BLOODY VENGEANCE

Gudmund welcomes the princess of Yottera Kingdom.

Gudmund entered the throne room alone in a confident and imposing stride as all the ten officials present bowed to him in greeting. He braided a part of his hair and held it together in a ponytail and wore an unbuttoned red knee-length jacket with his sword unsheathed as it scraped the floor without a screech. He could see his father sitting on the throne with a smile on his face as he faced a young woman dressed in a light purple dress. 

He pretended not to see her as he stopped a few steps in front of his father and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Father."

King Sigurd had already forgotten the fact that his son had angered him in the past as he smiled at his favorite child. "Gudmund, you are finally here. Come and greet your fiancée, she has been waiting for you for a long time."

Gudmund turned to see his so-called fiancée staring at him with sharp eyes as he gave her a small smile. He had practiced for this moment since the day he woke up and realized that he had reincarnated. He smiled but made no move to walk to her first as he greeted her. "Selene."

The young lady removed the veil that covered her face, revealing her gorgeous face to the court now that she had seen him. She eyed him from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze but then it changed to an annoyed one when she realized that he was not coming to meet her. She understood that it was Krudak's custom for the female to cater to the male's needs but she still could not adapt to such motion since it was the exact opposite in the Yottera Kingdom. 

She walked up to him and bowed her head in greeting, her fellow maidens doing the same as she lifted up her head to look at him. "Greetings, my prince. You took so long to come out, I thought you weren't coming to welcome us anymore. "

Gudmund looked at his father when he saw that she did not bother to hide her annoyance. She still hadn't changed her haughty behavior and he was glad about it. It only meant that he could execute his plans as he saw fit. "I had some things to do."

Selene clenched her fist when she saw that he had offered no apology to her but instead turned around to face the ministers at his side. She had not believed the letter she had received from Eluf when he told her that the Crown Prince of Krudak had undergone a sudden change but after witnessing it herself, she couldn't deny that there was something different about him. He was no longer the naive, free spirited boy she knew all her life. 

This person in front of her now carried an assertive and dominant air like a king when he walked and he stood in a imposing stance. She also noticed that he had gotten more handsome and fit since the last time she saw him, her eyes trailing down his six packed abdomen to his well defined muscles and chest. Her face instantly turned red with her thoughts as she finally registered that he had been saying something to her all this while. "Hmm?"

Gudmund who had caught her staring at him made no reaction to her blushing face as he repeated himself patiently. "I asked you if we should go to the garden and spend some time together."

"I think it's better if I rest instead." Selene shook herself out of her thoughts when she heard his words. She told herself to become more weary about him since she had that dream from the goddess a night ago. She could sense an unknown danger lurking behind his eyes but she couldn't out her finger on it yet. " I have had a long tiring journey so I will just retire to my room. Please excuse me."

Gudmund watched her leave the room with her entourage, leaving him and his father with the court. He spotted his father's unhappy stare at the girl and suddenly realized that he might have never liked her as he claimed. He wondered if he had just said all those things because of him. "Father, I think I would also take my leave now."

"Alright." King Sigurd stood up from his throne and walked to stand in front of his son, tapping his shoulder twice with a comforting gaze. "You should not be discouraged by Princess Selene's cold attitude towards you as all women from Yottera are just like that. I am sure she will come around once she sees that you truly love her."

"Yes, Father." Gudmund gripped his sword tightly, looking into his father's warm eyes as his heart thumped against his chest laden with guilt. His persistence and stubbornness to marry that wicked vixen had ended his people and his family yet his father was giving words of advice instead. 

He lowered his eyes to hide his pain. "I will be going now." He left the room so that his father could continue his meeting with his officials while his eyes suddenly changed colors again, this time an awful bloody red.

In Princess Selene's room, her most trusted maid was busy packing her things and arranging the room when they suddenly heard a low knock on the windows. Her people halted their activities and looked at their mistress who was lying on the bed, reading a book. Selene dropped the book and dismissed them. "You may all leave now."

She waited for them to close the door before she opened the window and stepped back, watching the intruder enter her bedroom. She folded her arms and began to walk away from him as he landed on the floor nimbly. "Why are you arriving so late? Do you know how long I have been waiting for you-"

Selene was knocked out of her breath as the intruder pushed her to the wall without any thought. She could feel him dipping his hand under her gown and she moaned under her breath with a smile as she wrapped her hands around his neck. "Eluf, my love..."