Chapter 103: Chapter 103

Prince Dakar held her hand and led her to the front of the Jeep.

“You're driving with me,” he said to her.

“My girls?” Avril inquired.

“They'd split between Camper and me.”

“I'm staying with Avril,” the three girls said at the same time. Verona practically rolled her eyes at them.

“Nana, would you ride with me instead?” Camper asked, and Avril noticed how her friend tensed. She peered at Nana, who suddenly looked like she wasn't breathing.

“We'll both drive with you, Camper,” Verona stated and took a turn to the second Jeep parked several feet away. Nana opened her mouth to say something, but words didn't come out. She glanced at Chidi, who nudged her head towards Camper and Verona, who were already making their way to the car.

Nana rolled her eyes, then followed them.

“That leaves the two of us with you, Avril,” Chidi announced.

“Get in,” the prince ordered in that authoritative voice of his, the one he obviously didn't know he switched into.

The three girls got in and fastened their seatbelts. Dakar began to drive out, rounding the fountain in a turn. Someone—a man— was making his way from the gate. He was dressed just like them. Dakar frowned.

“Late,” Dakar grumbled. Avril raised her brows.

“Who is he? Is he coming with us?”

“Yes. An escort,” came Dakar's curt reply. He exhaled and drove past the man, but Camper stopped behind for him to enter with them.

They drove out of the Palace in silence. Everyone seemed to be occupied with their minds. It was only when they crossed the border and into another land that Chidi spoke up.

“We aren't in Remus anymore,” she sat up and said. Avril looked around and noticed that yes, the environment didn't have that Remusian tug or feel. It felt bland, dry, and less vibrant in colors. The land on either side was flat and brown with dried grass.

“The space between Remus and Lioa,” Dakar spoke up, his face never leaving his front. He had been sitting that way for twenty minutes straight. Avril had felt he wasn't at ease. But considering the reason for the journey, she completely understood. She also felt ridiculously nervous inside, but hid it well.

“So we are not in Lioa yet?” she asked, looking at his stoic face. Wishing she could soothe him and make him loosen up a bit.

Dakar, on hearing her voice directed at him, lowered his high shoulders and actually looked less tensed. He glanced at her with soft eyes.

“Yes. Remus's borders are invisible. Unless you're called upon or given access, you'd continue riding in circles in these lands when leaving Lioa. However, Lioa's borders can be seen. So they need this extra space to seclude their territory and prepare for any... visitors.”

Avril nodded and looked back ahead. The land seemed endless. But soon, they entered another terrain. This was extremely rocky, with huge boulders blocking paths and heavy winds blowing sand around. The Jeep began to bounce and tilt as they made their way through. There was no real road. Just drive through wherever seemed best.

Avril looked through the rearview mirror and saw the other car also tilting and bouncing right behind them.

Thankfully, after about thirty minutes, the terrain smoothed again, and a dusty road was just ahead of them.

“We are almost there. See that tiny tower ahead?” Dakar directed at Avril. Avril squinted but didn't see anything.

Dakar chuckled darkly.

“Use your binoculars,” he suggested, and Avril furrowed her brows.

“How'd you know I have one?” Avril casually asked as she turned to her smaller bag and pulled out the binoculars. Dakar stilled and held his breath for a few seconds. He glanced at her pulling out the tool then let go of the breath he was holding.

“I don't know,” he muttered and laced both hands on the steering wheel. Avril glanced at him and saw worry in his eyes. She placed her hand on his thigh and patted it twice. Then she lifted the binoculars to her eyes.

“There's a red tower standing ahead,” she mentioned.

“That's Lioa's gates,” Dakar said.

“Let me see,” Xiao Wéi requested, and Avril handed her the tool. She too looked in before giving it to Chidi.

“Those soldiers look like they can skin us alive,” she commented. Dakar scoffed gently.

“That's their greatest weapon. Making people think they are capable of what they are not,” he stated. Chidi exchanged a glance at Avril who shrugged slightly.

They reached the large tower, which was joined with a thick endless wall of stone. A large iron-wrought gate stood just below the tower, and it was sealed tightly shut. The soldiers Chidi sighted were patrolling the tower, and just three were standing outside the gate.

Prince Dakar approached them and slowed down. He laid back on his seat, one taut hand on the steering wheel and eyes looking straight ahead. One of the guards approached them with two swords strapped to his back. He wore a dusty green uniform that covered all of his body, except his eyes of course.

“Prince Dakar, we've been expecting you,” he said as he stood by Dakar's wound down window. Dakar glanced at him over the top of his lashes without moving his head.

“I'm few minutes late. But I don't intend to waste more time because you want to verify if it's me or an impostor.”

The guard stared at the prince for two seconds then nodded.

