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❤️ I Am Sorry, Forgive Me (Part 1) ❤️
"Deal? Did you just say a deal? Me to have a deal with you? Listen up man I don't make deals with those who hide behind their mask," Rumi said crossing her arms beneath her breasts. Not scared one bit, she was ready to counter any attack he might give.
The mysterious man chuckled once again and then turned his back on her, placing his left hand at his back and his right hand beside him.
Rumi saw a sword emerging out of nowhere and was fast to place a barrier around her so that the sword won't get to her, but she wasn't the sword to pass through her barrier and stopped once it was close to one of her wide open eyes. To say she was shocked was an understatement. She wasn't expecting that.
Who the hell is this man? This hasn't happened to her before so who is the man?
"Who are you?" Rumi asked.
The mysterious man turns around to face her. "I told you, didn't I? Don't worry, I am here purely to talk," he said and the sword was gone. "Actually I need to kill you for what you have done to my bride. In fact it is very easy for me to kill you but this is hard because you are related to Juno. And I want us to be on the same team and get who we want."
"Who are you?" Rumi asked again.
"I am someone you don't want to mess with. I am giving you an opportunity on a platter of gold."
"What do you want from me?"
Hissed. "You like making me repeat myself, fine I will do that. I don't want you to hurt Juno again, ever. I have had my eyes on her ever since she was born. As long as I am breathing, no harm will come to her. You want Storm I will give you Storm but in return you have to do as I say. Be my ally."
***
Ashland Palace:
Storm returned and left his horse in the hands of one of his brothers who had hurried up to meet him at the gate of the palace.
"Where did you go?"
"I went to clear my head and I am glad I did," Storm answered as he gave him his horse reins and headed for his room.
When he opened his room door he wasn't surprised when he saw Emera sitting next to Juno.
"Are you back to finish what you started?" Emera asked, standing protectively over his daughter.
"How is she doing? Is she awake?" Storm asked, ignoring Emera's harsh words.
"What do you think, do you want to kill her in her sleep?"
"Stop saying such words Uncle Emera, I am not going to do any of those things. I just wanted to know if she was awake."
"Unless your eyes is blind for you to see the writing."
Storm grimace, "I'm sorry Uncle Emera. For what I said to you earlier on." he apologized, shocking Emera who moved closer to him still in shock.
"Where is the real Storm and what have you done to him?"
Storm smiled a little. "It's me, Uncle Emera. I realized my mistake and I am sorry. The one who I will really need her forgiveness is, Juno."
"What made you change your mind?" Emera asked.
"A lot of things but mainly because I now see the handwriting on the wall," he said and then a soft cough grabbed their attention and they were quickly at Juno's side. "Are you okay?" he asks in concern, shocking Emera the most.
When Juno's eyes became focused and her gaze was on Storm, she tried to move away from him but he surprisingly but gently caught hold of her, careful not to touch where she was bandaged.
"Let go of me," Kira said weakly.
"I am sorry Juno, I wasn't think-"
"You are hurting me," Kira said Interrupting him and Storm quickly let go of his hold. "Get away from me."
"Where is it hurting you?" Storm ask putting some distance between him and Juno.
"Ironic isn't it father, he is asking where is hurting me when he is the one who did that."
"I am so sorry."
"I need apples. I want to eat apples father," Juno said, sitting upright on the bed. The herbs the healer had applied on her body seemed to be working as she wasn't feeling much pain, just a throb feeling and the bandages she was seeing was a reminder of what Storm had done to her. Emera was out of the room with lightning speed to the palace kitchen to fetch some apples.
"Juno..."
"My name is Kira. You have the right to call my name." She Interrupted him once again.
"I am really sorry. I was angry and I got mad at you. I should have listened to you, I should have believed you. Please forgive me."
"It's too late, Storm, because now I truly hate you."
Storm winces at those words. It was his fault. He shouldn't have reacted that badly to her.
"I have always had one wish ever since the day I met you Storm...to be with you. I have always known what I want but now I don't know you anymore. I hate you and seeing you here makes me want to strangle you to death."
"What do you want me to do to make amends of my mistake Juno?"
"Die. Die Storm. It's today I realized that Empress Rose was right along, you are a bas.tard son, devil."
Storm closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Call me all the names you want, insult me, but please after you have done that you will forgive me. I am sorry."
"Sorry won't take back what you did to me," Juno said. "And yes I planned with Kando to take Gwen alongside with us. I will speak to Dean to let Gwen go while you free me. That is what you want after all."
"I am not letting you go."
"..." before Kira would say anything, Emera entered with some servants who were carrying meat broth, soup, roasted chicken and apples.
"I told them to bring everything they have in the kitchen with me."
Kira smiled briefly at her father and watched as the servants placed what they brought for her on the bed and left the room.
"Tell him to leave his father or I won't eat," Kira said. "Oh, I forget this is his room."
Storm clenched his fist in anger and left his room. He deserves the cold treatment he was receiving from Juno. He truly deserved it. He wasn't angry at Juno but at himself. He should have listened, been patient and believed her.
__
"He is sorry." Emera began once Storm had stormed out of the room.
"I don't care, father. I don't fu.ck.ing care."
***
Emera House:
Rumi was seen pacing around in her room while Sarah was humming to herself as she sat on her bed.
"So you are telling me there is someone out there who is more powerful than you?" Sarah paused in her humming to ask. "And you didn't get to see his face?"
