“Your Excellency, it cannot be delayed, and we are all asking that you return.” Sharlae said, not in the least worried about her heavy breathing.

She knew that any type of aphrodisiac does not help this man to get close to her…She knows because she had tried all of them a long time ago!

This man was hers yet had never been hers completely! For so many years, she had tried to get him, yet nothing, nothing has worked!

The problem was, nothing may work if he stays here, where she could feel where the curse was as well…Which was why she came so fast and so directly to this point!

Having flown nonstop over all the land from the castle to here, it was no wonder that her breathing had still not gone back to normal yet!

If they met up…

It was something she had to stop!

 

What she hadn’t expected though, was that the King of Kings ignored her completely and even started to walk towards where the curse was located.

No!

“Your Excellency! We are in dire need of your help back at the castle!” Sharlae stated, unable to keep a bit of her uneasiness out of her voice.

But, the straight back of the man continued on without her.

Dammit!

Sharlae, even though her flying off earlier towards where the Dragon King was heading, might set off some questions, Sharlae was unable to let it go!

She will act as though she was to make everything and everyone ready for an audience with the Dragon King, but instead be more searching for the Phoenix, that was there somewhere.

Luckily, since she was the one that placed the curse upon the person, she will be able to find the person easier than that of the Dragon King, whom seems to have no idea!

 

Quickly, Sharlae made haste down the mountain, flying down as her golden winged serpent creature and flew right into the biggest place, that she thought would be of the leader there.

Briefly stating that the Dragon King is on his way here, Sharlae did not care to supply more information and simply went straight towards where the curse seemed to be…To finally find a girl of about sixteen years of age, packing up her things.

Well, well, isn’t that fortunate!

Not only is the girl packing to leave but…Her creature…

The curse, no wonder it was easy to find her! Her creature could come out!

It had to be stopped!

Yet, Sharlae couldn’t let this chance go anyway. Enslaving her would only take a moment and then she can continue on her way from here and she will then also have the power over her to keep her away from the Dragon King.

Without further ado, Sharlae went straight up to the girl and placed her hand upon her head and then chest, bringing forth the Phoenix…And enslaved it within seconds!

 

***

 

I fell down into a heap, my knees hitting the ground with a thump.

Pain entered my head and I just knew, even though the last few seconds seemed very much like a blur, I just knew that I had been enslaved once again.

Trying to clear my head, I looked around, trying to ignore the person who is clicking their tongue in my direction.

Grabbing a short dagger, I turn it around, so that I could dive it into my heart, but it was taken away from me.

“Oh no, little one. Now that I’ve enslaved you, it’ll be a lot easier to keep you away…Now, don’t bother packing anything more, just take what you have and leave!”

A familiar feeling came over me, after she had said those words and now…I was no longer able to take my own life.

I remember this feeling well and it was even used against me before, as it gave me tears…I had gotten as far as putting a knife to my heart, even having it go into my skin but had never been able to go beyond that.

The master would always stop it before it goes further, not only that, but the pain from disobeying the orders would only get more and more intense with the closer I had gotten…

And now…It’s all happened again…

I can’t end my life…

…It all happened so quickly!

 

“To think he’s wasted so many resources on someone like you…”

I looked up to see the woman in front of me and found that she was really beautiful.

She had golden blonde hair and golden eyes. Her flowing dress was tight against her body and it was a pure white color that made her look dashing as it went with her blonde hair and white pearl necklace and earrings.

Her figure was of a woman, a woman that was desirable and beautiful…One that I wasn’t.

The clothes I had on where daggy and old. My hair had been brushed and put up into a ponytail in a rough, quick way and I felt completely out of place.

“Leave, quick! Go far from here!”

With the order placed inside me, I did not even have the care to disobey.

I was too upset and too stunned to think of anything else besides obeying my new master…

 

Putting the backpack on, even though I had not packed everything, I quickly put on shoes and walked out…Only to see that the pack was rushing around madly.

What was going on?

Feeling myself get pushed, I nearly fell to the ground.

“Go!”

Turning away from the pack, I took a step and closed my eyes as my feet kept moving.

…Why? Why can’t I just…

“Who’s this?”

“Oh…Her? Ah, she is one of my loyal subordinates, Your Excellency.”

The masculine voice made me want to holt my steps, but I felt the extra need to continue, because my master was urging me onwards.

“What…Does she do?”

His voice…Was nice…

“…Your Excellency, I had already told the pack leader that you have arrived, perhaps it would be a good time to meet him.”

“Speak!”

“Yes, ah…I know all this time…You have not been able to find the Phoenix…Since it is so important to you, I have been secretly trying to find her myself and present her to you as soon as possible…She has been helping me try to find the Phoenix for you, Your Excellency. I told her…”

With those words, even with the urging of my new master, I stopped walking and turned around.

