DILEmma

It was an unusually quiet morning,the wind blew aggressively against her window, making them rattle unceasingly,distrupting the serenity that hung in the atmosphere.

Athena was grateful she had decided to close her window last night so as not to be awoken by the cold but she still woke early.

She laid in bed for a couple of minutes trying to force herself back to sleep,still exhausted from yesterday her whole body ached all over.

After meeting with the rest of the group,she had led a troop of knights to the human world in search of human prisoners thrown outside the gates but they only returned with two men.The others had been eaten alive by savages,giant beasts resembling warewolves,an aggressive kind of demon without rational thinking that preyed on humans and demons alike,hunting in parks.They had battled these demons to get the humans and when Athena returned she had trained some recruits and aspiring knights including her squire Luamisa.

Last night she had collapsed into bed and prayed to to wake early but here she was,up and early to face the day again.

She slipped out of bed and found her spirit guard Zena,a two inch tiny female cat like animal staring at her from her bed on the floor.

"Early again?"

"Guess it can't be helped somehow I am used to this even though I prefer not being so"Athena said as she tip toed to the bathroom.

After bathing,she had barely gotten out of the bathroom when she heard a knock in her door.

She exchanged glances with Zena and swung a towel around her.

"Who could it be this early?"Zena asked

"I don't know...I am not expecting anyone"

As Athena approached the door,she wondered who was on the other side.She rarely had visitors,it's been about two months since she had one which was actually a sleepover party gathering of some female knights.

She turned the door knob and opened it to see prince Marcus.

He smiled widely when he saw the startled look on her face.

"Athena...you looked suprised to see me"Marcus said and Athena didn't respond,just stared still holding the door.

Prince Marcus eyes ran through her body figure, from her partly exposed thigh to her breast and finally settled on the nipples which protruded from the towel she tied around her.

He licked his lips and titled his head to one side.

"Who would have thought you would look more pretty in a towel than in armory".

Athena flushed and backed him immediately, wrapping her arms around her chest.

"I wasn't expecting you"she said.

Prince Marcus still wearing a smile slipped in and shut the door.Zena growled at him immediately but the prince never looked her way.She didn't like him, never did.

"Sometimes suprises are good"

"You could have used my windows".

Prince Marcus pointed at them

"They are shut and besides"he shrugged"just decided to do it the human way".

"He walked ahead to sit on her bed,his gaze still focused on her breast.Although her hand obstructed his view,he still envisioned what he had just saw.

His stare made her uncomfortable, though some women found him good looking he wasn't her type,his arrogance being the most thing she hated about him.

A purple light engulfed her and she morphed into a pink coloured gown designed with flowers which extended from her neck to her toes,it's sleeve covering most of her arm,the perfect clothes to wear in front of a pervert she thought.

"You don't need to wear that...I could sleep in those forever...the size is extremely rare these days on such a slim perfect body"Marcus said with humor in his voice.

Athena felt both embarrassed and irritated.Every part of her wanted to throw him out.

Prince Marcus noticed this and let out a soft chuckle."Relax princess,am in love with someone else although I won't mind having a share of that perfect body of yours"he said, raising a dark lash and licking his lips as he eyed her with lust.

Athena felt like hitting him but she could not,he was a prince afterall.

She wondered who this woman was and what more why she cared.

"Your highness...why are you here?"Athena questioned finally finding her voice.

That was the only time Marcus averted his gaze,he glanced over at her spirit guard ignoring her question.

"Hey Zema..."

"It's Zena"it corrected.

"Haven't seen you in a while". Zena didn't look intrested.

"Spirit guards don't work with their masters"

"Sure I know that"Marcus smiled scratching his hair.

"It's very unwise to lust after every woman you_"

"Shhhuuuu...hush now"Marcus cut in, placing an index finger on his lips."I don't lust after every woman...like I said I love just one woman"

"I am certain my lady is not the woman you speak of...why do you always stare at her lustfully"

Prince Marcus chuckled leaving both the Chief Knight and Zena wondering what sounded so funny.

"No she isn't but am attracted to her as well"

"Then stop being attracted"Zena snapped.

"Sorry fur spur...I choose who and who not to be attracted to not you"

Zena's eyes widened in rage,she wanted to hit him but what could a tiny helpless creature like her do.

"Besides attraction is not love...what I mean is I would love to borrow her body frequently to feed my desires"Marcus said as he shut his eyes envisioning him and the knight in the same bed,he placed both arm at the back of his head slightly leaned backwards and sighed then a wide grin spread across his lips.

