Chapter 39

Both Kassy and Ash jumped because they were startled. They separated from each other's hold while Myan just stood there wide eyed, jaw dropped, and mouth opened. It felt like a dream, and she was completely unable to process what was happening.

Ash's eyes cleared all of a sudden and he stared between both women.

He had no idea what had come over him, but he wasn't about to ponder on that whe³n he had better things to fix like his probably crumbled relationship.

"Myan!" He called, ignoring that it was loud enough to bring everyone awake but she was literally running out of the house and heading down the streets. He pushed Kassy aside, causing her to land on her butt.

"Fuck this, no. No, no." Kassy shook her head, standing up to go after him hut she wasn't fast enough. She stopped by the entrance and groaned, "fuck! I should have led him right into my room after I got him." She buried her face between her palms, hating herself at the moment.

"What happened?" She flinched when Minrad's voice came from behind her.

"He saw Myan, that cleared the charm!" She told him in grievance.

"What do I do now?" She cried.

"How could you have been so foolish? She was not supposed to catch you two until you had gone a few rounds. I heard Ash shout and came right here,” he told her.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my fault,” she groaned, knowing that was possibly the only chance she had.

"Go back in before someone else comes out and finds us." He was a lot more disappointed. He no longer had the chance.

"Okay." She nodded in obedience, hoping he had future methods to assist her.

***

Myan had no particular place in mind, but she kept running, hoping to get to her destination as quick as possible.

"Myan." Ash called her name once more before grabbing her by the waist. He wrapped his arms around her tight, securing her in place.

She tried her best to pull free, but she was no match for his strength, "please let me go,” she wailed. The silence of the night made her cry sound loud and dramatic.

"Please." She stopped struggling, realizing that it was a pointless act.

"Myan, you have to listen to me, I don't know what came over me…"

"Really? You have no idea how you were hard for her? Or why you squeezed her butt? You have no idea? Do I look foolish to you?" Noticing that his grip was free, she turned around to face him directly. "Do you really think I'm that stupid, huh?" She pushed him away a little.

"Ash, I'm talking to you, answer me!" She cried.

He wanted to respond but he had nothing to say. He wasn't a man that found it difficult to control himself and so there was no reasonable explanation for his stupid actions.

"Myan, you have to believe me, this was not a willing action." He wished he had the right means of conviction.

"Forget it." She pushed him harder, making him move a little. "I don't want to hear it. I was so stupid." She closed her eyes, sniffed and wiped her tears aggressively. "Fourth princess was right. You only loved me for my virginity. How could a man like you fall in love?" She chuckled sarcastically. "You had to be that man with a lot of concubines. What made me fall for your stupid love trap?" She was talking solo.

"Myan…" the only thing he had to offer was saying her name.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked her when she turned around to resume walking.

"Away from you,” she retorted.

He knew there was no point in arguing. Yugi had told him to bring her head before two weeks if he didn't want damage going out of hand, he was stressed out from trying to maintain that the people didn't run out of food or water, he had to deal with uncontrollable problems, and now the only thing that seemed to have made sense in his life had just left.

With a sigh, he turned around and went back to the mountains ***

Ash had literally stayed awake the entire time. He was not ready to miss her return. Myan hadn't showed up since she left, and it troubled him especially because she was not supposed to be walking alone especially because everyone was after her.

He didn't talk to Kassy and didn't bother to look for her because he was not interested in talking to her. She hadn't forced him this time so there was no need to confront her.

He waited until the sun fully came out before going to see what his servants had arranged in place in preparation for the coming famine.

A few minutes before noon, Myan walked through the door, looking ruffled and in need. She went straight to their bedroom without talking to anyone including Hilda that wouldn't stop questioning where she had been all day.

She needed a bathe and although she had spent the night crying her eyes out and needed to sleep it off, she was still very interested in the activities that needed to be done and what she could possibly do to help.

When Ash found out that she was back, he made his way to the bedroom to talk to her before heading to the kingdoms.

He knocked on the door like he was a stranger but didn't wait for her permission before walking in.

"What do you want?" Myan looked over her shoulder at him. She was heartbroken and his presence alone was irritating to her.

