A BATTLE GREATER THAN A PRINCE

"Are you really taking Miss. Isabelle along to the barracks? Her brother is there and…" Cynwal started. "I told you to stop suspecting her. We have investigated, if she truly had a connection, we would've found something. Everything adds up now. We've done a thorough investigation on her and her family. The minister's daughter has returned, everything is in place. She is just a regular girl. I order you to not make any comments that will smear her name" Sky said to Cynwal. "Yes, your highness" Cynwal responded.

Sky set off to visit the barracks. The general in charge of the barracks welcomed him. "We only kept a hundred outstanding trainees in the inner barracks. The rest are at the outer barracks, ten kilometers away. After Sky had settled, he went out to meet the soldiers of the inner barracks.

The inner and outer barracks

Sky went out with Cynwal and Isabelle. The general introduced them, the well-known reckless prince, his right hand man, and his lady in waiting. "My brother was brought of these barracks a few months ago for training. Do you think I'll be able to find him here?" Isabelle asked Sky. "Is he a soldier? Or does he have fighting experience?" Sky asked and Isabelle shook her head. "If not, he's probably in the outer barracks, which is a but far from here, but you can go to visit him, it's not a problem at all. Just make sure to let me know first "Why? You're scared I won't come back?" Isabelle asked jokingly. "No, I'm scared of letting a wild animal lose" Sky said making Isabelle laugh. "At least you know who you're dealing with" Isabelle bragged, and the two laughed as they continued to make jokes while the general was still addressing the soldiers. Isauro stood from behind, trying to identify the lady in waiting who looked like his sister. He stretched his neck to have a better look. "She's pretty, right? That's Isabelle, a new maid in the palace. She's so famous around here. You're new so you haven't heard. She is actually the prince's mistress and got caught but the king pardoned her, then she became the prince's maid again. She looks so naïve, I'm sure the prince is just using her. After all, he's known for that, reckless and lawless, but now, we have to obey him because apparently, he's so skilled in martial arts. He's lucky he was trained by Sir. Hansley." One soldier said and stood back in line.

Isauro was angry but there was nothing he could do since he had no power. He clenched his fists in anger. After the assembly was over, Isauro waited for an opportunity to see Isabelle. After she had served the prince in the evening and was on her way back to her room, he approached her but her guards stopped him. "Where do you think you're going?" They asked him. "Let him go" Isabelle said to them and they gave way. Isabelle took him into her room within the fortress. "Isauro, I missed you so much" Isabelle said and went in for a hug but he pushed her away. "What's wrong?" Isabelle asked. "What do you think you were doing with the prince earlier today?" Isauro asked in anger. "What was I doing with the prince? What are you talking about?" Isabelle asked, confused. "I know about your relationship with the prince. I know you're his mistress…" "Hey! Are you crazy? Who told you that? And even if someone did, why would you believe it?" Isabelle asked. "What's your relationship with him then? You two are definitely not just a prince and maid" Isauro said, waiting to hear Isabelle's defense. "We are just friends Isauro, that's all" Isabelle said. "Isabelle!" "Isauro! Isauro, listen to me. How could you believe anyone's words over mine. I'm your sister, remember?" Isabelle said "Isabelle, he's just using you. Don't fall for his tricks. That's the kind of person he is. Isabelle, please" Isauro pleaded with her, on the verge of tears. "Isauro, come on. It's not like I'm in love with him. Nothing will happen to me. Trust me, in that palace, he's the best choice I have" Isabelle said, finally managing to get Isauro on the same page. There was a knock on the door. "Isabelle, are you okay? I heard shouting" Sky said. "Yes yes I am. It's nothing Sky" She responded, meeting her brother's distrustful gaze.

Isabelle went out after a while to distract her guards. "Leave now, I'll come to see you in a few days' time" Isabelle whispered, thinking her brother had snuck out of the outer barracks to come and see her. "Why are you being so secretive?" Isauro asked her but she pushed him out of the backdoor of the fortress. "Go" She said and closed the door. She sighed in relief, knowing her brother was okay now, she hoped it was so. A little later in the evening, Sky came to her room. "Are you okay? Who were you shouting at?" Sky asked. "That was my brother. He came to see me" Isabelle said, then quickly covered her mouth, realizing what she had just said. "Please don't punish him. He's a kind soul, he could never hurt anyone, he was just concerned about me" Isabelle said. "We don't kill people for that, don't worry" Sky said with a laugh.

