* * *
"Him!"
Alejandro points his sword to one aging imperial minister in shackles and royal blue robes, cowering in the corner with the other hostages. For the past couple of days, the lord of serpents has been occupying the imperial castle of Arcadia. Statistically speaking, he doesn't have as many as the entire imperial army; his group of bandits are nothing but a speck compared to the numbers of the Arcadian troops. Especially when they are all united. But since there's a bit of a discord between the Arcadian kingdoms, and holding position inside the most secured fortress in all of the empire, Alejandro has gained himself a bit of an advantage.
He praises himself for accomplishing such a feat, occupying that castle and stay in it for more than twenty four hours.
He already feels victory coursing in his blood.
Jelena drags the old man in minister robes, shoves him hard on the foot of the golden throne. Right next to where Alejandro's dirty boot-clad feet are.
The lord of serpents sat there like he's the king of the world. A few changes will make it all official. He has the emperor's crown on his head, all of the jewels adorning it was a welcome weight he'd like to carry for the rest of his thieving life.
His cronies guarded every entry and exit points of the castle, exploiting the extensive and advanced armory within the castle and it's strategic position for defense. No thanks to that self-entitled, forever-boasting Bunloaf idiot, Alejandro already knew how to deploy his forces to infiltrate and occupy the imperial castle.
He had a first hand intel from someone who used to live there about the ins and outs of the castle. It just took a lot of preparations and the right people to use to actually get in there.
While a number of their prisoners have been beheaded already, he still kept a few for interrogation. In the case of the elf prince of Javaad, Zayn, he serves a purpose for future conquest, that's why he's still breathing. A number of Alejandro's minions have been collecting items of value from every nook and cranny of the castle. They put it all in a mountain heap in the middle of the hall. All sorts of ornaments, jewelry and artifacts were piled.
But one particular artifact he has set his mind on. The one that will be the most crucial in his quest of becoming an emperor. And so far, it is not anywhere in that castle.
"Tell me, old man, where is the Arcadian book of life?!" He demands.
The old minister stands himself straight. And he stands proud. He doesn't reply and only stares the lord of serpents with defiant eyes.
Alejandro backhands the minister's face. Blood trickles down his nose.
"Where is it?!"
Prince Zayn, shackled to a pillar near the throne, observes. He has heard of the Arcadian book of life. But as far as he knows, only nobles born in the Jauregui family can read it. What can Alejandro Cabello, notorious bandit, would want with it exactly? He really doesn't look like the kind of person who reads books.
Frustrated at the lack of answer, the lord of serpents swings his sword, sharp and unusually blackened by the amount of poison in it, and he slices across the old minister's neck.
Another severed head rolls off the steps of the imperial throne.
Zayn's stomach churns at the morbid cruelty. But as he watches the severed head roll down, he catches Jelena, the young serpentina lieutenant, wince a little. Nobody else catches that slight muscle movement on her pretty face. While every other serpentina chuckles and cheers their boss, the girl, whose snake tattoo coils around her neck but the head of the snake hides underneath her braided dark blonde hair, doesn't join in on the amusement.
She looks like she's gonna be sick but keeps a straight face for show. Stoic and intimidating like her comrades. The elf prince senses that her heart isn't truly set in this kind of profession she got herself into.
After all, most thieves become thieves because of dire necessity.
"That bitch over there! With the big hair! Bring her to me!"
Jelena can try to hide it but she already got Prince Zayn's eyes on her. Observing every miniscule movement on her face that indicates a possibility she would turn her boss in.
She goes to grab a female minister this time who cries out.
"Please! Please! Spare me, I have children!"
Jelena doesn't say anything. She shoves the minister forward like the others before her.
Alejandro repeats his question, demanding where the Arcadian book of life is. He gets little to no answer again and his face twists in anguish. He screams at the female minister's face, so loud it stopped all other sounds inside the castle. He backhands the woman's face with full force then drags her by her neck.
"Jelena Noura! You're in charge for now! Kill any imperial bastard who comes in through any doors unless it's the princess! Kill every other useless rat in shackles in this room except for prince pointy ears over there! I'm going to have my fun with this one, I'm getting bored!" he snarls.
He carries on dragging the minister by her neck who was begging for mercy. Something Alejandro doesn't really recognize. They disappear by one of the passageways, and now the entire hall falls into the hands of Jelena.
She starts to call the execution of the other hostages but prince Zayn tries to intervene.
"Please don't this!" The elf pleads, "You don't want to do this,"
Jelena turns to him, angry and offended. "You don't get to say what I want to do or won't do!"
"The book was stolen years ago. If you tell me why Alejandro wants it, I'll tell you who was the last person who held it,"
The bandit marches towards him, sword drawn out. She places her blade right against his neck, her face an inch away from his. Her eyes were wide with something other than anger. Prince Zayn can see the slightest hint of hesitation that her expressive blue-green eyes struggle to hide, but he doesn't say anything. Not yet anyway.
But whatever uncertainty there is in Jelena, she hides it with her well practiced snarl and attitude.
