Anything For You
Chapter 159

SIESTA

VALLEY-

fulfill his part of the deal.

With the first ray of sun entering the valley, all the darkness seemed to fade away. Yet, there were dark souls, dark creatures, people with evil intentions, but all of them living in harmony. And someone was all set to barge in some other person's territory just to Dankein had been awake for a few hours now. He wasn't able to sleep peacefully thinking that Silvan would depart for fetching desired information about the Grand Empress, but all he worried was now Silvan was just not a dark soul, but was residing in Timothy's body; a human body, that was prone to dangers, diseases, pain, hunger, thirst, desires, and death to the most.

Hearing a slight knock on the door, Dankein whipped his head in that direction-finding his zookeeper standing there bowing in respect. His gestures were enough to let the guard know that it was now the time to report. The man conveyed his section of information, "Your Highness, Guard Timothy is seeking your audience. He said it's urgent and he needs to talk to you before leaving."

"Hmm... I understand. Send him in." Dankein ordered the guard and carried on starting at the rising sun spreading its orange flames everywhere and rejuvenating the whole valley that he adored the most. It was his home.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Timothy aka Silvan walked in dressed as the royal Siesta valley guard with three stars tucked on his shoulders that displayed his brave acts over the times for his kingdom, and a new sword that rested on his waistband inside the platinum shield.

Siesta valley kingdom had ranks for its officers and guards. Whenever someone did any brave acts or anything that benefitted the kingdom somehow, they were awarded stars and some presents. The highest-ranked officials and guards were offered seven stars and three weapons all to be kept in the Gold and Silver sheaths, out of which two were royal swords and one was a royal dagger.

Timothy had joined last year as a guard to help his family. He progressed slowly, but his last act of calling the dark souls raised his rank to two-star level. And when Silvan took over his body, he was awarded another star to honor his sacrifice and a special platinum sword by the king himself.

Anybody who looked at him didn't find him suspicious. Except for Dankein, Alfie and Trevor, nobody knew he wasn't the Timothy they knew earlier, but was Silvan now. Dankein had been continuously staring at Timothy's breathtaking appearance and found his greetings filled with mockery. He wanted to reprimand him for his behavior, but let the matter slide as the latter wasn't going to stay for long in the royal palace.

"Looks like you are enjoying the body," Dankein responded to Timothy's greeting and noticed the narrowed expressions on his face within an instant. He knew that his words displeased the man; but little did he care. He was a king.

"Indeed... and looks like you are taking me way too casually, My King," Silvan said with a peal of sinister laughter and a glint of taunts in his tone.

"I am a king. The same king who provided one of his loyal soldier's bodies to you to honor my part of the deal. If I can give you this gift, I can take it back anytime. And...before you utter any more curse and mockery-filled words, let me remind you...Silvan, oh..... mean Timothy...You are now inside a human body prone to every d anger. So, watch your words if you want to enjoy your stay a bit longer." Dankein gently threatened Silvan and laughed out turning his back to him.

"Yes, ....your Highness. I will take that into account. I am going to the Dawn Mountains now, and I will report you everything timely." Silvan said these words bit by bit. Only he knew how he controlled himself. If only he wasn't indebted to the King for providing him the vessel (Timothy's body), he would have sucked his soul and discarded his body like a rotten rag. But that we're merely his thoughts now.

"I forgot to tell you that you can't suck my soul, Silvan. Your human self won't be able to digest my centuries-old soul." Dankein said in between Silvan's thoughts and the latter widened his eyes horrifically.

"You..you can...!" Silvan started to stutter instantly finding that Dankein just read his mind and pointed at him unbelievably.

"I have more surprises for you. It's you who are to decide how to let Me surprise you." Dankein stressed over the last words, reminding Silvan once again who he exactly was.

Silvan just nodded and stooped before leaving along with a new realization that he couldn't afford to mess with King Dankein Cosh ever.

Stepping on the black horse provided by the kingdom, Timothy giddied up and headed for the Dawn Mountains range, not knowing that he wasn't alone in this journey. Someone else was with him all the time.

