don't think I know of one time that Damien and Cara met one another.

Damien hadn't mentioned anything either.

I hadn't gotten much chance to talk to Cara due to the preparations of Arion's arrival two days from now and the tasks of being a General.

And now I'm starting to feel like Damien left out quite a big part of what happened after I left and he had the conversation with his father.

Was– "He said Killian is returning and Gallum knew. That's why he opted for his suggestion and wants you to move the troops." –All he had talked about with King Harold? Or was he holding something back from me?

I inhaled deeply, the scent of mixed blood was in here. I sometimes was quite impressed with Damien's restraint on the monster in him but then he released it with such vigor that there was no regard or remorse in his non-beating heart for the lives he took in the frenzy that it would make up for it.

We'd just been walking in the North Wing, heading here when Damien stopped short and inhaled deeply, his eyes instantly changing. And then he was gone like the wind.

Obviously, I followed only to find Gallum ready to bite Cara.

And before I realized, I was protecting her because something in me was twisting at the sight of his hands on her, at his fangs poised to pierce the skin that had started to lose its sickly pallor to reveal a peach colored complexion. That fear in her jade green eyes was something I never wanted to see in the ferocious and smart girl's eyes again.

But I convinced myself it was only because of the responsibility Kesla had given me.

Yeah, that's why.

Then after I left Cara to nurse her wounds, I was confused as to how Damien knew anything. He had sensed it. Probably. I was sure now though that it was the scent of Cara's blood that led him here. Which would mean he had to recognize it, but how? But the questions would, apparently, have to wait.

Damien and Gallum circled each other, their weapons braced. Damien was good with a sword, considering he had to be and was the heir to the Celeran throne but Gallum depended on his power more than these weapons. Yet he knew better than to flaunt it in Damien's face.

If Damien wanted a fair sword fight, then that was what he would get.

Damien's eyes were crackling with lightning and the air was static. His jaw was clenched with anger.

I frowned at his emotional display at the confusing events.

And then hissed at my own self for caring and frowning outright.

Gallum struck first.

Damien blocked before a growl escaped his lips and he threw Gallum back before going for a strike of his own, his breathing was heavy and Gallum gritted his teeth with the strength it took him to keep Damien's sword from cutting his throat.

"Her blood....." The swords clashed. ".....is mine."

Damien snarled and struck harder this time, sending Gallum reeling back when he avoided the blow with his own sword.

A weird itch under my skin at his words, and I exhaled tightly.

"Her body?" Damien's voice was enraged and his words made me tilt my head in confusion. "Mine."

Wait.....what?

Gallum snickered and struck Damien. A blow Damien easily dodged before going for Minister Gallum's torso and managing to cut him. Of course, a slight hiss was all he elicited before the wound healed all on its own.

"Her soul?" Damien's ragged voice was emphasizing with each word and getting louder with each blow he struck. "Mine."

Icy calm washed over me, burying the heated rage simmering in my guy under he's of snowy determination and yet my jaw clenched at Damien's proclamations.

He was not possessive. No. It was very rare that he considered anything his but once he did, then he was a different person in regards to it.

Cara couldn't be the reason for this possessiveness. That's what I wanted to believe despite Damien's blatant words that felt like daggers of conflicting anger aimed at my ice-encased heart.

Gallum growled and attacked Damien's sword with a jarring hit. "She is a slave!"

Damien retaliated so fast, even I would've missed it had I not known his patterns.

Damien was breathing in Minister Gallum's snarky face, his midnight black hair shadowing his electric blue eyes and he was once again pressed against the wall. Only this time Damien's sword was drawing a line of blood from his throat where it was aligned with restrained force.

Damien's voice was barely above a whisper but it resounded in the silent room with a burning certainty that made my eyes widen.

"She is," His fangs flashed and an electric pulse ran through the entire room, buzzing it with lightning before he emphasized the last word: "Mine!"

What the fuck? 

When did Damien turn......possessive?!

Of a slave? Much less Cara??

There was no doubt in my mind regrding it now.

Damien growled and panting, let go of the minister. "Next time? I see you around her, you're dead. Because she's mine." His voice was cold as ice and deadly calm but the warning couldn't have been said better.

And though I was thankful that he had taken care of the Gallum problem.....

