The start of the story of how everything came to be begins, enjoy.
3 months after the elven prince left the Royal Alf forest. The search for the boy was still ongoing with the news still being kept under wraps by the higher-ups of elven society. If the king had his way, it would have stayed that way but fate had different plans.
"Your Highness, word has spread about the missing prince!" A female Elf dressed in polished, refined armour said stoically, her face remaining unfazed, unlike her two envoys who were kneeling behind her, their faces twisted in shame and a slight fear for the king's reaction.
As for the king, he too did his best to hide his emotions but a small twitch from his eyebrows gave away his real thoughts on the matter. However, Larfal had been king for over 200 years and in that time he had matured and grown, he was no idiot. He knew what a king needed to be, calm and efficient.
"How?" He simply asked.
"We are unsure your Highness, we are currently going over an investigation." General Linfelm stated. She also was hiding her personal emotions on the matter. She still did not know how she felt about the boy but there was no mistake. She had seen those eyes in that bush. The ones that had belonged to Celia. That was the only justification she gave. For Celia.
King Larfal leant forward, his head resting on his hands.
"Gather all those that knew of the cabin's location. All who may know about his escape, including the army. Question them, thoroughly."
"It will be done, your Majesty," General Linfelm bowed, her armour rustling as she did so. She then straightened up and with a quick spin, she marched out of the royal hall, her two subordinates close behind.
As she left, Larfal breathed a sigh of exhaustion. He cursed the boy once more for his existence as he laminated everything that had transpired since he had escaped, no, ever since he had been born. Nothing but a thorn in his side.
"Your Highness, if I may?" A man that was standing beside him asked.
"You may," Larfal quickly responded. He trusted the man with his life and then some. He was his brother after all.
"Your Highness... Larfal, we need to stay ahead of this." The man said. He stood just shy of 6ft, with shoulder-length jade hair, with eyes to match. Just like his older brother and their father, he held a handsome, elegant and regal look. He wore a simple green robe with a slight leaf pattern printed on one side that trailed all the way down to his sandals.
"I agree. What do you think we should do about it?"
"We announce it before it reaches outside our jurisdiction."
"I know that much but... how?"
"I'm not sure what you mean brother?"
"I mean how do we announce that the boy, the half-prince has escaped? I'm pretty sure most of the world don't even know of his existence and now we need to not only say he exists but also that we let a 7-year-old escape us."
"Could you trust it to me brother, I may have an idea about this and how we hold onto some of our reputation."
Larfal raised his eyebrow at his brother and began to listen to his idea. The king wasn't pleased to begin with and he could tell his brother didn't fully enjoy it either but in their eyes, it wasn't entirely true. He really was a curse to them.
Riveria came back from patrol. A new force was rising within Orario, one that was more and more beginning to look like it wanted to bring the city to its knees. It had left the top Familia's in a daze at how quickly it seemed to be growing but they couldn't complain, it was their fault they were allowed to grow. Under the absence of the Zeus and Hera Familia, this new faction was able to grow without having an overwhelming strength snuff them out before they even got going.
"Oi, Riveria. Ya get a letter!" Loki shouted down the hallway at her vice-captain.
"A letter? From whom?"
"Not sure but it's got the symbol of a tree on it, think we can both guess where it's come from," The goddess said as she handed the envelope to the high elf before she walked down the corridor, hoping to find someone to mess with.
'A letter from the forest. That writing, it's fathers!' She thought as she scanned the letter. She could recognise her father's handwriting anywhere.
She walked to her room. Closing the door behind her, she quickly opened the letter and began reading. Quickly, tears welled in her eyes as she read the contents.
A week later, the announcement of the death of Princess Celia was spread to the outside world. It was met with widespread grief throughout the elven world and even in some areas in which the adventurous princess had travelled. She was an easy woman to like and had gained a very positive reputation that rivalled and even surpassed her big sisters in some cases.
Alongside it was the announcement of the half-elven prince's escape, who he really was and why the royal family had hidden him for so long. How he was the cause for the death of his mother and how he was a danger to the elven world.
It was not mentioned he was wanted nor was a bounty placed on his head but the message was portrayed well enough. If you come into contact with the Cursed Prince, capture him at all costs.
At the exact time the news was making it around the world, a boy in question was currently searching for anything edible in the woods he was hiking through. His feet were bare as his shoes had torn long ago, scratches and blisters wracking pain through his body with each step. His stomach constantly rumbled and he was just recovering from a fever that he got from eating some meat that he had not eaten correctly. He knew now why the meat he was given before had been warm. Even now, a cough would still wrack through his body once in a while.
It would not be until the boy reached Orario another 3 months later would he finally hear of the message spread throughout the world about his mother and what he now was.
