Three Gifts

Jewels returned to her training room and locked the door not letting any of her babysitters in. Sitting in the middle of the room with her legs crossed, she took out four soul stones. Holding them in her hands she pushes her energy into the soul stones, mixing their energy together.  When she pushed half her energy in,  she then drew  back the energy in the soul stone into her body, letting it flow through her veins.  Cleaning any impurities while renewing and rejuvenating her.  The amount of energy that came from the soul stones flooded her body all at once.  Jewels felt her bones crack and felt the pain.  The soul stone's energy infused within her bones and twisted itself into her veins.  Growing and binding them together, the strand of soul stone energy and Jewels vein wounded together like rope. From head to toe, her body flashed cold and hot, from one second to the next.  Concentrating on her breathing and gathering the outer energies to cultivate within her body, she felt her energy fill itself full then overflowing quickly. This time Jewels heard the sound of thunder roaring close to her.  Then as quickly as the thunder roared, lightning struck.  The bolt of lightning zapped Jewels on top of her head, breaking through to the next level and quickly emptying and refilling the energy she cultivated in her dantians.  

With a new and refreshed feeling, Jewels opened her eyes and for the first time smiled for herself since she transmigrated.  Her energy cultivation is now at high level 6 and with her fighting skills she learned in her past life, she will be a formidable opponent.  The smile on her face was not a smile of pure contentment. It was a smile of self righteousness, knowing that she was one step closer to paying her aggressors back ten fold.  

Jewels stood up and started warming up her muscles before she started going through her bare hand fighting forms.  When she was still Julianna, as a child of the Organization, everyday they would start their day with bare hand fighting forms and techniques.  Growing up, it became a habit for her to go through the forms everyday before any sparing or training.  Even now as Jewels, when she would walk into the training room, the first thing she did was go through her bare hand fighting forms.  

Once she finished warming up, she grabbed her short sword and started slashing and hacking the air.  From one technique to the next, she intertwined her fighting knowledge to her body, so Jewels body would have muscle memory.  From the short sword to the daggers that hung on her body and arms to the throwing needles, Jewels practiced one weapon to the next. She infused her energy into her fist when she punched.  Added energy to her sword and daggers when she slashed with them and infused energy into the throwing needle when she threw them. Each time she swung her arms, the energy infused weapon would destroy the dummies in the training room as well as the wall behind the dummy.  The room was a total wreck, by the end of her training.  There were chard holes in the wall as well as in the ceiling.  The wooden floor had circular burnt marks where she threw the needle darts. 

When Jewels finally finished her training, her body was drenched in sweat and her tired body felt light as a feather.  Her heart no longer felt a heavy burden of uselessness.  The day had turned into night as she exited the training room.  Roku stood outside the room with Ichi with their arms crossed over their chest as if they were pouting.  

"What did you do to the door?" Roku asked. 

"What do you mean?" Jewels asked innocently. 

"Why couldn't Ichi or I get into the room?"  Roku questioned. "Every time we tried, we were unable to get through the lock or the door.  Every time we made an energy infused attack at the lock or door, we were unable to even make a dent into it.  It was as if what ever shield you put up absorbed our energy attack for itself." 

Shaking her head as if she didn't understand what he was saying, she shrugs her shoulders and makes her way to her room to wash up. 

"I don't know what you're talking about. All I did was lock the door so I wouldn't be disturbed."

"If you didn't do it, then who did?" Roku asked. 

"I don't know, you're my bodyguard.  You should find out who it is." Jewels suggested to Roku.  "I just learned how to cultivate energy, I have no special techniques or even know how to learn how to get special techniques, so how could I do something like what you just said?"  Jewels questioned him back. 

Ichi and Roku both scratched their heads in wonder.  Jewels was right.  She just learned how to cultivate energy and all she knew was hand to hand combat and sword fighting.  She held no knowledge of any special techniques.  Even in their stay at Parker Forest, when fighting against beasts, she never once defeated the beasts with a special technique.  It had always been with her sword and dagger.  

When Jewels entered her room, Roku and Ichi stood outside the doors within their own thoughts trying to figure out who put the barrier up in her training room and how did they do it.  Roku and Ichi had never seen that kind of barrier before and wanted to find who put it up so they can learn how to do it themselves.  

