CHAPTER 1

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

"Dad!Why am I on a small horse,you promised that I will ride a stallion when I clock fifteen. I'm fifteen already and you won't let me ride on it".Mato complained.

"Are you even as tall as a stallion. the stallion is in the barn but you refuse to grow tall. The stallion is also fifteen and it's way taller than you and it's His highness".Marcus replied. Mato scoffed upon hearing that.

"we are going to warn them about the danger ahead".

"why?"Mato asked.

"you have a small heart and a kind heart like your mother. A king should not care about the enemies. Remember that". The king said

"Yes,your highness"

As they rode past the city gates, they came across two women.

"That's the prince,the one who made her highness disappear".the for woman said.

"Really?I haven't heard about it,tell me more

Suddenly, shrieks were heard,Mato looked around and saw the women laying dead on the floor in cold blood.

"Mato,blasphemy means death".the king said and galloped through the forest while Mato tried to catch up with him.

* * * * *

"Michael, where is my horse?"Percy snarled

"My lady,it is gone".her personal guard replied

"Gone?I thought you went after it".Percy shouted again. she was frustrated at that very moment.

"Of course I did but...".the guard couldn't complete his sentence because a horse galloped towards them.the guard pulled out his sword but when the guard saw the rider and his entourage he bowed.

"Your highness".Percy nudged him

"he is the king of Austro".the guard whispered

"Your highness".Percy bowed but just as Marcus was about to move forward she called him

"Your highness, would you mind if I ride with you?".the guard bowed immediately.

"I'm sorry your highness, we can just ask for a horse from a villager".

"I wouldn't mind, you'd can ride with my son".

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience".the guard bowed again.

"Thank you, your highness".Percy said as she climbed Mato's horse without asking.Mato shot his father a glare while his father smirked, the guard followed behind the other guards. Percy held his waist.

"I'm Percy".she whispered.

"and I can flip you off the horse".he whispered back. Percy remained silent throughout the ride but she didn't remove her hand.

'he must be like my brother, cold'.she thought.

Within an hour, they got to Mampi. King Marcus was ushered into the palace with Mato by the guards.

"My,my,to what do I owe this August visit King Marcus".King Hermes asked as if he wasn't the one who declared war against Austro.

"I came for peace".

"Sure,you do at least you should be able to stay for three full moons".King Hermes said.

"I guess you think I'm idle king Hermes but I'm not I'm leaving anytime soon".Marcus replied

"well that's beautiful. show them to a room, we will be having a welcome feast tonight".Hermes said but suddenly his face lit up as if he won a billion dollar lottery.

"Is that your son,isn't he all grown now?".Marcus ignored him and left.

"Hermes is always not thinking about others welfare".Marcus complained. while Mato already went to a separate room to rest.He was still taking off his military attire which is too big and stuffy but his father made him wear it anytime they are travelling or going for a hunt. Then he heard a knock on his door.

"come in".A small braided hair popped through the door then the whole body followed. it was the girl from the forest. she got down at the city gates so he thought she went somewhere else.

'so she was the princess of Mampi'.he thought.

"I didn't get to thank you for the ride".she muttered as if she wasn't sure of saying it.

"it's nothing. Unsaid gratitude is the best".Mato replied nonchalantly making Percy to frown her face.

"well I'm Percy and you are?"she repeated her name.

"why do you care cause I don't care about your fucking name ".

"Really!!!"she scoffed in disgust.

"I need to rest now".he said dismissing her. she stormed out of the room. On getting out, she ran into her brother who had a smirk on his face actually the smirk never left. He's just twenty five years older than her yet he behaves like he's fifty years older than her.