The Masked Royal

Down Fall

"Its time, Im trusting you with Aedion, please bring him with you" a cloaked man with a piercing blue eyes ordered the two filthy looking men in the middle of the forest.

"But the war is coming, we have to fight by your side my lord" the tall man with a brown eyes said with his eyes showing how determined he is to be with his master.

"Im giving you two the most important task you could do to serve me. Bring Aedion, Im trusting you two" the voice of the man has the usual firmness and finality while he is staring at the two men dont have a choice but to obey.

Thats the last meeting of the two wanderer and the leader of the Araceli clan before the clan was burned to ashes during the war. Some of those who still have strength fleed by the order of their leader and if ever there are who have escaped and survived, they will be just wanderer until a clan will accept them, which is very impossible as of the moment.

The group of rogues that attacked the Arceli clan is all over the region to check for survivors and the surrounding clans are not that strong to defend themselves from the possible attacks if they will conceal survivors which gave them no choice but to ward off those who attempted to seek shelter.

The region mostly consisted of peace loving and ordinary clans that are all living in harmony as friendly neighbors. It is still a big mystery to all the leaders of the neighboring clans of the purpose of the attack that almost wiped out the lineage of the Araceli clan.

The Araceli clan was known for their peace loving and friendly leaders, Drako and Narah. There are no clans that the Araceli had troubled, they are even willing and offering help to those in need. There was no reason for the attack and they all feared that it may just be a ramdom attack and any of the clans is next.

The once joyous and progressive place is now a smoking ashes of dead bodies and structures. Nothing was left of the beautiful place that witnessed the overflowing love of Drako and Narah. Even their bodies cannot be identified among the burned dead bodies that are found in the middle of the village.

Its been months and even the rogues are not that aggresive anymore in searching for survivors among the Araceli clans if there are any, everyone did not dared to wander around in fear to be caught. There are still a group of rogues who are roaming around the forest searching for those who are left of the war.

"Mom what will happen to us?" the boy of ten years old asked fearfully to his mother.

"We have to survive and we have to be patient" the woman answered with her teary eyes.

She can still remember her mistress and the master fighting side by side, but they all knew that its a useless courage because they are lossing everyone and so few are left to fight. They are not warriors, they are farmers, traders, fishermen and some are hunters like their masters. They wont win any war with a hoe and fishnets, if they have a few bow and arrow it wont be enough to defeat hundreds or thousands of rogues.

They are forced to flee, their masters used all their strength to fend off the rogues until they can all escape leaving behind those who can fight. Mistress Narah did not leave his husband's side, they fought together until death.

"Mistress Narah, master Drako" the woman mumbled while looking sadly at the gloomy moon in the sky. Its a fullmoon that would usually make everyone happy in the village because it means barbeque party with singing and dancing around the bonfire.

Their masters will join and the very beautiful Narah will sing for all of them. Its a very happy memory for all the Araceli clan but it will just be memories, the place was already ruined and the happy faces of everyone are burned to ashes. Most devastatingly, their beloved masters might be dead.

The woman wiped her tears and her son hugged her tight, they are so afraid of the future. All their families are nowhere to be found, they got separated from each other during the escape and they dont know if they have survived or been caught by the rogues.

They are just lucky that a farmer from the border of another clan took the courage to accept and hide them from all the roaming rouges around the area. They were saved from being killed and the woman hoped that there will be more people like the farmer who would help those who have escaped like their group.

All those who have survived will try to live and wait for the right time that they will be reunited. The Araceli clan can still feel hope in their hearts but first, they have to survive the harsh world outside of their clan.

*

"Help us, please" the old beggar begged a hunter that they have met in the forest.

"Who are you? Why are you in our land?" the hunter with his fierce face and aiming his arrow to the old man asked.

"My brother and I are wanderers, but we have passed by a boy in the forest crying so we brought him along with us" the old man lowly explained while cowering from the hunters arrow.

"Why are you entering our land by the forest, the road is a few miles from here?" the hunter asked with his arrow still aimed at the old man.

"We have reasons, the boy that we have found, is from Araceli clan" the old man mumbled softly. "We need to find him shelter from the rogues that have been roaming around to kill survivors" the old man carefully explained.

"Araceli? The one attacked a few months ago?" the hunter asked in absolute suspicion.

"Yes so please give us shelter, the boy is only ten years old. We cannot protect him from rogues, we are too old to fight" the old man pleaded.

"What is this Foster?" a group of hunters arrived and asked the man with the arrow.

"Beggars with a boy from Araceli, asking shelter" the man briefly explained while his intent gaze did not leave the old man with his arrow still aimed.

The leader of the group intently looked at the beggar and the two more cloaked figures behind him. He approached the smaller figure and took away the cloak that is covering his head and forcely tilt the boys face towards him.

He stared at the light brown orbs that turned blue fleetingly before it went back to its light brown color. The leader of the group was stunned for a few seconds before he recollected his thoughts.

