The Empress (TAGLISH)

Chapter 9

Eugene is looking at the map that was spread on the top of the table while listening to the his knights report who came back from reconnaissance.

"Your Highness this is the bandits base is located. It's a cave right under the small cliff." Damos said pointing the cave within the Elmrot Forest. "There are few traps that was laid near the cave." He continued while also pointing the traps location.

"They found a good hiding place." He commented and his knights nodded in agreement. "How long will it take to get there?"

"A day and a half Your Highness." Damos answered.

"Hm, we'll depart tomorrow and prepare immediately." He said.

"Understood Your Highness!" The Knights said in unison.

"Good." Eugene said before leaving the meeting room. Langdon followed him as he was the who replaced Ivantie in protecting and escorting him.

"You're Highness, is something troubling you?" Langdon asked to his master who is facing the window inside Eugene's private chamber. He noticed that something is troubling his master magmula ng pumasok sila sa loob ng meeting room kanina.

Langdon heard him sighed.

"Don't you think it's odd?" The prince spoke. "After ten years why did they suddenly appeared. I strongly believe that Wellcrest is gone. I've taken a look at the captured bandits tattoo on his nape and compared it to the drawn tattoo from the records. At first glance you won't differentiate which is fake because the resemblance is uncanny, but upon further observation I found a tiny detail that is differently drawn on the bandit's tattoo." Eugene explained.

"Your Highness, do you mean that this group are just pretending? If that's the case what is their motive?" Ika ni Langdon.

"It is possible that they are just an ordinary bandits borrowing the notorious Wellcrest name to install fear. Or a completely different group, pretending to be bandits, probably rebels."

"Esterholt is abundant in resources especially Palystone which the Kingdom use for forging a weapon. That's why Rebels choose to gather resources from here."

"That is right. But that is merely a theory since we lack of evidence to prove that." The prince said and faced Langdon. "If they're just an ordinary bandits then this will be easy for us but," The prince paused and his look suddenly turned grim. "If they turned out to be rebels, then this is going to be a huge problem."

***

The Prince along with the Count and their men arrived in the forest at midday. After a quick rest they began to move deeper inside the thick forest.

"Be vigilant." The prince reminded his men and right after it an arrow suddenly flew targeting the prince. Langdon was quick enough to pull his sword and swing it making the arrow to slice in a half.

More arrows flew towards them and Langdon's fellow knight moved to deflect them. Reopold who has the ability to use detection magic is now looking from the direction where the arrows came from.

"Your Highness, there are 7 archers and one of them are fleeing towards the direction of where their base is located." Reopold said.

The prince raised his hand and pointed towards the arrows that are coming towards them. A light formed on the tip of his index finger and suddenly the condensed magic gushed out towards the arrows burning all of them to crisp.

Seven balls of blue fire appeared floating in front of the prince and when he waved his hands the fire balls instantly move to where Reopold pinpointed the archers are positions.

A loud screams suddenly heard and it was only lasted for a few seconds confirming their deaths. They didn't spare any seconds and they quickly move forward to where the enemy's base lies.

"Their number is quite troublesome." The Count commented as he engaged in battle.

Langdon is fighting beside his master and even though he has seen it many times he can't help but to admire the fourth prince's swordsmanship. It was elegant and refined that's what he thought whenever he sees it.

The two of them move towards the cave and as soon as they arrived at the entrance the prince suddenly halt.

"Is something wrong Your Highness?" He asked then swing his sword cutting the man who's trying to attack them.

Prince Eugene didn't answer but instead he took out his dagger and to Langdon's surprised, the prince cut his long black hair and suddenly threw it inside the cave.

Langdon's eyes grew wider when a large magic circle appeared at where the prince's hair landed. A bright light flashed making their eyes blinded for a moment and then it was followed by a loud explosion.

"It's a trap!" He heard his Prince shouted they both dashed away from the cave. Both of them were almost gotten by the explosion thankfully their reflexes are fast enough to respond.

The explosion was followed by rumbling sound as the cliff above the cave began to crumble. Huge rocks, trees, chunks of soil are falling simultaneously.

"f**k!" Eugene cursed angrily as he ordered his men to retreat preventing them to be caught at the crumbling cliff.The knights obeyed quickly and rode their horses back.

Langdon watched his prince back as they are escaping the forest. He can feel an heavy aura surrounding His Highness which made him shiver a bit. His tightened his grip on the rein as the recent indent flashed in his head.

"This incident was orchestrated by someone whose intention is to kill His Highness." He thought as he remembered how the magic circle suddenly appeared upon detecting the prince's hair. It was specifically designed to activate as soon as it comes in contact with the Prince.

This isn't the first time where is master experience an assassination attempt. There is a lot of people who envied and considered him as an eyesore because of his incredible control of his Fire Magic.

Langdon gritted his teeth as anger boiled inside him. He will never let anyone alive who dares to harm his prince. When he took his vow as a knight he sworn his out most loyalty to the Fourth Prince and will gladly offer his life to him as a gratitude for picking him up from the slums and allowing a commoner like him to be his knight.

Unaware to them a looming figure is silently watching Eugene and his men coming out from the forest. The figure groaned in dissatisfaction upon seeing the fourth prince alive.

"Tch! He's slippery as always as expected of the Grim Reaper of the battlefield!" The figure said and a creepy smile formed in his face. "Hehe hehe kehahahahaha! Soon I will be able to claim your head and offer it to him." The figure said cackling while looking at the fading figure of Eugene.

***

It was almost a month since her brother leave for Esterholt and Illyria misses him terribly. Every night she's praying to the god of life, Phadteus to protect her brother from any harm. Ilang araw na ang nakaraan magmula noong makaramdam siya ng matinding pag-aalala. Hindi niya batid ang dahilan ngunit agad na pumasok sa kanyang isipan ang kanyang nakakatandang kapatid.