Zena couldn't contain her anger any longer,she charged at him but he blocked her with his palm when she almost reached his face then flung her at the bed.

Athena gasped as Zena let out a loud shriek,she quickly ran to pick her up.

Prince Marcus found this funny and his laughter resumed again but stopped when Athena said

"Your highness...if you do not have a reason for coming here then I suggest you leave".

Marcus lifted his gaze to her

"Call me Marcus that's way too formal...we are allies aren't we"his gaze hardened and he added"And you don't have to ask me to leave...I'll leave when I want to"

Athena shook her head.This prince was hopeless,he was not only arrogant but cruel and troublesome as well.He was everything she hated in a man,not that she cared about men.

Prince Marcus cleared his throat and his Expression became serious.

"Firstly I want to thank you for saving me that day,I haven't been able to repay you I am most grateful and will repay you one day".

"Really..."Athena smirked as she pat zena's head"What can a prince such as yourself do?"

"Gold and treasures won't do...as a Royal chief Knight I know you have plenty of those..but someday you'll see".

"So why exactly are you here?"

"The emperor will be back soon and no move has been made to break Delu... If Dark wants to attempt suicide I suggest he hastens his death quickly"

"And how exactly did u know when his majesty will return"Athena questioned as she raised a brow.

"He went to Sentah to meet with the king there...how I know this is none of your business".

Athena looked at him in shock wondering where he had gotten such information from.Most times when the emperor leaves for a journey no one could tell his destination no one knew except sometimes his Own knight who never talked about it.

"It's not that easy I am sure he still seeks the right spell... delu's barrier counterspell Is long lost it will be difficult to find"

"Then why call such a useless meeting in first place"

Athena scoffed and look away then she went over to a chair opposite him and sat on it.

Placing her spirit guard on her laps she ran her hand through its fur,the sound of its soft pur filling the room.

"The higher ups call and we answer...they must have their reasons_"

"Who are these higher ups...do you know who they are?"Marcus asked eying her expectantly.

"Even if I do I won't say"

"Why do I get the feeling you are not on my side"Marcus folded his arms now eying her closely.

"I never was...I have my reasons for doing this"

Prince Marcus sighed and shook his head.Too many secrets, Devlin had too many secrets and even those he called his allies and friends pretended to know nothing sometimes it irked him,what could he do but find out himself.

"Do you actually think Dark can pull this off...I mean he might end up dead not that I care but he might be caught as well and we could get involved"

"No he most certainly would die if he tries to"

"If he can't do it then who can?how about this higher ups"Marcus suggested

"I don't know...It's far too Risky for them,they would never get involved directly but still Dark has almost the spiritual ability level as any king out there it's just not equal to the emperor's,the emperor is an advanced commander tier level demon which you know and the kings lower commander tier,never heard of any king with mid commander tier, commander tier level is the most difficult to cultivate,so far only the emperor has reached adv_ "

"Wait...wait...You don't know?"Marcus raised a brow after stretching out an arm to stop her from talking.She immediately lowered her gaze.He could tell she wasn't being truthful but he decided not to push it.

"Don't tell me the kings are involved in this_"

"I never said they were"Athena snapped and Marcus eyed her suspiciously,she was avoiding meeting his gaze, something most people did when lying.She was definitely not a good liar.

"Even if the king's are involved...my father isn't he is much too simple minded they would never involve him"

"If you had gotten rid of the prince along with his mother this wouldn't be such a hassle".

"Don't bring this up again Athena I poisoned the empress as we all planned I think it's high time you all face the fact that the imperial prince is untouchable".

"He is not untouchable"Athena corrected and Prince Marcus pointed a finger at her,his brows furrowed.

"To you everything may seem possible but someday you will come to realize how wrong you have always been.What the hell makes you think so?"he said raising his voice.

"You are being too noisy Prince Marcus,we shouldn't be discussing this here... though these walls are built with hearing suppressants still someone could here if at the door or_"

Athena's nose caught a slight faint wiff scent of a demon nearby.

It wasn't Marcus's it was someone else,a scent she was familiar with but she couldn't quite tell who it was.

Prince Marcus opened his mouth to speak but she motioned him to be quiet.

Placing Zena on the chair she sat and crouching low she approached the window closest to her parlour, following the scent.

On getting there she peered out her window.

Athena's heart sank when her eyes met Luamisa's, her squire.

From the frightened look on her face and trembling body she could tell the young girl had heard everything.

Athena clenched her jaw,gooddam Luamisa...why does it have to be you!