"To talk to you,” he simply said. It was really all that he sought after.

"But I don't want to." She frowned and turned around so she could look directly at him, "and I'm hoping you'd understand that."

Ash decided it would be best to respect her wish, so he nodded in understanding. "Please stay safe and don't leave the cave. We are heading over to Burn kingdom so we can donate food to everyone that was affected. I don't know how soon I'll be back, but you have to be careful,” he told her.

She wanted to go with him but horrifying memories from when she had been attacked by the people of Flame, still tortured her and her swollen lips testified to the trauma.

"I'll talk to you then,” he said. He wanted to hug her, to assure her that it was okay, but he turned to leave instead.

She plopped on her bed with a sigh after he had left. Life was just too boring. There was nothing more for her to do except stand there like an idiot and wait for the next day.

More than anything, she wanted to be involved in these activities. Sitting there wasn't doing her any good. She knew Kassy was a devil and would try her best until she got what she wanted but she'd had faith in Ash, even if it was little.

She stood up, deciding to get involved in a chore, at least something to take her mind off her problems. She frowned and made her mind up, she was going to tell Ash to forcibly send Kassy out of their house, she had no reason for being there in the first place and was nothing more than a burden. Knowing Ash, it was something he would since he did want her forgiveness.

She went to the living room and found the head servant was sweeping. She hurried to her and tried to receive the broom from her, "I'll handle it,” she kindly suggested with a smile.

The poor woman was fast to shake her head, "oh no, it's fine. If I wanted to skip it, I'd have asked the younger servants to take over. I just really want to get the stress of my mind so I'm doing this." She bowed her head to show respect for the lord's wife.

"Please, don't mind that. I have a lot going on." Myan sighed, "I just want to do this, don't take it as an order, I'm literally begging you." Myan offered her the best version of puppy eyes.

"I…"

"Please." Myan begged her.

"Okay, I guess I'll just go back there and assist the rest of the servants." She shrugged, handing the broom over to Myan.

Myan received it with a smile, "thank you,” she sighed in relief, hoping that the neat floor that didn't even need to be swept, would occupy her mind. She missed being a servant, it was weird. At least she was always too occupied to be in a relationship, or even have to worry and even when she did worry, there was always work to do and when it was nighttime, she was usually too tired and went straight to bed.

She was still into sweeping the room when she swept under a chair. She squinted her eyes at the only real dirt in the room, a small red bottle that had rolled out of the chair.

"What is this?" She set the broom aside and bent down to retrieve the item.

"Seduction?" She frowned at the potion bottle, she read the instructions on it and widened her eyes. There was only one explanation.

With angry eyes, she stormed towards the servants’ quarters where she knew a lazy Kassy would be.

***

Ash was unconscious of the route he treaded with Minrad as they headed out.

"Care to tell me what's wrong?" Minrad put one hand on his shoulder.

"It's nothing." Ash shook his head. "I just feel a little…it's nothing,” he repeated.

The weather was calm, and the cloudy sky seemed to promise a rain.

Minrad didn't push. He didn't care. Even though he hadn't gone deep with Kassy, it still played a little of the effect he had wanted.

If they could be apart and she remained adamant, he would have the chance to be alone with her and get his way.

"Did you talk to Yugi last night?" Minrad asked out of curiosity. He wanted to be one hundred percent sure that he was clear. He knew that if Yugi had told Ash about him, it would be the first thing Ash would talk about.

"That's the only reason I left. I tried to summon a different ancestor, but he was the only one that kept showing. They are pretty determined to remain adamant with their cause." He rolled his eyes.

If he had known it would be a complete waste of time, he'd had stayed home with Myan instead.

"You'll keep talking to them?"

"Of course." Ash frowned. "You think I'm going to kill Myan?" He scoffed, "never."

"But what happens if things get worse?"

"We will just have to see." Ash told him.

***

Myan waited in the bedroom because she didn't want to ruin things by confronting Kassy. She wanted Ash to be the first person to know. Hours passed and he still didn't show up.

She wished she would have been patient with him. The sky was threatening to pour, and it looked darker early.

