King Voyen was drinking wine in the table alone, nearby, his men were guarding the place securely.

Kedes approached her grandson and sat on the wooden chair facing him.

"My King...the woman you are going to marry tomorrow is Esmeralda\'s ward. We should return her to Esmeralda. You don\'t want that old woman to get angry, we don\'t know what she\'s capable of doing," she suggested.

King Voyen\'s face darkened. "I\'m not afraid of Esmeralda! That woman inside my bed-chamber is going to be my wife tomorrow! No one can change my mind. I\'ve been waiting for that woman all my adult wife, I just can\'t let her go...!" he said exasperatedly.

Kedes took a deep sigh. She can see trouble brewing in a distance. If she is the one to decide, she will return the girl to Esmeralda to avoid any confrontation and trouble arising from this unexpected happenings.

But if Esmeralda doesn\'t want the girl back then everything will be alright.

The centaur race has not offended Esmeralda even once, they keep to themselves and tried not to create any feud between other races inside the castle. They found out that when they don\'t meddle in other race\'s affairs, they are free and safe to function in their place.

While there are occasional conflicts in the past but the present times are generally peaceful on their part of the castle. As long they don\'t venture into other\'s territory and stay on their allotted space then everything is alright.

The king\'s face contorted in anger.

"I don\'t like that old woman, Esmeralda, always pressuring us to comply in producing cattle and animals for the monsters in the pit. We work hard but those monsters were just getting fatter with our monthly produce. It\'s unfair!" King Voyen vehemently protested.

Kedes took a deep breath. "Son...you have to remember that there\'s a price to pay if we want to keep our peace and our race intact and safe here in our territory. If we don\'t provide meat for those monsters in the pit then they will soon break free from their barrier due to extreme hunger and there will be war erupting everywhere because those hungry monsters will devour anything they will see within sight. We must keep doing our part to maintain peace inside this castle to survive longer," she reminded the king.

King Voyen sighed. "Whatever! If I\'m the one to decide I will burn all those monsters in the pit so that we don\'t have to keep feeding them!" he said annoyed.

Kedes was shaking her head, the king is hot-tempered.

"Let\'s go back to the topic, son," Kedes steered the conversation back to the captive girl.

"And what about my future Queen?" he asked.

"I want to suggest something...before you will marry her...let\'s get Esmeralda\'s approval first. That is the proper way to do it so that we won\'t offend anyone," Kedes explained.

King Voyen was furious.

"No! No need to ask anybody\'s permission. That woman fell into my arms, she was being granted to me for safekeeping, therefore she becomes my property. I will never let her go! I will kill anyone who will get her from me. She\'s mine!" King Voyen declared valiantly.

Kedes sighed heavily feeling upset that the king was no longer listening to her advice and suggestion. His mind and heart were completely smitten by the beautiful girl.

She was planning to pay a visit to Esmeralda\'s place tonight and discuss that girl\'s wedding to her grandson, hoping to establish a peaceful mutual solution. She will formally ask permission from Esmeralda for the girl\'s hands in marriage to her grandson.

That\'s the proper way to do it.

But then she was also thinking...what if Esmeralda won\'t give her permission after she talks to the girl. That woman inside the king\'s chamber is crying her heart out because she doesn\'t want to marry the king! That girl\'s refusal to marry her grandson might persuade Esmeralda not to give her blessings to the wedding!

Hmm...this is getting complicated!

Kedes massaged her temple, she was submerged in deep thoughts, weighing the pros and cons in her mind.

If the wedding will push through without Esmeralda\'s knowledge and after she found about it, the wedding was already finished and there is nothing she can do about it. If she asked the girl what is the truth and the girl will display a fondness for the king and refused to be separated from her husband then Esmeralda can no longer do anything once the girl manifests emotional attachment to her husband.

That\'s it!

The solution to the problem is the girl itself!

Using her power, she can make the girl fall in love with the king.

"Son, worry no more, I already found the solution to our problems in a way that Esmeralda won\'t make a fuss even if she will know about her ward marrying you," Kedes revealed excitedly.

King Voyen stared at his grandmother. "What is exactly the solution, Grandma?" he asked, a great amount of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

"It goes like this...using my power...I can make the girl fall in love with you...that way...Esmeralda cannot separate your wife from you. If the girl wants to be with you then Esmeralda won\'t do anything since you are already husband and wife. What do you think, son?"

"Brilliant solution, Grandma!" King Voyen clapped his hands in glee. He was troubled a bit by the woman\'s refusal of his advances, but if his grandmother can find a way, turning the girl to become submissive to him then that would be awesome. "By all means, do it now, grandma!"

"Alright, I\'m going to do the ritual now! But don\'t touch her yet after I\'m done, the effects will take overnight to happen as I\'m going to plant your memories inside her mind and heart," Kedes said.

"No problem with me, take your time. I\'m willing to wait, besides I have endless days and nights to spend time with her," the king said brightly.

"Okay, I\'m going back to the bed chamber!" Kedes rose to her feet and went towards the closed door.

The guard on duty opened the door and Kedes disappeared inside.

Meanwhile, in the king\'s bed-chamber.

Kate was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a calm expression on her face. After choosing the right path to take, her confusion and worries were gone.