Prince Kai's
Clouds fly past my face as we move through the air
the wind is blowing through my hair and ruffling the clothes on my back. A familiar feeling that brought me more comfort than most of my other duties.
I hold on to some of the rough scales on Leo's back. taping my boot on his side to push him to go faster, and sometimes to direct him, I didn't need to do it but Leo liked to be sure of where to go.
Shades of red and black scales are illuminated by the sun's rays
Leo blew smoke out of his nose and he flaps his wings pushing through the air. I chuckled at the signs of frustration Leo was showing me. Waking up early never put him in the best mood but I had to reach the land of trees by dawn.
I coughed with some of the smoke reaching my throat, I patted Leo to let him know to steer right but also as an apology. He stopped blowing out so much smoke and shifted to the right.
I searched the ground as we moved through the sky. I have heard rumors of water elemental dragons flying around these mountains. At the castle, we have and train with many fire elementals, but a water elemental has been unheard of for years. Ever since men who carried the water gift died out, the only gift people carry is fire. Once the king heard the news of this he immediately sent hunters for this dragon, but most were unsuccessful most never seeing it at all. Some men come back sharing stories of its beauty and strength, others do not return at all.
The King has decided to give the task to me. He demanded I bring back this beast if it's real or never returns to the castle.
I have been pulled away from the battlefield for this, this foolishness We are in a silent war with the rebels!
And the king thought that this dragon was even more important! We have over twenty dragons and thousands of men fighting the battle for the good kingdom and he cares about this.
A simple dragon was more important to him!
Maybe because of the power?
Or bragging rights?
But while I am gone hunt for this beast, my men are on the field fighting for their lives. The King only cares for himself
The faster I deal with this the faster I am able to return to the battlefield
I looked down below me and saw some scattered huts near the forest. I could see the servant's village busy at work. Men hauling huge amounts of number women sitting outside sewing garments and dresses the children would carry small crates of fruit towards the city
the closer I got to the city center the less work I saw happening and more play the city's children ran around outside playing while the school girls carried their many books to their houses to study for more tests. the village wives walked around in their fancy dresses and the men discussed matters unimportant to me outside their homes.
the humid weather from the rainforest made me sweat a little more in my royal uniform. I pulled at my collar to let in some cool air. I spotted the many tents of the soldier's camp and started to bring Leo down towards the ground
we are here
The people around here dressed in very exotic clothing women's dresses were made of a lighter material that flowed as they walked. in the isle of light women covered their bodies in thick materials and jewels. Many of the men wore loosely buttoned shirts and kept their hair up in a bun or cut very short.
Many of the servants that worked wore loose-fitting linen pants and shirts that barely covered their stomachs
Their hair flowed feely and most of them were barefoot.
"Prince Kai is a pleasure to see you at our camp" a loud man approached me his voice making my ears ring even though Leo took a step back.
"bring out all the soldiers I want to see your strongest," skipping the formalities I went straight to business.
Training the men was my cover but as soon as I am done messing around here I will take to the forest to search for this dragon.
"Sir we have just received a bunch of new men I don't think I can" he nearly barked into my ear
"Bring out every soldier and medic to the sparring ground "The general didn't need me to ask one more time he turned and screamed out an order
"Kent gather all the men and looney immediately " cringing at the volume of this man's voice. I turned and moved towards the fields
I watch as Leo made his way into one of the tents to rest from the long trip here, men got out of his way many stared because they probably have not been in close contact with a dragon before.
I walked out towards the field that I assumed they used as their training ground. In small numbers groups of men slowly began lining up in front of me. When they noticed my presence they fell silent. May of them fixed up their uniforms and even their posture.
They know what to expect, they've probably heard stories of me. Some made up some truth.
Despite most of the men being silent a couple of whispered to their buddies about what was coming.
"were going to die, man, the medic is a woman"
"her eyes look demon-possessed "
"she may look like a freak but I bet you I could make her a wife in one night." he chuckled causing a few men around him
My jaw clenched as I listened to these men, they were sent here to train and protect the kingdom not gossip about some random women.
"Silence" The men shut up quickly after hearing my voice."I am looking for a group of the strongest men"
Many men straightened their posture and took a powerful stance. They looked around to see who they all were looking at.