She knew that his brother is strong and he has his men to protect him but she can't shake the feeling of uneasiness. Hindi niya maiwasang isipin na baka may nangyaring masama.

"Brother." She whispered while clasping her hand tightly.

Coldness creeps through her body as she curled up on her bed. The blanket that she has isn't enough to warm her. The dying fire from the fireplace that Ivantie light up for her earlier only gave her a temporary warmth.

"It's happening again." She thought to herself. It was the same as before she felt as if she was going to freeze while constantly seeing dark mist every time she opened her eyes.

It was started when she was a kid. The head maid locked her up inside the enclosed room after beating her up as her punishment for stealing food from the kitchen. She was so hungry that time because the food that they always gave to her are leftovers that aren't enough to satiate her hunger. It was in the middle of the night that she started to feel an intense cold even though it was the peak of the summer season. She curled up on the corner while putting her hands to the flickering light that Nulara secretly slipped for her, hoping that it would give her warmth. As if the cold isn't enough to torture her, dark mist suddenly appeared floating all over the room making her tremble more in fear.

She's always been wondering what is wrong with her. Is this peculiar thing that she's experiencing is the curse that they were talking about? What did she even do to deserve this?

"It's cold. Huff. Huff. Huff. And it hurt." She mumbled between her heavy breaths.

"I'm afraid, brother. Am I going to die?" She thought as her eyes became watery.

Illyria calmed herself as she heard heavy footsteps coming towards her door. Then her door opened and made a slow creaking sound and the heavy footsteps walk pass through her door now walking towards her bed.

"Are you asleep? Why is it cold and dark in here?"

Her misty eyes widened in surprise upon recognizing the voice. She immediately remove the blanket that is covering her and she saw her brother standing next to her bed while looking down at her.

"Brother. Y, you're home?" She said with a cracking voice.

"Yes, i'm home. Did you miss me little sister?" He said gently as he sat on the edge of her bed. Illyria rose on her bed at walang pag-aalinlangang niyakap niya ang kanyang kapatid.

"Mm." Wika niya saka suminghot. Her brother hugged her back and the familiar warmth envelopes her body erasing the coldness creeping on her.

Narinig niya ang bahagyang pagtawa nito na nagmistulang musika sa kanyang tainga.

"I miss you too." He said saka hinaplos ang mahaba niyang buhok.

Her brother snapped his fingers and suddenly the dying fireplace burned brighter and the candles lighten iluminating her room.

"You're cold. Is it happening again?" He said with a worried voice.

"Mmm." She nods and buried her face even deeper on his brothers face. She felt his brothers arms tightened around her.

"It is warmer now?" He asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"I brought you a present." He said. His hand move behind him taking the flowers that he had picked on his way.

Eugene presented it in front of her. It was a bouquet of Asphodels, purple chrysanthemums and pink roses.

She looked at the flowers and smiled. Illyria isn't found of the Asphodel flowers, maybe because she was named after the flower that symbolizes death and is connected to the underworld. Thinking that bearing the flower's name only sealed her as a cursed child.

But her brother Flaviu is fond of this flower saying because it reminds him of her. He told her about a certain book that he read from a foreign land during his travels. It was said that the goddess of spring who later on became the wife of the god of the underworld was appeared wearing a garland of Asphodel when she was crowned as a goddess of the underworld. He told her that it was a wonderful story and how he wish that he has gotten that book.

She looked at her brother's handsone face. His eyes was indeed beautiful as if she was seeing a clear blue sky. The eyes that looks cold towards others but turnes into a gentle one ehen it sees her. Those were the eyes that assured her that she will no longer in need to feel scared.

She smiled widely. "Thank you brother."

"Brother your hair!" She exclaimed in surprised as she noticed his long silky hair was gone.

"I cut it. Does it not suit me?" He asked and laughed.

"N-no. I mean yes! It suits you. You became even more handsome brother!" She said.

"Do you mean it?" He said with a sulking vioice and a frown plastered on his face.

"Yes. You look even more dashing." She said and run her fingers on his smooth hair. "I am really glad that you are home and safe brother." She said.

"Mm, I am glad too." He answered and kiss her forehead.

***

"Master. Forgive my disturbance but I came to report about the plan." The servant said behind the partition of the brothel room.

"Ooh Ahh aahh. Mgnh yes! Yes! Ahh My lord! Please f**k me! Please f**k me harder! Ahhh."

"Speak." His master said.

"The assassination of the fourth prince has failed." The servant reported.

The load moans stopped.

"What?!" His master's voice roared in anger but afterwards it was replaced by a malicious laughter. "That bastard's luck is really incredible. Tell Zared not to show his face to me until he manage to give me Eugene's head."

He touch the huge scar on his abdomen, remembering the feeling how Eugene's sword pierced through it.

"Understood, Master." The servant said and left in the shadows.

The man remove his manhood from the woman who's lying in the bed panting. He smirked as how pathetic the woman looks. Then he turned to the naked woman kneeling on the floor and shove his still stiff manhood at her face. The woman touched it and put it on her mouth.

"Ahh." He moaned at the pleasure of being sucked. This w***e is quite skilled he said to himself and he grab her hair and shoved his manhood even deeper to his throat. Then suddenly a naughty thought came in his mind. He wondered what kind of feeling if he put his manhood inside Eugene's precious sister.

"Ahh. Mmm ahhh." He moaned as he imagine the w***e as Eugene's sister.

"Oh f**k!" He cursed as he cummed inside the w***e's mouth. Just by imagining it made him c*m faster and how much pleasure could he experience if it's the real one.

"Heh. I must take her no matter what."