KNOCK KNOCK!
The sudden loud doorknocking sound flinched both Gabriel and Zordan. Keeping a brief silence and rhythm of their mild breathing, while they were immersed in each other’s warmth, the door knock acted like a reality check. It retrieved their senses back to reality in a split of a second, especially for Gabriel.
She immediately unleashed herself from his arm and took a few steps back, putting a solemn grimace. While watching her tilting her head down, Zordan exhaled a heavy sigh and glanced at the door, before he commanded, “Who is it?”
The doorknob smoothly opened and a tall muscular man decked up in knight armor gently walked inside. It was Maxim, and with a concerned expression on his face, he bowed before Zordan, “Greetings, Your Grace. Pardon me to interrupt you but the other knights are prepared. Now, it’s time.”
Zordan heard him with a frown on his face and slowly shifted his gaze towards Gabriel who was still leaning her head down and didn’t bother to look at anyone else, especially Maxim. Aware of how much he has been a faithful beta and his supreme companion for all these years, she bore a heavy, humiliated expression on her face while fidgeting with her thin, pale fingers. It seemed as if she had lost the strength to meet anyone’s gaze anymore.
Whereas, Maxim obediently bowed his head before Gabriel, and spoke, “Greetings to you as well, Your Royal Grace. I am glad to see you awake now.”
But no response came back from her.
Amidst this, his sharp gaze didn’t fail to notice the big, reddish bite mark on her fragile, pale neck skin. Moreover, he flinched a little to see the bleeding wound on Zordan’s arm. Assuming it to be grazed by a sharp claw, Maxim could clearly sense the budding tension between the two of them. He realized something must have happened the moment she regained her consciousness, but helplessly peeked a few worried glances at his bleeding arm.
“Maxim, please wait outside the room. I am coming.” In a cold voice, Zordan ordered him as he was quick to sense his keen glances on his wound. Before the atmosphere could get anymore awkward, he wanted to keep him out of this chaos and Maxim clearly understood his signal. Keeping his grimace, he walked outside clenching the sword belt around his waist.
As soon as he stepped out, Zordan turned towards Gabriel and picked out a soft fabric from his coat pocket. It was a black, velvet-laced choker, with a shining black hematite stone placed at the center of it. It seemed custom prepared, looking similar enough to a hematite necklace.
Zordan walked closer to her, holding the choker in his hand which made her flinch. Before she could inquire about his sudden approach, Zordan gently tied the soft choker on her neck, carefully covering the bite mark from being visible to others. Gabriel stood there confused, but couldn’t reject his advance as she could see a concerned look on his rolled eyes towards her.
“Within 3 days, it will be our engagement ceremony. I have some urgent matters to attend that’s why I won’t be back. Until then get some rest and don’t push yourself too hard, Gabriel.
Also, this choker will cover your mark from being publicly visible and inviting unnecessary attention as I am well aware, of how much difficulty such situations put you into. You don’t have to bother about it so much anymore.”
Zordan finished tying the choker while speaking in a genial tone and quickly drifted a step back from her. While Gabriel still retained that baffled face, he evoked a small smile, “I had to mark you because I had no other choice left. Gabriel, I know you consider me as your enemy, but while I am away, don’t let your guard down. Always take the senior maid with you wherever you go. Also, I have also put a spiritual hematite stone near my mark. If you face any trouble, I will be able to sense it quick even if I am away. And just like this, I can come back running back for you.”
As soon as Zordan finished his explanation, a small, cryptic smirk appeared on her soft lips as she lifted her gaze above to look deep into his eyes. Her dubious expression appeared stiff as she spoke, “So, are you treating me like your pet dog by putting a leash on me? Why don’t you just cut off this gentlemanly act and speak the truth? You marked me first and put this choker on me only to sense my instincts about you! So that while you are away, even if I try to escape for my life, you will come back running to keep me behind this dark confinement. Isn’t that so?”
Facing her hostile gaze and rough accusations, Zordan exhaled another heavy sigh and didn’t utter a word to argue back. “You can assume whatever you want, Gabriel. My guards will be looking after you as always but you are not allowed to take off this choker no matter what happens. Please…be safe.” He narrowed his onyx eyes with immense concern filled in them while he stared still for a few seconds.
Soon after when Zordan turned around to walk towards the door, Gabriel gritted her jowls and shrieked in a teary voice, “You are too clever to pull your every action according to your plan! The innocent, transparent person I had known for these years was just an illusion in my mind! Right now, I can only look at you as my greatest enemy!”
His footsteps paused for a moment and he turned around to peek another last glance at her. She was bitterly gazing at him with her teary eyes which throbbed an ache deep in his chest. After keeping a brief silence, he slope stepped outside closing the door behind him.
“I…I really want to hate him! I…I must hate him, he is my enemy!! But then why does he know me too well!? Why did my emotions become such a mess? Goddamnit!”
Gabriel sobbed, caressing her fingertips around the choker he had put on her a moment ago. While anger and frustration occupied her mind, she wanted to take it off but paused. Even though she wanted to do it, her hands couldn’t tear off his presence tied around her neck.
She was amazed to find that he had accurately understood her humiliated anticipation and came up with an alternative to make her feel a bit at ease.
KNOCK KNOCK!
Just when she was battling the anticipation, another loud door-knocking sound flinched her again.
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