Winner Takes All

His low voice shocked and reverberated in everyone's ears. Cynthia, the guards, the beast slaves all looked dumbfounded towards King Hun. King Hun appeared to be extremely vexed and bewildered. But then, King Hun began to grin in amazement as he remarked, "What a joke. I tried for three years to tame and subdue this beast but today, Snow Lion had finally been subdued by this battle. This is indeed a slap across my face!"

Cynthia looked at King Hun and focused on the key point of ... being subdued.

"Father, what do you mean by the King of Beasts being subdued?" Cynthia quickly asked.

King Hun looked towards the cage and Snow Lion who was behaving like a cat as it laid beside Jack. King Hun then explained, "To the King of Beasts, it reigned over all the animals. It would never lower itself to any animals weaker than itself in a world where the strong feeds on the weak. However, when it meets a beast stronger than itself, it would submit and adopt the stronger beast as its master."

After a pause, King Hun continued, "Taming a beast by force does not win over the beast's heart and under the right conditions, the beast would abandon its master."

"However, when the beast submits, then it would wholeheartedly accept and gives its life to the master. Even in the face of danger, the beast would stand by the master's side and protect its master even unto death!" King Hun appeared to be totally conflicted and troubled as he said.

He raised his hands to rub his face as if to compose himself, "Oh the King of Beasts... the Beast among beasts! I spent three years and could not get Snow Lion to submit itself to me. Now, this chap had made it submit to him in just a day!"

King Hun then looked down towards Cynthia and said, "Honey, perhaps your choice was right after all!"

Cynthia's eyes lit up when she saw King Hun's change in attitude and emotions started to stir within her. Simply said, Snow Lion had been subdued by greedy wolf in this fight and Jack absolutely won the hear and loyalty of Snow Lion. She was also clear why King Hun wanted Snow Lion's loyalty.

In the great snow plains where survival of the fittest is the order of the day, being able to subdue such a majestic beast would have a huge contribution to the coalition!

Cynthia bit her lips as she said, "Father, aren't you after the honor of subduing Snow Lion?"

King Hun laughed and then raised his hand and ordered the guards and beast slaves, "Get Snow Lion into his enclosure and quickly give it medical treatment." "Yes, your excellency!" The guards and beast slaves answered in unison.

Then King Hun looked towards the unconscious Jack who was still in the cage. His anger had all but cleared from his face and he was looking radiant when he ordered, "This is a good thing, an excellent achievement! From this moment forward, all the offenses committed by greedy wolf had been forgiven. He shall be appointed as the General of the South and command the army. He shall also be bestowed the honor of the Hun Top Warrior!" The King declared with unusual gusto and pride and everyone was surprised.

Even Cynthia was stunned by the sudden and drastic change of King Hun. The change was so great that Cynthia could not believe it and it was as if all the conflicts between King Hun and Jack never happened!

A monument in his honor, appointed as General and awarded the honor of the Hun Top Warrior! All these were the greatest honor to the Huns. Any one of these awards would be a great honor but now, all three of these were bestowed upon one man!

This had never occurred in the millennia of Hun history.

Even Cynthia was stunned that such a high honor was bestowed by her father without a hint of hesitation. It appeared that they had risen from the depths of hell to the heavens. What was even more unsettling to Cynthia was the way her father was behaving so joyously.

"Guards, take this little girl away and

treat her well As for greedy wolf, get the best physicians of the thirteen cities and provide him with the best medical treatment!" King Hun disregarded Cynthia's glare in disbelief and held her up after

el.

giving

the orders and said to her, "Follow

me, I know what you are thinking."

Cynthia followed King Hun out of the arena. The father and daughter walked in the snow towards the palace. The ground was already thick with fallen snow.

"I know that you wanted to ask me the purpose for subduing Snow Lion, right?" King Hun said as he walked.

"Yes." Cynthia nodded. The turn of events in the beast cage and the drastic change of King Hun's attitude towards Jack made her extremely troubled.

King Hun laughed and said, "Medea, you're twenty years old. I remembered that when you were sixteen, you told me that you wanted to unite all the Huns and move south and take over Thegiant City so that all the subjects of the Kingdom can live in the vast and sunny plains."

Cynthia shuddered and stood in

place looking stunned at her father. King Hun seemed to know what she was thinking and paused. He turned around and looked calmly at Cynthia, Tunderstand your desires

Οι

and I had pondered about your wishes but I can't risk the achievements of the ancestors. That is why I am so cautious of your choice and your desire to march southwards. This had troubled me continuously and something that I can't overcome."

"But I always remembered what you said and after a year, I decided to subdue the Snow Lion."

"Father..." Cynthia's eyes lit up as she looked towards King Hun. She now understood what the King meant.

King Hun laughed and said, "I do not have any lofty goals and aspirations and only wanted to continue the reign that was left to me by the ancestors. But I am a man after all and when you inspired me, I also wanted to give it an attempt."

"The lion is the king of the beasts and especially Snow Lion who is the beast among the beasts. If I can subdue him, then in this world where the fittest survive, I would be able to attain enormous credibility in the Kingdom."

"Subduing the Snow Lion would give a huge boost to achieving what you wished for when you were sixteen. But... what your father could not achieve, was done by this chap."

Cynthia's eyes lit up and said coyly, "Thanks, father..."

Before she could finish, King Hun waved his hand and interrupted her, "Don't thank me, you know that I am gripped by indecision and often hesitate. Although I did intend to kill that chap, but now... I am convinced that he is worthy of you." A person who could subdue the King of the beasts and make the beast of beasts submit is truly someone to be revered."

Even if he may not be able to be victorious against Zenith, he was definitely worthy of King Hun's daughter.

The bone-chilling winds began to howl darkness blanketed the snow plains.

Rumble...

The earth shook as a group of cavalry rode in the blowing snow.

"Another three days' journey and we will reach the Hun's thirteen cities. Once we arrive, we will ride through the twelve cities and then on the third day, reach the main city. Remember! We will have to find the young master even at the cost of all our lives!"