The mission

    My name is Noah D'Othen. I was born in a very poor village, located at the beginning of the kingdom. I grew up learning how to wield a sword. My father was an excellent swordsman, and he showed me how deadly he could be. I was trained to defend myself and my country. The king was often threatened by neighboring kingdoms, and my skill with the sword made me an important asset to the kingdom. My training consisted of mastering different fighting styles and learning how to use various weapons. I had to learn how to fight in different environments and weather conditions, too. I spent most of my time practicing with my sword, spear, ax, and bow. 

I was also expected to have a certain level of physical strength and endurance to be able to fight in battles that could last for days. My training was intense, but it helped me become the warrior I am today. 

     One day, the king, Theodore Deonthroth ,a young king whose father died in an assassination by the enemy kingdom, summoned me to his throne room. He asked me for a favor, and I was surprised by his request. Theodore wanted me to go on a mission to kidnap the daughter of the opposing king. 

    We had been at war with the neighboring kingdom for 2 years, and it had taken its toll on both sides. The enemy princess was a valuable bargaining chip that could be used to gain the upper hand in negotiations and possibly end the war. 

    The king's men had tried unsuccessfully to capture the princess many times before. The king knew that my skill as a warrior would make me the best candidate for the mission. 

The king offered me a large sum of reward if I succeeded in kidnapping the princess. I hesitated at first because I knew that this mission would be risky and dangerous. But the king assured me that he had faith in my abilities, and I was tempted by the reward. He also gave me a map of the enemy kingdom and told me exactly where I needed to go. I prepared myself for the mission. I studied the map and memorized every detail of it. 

     The night before the mission, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about all the things that could go wrong. I felt anxious and unsure. I knew the risks were high, but I also knew I had to do it. I sat by the window looking out at the moon, unable to sleep. 

     As I sat there looking at the moon, I felt a strange sense of foreboding. My nerves were on edge, and I couldn't shake this sickening feeling in my stomach. I wasn't sure why I felt this way. I knew that kidnapping the princess was a dangerous mission, but I had done dangerous things before. It was my job. The feeling kept simmering inside me and I couldn't understand it. So I decided to take a walk. 

    I walked through the alleys and streets of the town, trying to clear my head. I noticed that the streets were empty at this time of night. I felt a bit uneasy, but I kept going. That's when I saw Evelyn walking toward me. I've known her since we were little, her parents gave my parents an miserable life. 

 I tried to ignore her, but she called out to me.

"Noah, what are you doing out so late?" I didn't answer her. I hated how she tried to act so familiar with me just because her father was a noble. I tried to walk past her, but she got in my way. 

 "Where are you going?" she asked. I sighed. I knew she wouldn't let me walk past her until I answered her question. She was always like this, trying to make things difficult for me. 

"Why do you care" i said annoyed. 

"I was just worried about you..." she said. Her tone was fake, but she tried to hide it with a smile. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need your worrying. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." 

Evelyn then asks me

"So... Theodore, why did he called you?" 

I was caught off guard by her question.

"How did you know about it?" I asked. Evelyn smirked.

"I overheard my father talking to the king earlier. ". 

"Well that's none of your business" I snapped. Evelyn pouted and crossed her arms.

"I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing something too dangerous. Not that you couldn't handle that already." I hated the way she talked to me. 

I could see the jealousy flickering in her eyes. Evelyn had always had feelings for me, even though I had rejected her multiple times. She hated that I was going to be kidnapping another girl. And she hated that I didn't show any interest in her. 

"You're going to kidnap the princess, aren't you?" she said. I was surprised by how quickly she guessed the truth. I said nothing and just kept walking, not looking at her. She was irritating me. 

"So you are..." she said flatly. I ignored her. I didn't want to get into a conversation about it. She kept walking beside me.

"You should let me come with you." I kept walking and ignoring her. I hate her, why doesn't she understands that? She is so selfish. 

I was getting so frustrated with her. I had never told anyone else about the mission. How could she have known? As I thought about it, I realized something that sent a chill down my spine.

"How did you find out?" The thought crossed my mind that she might have found out through some other way. Perhaps she had spies who had followed me. That thought was even more frightening than the mission itself. 

Evelyn saw the look on my face and smirked.

"I'm just full of surprises... But this time, I only heard about it." She leaned closer to me and I could feel her breath on my neck.

"And I have to admit, I'm glad you were chosen for this mission. You're... perfect for the job." 

I pushed her away from me and she stumbled back. Her smile faded, and she looked at me with anger in her eyes.

"Don't touch me," I said coldly. I could feel her body pressing up against mine. This was disgusting, she was so selfish. She had always tried to manipulate me with her feminine charms. And she didn't care that I didn't want her. She just wanted to use me. 

"Leave me alone, I'm not interested in you." I didn't have time for this. I had a mission to prepare for. 

 "You will regret this... Trust me" she says annoyed.

"I won't" I snapped "I will never regret not being with you." I walked away from her. I was done with her stupid games. I needed to focus on the mission. As I left, I could feel her eyes burning into my back.

    As I was walking, I stopped at the place where I was born . 

My parents house was a simple, wooden building. It was far simpler compared to the lavish mansions owned by other noblemen. But it was home, and I felt comfortable there. At least that's what I thought. I walked past the house with my head down, avoiding any contact with anyone. My nerves were jangling from the encounter with Evelyn. 

    I grew up in a small village, where most people were farmers or craftsmen. My family was considered lower-class compared to the nobility. My father was always working very hard to provide for our family. Meanwhile, her father was only concerned about getting rich and increasing his power. 

    As I walked past the house, I thought how unfair it was that their family was so rich and powerful. Her father was a corrupted and evil man. And even though she had some good traits, Evelyn was selfish and arrogant because of her upbringing. 

 The enemy princess, was the daughter of the king of the neighboring kingdom. Her father had been threatening my people for many years. So the king had decided to kidnap her and use her as a hostage, forcing her father to stop his hostility. The plan was risky, but it might end the war. But I couldn't help feeling unsure about the whole thing. Why couldn't the king just negotiate and end the war peacefully? It is said that the enemy king sent assassins to kill the former king, but I doubt it. My king, i don't trust him. The king was always talking about how he cared for his people and wanted their wellbeing. Yet he was sending me on a dangerous mission to kidnap an innocent girl. It didn't seem right. 

    As I approached my house, I felt my stomach churning with doubt and anxiety. I felt so conflicted about the mission. On the one hand, it was my duty as a warrior to defend my country and do everything I could to keep the people safe. But on the other hand, was this really the right way to end the war? The idea of kidnapping the princess made me feel sick. 

 I entered my room and threw myself on the bed, trying to calm down. I couldn't believe the king was making me do this. I had been trained to fight and defend my country, not to kidnap innocent girls. But I also knew that if I refused the task, the king might find someone else to do it. And this girl would suffer anyway.