 

I didn’t know what I was to expect, but…The man a few meters away from me…Was not it…

He stared into me, making me hurriedly look down.

My heart…Please calm down…

I clenched my hand and stayed silent.

…Could he be…The Dragon King?

They were just talking about finding his Phoenix, was it…This man?

Hearing him walk towards me, my breathing got caught into my throat and I closed my eyes tightly.

“Your Excellency? She…She was going to met up with me later.”

“Did your discoveries led you here? I felt her, for just a moment, but it’s gone now. Is she here? Did you see her?”

I shook my head.

Not having any answer myself, my head shaking was because I was ordered too.

“Then…What have you found that has led you here?”

“Oh, Your Excellency, I told her to meet me here, when I was coming to find you...If there was something at all that would help you, I will be sure to tell you everything! I am, after all, someone that wants you to be happy.”

The other woman’s words made me want to cry.

If only…If only I had left earlier…

If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have been enslaved and I wouldn’t have seen the Dragon King!

 

With the short moment that I saw him, it was etched to my memory.

His stance, his intense gaze, his short hair and tanned face…

My Phoenix, I could feel it want to scratch itself out, making me heat up. My whole body got slightly red and I could not help but silently ask for help as my cheeks flamed.

This wasn’t fair!

…This really wasn’t fair!

“Come…I want to speak with you about my Phoenix. Sharlae, ask for a place where I can be alone for a meeting.”

“Your Excellency, I…”

“Do it! You, follow me!”

It was weird, as I was looking down, but I automatically knew when he was speaking to me. It wasn’t like a master’s calling. It led through me, through my heart, my soul, my Phoenix. It sent a roar through me, making me even hotter than I already was…

I wanted it to stop because I was scared this was another type of enslavement!

Not one person had me flaring up like this…Ever!

Not one person could be itched into my mind so easily!

 

With no choice but to follow the Dragon King, yet no choice but to ‘come up with an excuse to leave’, pain enveloped my head and I took a deep breath to control it.

Looking at the woman, who looked at me with piercing, scary eyes, I bit my lip, “I can’t…”

“Follow!”

Seeing that the man…The man with an intense gaze, turn to me, I was suddenly hit with an idea.

If he is the Dragon King…Can’t he save me?

I should be able to fight my master and be able to speak of being enslaved…

Yet, my heated legs seemed to have a life of their own before I could come up with a decision, and I found myself stepping forwards, step by step and before I knew it, I was already making my way past the place I had stayed.

“Don’t you dare!”

Feeling an urge to stop and a hand upon my arm, I looked at the woman who had spoken in a very low voice.

Seeing her seethe and pull her arm away, she widened her eyes to the redness of her hand…

“Are you coming?”

Turning back to the man, I found that I did what I did before and that my legs had a mind of their own.

 

‘Don’t you dare tell him anything! If I have to end your life…I will!’ I heard in my head.

Following after the man that had a nice voice and made me feel very heated, I watched silently as he asked where he could go to have a meeting and asked to be left alone.

The pack looked at me strangely but only said that dinner will be ready a little later.

Leaving us alone, inside the biggest place, I stood to the side, just inside the door, and continued to fight the pain in my head.

My master was truly nasty, eyeing everything that was going on, continuously speaking of orders and I was unable to completely concentrate.

“I’m speaking to you!”

Looking up, I see the man frowning and pointing to a chair across from him.

Nodding, I take up the seat quietly and try to stay calm…But, it was not easy. I was completely conflicted in my head.

I liked the idea of letting out information, just so that my master would kill me. Then again, I was also wanting help to stop the enslavement…But…

Looking at the man, briefly, I wondered if I could trust him…He’s supposed to be my other half…But…

 

“What is it that you know about my Phoenix?” He asked in such a dreamy voice that I was suddenly able to concentrate.

“Brendon Ball.” I voiced out, not even sure why I so willing gave him any kind of information about myself.

‘My Phoenix?’ Hearing that twice now, with his dreamy voice, I was trying not to let the strange elated feeling flow into me too much.

Does he care about me that much?

“Brendon Ball? Who is that?”

Looking away, trying to collect myself…And that of my soul, heart and Phoenix, I swallowed and nodded, “Brendon Ball had a heron creature, he…He and a maid, who had a falcon creature…” I stopped. Can I really state that they were my real parents?

Should I?

 

“Are you telling me that this Brendon Ball and the maid are…Her parents?”

Looking up to the voice, feeling it’s happiness wash over and through me, I absently nodded back at him.

Cringing, I put a hand to my head and fought to the pain of my master. She really was a lot stronger than any other I’ve had…But, at the same time, wasn’t the Dragon King just as strong or stronger?

