Chapter 6 - A Peek At His Real Face

 Then Alpha Zay’s gaze swept across the field, lingering on each fruit before he finally spoke, “The grape fruit.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, each hinting at doubt about whether he could hit it. The grape is the smallest, and they knew how difficult it could be to hit from such a distance that the 11th Alpha is standing.

Alpha Cloud snorted from the side, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is this a joke? He chooses a tiny grape just to act humble? One gust of wind and his arrow will fly straight into the dirt."

Alpha Caerus nodded in agreement, leaning toward Alpha Cloud. "Let him embarrass himself. If he misses, his score will be zero, no matter what silly speech he gives."

Alpha Zay paid no attention to their murmurs of insults. He could clearly hear them considering his strong sense of hearing, but ignoring them is the best thing to do. “Let them be surprised after”, he thought with a bit of a naughty smirk.

He positioned his bow and arrow, drew back the string, and closed his eyes for a moment, as if listening to the humming of the wind. When he opened his eyes and squinted them a bit, his focus was laser-sharp.

He released the arrow, and as it flew, the crowd held their breath. The arrow struck the very center of the grape!

Gasps of awe arose from the onlookers. It was a perfect shot that even the other ten Alpha contenders became mute, while their eyes wide with surprise. They thought the 11th Alpha was a fool for choosing the smallest fruit to hit, not knowing that he had a laser eye and steady hands that made his arrow land on the spot that he earnestly aimed for.

The tiny grape was split perfectly down the middle, pinned to the post by the steel tip of his arrow.

"And your explanation, Alpha Zay?" Odious asked, his right brow lifted. He dared not express his admiration to the 11th Alpha.

Alpha Zay lowered his bow and turned to face the Gizli Princess’s balcony.

"Grape," he said, his voice loud enough to be heard by everyone else, "maybe the smallest, but it carries the weight of real love, compassion, and strength of character as the years passed by. When it is crushed, it could turn into a fine wine with its taste growing more refined, sweet, and satisfactory as years pass. Like fated mates with real love, their love grows sweeter, stronger, and unshakable after being tested with different trials as the years pass by. It is also the understanding that every being, no matter how small, broken, or crushed, carries within them the potential to be better if not excellent. The power lies if you can see this potential in everyone, even if they themselves could not see it.”

Zainah’s lips twist, a hint of admiration about to be divulged, but it is suppressed quickly. The 11th Alpha’s words were a perspective she had long held, but rarely heard being expressed so eloquently like that of his.

Standing next to her, Melby leaned in and whispered, "That was not just an answer, Princess. That was a direct message to your heart."

Zainah did not reply to her nanny, though her pulse quickened slightly.

The surroundings grow more silent, and the other alpha contenders stood in awe, their lips sealed, and their confidence slowly eroding. Alpha Zay’s performance was not just a demonstration of his skill but a profound statement of his wisdom and character.

Zainah, from her balcony, held her chin up before she spoke. "Your words, Alpha Zay are admirable." Her voice was audible enough to be heard by everybody. "But words can be easily spoken. I am looking into something that is more than words."

Hearing those words of the Gizli Princess, the other Alphas’ hope was somehow resurrected.

Alpha Darius smirked and muttered to himself, "She is right. Anyone can speak sweet poetic lines. A true ruler needs proven devotion."

Alpha Zay, inclined his head, his eyes never leaving hers. "I live by my words, and my actions follow. I submit myself for your judgment on the 7th day of this competition."

Odious stepped forward, raising his staff to clear his throat. "The archery trial is officially concluded! Alpha Zay takes the highest points for today's event!"

As the crowd began to disperse, the other Alphas walked away in sour moods, leaving the field one by one. The sun started to sink lower in the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of orange and purple.

…

Later, as the sun started to set, a bit dimming the field, Zainah found herself walking towards Alpha Zay, who stood alone in the field, looking into the horizon.

Her feet’s soles were soft against the grass, but Alpha Zay turned his head slightly, already aware of her approach long before she reached him.

"You move quietly, Princess," he noted softly, his voice carrying that calm, deep tone that stirred something within her.

"I was taught to move without sound," Zainah replied, stopping a few paces away. She looked at his tall frame, noticing the broad shoulders and the effortless posture he held even when standing completely alone.

"Alpha Zay," she said, her voice low and gentle, "I am curious indeed as to what you look like. Although I am more about connection and sincerity, yet somehow, I believe that seeing your real face behind that mask is imperative before I make my decision. Will you allow me now to have a peek at your real face then?" Her voice is beguiling enough.

Alpha Zay stared at her through the openings of his mask. The silence stretched between them for several long seconds.

"You ask for something that could change everything between us, Princess," he murmured, his gaze unwavering.

"If you truly live by your words, then trust should start here," Zainah countered softly, stepping one small inch closer.

The 11th Alpha freezes in silence. After a few seconds of contemplation, his right hand moves and touches his mask, as if about to remove it.

Zainah held her breath, her mind racing with excitement as the mask slowly began to lift.