Something burned in me when I heard his claim. Something uneasy. I didn't like him claiming Cara as.....

His.

Because she wasn't.

If anything, I was the one who met her first.

I instantly gritted my teeth at the very thoughts I just had.

What was wrong with me?!

Gallum looked at Damien who glared at him as his wounds healed and said, "You'll regret this." 

Then he glanced at me with disdain to which I gave a non-committal shrug, "You better not be around her." I added, though I knew I should've just remained silent, with narrowed eyes before he was gone.

I turned to Damien the second we were alone and narrowed my eyes.

"What was that?"

He shrugged as if it was nothing as he sheathed his sword. "Me claiming something that's mine."

His words instantly set me on edge and my words were sharp, "Cara's not yours."

Damien's eyes flew up to meet mine, flashing with surprise before he scoffed and completely chose to ignore me. "So, that's her name? Cara?"

I gave him a look, seething with cold  collected rage. "You didn't even know her name?" I couldn't keep the incredulity out of my voice despite how I wanted to come across as calm and Damien sighed, stretching his jaw. A move he made when he felt like drinking blood.

He shrugged and I narrowed my eyes further.

"How did you know she was here?"

"Her blood. But you already knew that, didn't you?" 

"Yes." I stood up straighter. "I want to know how you knew it was Cara's."

Damien smirked sharply, "You know quite a bit about her it seems, why didn't I know you were so familiar with her?"

I exhaled deeply. Of course, I hadn't told him about Cara for.....some reason I couldn't fathom. But she was just a slave, right?

Right. At this point its starting to seem even less likely.

"She's a slave I bought." 

So yes, I'm lying to my best friend who's known me for five centuries. No biggie.

Of course, he wasn't stupid. "Mhm." He nodded with raised eyebrows, without words calling me out on my half-lie.

I changed the subject again, "What was with all the possessive crap for a slave girl you didn't even know the name of?" I hissed out, slightly angry at my own bothered state more than the whole ordeal at this point.

That seemed to have struck a nerve and he stiffened before a muscle in his jaw ticked. That was enough to tell me it wasn't a well thought reaction.

"Felt like it. Besides, I wasn't kidding." He met my stare with his own unflinching one and I scoffed.

"I see." This isn't going to end well. "How do you know her?" I repeated. It was bothering me how he knew her.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, Damien, it does." I took a step closer.

"Well, then perhaps you could shed some light on how you know her?" He ambled closer as well. 

Our eyes stayed locked. "Does it matter?" My voice was cold and I couldn't understand why I wasn't telling him the answer as I threw his words back at him. 

What was the big deal? There were no secrets between us before. But even I could tell that he hadn't been completely honest with me.

I hadn't told him about his mother's confusing words about 'just a queen gathering her army' or her choosing Cara.

He wasn't telling me things either about his full conversation with King Harold or how he had crossed paths with Cara. I could tell.

"Touche." He smirked and I narrowed my eyes. "You seem bothered by it all, Lucien. Any reason?"

I clenched my jaw and tightly replied: "No, Damien. Your possessiveness just caught me off-guard."

Now it was Damien whose nostrils flared yet the smirk remained. "Oh, well." He shrugged but his shoulders were tense.

"See you around, Lucien." Damien took a step back and so did I, his words clearly saying that the conversation was over for now and there was a distance between us regarding 'The Cara Matter' and even though I wanted to argue, I was just as relieved to be off the interrogation and the answers I wanted to keep privy.

I knew Damien was just as irritated and relieved with how this event had turned out.

I stiffly nodded and mocked for extra measure with a small bow and a sardonic grin, "Of course, Your Majesty."

He rolled his eyes, knowing I deliberately did this to piss him off and chuckled humorlessly before vanishing.

I sighed and glowered at the stone floor, willing my internal ice to make an external appearance and frost it all over.

Didn't that go well?

•○•

AN~

My, my. Oolalalal. This was such a fluffy chapter lol.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed, do vote and comment and please share!! I just wanted to say though that there are definitely more views on each chapter as compared to the votes so those of you who have indeed read so far, do vote and comment. Thanks to all my silent readers as well, means a lot but do comment if you feel like!

Anyways, stay safe. Till next time!

~Skyler