ROYAL BLOOD

CANNA EMPERIAL PALACE

Yumi's eyes were in tears as she screamed her lungs out.

"Help! Help, somebody help me! She screamed, and suddenly some guards came running in.

Yumi covered herself up with the bedsheet, then pointed at the window…

"Quick, go after them. The assassins came in…and killed the emperor." Her voice trembled.

"Take the queen to the bottom deck and have ten guards placed in front of the door." The leader of the guards commanded a guard next to him, then turned to his left.

"The rest of you come with me." He said in an authoritative manner.

Yumi was crying; she placed both her hands on her face, looking fragile and weak.

No one noticed the smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips as she was taken out of the room, as Gothem's warm corpse was carried behind her.

.....

Decrease Imperial Palace

Ragaleon was wearing a black sleeveless dress with a red vest. The big black leather robe he wore enveloped the inner outfit. The leather robe billowed from behind him as he made his way through the hallways of the palace.

Brandon was a short distance behind him, his hands crossed behind his back as he accompanied Ragaleon through the broad hallways.

"My Lord, it is indeed a fine day to go hunting. But at least allow the guards to accompany you." Brandon said, his voice calm in a convincing way.

"I told you, Brandon, I want to go and clear my head. Tell me, can I do that with guards lurking around me and taking my personal space?" Ragaleon suddenly steps out of the palace. He was now walking on a stony pathway leading to a waiting horse.

"Your Majesty, there are enemies waiting in ambush just to have your head; you would be giving them the perfect opportunity if you don't let the royal guards accompany you." Brandon was having a hard time trying to convince his master.

Ragaleon mounted a waiting horse and gazed down at Brandon.

"Then my enemies would have to keep waiting, because I won't die, not today." He said before kicking the horse, and he started trotting out of the palace arena.

Brandon still had his hands crossed behind his back as he turned around and made his way into the palace.

Just as he wanted to step inside the palace, he paused and turned to a guard with an emotionless countenance.

"Get ten royal knights to accompany the king; he shouldn't be aware of this." He commanded with authority before walking past the guard.

Ragaleon concealed his face with the black cloak he was wearing as he dived deeper into the forest. Insects chirped and birds flapped their wings as they took to the sky as the horse, Ragaleon, was mounted on, trampled on grasses.

Ragaleon takes out the bow and arrow, his keen gaze scrutinizing the woods. Suddenly he hears a faint noise; he turns around but seems to see nothing.

He then focused his gaze on the path ahead; suddenly, he caught sight of a deer. He takes an arrow from the numerous arrows in a bag attached to the horse.

He aimed at the deer and shot. The arrow flies with a straight wind and hits the deer in the stomach. The deer becomes alert and tries to run, but Ragaleon shoots another arrow, and it hits the deer by the legs.

Again he aims at the deer and shoots it in the neck. Finally the deer succumbs to death and falls abruptly on the ground, trampling the grass beneath it.

Ragaleon smiles triumphantly, then trots the horse to where the deer lies.

"This would make a fine piece of meat on my plate for dinner; too bad there isn't anyone to carry it for me." He said, using his side eye to glance at one of the knights hiding behind a rock.

He then continued his journey, diving deeper into the forest. Suddenly he hears a low growl.

Ragaleon halts in his tracks and tries to listen for more sound; he hears nothing. Suddenly he turns around to leave, but from nowhere a bear jumps out of nowhere and tries to strike Ragaleon on the chest.

Ragaleon turned just in time to see it; he jumped off the horse and landed with his butt on the ground. The bear's sharp claws dove deep into the horse instead.

Ragaleon raised his gaze and saw the bear launching speedily at him. He rolls away, and the bear dives into the tree behind him.

The bear growls in pain; it now looks more angry. Taking hold of the arrow in his hands, Ragaleon aims at the bear and shoots it in its left leg.

The bear growled. Ragaleon wanted to shoot another arrow, but something suddenly dawned on him. He had just used the last arrow within his reach; the other arrows were tucked on the body of the horse lying dead a short distance from him.

The bear suddenly gains its strength back; it launches at Ragaleon with full force, and suddenly an arrow from nowhere hits the bear on its back. The bear growled angrily, obviously in excruciating pain. The bear slowly turned around and saw an old man lurking between the bushes.

It changes its direction from Ragaleon and launches at the old man. The old man, seeing this, suddenly takes out another arrow and shoots it at the bear; he misses!

Suddenly the old man's hand becomes shaky as he reaches out for another arrow inside a bag behind him. He tries to position the arrow on the bow, but the arrow falters from his hands.

He raised his gaze only to see the bear already so close; again the old man picked up the arrow, his hands shaking as death stared him right in the face. He aimed at the bear, and it hit its chest, but it was already too late.

