All his life he had only know the jungle, nobody could blame him for marveling with every change of the landscape, all the different rutes, even the sky look diferent, mountains, rivers, the sea.
"I had never seen the sea" the coast line extend to the horizont, the water splash against the rocks,
"Dont be stupid" Rika cut him out "we left the continent on a ship"
"I was a baby!"
"Is just the sea Takato, is the same in every single coast" she stop for the first time in hours, they travel had been long and tedious, Rika has a weird sense of time, she talk about their departure of the continen as if it was yesterday and their life in the temple as just couple of days "beside we didn't come this long for the view" she turn around "that is our destiny!"
Takato follow her eyes, a city was at the distant, golden and bright; the opposite side of the beautiful sea.
"what is…" he feel the excitement on his body "where are we?"
"Piramide" she announce "the perfect site to found you a wife"
Did he hear that correctly?
"What?" he almost lost his balance "a Wife? what are you talking about? a wife for me?"
"duh" again Rika talk as if her words mean nothing "of course¡" and continue her walk
"but wait!" he run to catch her up "why? i mean how? what are you planing? i tough we are gonna back home! " she give him a dirty look " i mean…" his voice low Dow "take back the throne and that…"
"We need an army! the easiest way for you to get one is if you married a queen"
"me?" he slowly star to panic "why me?"
"Well" she smile, so unusual for her "I´m a married woman Takato, i can´t married again"
"What?" he scream, and this time she was fully aware of the impact of her words, and run to the city "wait! come back Rika!"
The temple was the only building he had know, he get use to it size, the grey tone of it rocks, the cold of the walls, the shadows and darkness. Piramide was absolutely the opposite, full of people, birds, horses, flowers and fabrics hanging of the windows, music sound at the distance, life and noise.
Rika didn't share his enthusiasm
For her the temple mean security, a refuge, the city was dangerous, for more than her denied Takato has become her child, she took him from a bleeding cradle and promise to protect him, to honor him, to help him to recover what was his born right; and now the dice were rolling, that would be his first test.
Sometimes she remember the others, the children that she couldn´t take, she had to mold him into a king, she must prove to herself that she had chose wisely.
"Don't get used to it" she said avoiding the throng, silence her own toughs "It´s for the festivities"
"What?" he was busy listen the jugglers to pay attention to her
"Listen to me and listen carefully" one finger on the air, Takato knows she wasn´t kidding "You are gonna be quiet and do exactly what i said"
she cannot tolerate failure
"And exactly why that would be different that any other day?"
"Focus!" she yells but get interrupted by the loudly music, trumpets sound near to them "Hurry! is gonna star"
She dragged him until the gates of a coliseum, the people push each other to enter but no one as hard as her, both squeezed into one of the stands.
Takato has never seen so many people, the music comes from the center of the stage, it was like a parade, dozen of men march and yell things that Takato didnt understand.
He see a party, she know it was a war
A balcony in front of then open and the crown get wild, the biggest man than Takato has never seen show of, he was tall and strong, his golden hair fall over his naked shoulders, he was caring an entourage, the throne of a princess cover in silk and veils.
As others like her, she must take a husband to become queen.
"The lion" Rika mutter "The guardian of the princess" and making honor of his name the warrior roar.
Everyone get quiet, the lion lef the entourage on the floor and jump into the Arena
"What? what is happening?" a naive question from an inexperienced prince, for one moment Rika revisited her plan, meaby he need more time, he wasn´t ready, he don't know nothing about the world.
"Is a fight" she said "the ancient ritual for the hand of the heir princess, all the warriors of the land fight to death for the right to be the next king"
"To death!" he yells "Im gonna fight to death!?"
"to death or surrender, but dont be stupid" she stand up " no Prince ever fight for himself " Takato turns his view to the arena, it was true, behind the warriors he saw the nobles, they dont carry weapons, they dress in satin and silver "even the princess has her own champion"
"The lion" he wisper, looking carefully to the giant on the center, Rika rease her sword and tied her own hair "Wait!" he stop her while she prepare for the assault, getting what was about to happen "be carefully" but she didnt answers, she just jump to the battle.
After every training Rika often said that she wasn´t fightning for real, Takato always tough it was an excuse for her defeats, he was wrong.
She attack like a blast, her first knife landed over some poor man throat and a fast spin slay someone else chest, the blood flies slower than her hands, and she turn her eyes to him, proud to see the terror on his face.
Takato was wrong, he had always been wrong; Rika wasn't a witch: she was a warrior, an assassin, but looking at her fighting on the arena, winning on the arena, he realized something even more powerful: she was his assassin, she was fighting on his name, and for the first time ever, Takato feels like a Prince.
Rika recognize the proud on his look, and everything feel worthy, no matter how many lives she had to take if she could save him, if he get that crown.
The audience cheer and yell every time an opponent falls, but get complete quiet when only two figures remains on the Colosseum
The lion remains still, a heavy chain swinging on his left, looking at his contrincant, a young woman, but he was no fool, she had murder half of the arena without a single scratch, at difference of the deaths he has no intention to underestimated her
"A que amo sirves mujer?" he demand, his voice was deep and powerful but she didn't answers, she run into him holding a knife in each hand, jumping for the hit, fast, lethal, hasty.
