Chapter 2 LOVE OR CROWN

It was almost twilight, a shrill cry echoed so powerful in the mist. The echo was from a cave, which appears as a blur in the mist. Three hideous looking enchantress, dressed in black long flowing gowns, hair as dark as coal, surrounded by lit candles, are inside the cave performing a ritual. They each held a chalice with blood in hand. The oldest amongst them, their leader, begins chanting a spell, and the others reply after her in a shrill voice.

"Glador, hocus pocus alakazam Silans..." Sabrina the leader of the trio chants in a hiss.

"Hittite artharavade rigveda Silans..." the other two replies, and instantly a heavy wind gush from all directions, yet all candles stay lit. The hair of the enchantresses blow in same motion, their eyes shines blue, as they kept on murmuring the spell.

Sabrina raises her chalice up and speaks slowly, her voice resounding against the wind, "Their thoughts will be ours, their brains a tool for us to play with at our will, and their blood to quench our thirst..." Sabrina sips from her chalice and the rest follow suit. "Commezia ceazito..." She orders, and the wind stops and everything becomes still.

Then she cackles, and they join her. For a very long time, they all keep laughing.

King Markevius, the ruling king of Kasanje Kingdom, trudges unannounced into the cave impatiently with two guards by his side, interrupting them. He needed an answer. Tonight was the night that determined the future of the Kasanje Kingdom.

"Well?" King Markevius retorts demandingly.

Sabrina looks at him, her eyes like daggers. "With all due respect your highness, you do not interrupt a ritual". She hisses out.

"All I could hear were annoying laughters". King Markevius replies angrily. "The Silans will be here any moment from now".

Sabrina smirks at him, then sips more blood from her chalice as she steps out of the circle. The blood smears on the edge of her lips and she licks it swiftly with her tongue which were like that of a serpent. "We're prepared..." She answers shortly.

"I want to see for myself". He insists, unconvinced.

Sabrina smirks at him again. "Very well, but the use of dark magic requires a soul..."

"I have given you access to anything you need". King Markevius replies impatiently.

Sabrina does a slight curtsey, and then quickly she snaps her fingers at one of the guards that had followed the King, and he willing moves towards her, controlled by her magic. She gives him the chalice in her hand and asks him to drink from it. The guard duly obeys. Immediately he drops the chalice, his eyes turns bloodshot and he begins to speak uncontrollably, every secret he had, and knew of.

King Markevius laughs out loud in amusement.

"I told you we were prepared". Sabrina brags, enjoying the King Markevius's reaction.

"So the lips of Silla's royal family will be loose just like his". King Markevius chuckles, "Now more than ever I can't wait for tonight's banquet".

"There's nothing magic can't do", Sabrina says persuasively as she walks slyly towards King Markevius, "More reason why we need to find out where the sword of Enchancia is hidden". She adds in a whisper, so only he could hear.

King Markevius nods in agreement. "The Sillans will tell us tonight, and the Kasanje Kingdom will be the most powerful Kingdom in this realm".

"The Silans are rumored to know where the Great Enchancia Sword was hidden decades ago.." the enchanted servant whom they seemed to have ignored goes on talking, quickly getting the attention of everyone most especially the King "The Kasanjes feel threatened by this discovery, and aim to claim the throne of Estoria for themselves and go against the peace treaty signed decades ago..." he continues, "what the Silans don't know is that the banquet they have been invited to by the Kasanjes will be their last supper..."

King Markevius draws out the sword of the enchanted servant and lunges it into him. "That's enough!" he says in an outcry.

"How come he knows a lot about the plan?" Sabrina asks looking disappointed at King Markevius who looks nowhere else but at the lifeless body at his feet.

"He was one of my trusted guards". King Markevius replies oddly.

"You tend to trust people a lot..."She probes further, her eyes settling on the other guard.

Scared, the guard speaks up in a jolt, "I swear I won't utter a word of this to any soul".

"The Sillans had brought the idea of the peace treaty, but yet kept the secret of the magic sword. I'm sure by now you should have learnt from your forefather's mistake". Sabrina taunted the King.

King Markevius growls in anger, and with the same sword, struck down the other servant.

Sabrina smiles devilishly, "I knew you're the savior of the Kasanjes, it's your destiny". She praises him.

King Markevius lifts the bloody sword and stares at it sternly. "Nothing is going to stop my plans of claiming the throne of Estoria for my people".

"The Sillans think they're smart but they won't know what hit them. Their blood will soak this ground". Sabrina adds with a smirk.

King Markevius and Sabrina hold each other's gaze for a while and then they begin to laugh.

"Father, the Sillans have arrived". Prince Davon announced as he runs into the cave, but stops in dead shock at the lifeless bodies lying on the floor.

"What are you doing here Davon?" King Markevius shouts, angry that his twenty years old son had to see the dead guards.

"I wanted to be the one to tell you, I know how impatiently you have been waiting for this day" Davon stuttered, still trying to get his composure.

King Markevius sighs and drops the sword. "Let's go". He says to his son then turns and looks at Sabrina in the eyes. "Everything must go as planned".

Sabrina nods at him with a smirk on her face. King Markevius leaves the cave with his son by his side.

"Dad who killed those guards?" Prince Davon asked once they were out of the cave.

King Markevius hesitantly replies, "Son, you're aware of what is going to happen tonight".

Prince Davon nods, "You're going to claim what is yours from the Sillans".

King Markevius shakes his head, "I'm not just doing it for me, but for you and the entire Kingdom".

Prince Davon smiles at his Father.

"You too one day will sit on the Throne of Estoria" King Markevius continued.

"And after me, Jamond will rule too". Prince Davon added happily.

King Markevius sighs, "I don't wish for your brother to rule".

Prince Davon looked confused at his Father. He knew his father has never been fond of his younger son, but not wanting him to rule took it all to another level.

"I'll rather your own son took after you. Hence why you must get married as soon as possible".

"Father, I'm too young to get married now."

"The younger the better, so your offsprings come quick, and grows fast to take over from you". King Markevius says and pats him on the back. Davon smiles at him.

As they reach the palace, they greet the Silla royal family, who had also come with an entourage, and ushered them into their palace.