Frozen Fire

Chapter 1 (Edited)

Poisoned Blade

"Sire, pardon for the interruption. We just got information that south palace is finally taken down by the enemy, Sire."

The young prince stirred in his sleep because of the loud noise from his surrounding. He groggily lifted his head from his older brother lap to find general Huang kneeling down on the floor in front of them. His head was bowed low facing the ground. Slowly, the young prince glanced up at his brother. His brother's jaw clenched, his expression was hard and unreadable.

"Brother..." The young prince called his brother softly.

"Ssstt... it's okay, Dayu... Everything will be okay." Came his brother reply. He ruffled the young prince's hair gently, trying to ensure his little brother that everything indeed would be okay. Even so, even though the little prince was barely fourteen years old, he was already too smart to be fooled. The south palace was their mother's residence, and hours ago when the attack began, their father along with few of his trusted generals and the squadron of the army immediately rushed there to save the Emperor empress; their mother. If the south palace finally was taken down, then it only meant one thing; the enemy succeeded to beat the emperor and his army.

"Is the Emperor still alive?"

There was no reply at first, but slowly the general opened up his mouth, "I'm sorry, Sire. Their emperor slaughtered Your Highness."

The Prince's expression hardened, but he kept avoiding any sadness to the Emperor on his face. "How about Mother? Is there any information about her whereabouts?" Dayu heard his brother asked once more.

"I'm sorry, Sire. The whole of the south palace was on fire. They burned the palace, the remaining army that survived couldn't find the great Empress, Sire."

Dayu's hold tightened on his brother's golden robe. He didn't even remember when exactly his hand found its way to his brother's robe. "Father... Mother..." The young prince's lips quivered, calling for his beloved parents with his heart that just being shred to pieces from the awful news.

"How many squadrons do we have left?"

The general unconsciously lifted his head by hearing the prince's question, "Sire..." The general's objection was on the tip of his tongue.

"Answer me, General Huang. How many squadrons do we have left?"

"Not many, Sire. The best squadron has been deployed all over the kingdom. The enemy had been attacked us from all over the direction, the army we had couldn't be compared to their army, but there are at least three squadrons left on the main palace. Emperor ordered them to stay as the last defender of the main palace."

"I want all of them to get ready. I will fight till the last drop of our blood."

"Sire, please Sire... You are the crown prince. You are the future of this kingdom, you are our hope to rebuild this kingdom. The Emperor ordered us to protect you and your little brother no matter what happened. We already prepared a hideout place for you and little prince until the enemy leaves our kingdom, Sire."

"Exactly. Like what you said, I'm the future of this kingdom. How can you expect me to hide and run away like a coward? Even if I will stay alive later, without a fight for this kingdom, I will forever rule this country with shame because I run away when I'm already capable enough to fight for my people."

"But, Sire..."

"General Huang, my father is dead. That's mean I am the head of this kingdom now. I don't want to hear any objection anymore. And choose your great warriors to bring my little brother to the hideout place. If I die, he will be the next Emperor."