"Yes, that was what I said. He took me to a place I haven't been before and then showed me how truly strong he is. He is strong no doubt."
"So what will you do now?"
"What else? I accepted his deal and now that I am thinking about it, I won't lose. I will have Storm."
"But what made you so sure he will keep to his promise?" Sarah asked. "Powerful men like him don't keep their promise." she added.
"I am always careful mother, you don't need to say the words out."
"That is what I want to hear and besides, I need to visit Kudarma Kingdom to see my old friend perhaps he might on who this mysterious man is."
"That reminds me mother, you won't believe what happened in the palace today," Rumi said with excitement. She had immediately told her mother about her encounter with the mysterious man and had forgotten about Juno's condition until now. "Storm beat Juno close to death and I helped him to finish his work."
"Storm beat Juno? What happened?"
"According to what I was told. Juno planned with the guy who was captured with her, they both planned to take Gwen with them but it backfired and Storm captured Juno and her bodyguard took Gwen away." Rumi explained what she heard.
"Are you sure of what you are saying?"
"Yes, I went to see her, she was looking so pathetic and soon we shall hear the news of her death."
"You did something to her?"
"Yes I did."
"And you are sure this mysterious man didn't do anything since he said Juno has been his since she was a child."
Rumi wore a thoughtful look on her face. "You got a point mother. If I do not hear of her death tomorrow then I will know this mysterious man has been the one stopping my plan."
***
Kudarma Kingdom:
Koda Palace:
Empress Rose was greeted by the guards and servants in the palace but she ignored them and hurried up to meet her daughter's personal handmaid.
"Is it true?" she ask.
"I'm afraid it's true your highness," the handmaid said with a slight bow. "And I am sorry I wasn't there to stop them."
"Where is my daughter's corpse?" Empress Rose ask in tears.
"She has been buried beside her husband as tradition demands your highness."
"Take me to where she is buried." Empress Rose demanded at once and the handmaid took her to where her daughter was buried. She knelt down beside her daughter's grave and started crying, not holding back her tears anymore.
"We did not hear any shout of their fighting that was why we didn't know in time, it was when I went to call her for dinner that was when I saw them. I am sorry."
Empress Rose didn't say anything, she stayed there over an hour or more before she got up to her feet and cleaned her eyes. "Call the messenger for me," she said to the handmaid who quickly did as told and the same messenger who had given her the news came to her. "Go and tell Dean that one of his king is dead and my granddaughter is missing." she added.
The messenger nodded his head and left.
"You might keep an open eye and be vigilant, the killer of my daughter must still be lurking around, I don't believe my daughter will die just like that. Someone must have slain them and he or she has my granddaughter. Send me a message in case you receive a Ransom note," She said to the guards which she had summoned. "Be vigilant." she added.
Soon afterwards, she entered her carriage which rode back to Ashland.
***
Ashland Kingdom:
It was evening and Storm was still standing at the place he was since he left his room.
"What is it?" Storm asked Morgan who was approaching him carefully, his back to him. He had been in the old training ground since thinking of Juno words.
"When is Gwen coming back? Aren't we going to attack Kudarma?" Morgan asked keeping his distance from him.
Storm wanted to scream at him but he did nothing, instead he shrugged his shoulders.
"That is what he will be expecting, an attack from us. I will go to Kudarma tomorrow and I know that he will want to give me back Gwen but as an exchange for Juno." he replied thinking of a way to bring Gwen back and Juno.
"Okay, I will go with you," Morgan said, waiting to argue with Storm if he opposed it.
"Fine, you can go with me," Storm said. "And Morgan, I am sorry for slapping you. Gwen is like a sister I never had so I tend to get angry when it concerns her."
"It's okay, and I also am sorry, for everything." Morgan apologized and Storm could only nod his head. "I just wanted to let you know that Reca is dead and that she has been buried."
That made Storm turn around and look at Morgan in shock. "Come again?"
"Reca is dead." Morgan repeated himself again.
"What? How? When?" Storm asks, not hiding his shock.
"We were informed this morning and my mother went to confirm it."
"Her husband might know who killed her. I have seen bruises on her face and I know it's from her husband," Storm said. "Haven't any of you noticed it?"
"We have," Morgan said truthfully and was feeling guilty. "I was buying more time, how would I know that she would die?" he added with tears in his eyes. "Her husband is dead, he died with her, they fought and killed themselves."
"Sorry." Storm said and wanted to hug him but stopped himself.
Morgan left, leaving Storm once again to his thoughts.
His thoughts going back to what was written on the paper.
***
Kudarma Kingdom:
Dean Palace: Kando's Room:
Gwen was out of the bed once she heard the room door opening. She wanted to apologize to Kando for the words she told him. She was sorry and needed to tell Kando but she wasn't allowed out of her room. The only time the room door was opened was when they brought her food and water and a nice beautiful gown with new boots for her to change into. She hasn't seen Kando ever since he walked out on her this morning. She gasped out loudly when she saw Kando entering with blood on his clothes, falling from his back and leaving a trail behind him.
"Clean up the floor," he said to whoever was behind him and closed the door.
"What happened to you?" Gwen managed to ask as she tried to come closer to him, at least to help him get to his bed. She could see he was in a lot of pain even though he was trying to hide it. "Let me help you."
"If you come any closer to me, I will snap your neck and I don't need your help, this fallen god here doesn't," he said in a cold voice that sent shivers down her body. "And even if I want help…. not from you."
