Hey! This is my disclaimer! I only own characters and places that are the product of my imagination. Everything else belongs to someone whose bank account isn't as empty. There, that was my disclaimer… now on with the story…
No one even noticed them sneaking through the garden. No one stopped them before they stormed in the grand hall and started to kill the guests not carrying who it was; men and women the same. It took only several moments for the present Ceali knights to try and fight them off even though the odds were clearly against them.
Ten cold-blooded attackers against only two knights of heaven; it didn't really matter the Asturian knights were known as best on Gaea, when so obviously outnumbered they represented no serious problem for the foreign men that were spreading terror among the guests.
Dryden was one of the calmer ones. He was jelling at the guests to leave the hall, but his voice was barely heard in all the commotion. And it was frustrating. He turned to Millerna and grabbed her forearms to calm down his shaking wife.
"Dear, you have to go. Get out of the hall, I'll-"
"I can't Dryden." Millerna answered distressed.
"Of course you can, just-"
"No, look!" she pointed on the other side of the hall where the doors were. Dryden turned to see what she meant and gasped. From the a bit elevated podium where the thrones were placed he had a perfect view of the only safe exit out f the hell they were currently in. But there was no actually way out, not anymore.
Both knights were already dead, their body's lying on the marble floor next to several murdered guests and the attackers separated in two groups. Seven of them were keeping their swords pointed to the guests that stood frozen in shock and three of them were making sure they don't get interrupted by more knights. They were blocking the doors.
"Through the garden." Dryden leaned closer to Millerna and whispered to her "Leave through the garden."
But she shook her head "Even if I could just move to the glass doors without them noticing me how can you be sure there aren't more of them outside waiting?"
Her question was good and the merchant king huffed in irritation. He hated not being right, especially when a woman corrects him. It hurt his ego.
A movement in the crowd caught their attention and they both looked at the figures moving slowly in their direction so that they don't attract attention of the men that were holding them hostage.
"Is there no other way out?" Van asked loud enough for only the royal couple and the leopard-girl that was standing next to him to hear.
Millerna shook her head slightly "It was never considered necessary. The knights were always enough." In that moment she realized why only two Ceali knight were present in the grand hall. Because she ordered so, because she didn't want for the guests to feel uncomfortable with too many swords around when they were supposed to have fun.
"We should do something." Van said and turned towards the attackers to see what they were doing. He tried to come up with some plan but nothing came in his head. And Dryden noticed another problem on hand.
"Don't do anything stupid prince of Fanelia. You are unarmed and they have long, sharp, already blood-stained swords." He pointed out the obvious and Van sighed and shook his head. Of course he knew he had no actual chance against them but there were enough people in the hall to take down the ten men. Unfortunately most of them were older and cowards.
"Lower your swords!" loud voices yelled suddenly.
The attackers didn't managed to cause any more damage or hurt another guest when the Ceali knights that stormed in the grand hall killed six of them and arrested four. They freed the door and helped some of the guests that were injured or far too shocked to walk and lead them in the medicine wing or in their rooms.
Millerna was among the last ones that left the hall. She refused to leave before checking the pulse of all that lied on the floor. But it was for nothing. They were all dead.
Lastly a leopard-girl approached her, helped her to stand up and lead her out. Dryden was in the hallway discussing something with the knights and he nodded to the daughter of the councilman to lead the queen to the parlor. She needed to calm down.
It was there where Merle found her.
"Are you alright Millerna?" she kneeled in front of the Asturian queen. But she got no answer. The blonde woman was far more shocked to utter a single word. The events that happened just minutes ago were still replaying in her mind and making it hard for her to breath normally which then made talking out of the question.
The cat-girl sighed. She was being foolish. Of course the young queen wasn't alright. Her wedding celebration was rudely interrupted and turned… it turned in an actual bloodbath.
Merle shuddered on the thought.
"Dear, you should go in the bedchamber and lie down." Dryden said calmly walking in. But the glare Millerna sent him made it quite obvious she wasn't in the mood for naps. No matter how helpful they suppose to be.
Van walked in the parlor several moments later. Upon seeing him Merle practically launched herself in his arms and licked his cheek several times. It was her way of showing she was glad he was safe and sound.
"Can I do something?" he asked the Asturian royal couple.
Millerna just hook her head silently and Dryden agreed with his wife "There is nothing no one can do at the moment. The arrested attackers will be questioned and all those who were killed today buried. But we appreciate the offer."
"Tomorrow I will travel back to Fanelia then. We will travel back." he corrected himself after Merle cleared her throat.
"Will you go through it?" Millerna asked curious "Will you go through the ritual?"
"I have to." The young Fanelian prince answered "If today was any indication… something is going on, I can feel it in my bones. As a prince I don't have all the powers over Fanelia as I will have once crowned king."
It was then that Merle realized what was going on, what they were talking about "You are going to go and slay the dragon?" she asked visibly shocked.
"I will be fine Merle, it was what I have been training for since I was five." Van believed it was her concern for his well being that drove her.
But the cat-girl's ears dropped visibly and she sniffed "I wonder who it will be… the first one you see…"
Garnet eyes widened. He completely forgot about that part of the whole dragon slaying and coronation thing. The first one.
