Chapter 67: Chapter 67

Akirexer and Emelinia sat in the shade of their porch. Akirexer was cutting vegetables while Emelinia was knitting a jersey for the baby. Emana stepped out of the house. They were surprised to see her dressed in a beautiful dress. Emana held close an expensive hand bag. She scowled darkly at the both of them and left without saying good bye. Next thing they saw was her getting in a carriage and it rode off down the road.

"I can understand why she hates me but I don't get why she can't stand you mama." Emelinia sadly said to Akirexer. "I know that both of your parents are seers but you aren't. Why must you bear this curse of rejection when you aren't even like me?"

"My child, we can never really understand why people feel the way that they do. She never liked me even before she knew about my parents. That's because I used to be a dancer. I danced as a way to make money for my family because my parents were too old to work and I wasn't skilled. Dancing was my talent so I decided to use it fully. I actually met Sharumez during a bachelor party for Jenu." Akirexer said and chuckled heartily after.

Emelinia's eyes widened and she smiled brightly. "Really mama?"

"Yes he took a liking to me but I avoided him. We weren't allowed to get too close to clients unless of course if we want to prostitute ourselves. I couldn't bring myself to do that so I just danced. The wage I got for my performances was enough.

One day I met Sharumez again at my home. Seeing him sitting in my living room was a shock. My parents quickly explained that they hired him to fix a hole in our roof. Over time they took a liking to him so he started visiting us as often as he could. My parents didn't know that he specifically came to see me. At the time I found him to be very annoying." Akirexer said and both she and Emelinia giggled.

"What happened after that?" Emelinia asked.

"Well, eventually the two of us got close and we went out on dates. When he asked me to marry him, I was over joyed and so were my parents. His parents however were not supportive. They forbade him from marrying me because I was a dancer. They finally gave in after seeing how persistent Sharumez was. But when they met my family they completely refused. Sharumez and I had no choice but to elope and get married. My parents were angry with him and he pleaded with them for months to accept the dowry. When they saw how much we wanted to be together they accepted our marriage." Akirexer ended with her warm and captivating smile. "You know what happened after that." She winked at Emelinia.

"Yes you started living with grand ma." Emelinia affirmed with a nod.

"I took all her words but one day I snapped at her. She didn't take it too well so she - " Akirexer paused with a hurt look.

Emelinia immediately got concerned. "It's okay mama. We don't have to talk about this anymore."

"It's okay. I haven't told anyone what happened. Not even Sharumez. Only Naian saw what happened. He and I don't talk about it and up until now I haven't spoken about it." Akirexer said.

"She is the one who pushed you down the stairs, isn't it?" Emelinia asked and Akirexer frowned.

"She was angry because Sharumez and I were expecting a girl. I kept Sharaina's gender a secret because I feared her anger. When she found baby girl clothes hidden away in our matrimonial bedroom, she straight up told me to leave the house because she wasn't going to accept my seer daughter. I had enough of her rants and told her that she had no right to kick me out of my husband's house. When I turned to leave, she grabbed me by my hair and threw me down the stairs. In pain I looked up at her and saw that she was afraid. It's like she regretted what she had done. She rushed out of the house and left me all alone."

"Mama that was so sad and worse Naian saw it all. It must have been traumatizing for him. Wasn't he Alainara's age at the time?" Emelinia asked Akirexer and she nodded her head and wiped her tears.

"Naian is brave Emelinia. He was the one who went to go and get the neighbors. They believed him when they heard me cry. I woke up after three weeks. I was still weak. Emana was back home. She was dealing with depression due to the death of Sharumez's father. She refused to see Sharaina because she believed that she was a seer. She even went as far as blaming me for his death because she suspected I was the source of the bad luck. When Sharumez left for work, it was Naian who took care of Sharaina.

He changed her nappies, bathed her, washed for her, put her on his back and only brought her back to me when she was hungry.

All he did was stay home instead of going to play with his friends. My parents came to visit me and when they saw how negligent Emana was, they forcefully took me and my children. Sharumez came to get us back but they refused. They told him that the only way he was going to have me and the children back wass if he moved out of the family house.

Sharumez had no choice but to leave his mother. She begged him to stay but he refused to listen to her. He moved to Gemhules and after a year he came back to get us. This house was only two bed rooms at the time when we first bought it. We gradually extended it with time. We hadn't seen or heard from Emana until that day when she decided to visit."

"I'm sorry about what happened mama. Perhaps one day she will accept us." Emelinia softly said. "I don't believe that she is bad hearted. She is just stubborn."

Akirexer smiled warmly. "Yes I agree with you."

****

Sharaina woke up to a rude man yelling at her to wake up. She got up and was relieved that she felt a little better. The long nap was what she needed to get rid of the pain - well at least some of it.

