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❤️ My Hostage (Part 23) ❤️

With that being said the mysterious man disappeared alongside with the child in his arms.

****

Ashland Kingdom:

"Where have you been? I have been looking for you." Morgan asked. "Are you hiding from me, Gwen?" he added. He had gone to Storm room and knocked, he was relieved when Gwen opened the door.

"If I was hiding you wouldn't have seen me here." Gwen replied and stepped forward, away from the door and wrapped her hands around Morgan's neck. "There is something I need to tell you." She began.

"What is she doing to you, Morgan!!" The screeching sound from Empress Rose made Morgan remove Gwen's arms from him and push her away from him to the ground as if she was burning him.

"Nothing mother," Morgan said, his eyes staring at his mother who was walking towards him. He felt bad when he saw Gwen falling and pretended as if it didn't affect him.

"That's not what I just saw Morgan," Empress Rose said once she was close enough to her son. "Follow me right now." she added and left for her room.

Morgan didn't give a glance at Gwen's direction as he followed his mother.

"Mother, let me explain what really happened," Morgan said once they were in her room.

"Explain what exactly, that I caught you almost kissing that low life." Empress Rose said as she began to pace around in her room.

"She was forcing herself on me, mother and before I could push her you came." Morgan lied.

"I see. In that case, I will find you a bride, you've come of age to get married Morgan and I won't allow a common low life to ruin your perfect one. The former king's will gladly give out any of their daughters' hands in marriage so I will be picking a bride from them."

"Anything you say mother. Bring the girl I will get married to and you can fix the date of our ceremony."

That halts her and she walks over to her son and holds his cheeks in her palms.

"Don't allow anyone, especially that low servant girl to deceive you."

"I won't, am no fool mother."

"That's good."

Morgan forced himself to smile and kiss the top of his mother's head and now his head slightly.

"I will take my leave now mother," he said and turned to go but stopped. "Where is Fred?" he asked.

"Somewhere around the Palace." Empress Rose answered.

"Okay." he said and opened her door only for him to see Gwen standing just outside the door. He wasn't expecting the slap that landed on his face and so landed on the ground which drew the attention of Empress Rose to them.

"You, this dirty servant, how dare you lay your filthy hands on my son."

"Sorry for bothering you, I only came here to find something and thanks to you I did find it," Gwen said to Empress Rose.

"The next time you slap my son I won't take it lightly with you. It's not easy to give birth to a child and train him to the age he is," Empress Rose said. "You will understand when you give birth to your own child."

"I understand you perfectly well and I am so sorry to throw myself at your son." Gwen said and with that, she ran.

Morgan couldn't do anything as he watched Gwen run away. If only she was noble and did not come with Storm, maybe his mother wouldn't hate her. He hopes she forgives him and she knows she will.

__

"Are you ready?" Kira asked as she went to place the sword she had collected from a guard in front of her with one hand and the other hand rested on her waist.

Kando smirked and rolled his sword in the air before catching it expertly, like Kira he had also collected a guard his own sword. The place Kira had taken him looked like an old training ground.

"I am always ready."

"I will try to take it easy on you, but forgive me if I don't," Kira said with a smirk.

"Sure, I wouldn't pi-" he didn't get to finish 'pick' when Kira attacked him but he blocked the attack. "You should have given me a warning Kira."

"In war and fight there are no warning. Use your head," Kira said and ran to his back to strike but this time he was ready. He jumped out of the sword way to the other side but Kira was expecting that move and used one of her legs to kick him on his chin. The unexpected force from the kick pushed him a few feet away from her.

"You don't play nice Kira," Kando said as he touched his chin and was grateful when he felt no broken bone. He grin at Kira "I like it.'' He charged at Kira who didn't step away from the incoming man, she braced herself and grinned while waiting for Kando but before he could reach her, Gwen stopped between the both of them facing Kira which made Kando pause in his movement with surprise.

"You don't step in a training like that, do you want to injure yourself!" Kira yelled.

"I am angry," Gwen said. "And I heard your voices. I came here to fight with you so that I can burn off my anger." she added, staring into Kira's eyes.

"Kando, give her your sword. We will fight some other time," she said to Kando and when he made no move, Kira went to collect the sword and gave it to Gwen.

"Feel free to hit him with your sword if he still stands that way."