Would he be able to do something? Even if it was to help kill me or something!

The pain…The pain was nearly unbearable…

‘Get out of there, I demand you!’

But I could still fight her this much!

If there was a time to have a change in this circumstance, it had to be now!

So…I was not going to leave until I either told him that I was enslaved or until my new master just kills me through ordering me to kill myself!

 

“…Are you unwell?”

Seeing a hand come into my sight, I automatically retract away from it, falling off the chair in the process.

Still in a state of shock that a male is trying to touch me, and not just I but my master pushing me away from it, I was then stuck against a wall, after falling off the chair.

“It’s ok…Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

Seeing him come around the table and come closer, I sink further into the wall and cuddle myself into a corner, with nowhere else to go.

The Mosquito King came into my mind and Zonic…

Memories of them grabbing and pulling and I clenched my eyes shut.

Please don’t hurt me…

 

“Why are you like this? I might be the Dragon King, but I didn’t think that I was known for hurting people.”

His words didn’t make sense to me and I shook my head, not saying anything in return.

“I won’t touch you. But please tell me what you know…Please.”

Slowly opening my eyes and seeing his desperate look, I fall into another type of shock.

Is he desperate because…

I didn’t want to think further, because…I was scared. I was scared that if I let myself think that he cared for me that…

No…

Even if he did care for me, even in the smallest measurement, I can’t do it.

I can’t do it!

I was not ready!

Taking a deep breath, I stare back at him, wishing that his face didn’t get itched into my memory. “I just get headaches sometimes…And I’m…Not good with people…”

Seeing him frown and then stand up, I still did not move from my place.

“Why aren’t you good with people? Why do you get headaches?” He sounded upset, making me frown in return.

“I get them a lot, it’s normal.”

 

I didn’t lie, fighting back my masters had always given me headaches and I had been enslaved that long, that to me getting headaches was normal.

I hoped he did not ask too much more. I was still unsure on what to say yet…Especially when I found that I was too scared of him still.

He could be my savior, I tell myself, but he could also be someone else that could either abandon me, hurt me or use me.

I didn’t understand the link between us, I didn’t think it was real, even though I had already felt it, before I had died in my last life.

Just…Too much has happened, and I can’t just simply trust him, having only met him this once!

“It’s not normal to have headaches, perhaps I should call a doctor for you?”

“No!” I said firmly, “No doctor!”

Seeing him put his hands up and sigh, he sat back down and pointed to the chair, “Do you want to continue?”

I stare at the chair and shake my head.

Hearing him sigh, I found him getting up, fixing up the chair and sitting back down, “Then don’t mind me for a moment.”

Unable to stop my curiosity and surprise, I watch from the floor as the Dragon King pulls some books out of nowhere and uses some type of magic that I’ve never seen before!

 

***

 

Dammit! What am I to do!? What do I do!?

Sharlae paced around to the side, outside of where her man was. She had been concentrating endlessly upon her slave, making sure nothing happens but something else needed to be planned as fast as possible!

The girl isn’t eighteen but now that I’ve pulled her creature out and enslaved her, if she is touched, her man will know who she is straight away!

Dammit!

Not stopping her pacing, Sharlae places her hand up to her chin and wonders what to do in this predicament.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have enslaved her before and had just told her to go! If her creature didn’t get pulled out in that short space of time, it could have worked!

What an idiot!

Why had I been so keen to enslave her, when I could just threaten her to leave as soon as possible!

But…If she hadn’t had enslaved her, she couldn’t be able to do as she’s doing now and inflict orders, because if she had been found earlier, without being enslaved…

This was a mess!

 

Should I ‘kill her off’?

It wouldn’t take much to do so. As soon as she’s out of the Dragon King’s presence, I could get her to run off the cliff or something. Leave a note…But…

What about poison?

Dammit, no, that’s right, the only way to kill her is a knife to the heart!

Yet, do I even want her died now? If she’s enslaved by me, stays away from the Dragon King and lives a long life, that would give me more years to take him completely. It’s already taken this long and eighteen…No, fifteen years, is not long enough!

Dammit!

What’s going on now? What are they talking about?

Sharlae focuses upon her slave and finds the Dragon King doing his own thing and she quickly tells the girl to make up an excuse and get out of there…And seeing that she does actually try to do so but the Dragon King doesn’t let her go, Sharlae stamps her feet in frustration!

 

Why is the Dragon King so keen not to let her out of his sight! Does he know!?

Stopping her pacing, she widens her eyes to the concept and seriously worries that the Dragon King already has an idea or knows entirely that the Phoenix is in fact right in front of him!

This can’t go on! I have to get her out of there!