"It's a magical artifact, prince. Magic can do anything when used accordingly. I'm sure you've heard of the magical blue fire, yeah? Now, think. What could possibly a dark, deluded bandit would want with such a thing, huh?!"
She shoves him hard against the pillar behind him where he's shackled into. She turns back and barks an order to another serpentina.
"Call the boss! The prince knows where the book is!"
"I didn't—"
The bandit smacks him to silence.
Zayn was only making it up. He doesn't really know who was the last person who had the book. He just wants to know how will Alejandro use it for his own gain. Now he has the general idea what it is but it still puzzles him.
Only members of the Jauregui family can read it. Because the book was actually written by the first Jauregui, the human fruit of the Arcadian tree of life, detailing his journey into power. And with magic he learned from his adventures, cast a spell on the book that allows it to continue to chronicle the journey of his lineage. And with the same spell, it only allowed his direct descendants to be the only people to decipher it; bloodline of the first born to be specific. A guide for his progeny, to learn and understand the power and responsibility they held as the offsprings of the magical Arcadian tree of life.
How is Alejandro Cabello going to read it when he is not a member of the family?
* * *
That page was like a nagging itch in the back of Lauren's mind.
She doesn't want to worry Camila and the others so she schooled her face to make it seem like everything is fine and according to plan while they made their way to Clifden county. But truth of the matter is, she knows she needs to read the book of life further to understand why that page has that particular image.
Some fruits are ripe and good; others are just plain rotten . . .
She remembers her father's words when she was younger. Somehow it comes back to her now; unsure why exactly but those words come back to her now like an echo.
"What the hell happened here?" Ally asks as they all cross the threshold of a broken wall.
"You were right, your majesty. Those griffin riders came to attack Oakridge," Simona says.
Before anyone can reach the mountainous region of Clifden county, one must pass the northernmost kingdom of Arcadia, Oakridge. Just as they enter the threshold across a pile of rubbles, Oakridge warriors run towards them right away with their weapons out.
Lauren quickly jumps off of Camila's hold atop her griffin, hands raised.
"Settle down, knights of Oakridge! We mean no harm! It is I, Lauren Michelle of the imperial house of Jauregui, and I come in peace,"
The warriors looked at one another. The beauty and grace standing before them is a far distant cry from the pitiful caricature drawings on their papers. Disbelief was their initial reaction but when it finally dawned on them that it is indeed the princess Lauren, heir to the Arcadian imperial throne, they lowered their weapons, a chorus of humbled greeting welcomes her. The leader barks out an order to inform the queen of Oakridge of princess Lauren's arrival.
"Your imperial grace, welcome to Oakridge," he curtsies, "My name is Ulfric Stormcloak, first commander of Oakridge army. If you will, your majesty, follow me to the kingdom's royal hall to meet the noble warden of these northern lands. You shall get the proper receiving befitting your imperial highness,"
"Thank you, lord Ulfric," Lauren returns the courtesy, "These are my friends, Simona, Camila and Ally, and they are my most esteemed guests. They will be joining us on our way back to Arcade city. If it isn't so much trouble, lord Ulfric, can you please send someone to look after the griffins. It's been a long travel,"
"Of course, your majesty," the commander then calls out, introduces one of the kingdom's gamekeepers, "This is Aela, our best gamekeeper. She will see to the griffins needs, make sure they are well rested and fed. If you or any of your majesty's friends need the griffins back just call out for her,"
Lauren, along with Camila, Simona and Ally followed Ulfric to the kingdom's royal palace. Even though it had been a couple of days passed, remnants of the attack is still very much evident. They came across streets littered with broken homes and shops; somber faces of those who lost someone or got injured, as well as the determined looks of the uniformed soldiers.
The sight breaks Lauren's heart. While passing down knowledge in the most practical level, the emperor still tried his best to shelter her from the cruelty of man against one another. Yes, she was trained in combat by many experts but none of those trainings will ever make her get used to the violence she encounters.
They all reach the main square where larger troops we're being assembled. The Oakridge queen was very easy to spot since she is the one leading the soldiers in her shiny Arcadian gold armor. But what surprised everybody was the sight of Dinah and Normani smack in the middle of it all.
All that was missing was a suit of armor of their own and they might as well be inducted into the Oakridge army.
"What the fuck??" Ally was first to react, "What are you two doing here?"
Dinah and Normani stares at them with a mix of surprise and trepidation. Ally was one tiny little thing but she can carry fear along with her like it's a fashion statement. Her being so tactless can reveal the fact that they are dangerous criminals guilty of more than just thieving.
"What are you doing here, shortstack?" Dinah retorts.
Hailee, the queen of Oakridge, looks at them. Both puzzled and concerned at their exchange. But when she sees who else was approaching, she smiles brightly. Relief washes over her pretty face as she immediately recognizes Lauren, the soon to be empress she pledges her entire life and fealty to.
"Your imperial majesty! Welcome to the northern kingdom of Oakridge!"
"Thank you, your royal highness. How long has it been?"
