ZINA
The effect of Fionna’s victory lasted for so long, but the break in string of failures didn’t last. The next contestants, true to the devious set up made by Daemon couldn’t overco the five minutes test.
The matches always ended in a draw, and Zina understood what Daemon ant when he had said she should be more worried as to whether they would be up to five winners and not whether there would be more than five winners.
No matter, Zina’s words had spread and everyone now spoke loudly of the one woman who would definitely make it as one of Daemon’s Five Subordinates. They called her different nicknas, each of them supposed to shade on her imasurable talent and the fact that she proved that won too were capable of reaching heights that society had ordinarily reserved to for n.
The next break in the string of failures was expected and it ca with the announcent that Yaren NorthSteed would take the stage against Darph NorthSilver of one of the Five Noble Houses.
Even though an illegitimate son with sordid circumstances surrounding his birth, all the audience’s cheers were reserved for Yaren. Afterall, he was a man whose exploits were known back in the days when he fought against the Arising Rogues by Daemon’s side.
He had already carved a na for himself. One so undisputable that even Daemon’s Council n were stunned. They had probably expected him to be scorned or to looked down at, and in doing so they had naturally underestimated the fact that from the very day when Daemon had taken his rightful place as Alpha of the NorthSteed Pack, many naturally thought that Yaren NorthSteed would be his Beta.
Zina knew the tournant was just a re formality that would still usher the man to his rightful place and she wasn’t proved wrong when Yaren took down Darph NorthSilver in less than a minute.
The crowd cheered, but Yaren the ver enigmatic man he was barely showed any other reaction save for his usual grim expression as he approached the Dias after his victory.
Zina though it was better to reserve the speech for Daemon who had been uninterested all along, even at that ti as Yaren competed on the stage.
"It’s as expected of you," he simply said to Yaren in a voice that was almost intimidating in that it naturally demanded for the best from Yaren. "Now let’s wait out this sordid display and have you back at my side. There’s much work for you to do."
Yaren bowed, and left without a word. But Zina could see it in the way the light in his eyes changed that Daemon’s were more than enough for him. She could see it that he found imnse satisfaction in those crudely thrown out words.
Zina guffawed at Daemon, "Surely a ’well done’ is in place, no?" She whispered.
"You want to tell my Beta well done?" Daemon’s repeated the words slowly like he was struggling with them.
"He’s your brother too." Zina said like that should be the most obvious fact in the world, which it was in fact.
"From now on, not anymore. The burden of the Beta of the NorthSteed Pack and the Arctic North is not one that allows for such familial affections."
"I would have agreed with you if not for the pride that shines in your eyes even now. There’s nothing wrong with telling your brother that you’re proud of him."
"He is not a child in need of a pat on his hair," Daemon grumbled like the thought of saying such ’affectionate words’ to his brother bothered him beyond words. "If he can’t see for himself the so called pride you see in my eyes, then I must have raised him wrong all these years."
"Seeing it is one thing, hearing it from you is another." Zina pressed on lightly although she planned to abandon that subject matter. After all, she understood where Daemon was coming from regardless of the fact that she thought his perspective could be quite shrewd.
"Don’t I express my affection for you all the ti?" Daemon suddenly said just as the tal was clanged loudly signifying the beginning of the next tournant.
Zina reared back in surprise at the abrupt change in topic. "This is not about , Daemon." She whispered while trying to contain her smile at the sa ti.
Daemon frowned, leaning into her. "Are you sure about that? It almost seed like you were personalising it for a mont now."
Zina stared at him in genuine confusion, "it’s really not about ...."
"Fine," he cut her off abruptly, eyes shinning with mischief, "let’s make it about you now. Do you think I express myself more to you? Or I’ve forced you to only ’see’ it for yourself?"
Zina scoffed lightly, facing the contest that was happening on the stage. "You’re ability to change the subject of conversations is quite impressive your majesty."
"And your ability to evade such conversations once it concerns you is equally as impressive," Daemon retrorted back easily, "now tell , do you think I do the sa to you?"
Zina smiled and then turned to him. "Yes. Your eyes most of the tis speak a thousand words than you ever say with your mouth." She rattled off without thinking.
"Hmmm... " he sounded while his hand slipped discreetly under the table to hold her hand. "So you an I don’t say I love you enough. You an I don’t express how much I want you enough, nor do I speak of how I can no longer survive without you enough."
Zina’s breath caught in her throat as yet another broad smile overtook her. "Maybe that’s what I am saying." She whispered back daringly.
"Fine. Challenge accepted. From this ti on, get ready to have your ears fall off from my ceaseless and endless whining, my love."
Redness crept up Zina’s cheeks. "We are in public," she muttered although she wasn’t that bothered in reality.
"What?" Daemon muttered, feigning ignorance, "should I call you my wife instead?"
Zina smiled so broadly, until she feared her teeth would freeze from the cold that now lashed the air anew.
It was beginning to snow.
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