He raise one arm and hit her with the back of his hand, more than never he look like a giant, Rika crush on the floor and Takato scream, that guy didn't know what was he doing, that´ll only make her angry.
And yes, she stand up with the devil on her sight
"Dime" he repeat "Quien es tu maestro Mujer?"
she attack again, stronger, furious, sloppy
Takato knows that the Lion would block her even before he raise his hand, he was an unpenetrable defense, and she only knows the frontal attack.
He took her for the hair and put the chain over her throat, she scream in a yells that frozen Takato veins, no, Rika would not lose, Rika couldn´t die on his name.
And she did not
In the air she pull her knife and make a cut on his hand, he trow her and she land with both feets, in a quick movement and before he could move she stab both of his knees; he didn't yell, but his fall shake the coliseum, she took his chain and wrapped his neck with it.
The public get wilde, and he claim in the same strong voice than before
"Me rindo!" Takato didn't know what that means and Rika keep pulling the chain "Me rindo!" he repeat almost like a plea but she didn't stop "I surrender!" And she let him go.
"Yo peleo en nombre del principe Takato!" she point at him and he react at the mention of his name, all the eyes turn to him "legitimo heredero al trono continental, ultimo hijo de la casa del valor, Takato el sobreviviente!"
Hundred of hands push him to the arena, between the blood and the bones, they claim him and call him, they elevate him to the balcony.
"You must reclaim your prize" Rika said and the lion roar
The prize, the princess, suddenly he envy the death corpse on the Arena
If he must be honest he had only know one woman his entire life, he didn't know what to expect, what if it doesn´t work, what if he wasn´t what she want, the princess of Piramide with all sure wants a warrior, a man as bigger and rought as the champions , and what kind of woman chose her husband trought a bloody competition?
All the doubs of Takato vanish while the veil turn up, behind the fabric was a petite girl, her smile was soft, her eyes were big and brown as same as her hair, the color of the earth and the wood, she look at him with a question on her eyes
"Mi señor" she mutter with the gaze on the floor "me siento honrada por su presencia"
"What?" he panic incapable of understand a word "I don't…"
A man behind her step up
"She is honor to meet you" he said, the man look different from the people of Piramide, a foregeiht of dark hair and grey eyes
"Oh are you translating?" the man nod and before Takato could replied something the Princess continues
"Soy Yuri, Princesa de Piramide y regente de toda la costa" her words sounds rehearsed even for Takato than didn't understand a single phrase " Y como lo dicta la tradición y nuestras leyes ahora tanto nuestro reino como mi mano le pertenecen principe Takato" her gaze never left the floor
"I´m Yuri, princess of piramide and reign of all the coast" the translator do his job " and according to out laws and traditions now you own out kingdom and my hand"
Takato look at the man and the princess back and forward waiting for him to finish
"Own?" he repeat "Are she refering to the marrieg?" The translador look confuse that Takato speak to him
"Yea, is that what she is…"
"Can you translate what i said so she can understand me?" he nod again "I´m sorry what is your name?"
"Her name is Yuri"
"No, your name" the man look shock and the audience star to hoot at them for they delay
"My name is Henry Wong my lord but that is not importan" he laught
"You are gonna speak to my future wife for me" Takato replied almost inmediatly "of course you are important!" he raise his hands and recall his thought " on the contrary, my lady" he smile "You, your people and your Kingdom, i belong to you know, and i hope to be a rightful king and husband for you and for Piramide"
Henry look at him in confusion
"What are you waiting for? " Takato gesture "go"
"el dijo que .." Henry also smile " que al contrario, ahora el le pertenece a usted, a la gente de piramide y al reino entero, y espera ser un buen rey y un buen esposo"
The princess look almost as confuse as Henry, her cheeck turn red and her thin libs curve in a smile
"Me siento afortunada de que sus primeras palabras hacia mi sean tan amables mi señor"
"she felt lucky that your first word to her were so kind"
"O please!" Takato jump "I´m the lucky one that my bride is the most beautiful and… " he felt overwhelmed " and adorable girl in the entire world"
"Dice que usted es la chica mas hermosa y adorable de todo el mundo y que por eso el es el afortunado"
Yuri cover her face with her hands as he speak
"usted no conoce a todo el mundo mi señor"
"You don't know all the world my lord "
"I don't need to" Takato said " And please dont call me that, just Takato is fine"
"El no necesita ver el mundo y por favor llámelo solo Takato"
"Lo que ordene" small tears appear on her eyes "Takato"
"what you order Takato" And quickly he approach to her taking her hands between his
"That is the only order i have for you my lady, i promise, today and forever" she turn to Henry demanding a translation
"Esa es la única orden que tiene para usted princesa, lo promete, hoy y para siempre"
Stars appear on the princess eyes, and her arms surround Takato.
Rika look at them smiling, for some things Takato didn't need training.