She stood to her feet excitedly when a knock came on the door, hopeful that it would be Ash, but she was disappointed to see that it was none other than Asha. She understood that this woman wanted to keep her company, but it was the last thing on her mind at the moment.

"Hi there." Asha waved a little, "can I come in?" She asked her even though she was already practically in the room.

"Of course." Myan nodded.

Asha had her hair in a low puff and her gown was a white satin one today.

Myan wondered where she had all the time to think about fashion, but she didn't question her aloud.

"How do you feel now?" Asha asked in a sweet voice.

"A lot better actually, thank you." She looked at the spot the snake had been and shuddered. It was one of those memories she wanted to dump forever. She wondered if she could tell Asha about her problems, but she decided against it.

"Did you have something to eat yet?"

"I'm not hungry." Myan smiled, taking her seat by the edge of the bed.

"I would eat something if I were you. I'm not saying we should think negatively but who knows if the food will run out soon, they have literally taken a lot of the storage to the two affected kingdoms."

Myan chuckled, "we will be fine." Myan assured her, not believing her own words.

"You really think so?" Asha teased her. "Do you really have no idea how that snake came to be?" She asked her in a low voice.

"I really don't." Myan shrugged, really not wanting to talk about it.

Asha simply nodded. She was hoping Myan would say it had really just popped out of nowhere. She wanted to believe that it indeed had something to do with the ancestors but there were only two kingdoms that had that specie the moment. Burn, and Smoke.

Smoke was literally too far away, and she hadn't met someone from there in this part of their world, yet. She didn't want to believe that her connected dots made sense, and so she decided to change the topic. "What happened between you and Ash?"

Myan didn't want to come off as rude, but she didn't want to talk about it. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the opening door.

Ash was back?

She stood to her feet sharply and went straight to the living room.

She wanted to squeeze him into a tight hug. She cowered her throat and pulled a few strands of her hair out of her face.

"Welcome,” she said.

Not wanting others to be involved in their face, or know what had happened, she kept quiet on the matter for a nanosecond.

"Thank you." Ash was amused to see her talking to him. He turned to look at Minrad who was sighing Asha at the moment, "I'll talk to you later,” he told him.

Dismissing the couple, he followed Myan to their bedroom, reading that she had something to say and whatever it was, he was truly prepared for it because he wanted her to talk to him, even if it was in terms of scolding him.

"You're eager." He raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind them when they were alone in the room.

Myan nodded, lifting her pillow up and bringing the bottle to his face. "Look what I found under the chair today,” she began.

Ash scrutinized the bottle in confusion.

"Okay?"

"It's a seduction potion,” she explained to him.

"Wait, what?"

"I know how said you had no idea what came over you when you got involved with the fourth princess, but I think she used this on you,” she said.

It all made sense to Ash now. Why she was up until he came back and why he had an uncontrollable urge to touch her. The frown on his face suddenly grew deeper. He knew that he was going to destroy this princess.

Tossing the bottle away, he stormed out of the room.

Myan had wanted him to react negatively and send her out, but she was certainly not expecting it to turn out this way.

She widened her eyes and followed after him desperately. "Ash, what are you going to do?" she swallowed hard, following after him even when he was ignoring her presence.

"Ash!"

"Fourth princess!" Ash bellowed; his voice shook the walls of the cage. When there was no response, he took heavy footsteps that made the floor shake just like the first time he had met them. "Fourth princess!" He talked even louder than the first time.

The servants respected themselves and stated in their quarters, knowing this was nothing but a terrible sign.

"My lord?" Kassy came into the living room view alone. She looked worried and genuinely pitiful.

Ash didn't waste time. He wrapped one hand around her heck and squeezed it a little.

Kassy shrieked and tried to bring his hand down, but his grip was too strong for her to handle.

Myan had confidence that he wouldn't harm her that way or take her life and because she wanted Kassy genuinely punished, she didn't intervene.

"How dare you?" Ash fumed. "You tried to take me with a potion? How did you gain access to one who made one for you?" He had so many questions to ask at once.

