Chapter 2: Smoke in the Night Sky
2047 Words
Chapter 2: Smoke in the Night Sky
"Why are they giving this to me?" I asked while holding the hold.
The sword that Emperor Shen used was legendary. Some say that he forged it himself, from the double-edged blade, a carved dragon head on the bottom and the scabbard all made of gold.
My intuition kicked and I told Shin to put the sword on my back. My heart keeps pounding and my hands started to shiver.
"We need to go, princess. Everyone must be waiting for us."
"Okay."
I grace the ceremony and everyone pays their respect. I rewarded the couple with a bag of gold and they were very thankful. I held the hands of the couple and said my wishes to them.
"We wish you a happy marriage and prosperous life as you journey through parenthood."
The couple once again thanked me for congratulating them and they invited me inside.
"Come and sit with us, Princess. My wife cooked all the food so I guarantee you it is good." I smiled at the couple and they gestured at where we should sit.
Shin and I were sitting and enjoying the festival, dancing and chatting with all the visitors until the sun came down.
Everyone was full of smiles and dancing to the sound of the flute when we heard a scream from one of the visitors.
"The main hall! The main hall is burning!"
Main hall? Father?!
I gasped and I looked outside to see the night sky was being filled with black smoke. No! It is really in the main hall. That's where my father is resting!
I walk faster to see the people panicking, running and stepping on each other to find water to subdue the fire. However, my mind is clouded as I watch the flames slowly eating the houses of the commoners.
What is happening? Who did this?
A lot of questions are circling my mind.
Shin and I look at each other and we remain calm since there are people who need us right now.
Why does it need to happen when my brother isn't here? I need to act now!
I went up to the table and calmly told the others to refrain from being agitated; then I instructed Shin to bring people to that place.
She seems reluctant, but we need to work together to save our tribe. "I won't leave you princess."
"If we both leave this place with them, what about my father? I can't leave my father behind and my brother isn't here."
I didn't know where Shin grabbed a cloak, but she used it to hide my identity from unwelcome visitors.
"Princess, you need to be safe, so wear this cloak and if anything bad happens. You should do what your brother said."
"Don't worry about me. You need to keep our people safe." I commanded her.
"Just promise me you will be safe," Shin hugged me tightly. "Come back to us after to rescue the King."
"I will. Now go!"
Shin is somewhat convinced about what I said as she readies the family to reside on the land I secretly brought in for emergencies like this. However, a man riding his horse races to our place with a scroll in his hand.
All of the people getting in their way are being brutally killed and kicked. I walked forward to see who's the man that dares to cause chaos in our land.
When I notice the symbols of the flag that one soldier is holding, swords crossed to each other and a dragon stepping on the wood.
Those clothes, Central Plain.
Drogon Army!
I am stunned by the conclusion forming in my mind. Without my brother, they could easily subdue the Turcic Tribe. We are not that big and powerful enough, but we excel at making military weapons such as swords, bows and arrows. In addition, not all members can protect themselves.
"We have a royal order!"
"Stop." I said while walking towards him, but no one cared. "I said STOP!"
The messenger looks at me but never shows his respect. I grit my teeth in anger and ask him, "What are you doing?"
"Your Highness, Princess of Turcic. His Majesty, the Emperor has ordered the Turcic Tribe to be... annihilated."
What?
"That's impossible! The King and the Emperor signed a contract that they would never kill each other."
The messenger didn't reply and proceeded to read the royal degree.
According to norms, all of us kneeled in front of the people of the Central Plain and listened to royal orders.
But, I will never do that!
"I, Crown Prince Lois of Drogon and now should be known as Emperor Louis, will be magnanimous to the people of Turcic Tribe. Those who will commit themselves in the Central Plain will be granted the rank of Senior maid to the Emperor's concubine and those who will revolt will be publicly executed right where they are."
Ha! Lois ascended the throne and now he's killing us. How am I going to handle this disrespect?!
My hands form into fists as I continue to listen to the order. He did actually give us options that were unfair to us; also, he did become Emperor Louis now.
"I won't let you kill us! I will kill you first!"
I look at the brave person who voices out his opinion despite the fact that he is asking for death. And I was right. The Drogon armies s***h the man mercilessly, and I am still stunned by the brutality of the Drogon armies. Because of the commotion, many people fought but ended up being slashed to death.
I squint my eyes at the people who slowly make their way to submit to the power of Drogons. You have chosen your path and now, I will execute you myself for treason!
I reached the sword in my back and fought back with others.