Balgus was waiting patiently on the docks for the royal levi-ship to land. The main samurai of the Fanelian army was a traditional kind of person; he liked the old-fashioned ways of transportation like horses or considering it was a throne heir a carriage. But certainly not a levi-ship.
Unfortunately for him the rest of the counsels agreed with the young prince that a levi-ship would be a better and timesaving way to travel. So one year ago they have contacted the builders from Chezario and made a deal with the same family that made many others levi-ships for royalties of wealthy people. It was a family business with a good income.
Once the gigantic transportation device was safely on the ground Balgus released a breath he was holding. Unlike his young monarch he was a ground person. But still he had to admit that despite everything Speranto looked like a masterpiece.
"I'm alive and in one piece." Van said a bit mockingly as he was walking out of the levi-ship. But Balgus only frowned. The young prince knew his trainer and that man that basically raised him was worried but it was silly. There were greater chances for Van to get hurt while training with the large man then flying in Speranto.
"I'm guessing you will go through the hunting ceremony." Balgus said calmly like it was no big deal that the only throne heir is going to face a vicious bloodthirsty dragon sometimes soon "When?"
"Tonight." Van answered just as calmly.
But Merle wasn't just accepting it, no matter how expected it was or how long Van had already prepared himself for the battle against a beast "What? Tonight? But lord Van you just arrived from Asturia. You could at least rest for a day or two."
"I have been delaying it for long enough. Tonight I will go and slay the dragon and when I return-"
"The first one lord Van." Balgus said seriously "Don't forget that."
The people of Fanelia were excited. It has been ten years since they had a king and if everything passes well tomorrow they will once more be a ruler on the throne. But there were some who were much more excited.
Young girls, young single girls, were already preparing their best dressed and jewelry which they would wear when the king returns. And the first one he sees will get the best reward possible for her effort.
Van was unaware of it all. He had no time to think about any of the stuff that would wait for him back home. If he did he would lose.
All he supposed to concentrate on right now is finding a dragon, or wait for the dragon to find him. But since Van was more of the action type he continued walking with a sword firmly in his hand.
Two hours later he stepped on a clearing in the middle of the thick forest. He remembered this place well, his mother used to bring him at this place and tell him amazing stories of other worlds and their inhibitors; the different kings and emperors, knights and beast-people, all of them living together in peace.
A loud growl snapped him out of his thoughts and Van cursed himself for getting distracted in the first place. Turning around at first he didn't notice anything but the darkness that surrounded him. But the growl that was heard again was a prove there was something out there. And it definitely wasn't friendly.
"Damnit, come out and fight me already." Van mumbled more to himself then to the dragon. But the beast seemed to hear him because as soon as the words left Van's mouth it striked.
It was a land dragon, a very furious land dragon. Van didn't even managed to blink before the monster used its tail as a whip and threw him of balance or rather against a tree. It took the young prince several seconds to regain his breath and realize his sword was still on the same spot he was standing before the dragon's fierce attack.
The low grumble in the throat of the beast could only mean one thing and Van launcher forward before it managed to fry him on the spot. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and turned towards the dragon. Yellow eyes of the beast observed him with interest. The dragon was observing Van's every move; it was like it was making some plans in his head.
Van launched forward. He was sick of waiting for the dragon to strike.
His attack turned against him.
The dragon growled and jumped higher as expected for the creature that size. Van barely managed to move when it landed. He rolled on the soft grass and stood up quickly. He raised his sword and pointed the sharp tip towards the beast that just wasn't giving up the fight.
They both stood still for several moments before the dragon suddenly leaped forward with a very simple intention.
"Above you!" a voice yelled out of the dark forest surprising Van and his four-legged enemy.
It took a single heartbeat for the prince to realize the dragon's tail high in the air ready to strike. Luckily the warning came just in time for him to escape death by jumping backwards. The sharp tail missed him by only an inch.
Van held a breath and striked.
Swiftly he avoided the dragon's teeth and waited for the right moment to trust his sword in the beast's chest. And the moment came when the dragon lifted his head to prepare itself to breathe fire.
Van didn't waste another moment. He quickly moved before the dragon managed to read his attention and with all his power stabbed the big brown monster.
The sound that followed would freeze the blood of those who were afraid of anything larger then a dog. A sound that was a mixture between a growl and whine. But Van ignored it. He didn't have the time to feel sorry for the dragon.
With several swift movements he removed the large pink stone from the dragon's chest and watched the large beast turn into dust that flew away with the wind. And in that moment Van realized he had passed the dragon slaying ceremony. He realized that the day had arrived when he would become king.
But the sound of footsteps in the dark forest didn't allow him to think about it for too long or gloat. There was something else out there, someone who helped him. Van was certain he wasn't insane and that the voice he heard was real and belonged to a human being or at least something similar to it.
"Come out!" he yelled. But no one appeared. It was a bit frustrating for the prince. He was tired and hungry and desperately needed to bath and he wasn't in the mood for some games "Damnit, step out on the clearing so I can see you!"
Rustle of the leaves made him turn around, garnet eyes widened and a gasp escaped him throat before he managed to stop himself.
Now that wasn't something he wasn't expect to see in a dark forest.