With a slight smile on her lips, Jewels walks into the bathroom and stops automatically.  There in her shower is a naked Raiden.  His body leaning on the wall propped up by his muscled arms.  His broad shoulders, looked tensed.  Water dripped down from his head and made its way down his sharp shoulder blades and down the small of his back to his tight butt cheeks.  His strong legs that usually held his prideful self was bent, his knees on the tile, kneeling.  His head leaned against the wall as well and Jewels knew, something was wrong for him to be in such a position. Raiden was someone who would never kneel.  He is the Crown Prince of Redbane. The future King of Radbane never kneels even in the face of his enemies.  

Taking her clothes off quickly she enters the shower quietly.  As she reached out to touch him, she hesitates.  Is it okay for her to approach Raiden like so?  Did he want company?  Her company in particular? He didn't want to show others that he was weak and that's why he was in her shower so no one can see. But for some reason, Jewels did not want to see him like this.  She did not want him to struggle alone.  She wanted him to show her the different side of him that no one gets to see.  She wanted him to talk to her and tell her all of his worries, thoughts and ideas.  She wanted to somehow share some of his burden, even if just a little, she wanted to help him any way she could.  He wouldn't of come into her room to shower, if he didn't want her to know, she thought.  

Jewels hand reached out and touched his wet hair.  The moment she touched his hair, Raiden's arms reaches out and circles her waist bringing her in front of him.  He wraps his arms around her waist and his head leans forward, right under breast, he rests his head.  His once tensed body, slowly relaxes as he holds onto Jewels tighter.  With on hand Jewels intertwines her fingers in his hair while the other arm his folded over his shoulder, holding him close to her.  And for a long time, no one speaks.  

When the water starts turning cold, Raiden reluctantly gets up and helps Jewels wash her hair and body.  Although he would have liked to take his time to touch her and tease her, the cold water that was hitting their bodies urged them along to be quick with their tasks.  When Raiden was done washing Jewels, it was Jewels turn to wash Raiden.  She soaped his body and shampooed his hair with quick, deft hands that held no purpose other than to do its job and leave the stall.  

Drying each other on the other hand was a different matter.  When Jewels wrapped her hair in a dry towel, it was then that she felt Raiden's harden penis against the small of her back.  Straightening up, she felt her back meet his chest as his arms circles around her and starts to tease her nipple while the other hand caresses the side of her body sending small waves of pleasure to the valley between her legs.  Raiden's lips kissed and sucked on her neck, making its way to her ear. Her hand reaches behind her and starts milking Raiden's manhood.  With a slow and steady pace, she holds on to him firmly while his hand makes his way down her legs.  Before his hands could reach his destination, Jewels turns around and kisses Raiden's lips quickly making her way down his chest, flicking his harden nipple with her tongue and biting it hard before letting it go.  She made her way further down to his penis and kiss its head.  She then slowly kissed every inch of it, worshiping it like it was meant to be worshiped.  When he groaned loudly, begging her to take him inside her mouth, his hand took off the towel wrapped around her hair and placed his hand on her head.  Threading his fingers into her hair, he guides her head to the head of his penis.  Without a complaint, she opens her mouth and sucks.  Taking him in half way and slowly making her way closer and closer to the hilt of his penis.  She worked him back and forth with her lips and licked with her tongue, driving him crazy.  With her hands, one held on to his scrotum, while the other helped her mouth, squeezing and rubbing him firmly.  Raiden felt himself tighten and with a roar like moan, he cums into Jewels mouth.  Jewels continues to drink him dry until he could no longer stand.  His weak knees gives out under him and he kneels in front of her.  His hand wipes away the excess cum on the side of her mouth with his thumb and licks it with his tongue.  

Unable to hold back any longer Jewels, kisses Raiden.  It was always Raiden who's kisses consumed her, it was her time to make him feel the same way.  Taking charge, she wraps her arms around his head, bringing him closer to her.  Immobilizing his head and moved it according to her needs. She kissed him maddeningly as if her soul wanted to speak to his.  Their tongues touched and twisted, fighting each other for dominance,  but Jewels wouldn't back down.  She wanted him to know that she was going to take what she wanted and she took from him what he wasn't willing to give one by one.  She took his kisses, his touch, his body, his mind and his heart.  She took everything, she just didn't know it yet.  