In frustration, he put her back on her feet. "Look, you don't even have to answer my questions. I just want you to leave this place right now, this instant, no words."

"But I…" Kassy shrieked, unable to complete her sentence when he aimed his fire in her direction.

She understood that arguing could cost her life so she decided it would be the best to succumb to his words.

She felt the need to include Minrad's involvement but there was little chance she would be listened to or believed, and her life was way more important that the respect she craved so much.

Throwing one last scornful look at Myan, she hurried out of the cave on full speed.

Ash let his fire go out, panting heavily. He clenched his fists and sat on the chair, his legs apart and then he dug his hands into his hair. He pulled at the strands aggressively and that was enough for Myan to interfere.

"Ash, calm down!" She groaned, sitting beside him and wrapping her arms around him.

"How can I?" He snapped at her, "what if you had been unable to find that bottle? How would I have explained myself to you? What would happen to our relationship?" He asked out of anger, his eyes red and in complete disorientation.

Myan felt a warmth in her heart that his display of anger was all because of her.

"Ash, it's okay." She leaned closer to hug him.

"It's not." He shook his head angrily, standing to his feet and pacing back and forth the room.

She took the same action and wrapped her arms around him from behind even knowing that anyone could walk in on them.

That got him to turn around, face her and give her a real hug. "I'm really sorry Myan,” he told her sincerely.

"I'm sorry for not believing you." She wasn't. She just thought it made sense to say it.

"You had every reason not to,” he told her.

He leaned forward a kiss that was interrupted when no one but Hilda burst out of the living room, breaking what was supposed to be a make up kiss.

"What do you want?!" Ash literally barked at the innocent servant, taking her by surprise.

"Lord Ash, the head servant sent me here. The food we stored, regardless of protecting it with your fire, they rot, and they are now covered in maggots and mold!" She informed him.

"What?!" Ash groaned, pulling away from Myan to attend to the situation. This was terrible for him. Despite his efforts.

If the food at the mountain was rotten, it meant that the kingdoms around had also been affected.

Myan trailed along as he made his way to the barn. "What about the hunt we caught, did you store those meat?" He asked Hilda, sweat coating his face.

"Those were the first rotten items, lord. One of the make servants tried to wash the maggots out but he failed,” she sighed. "Its almost like they keep multiplying even after."

"What are we going to do?" Hilda panicked, mainly speaking for herself. If she couldn't have food, how would she survive?

The rumbling sound of thunder coming from outside was followed by rainfall that didn't last ten minutes.

"Thank God." Myan sighed in relief. At least there was certainly still water which was a good thing while they tried to figure out what they could do about the food.

"Don't ask me." Ash retorted at Hilda. Now, his worry was graduating. It was no longer left to him. He would personally sacrifice having to eat and drink just to keep Myan alive. He would rather die starving than take her life.

True to Hilda words, the barn welcomed them with stink and the buzz of flies.

Ash only frowned and immediately exited, leaving the servants running around helter shelter.

Myan followed right behind him with a frown on her face and together they walked into the bedroom.

He hit the wall hard and sighed in frustration. “what do I do now?"

"Relax." She held his neck with both bands, "trust me. What did Yugi say? Did he feel remorseful for what they are putting your people through?"

He simply shook his head in response. He didn't want to tell her the details of the conversation so she wouldn't be weighed down.

He sat back on the bed, and she sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Everything will be alright,” she assured him.

Her saying it made him feel great about the situation.

"I love you,” he said.

Myan loved how easily he could say the words and repeated it in a lower voice.

Ash stood to his feet sharply. "The people are here." He frowned.

"What?" She furrowed her eyebrows together.

"They're here,” he repeated confidently.

She walked out of the bedroom with him and went out of the cave but there was silence and not a single soul in sight.

"What are you talking about?" She pushed. He had gotten her anxious for a minute there.

"The people are here,” he said again.

"Ash, there's literally no one here." She shrugged, ready to argue. She held her words when she realized he was probably sensing what she could not.

"Wh…why are they here?" She swallowed.

"I don't know but you have to hide." He held her hand tight in his and began to lead her back inside.

