UNSHEATHED

I - Golden Child

Crisanto's eyes glint with perseverance as he patches up his fresh battle scars. He lived a lavish life on a grand estate, where he grew up perfecting the role of the next patriarch of the land. Every day's a routine, breakfast with the royal family at 8:00, scouting the village by 10:00, visiting his friend Cosmo to play by 11:00 and returning home by noon for lunch. Afternoons are more intense for the soon to be king, he travels on the outskirts of the kingdom to spar with the King's head knight - Sir Oakwood Fiorello. A knight who fought alongside his father for what seems like forever.

He usually trains alone with Sr. Oakwood, only having company whenever he returns home. Yet that morning, Sir Oakwood couldn't set foot to the courtyard due to an expedition to the south of Xacaea Kingdom. For the time being, a young gentleman was assigned to fill in Oakwood's absence.

He's a few inches taller than Crisanto, with luxurious onyx hair, rich earth amber eyes, and a mask to cover up his face. Crisanto stood frozen. Although trained by one of the best mercenaries of Xacaea, he was cautious and intimidated by the figure before him.

Crisanto swoops in with a thrust to the trainer's side.

"You gotta be faster, my liege. You're pulling your punches." says the sword-bearing fellow.

"Trust me," Crisanto reaffirmed his stance, "It's warming up."

With one hit to the other's core, the atmosphere changed. Two young gentlemen in their prime, sparring as if their life depends on it. Crisanto slides close to the knight's foot to trip him, only for him to do a flip just as the prince draws near.

The courtyard was dusty and the wind wasn't helping at all, the intense warfare began to go to the extremes as the prince ran gushing towards the knight. Crisanto's speed reigned supreme over the knight's reflexes. With a final blow to the hand, the knight's blade flung up from his right arm and into the ground.

In the knight's mind, it's to steal the prince's sword or risk it all by retrieving his weapon, a quick flash of thought and he flung his body to the ground giving the prince an opening to end this sparring session. The knight was quick to notice and took the sword via left hand. An action never before seen by the prince.

"This is new." the prince gasped.

"Guards up, my liege. This won't take two minutes" The knight sprints to the prince's side and hits below the rib. The sound of clinking armor surrounded the courtyard, every blow stronger than the previous one.

The sun sets, the two gentlemen patch up their wounds. "So, you're Sr. Oakwood's son? You really pack a punch like your old man"

"Thanks," replied the other, "I'm not a man of words, but I do appreciate the kind comparison to my father."

"We shall see each other again tomorrow, we can spare the small talk, your highness." Crisanto couldn't believe his ears. Sr. Oakwood is a very welcoming person and the contrast between him and his son is unbelievable.

"See you then!" Crisanto smiled, "I shall ask the kingdom maids to help you in your stay here."

"Have a safe trip, my liege." the knight said before Crisanto leaves for the kingdom.

As night falls, Crisanto goes undercover to meet Cosmo in the pub. Cosmo is the kingdom's gossip. She knows everything about anyone, Crisanto used this knowledge to know the name of someone he forgot to get the name of.

"You should visit the Courtier's headquarters, Cris. There must be a record of her in there."

"I can't." Crisanto replies. "I have prince duties to do."

"Like what?" mocks Cosmo, "Getting stuck up a tower talking to birds and mice?"

"You know me well," Cris remarked. "I don't want to be in trouble with pops."

"But wouldn't it be exciting? You dressed up like this while infiltrating the quarters?" Cosmo is a very scheming person; it gives her life.

"That's a possibility,"Cris smiled at Cosmo. "But I'd rather keep my hands for myself and let you do the job."

"Make me," said Cosmo.

"800 Druvapis?"

"It's a deal!"

Cris donned his new armor, it has floral decals and adorned with sapphires along the chest cavity, in its core lies the Kingdom's flower engraved in metal. "I must look like a proper warrior now," as the palace artisans added the final touch to the garment, A blue velvet drapery that would cement his importance in time of war. He thanked the artisans as he put the armor away before heading to the shore before dusk. He would never go out at night, he can't disobey his father's rules; especially with the ruckus at the south.

Onerubia is the capital of Xacaea and the land where the Foxgloves reign as royalty. The palace glows with the hues of blue and gold, basking in the sun are the plethora of fauna cascading throughout the city. Unlike any other palace, the Onerubian palace spares its walls to grant access to everyone in need, instead it boasts a garden filled with life. A fountain is placed in the heart of the plaza, it is said to be the central point where all of the watersheds around Xacaea meet, from the vast ocean behind Onerubia in the west, the segmented rivers from the northern lands of Avopan, the calm and serene waters from Zudal, and the blood tainted waters from the southern currents of Ograrus.

It was a beautiful afternoon, the sky dim yet warm with an ombre of violet and orange. Cris in his velvet garb along the seashore of a kingdom he shall soon lead. The shore wasn't far from the palace, Cris walked over to look out at the enormous blue horizon. He went on maritime trips before, but never on conquests.

"I want to build something there," he says to himself, pointing to the small Isle in the middle of the vast ocean. "A home away from home."

Cris knew that if he was to stay longer, he'd get a mouthful from the king, King Jacek isn't as tough as Cris told everyone to be, he was caring, too much in some cases, but it's all for a good call. Cris, being the only son of the royal family, must be protected at all cost, the king even preferred him to stay out of chivalry, but the prince insisted on training.

After supper, Cris immediately got into his room. His room is ginormous, with all sorts of plant life thriving inside the room. As the chandelier dimmed, the blue trumpet vines in his room served as night light to the ever weary prince. Cris slept with discomfort, he heard noises outside of his room, everyone frantic, everyone at one's wits' end. He imagined they were fine and that he was just hearing things out of exhaustion. Then he heard it, three blows of the ceremonial trumpet; something, or someone, is coming.

Cris suited up in his royal blue pantsuit, a staple garment used inside the palace; outside his room, three of the guards are decorating the halls with red and blue garlands, maids running around carrying towering plates with ease. He was quick to decipher what's happening, it's the return of Sr. Oakwood after their expedition in Orgarus.

The king was in his throne standing next to the queen, knights standing in two rows below the palace ornate ceiling. It felt weird, something seems really off with how the king projected, maybe it's the fatigue or the sleepless nights he had to endure over the course of the expedition. The guards opened up the gates, one by one, soldiers from the expedition came in with body bags of those who suffered the ruckus down south. Lieutenant Roosevelt, Sr. Oakwood's second in command led the march towards the throne. 18 of 25 warriors met their demise, the conflict in Orgarus was finished, but the war was just beginning.

This is the first time that Crisanto saw his father weep. What was supposedly a grand welcoming feast turned to the kingdom's worst nightmare.