*A loud scream was heard through the passage of the second queen's quarters.
A maid who was on her way to deliver the queen's morning tea was stopped by another maid who looked frightened and white as a ghost. The other maid asked what was wrong. As soon as she was informed by the other maid, the tray she was holding dropped from her hand in shock.
"Yes, it's been six years since I escaped. I heard the castle turn upside down in chaos because Oscar was upset. I took his heir along with me. There was absolutely no way I would leave my child to survive alone in their world.
At first, I decided my son would never return to his father. But after I heard all that was taking place in the castle, I had a change of heart. i have a few spies in the king's quarters, so they informed me all about the plots and wars taking place between the queens and their so-called heirs." She chuckled as she thought, stroking the hair of her child who was asleep.
"I am aware of their plots and mischievous, and the slow poisoning of the king. Don't get me wrong, I only escaped for my safety. Even the king's so-called beloved first queen has been poisoning him and making rebels in his courtroom. 'Such a sly fox.' I had used their own plan against them to escape. They replaced my coachman with an imposter. He was ordered to drive me and my son off a cliff, how pathetic. But I had other plans. I attacked him from behind when we were far from others, just when he was about to steer off a cliff. I would have done it earlier, but those cunning ladies had sent someone to make sure he reached the cliff.
The carriage had fallen to the side, causing me to have a leg injury and a permanent scar.
I didn't just escape leaving without leakages behind. 'The best way to survive in politics is to know your opponent's weaknesses and gain power.'
I had left a note behind for Oscar. telling him I had left for his son's protection. He should use that as a secret weapon against rebellion in the future. But as my luck would have it, he found me a year later and met me secretly. He convinced me not to take my son's rights away from him. He is the rightful king.
Reluctantly, I agreed.
"He will take his throne," she said with a proud look on her face.
*Raphael had gone to the market to get the things his mother had asked for. A small commotion caught his attention. Two boys around the age of fifteen were being beaten up.
Feeling sorry for them, he decided to help. He bought a hard bread from an old woman and walked towards the men and women hitting them. His mother never stopped his training. The guards his grandmother left behind were highly skilled Azered Empire knights who had been training him since he was five, after he and his mother had escaped. Icereal had told her son who he was at the age of ten to prepare him to claim what was rightfully his.
Tightening his grip around the bread, he took a breath in. He had never fought with anyone apart from his uncles.
moving towards them with a cold look in his eyes.
' Hey, you lost boy?" one of them asked as he tried to grab Raphael by his collar.
Slapping the man with it, he quickly dodged his attacks and hit the bread on his neck hard, causing the man to faint. There were about six opponents he had to fight, so he quickly did the same to the rest before they could react.
He had inherited strong abilities from his parents' bloodline, but this also meant an uncontrollable thirst for blood. Grabbing a man on the floor by the collar, he sank his sharp teeth into his neck.
His memory had drifted to his mother's warning to control his urge so he wouldn't become a blood-sucking monster. this made him stop and drop the man on the floor. Fortunately, he had a little of the man's blood.
Apologizing to the people who were watching in surprise, he looked at the two boys and started to walk away. The mischievous thieves were amazed by his strength and followed him.
"Did you see how he defeated those people?"
"No!" People whispered to avoid getting his attention, but he could hear them loud and clear.*
"Stop following me," he said as he glared at them.
"We're not following you, right?" They both looked elsewhere as they continued to follow him.*
" What? ' he stopped and turned around to look at them.
' It's a free street.'One of them said.
" Speak now, or I leave.
' Okay, we're hungry. give us food.' one of them said as he motioned to the basket Raphael was carrying.
" This is for my mother. I'll get you both an apple at a three nearby.' he said as he looked at them with disgust.
* They gave an excited look and followed him with joy.
As the boys were busy eating, he came up with an idea.
Unknown to him, that idea would lead to a strong bond between the three.*
" You two will be my alies in taking my father's thrown from my half brother's.
what are your names?' they gave him a confused look before bursting out in laughter.
'What thrown? the village cheif? " one of them said as the both continued laughing.
" I am serious. you saw how strong I was there.
' Look, we thank you for your help, but we're not your servants, and we very much won't be allies.' The other one said as the continued munching on their apples.
they climbed the tree and took more apples from it.
" Come with me to meet my mother. she will explain everything to you.
Now, tell me your names.
' Hmm, okay.
' I am Fedric, and this is my twin brother, Elion.
were unidentical twins.' The other one continued eating while grinning.
' Listen, we are from a family full of strong bandits, and we're the black ships of the family. apparently, we were mistakenly born. but what they don't know is that we took our father's strong genes and our mother's fragile human look.' said Elion.
" Is that why you were beaten to a pulp?' he chuckled while looking at them with pity.
Common, let's go.
* Icereal was surprised to see her sons with two young boys. she could tell they were twins and were older than her child. he never really made many friends so Icereal was a bit skeptical, but decided to hear him out.
At first, she laughed it out and didn't take it seriously, but then she knew strong trustworthy bonds were formed from childhood.'little seeds grow up to become strong trees'.*
///////////////////
*Years passed by.
King Oscar was deeply ill due to all the poisoning he had taken in. but he had other plans than dying. he acted helpless for years to know all the traitors who had wore invicible masks on their faces.
So he called for all a general meeting for all his subjects and the rulers of the other five empires, including Icereal's father.
Icereal's father had been devastated when he heard the news of his daughter who had passed away. He and his family had withdrew ties with Oscar. but his wife knew her child and grandchild were alive and well. she played along and sometimes secretly met her daughter. so she was aware about the on going plans.
she had told her husband to support his daughter, and although he didn't understand, he agreed. he had his suspicions that his child was still alive but kept silent.
The meeting was about the tournament that the king was hosting for all his princes.
the winner of the tournament would be crowned king on the same day, before the king is placed for healing rest.
But of course, no one knew Oscar didn't plan to die.*