The next day, Sky woke up earlier and began training with Cynwal, when the other soldiers were asleep. At daybreak, the soldiers assembled at the training grounds and saw Sky already there. They greeted in unison. "Hello, I just came to warm up. I'll rest for a bit so you all can too" He said and laid on the bench as the soldiers began sparring. After they had practiced for a while, Sky got off the bench. "I would like to spar with someone. Any volunteers?" Sky asked. "Here, your highness" Isauro said and came to the front. Sky was skeptical. He did not want to fight Isabelle's brother who was not yet skilled. He knew it would be an embarrassment to Isauro. "I, Isauro, accept your challenge" Isauro said and stepped onto the training ground. They each took a sword and began to fight, however, it was barely a few minutes in when Isauro's sword met Sky's neck. The soldiers burst into laughter, realizing that the prince hadn't even tried. "Your highness, would you please do me the honor of a real fight? I heard you fight better with a wooden sword" Isauro said and took out two wooden swords from the sword rack, then threw one to Sky. Sky was hesitant to fight.

"Miss. Isabelle" Her guards called her from outside. She opened the door and came to them. "What is it?" Isabelle asked. "Well, umm…the prince is about to practice with someone and we wanted to know if we can see it" One guard said. "Yes, we've never seen his fighting style before and it would help us with our skills a lot" The other one said. "Of course you can. I'll be in my room" Isabelle said. "No, I mean, we can't go anywhere without you. It would be a negligence of our duty" One guard said. "Fine, let's go then" Isabelle said and went with them to the training grounds.

Sky was still standing there, without moving his sword. "We starting your highness" Isauro said and all of a sudden, he launched forward, aiming his sword at Sky. Taken by surprise, Sky tried to block Isauro's sword but Isauro's momentum was higher than his and Sky was pushed backwards, stumbling, blocking Isauro's sword with his. Sky's sword broke. "Looks like I really underestimated you, let's have a second go" Sky said as he took a wooden sword. Isabelle saw them, fighting. She covered her mouth, seeing Sky with a wooden sword. She ran to the training grounds, where everyone stood, staring in surprise as Isauro had the upper hand. Isabelle was utterly confused, unsure of whether she was seeing right. Sky gained the upper hand and had Isauro in a tight spot. Isauro slid on the floor, to the side, escaping from Sky's sword. He continued attacking Sky vigorously and Sky struggled to defend himself, suddenly Isauro's strength began to fade as his attacking strength decreased. Sky took the opportunity and pushed Isauro to the ground, his elbow on Isauro's neck as his sword hit the ground, beside Isauro's chest. The soldiers cheered as Sky got up. Sky gave his hand to Isauro to help him up but Isauro pushed his hand away. Isabelle ran to him to help him up. "Are you okay?" Isabelle asked Isauro, as he held onto his back. "I'm fine" Isauro responded. Some soldiers came and helped Isauro up and Isabelle went with them.

After the physician had left Isabelle's room, Isabelle locked the door. "Isauro, how did you do that?" Isabelle whispered. "I don't exactly know. During the night, on the day we had met Madolika, an old man came into my dream. He was dressed like a king and asked me whether I would protect Madolika and I said yes. Ever since then, he appears in my dreams to teach me martial arts and sword fighting but I had never tried them in reality because I had no reason to. When I came here though, I ended up fighting and it just came, like I've always known it. It flowed so naturally as if I was in the dream, like I had practiced a thousand times" Isauro said. "That's strange. An old man appeared to me on that day too and asked me the same question, but I told him no. He was saying something like my love has awoken Madolika" Isabelle said. "Yes, he said same to me too" Isauro said. "You think it's the work of sorcery? If it is, then no one can find out, Isauro" Isabelle said. "And no one ever will" Isauro said to her.

Isabelle went to Sky to serve his food. "I nearly died today because I underestimated your brother. He wouldn't hurt a soul, you said. He was literally out for blood today" Sky said. "It was only because he thought we were in a relationship. That's apparently the rumor going around about the two of us" Isabelle said as she dished the food. "You don't seem worried" Sky said. "I don't really care about what others have to say about me never did" Isabelle said and placed his food on his table. "Won't you eat?" Sky asked. "I'll eat with my brother. It's not everyday I get to see him" Isabelle said and left. "I'm really beginning to regret bringing her here. It's like her brother is the only person in this entire place. I'm still surprised though, at how good he is. See if you can get me information on who trained him" Sky said. "Who trained whom?" Cynwal asked, since he wasn't paying attention. "I'm sorry your highness, I thought you were just talking to yourself again" Cynwal said in his defense. "Dimwit" Sky murmured.

A few days later, Sky went to the outer barracks. When he came back, there was a letter waiting for him. His father had ordered him to send his army for a battle in a region close by, to seize a theft gang. This was going to be his first time leading an army. He reviewed the information on the enemy territory and the hideout of the gang, then set out with the army. The first soldier came back from scouting the area and reported, his words not different from the information he had. "As usual, father gave me an easy task. He couldn't make his favoritism more obvious, but I still won't submit to his wishes" Sky said. The second scout came with the same information. "Alright. Since this is the case, I think we should set off tomorrow and get this over with" Sky said, and the general agreed with him, giving out the orders for the information to be spread across.