One man, in particular, stood at the front of the group with a strong build and a cocky smile
"So today I will challenge the few who are brave enough to take me on in hand-to-hand combat" whispers quickly started amongst the men "tomorrow we will use weapons and the next day we will practice conditioning"
"and on the fourth day, I will choose the group of men to take with me on my mission."
The crowd excitedly started to talk to one another. Each one thinks they are better than the other.
"Now, who will be first?"
The excited chatter died down.
No one was willing to be first. Everyone wanted to see how others do.
"I will go first," an older soldier approached me with a confident walk. Other men admired his courage nodding their heads in approval
He had a strong build, pale skin, probably from the north, he had fire red hair and stood taller than most of the other men, towering over me as well
he bowed "Smithen sir,"
he said with a commanding voice, I bowed in return
I went into sparring stance ready for my opponents' advances. he quickly did the same knowing what the bloody prince is known for.
I struck first striking his shoulder causing him to stumble back holding his shoulder knew I hit his axillary nerve hindering his arm rotation. He tried to reach his arm back but instead, he let out a scream in pain.
many of the men began to whisper thinking I was using magic or some curse Smither's face immediately began to turn red.
He charged at me and saw his next move. I kicked his feet from below him causing him to fall on his back
He stayed down for a while and I thought the match was over so I walked toward his body with my hand out, ready to help him up and give him some pointers
using his good arm he launched out at me striking me in my face. I stumbled and held my jaw. I didn't expect this soldier to play dirty.
before I could get back into my stance I felt something being thrown into my eyes felt a blow to my stomach causing me to double over.
He threw sand in my face and I couldn't open my eyes to see what was happening.
"I thought the bloody prince had more in him" I heard a voice yell out from in the crowd taking advantage of the fact that I couldn't see him
I felt another fist against my jaw and one more to my stomach causing me to stumble forward. While on the floor I spit out some blood from my mouth trying to hold in my laughter
I let him get in a couple of hits but now I am angry. I carefully got up off the floor. With my eyes closed, I concentrated on the heat coming from the bodies around me. There were about three hundred men but I focused on the coward in front of me.
I sensed him swing his god ram towards my face again and I successfully dodge it taking hold of his wrist and popping it out of its socket
remnants of the dirt he had hidden in his sleaves fell to the ground with his body as well he let out a loud scream almost as embarrassing as the dirty trick he had played.
I soon felt a small flame forming in the palm of my hand, I felt my body moving with anger blinding my movement, I was going to teach him a lesson one the way or the other.
she was dressed like many of the people from immigrant quarters. she had on a loose-fitting pair of pants and a brown shirt covering her chest but nothing else. her head was wrapped in a matching brown material covering her hair and face from my eyesight. she threw down the leather bag that she carried on her shoulder "Please let me see your hand" she whispered to him almost afraid to touch him without permission she reached out examining his hand her warm brown skin almost looked as if it was blessed by the earth. it had such a deep dark tone she almost did not seem real.
"Okay I need to wrap your hand with some painkillers "
she quickly got to work pulling out a jar or some thick brown paste and applying it to his wounds. she moved so quickly. she began to bandage his arm in a way that I have only seen experts do on the battlefield. but who was she. she didn't have on a uniform like the other men and she didn't look like any of the natives from the land or any of the surrounding ones.
Matter a fact she doesn't look like anyone I've ever seen before
"Who are you" is asked in a commanding voice I only use on my own men
a few men around me stepped back to hear me speak but she didn't move an inch was almost like she didn't even hear me
"alright look at me " she whispered gently to the soldier
I felt myself scoffing in disbelief as she continue to ignore my presence, my eyes drifted the Andres, who had more fear in his eyes than he had while fighting me, he was looking at me
"Who are you "Now with more curiosity than irritation
she places her hands carefully around his wrapped arms. with one swift movement, she popped his arm back into place without any hesitation. I have never seen anything like this he let out an even louder scream in pain. he gently rocked trying to process the amount of pain he was feeling.
she gently placed her hand on his shoulder"Breathe okay I'm almost done"she reached down and started to readjust his bandages. I pushed aside my awe of this woman's abilities. I could no longer stand the fact that this strange woman was ignoring my presence and helping this cheater of a man
I reached down grabbed her shoulder and turned her body to me so she could no longer ignore me. I wanted to look her in the eyes.