The two royals give each other warm greetings and even warmer smiles. As the queen of Oakridge bows to curtsy, Lauren returns it briefly with a giggle before she pulls her into a hug. Which Hailee returns with the same giggles and happy tears.
Camila on the other hand tries not react at the obvious closeness of the two Arcadian royals. Instead, she goes to Dinah and Normani, with Ally following behind her. And they start their typical hushed conversations.
Simona remains close to the princess, quietly observing.
"Too long, your imperial highness. Way too long," Hailee mumbles.
The first time they met was when they were both still infants. They grew to become childhood best friends, sharing the same hobbies and interests and fun memories. But the last time Lauren and Hailee saw each other was when they were just about to become teenagers. Even if they were apart, both continued to be such good friends through the years. Hailee would have stayed longer in Arcade city back when she was twelve years old, would have spent her teenage years there, eventually becoming one of the princess' ladies in waiting, if her father hasn't fallen sick.
A tragedy that soon led her to become a queen at such a young age.
"I'm so sorry about your father, queen Hailee, I'm sorry I wasn't present on his funeral,"
"It's been years and I understand why you weren't there. And he wasn't exactly the good man we all thought he was," Hailee looks at the princess, holds her, "Your father on the other hand, is the greatest loss we all have to suffer. I'm so sorry we lost the emperor so soon and in such a brutal treachery at that,"
"How do you know?"
"The imperial commander Austin Mahone is here, with a good friend of yours I believe, who told me everything he saw that night with you,"
As if on cue, both commander Austin and that dear friend was coming down towards them.
"Shawn!!"
The princess runs to hug the imperial guard who shoved her inside her closet to save her life.
While she was talking to Hailee, Camila was talking to Dinah and Normani, updating one another of their recent adventures. But when Lauren spots Shawn going down the steps with commander Austin, and Lauren throws herself in a bone crushing hug with him, the bandit notices.
She looks at them with a scowl.
"Princess! Thank god you're alright!"
"I'm so sorry I left you there Shawn, I should have went back for you and I —"
Shawn held the princess tighter as she quietly shed her tears.
"You did the right thing, your majesty. Going back alone, and going back for me, would have been a mistake. Brad would have found you and forced you to marry him and then kill you to become the emperor. He has the serpentina bandits backing him up to accomplish that. You made the right choice to leave and come here to gather allies and begin your ascension to the throne,"
Camila decides immediately she doesn't like this prawn person holding her princess. She feels the urge to rip his arm off but she tries to be in her best behavior. Even if the shiny armor on him irks her, the way he held her Lauren itches her hand to reach for her blade and chop his limbs off.
She tries to remain calm, act like an actual civilized person and not a raging neanderthal, even if his position in the imperial army, his part in Lauren's life bothers her so much.
She has nothing compared to these people. A queen, a knight, they all have titles more suited to be princess Lauren's partner in life. She has nothing to give or offer the princess but a life of crime and misery.
"And this is Camila,"
The bandit feels Lauren's hand in hers before she sees it. The touch of something soft slides in the spaces between her fingers that fits just right, warm and perfect and holds her tight. It strikes a feeling of comfort right through her chest and deep into her soul. Whatever worries and insecurities that began to poison her mind started to scurry away at the simple contact.
It's like magic. No rational explanation to it. It just happens.
"She is the strongest and bravest person I have met so far,"
Lauren smiles at her and keeps her hand intertwined with hers, pulling her close. And for Camila, that was enough reassurance. They don't owe anyone explanation or justification, even as the stupid prawn raises an eyebrow at her.
"She and her friends will be with us in bringing Alejandro of the serpentina bandits to justice, as well as lord Brad the traitor who murdered my father and mother. Camila will be my most important guest, and will be an essential part of our team, so please treat her and her friends with equal respect. Furthermore, all of you should know that Alejandro is in Arcade city as we speak, occupying the imperial castle. As for Brad, his whereabouts are uncertain . . ."
Hailee the Oakridge queen was the first to agree and gives Camila a warm, welcoming smile while Lauren carried on relaying what she knows so far. The prawn simply nods, keeping a careful, watchful eye on the bandit.
They all continue to discuss their next course of action inside the Oakridge royal palace. Queen Hailee was being the most hospitable host to them all. She has no problem, issues or whatsoever with Lauren taking the lead knowing that the princess trumps her authority. She's just glad that her friend is alive and well and on her way to greatness.
And despite her composed demeanor, her focus on the task at hand planning and plotting their way back to Arcade city after her right of passage to the Arcadian tree of life, Lauren is still thinking about that page she stumbled upon on the book of life.
It just keeps popping in her head . . .
By all appearances, it seemed like an ordinary picture. It was a page that shows the image of her great grandmother standing on the steps of the imperial temple. The first Arcadian empress to rule the empire. On her right was the younger version of her grandfather, wearing an armor, a sword on his hand and a shield on the other, emblazoned with the sigil of the imperial house of Jauregui. And on her left side stood an unknown man in Arcadian royal blue robes and was only holding a staff made of gold.
A golden staff known as The Rod of Asclepius . . .
* * *
🙂