The next day, the soldiers, both those in the outer and inner barracks marched into the mountains, heading for the hideout of the gang. When they got to a valley, arrows came flying at them but they managed to block the arrows with their shields. The setup was followed with a surprise attack as the gang appeared in their numbers. Swords clashed fervently as the struggle went on, injured soldiers refusing to back down, a fight to the death. As the hours passed, more help came for the gangsters, their numbers far outweighing that of the soldiers. "They're too many your highness, we have to retreat" The general said to Sky. He wanted to retreat, but his pride wouldn't let him although he knew he lacked the experience of seasoned generals and the wisdom that came from years of leading armies into battle. A furrowed brow betrayed his inner turmoil as he recollected battle strategies, the weight of those thousand lives resting squarely on his inexperienced shoulders. He watched as the unskilled soldiers fought with all they had. He could see the fear in the eyes of the soldiers fighting for the first time, just like him, but they kept fighting anyway. After an analyzing the odds, Sky decided to sacrifice his pride and ordered for a retreat.

The prince's fingers trembled as he inspected the map one more time, tracing the contour of the land where the clash had taken place. The looming uncertainty of the outcome of their next battle gnawed at him, and he felt the chilling embrace of fear tightening its grip around his heart. He glanced at the sword sheathed at his side, an emblem of his princely lineage. The polished hilt bore the weight of tradition and expectation, a symbol of leadership he hoped to embody, even in the face of his own self-doubt. Walking through the camp, he observed the faces of his soldiers, each one masked with their own mix of determination and apprehension. They looked to him for guidance and inspiration in the midst of the troubles they were yet to face; most of their food burnt to ashes by the gangsters, and many maids, displaced. The realization both humbled and terrified him. He couldn't afford to reveal his lack of confidence, for he understood the importance of their morale. In the flickering glow of campfires, he retreated to his tent. There, in solitude, he took a deep breath, willing himself to summon a reserve of courage he wasn't sure he possessed. He remembered the lessons of history and the stories of great leaders who had faced overwhelming odds. The words of his mentor echoed in his mind, "Never give up. Lead with the heart of a prince whenever you lack the wisdom of a general" 'Did you foresee this, Sir' Sky asked, looking up to the skies. "I was born to conquer the skies, nothing shall stop me" Sky said to himself. As he approached his armor, his reflection in the polished breastplate showed a determined but uncertain gaze. With a final glance at the camp, he stepped into the night, the moonlight casting long shadows behind him. The feeling of inadequacy remained, but his commitment to the cause and the lives he led fueled a flicker of hope that perhaps, in time, he could grow into the soldier Sir. Hansley had trained him to be.

"Call for reinforcements. General, divide forces to create a diversion and confuse the enemy. Let's set a few traps to weaken their forces. I need scouts to gather intelligence, and a few spies to spread misinformation to deceive the enemy. Lastly, I need the medical corps to treat the wounded soldiers immediately. We need to boost the morale of the soldiers so I'll meet them after they have rested for a while" Sky said to the general and the other elite soldiers in the room with him. Sky went to Isabelle's room, wanting someone to talk to, to share his vulnerability with. When he went inside, he saw her guards laying dead in her room, with a piece of paper in their mouths. He took out the note and began reading. As he was reading it, Isauro came in. He was shocked to see the two guards on the floor and looked at Sky. "Your sister has been taken hostage by the gangsters" Sky said to a confused Isauro. "Where are they at? I'll go and bring her back" Isauro said with a determined heart. "They are in their base but you can't go. I am the one they asked for, so I will go alone. I can't afford to hurt any more of my soldiers" Sky said. "Well before being your soldier, I'm first her brother, your highness. I can bring her back" Isauro said to Sky. "They requested to see me. Anything reckless and Isabelle will die. They have already seen my face, we don't have a choice" Sky said. "Then let me go with you, your highness" Isauro said, getting on his knees.

Sky went out to meet the soldiers. "Soldiers! remember the lessons of our past, for they are the stepping stones to our future triumph. The next battle is a chance to redeem ourselves and prove our valor. Together, we will rise stronger and unyielding. We shall save our friends in captivity and take revenge for the lost souls. This is not a defeat but the first chapter in our story. We will rise and we will defeat them!" The soldiers erupted in shouts of affirmation, with their heightened morale.

Sky went back inside. "Your highness, in the second letter, it states that we have to be there tomorrow night" Isauro said to Sky. "Then so be it" Sky said. "But the reinforcements will arrive in three days' time. You will have to be here when they come or it could put you in trouble" Isauro said. "In that case, we'll have to make it before they return. Many maids have been taken as well, we shouldn't delay. Let's set off tonight, before they expect it" Sky said to Isauro. Isauro nodded in agreement and got ready to set off. At midnight, they set off secretly from the camp, on their horses, heading for the gangsters' base camp in disguise.