“It's him! Open up!” he barked to the soldiers at the tower. A few went out of sight, and a few moments later, the iron gate began to move up, revealing a gateway through the tower. Three more soldiers came out through this gateway with hilts of swords protruding from their backs. All soldiers were tall and gallant, but nothing close to the Remusian men who were very broad and gigantic.

The three soldiers walked to the Jeeps and stared at the occupants before waving forward for them to pass.

They drove through and started on a tarred road that led to the main kingdom. They entered, and it looked a lot like an Arabian world. With square and rectangular buildings, lots of red and brown soil, and the palms were more than other trees. The kingdom was very windy, and the people were looking so beautiful with tanned skin, long garments, and beads adorning them. The ladies' hair were long too, like Remusian women but were mostly just straight.

Their vehicles made way into the palace, a vast land filled with multiple stone buildings and a magnificent mosque-like mansion in the middle. This was where they were initially led to greet the king. Dakar took the lead, and bowed to the Arabian king sitting on a throne of gold. There was a big white wolf sitting right in front of the throne. It wasn't fully a wolf, it was a sort of lion-wolf. Like a terrifying mixed breed.

“Your Majesty,” Prince Dakar hailed and bowed. The others behind followed suit.

“Ah, welcome. Feel free to sojourn here until you're ready to continue with your journey,” the jovial king stated then laughed.

“I appreciate your kindness. However, we would only be spending the night and would be onto our journey at first daylight.”

“Very well, then. Enjoy your stay. My daughter, Princess ZLiyah, shall attend specially to you. You may call upon her if you desire beautiful company.”

The Arabian king stretched his hand, and a lady walked out from a corner towards him. She was wearing a green shiny flowing skirt, a crop top with the same material, and a gold veil covering her head downwards. She bowed to her father first, then to the visitors before removing her veil.

“Damn,” Avril muttered under her breath. If breathtaking was a person, then it was this princess.

“I'll be glad to attend to you during your stay here, Prince Dakar,” she said in a voice like smooth butter. Prince Dakar nodded.

“It's nice to finally meet you, Princess ZLiyah. If you wouldn't mind, my group and I will like to rest for a while.”

The princess nodded with a smile.

“Please come with me,” she said and turned towards the corner she came out from. Prince Dakar and the others bowed to the Arabian king before they each turned to follow the princess. Five beautiful maidens wearing pink Arabian dresses followed them, and two guards also tagged along.

The princess led them through hallways of shimmering gold until she stopped in front of a huge golden double door. The two guards walked over and pushed it open to reveal a whole chamber like a tourist resort, only in the Arabian style of decor. Red carpets and drapes, golden ornaments hanging out, chaise lounges that looked like they could be soft as clouds, and a section of flowing stream-like water.

“A feast will be held in your honor, my lord. But before then, you can eat a small meal which has already been prepared.”

In the last part of what seemed to be the large living area, was a long table with a glamorous five meal course set.

The princess left shortly after making sure they were comfortable and letting them know guards and maids were at the door if they needed to summon her.

“Is that what these Arabians call a small meal?” Nana burst out first.

“I have a feeling I'll gain thrice my weight before we leave here,” Xiao Wéi opined and ran to the table as Nana already sat down. Verona chuckled dryly and walked to the table too.

“Enough chicken to last me this entire trip. Good,” she said and immediately picked a drumstick using a napkin.

Camper also strolled with the new guy, and they sat at the table. Avril hugged herself and glanced at Prince Dakar, who was setting things down by the lounge. She walked to him and sat on a chaise lounge.

“When last did you come to this kingdom?” she asked. He looked sideways at her and cracked what resembled a smile but also a frown.

“Is that what you want to know, Avril?” he asked. She bit her lower lip and shrugged.

“The princess seems to...I don't know,” she shrugged again, “it seems you both are comfortable around each other. There's this look she gives only you. Like she finds peace whenever she sees you.”

Dakar let down the bag he was carrying and crossed his arms.

“Did you also see me giving her that same look?” he asked, and she looked away.

“No,” she replied timidly. Dakar half-smiled.

“You're cute when you're jealous,” he stated and she scoffed a laugh.

“I'm sorry, I just...”

“Don't be. Princess ZLiyah of Lioa has always been rumored to have great interest in me. I heard once when I returned that she has an entire library with only the collections of stories written about my prowess before exile and the theories about where I could be.”

“Is she some sort of biggest fan?” Avril laughed.

“You can call her that. This is not the first time we meet. But the first time was chaotic. She wouldn't stop grinning. It was creepy.”

Avril laughed as Prince Dakar bent down in front of her. He removed her shoes and soothed her foot, studying it delicately.

“Has she ever tasted your food?” she asked.

“Why would I ever cook for her?”

“If she has read all the books out there about you, then she must know you're the god of the kitchen. And I would not be surprised if she tenders a humble request for you to cook.”

“I guess that's the day I'd lose my hands to mysterious giant flesh-eating termites.”