" You are gullible"
  Those are the words Rhea always barked at me. Whenever she would beat Hadrian, whenever she argued with dad and whenever I tried to defend Hadrian. To her, I was not supposed to be on their side. I was supposed to stand by her, to comfort her, to obey her and that's why I never said anything when she maltreated Hadrian and even me. It was an endless circle of trust.
  She would me stories, laugh with me and even took me out. I was the closest to her back then. It was stupid of me to think I could change her. To her change was impossible.
I guess that was the same way with Darren.
  Was I that gullible to not see the dishonesty he held? I was always gullible, still am! Change is also impossible for me. I make the same mistake over and over again. That it seems intentional and  no one believes a mistake done more than twice. It always ends up looking intentionally done, plotted and executed.
  Why was I thinking this?
I couldn't believe what I just heard! What were they talking about? Why was Darren looking so pale like he was just caught robbing.
"What book are you talking about?" I questioned the girl, walking into the white sterile throne room.
  " Zuka it's nothing. Don't listen to her!" Darren protested. Holding his hand up to get me to calm down. I could see the terror on his eyes. I pushed him aside walking up to the girl, whatever her name was, I didn't care.
   " No it's not nothing, let me tell something princess. Your lover here is a traitor. A very bad liar. A very deceptive idiot."
   "Shut up and tell me what book you're talking about." I demanded.
   " The book of sage. You see my queen wanted it to help her search for the unknown wood goddess and Darren here gave it to her. Taking it from where it was kept in your institute. Betraying his people." She declared letting off a sinister snicker.
    "Don't listen to her!!" Came Darren's terrified voice from behind me. I turned, facing him. If I wanted the truth, there was only one way to find out.
   " Why shouldn't I, is she lieing?" I could feel the tears pricking my eyes at the answer I would get. I was silently praying that the girl was lieing. Darren was silent keeping his head down like he was scared of the truth himself.
  I lightly punched his chest making him take a few step backwards.
  " Tell me Darren, tell me what the truth is." My lips were trembling from the emotions that ran through my face, the tears broke free running down my face.
   "TELL ME!!"
" It's true okay, it's true I gave Rhea the book, but please listen to me Zuka, she was going to kill Storm!" 
  "Storm? He was doing fine!" I argued.
  " No he wasn't, no one saw it, he was slowly dieing and Rhea was responsible for it, I had to do something!"
  " Why didn't you tell us? Me? We would heve figured out something!"
  " There was no time, we all busy with coming up with a plan, please understand my actions Zuka, please!!" He begged.
   Tears ran silently down his face and it caused a certain ache in my to see Darren like that. Darren was strong, he never broke down in tears, he once told me that crying was for babies and that he was way past that for the thousands of years he had lived. I wanted to hug him so badly seeing him that way but I just couldn't.
  He stepped closer taking my hands and engulfing my palms with the warmth of his hand, those hand that wrapped around me when he was trying to cuddle, he was never one for that but still does it anytime I ask.
  " Please Zuka listen to me, I would never betrayed your father, not you! Never you! I was afraid this would happen, you would hate me, but can I beg for you not to because I don't want to be hated by you, I don't want to be another painful memory for you.."
  "Uhmmm please not here, I always hate the part where they confess!" The girl cut him off. I remembered why we were here in the first place, other problems could wait.
   I faced the girl again, I needed to let her know, I wasn't gullible like I was before. I know what she was trying to do. She wanted me to be angry. Angry at Darren and also angry at myself but I wasn't ready to give her that satisfaction. I Darren probably thought I was still mad at him but the truth is. If there was anyone I found most faithful. It was Darren. From what we found out. Darren and my father has known each other for a very long time. Darren family was killed he had his brothers of Akutas to run to, but instead he chose to stick with my father. With my people, that was the most silliest decision someone could make but Darren was a cute silly boy.
  He was my boy. My silly boy.
And with that thought in my I landed a slap across the girls cheek. She was taken aback. She totally didn't see that coming. I took her by the nape of her shirt pulling her up, strangling her neck in sync and then I let her down again. I lied when I said my skill at fighting was bad. I only said that so dad won't send me on any mission. I loved my laziness. I always preferred my computer.
  There she was on the floor, panting, as she was recovery from my little exercise of knocking her airpipe out. I stormed towards her watching her scramble to get on her feet and attack me.
  " I wouldn't do that if were you." A voice called from behind me and I knew whose voice it was although we hadn't spoken for many years.
  " Well how nice of you mother!" I mocked.
  I turned and I didn't like what I saw. Rhea was not alone. Standing behind her weak and wounded was known other than father. Now I was mad.
  " What did you do to him?" I asked.
   " I've been asked that question too many times today, I don't think I can answer anymore." She responded.
What a mother she was.
  " You're gonna go crazy!" Darren plunged in.
   Rhea glanced at him and smiled.
" Oh it's the Akuta. Asteroid look who I was talking about! " She pointed out to dad.
   Dad stared at Darren for a long time and silently let his head down. He knew. She had told him. She was playing a mind game.
   " You don't know what you're doing." I said gritting my teeth.
   " I do and you won't speak to me that way."
  " You don't deserve my respect, you were never a mother to Hadrian and I, you were pathetic, still are!"
   I could see the hate in her eyes steaming fervently like a boiling oil but what I was shocked to get a glimpse of was, guilt?
   " You don't know what you're saying, I loved you. You were supposed to be with me here but no. You're always stupid Zuka." She exclaimed, walking slowly towards me.
  " Wanna know the reason I gave you that name, it was my mother's name. That witch didn't deserve that name, that name is pure but she wasn't and I thought what if I gave to someone that could make a change. You. That was a mistake. Yes. Because you should have turned out better, but don't worry I'll fix that." She concluded.
   Few seconds after she finished talking. I felt a sharp pain in my chest, spreading through, knocking the air out of me. Dad and Darren were already on the floor with hands on their struggling to breathe. I looked at her.
    " W.. what are you doing?" I stuttered.
   " I told you Zuka, you are gullible." Was the response she gave me before I got lost in a whole abyss of darkness.