Chapter 167 - (11)

The day had gone fast; time had passed without pause, yet in the ancient ancestral land, the sun remained high in sky. Lady Steinhouse's neck told her that time had passed; as she felt it sore. She admitted that the games were fun to watch. The large round disk called a reflector; showing to those in the arena all that happened inside the pocket world's competition stage, was fun to watch, but she could not watch this infinitely. She felt that she had been sitting here for more than a day.

Protector Klienn occasionally touched her arm, sending waves of energy into her that relieved all the pain and energized, her every few hours. He touched her again to calm her when he saw her stretching her sore neck.

"When you should have practised more of your martial arts, you went to some kingdom to get married. Better sit up and don't embarrass me. The heir of the clan has no energy in her bones to just sit still; what a shame." her grandfather said, causing Lady Steinhouse's eyes to burn with anger. She looked his way in pure disgust.

"You, who sat as your clan members stripped me of my martial rank and destroyed my core. You, who did nothing as your clansmen pursued me across several countries to kill. When I ran for my life and had to marry some idiot on his death bed to stay alive, was I still the heir of the clan? Embarrass you? You are nothing to me and you never will be. You and your enter clan will have to gift yourselves to my husband to do as he wishes, before you can ever claim to be related to me! So, shut up, you old man!" Lady Steinhouse exploded and the arena once filled with cheers as they watched the games, descended in to deafening silence.

All eyes had turned to Lady Steinhouse who looked past her grandfather when she finished settling her rage.

The clan chief opened his mouth to talk, but Protector Klienn shot him a glare. The entire Ligrel clan members present, were angry at her outburst, but the elders knew she spoke truth. If the clan's bloodline had not descended to such pitiable states, she would have died outside and no one would have cared.

Still, within their hearts, they thought that they did her a favour by allowing her to come back to the clan. If it was before she became Lady Steinhouse, they would have told her how ungrateful she was even after they allowed her back; but no one was sure who her husband was and what he was capable of. She was no more some child they threw away and can take back when they wished. She was now Lady Steinhouse, that cannot be looked down upon. Her child will be the next head of the Ligrel clan. If her husband is too powerful, they will have to beg to impact some legacy skills to their next heir.

The Ligrel clan's silence caused the other clans to snicker. Though they now have a powerful son-in-law, what is the use, when you cannot even control the daughter you gave to him? What if she poisons his mind with her words?

The games ended as the eleventh participant appeared on the stage before them and vomited blood. She knew who this was; It was Jaine, her cousin. She was taken off the stage as soon as she appeared, by the Jhoull; who grabbed her hand and dragged her off it.

The moderator took a step forward and announced the end of the games. The remaining participants appeared on the stage before him and the arena broke out in cheers.

"The spots earned by each ancient, is according to how many of their clan members stand on this stage." the moderator's voice sounded, causing the cheering to reduce a little.

The ancients looked at the members left behind. Some sighed in defeat, others nodded with pride. The Ligrel clan had two people on the stage, making them sigh. They at least gotten in. The moderator handed a token to each winner and they all returned to where their clan sat.

Lady Steinhouse looked at the moderators and they were looking right at her. At first, she was just thinking of approaching them, but when she saw them looking at her, she smiled softly as a thought flashed through her head.

As the two Ligrel clan winners approached, the younger generation flanked them; giving cheers and congratulations, till they stood before the clan chief. They bowed and the clan chief opened his mouth to say a few words.

Lady Steinhouse got up as he was about to talk, causing them to look her way.

"Well, I have come as I promised Uncle Klienn, but it is time to go." she said and Protector Klienn frowned.

"Did I not say we are going to the clan together? How do you intend to leave?" the clan chief asked with a frown. He tolerated her attitude enough as it is; he was almost reaching his breaking point.

"This is a lesson to tame you, old man. Next time you plot against me, remember that you have no idea who my husband is and what he can do." Lady Steinhouse smirked and walked down the stands. The eyes of the ancients followed her in confusion.

The elders wanted to stop her but the clan chief stopped them with a snort, "I want to see her face when she comes back to this seat." he said and they all stopped. Protector Klienn sighed at the turn out of events. There is no way off the ancestral land except though portals, how does she intend to leave?

Under their gaze, Lady Steinhouse walked towards the moderators and they opened their portal for her, allowing her to follow them to return. The arena had never heard such silence. The clan chief glanced at Protector Klienn; "Who did she really marry?" he asked with a frown, but Protector Klienn only sighed.

Lady Steinhouse had expected that when she came out at the other side of the portal, she would be back in Junhtt, but she opened her eyes to meet cold eyes. She found herself sitting in a large carriage. Opposite her, sat a girl no older than thirteen; she was flipping through parchments, as the breeze from the sunny outside entered the carriage window, lightly sweeping around the girl's snow white hair.