Cutting off all the Drogon soldiers' heads, stabbing their hearts and amputating their limbs. I didn't know what I was doing but all I could see was blood, dead bodies and injured people.
My breathing becomes ragged when another wave of soldiers comes towards us, towards to kill us, but I won't let them.
"Princess, go back to the main hall now. I can take it from here, you have to save the King and run for your lives. Don't worry about us, I will save our people and we will see each other if we are both alive."
I looked at the man who was very familiar. Sir Galvin, the former General who served the Empress Dowager.
He told me while giving me a reassuring smile when he saw my hesitation. I looked at him and told him to be careful without looking back. Don't you ever go back and run for my life? I don't think I can do that with my people who are innocent being killed by the hands of Drogons.
I ran as fast as I could even though I kept being pushed and falling onto the ground. The smoke coming from the main hall is getting bigger, if I wasted any seconds, I couldn't save my father at least.
My exhausted legs were about to give up but I still pushed through until I made it to the main hall and hid behind the wall.
There is a person in front of my father pointing his sword at his neck, and he has another sword on his back.
I don't know what to do, since I have no foundation in wars like this or is it really okay to leave Sir Galvin, but I can't just barge in with nothing but a will to get my father alive.
My heart keeps beating from nervousness and horror. I can't even hear what they are talking about and just stand there waiting for my doom.
"......traitor!" My father said with emphasis on the word. Who is he talking to?
"I didn't...... you are."
I tried to move closer so I could hear them. However, a pair of arms pulled to the window side of the hall with his hand tightly covering my mouth. "Shhh! It's me."
Even without looking back, I know he is my brother. What is he doing here? I thought he is on the battlefield?
"Be quiet or else we can't save our father."
I obey him, and watch if this man will harm our father.
"Goodbye King Tsu'er." Huh? What do you mean?
I looked back while my brother, Dorji, tightened his grip on my mouth.
Without a word from my father, we witnessed the man s***h our father's neck.
We witness how blood rushes down to his neck.
We witness how my father slowly falls down from the small throne he made for himself after being seized and slowly loses his life.
I tried to shout, but my brother's hand prevented me from making any noise, but it didn't stop me from screaming as if I had lost my mind and been blinded by my own tears.
I can feel my brother's hand tightening his hold on me and suppressing his tears.
The man turns his back, revealing his identity to us. My brother pulled me to the side where we couldn't be seen. Of course, how could I forget what we talked about? He was the General of Drogon's army and was exiled from the tribe.
General Putin.
I never thought this day would come. My beloved tribe, which is slowly being swallowed by fire. My father has been murdered, and I think I'm going to lose my brother.
I looked at our hands, clasped with each other tightly as we ran to hide, just to survive. Now that the King of the Tribe is gone, the heir and heiress should also be dead; and in that case, no one will ever have the guts to take revenge.
We ran until we reached the hidden chamber.
Prince Dorji pushes me inside and locks the door. He didn't give me a chance to protest and that made me worry about his safety.
As I paced back and forth due to anxiety, a loud explosion echoed throughout Turcic.
General Putin really has a grudge against my tribe, that he wants to burn us into ashes. I just hope some people from my tribe made it to that place without getting killed by the Drogons.
Damn that Lois, or should I address you now as Your Majesty, Emperor Louis! He will pay for this!
I sighed and sat on the chair inside the chamber, listening to my people scream in terror and my land being bombed. I sit there, crouching and letting my tears fall since I can't do anything for my people, and my brother, who is fighting out there, has a low probability of being alive once this is over.
I just sit there and pray to all Gods and Goddesses for the safety of everyone. However, I can't differentiate between the day and night inside this room and I don't know how many days I have been imprisoned. I just found myself lying on the ground, freezing to death and wishing for rescue. Which is impossible, for they might think that I am also killed by our unexpected enemy.
The Gods and Goddesses might finally hear my prayer as I looked at the door, still lying on the ground, as if my soul looked barely inside my body. I can't move nor speak about it and I feel lifeless.
Someone from the outside gave me a little bit of hope, as the light welcomed me and witnessed that some of my people were safe. A ghost smile appears on my lips as I give way to sleepiness. I am tired from what happened and I want to rest.
I could hear their voices, but I chose to close my eyes, and I woke up in the deep forest 500 miles away from the burned tribe. My clothes are different from those unique bright robes and heavy headdresses with lots of ornaments.
"Your Highness, Princess Sabelle, are you alright?"
I heard a female voice and asked her to come in, hoping she was Shin, but she wasn't.
- Writer