She frowned at the bruise on her shoulder. Sharaina took a deep breath and got out of her room. She was escorted back to the training ground by two warriors. She found King Meelzib waiting for her on the concrete stage. This time around the Enchanted Seven weren't there. It was just him and the full moon behind him.

Sharaina wasted no time in getting on the stage. Once again she was given two sticks. She broke one and faced King Meelzib. He gestured for her to go at him and she did.

This time around she was on the offence. King Meelzib smiled broadly as he evaded her attacks. He grabbed Sharaina's neck suddenly and she panicked at the thought of been choke slammed again.

She dropped her sticks and wrapped her hands and legs around his hand. King Meelzib lost his balance they fell to the ground.

He felt Sharaina twisting his arm and he threw it up, freeing himself from Sharaina. She rolled away from him and picked up a stick. She then shot up to one knee and positioned herself to strike him.

King Meelzib smirked at her and charged at her. Sharaina rolled away to safety and picked her other stick. She used it to block his blow. King Meelzib pressed his stick hard against Sharaina's and he kicked her off the stage. Sharaina landed on her already sore back and she groaned.

"Wow I'm impressed with you little girl. I think you will be worthy of the The Wave." He said to her with pride. "Come up here." He commanded her.

Sharaina slowly got up and held her shoulder. She walked back to the stage trying her best not to whimper at her pain. When she got up she watched King Meelzib open up a portal. She nervously followed him inside the portal. The both of them stepped out of the portal and onto Mars. Sharaina looked around in awe.

King Meelzib looked at the place with a bored look. He activated his golden sword and Sharaina backed away from him. King Meelzib looked ahead and raised his sword. He waved it and a static wave appeared.

Sharaina recognized the wave from the stories the villagers used to tell about King Raglan and how he took out enemy armies with one sweep of his explosive waves. King Raglan taught Meelzib and now King Meelzib was going to teach her. Sharaina felt so honored to have been awarded such an opportunity.

"Activate your weapons." He commanded her and she did. "Now listen carefully, you must transfer a great percentage of your gamarax to your weapon and slash it in the air with full force. The gamarax will leave your weapon and hit everything in its direction. This technique is brutal to both you and your opponents. It's brutal to you in the sense that it drains you. You have to wait at least another thirty minutes to use your gamarax consuming powers like portal creation, dragon summoning and the like. This means that you will have to rely heavily on hand to hand combat during battle. Do you understand?"

"Yes my King." Sharaina answered with a bow.

"Due to the wicked nature of this technique, it is restricted only to the royal family. I give you permission to learn it and use it only when necessary." King Meelzib boldly told her. "We are on Mars because there is nothing here. You will remain up here for two hours."

"As you wish your majesty." Sharaina answered.

"Umandaang, I summon you. Reveal yourself." King Meelzib said

Umandaang appeared and he glared at Sharaina. Sharaina was startled by his massive size of over 100m. He spread out his wings and Sharaina backed away. King Meelzib petted his jaw and turned to Sharaina who was looking at them with wide eyes.

"He will supervise your training." King Meelzib tore open a portal. "I am returning to Dark Star." He said and disappeared into it.

****

Lara sat in the living room playing the piano. Jayniss listened to the sweet melody. The both of them giggled as Lara played. A maid brought them refreshments and went back into the kitchen.

They were chatting loudly when they heard Nami and Stariss enter the mansion. Stariss angrily sat down but Nami showed indifference. Jayniss and Lara were taken aback by their difference in moods. They both left the piano concerned about what upset Stariss.

"Mama, how could you make me lose a once in life time opportunity like that?" She angrily asked Nami.

"What has mama done?" Jayniss asked her.

"She refused to give me to King Meelzib as a wife but instead recommended Sharaina." Stariss growled.

"Mama isn't Sharaina Light's girl friend? Why would you give her to King Meelzib? Won't this make brother sad?" Lara innocently asked Nami.

"Shut up! Don't you ever call her that. She is not his girlfriend." Nami furiously pointed at Lara and took refuge behind Jayniss.

"Mama this is not fair and you know it. Whether you refuse to accept it, Sharaina is Light's girlfriend. You know how much he loves her so how could you do this? Don't you care about his happiness?" Jayniss angrily spoke up.

Stariss sprung off her seat annoyed. "Hello! Does anyone care about my feelings? I was supposed to be queen and now I have lost that chance forever but all you care about are Light's feelings? It's always about Light Light Light in this damn house. I am sick of it!"

Nami got up and slapped Stariss across the face and Lara gasped. Nami then turned and slapped Jayniss too. "You two useless girls should know that I am your mother. Who the hell do you think you are talking to like that?" She pointed at Stariss "King Meelzib is a stone hearted man. He is ruthless, short tempered and promiscuous. I will never ever give any of my daughters to him in marriage so you can forget it! Moreover you aren't even a virgin and you still had the audacity to dream of becoming King Meelzib's queen? Giving you to him as you are was going to earn you a lot of suffering and torment!" Nami screamed and Stariss ran upstairs crying.