It was the knock on the bedroom door that pulled them apart.  The knock that began was first soft and slow then became fast and pounding.  

"Mistress Jewels!"  Thomas yelled through the door.  "You must come quick! Something's happened to the family and your presence is needed at the sitting room in the main house!" 

Getting up from the floor they make their way to the bedroom.  Raiden headed towards the drawers to pull out clothes for Jewels and himself. 

"We'll be down soon, Thomas."  Jewels yelled through the door.  

Taking the clothes from Raiden's hands, she quickly dresses herself in her undergarments and a blue one piece summer dress that Raiden bought for her.  She then put on a leather bracer on her left arm that could hold two of her daggers and 5 needle darts.  Afterwards she put on a light button up cardigan to cover her bracers.  When she finished, Raiden had been watching her dress, standing by the door with a smile on his face. 

"What?" Jewels asked. 

Not saying a word he nods once at her and opens the door to Thomas, Roku, and Ichi waiting outside.  Leading the way downstairs to the first floor, Uncle Jude and Pop pop along with Zeze were already waiting for them by the door that brought them to the main house.  

Instead of greeting Raiden and Jewels, Uncle Jude had Zeze rolls him through the door and Pop pop followed.  Jewels, Raiden and his entourage followed quickly behind.  Once they reached the main house they head over to the sitting room where there was a heated argument occuring.  

"So what you're saying Prince Ivan, is that my grandchild did not matter at all to you and Madewell Kingdom? Not only was her reputation ruined in front of every noble and royal family, but you also degrade her well being by announcing your engagement to Lady Maria within the same breath!  How dare you!  Do you think the granddaughter of the mighty Rowen Clan of the Mulberry Kingdom means nothing to the 4 Kingdoms?!"  Duchess Rowen said sternly.  "We brought our grievances to your father, His Highness and he told us that you will settle this grievance with reparations." 

"And not only was the engagement annulled, but my niece was then given to Prince Raiden of Redbane as a gift of appeasement!  She was given away as if she was not the young fifth miss of the Brooks household, but was given away as if she was cattle to settle a turf war between warring kingdoms!"  Duke Sam said.   

"You have wronged my granddaughter too many times for us Rowen Clan to turn our heads away.  An apology will not erase your sins and actions against my granddaughter. You will pay a great gift to appease Jewels and you Maria will apologize to your younger sister for seducing her intended as well as pay reparations towards your sin!"  Duchess Rowen yelled.  "And you General Harvey,  she is your daughter!  You are supposed to protect her and look out for her future and yet you throw her away the moment my daughter dies and made your brother and father raise her!  They indeed did do a good job, with how innocent and kind Jewels has turned out to be, however, how are they suppose to protect her when they aren't even able to protect themselves! Instead you let your first daughter seduce her intended and contract a new marriage between the two adulterous pair! You shall also pay reparations to my granddaughter for her mother will never rest in peace should she know how her child has been treated thus far by the people closest to her!"

When everyone from the left wing walked into the sitting room, everyone in the sitting room became quiet.  Jewels maternal side of her family sat on one side of the room while her immediate family sat on the other side staring daggers at Jewels as she was lead in to the room in Raiden's arms.  The family of the left wing gave their greeting then sat down in the seat provided, but when Jewels went to sit next to her Uncle and Pop pop, her arm was tugged by Raiden and he led her towards the seats provided for him and his guards.  Making sure she sat down first, Raiden then sat down afterwards, keeping their arms intertwined, letting the whole room know of his intentions. 

With his ice cold face set in stone, he leans back to listen to the arguments made by the Madewell Kingdom and Mulberry Kingdom.  

"You could argue that breaking off the engagement and having Lady Jewels become Prince Raiden's golden gift was a blessing in disguise." Lady Lana said.  "We all see how possessive and well provided Prince Raiden have been towards Jewels.  No one can refute how he treats her well. It must be the Goddess's will." 

"Goddess's will or not, there are certain etiquette and procedures that are supposed to be done.  In this matter of annulment of their engagement, it was done maliciously to embarrass my granddaughter and ruin her reputation!  I, as her grandmother, cannot accept the mistreatment and humiliation she was forced to go through!  Reparations shall be paid by Prince Ivan, Lady Maria and General Harvey!  They will be paid and paid in full by tonight!"  Duchess Rowen announced.  