"WHO ARE YOU" I yelled one last time she turned her whole body to me and looked me in the eye I nearly gasped looking at her
her eyes were nearly iridescent they mimicked the moon her skin was as dark as the night with the warmth of the sun her eyelashes and eyebrows were lighter than any hair I have ever seen. almost gray but with the shine of silver.
I snapped out of my trance listening to her low sultry voice
"I am a medic trying to save this man's hand from further permanent damage" she stepped towards me almost making me step back as well
"I'm helping him get betterer he can get back to serving this kingdom" she continued walking towards me
"so if you would please let me do my job and shut up"
I was silent not even soldiers who have seen the eyes of death would talk to me in such a manner
"Watch your mouth peasant before I have you beheaded, "I talked down to her reminding her of my position
but the look in her eyes reminded me of the fire I could create in my hands almost burned
"I don't care what you do to me, but let me finish my job before you decide to kill me"I could tell that she meant every single word she had no fear of death or the punishments I could make her go through she went back to the cheater's arm and inspected it
but I have had enough of the disrespect
"just get him out of my sight!"
she raises her head to look to the soldiers for help but many of the men avoided her glances or laughed in her face.
she was unwanted here even though she nearly sacrificed her life for one of their fellow men
"Sir, he is injured I ca-" she tried to plea with me
"Goddamit Luna do as the prince said" I heard the general from somewhere in the audience yell.
A look flashed across her face that I was way too familiar with
Not embarrassment
Not anger
pain
I waited to watch her crumble to suck up to her pride and ask for help
but instead, she reached behind the man's head and put another hand behind his legs. her body shook as she raises to her feet
she was carrying the weight of a man more than twice her size she kept a straight face showing not an ounce of struggle while her body betrayed her
Then she bent her knees lowing herself into a curtsy
" Sorry for the interruption my prince get back to whatever you were doing," she said without hesitation and with a bit of sarcasm
she turned her body and walked through the crowd with her head held high. I could feel a huge cool movement moving underneath the earth with each step she took away from me.
I watched her until her body disappeared behind the tent
"Sir, I am sorry," a tall man in a soldiers uniform approached me
" who was that"
"she is Luna the medic at this camp" he replied
"Where did she come from"
"the immigrant camp in the village "
"no where did she come from"
"prince kai, I do not know she started working here 6 years ago at the age of 12 and worked her way up to medic"
" Take me to her now, "I demanded
I walked with the tall man through the crowd of men I looked at the name tag on his uniform
"Kent" His name was one common to my homeland he must be one of the transferred trainers we sent out before the rebels started to attack.
once we reached the tent I heard the sound of glass smashing kent started to walk faster
"how do you expect me to live with this" a woman's voice yelled
"I'm sorry I fell sick and I had to take a few days off" it was the voice of luna pleading
"you really are just a curse".
I was shocked to hear how this woman spoke to her. And most of all I was shocked at how she didn't fight back. She told the prince of this kingdom to shut up but she allowed this girl to speak to her like that
"Rosie please I worked extra shifts but I could not make enough for the new dress," luna begged with pain filling her voice
"I wish you died instead of uncle "there was a silence that followed
"Rosie, I don't care how you feel but don't bring him up in such a dishonorable way I am still your sister."I could not believe that sisters would speak to each other like that. My heart hurt at the way her voice cracked.
then a loud slap was heard kent rushed towards the curtain opening and I followed closely behind"don't you dare say that out loud. you are nothing to me but a freak"
I watched as a girl with long brown hair and beautiful clothes ran by
the door closed and a loud sob echoed through the room.
I walked past kent and I looked up and saw a huge head of silver curls around the girl's head. I nearly gasped looking at it
I have never seen anyone who looked like this with every step she took it moved around.
she was too busy grinding some unknown substance to see me watching her every move.
"Luna" kent called from behind me. she quickly wiped her tears and looked up from where she stood.
she looked at kent and then her eyes slowly traveled to the mine
"Prince Kai" she whispered under her breath.