The Hunt for the Prince

Seiowei ruled with a grip of iron, but one thing continued to haunt his reign—the missing prince. Ever since the boy had escaped, a shadow loomed over Seiowei's throne. The memory of the heir's survival was like a ghost, unseen but ever-present, gnawing at his authority. No matter how much blood he spilled or how many voices he silenced, the whispers remained.

The prince was out there. And until he was found, Seiowei would never truly be king.

The Hunt Begins

Seiowei summoned his most trusted enforcers. The warlords of the kingdom, ruthless and unwavering in their loyalty, knelt before him in the grand hall of the palace. Torches flickered, casting long shadows across the carved walls as the air grew thick with tension.

"I want him found," Seiowei growled. His voice carried the weight of thunder, his expression one of sheer fury. "Turn over every village, every hut, every shadow. If anyone dares to hide him, burn their homes. If anyone whispers his name, cut out their tongues."

The warlords exchanged uneasy glances. They had searched for months, combing through the lands, interrogating, torturing, and killing, yet the prince remained a ghost. But none dared to question Seiowei. To do so was to invite death.

They left the palace and spread into the kingdom, a storm of soldiers sweeping through the land. Villages trembled at their arrival. Men were dragged from their homes, their families forced to watch as they were beaten for answers. Women and children cried, but no amount of suffering produced the prince.

Seiowei's fury only deepened.

The Warrior's Protection

Far beyond the reach of Seiowei's wrath, the prince lived in secrecy. Hidden in a distant community unknown to his pursuers, he was under the care of a warrior named Torumgbe.

Torumgbe was no ordinary man. He had once been a great general, a legend on the battlefield, until he abandoned the life of war to seek peace. He had witnessed enough bloodshed to know that kings and tyrants were all the same, greedy, cruel, and hungry for power. When he found the boy, weak and near death, he did not turn him away.

He saw something in the prince's eyes. Not just fear, but fire.

Under Torumgbe's guidance, the prince grew stronger. He learned the art of survival, how to track prey, how to wield a blade, how to vanish into the trees like a whisper. He was no longer just a fugitive. He was preparing.

The Search Grows Desperate

Seiowei's paranoia deepened with every failed search. He became more ruthless, executing entire villages on mere suspicion. His own advisors whispered that he had gone mad, that his thirst for control would soon consume even his own people.

Still, the prince remained unseen.

Then, one fateful night, a scout returned to the palace with urgent news. "A man in the western outskirts speaks of a boy, a stranger who moves like a warrior but carries the eyes of a noble."

Seiowei's pulse quickened. "Bring me this man," he commanded.

The man was dragged before him within hours. Bloodied and broken from questioning, he trembled as he spoke. "It was only a rumor, my lord! A traveler spoke of him… but I swear, I know nothing more."

Seiowei's gaze turned to his executioner. "Make an example of him."

The man's screams echoed through the palace as the hunt intensified.

The Final Pursuit

Torumgbe sensed it before he saw it, the coming storm. The birds had gone silent, the trees held their breath. Then came the sound of horses, the distant shimmer of torches.

"They've found us," he murmured.

The prince clenched his fists. "I won't run."

Torumgbe placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "You must."

There was no time to argue. Torumgbe led the prince through the dense jungle, guiding him along paths only he knew. Behind them, the soldiers closed in, their shouts piercing the night.

As they neared the river, Torumgbe turned. "Go. Follow the water. It will lead you to safety."

The prince hesitated, but Torumgbe drew his blade. "I will hold them off."

The prince ran, disappearing into the darkness as the first arrows flew. Torumgbe stood his ground, facing the approaching warriors with the calm of a man who had already made peace with death.

The battle was swift. He fought like a demon, cutting down soldier after soldier, but the numbers were too great. The last thing he saw before he fell was the prince vanishing into the wild, safe, for now.

Back in the palace, Seiowei seethed.

The prince had escaped again. But the hunt was not over.

It had only just begun.