Kira and Jared

✍️Kira's rival

Jared was in no mood for her, so he sharply gave her an answer; "She means more to me than anything else, even Verthona. You do not understand anything so I suggest you stay quiet and listen".

She did not say anything after that, her father, Vethruk was stunned to see his daughter, who always had something to say, become silenced by a man for the first time. At that moment he realized that his daughter had fallen in love with Jared of Verthona.

"How do we save her?". Asked Victor.

"We invite her here. I know we agreed not to let anyone in the castle know about our meeting but if there is anyone who deserves to know, it is her".  Said Jared.

"Why? Because you love her?"... She asked angrily. Everyone in the room turned their heads in her direction.
"What? Am I not allowed to say anything now, why are you all looking at me like I am crazy!".  She snapped and got up abruptly.
"You know what? All of you can go to hell! You, Jared of Verthona, you are nothing but a dreamer who thinks that by playing the hero, you can get her to leave her husband and follow you! You are just mad for thinking that way!!!"

"Don't you dare insult his Majesty..."
Victor got up from his seat to warn her but Jared stopped him, gesturing him to seat back down.  He had no choice but to obey.

"Shut up you dog!!" Yelled Vena, her eyes filled with tears.  "Where has your loyalty gotten you? Stupid, all of you!!!".  She stormed out of there and walked down the dark hallway to the room that had been prepared for her. Then, she entered and shut the door with a loud bang.

Vethruk got up and said to Jared;  "I don't like seeing my daughter like that, fix it, you hear me?". 
He also walked out, leaving the rest of them in a confused state except for Jared and Victor who both knew that Vena was acting that way because she had already fallen for Jared, a man who loves another.

***

Jared gave them a short break from the meeting and walked over to Vena's door. He knocked,
"Open up Vena, it's Jared". He said.

Vena opened the door after a long wait. He entered her room and saw that she had  her daggers lined up on the small table in the room. There was a wooden doll on her bed that was in a pretty bad shape, it seemed like she had been cutting through it. He wondered what that was for, but did not ask.

She knew what he was was thinking so she answered;  "I use that to take out my frustrations".

He looked at her, observing her expressions. Her cheeks reddened under his gaze.

He needed to clear the air between them so that it would be easier to work together in the nearest future.
"Vena, listen to me carefully. I will never be yours, no matter how much you try, I will never stop loving her..."

"I never asked you!". She spat, cutting him short as she switched to angry mode.

"I know, but I feel the need to explain myself so that you do not have any misconceptions or false hopes.  If anything were to happen to Kira, I would take my own life. That is how much I love her and there is nothing anyone can do about it".

"She is pregnant for another man! Isn't Prince Edrin supposed to be like your adopted brother or something? She is his wife yet you are still living in some kind of dreamland and hoping that she will be yours one day?". She was unable to digest the whole situation.

"You are wrong, Vena. I do not hope for her to come back to me, I just love her whether or not she comes back. I will continue to love her even if she has half a dozen children for him. I will continue to love her".  Jared said with all seriousness.

Vena could not believe what she just heard. "How is that possible? No one loves anyone like that..."

"But I love her like that Vena, you have to accept it".  He said firmly and then walked away.

She wiped her tears and sat on her bed with her knees brought up to her chest and her face placed on them. "No one takes away Vena's toys".  She said to herself.

***

Bianca knocked on Jared's door late in the night. She had waited for hours for him to return from God knows where, until she fell asleep waiting. Now, she wasn't going to wait till morning only for him to disappear again. Jared opened the door and saw her standing there...

"Come in Bianca". He said as he gave way for her to enter and locked the door afterwards.
Bianca looked around his chamber, then she looked back at him;
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything again, your highness".

He looked away in embarrassment as the events of some hours back flashed in his mind.  "I'm sorry for earlier".

"I'm not the one you should apologize to. Though you have every right to do as you please, I'd beg you to consider her a little. She is in a critical condition and I can see it in her eyes that she is weak. Your highness, I have a bad feeling that if she loses this baby, it might take a very long time for her to conceive again, or worse, she could die".

Jared felt like he had been struck by lightening when she said that. Though he had heard it before, it still shook him when he remembers it.

Bianca continued;
"You know she still loves you, so please if you're going to be with a woman, let her not see it, please... I know it's too much to ask but I have to, I'm sorry".

"Bianca, I had nothing to with that girl, I have to explain to Kira. Please tell her to wait at the old throne room beside the eastern wing of the castle, you should go with her. Make sure no one follows you both, do you understand?".

"Yes. But why...?"

"Just wait there, I will send my man to lead you to our secret meeting place. I trust you Bianca, that is why I am telling you this, do not break my trust".

" I won't, your highness, I promise ". She said, then she left his chamber.