The Prince of New Titania

Prequel 3:The poor prince

"burn everything. leave no structure standing, leave no corpses unburned"

Ordered by an Imperial officer. The notorious Black Locust's flag blazed until it's ashes are swept by the strong wind, The fort along with its criminal dwellers falls, and returned from whence they came thus ending its tyranny.

Walking away from the ruins are dozens of rescued prisoners from the dungeon.

"Milady, they're the prisoners who we discovered trapped in an underground dungeon. what do you suggest we should do with them milady?"

Aurora not minding the officer is playing with a stray cat she found"

"My lady! could you please take this seriously for once!"

"aha ha ha! okay okay! hmm let's see"

Aurora, examines the prisoners in front of her. some are taking rations who for several days have not eaten, some are in a stretcher unable to walk and then there's the old bearded man. Aurora crossed her eyebrows and sense an ominous atmosphere from the bearded man.

"their origins are unknown, some of them could be remnants of Black locusts. we'll send them to a rehabilitation facility and observe them"

"as you wish"

"any word from the leader's niece?"

"... about that milady"

the officer took Lady Aurora to a secluded place

"we found a body of a  young lady in the dungeon tied in one of the torture machines"

"and?"

"well, how should I say this.. she is in a state in which even her gender can hardly be confirmed"

"where is the body?"

"we've spared you such a sickening sight and disposed of the body along with the other corpses. milady, it's only speculations but, do you think it could be the niece?" 

the bearded old man, with his wretched teeth smiled eeriely as they walk..

With baskets on their back, Yngway and her mother, victoria, walk the narrow and unpaved streets of Ahkud. vendors of fruits, vegetables and meat are stationed everywhere. indistinct chatters of buyers and sellers, street children running, and chickens clucking in their cages.

(stomach growling*) Yngway rubs his belly..

"we've only walk for half an hour and you're already hungry?" Victoria commented..

"I'm a growing man, it can't be helped"

Yngway saw a young boy and her lame sister begging for food from passing villagers, only to be ignored the boy has several scars on his arms and feet seems to be scars from lashing while the reason for her sister to be lame isn't because of birth defect but maybe an accident or abuse.  

"they might have escaped a violent household and now has nowhere to go" Yngway's mom commented.

he then felt bad for himself. then Yngway saw a well dressed, overweight man stuffing his face with pastries and meat. behind him are two armed men seems to be his guards. 

" if it isn't the tax collector" Said Yngway as he rubs his stubbled chin.