But at that time, the Cursed Prince didn't care and was currently looking for a place to rest. He held his necklace once more, the only comfort he had left. In a ragged bag he had slung over his shoulders, one he had found in an abandoned cabin he had come across along the way, he made sure the letter was still there alongside a broken water flask that could only fill up halfway and a few berries he knew were edible.
The half-elf found a tree he could climb and sleep in for the night. He had quickly discovered that sleeping on the ground spelt danger. It had only taken 3 nights away from the Alf forest to discover monsters. He didn't fancy taking on the bipedal wolf-looking monsters, not with their very sharp claws. His leg still held onto scars of claws that had almost been the death of him only a week out of the Alf forest.
The boy made short work of the tree, having grown up climbing trees much thicker and taller than this one. Finally reaching a branch that could sustain his weight and a bit more, he hunkered down for the rest of the day. He snacked on a few berries to quieten his stomach as he watched the sunset dip behind the tree line. He still enjoyed it.
He draped the bag over his feet to try and keep them a bit warmer and curled in on himself, the nights had gotten a lot colder recently with the sun setting earlier than before. He knew what winter was but he didn't know it could get this cold. But before he always had his mother's warmth to keep away the bitter cold.
The boy grasped at the necklace as he tried to go to sleep before it got really cold. He couldn't afford to waste any more time on being sick. His destination was the city of Orario as soon as possible before the elves beat him there. Before they beat him to his aunt.
He was already too late but the child didn't know this. How could he know he was becoming known throughout the world for killing his mother. How could he know he would go by a new title, one that would haunt him for the rest of his mortal life.
The Cursed Prince slept on a branch; his body shivered in the winter nights as he dreamt of his mother once again.
1 month later:
I'm hungry.
I've never been this hungry in my life. The pain that is in my stomach is unbearable, it feels like it's going to carve away at my soul.
It was through this desperation that I am now standing about 200 metres away from a village. I'm on the left side of the main entrance as that is in front of a clearing that doesn't provide any hiding space.
'Surely by now... they've stopped?'
Whether my prediction is correct or just a pathetic plea out of sheer desperation, either way, I use it as an excuse to enter the village. I close my eyes, grasp my necklace and begin heading to the entrance. However, my body has other plans. I collapse just as I've left the woods.
I'm running, but they only get closer.
I'm going as fast as I can, but the sounds of hooves slamming into the ground deafen me. I can't do anything but I still continue to sprint. They are right behind me; the breath of the horse berates my neck.
Just as one of the riders is about to grab my collar, I jump into a small clearing. There it is! The cabin where my mom is. I need to see her, I have to. I race up to the door. It's locked. I bang on it, wrestle with the door handle. The wooden barricade stands strong. I can't get in, no matter what. I frantically look for a window, anything that I could use to get in. I need to see her, she needs me.
This gives a woman in armour to catch up, the sound of her armour clanking in my ears. I pound harder on the day, cry out for my mom to open the door, but I get no response. With a quick swing of her sword, my vision goes black.
I wake up with a cry.
A dream, that's all it was. A dream.
I grab my chest with my right hand as it violently beats, trying to calm it down. Closing my eyes, I take deep slow breaths, something my mother always told me to do if I'm ever scared.
After I feel a bit more relaxed, I slowly open my eyes. It doesn't take long for my heartbeat to increase again.
Where am I?
I don't recognise where I am. I suddenly feel the comfort of my...bed? I'm in a bed, with sheets and a pillow. Just as I begin to explore my surroundings, my attention is abruptly drawn to the opposite side of the room as the door opens.
"Oh my, you're awake. I thought you'd be out longer. Thank the Gods." An elderly woman begins walking towards me with a bucket of water and a small cloth.
"Oh my, don't worry dear, you don't need to be afraid. I won't hurt you."
'Afraid?' I think but I realise I've backed up on the bed and I can tell my eyes are wide. Am I really scared? I don't say anything as the woman trots up to the bedside and sits down on a chair next to it. She then reaches up to the side of me, grabbing a wet cloth that I hadn't even realised was there.
"You've been out for a couple of days dear.," The woman started, almost as if she knew what I wanted to know.
"A lumberjack found you outside the woods and swiftly brought you here. You came down with a fever and you looked terribly malnourished, so we kept you here until you woke up."
"...w-where?"
"Where?" The woman began before adopting a friendly smile. "Well, this house belongs to the chief of the village. He runs the village and takes care of the people, and he is my son so you know, that's why I'm here. As for the village itself, it's one just north of the city of Altena, a really big city with lots of people and different races. We are called Frynn. We aren't anything special but I don't mind that."
The woman continued her explanation as she dabbed the clean cloth into the water before ringing it out slightly. She gently put the back of her hand on my forehead before she carefully applied the cloth onto my head. It's cool and feels nice.