"Bring them to the main house" he ordered briefly before he turned around and the rest followed bringing along the three strangers.

They all entered the huge hall and the leader of the hunters directly went to the great hall where the great Alpha is with his omega.

"A boy from Araceli is seeking shelter" the man whispered once he was in front of the great alpha who turned towards the boy covered with a cloak bigger than his figure.

The hunter removed the cloak on his head and gently pushed the boy towards the towering man and his omega.

The alpha tilt the boy's face towards him and his sharp breath was noticed by his omega that made her turn to stare at the brown orbs of the boy.

"Everyone leave the hall" the alpha's voice thundered that made everyone scurrying away leaving the strangers, the head hunter and the great alpha with his omega.

"Who are you?" the alpha intently stared at the two strangers.

The beggars took off the cloak that are covering their heads as they stared back at the man who asked.

"We are the wanderers of the forest, Alpha Quinn, Omega Ariella" one of the strangers answered as he nodded to the clan leaders.

The couple stared back at the two strangers with their unreadable expression.

"The boy?" Ariella asked with her intent gaze not leaving the man that spoke earlier.

"He is from the Araceli clan. We are asking for shelter, we cannot protect him from the rogues" the stranger spoke with his expressionless eyes.

The couple stared intently at the boy who stared back at them with his calm gaze. A very beautiful boy with a very pale flawless skin, light brown eyes, perfect brow, his nose that seemed to be perfectly sculpted on his face and his red luscious lips. He is beauty beyond perfect.

"Why brought him to Rieka? We are so far away from Araceli" alpha Quinn suspiciously asked.

"He will be safe here" the stranger answered briefly.

"Rouges are everywhere looking for survivors, they knew that their alpha made them escape even before the war has started, they could come as far as here" alpha Quinn said matter of factly.

"You will do the same alpha Quinn" the stranger straightforwardly exclaimed.

Alpha Quinn stared at the stranger who stared back without the hint of fear to the very powerful alpha of the Rieka Clan. Their eyes are locked to a blazing duel of the unseen and unspoken.

"Enough" Ariella mumbled very softly but enough to break the locked gazes of the two men.

"You are a warrior clan, you are capable to protect the boy. He is only ten, he can do nothing to protect himself" the stranger added with his fierce voice, he didnt plead, he didnt beg.

"Who else knew about this boy?" Ariella asked curiously while looking at the boy who still have a calm look in his eyes.

"Your hunter and him" the stranger pointed to the man who brought them to the great hall.

"Thats Vidarr my eldest son" Quinn mumbled.

"As mighty as you Alpha" the stranger exclaimed while he nodded at Vidarr.

"Bring Foster" Quinn ordered to his son.

"No need, his memories wont remember any boy from Araceli" the stranger exclaimed with a nod.

Quin and Vidarr looked at the strangers with their stoic face. Anything that they have been thinking doesnt show in their eyes or on their faces.

Ariella just sighed and turned to the boy who are just silent since they arrived.

"Whats your name little boy?" Ariella gently and tenderly asked.

"Aedion, mistress" the boy answered politely and Ariella smiled and inhaled deeply. She was taken aback by the depth of the eyes that stared at her.

"Aedion...yes of course...you are Aedion" Ariella mumbled in slight disbelief.

The strangers nodded at the stunned omega and her alpha.

"Who is he mother?" Vidarr asked curiously when he saw his mothers pale face.

"He is Aedion" his mother mumbled dazedly looking at the boy's face. She moved unconcious of her actions when she pulled the boy inside her embrace.

"You are too young for all of these" Ariella mumbled painfully. Her eyes are already teary when he looked at her husband.

"Im already eighteen mistress, Im not a ten year old boy" for the first time since they arrived, the boy smiled at her which gave her a thundering heartbeat.

Everyone gasped with the smile that they have witnessed from the boy and they are all confused of the age that the boy have said.

"Eighteen?" Quinn asked with his perplexed and curious face.

The boy smiled while he took off his cloak that fell on the floor and magically inside the large cloak is a very beautiful tall man standing in front of them, not the ten year old boy that was brought earlier.

Except for the two strangers, the three are mesmerized of the beauty that has been revealed in front of them. The great hall became eerily silent while they all gaped in disbelief.

"Aedion of Araceli" Aedion bowed politely like a noble man.

*****tbc*****

February 23, 2020

A/N

I have a long way to go in completing this story. Im very slow because Im not so familiar with the plot but Im progressing everyday.

I still have to research some of the scenes if its possible but I would remember and Im always trying to remind my self that...the hell this is fanfic, I can do anything... ???

But as the usual me who is used to facts and keen details, Im so struggling doing this butbat the same time Im enjoying.

So please bear with me if I will be slow this time.

Thank you so much for your patience.

Love lots,

?rcbrie15?