CHAPTER SIX

Sharing the weight of the surprise, the king leaped out of his seat. He looked thoroughly destabilized, shuddered, and stood rigidified on his feats.

“Noo...” he yelled, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides. “This can’t be happening to me!” He raged, his eyes nearly pushing out of their sockets.

The guests were all frightened. They stood beside themselves, confused and yet to understand the situation at hand.

I watched as tension slowly built up in the atmosphere, then intensified when an arrow- shut from a far distance- forced itself into the hall, shattering one of the windows.

“They have come to abduct the …” Irene was yet to conclude her statement when the arrow hit her, piercing deep into her belly.

The guests let out a heavy gasps.

Instantly, there was serious chaos, shouts, screams, and loud indistinctive clamoring in the hall, with the guests scattering themselves around, having no certain destination in mind.

“Lock that gate!” The king howled an order to the guards placed at the entrance.

They carried out his command without sparing a single delay, stopping the guests from forcing themselves outside.

General Rometrius, who joined the ceremony a while ago, tried to calm the tension down, by giving an assurance of safety.

“Do not worry, Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said, speaking to everyone. “Please stay back inside the hall; we’re going to take care of the situation.”

As if his words carried some potency, the guests remained a little still, but not enough to relax their nerves, which had gone up.

Panic reigned on everyone; my father suddenly was speechless, his ever great queen showed her weakness by trembling behind him, while the crowd huddled themselves at one corner of the hall, glaring at the windows as if expecting the visitation of death.

“My enemies have finally succeeded in bringing disgrace upon my household" My father said, some sort of regret evident in his voice.

Amidst the whole scenario, I had thought that I was in my usual day-time nightmares, not until the very reality dawned on me, the moment Irene shambled a few steps before falling to the floor.

Her stomach kept releasing blood, soaking her dress and dripping to the floor.

“Irene!” I screamed, running towards her.

...

Along the lonely forest paths that lead to the palace of Decresh, two young lads are seated at ease inside a horse-drawn carriage, chatting and having pleasant discussions while on their journey.

A few guards, wearing full military attire, supervised them closely.

The young men are classically men of high nobility, dressed in beautiful outfits that put emphasis on their personalities accordingly.

Slightly poking his face out of the moving carriage to observe the space ahead. “Are we still on the hills, Kleo?” the one dressed in a complete royal outfit asked.

The deep blue royal robe on him, fitted his masculine body properly, accentuating his long platinum hair and his gold eyes.

“No, your highness,” Kleo, who is his right-hand man, responded. “We’re out of the hills, almost close to the palace of Decresh” he explained.

“I see,” the young man said with a bright smile that reached the corners of his eyes.

A brief silence reigned between them, and Kleo seemed to be thinking for a while as he observed the unusual expression shimmering on the young man’s face.

An unusual expression that got him both surprised and worried.

“Your highness,” Kleo called him slowly.

“Yes, Kleo,” the young man answered, not looking much at him, his attention lost at the outside as he watched several trees slowly pass before his eyes.

All of a sudden, he wished the carriage could go faster than it was moving.

“Are you… uhm,” Kleo hesitated in his speech, considering a second thought not to ask.

“What is it, Kleo?” The young man asked him, bringing his face to look at him.

“Uhm… erm…” Kleo hesitated again, not knowing how to politely fix his words to prevent getting him offended.

“Have you got water in your mouth?”

“Yes, no, yes,” Kleo stuttered. “I mean no,” he corrected himself immediately.

The young man stared questioningly at him, awaiting a response.

Kleo began, “It’s about the princess," he said, forcing the words out of his mouth.

“Which princess?” the young man asked, a little confused.

“The third princess of Decresh.”

Picking up all of a sudden interest, “What about her?”

"Ahem!” Kleo deeply cleared his throat before speaking. “I do not think it’s a good idea, your highness,” he said courteously.

“Not a good idea,” the young man rephrased. “What do you mean by that?Speak!” he demanded.

“I mean the arrangement, your highness,” Kleo pointed out. “Are you okay with the arrangement by your brother?”

The young man broadened his smiles, astounding him further.

“Don’t worry yourself, Kleo,” he spoke to him, quietly placing a hand over his shoulders. He gave him another smile. "I am perfectly fine with everything”

Kleo simply nodded.

“She’s beautiful, right?” the young man asked.

“I am not in a position to say, your highness,” Kleo replied sincerely.

"Ah, okay."

The silence, which had reigned between them previously, fell in, only the creaking sounds the carriage was making, and those of the galloping horses, could disturb it.

Tugging his head away, the young man cast his glances outside the carriage to look at the forest.

He enjoyed the gentleness of the subtle wind coming over his face, and the quiet routes along the forest as their journey continued.

His smiles could not leave his face.

Kleo gazed at him closely, turning more confused, flabbergasted and unable to understand what the sudden change was all about. They’ve always been close friends for a long time - right from their childhood days - but he has never seen him look happier.

The level of the liveliness on his face could only mean one thing that he is yet to realize.

“The guests must be waiting for us.” The young man declared swiftly.

“Yes, your highness,”

“Fasten the horses” he ordered.

Slowly, within the span of a while, the young man stopped feeling relaxed but strange. The usual odd feeling that baptizes him whenever danger is around. He found it difficult placing a hand on what it was about until he started noticing the creepy movement in the bushes. And then, the neighing of horses at a far distance, which died away immediately, confirmed his suspicion.

“Stop the carriage!” he ordered immediately.

“Is anything the matter, your highness?” Kleo asked him, getting worried.

“I shall be back.” He assured him upon alighting down, grabbing his sword along with him.

Walking up to a little expanse away, he stopped to glare his eyes around the empty forest, searching for any possible threat.

He sighed lightly on seeing nothing, lowering his sword gradually.

“I found nothing,” he told the many eyes watching him.

“Watch your back, your highness!” Kleo screamed loudly, alerting him.

He saw a vicious-looking average man holding a short dagger to stab him as he advanced a clever dodge.He slew him effortlessly, in a heartbeat.

“He is dead.” He kicked the lifeless body to find out. “Let us keep moving, faster.” he instructed in haste, but it was already too late.

They have been ambushed by unknown armed men.

"Get them!!" a commanding voice roared.