The bear was already close enough; it pounced on the old man, using its claws to dig deep into his stomach. The old man screamed in pain. Suddenly an arrow hit the bear from behind, followed by more arrows.

Ragaleon kept shooting the arrow at the bear until he felt satisfied. The bear suddenly gives in and falls on its back on the ground, dead.

"This would indeed make a fine meat." One of the knights who had carried the deer Ragaleon had killed, said while talking to his colleague.

"We would split it, take some for ourselves, and give the rest to the royal chef to prepare a good meal for the king." The other knight said.

"My wife can use this meat to prepare a delicious meat…" another knight was talking when they suddenly heard a loud scream followed by the growl of a beast.

They quickly abrupt their discussion and picked up their weapons as they made their way into the path Ragaleon dove.

Ragaleon made his way to where the old man was and gazed at him, his face void of emotion but filled with a tiny hint of remorse.

He crouched in front of the man, gazing at him profoundly.

"You saved me, your king. You saved my life by putting yours at risk, and you have paid for it. I have never come across such a commoner so loyal."

The old man coughed out blood; by now the cloak that concealed Ragaleon's face had fallen off. The old man's gaze shifted to the vest Ragaleon wore; the royal sigil of Decreash was on it, a sword clashed in an X-shaped manner.

"My daughter, her name is Berth. She resides inside a small cottage a few miles to the east from here; please take care of her." The old man coughed out more blood. The wound the bear had given him was deep; there was no way he would survive, and he knew it.

" What is your name? Why did you venture into this forest? Ragaleon was curious to know what an old manan was doing lurking around this dangerous place.

"My name is Jahad. My daughter, Micah, went missing, and I wanted to find her." The old man's eyes were slowly closing.

"I am indebted to you for the rest of my life." Ragaleon said as he watched the old man's eye slowly close.

"Then pay your debt and marry my eldest daughter, if you find her. Promise me you will take care of her…." The old man coughed out blood.

"Swear it, son! He said, gritting his teeth in pain.

Ragaleon slowly shut his eyes and then opened them; he nodded his head slowly before saying….

"I promise you, I will find your daughter and protect her with everything I have. I will marry her." Immediately after Ragaleon said this, the old man coughed out one more time before giving up the ghost.

Ragaleon slowly rose to his feet; he turned around and saw knights standing beside him with their faces filled with remorse.

"Did you come with a royal carriage? He asked the knights while gazing at his dead horse. They nodded curtly; they all made their way to the royal carriage.

There was a bruise on Ragaleon's hand; it trickled blood.

"Your Grace, shall we take care of that? We brought a nurse along just in case anything should happen." The knight said, referring to Ragaleon's injured arm.

"Oh, so you were wise enough to bring a nurse but stupid enough to get distracted and almost let your king die! Ragaleon's breath was etched.

"Forgive us, your grace …," they tried to apologize.

"Save it! Ragaleon,, he said with clenched teeth.

"Turn the carriage around and head for the east."

.....

Berth was already packing up some of her things, prepared to run away from the city.

"There is no way Father will make it out there alive. I won't go after him, but I won't stay here either." She said, shoving some things into a small, old, dirty bag.

Suddenly there is a knock on the door; she freezes on the spot. There came the knock for the second time…

Berth jolted out of her shock; quickly making her way to the kitchen, she took hold of a small knife. Then slowly tiptoeing to the front door, she hid the knife behind her back and peeped through the small hole on the door.

She was stunned to see some men clad in shiny armor with their swords reflecting the rays of the sun.

She slowly opened the door…

The knight watched as the door creaked open and a beautiful lady stepped out.

"Are you Berth? They asked, and she slowly nodded.

"What do you want from me? Are you here to take my father's farm? Berth asked, trying to guess the reason for their sudden visit.

"No, we are here to take you with us." They said they suddenly bagged in.

"What are you doing?! Berth's face became contorted.

Just then a handsome man makes his way towards her.

"Forgive my men; they are trained to be brutal." Ragaleon said with a calm countenance. Berth couldn't take her gaze off him.

"And you are? She asked, arching her brows.

"Speak to him with respect; he is your king! A knight shrilled from behind Berth, and she scoffed, then turned to look at the handsome man.

"My king? She said in a mocking manner, She won't be fooled by their appearance this time. What would the king be doing at her doorstep?.

"The king would come to my doorstep with knights in shining armor and a charming carriage…to do what? Take me away? Berth shook her head sideways.

"Unbelievable! She said, and suddenly all the knights paused what they were doing.

Berth turned around and saw how shocked they looked; she then turned around to gaze at the handsome man in front of her. Suddenly she becomes tongue-tied. Could it be?

"My name is Ragaleon Clegane, the king of Decreash." The man said calmly, and Berth immediately fell on her knees, her face kissing the ground in respect….

"Your Majesty."