"I know you elves aren't the biggest fan of skin contact but you are going have to look past it this once, your health is more important, wouldn't you agree."
I numbly nod as I stare at her. This feeling, it's close to how Mom used to treat me when I got sick. Kind and gentle. I trusted this woman; I could tell she was nice.
"You get plenty of rest now, I'll call you for dinner in a bit, you must be famished."
Just as she said that my stomach growled in anticipation of the first warm meal in ages, earning a chuckle from the woman as I feel my face go red in embarrassment.
I've now spent roughly 5 days in this village, including the time I spent asleep because of a fever. The other two days were spent in the chief's house alongside his mother, the woman who nursed me through my stay, and his wife and 1-year-old daughter. I had never seen someone younger and smaller than me. I didn't realise how... fragile they were. Almost as if I just lightly pressed my finger on them, they would die. That was a scary thought so I chose not to hold her when the chief's wife asked if I wanted to.
The thought of taking a life only reminded me of my dreams where I died. I hated the thought of killing, knowing how I felt when I thought about it happening to me.
Just after midday on day 5, I see a carriage being drawn by two horses make its way into town. I had never seen one before and almost as if she could sense my confusion, the old lady explained to me what it was and how it was common in the world. It was amazing how little I actually knew of the whole world if something as simple as this confused me so much.
"How may we help you."
The chief gracefully greeted the man who stepped out of the carriage. He stuck out his hand in greeting, with the man taking it casually.
"I assume you are the chief, yes?" The man asked.
"Indeed I am, and judging by the Sigel on your coat, you are from Altena."
"Heh, it would make sense a chief near Lady Athena's city would recognise her symbol. Yes, I am, I'm here to deliver some simple information that has recently come about."
"Well why don't you come inside first, you and your driver must be hungry, we were just about to put on some tea."
The elderly woman didn't even need to see the man accept the invitation before going into the kitchen to start boiling some water. It almost seemed rehearsed.
I go up the stairs, waiting out of sight, knowing my identity could be known by a high official, that was what my body told me anyway and I chose to listen.
The man began by thanking them for the invite before sitting down. After some polite talking, the guest got to the point. My body went cold.
'Mom's dead? They announced it, why? Runaway. I killed Mom! Cursed prince!'
As the conversation drew to a close, I sat at the top of the stairs, motionless. Tears were dropping from my eyes as I reeled from what I had just heard.
The king, my grandfather, had blamed me for the death of Mom. WHY? Why has he done that, I would never. I'd never hurt her so why?
Then I realise something. The chief, his mother and his wife. They will realise that the person the man just talked about is me, even though it isn't. They are going to turn me in, take me back to the forest. I don't want to go back, never!
I cling to my necklace I take a few deep breaths and make my way to the bedroom I had been staying in. I had to get away.
As Sharon listened in on the kitchen while brewing another pot of tea, she was shocked by what she had heard.
'That's horrible. I'd heard of Princess Celia from passing travellers, saying how amazing and kind she was, especially for an Elf. Now she's dead? How sad. And her son killing her, that is... unlikely.'
Throughout the world, as most people heard of the story concocted by the King and his brother, most people concluded that a young boy killing the Princess was probably a falsehood or an exaggeration. Most people guest that the King did not like having a half-elf in his family as the hatred and discrimination towards half-elves from full-blooded elves was a well-known thing, as the elves didn't even try to hide it.
However, the elves firmly stood by their king as most villages after hearing the noise were sent into grief and anger. They swore to avenge their fallen Princess with only a few villages seeing sense, those being ones that had constant exposure to the outside world, such as the Village of the Wishe forest.
When the elves were confronted by the absurdity of the story and with little evidence to back it up, they double-downed on Leo being a Cursed child, saying that he was the one who gave Princess Celia the illness that killed her. This would eventually become the more well-known story, as even the Royal Alf Forest declared this is what they originally meant, using the excuse that the message had indeed been exaggerated.
'I can't believe they would blame an innocent child for the death of his mother, how awful.' Sharon thought, being one of the few who outright refuted the story.
'That reminds me, I should check on how our young guest is doing.' Sharon thought as she trotted past the conversation, her son waving the conversation away as he began asking for more relevant information about the City of Altena and the supposed hike in land tax.
As Sharon pulled herself up the small flight of stairs, she felt a sudden rush of wind breeze past her. She gave a puzzled look, remembering that she had closed all the windows on the top floor earlier on.
But when she made her way to the doorway of the guest room, what greeted her was an empty room with the window wide open. She didn't need to call out to guess why the window was open. She raced to the window sill and peered down outside, where the chief's horse was currently eating out of the pile of hay with a dent in the middle and a trail leading to the back of the house.
Sharon's mind raced. Why had he run? What for? Then her mind started putting the pieces together.