"My lady, I have brought you the cherries and peaches." Carol stepped inside the room where Grand Empress was getting ready. With a Golden comb in one hand, she was admiring her features and straightening her tangled grey hairs.

"Carol, do you think that I look older now?" Grand Empress questioned Carol still combing her hair. The maid moved closer to her slowly keeping the fruits over the mahogany table that once carried The Heavenly Book. Holding the comb in her hands, Carol teased, "My lady, I don't know if you are older or not. But I can assure you that many of the werewolf lords would still throw their hearts under your feet if you just wish them to. And if it is so, then you don't have to worry about your appearance and age at all." Grand Empress laughed softly with a glint of shyness and responded,

"Carol, you just talked like late Emperor. He used to tease me like this." And her expressions turned downcasted while mentioning her late husband whom she had been trying to connect with, but he was nowhere to be found.

"I know that you miss Emperor a lot, My lady. But he is always with you." Carol said touching the necklace Grand Empress had been always carrying around in her neck, and it was gifted by her late husband.

"Yes, he is usually with me always. But I can't seem to talk to him these days. I wonder what had happened." Grand Empress mumbled while caressing her necklace. Her words didn't make any sense to Carol, and she narrowed her brows to understand it, but let it go thinking that the lady was just missing Emperor.

"You should have more rest these days, My lady. You have already tired yourself a lot." Carol suggested Grand Empress, who just heard the words and nodded without saying anything in return. Probably, she was in her thought zone. ~SIESTA VALLEY-

"Have you tracked Timothy? Where is he recently?" Dankein was sitting in his library while Alfie had been dozing off over the nearby couch curling up to her knees when he enquired about Timothy's whereabouts.

Trevor, the head guard was standing bowing against him and looking at the ground. He had nothing to report. Feeling the bone-piercing gaze struck at his body, he stole a quick peek at Dankein who had already been staring at him. This caused Trevor to flinch a bit, and he immediately lowered down his eyes.

Being cognizant about Trevor's hesitations, Dankein gestured him to take a seat against his head chair, and the latter followed. Initiating a smooth conversation, Dankein Capped his pen that he had been using to check the yearly reports of financial matters of Siesta valley,

"Have you finished what I told you to, Trevor?"

The man ahead didn't understand his words and scrunched his eyebrows giving off a feeling that he was unaware of the exact meaning behind that question.

Dankein laughed softly. It was the first so test possible laughter Trevor had ever seen him within a year of his service. The King was known to be always young. People used to whisper that he was blessed by God; for he always looked like a twenty-five years old young lad and hadn't aged a single day in centuries. But nobody saw him laugh softly. It had always been a peal of dark and sinister laughter.

"Did your wife let you finish it?" Dankein asked straightforwardly, to which the man ahead blushed a bit and lowered his head nodding with a shy emotion.

"She...she was pissed, Your Highness. And she...she was quite rough." Trevor whispered in the lowest tone he could manage to utter some words with. If he had the choice, he would have not opened his mouth, but he was with the king and in hell, he was going to offend the man.

With loud soothing laughter, Dankein threw his head behind the armchair he had been sitting over and then said,

"Women are full of surprises, Trevor. You must remember that duty to the king and the kingdom comes first, but your loyalty and love to your wife should surpass that duty sometimes."

Hearing him say that, Trevor widened his eyes and looked at Dankein questionably,

"Your Highness...?"

"You should cherish her. She is your soul-mate, Trevor. And if she is happy, you will be happy too. Being your king, I want you to just be happy. Only then you can fulfill your duty to your heart's content." Trevor just nodded in understanding.

"And track Timothy's recent location for me once. After that, you can take two days off. Spend that time with your wife. She deserves this for being with a man like you." Dankein said hauling up from his seat and Trevor joined him too.

Filled with joy, Trevor thanked him and bowed once before leaving, but heard Dankein say at his back,

"Buy some flowers and sweets for her. Be a husband and not a soldier."

"Yes, Your Highness. Thank you very much for thinking about me. I will track guard Timothy right away." Trevor announced even after being knowledgeable of the fact that Timothy was none other than Silvan.