THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS

                                                                                        Chapter I    I always knew that the Princesses and Princes are like majestic creatures next to the King and Queen. They are bright and mostly regal.  But, I never expected the Prince could be so alluring.                                                                                                                      As I took my first step into the great hall, I discovered the reason why most princesses of all the kingdoms were dying to marry him. Probably because of his wealth or power or domain. But more than that, I would take heed to only one reason if I were them, and that is my current standing. Where he has to look me in the eye and so do I.                                                                             The soldiers bow before their prince, who is sitting at the throne on his father’s stead.  I, as well, bent my knees almost to the ground to show my respect. and he leered at me intently. probably studying my gesture, or my appearance  “Your Highness! I present to you—the child of the tribe of Ligayun, the Ayah herself, Arayan”  a man wearing colorful apparel and a white shawl tainted with silver glitters, announced. The prince raised himself from the golden Throne and held me a very tormenting gaze  “Oh! I see”  the prince whispered, but still loud enough for me to notice his intuition before marching himself towards where I stand, and reaching my hand to kiss it.            His fragrance might have lured me into motion, in which I have regretted afterwards.                                                                                                              I am solely lost in words. He smiled and seemed pleased by my stupidity. But his action made my case even worst, for it was like a charm teemed inside me   “I---I am ve---very honored in your presence and greetings my prince” I said with my hands trembling. It was my Nagum; Sister of my mother, who decided to send me to the Castle.  Our small tribe was attacked by our enemy and injured most of our people.  In order to retaliate, my brother Lamon gathered our forces and initiated his revenge.  All the children and women in our tribe were sent to the mainland as well.  The king of  Shuixron itself offered to help us in our crisis  Such circumstances led me to a long journey to see the new world where I am going to dwell    until necessary ... ...  .. . “Hail the kingdom of Shuixron!” After the war, Lamon commend his men in a loud exultance  “We won my friend, at last, the war has ended. For months of fighting, it’s finally over” That evening, singing the song of their tribe’s courageous deed, all men sang with joy and pride  “Shuixron is indeed worthy of our trust. I feared that they would  hesitate on eliminating all the enemies in the battlefield since the king is very generous in giving others some kind of pathetic compassion. it is good that I am wrong” a soldier said disrupting the group from their revelry  “But then, let us not forget that they are also aiming for Palentene, it so happened that we are on the same page” the other one argued  “Whatever it is, Kamuary’s puny soldiers are the best one on running” the third one jest, then the others laughed “WHO ARE THE GREATEST WARRIORS!?” Cheered by the Ligayun warriors.  They were all sitting down on the fallen trees surrounding the blistering fire that excessively dances along the wind of that cold summer evening , playing shadows of the reveling crowd. The sparks thrown off; drifting aloft from the fire which slowly abducts Lamon’s eyes away from his companions. But it's strange movement is not what pulled Lamon’s attention. The fire seems communicating a premonition, yet not of his life, someone else’s life, that is haunted and condemned. And from the blistering fire—is sobbing and howling and…   “Lamon!”     Lamon’s voice failed to answer Quamran’s call. He is lost to the fire’s dancing. When its blaze formed a woman’s image, being chased as she struggles to outrun her enemies.                                            His eyes incensed when their spears reached her and pierced directly to her heart. The woman crumbles to the ground—utters a high shrill and piercing cry as she shriveled and wilted  “No!” Lamon shrieked. His action dazed his men for a moment. Lamon was just with them laughing and drinking wine to fill their stomachs. Granting themselves all the glory they deserve from the Battle against Kamuary. However, Lamon suddenly lost his excitement over the burning firewood while his men were celebrating. His eyes turned serious and his mouth was no longer pleased by the wine he was drinking. His instincts are betraying him. Causing him to agitate and lose control over his emotions. He lost his consciousness over everything around him except the fire and the thoughts of what was about to happen. His knees willing to surrender and hands numbed in senses. He exhaled a loud breath and stopped as his heart clamored inside his chest “What’s wrong Lamon?” Quamran worried. He must have thought about the battle too much and ask him to take a rest instead  “No! I’m fine” He calmed his voice to convince him, but he is not and he knows it.  Arayan, his little sister who was sent to the Capital. His anxiety must have something to do with her, not knowing why. Perhaps because he haven't seen her for a while that an idea of something bad happened to her is stealing him from his focus   “The night is long, we must...” Lamon walked towards a tree and inclined his arms to calm himself. His men attentively followed him on their gaze  “We have to keep our track, let us get ourselves home as fast as we could”  Lamon clutched his battle axes from the resting warriors and climbed to his horse that is for some reason bigger than the rests’.  Lamon feared that his agitation might signify another trouble for his stubborn and reckless sister, who never failed to defy his orders to never go hunting on her own as a child, yet  she goes anyway, to prove herself as something Lamon can hardly understand.                                                                                                                                           “She is fine Lamon” Quamran who’s traveling with him side by side gave his last advice. Only then Lamon noticed they were already nearing their home. It was a quick glance but the familiarity of the area suggests their location. Yet, he is still unsure how they got there, without him noticing the distance “I know” his face seems to disagree “remember when she used to run into the forest and pretend to be Ashoqhamen?” Quamran Began “Yes” Lamon chortled, his little sister was always persistent “If it’s not with that little Elf, she could’ve died back then” his expression began to tranquil “I wonder who’s that Elf, and how did he got there” Quamran looked at his friend with his eyes rested from the worries he conceived from the beginning of their journey “The world agrees with her. You have nothing to worry about” he hauled his horse to move forward, leaving Lamon empty for words “HAI!” the men shouted as they saw the gigantic timber walls ahead of them. Those are the walls of Azucena, the tribe of Ligayun’s home.   The Azucena is in the middle of a rain-forest below the mountains of NIHA. There are two gates but the other one is no longer in use, due to the threat of the presence of the untamed ogres living within the area. Ogres and golems are not new to them. They encounter a lot of those during hunting, and the fight between this courageous tribe and these creatures are always as arduous as the one in the Palentene. But they fear nothing when it talks of battle. Regardless of the enemy’s number, they will fight. Their weapons will do the judgement for them. Attack as they must as what their songs tell them.    HO...HO…HO … We retreat to no battle  There’s no fight we cannot handle, listen to our nightmare’s call SO…HO …HO … We swing our weapons to the war  Cover the blood of the heathens fall  OH… Oh…Oh…Oh  Guron hear our plea, reduce our enemies  And rejoice in our victory…   Far from the walls, a heavy paces of a black mount came approaching. A person in a white cloak beneathing an imposing modern gown; spoiled with the forest’s grime “Halt!” commanded the man at the top of the watchtower “State your Identity!” the man demanded “It is me!” a woman’s voice speak to him as she took off her hood and excitingly gaze at him with her face so weary and desiring to faint “Kundra, It is me” It is Indeed Arayan, Lamon’s younger sister. To his surprise, Kundra drop his bow and Jumped from the edge of the tower to the ground. The tower is sure long but for them Ligayun warriors, it is not a task. “Arayan?” he paused, Arayan smiled at him “Arayan it is you!” but Arayan seems losing her poise and drag the horse to bewilder “What’s wrong?” Kundra calmed the Horse by soothing its long face with his palm and controlling its movement through its rope—that was supposed to be held by Arayan—Arayan fell from the horse, fortunately Kundra was able to catch her to his arms—and is surprisingly heavy—she must have gained a lot of weight, in addition to her long gown that is undoubtedly a popular fashion for the women in the capital city. These are the gowns worn by Shuixron’s noble and rich families, and to think that Arayan is wearing one of them.                                                                                      “Open the gate!” Kundra yelled at the top of his voice to command the soldiers from the tower. They hurriedly pull the cable to open the gate for Arayan and Kundra “What Happened?” the men came to see who is the woman Kundra is carrying  “It is Arayan! Call his brother quickly” the man rash to call Lamon who’s practicing his bows with Quamran and the other warriors  “Lamon, its Arayan!” Lamon run dropping his bow and arrow towards the gate, but Kundra came across carrying Arayan’s unconscious body  “She is alone and fainted in  front of the northern gate” Lamon barely reacts after finding out that Arayan traveled alone in the northern boundaries. His face barred from any expression, for there is still no concrete explanation about what happened. He can only worry for her and ask her why she has to appear at the northern gate that she knows has been closed  for a long time.  The route towards that gate is full of peril and ferocious beasts. Also, the enemy’s territory is closer to the area. Why would Arayan take such a risk of passing through the northern boundaries? She could’ve gone through the South without so much trouble. And why is she traveling alone? She is supposed to be at the Capital until now, since Shuixron have yet declared the safeties of the area. “Bring her to our Nagum” Lamon’s expression grim. He was right when he felt something was odd. The premonition of the impending danger and the woman from that curious flame must not be Arayan. It must not be her, because there is no telling what he can do if anything bad happens to her. “Old Shama! Old Shama!” Kundra yells while running towards the old woman’s shack  “What!” the old lady meets him in a contorted look “Ohh good beast!” but she was rather shocked when Kundra showed her Arayan who is unconscious and pale. So pale that perhaps she fainted due to hunger and exhaustion  “Lay her down. Hurry!” says the old woman  Kundra laid her body down to a mat made of fresh angora. Their Nagum is fond of collecting rare and medicinal herbs that she uses to cure any sort of body complexity or ailment. Her shack is fully decorated with these exotic collections that is proven useful at times of need  “Oh poor child” the old Lady immediately treated her bruises which were probably from the branches of the trees she passed by, since it wasn't that serious. She took a piece of cloth and soaked it with warm water to clean her face and hands. She also thawed a small gemstone to release an aroma to sooth her breathing. She placed her palm on her chest to feel her heartbeat and release her from her heavy and tight gown. Arayan seemed to be breathing normally after Nagum took care of her. While watching the old woman treating Arayan’s wounds, Kundra conceived a thought  “Old Shama, mind if I ask, why did you choose to stay here? Isn’t it safer for you to go to the capital with the others?” the old woman grinned and laughed at the same time—grossing him with her crooked yellow teeth  caused by her obsession in chewing dried  leaves  “Oh fool. I am not as cowardly as you are! Only fools leave their villages for no reason.”  “But! We are at war, it is not for no reason!”  The old woman stood and reach her bamboo staff to give Kundra a good smacking  “Hmmh! I am not as cowardly as my sister Gayunhumay... I can face him myself, therefore I must not leave this place until he shows up!” said the old woman. Revealing more of her wrinkled skin as she stares in anger—digging a memory of her past—she  raised her head to convince herself from the words she uttered and seemingly regretting it  “Who?”  The old woman look at him with yet another grimace, and shut him with another good smacking  “Shut up! It is none of your business”  Kundra hushed and became saddled with all the old lady’s unjustified actions. Arayan woke up in an impulse. She hurried to get herself up and subsequently felt a sudden pain on her head. Her Nagum who’s with her and Kundra insisted for her to remain still, but Arayan refused and instead she reached her Nagum’s staff and used it to stand. Her Nagum kept stopping her, but her determination forced her to ignore them and walk out from the shack to find her brother. To tell him the terrible truth about the past. A truth she wished she never knew, or at least a lie. But nothing about it tells her it could be, and everything is already too difficult to accept. The death of their parents that remained a mystery to them has finally came into an answer. With  unsteady paces she roamed around. Checking every corner of every shack she passed by to see his brother, while wiping her tears that was unceasingly streaming from her eyes “I—I have to…” she would regret having to tell him the truth, but she already regretted having to learn the truth. She was so determined, yet in instance, her pace was drawn backwards when she finally saw her brother with Quamran. Her determination shattered when she heard them talk about Shuixron. She wanted to scream. She wants to tell them it’s a lie, everything about Shuixron is a lie. But her feet seem to be melting to the ground. Her body began shaking and congealed. Locking her jaws to mute as she struggles to utter her words. She is being pulled by the voices of hopes that her inner soul is yearning.                                                                                                                                                                                                 “What must be the reason for the Ayah to run away like that?” Quamran’s inquiry pushed her from her hiding. They knew! They knew she ran away. The news must have reached them already, or worst, the kingdom must have already made a perfect ploy to corrupt the Markham’s mind. But her brother is not a stupid man. Though his unwavering adherence towards the kingdom would blind him from all of their anomaly. He must have believed their story, or is there any? “Arayan could never humiliate me. The prince must have done something to her to abscond alone in the forest—we must go to the Capital and confirm it” she was surprised that his words had proved her wrong, and it gladly assures her. Lamon does not hesitate in making a decision, and Arayan fears that her brother’s resolve will not solve anything and will only lead her back there.  The prince! The prince—Eulo— His name is still echoing inside Arayan’s head. And no matter how much she wobbles him out from her memory, he wouldn’t go away  “No” she spoke in a brassy tone. Quamran and Lamon discovered her at the back of a nearby shack “Arayan, you are awake now. You must not force yourself, go and...” Arayan held his brother’s arm and begged him “Kamien, Nothing happened in the capital. I ran because I miss our home, it’s been a long time and the war seems not ending, I decided to come here alone and they refused to let me since the war is not…” She paused, trembling her lips from all the lies she was telling him “it’s still not safe to come back” she realized how hard it is to lie to someone she knows wouldn’t hurt or betray her, someone whom she knows will always be there for her.  Though Arayan’s voice is changing, her plea did satisfied his brother’s intuition. Lamon wouldn’t want to doubt Shuixron either. He would surely accept any reason to testify Shuixron’s goodness. Although such circumstances is tempting him to, he let Arayan’s story pave the holes temporarily. They are all fresh from the war to make any wrong move.  “I see, I believe you” a part of her is discouraged, but it is better to deal with lies than to move impetuously. Her brother embraced her with resolve. Sighting his worries out of his head.            “I worried something happened to you”  Something indeed. That is too remorseful to remember even for the likes of Arayan. After their parents died, Lamon and Arayan were left to look after each other. Though they did not witness their death and it was only assumed, he promised Ashu and Elay that he will take care of Arayan.  “Arayan” he felt her restlessness and tried to calm her with gentle strokes on her head like he always does when she’s scared “It’s all right” he spoke softly.   The ogres are howling from the inside of the forest. From a distance, a man wearing a thick black cloak standing firmly while listening to the hissing of the wind blowing from the west. The moon’s blinding light is reflecting all over the forest. Despite the imposing moon that is dominating the sky, the wind is overwhelmingly strong and would bend the long trees and sweep the withered shrubs. That the leaves and branches flutter only in the same direction. The demand of the strong wind revealed the identity of the man—the ogres were about to attack him, grinding their tusks, drooling and craving to reap their prey. But then, as they drew nearer and nearer, they recognized the face hiding inside the black cowl. The fact that even the beasts of the northern boundaries of Shuixron would step back in fear. The mysterious man who conquered the beasts by standing alone and do nothing. And he who let his own eyes wept, whose color bares the same melancholic reflection to the Ligayun’s Ayah who stares at the further side of the forest from the wall.