CHAPTER 107: AIM...FIRE!

"Arrows, get ready!"

Brown turned with a stagger, almost knocking into Nikolai by mistake. "What are you doing? My daughter is there!"

Nikolai smirked, "Do you think he will let Jenna die tonight?" He stared at Rhane, who now glared at Jenna. If he wanted to do anything, it had to be now. Rhane wasn’t as focused as he was.

"I know my son, he won’t go that far," Nikolai remarked indifferently.

Brown didn’t look certain about that. "Didn’t you see how many lives he took tonight? I’m not sure you know your son so well," he stated with cold certainty.

"I’ll suggest we speak peace."

Nikolai raised his shoulder dismissively; peace wasn’t part of his plan tonight. He didn’t want to drag on the matter any further. "Aim!"

"Nikolai!" Brown widened his eyes, raising his hand to stop the men from shooting. "Don’t do anything except I order it, Jenna is there! My daughter is standing there!"

Percy rubbed his palm on his shirt nervously. He glanced at Rhane and Jenna; it looked like Rhane was scolding Jenna. They weren’t aware of what was about to happen. He didn’t know why Jenna had asked him to stand with his father, if it was to get him away from harm’s way or to dilute situations like these.

"My Lord!" Percy shivered at his own loud voice. Taking a moment to gulp, he continued. "What if the arrows get to Lady Jenna? She might get hurt."

Brown nodded in agreement, then continued. "Nikolai, we should put an end to this bloodshed and talk about this... don’t you think so?"

"What if your daughter no longer wants my son?" Nikolai asked, pretending to be sad.

This was his only opportunity, Nikolai thought to himself. Brown was a gullible man, not one very smart to understand situations. Gerald, on the other hand, wasn’t very keen to have Jenna. It was only pride that he stood to lose.

If things worked as planned, Nikolai wasn’t just going to leave the night as hero but twice as wealthy. It hadn’t come to his mind when he decided to help Gerald. All he wanted to do was get the tick out from his skin; whether Rhane lived or not, it wasn’t a bother to Nikolai. Now his agenda had changed, he wanted Rhane dead, along with the woman who even made him want to be human.

Brown darted his eyes to the side and nodded. "Rhane is still your son, isn’t he? We can—"

"Fire!" Nikolai rolled his eyes and ordered, ignoring the panic-filled scream of Brown and Percy.

Rhane was faster this time. Before the first arrow could get to him, he deflected the attack with his sword, pushing Jenna to the side.

"Are they trying to kill their own?" Kali asked breathlessly, jumping to the side when the next arrow flew in her direction.

Rhane turned to look at the men; he noticed Jenna’s father shouting something to Nikolai. It was enough to let him know who had given the orders.

When Nikolai met with Rhane’s gaze for a fleeting moment, the man gave a half grin. A wicked spark burned in his stare.

"We cannot let a runt take our daughter away from us," Nikolai began, breaking his gaze from Rhane, now speaking to the soldiers.

"Orders from the king should be taken as serious as life itself. If that man doesn’t move, then we will." Nikolai raised his hand up. "Fire!"

Brown, seeing that Nikolai wasn’t going to listen, rushed out to the field with his arms spread.

"Cease attack!" Nikolai ordered. Then to Brown, "Step away, Brown, this is the only way to help."

Master Brown’s chest moved up and down, his eyes losing focus. "I won’t have you kill my daughter. If you give those orders... I’ll have the council know that you tried to kill an entire family."

Nikolai glanced at the councilman he’d spoken to earlier, and he received a shake of the head. "What do you suggest we do, Brown?"

"Talk," Brown replied. He turned around to Rhane. "If you truly love my daughter as you say, it is time to let her go. I can help you if you do so. I swear it."

This time it was Jenna who pressed Rhane’s hand to her body.

"These men will kill you, you’ve already crossed the line. Disobeying the councilmen is being rebellious to the crown. You do understand that, right? And not one king... the kingdom of Orion, Avon, Morado and more... will be here to take you away."

Brown clasped his palms together in plea. "Let’s drop our weapons, hand over Jenna. I’ll speak on your behalf and a gentler judgment will be passed."

Rhane, who had just only relaxed after he thought Jenna had slipped from him, inhaled softly. "No judgement will be heavier than letting Jenna leave... I cannot do that."

"Young man!" Brown exclaimed, already exhausted. "To hide behind a woman is cowardice!"

"To let go of the woman you love is foolishness." Rhane uttered with disdain.

"Then let go of another man’s wife!"

Kali sneered at the familiar voice of Gerald. "Oh, the imp lives," she clutched her chest dramatically.

Gerald limped forward, his eyes sunken like he’d crossed the gates of the underworld and back. While one hand remained draped in bandage, the free one pointed at Rhane.

"They are both together in this, conspiring to flee amidst the strife." he accused. "Jenna is an adulteress, but I’ll forgive her because she is my wife."

Rhane opened his mouth to speak, but Jenna beat him to it.

"I cease to be your wife, Gerald." Jenna didn’t scream, she didn’t shout. Her voice was low, but a storm gathered behind her eyes. Her stare drifted, unflinching from Gerald to her father.

"If I am an adulteress, then Gerald will be an insult to worms. My maidservants, lady-in-waiting... friends at the market. All saw Gerald naked. Do you still wish for me to return to a man that has no shame? No hope? No morals?" Jenna spat, bringing her body even closer to Rhane.

"I’d rather have the arrows buried deep into my chest than to be called that bastard’s wife." Her words lashed out sending shivers down the spine of many.

Brown and the councilmen cleared their throats, murmuring and coughs coming from them.

"My beloved Jenna, you should have told me about it. Gerald reported your shameful deeds first," Brown said, trying to reason with his daughter. "As I told you, every man has a faul—"

"Rhane doesn’t!" Her throat hitched. "He doesn’t treat me like a dog."

Rhane’s resolve weakened at Jenna’s words. He rubbed his thumb on her waist, trying to soothe her. He could hear the pain in her voice.

"But it is always like that, you see?" Brown pressed on. "Let’s all go home, I’m sure your husband has been chastened. We end this..." he pointed at the bodies that had turned cold.

"Let us speak as kin, Jenna... marriage comes with a lot of things—"

"Father, I’ll only leave this place, but not with Gerald."

Gerald scowled. "I shan’t leave here without my wife. And Rhane made to pay for ensnaring my wife to his bed."

"I say we use force," Nikolai added.

Rhane, on the other side, smiled. "I’ll gladly take more souls to the devil... but Jenna will not leave my side."