The gangsters' base was in the nearby town. They filled the streets with music and merry making, as the inhabitants locked themselves in their homes. The gangsters drank to their hearts content and danced around. Sky joined them in an attempt to get information from them blending in perfectly with the mood. Isauro on the other hand, was more conservative and didn't want to dance, raising a bit of suspicion. "You don't like it too, am I right? I told them to stay focused but no one listened" One drunk man said to Isauro. Seeing Isauro with him, the suspicion was eased as everyone went back to partying on the streets. Isauro went into an alley with the drunk man, and began to suffocate him, requesting answers to his questions. The drunk answered all the questions Isauro asked, and Isauro knocked him out. Isauro caught up to Sky, gathering courage to act a fool, like the other drunks. He told Sky all about the place where prisoners were kept in the town.

Sky and Isauro snuck into the lair, killing the guards silently, until they got to the cages, where the maids had been kept. While trying to unlock them, a gangster came out of nowhere and attacked Sky, who was trying to unlock a cage. Isauro immediately came to Sky's aid, blocking the sword of the gangster. "Keep unlocking it, I'll take care of him" Isauro said to Sky. As he was fighting the noise drew the attention of other gangsters, guarding close by. Sky quickly unlocked the cages and let the maids out as Isauro was now fighting five gangsters. Suddenly, his hand got cut by a sword and Sky came to his defense. "Take the maids away!" Sky shouted. "Isabelle isn't here!" Isauro said. "Go, you're hurt. Go with them, I'll find her" Sky said as he kept fighting. Isauro ran with the maids and opened the stables so the maids could use the horses. After they got on the horses, Isauro led them out, drawing lots of attention to them. Seeing this, the other gangsters rushed to the site but it was too late as the remaining horses had escaped and were running throughout the town. As the fight persisted, Sky stood alone, against the many gangsters. He was eventually subdued.

Sky was disarmed and brought before the leader of the gangsters. "Wow, I did not believe this would work. You really are nothing like they say. You are a prince who loves his people, my intelligence was right about you. I didn't believe him and took a gamble. Looks like I won" The leader said. "You lost! Reinforcements will be here soon and when they do, your entire gang will be wiped out. Why don't you surrender now and perhaps then, you might have a chance to live" Sky said. "That's hilarious. You think this is an ordinary battle? All the gangs in the east of this kingdom have teamed up with me. Your reinforcements won't win. Our numbers far outweigh whatever you are thinking but that is not why we called you here. Your officials are corrupt and spend the money of our people leaving us to suffer in misery. We need your cooperation, your highness, to be able to go into the capital and kill them all, to give our people rest" The leader said. "No, I know they are corrupt and I promise to bring them to justice just let me go and I promise I'll keep you safe" Sky said. The leader made a hand gesture and in came two gangsters, with Isabelle. "Sky" Isabelle cried out and the gangsters pushed Isabelle. She fell but Sky managed to catch her. "Isabelle, are you okay?" Sky asked, and she shook her head. "So what do you say, your highness?" the leader asked Sky. "I cannot do that" Sky said, staring Isabelle in the eye.

"We'll give you time to think about it in our hometown. I'll come to see you after the battle, your highness" the leader said as they tied Sky up and took him away. They threw him and Isabelle in a carriage, made with wooden bars. The carriage was driven away. Sky and Isabelle had been knocked unconscious. When Sky woke up, he found that they were in the middle of a wilderness. He motioned towards Isabelle and felt his body hurt. He checked himself and saw several bruises, guessing that he had probably been beaten up while unconscious. He woke Isabelle up. Seeing as they were in the middle of nowhere, Isabelle got scared. There was food and water in the carriage with them. Sky tried to untie Isabelle, but the rope was too tight. After a long attempt, the two ate a bit of the food, unsure of how long it was supposed to last them for. "Did they hurt you?" Sky asked Isabelle, seeing that her clothes had been torn. "No, they just harassed me but that was it" Isabelle said and Sky sighed. "Where are we?" Isabelle asked. "I have no idea. At least we're alive" Sky said and fell back to sleep.

Three days had passed and the reinforcements had arrived. They all believed that Sky was still being held hostage in the gangsters' lair. The maids hadn't seen the face of their rescuer who fled immediately they got to the barracks. Isauro waited each day, to hear any news about his sister, but barely any of the scouts they had sent made it back alive. The ones that did reported of the massive army of the gangsters. The news was sent back to the king, who dispatched two elite generals to finish off the gangsters and find his son. Hearing of the elite armies coming, the gangsters, who had been attacking the barracks several times, tried to flee but the generals caught up to them and killed them. They were still however, unable to find the prince and went back to the king, with the leader and a few others alive. The king ordered that no one mourn his son, who he believed would come back to him eventually, in denial of the assumed death of his son.