"Jewels," Lady Lana said looking at Jewels. Pleading with her eyes for Jewels to give them a way out of this predicament. "Do you not have anything to say?" 

"At the time, I did feel wronged." Jewel said slowly.  "At the time, I felt desolate and felt as if I had no where to go and what I should do next." 

Raiden's cold exterior became colder as a dark aura surrounded him and an oppressive feeling could be felt through out the room.  

"And although at first it was hard because Prince Ivan and I have been betrothed since I was born and growing up he had always treated me well, for him to suddenly change and treat me as if I was nothing but a speck of dirt on the floor and my own sister who had watch me grow up, treated me like a stranger.  And my own father, who disregarded my well being and reputation let this all happen to me in front of the whole nobility and royalty.  I do feel greatly wronged that the people who I thought I could trust, betrayed me all within a single night, has cause me much pain.  Pain for which Prince Raiden has tried very hard to take away."  Jewels said as a single tear runs down her eye.  Turning towards Raiden, she buries her head into his shoulder.  Raiden's cold countenance scared most people in that room, everyone refused to look at Jewels because of Prince Raiden. 

"This Prince's golden gift has been hurt very badly by those this Prince's gold gift called friend and family."  Raiden said as he patted Jewels head on his shoulders.  "This Prince's golden gift shall have reparations paid for the mistreatment of this Prince's golden gift.  This Prince promises this Prince's golden gift that reparations will be paid or this Prince will cause the fall of the 4 Kingdoms peace talks."

With that threat, General Harvey readily agreed to give Jewels his and Maria's gift of appeasement.  While it took Prince Ivan a while longer before he agreed as well.  Prince Ivan kept looking towards Jewels as she entered the room.  He did not realize that the charming girl who walked in was the same naive trash of a girl that he was betrothed to. Her long black locks of silky hair hung down from her head.  The blue dress hugged her body where it emphasized her curves and showed off her shapely legs.  Her arm held Prince Raiden's arm and the feeling of jealousy overcame him slowly.  When she sat down next to Prince Raiden and they kept their arms crossed while their bodies, sat close to each other, their legs touching one another.  Prince Ivan could only look at her shapely legs pressed along side Prince Raiden, wondering how it would feel like to be him for a moment.  When the single tear ran down her face, it made her look innocent and delicate.  He wanted to protect her and made him want to gather her into his arms.  When she buried her face into Prince Raiden's shoulder, his streak of jealousy became full blown.  She belonged to him the moment she was born.  They grew up together and she had been the only person who could make him laugh genuinely.  She was always kind, innocent, and full of smiles for Ivan.  He had always had every intention to marry her even with her lack of cultivation, but his greed to have a strong kingdom and family started to override his desire to do the right thing.  His greed for this started when he met Maria.  It was just that he did not notice how he started changing when they would meet up and talk about the future of Madewell Kingdom.  

Feeling jealous and resentful, he took longer to agree to give her a gift to appease the wrongdoings against her.  When he finally said okay, the oppressive feeling suddenly left the room. 

"Granddaughter, you see, Grandmother had to make sure you did not leave the Madewell Kingdom without reparations!"  Duchess Rowen said as she wiped fake tears away from the corner of her eyes.  

Jewels head still buried on Raiden's shoulder still did not make any moves to move away from him nor did she make any move to talk to them.  Prolonging the silence longer, it soon became awkward and Jewels finally turned her head and looked towards Harvey and Maria.  

"From Father, I would like access to the family safe and pick out two thing from the safe."  Jewels said as she looked at Harvey.  With a frown on his face showing discontentment, he nodded okay.  "And from Prince Ivan, I would like the Five-Star Gem."  

The silence of the room became thicker when Jewels announced that she wanted the Five-Star Gem from Prince Ivan.  The Five-Star Gem was given to him by Jewels mother as a sign of agreement to their betrothal.  The Five-Star Gem came hung on a single chain that Prince Ivan carried with him since he was young.  The gem became his lucky charm that he would not leave the palace with out it.  And now that Jewels asked for it back, he hesitated because it became something important to him and he didn't know how to part with it.  