"So you're okay with offering the daughter of another family despite knowing King Meelzib's character?" Jayniss asked Nami in disgust. "You would prefer to separate Light from Sharaina and subject Sharaina to a life of suffering and torment? I am appalled by your thinking mama. You must accept that she is Light's girlfriend and for once think of Light's happiness in this!"

Nami slapped Jayniss across the face again. "Like I said earlier, she is not his girlfriend. I will never ever accept that relationship. How dare you question me about whether I care about Light's happiness? He is my son! I didn't carry him for a year only to careless about what happens to him. That girl is a walking time bomb and I don't want him ending up with regrets. Right now all he can see is her beauty and nothing else. That's why he ignores her flaws. Getting rid of her will be the best thing I will ever do for him! Go and give birth to your own children and raise them how you want before giving me parenting advice."

Jayniss looked at her mother with so much rage in eyes - both her cheeks red from the slaps. "One day you will regret what you are doing mama. I hope when that day comes, you will have not lost all your children." She said and angrily walked away.

****

King Meelzib got back to the castle and he was welcomed by Lavila. He sat on his throne and lit his cigar. Lavila wondered where Sharaina was. She was hoping to catch them together but when she got to the training ground, they were nowhere to be seen. A servant told her that he saw King Meelzib leave with her. Lavila was waiting for them to return since.

"Where is Sharaina?" She asked King Meelzib.

"On Mars with Umandaang." He answered. "Why are you asking?" He suspiciously eyed her.

"I am asking because she is to be your wife." Lavila said and he looked sharply at her. "Don't you like her?" Lavila asked.

"I thought I told you that I don't want to get married." King Meelzib sternly reminded her.

"My son please try to see things from my point of view."

"She is just a kid." King Meelzib answered.

"I was her age when I got married to your father." Lavila insisted. "She is a good girl and would make a wonderful queen."

"I will not marry her and that's final. It will be best you don't say anything more regarding this matter mother." King Meelzib dismissed.

"I should have had more children. At least I would have gotten grand children from them. I feel cursed that I allowed myself to only have one child." Lavila complained.

King Meelzib felt his blood boil. He got up from his throne and walked towards Lavila who was glaring at him. "You are repeating father's words mother. Are you trying to die?" He whispered.

"Kill me then just as you killed your father." Lavila hissed. "I am sick and tired of you demeaning me Meelzib. I am your mother for crying out loud! All I want is for you to settle down with a good girl and have a family. I am sick and tired of having to see numerous whores around the castle every stinking day!"

King Meelzib slapped Lavila and she stumbled backwards into the hands of Luven. He shielded her and looked into King Meelzib's angry eyes. "That's enough my King. She is your mother."

"That does not give her the right to disrespect me." King Meelzib coldly said and walked away.

The moment he was gone, Lavila threw herself on Luven's chest and cried deeply. Luven held her as she cried. He broke away when her sobs subsided. He gently pulled her chin up and looked into her eyes. Lavila gazed into his eyes as he wiped her tears with his thumbs. Luven drew closer to her and planted a kiss on her lips. Lavila held his face and the two kissed deeply.

****

Naraygeous woke up. He stared at the full moon through the open window. Lalina was sleeping soundly on his chest. Naraygeous felt even more foolish for having slept with her again.

He gently and quietly got out of bed. His eyes looked around for his clothes and spotted them on the floor. He picked them up and quickly dressed up. Lalina heard the little sounds he made and sat up. She was sad to see Naraygeous zipping up his pants.

"You don't have to leave. You can spend the night." She softly said to him.

"I would rather leave. I have already over stayed my welcome." Naraygeous said without looking at her.

"But I don't want you to leave." Lalina begged.

Naraygeous went to the bed and sat back down. "Lalina you have to admit that things have gone way out of hand between us." He gently said to her.

"Why can't you understand that I love you Naraygeous? What is so wrong with me that you keep rejecting me?" She asked him.

"I am just not ready to commit to a relationship. I will just hurt you Lalina. Forget about me."

Lalina dropped her tears. "You aren't afraid of commitment Naraygeous. I am just not the woman to make you change your ways. I thought that I could be her but I guess I won't ever be her."

"You are now misunderstanding things." Naraygeous said to Lalina.

"Sharaina has already given her heart to someone else. I have given my heart to you. Why won't you accept it?" Lalina asked Naraygeous.

"I don't have feelings for Sharaina." He lied without looking into her eyes. "I'm leaving now Lalina. I'm sorry - about everything." Naraygeous said and all he heard were Lalina sobs before he closed the door.