"Lyle," Her own breath which she held choked her as his na abruptly left her mouth. Neriah stood there for long seconds with her mouth open and her expression terrified as she just stared at the man before her. How did he find her? That was not even the right question to be asking at the mont. What in the world was he doing there? Why did he co after her?
Neriah looked around and suddenly realized she was alone with him. It was just her and him in the place... And her baby.
"Wh_what are you doing here?" The question was barely audible. She trembled as she tried to keep her head together and get rid of the man as soon as possible. Forget confessing everything to Barak. If he arrived and found her in the company of another man, she could not bear to think of how he would feel and what would happen.
"L_Lyle you cannot be here. Why are you here? How did you even get here? What do you want? I clearly told you that day that it was over between us, so why are you here?" Her hands held a good portion of her dress in them as she bombarded him with questions.
"Why, that is a rather odd question, my love." He smiled and Neriah was more creeped out than she was that day he had tried to force himself on her. There was just sothing eerie about him now. Sothing that wasn’t there before. Sothing dark that scared her.
"Of course because you are here. Wherever you go, I will follow." He said with a smile and as he took a step closer to her Neriah almost scread. His words seed to be choking her. She could not draw in enough breath, neither could she let it out properly.
"No! No Lyle. I told you to go. I no longer wish to see you. I am in love with my husband and—" She paused as he suddenly began to laugh in a rather maniacal manner. Much to Neriah’s fright.
"Love! You? That barbarian?" He asked and laughed even harder, taking more steps forward. Steps that would bring him right in front of her. Slowly, she staggered backwards. Away from the madman that was before her. "See, I know you have been bewitched. You have been blinded and that is why I cannot rest until you return back to your rightful senses. I shall break that curse by destroying the one who has placed it."
"Lyle no! I am perfectly fine. If anyone is out of their minds between the two of us here, then it is you. You have gone mad and you do not even see that! How did you even find us. Did you follow us? Did—"
"Oh, Aye, you had prepared the perfect opportunity for your so-called husband’s death and you did not even know it." He said.
"What are you even talking about?"
"The last ti you ca to see . You told you were coming to Fortia with your dear husband and that was when I realized that indeed you were bewitched. The reason you told about where you would be going was because the real you inside wanted to follow you. You were indirectly telling to co to your rescue. To co save you and kill that—"
"NO!! Heavens No!!! I ant no such thing. I do not even rember telling you about where I would be heading to. Please Lyle, get out of here. You have everything twisted. I no longer want to be with you. All I want is Barak, so I am begging you, get out of here before he cos. Do not—"
"See, I knew it." He suddenly hissed. "I knew you would be so unwilling and uncooperative." He clicked his tongue regretfully and took closer steps to her. Neriah moved back yet again, crushing so dahlias as she walked with her back turned to the plants.
"And that is why I have co prepared." He said and all of a sudden cloaked n with masks over their faces appeared from nowhere.
Neriah’s hold on her dress tightened even more as she counted the n that had appeared in her head and they were over twenty. "L_Lyle what is this? Wh_what are you doing?" She tried not to stutter, she tried to make her voice firm and unshaking but she could not control it. She could not control the fear she felt for her child, herself and her husband.
"Work with Neriah, we shall kill Barak Der Drache here today. The one who can get closest to him will be you." Neriah stared at him with horror evident on her face. She was trying to but she could not fathom what he was saying.
"What?"
He took closer steps to her again and this ti Neriah just remained where she stood without moving a muscle. Not because she did not want to, but because she forgot how to. She suddenly could not rember how to move her legs. They were frozen to the ground and they were trembling imnsely.
"That was always the plan. So let us complete it." He said as he reached her side and Neriah wished to scream but she could not find her voice. All she could do was stare at him with so much anger and hate in her heart. "Take this dagger, Neriah. Stab him right in the heart. Kill the bastard who married you against your wish and co to . Kill—"
"NO!!!" Neriah finally found her voice and it echoed throughout the garden. "How many tis do I have to say it! I do not want that anymore!!! I do not wish for Barak’s death! I have chosen to be with him. It is my choice, and—"
"SHUT UP!" Neriah flinched as Lyle’s voice rang throughout the place. She looked into his eyes and all she could see was a madman. Nothing more. How co she was seeing this now? How co she had not noticed this before?
"You have beco a fool! And only with his death will you finally see that."
"Lyle you are—"
"I expected that you would not be willing so I ca prepared for this too." At his words, he stepped to the side a little and a female figure erged from behind him.
The woman was dressed in a lovely blue gown, her hair Neriah noticed was as red as hers and from underneath the mask the woman wore, Neriah could see bright green eyes that almost matched her own.
Neriah shifted her gaze from the woman who stood before her to Lyle who had a sadistic smile on his face and her head was quickly starting to do the math. The closer she looked the more she saw the similarities between herself and the lady. Height, and body shape too.
It couldn’t be! He wouldn’t go that far, Neriah was trying to convince herself, but then the lady’s hands touched the mask she had on and slowly she brought it down from her face and Neriah’s eyes and mouth opened as it wasn’t just any face...
It was, "Th_this is_ Wh_what is this?" Neriah shifted her gaze between the woman and Lyle again and again trying to swallow everything that was being forced into her.
"This, my love," Lyle placed a hand atop the shoulder of the woman as he spoke,"would be you. Perfect, isn’t she? She looks exactly like the princess Neriah, wife of prince Barak." Lyle.
"You are mad! You are mad!! This is madness! You cannot deceive him! He will know that is not ! He will know!!"
"Leave all that to ," Lyle sneered as he moved the fake princess to one side and walked closer to Neriah, "For now my love," He said and Neriah trembled. She trembled and prayed in her head that he wouldn’t co. She prayed that he would be held up at the eting and not show up, "all you have to do is remain quiet."
Neriah could see that the other n had begun to take closer steps to her. They were going to capture her. She could not let that happen. Barak’s life would be in danger if she was caught. She had to run to him. She had to stop him from reaching this place.
"You think you are a match for Barak?" She suddenly asked, then an incredulous laughter escaped her lips. "Keep dreaming. You can never be half the man he is." She said right into the face of the man before her and for so reason she could not fathom, her words seed to vex him greatly.
"Take her and keep her till all this is over." He ordered and instantly, Neriah moved her fingers. Vines from the trees around them began to attack the n that were trying to touch her as she made a run for it. Moving her legs as fast as she could go.
"Co here you vixen!" one man hissed as he chopped off the vines that tried to hold him down. He reached for her but she was quick enough to dodge his hand, smartly reaching for his sword at his waist and sliding it out from his side.
"Either of you take a single step forward and I swear I shall cut you down like dead trees!" She warned as she stood with the sword in her hand. It was heavier than what she was used to, but it wasn’t as heavy as her husband’s sword. And thank goodness she had sotis used his sword for playful practice without his knowledge. Due to that she could easily balance the sword she was holding at the mont.
"She is one tiny woman, get her!" Lyle ordered.
"Co on!" Neriah yelled back. "Co forward! Whoever wishes to be the first one to visit the goddess should step forward. And I promise you I shall personally take you on that journey! So co! Co!!!"
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