"Wait, why?" She was consumed by fear. "Are…Are they coming for me?" She said in an inaudible voice. Of course, they had to be. It made so much sense to her why Ash had kept his location a secret for so many years, but she had been too forward, and had gone ahead to bring the people around, thinking she was only doing them a favor.

"What am I going to do now?" She panicked as he led her into the cave. "I'll talk to them, they can't do anything as long as I'm here,” he assured her. She was no longer fond of that sentence. It made it seem like she would be helpless without him around.

He led her into the bedroom as if that was some safe zone.

She sat on the bed, crossed one leg over the other and squeezed tight while he left the room to attend to the people who were supposedly coming.

It was only a few minutes later that she heard loud thuds coming from outside the cave. She bit her lower lip in fear and waited patiently for what was to come.

The servants gathered in one place hurriedly, everyone muttering their opinions to the other.

"Behead her! Behead her!!" The people outside were chanting. Some of them were carrying pitchforks around. The majority of them were men and children were absent. Ash had taken position outside the mountains waiting to respond to them.

"Everyone, calm down,” he began.

"No!" A male voice bellowed from the crowd. "We've had enough of this oppression. Our young ones can't even eat, our animals are dying and all this over something that has a solution?!"

"Yeah! We have feared you enough. You were made lord to serve us, to give us what we want, to protect us and to listen to us, you can't make a decision because it's your personal life, if what the ancestors request is her head for peace to reign, then give it to them!" A woman with a high pitch voice contributed to the discussion.

Ash couldn't concentrate on someone in particular. His eyes kept diverting from one person to the other, not knowing who he was supposed to focus on.

***

Minrad had followed Kassy right out, taking the back as a route to avoid being seen.

He went after her while she took to her heels so she could be as far as possible from Ash.

"Wait!" Minrad groaned, pulling her by the wrist when he finally caught up with her.

"Let me go!" She struggled out of his grip, "this is literally all your fault. If you hadn't asked me to run faster than my pace, none of this would have happened!" She wailed in his face.

Minrad didn't care about her in all honestly but a woman like her could ruin things for him if things didn't go her way like they had originally planned and that was what he intended to do, to clear things up so she didn't give him in.

"Look, I know things seem like they aren't fine for now, but I promise you, you have my side on this. I have better plans, don't worry, you just have to trust me." He tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked him in a low voice, wiping her tears and calming a little. There was no harm in listening to or doing what he had to say.

"Okay, listen up,” he began.

***

Ash's crowd had grown wilder. They were no longer standing in place.

"If you won't give her to us, then we will take her by ourselves, that's what we came here for anyways." One man yelled and the rest chanted in agreement.

Together, they charged at the entrance Ash was trying his best to guard. It was hard for him because he was the only one. He tried to push them off without harming them, but they went as far as beginning to poke him with the teeth of their pitch forks.

He let out a roar and shifted into his Aeu, that definitely caused commotion. He let his anger get the best of him because he charged at them all with his fire.

"He is killing us! He is killing us for making our demands!" A random said, as the rest of the people scarred around, trying to get out of the way.

His fire managed to hit some people, instantly burning them, causing an even worse commotion.

Myan couldn't bear it from where she was secretly watching inside the house. "Ash!" She cried, running out of the house in tears.

As soon as he heard her voice, his brain wires reconnected, and he came back to his senses.

"Myan, what are you doing out here?" He turned to look at her, panting heavily.

She stood still, staring at the disorganized crowd while he snapped his fingers to dismiss the fire he had started.

"If it's me you want, you can have me!" She yelled but nobody heard her, they drowned her voice with their screams of terror.

"What are you doing?" Ash shifted into his human form and held her shoulders.

"Calm the crowd." She ignored his question.

"But Myan,” he argued.

"I said calm the crowd!" She attacked him with her voice.

Ash stared at her in fear but proceeded to do just as she had ordered.

With one loud voice, he yelled for their silence.

That caught their attention and they all turned to look at him.

Myan closed her eyes and stared at him with a sigh after reopening.

She turned to look at the crowd, "I'm willing to be a sacrifice,” she said the words, meaning every single thing.