"With pleasure." That seems to bring Kando back to the presence who then shifted to give them space. He had seen anger in Gwen's eyes and was wondering who could have done that.

"Give me all you got," Kira said and Gwen attacked her. They fought and blocked their attacks until Gwen's anger was gone. She noticed how she was using all her strength in her hit against Kira who surprisingly blocked it. She stopped immediately and smiled at Kira.

"You are a good fighter."Gwen praised her....and it.was true.

"And so are you," Kira said, returning Gwen's smile with one of her own. "Let's start afresh. I am Kira." she added stretching forth her hand for a handshake.

"Gwen." she shook Kira's hand.

Kira smiled the more then moved closer to her, their hands still locked. "Why do you look so familiar to me? You look so much like someone I met before."

"We haven't met before Kira, I would remember your face."

Kira nodded her head and wanted to let go of Gwen's hand when something caught her reflection.

Leaning forward she used her other hand to bring out the half pendant which lay in between Gwen breasts. Staring at it for a minute she drag her gaze to meet Gwen questioning one.

"Who gave you this pendant?" Kira asked.

"Storm did." Gwen answered.

Why would Storm give Gwen her necklace? Why isn't he wearing it? This is the only thing Rumi did right.

"He gave you?" Kira asked, feeling the other half pendant under one of her feet.

"Well, he didn't want to at first but he can't take care of it and-" Gwen didn't get to finish what she was saying when Kira dragged and cut the necklace off her neck.

"This is my necklace. He doesn't have the right to give any lady what I gave him." she snarled out when Gwen opened her mouth to talk and stormed out of the old training ground, throwing her sword away.

"Why were you angry before?" Kando asked once they were alone. He went to pick up the sword that kira had fling.

"You noticed?" Gwen asked in a shock tone then she remembered she had said it out. "Anyway I told Kira I was angry."

"Even before you could open your mouth to speak, I know Beautiful. Who offended you?" he asked, collecting the sword Gwen was holding. He will be returning the swords back to their owners on his way out.

"No one Kando."

"It's Morgan right?"

"Forget it."

"You don't have to hide anything from me Gwen," Kando said. "What did he do?" he asked.

"I am not hiding anything from you Kando," Gwen said and then started crying. "He told his mother I was the one throwing myself on him. Am I throwing myself on you too?" she asked, cleaning her tears.

"No you are not. He is lying, he is the one throwing himself on you and not the other way round," Kando said as pull Gwen to a hug and almost stop breathing when he felt hugging him back. "You are beautiful Gwen and that is why I am groveling on your feet. He doesn't deserve you."

"He always does that, why can't he just stand up for himself?"

"Don't believe whatever he said, Beautiful."

"Gwen," Morgan's voice , joined them. "Thank goodness I found you." He added and then glare at Kando. "You can let her go now, I am here for her."

"And if I don't?" Kando demanded.

"Kando it's okay, leave me," Gwen said, staring at Morgan. Kando did as he was told and immediately he let go of her and gave her space, Gwen was in Morgan's arms. He was hugging her as if his life depended on it.

"I am so sorry for what I said, Gwen. I didn't mean it."

"But why? Why do you keep on breaking me with your words Morgan? Why can't you stand up for me in front of your mother."

"I told you I will, I am not ready yet Gwen but I promise I will try to make sure it doesn't happen again." Morgan promised. "I am sorry. I didn't mean any of those words." he added, lifting up Gwen's face so that he could stare into it.

"It's okay Morgan," Gwen said. "I forgive you." she added and smiled when Morgan leaned forward and kiss her.

Lack of air forced them apart and Gwen then looked at the now empty training ground, aside from them, and didn't see Kando. When did he leave without her noticing it? She wondered.

"Where is Kando?" she couldn't help herself from asking.

"He probably left when all your attention was on me," Morgan said and kissed Gwen.

"Your mother said she will find someone for you to settle down with."

"You are the only one I want and no one else," Morgan said. And like he had predicted, Gwen had forgiven him, now, he has to look for a way to convince his mother to like Gwen. "I won't lose you." he added, earning a smile from Gwen. "Let's go to my room."

Gwen nodded.

___

Kando couldn't believe his ears when he heard Gwen saying 'I forgive you' How can she forgive him when he had hurt her badly? Why can't she see the handwriting on the wall before her? Why can't she see his love for her? Why?