"Is Prince Ivan unwilling to part with the Five-Star Gem that Lady Iris gave to you as an agreement to the engagement?" Duchess Rowen asked. "You should have given it back the moment you declared the annulment, instead you kept it to yourself selfishly. Now that my granddaughter requested it back, are you hesitating because you thought it belonged to you?" 

With anger, Prince Ivan slowly made his way towards Jewels and stops in front of her.  He takes out the Five-Star Gem and unhooks it from his belt.  Touching the five pointed red star once more before handling it over to Jewels, he says.  

"Now, we are truly finished." 

Accepting the gem, she hands it off to Zeze to hold on to and turns to Raiden and studies his side profile before saying, "We were truly finished a long time ago." 

Raiden's jaw tightened quickly for just a moment before relaxing.  If Jewels was not studying him, she would not have noticed the change in his features. Prince Ivan soon excused himself and left the Brooks Manor in a foul temperament. 

"I'll put faith in you General Harvey to keep your word and let my granddaughter go through the Brooks safe to pick out two items?"  Duchess Rowen said as they also made their move to leave.  

"Of course,"  Harvey said through tight lips. "She can go in with Prince Raiden as witness." 

Looking sternly at Harvey, Duchess Rowen left the manor as well with her son and her daugher-in-law. Uncle Jude and Pop pop leave to the left wing along with Thomas and Zeze.  In the sitting room there was only Harvey, Lana, Maria, Prince Raiden and Jewels.  When no one made a move to say or do anything, it was Lana who first decided to dig herself into a bigger hole.  

"Now that you've gotten what you want, you should be happy with the opportunity to grab hold on to any valuable item in the family safe."  Lana said. 

"Lady Lana has misunderstood, this fifth young miss." Jewels said. "I did not know my grandmother would come and make a scene to right the wrongs that were done to me.  I had no intentions of bring forth the wrongdoings and asking for reparations, it was grandmother Rowen who saw this injustice and righted this wrong." 

Not believing a word Jewels said, Lana and Maria stomps out of the room together in their rage and leaves Harvey alone with Jewels and Raiden. 

"Shall we?" Harvey said between his teeth.  

Both Jewels and Raiden stand up without saying a word and follow Harvey to the family safe.  To get there, they had to go down a flight of stairs and into a special passage way that  would lead them to the safe.  Once outside the safe, there stood two family guards, both level 9 in cultivation.  Seeing Harvey, they step aside as Harvey gathered enough energy to infuse the door with it, to unlock the lock. The door opened and one of the guards pulls it open.  

In the enormous room held piles and piles of gems and gold in opened chests.  Weapons of all kinds were held on weapon racks, while tapestries hung on walls.  Located in the back wall was a herbal medication cabinet that held precious rare herbs.  Walking directly towards the back, Jewels opens each drawer one by one examining the herbs.  When she came upon the Black Jade Leaf, Jewels eye grew wide and greedy.  All the gems and gold in the chests did not entertain her desire to obtain them, but the Black Jade Leaf held medical healing properties that could be used over and over again. Replenishing itself and letting its owner reuse it again and again in different potions and remedies. Jewels selected the Black Jade Leaf first and placed it in her pocket.  Going through the rest of the drawers there was nothing special that she wanted particularly at that moment, but she took note of all the herbs that was there.  Making her way back to the front, there was a scroll that caught her attention.  In her mind she could hear Nemean roar.  Stopping she turns towards the table of scrolls and filters through them quickly reaching for the scroll that called to her.  At the bottom of the pile, lied a thick round scroll the size of her head that was old and dusty.  The tattered ribbon that held the scroll together was what caught her eyes.  The golden ribbon, although tattered and old, had a red, embroidered, fire breathing lion at the end of the ribbon.

Once she had her two gifts, she shows Harvey her choices and they all leave after Harvey closes the safe's doors.  Without saying anything else, Jewels and Raiden make their way to the left wing.  Jewels, who had forgotten about the books Pop pop gave her to read about the Infinite Galaxy, wanted to settle down for the rest of the night to go through her books and the scroll in her hand.  

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Sorry guys for the late update, I had to pack everything up from my apartment and move into my new place so I was unable to finish writing this chapter until today!  Thanks for your patience and as always thanks for your love and support.  -ptd