The Medallion

Lance reached his study after a short while. He was greeted by his daughter as soon as he entered. Isis sat on his chair and played with an ink brush.

"If I am not mistaken, I think Rocky refused your offer once more," Isis said with a faint smile, seeing the vivid anger on Lance's face.

"That little bastard is so arrogant that he had the audacity to refuse me in public! He is as cocky as he is talented! I really wanted to kill him right there in public. That contemptuous genius," Lance roared angrily. It was only Marin's words that stayed his anger when Rocky refused him once more. He wanted so much to punish Rocky out of fury.

"I did tell you before father. You can't bribe him through a well-paid job as an officer," Isis said calmly, as if she already knew what would happen.

"Then why did he work so hard in the contest? If he did not reveal his true power, then I probably wouldn't be so depressed and angry." Lance hadn't figured out why Rocky fought with such intensity during the competition.

"Simple, he wanted to raise your expectations of him first. So that you will become more irritated of him when he refuses you. He wants you to be so irritated that you'd give up on trying to recruit him. And his plan worked. It was a genius plan, really," Isis explained plainly as she transfixed her charming eyes on her father.

"You mean to say that getting me this mad was all part of his plan?" Lance's eyes lit up as if he finally understood what Isis explained. Rocky had planned to refuse from the start and yet he fought hard in order to increase his chances of throwing Lance off and completely discouraging him in trying to recruit Rocky. Lance nodded slightly as he saw the plan.

"I actually told him that you held the contest for him on purpose after his first round," Isis admitted.

"Why did you do that?" Lance was caught by surprise. He could not believe that his daughter would sell him out to Rocky.

"Because you wanted to see his true power and potential. I told him that in order to force him into action. If he found out that you organized the competition for him, he would defy you further and fight at his best to make you angrier once the competition has been concluded," Isis explained cleverly.

"Now I understand. Telling him the truth made him want to go against me even further. He then wanted to win the competition in order to make me angrier at his refusal." Lance was a clever man. It did not take long before he understood the trick that his daughter played on Rocky. He then laughed out loud uncontrollably. He shook his head as he laughed. "You even got your father this time, daughter! Good girl!"

wild thoroughbred stallion. If you really want to recruit him, you

sounds to me like you already have an idea," Lance remarked.

Don't worry about it, father. I can convince him to join, but I'm not sure whether he will

He was a master in observing people,

her place. She immediately saw Marin

refused the Commander in Chief in

pretending to be surprised at Marin's news. Isis pretended that she

to give me three days to convince Rocky. But even with three days, is that even possible? I know Rocky so well. He will never agree. What if he still said no after three days? What

worse of course! What else would you expect? He will probably be banished to

as her eyebrows approached each other and her eyes started

laughter when she saw Marin in that distressed state.

are you laughing?" Marin asked with

I have never seen you worry about a man that much, Marin. Are you in love with

is not possible!" Marin said blushing after she heard Isis' question. She

really? Then tell me why do you care about him so much?" Isis continued to bombard Marin with questions

something suddenly occurred to her and she immediately yelled out, "That's because he saved Verdanim! That's

because of that?" Isis questioned, squinting her left eye at Marin

Marin nodded firmly.

you've found your true love; and I will never oppose whoever that is as long as it's not Rocky. And you