And lastly, why did he fall in love with someone who doesn't recognize his love for her? Why did he fall for someone who is in love with someone else and not him? He had left immediately when Gwen allowed Morgan to kiss him.

It made him realize how much in love Gwen was with Morgan and that changes everything. He didn't want to cut off Gwen's happiness so he won't be taking her to Kudarma Kingdom like he'd planned before.

His mind has already been made up.

____

Kira fumed all the way to the kitchen since that was where Storm had told her he was going. Luckily for her, he was there as two female servants walked past her with a tray of food which she knew was going to her father's room. She knew Storm was staring at her in confusion and when her gaze returned back to him, she was reminded how handsome he looked but she forced that thought to go away and instead focus on the anger and why she was here at the first place.

"Why are you staring angrily at me?" he asked.

"How could you?"

"I don't understand Juno."

"How could you, of all people it's Gwen you saw? Why her!!"

Why Gwen what? Storm thought and then realization hit him.

"It's not what you think Juno, I slept with Gwen by mistake."

"What?"

"I was drunk and she was too and it happened but that was the first and last time."

"You gave Gwen my pendant and as if that was not enough you also slept with her Storm," Kira said, by now everyone in the kitchen were pretending to pick interest in what they were doing but actually they were listening to them. "So you have been sleeping with her? Anyway that's not my problem my problem is why did you give her this." she added showing the half pendant in her hand. "Why did you give it to her when I gave it to Rumi to give it to you."

"I am always careless of things and Gwen can keep it for me," Storm said with a shrug. Then he was staring at Kira with all seriousness. "You said you gave Rumi the pendant to give to me. Does that mean you remember who I was when we were little?"

"No, I only remember giving this pendant to Rumi to give to Storm. You are not the only one bearing that name."

"But Rumi said she was the owner," Storm said and shut his mouth before he could utter 'And that was why I had given the half pendant to Gwen in the first place. If I had known it was your pendant I would have been wearing it'. "Why did you give Rumi the pendant to give to Storm?" he asked.

"I don't know, I can't really remember." Kira lied through her teeth. How dare Rumi lie that the pendant she gave her to give Storm belongs to her. Since she has gotten the answer and knows that Storm wasn't at fault and neither is Gwen. The one at fault is Rumi. She turned around to leave the kitchen but Storm grabbed hold of one of her shoulders.

Kira's heart skipped once when she felt his strong hand on her shoulder. "What?" she whispered in a low voice.

"Are you serious about leaving tomorrow?" Storm found himself asking the question before he could stop his mouth.

"Yes, anything else?"

"Nothing Juno," he said and let go of her shoulder, when she tried to make another move out of the kitchen he stopped her once again.

"What again?"

"Can I have the pendant back?"

Snorting out she removed his hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him. "So that you can give it to Gwen, who is your bed warmer?"

Storm flinched when he heard the last two words. "She is not my bed warmer, never call her that. Whatever happened between me and Gwen was a horrible terrible mistake that if I could go back and stop that night, I would."

"Yeah just like what we did. You would gladly erased it if given a chance because truth be said you regretted it. And I regret wasting my time and energy with you. Luckily for you, I will be out of here tomorrow." she said and left the kitchen.

Storm stared at her with anger but didn't stop her. Maybe she was right.

___

Kira went to meet her father and saw him eating.

"Come and eat."

"I'm not hungry," Kira said, truthfully, she has lost her appetite for food.

"I will be leaving father," she said to him as soon as she sat next to him.

"You want to go home?Then we shall leave tomorrow."

"Not home, I mean my second home in Kudarma. Dean will be waiting for me and Kando to return already."

"So you are going to leave me all alone? You can't go now that I just got you."

"Father, I need to go, you don't know Dean like I do, if I stay behind it might cause war. Don't worry, I will pay you a visit and you can come visit me in Kudarma."

"Are you in love with Dean?"

"I once thought I was in love with him but now that I remembered, I don't see myself in love with him anymore but that does not mean I won't return back to him," Kira said. "Besides, I have a friend there who is a prisoner. She might be lonely without me."

"Why did Dean keep her prisoner?"

"Well, according to him she was the cause Phoenix didn't fall in love with him so because of that he imprisoned her."

Kira didn't notice Emera's wide eyes.

"And if I may ask, this friend of yours, what's her name? Do you know her name?"

"Of course father, her name is Adaoh."

Emera started coughing.