Jazell slowly lowered her gaze before languidly shifting it to rest on Vashi.
"I00…golden cape? Jazell arched her brows. She scoffed softly, then retracted her gaze.
"Did I break the wheel of coins? Vashi purred, her voice stinging Jazell's pride.
"You sound so confident, Vashi." Jazell couldn't help but take notice.
"Dare I say, you sound displeased? Vashi smiled, her red rosy lips parting in a cunning grin.
"I accept." Jazell finally cooed.
"Fine then." Vashi said. Turning to face the royal guard, she signaled him forward. The guard came forward with the black bag still hanging around his bag.
"Three arrows..." she said to the royal guard. The guard took out three arrows and handed them over to her.
"Jazell… Have you ever believed in the word 'luck'? Vashi asked slowly, placing the arrow on the string of the bow in her hands.
"Huff!
Jazell scoffed.
"You might as well ask me to believe in sea monsters and ghosts." Jazell said, crossing her hands in front of her, her eagle gaze fixed on the way Vashi positioned herself, raising her hand with the bow in it, as she made to shoot the arrow.
"You see…luck is a good thing when it happens in someone's favor. It is quite a pity you do not believe in it, because I do. I am going to set an example of it right now." Vashi said before releasing the three arrows, and they flew with great speed across the field, hitting the bull's-eyes of the farthest target face, which was the highest scoring point.
Now Jazell was dumbstruck; words could not describe how amused she was. It was then she realized Vashi had lied to her face. Obviously she wasn't an amateur when it came to archery. Vashi had purposely struck a bet with her, because she knew she had an advantage.
"That Jazell…is a good example of luck." Vashi grinned, bringing her hands down.
Jazell batted her lashes and then curled her lips.
"What if I told you there is something greater than luck? Jazell said, signaling the royal guard, and he handed over to her three arrows.
"What could that possibly be? Vashi cooed in her tiny voice, feigning curiosity.
"Skill…sharpened belligerents." Jazell placed the arrows on the string of the bow.
"I don't build my world based on faith or luck. I shield myself with knowledge and skills." Jazell's eyes darkened as she raised her hand midair, then dragged the arrows backwards.
"Luck can fail you, Vashi…but your skill, which has been built on a solid rock…won't." She released the arrows, and they dived like flying bullets; the three arrows hit the yellow circle.
Jazell smirked, then slowly put her hand down.
"It is a draw! The guard, who was holding the bag, was filled with excitement; he didn't know when the words slipped out of his mouth.
Vashi sighed, then turned to look at Jazell.
"It was a nice game." She said, stretching out her lean fingers for a handshake. Jazell's eyes loomed on her for a while before finally bypassing the handshake. Instead she leaned in and then kissed Vashi on her lower jaw close to her neck.
With a flash, Jazell's eyes shifted to Vashi's neck, then quickly retracted.
"We might never spend time together again; I will savor this memory." Jazell smiled before turning around; she stretched out her left hand, and the royal guard took the bow from her. Then she walked away, her curvy hips swaying.
Vashi could only watch as she left; she stood there for a while, her green siren eyes unswerving.
By the time they arrived at the castle, it was evening. The carriage rolled along the stony gravel of the path inside the castle walls. Through the small window, outsiders could have a glimpse of Jazell and Vashi.
They were seated opposite each other in the carriage, legs crossed, with a cold gaze. Vashi looked venomous in her black gown; Jazell looked indomitable in the blue gown she was wearing.
When the carriage came to a halt, the rider opened the door. Jazell was the first to step out; the rider helped her climb down by stretching out his hand, and Jazell placed her hand on his and then climbed down.
Vashi followed suit in the same way. The both of them, escorted by two knights from behind, made their way inside the castle.
"This is where we part ways then." Vashi said when they got to a section with numerous hallways.
"For now…" Jazell replied slyly, then turned around and walked away.
Jia was seated in her chamber, her skin glowing from the coconut oil that was applied on it a few moments ago. There was a thin white linen hanging on her breast down to her feet. It was a simple nightmare that exposed her bare shoulders and had a long slit that exposed her long legs.
"They have returned, my lady." Hahn, her personal handmaid, she announced as she stepped into Jia's chamber.
Jia's dark lashes batted, her dark eyes slowly reluctant to gaze at the maid.
There was a maid standing beside her, fanning her with a long hand fan made of peacock feathers.
Jia rose to her feet, her flawless skin radiating under the candle lighting. The sun was setting, and the chamber was already dark, so the candles were on.
Jia held on to the light linen of the gown and then swayed it to the left; it had a long slit, so the gown parted, exposing her flawless legs for a while before covering up. She made her way to the terrace and then resided on the silver railings.
From there her gaze flickered to Vashi's chamber; the curtains were closed, but she could see the flames of candles reflecting on it.
She didn't say a word; for a while she remained there, the evening breeze blowing her dark hair, her soft feminine features radiating under the setting sun.
Then slowly she turned away and made her way into her chamber.
"Jazell already had her eyes on Vashi; the latter is soon to die." She said, taking a seat on her hammock swing. A maid crouched beside her and began to feed her grapes, plucking them from the bunch and placing them between Jia's soft lips.
"I heard they went to the Kingswoods; they had a game of archery, and it ended in a draw." The maid shoving the grape into Jia's mouth said.
"Vashi won't be able to stand up to Jazell, but I see desires stirring up in her, the way she looks at the king…" Another maid standing beside the hammock swing fanning Jia added.
"On a world tour, she had said…" Jia scoffed.
"She takes me for a fool. I won't be a pawn in any of her games. I will only see with my eyes her quick destruction, and I trust the queen of tactics to make Vashi's end miserable." Jia cooed and then remained silent for a while as she munched on a grape in her mouth.
In another chamber a lantern was placed on a desk with a book opened in front of it. Micah was seated on an armchair in front of the desk, her eyes fixed on the book in front of her.
"My lady, do your eyes not hurt from reading for hours?" Tarma chipped in when her eyes flickered towards Micah's direction.
"Tell me, Tarma… Is it true that some people worship serpents? Micah asked, looking away from the pages of the book. She reclined on the chair, her back resting on the body of the wooden chair.
"Yes… My lady. I have heard rumors about it once. But not many people believe in such words." Tamar said, tending to Micah's bed as she arranged the bedding.
"I saw the tail of a snake dangling between Vashi's hair the other day when I crossed paths with her." Micah admitted. At first she had thought it was just her eyes playing tricks on her. But as her mind flashed back to that day, she was sure of what she saw.
"You must be mistaken, my lady." Tarma said, not reading any meaning into Micah's words.
Micah allowed her maid's words to sink deep into her subconsciousness before finally pushing away her thoughts.
"I can't help but feel a spur of bad energy whenever I come across her. But everyone is so entangled by her beauty, they are simply too blinded to notice anything suspicious." Micah said, then shifted her gaze to the book in front of her.
She glanced at the book, which had drawings of different types of snakes and their species. She flipped the pages, and hours passed by as she continued to read, the breeze from the open windows she was seated close to making the night seem long.
She was wearing a plain transparent blue nightgown. Her body could be seen through the gown, but she only wore the gown within the walls of her chamber. A yawn escaped her mouth as she continued to flip the pages.
Just when the heaviness of sleep weighed on her eyelids, her gaze flashed at something…a picture on the page of the book.
Under the picture was a quote…"The mystical ways of the serpent."
When Micah allowed her eyes to dart around the page further, she saw the drawing of a flute at the top of the page. Under the drawing of the flute was a quote.
"How to enchant the Serpent."