'A half-elf, alone and hungry, almost as if he was a runaway. It can't be?'
Sharon would race downstairs to quickly relay what she had discovered. After hearing her out, the guest from Altena questioned her.
"How did you not know?" He shouted after finally realising it was the Cursed Prince who had been in the same building as him. He had sent his driver to go find the boy, knowing his capture might mean a nice paycheck.
"How were we supposed to?" The chief answered back, defending his mother.
"The hair! The eyes! That jade colour is distinct to the Royal Elf family!" He bellowed back. That was common knowledge... wasn't it?
But for the people living in a small village who have barely even seen a normal elf, or for those that can never spot a distinction between the colour of jade and green, or for those that simply don't bother in checking, as the thought of a royal elf being so close is an absurd idea. The only reason the man knew of the colour was because knowledge was everything in Altena but for most of the world who lived in ignorant bliss, most people would never be able to tell the difference between a common elf and a royal one. Those reasons are what allowed Leo to escape capture.
'They are still looking for me!' The boy screamed in his head as he scrambled away. His heart was beating erratically. The fear of going back to that forest was strong enough to make the half-elf runaway again, this time from a safe place.
'They were going to hand me over.'
The boy thought of those who had taken care of him, believing they would capture him and force him back. His mind had tricked himself into believing the only reason they had helped him in the first place was so they could eventually take him.
His mind wasn't thinking straight, if it was maybe he would have realised how illogical that all sounded. But a mixture of fear and paranoia was not a good combination for anyone's mind to think logically, especially one belonging to a 7-year-old boy. This paranoia and eventual distrust of the world would be what would set the course for the rest of his life.
2 months later:
Spring was just coming into full swing and Orario was as busy as ever. However, there was a sense of unease around the city. A couple of nights ago, a part of the industrial district was attacked. It was reported the Ganesha Familia quickly arrived on sight but found no attackers and with little evidence apart from that some form of explosives had been used. That was all the information the Guild had given to the public.
A couple of miles away, the main port of Melen was continuing to prosper in trade. It wasn't affected by the attack as badly as the city but rumours and stories still managed to make their way down to the harbour.
The port was bustling a bit more this past week as the Education district had arrived just under a week ago. Some believed that they were responsible for the attack, as the timing of the attack coincided with the arrival of the large ship. That was just coincidence. However, due to the attack, the main god, Baldur, stopped any visits to the city for the time being, not wanting to put any of the students in harm's way. That was what he had ordered.
"Lord Baldur, Lord Baldur!" A few kids came up to him with a pleading look in his eyes. He knew this look; he had seen it countless times. Was it information, maybe money? His mouth would try and say no but before he could even speak, his stupidly kind nature would already be reaching into his pocket.
With a warm smile, he greeted the children.
"Why hello children, good morning. What can I do for you today on this fine spring morning?" The god said with a kind smile and warm tone. He was perfect for his job; it was good he enjoyed it so much.
"Can we go to Orario now?" One of them asked, a young human boy. At this question, one he had been asked a few times now, he just continued to smile before putting a bit more of his teacher's voice on.
"Children, it is still no I'm afraid. It is still dangerous to go there at the moment but I'm sure we will get the green light soon enough."
The Guild had wanted God to bring his students up now to show the city was at peace and nothing was wrong but the God denied it, not risking any chance of even one of his students getting in danger.
He did allow them in the dungeon, yes, but only with an experienced guide that would keep them safe and even then some would come back slightly injured as that was the dungeon's nature but this was different, he could tell.
"Oh, why not? Why can't we go too?"
"Too?" The god picked up on the wording. "What do you mean too?" His teacher voice was now in action and the children picked up on it quickly.
"W-well someone in town said that some kid asked which way to Orario and..."
"Where?" Baldur asked quickly, not wanting to waste time. It was unlike one of his students to disobey him but not impossible. He quickly found the trail led to a young baker selling bread in the market.
"Yeah, some kid came up and said he was a student that had gotten lost. Apparently, he had gotten separated from his group that were heading to Orario. He asked which way the road was so he could catch up."
The man spoke no lies, the God could tell.
"What did he look like young man?" The God asked. He knew all his students; he would soon find out who the troublemaker was.
"Hmmm. It was a half-elf with hair that kind of looked like it had been covered in some mud but he was wearing a hood so I couldn't really see what he looked like. He was small, looked about 6ish but he spoke like he was a few years old. Quiet voice as well, seemed kind of timid if you asked me. Must be someone you've recently picked up my lord." The man once again spoke no lies but it was impossible. Baldur knew of no such student. The only half-elves were teenagers, none of them would ever wear a hood and they were all blonde.
"Thank you, young man, you have been a great help," Baldur said with a smile before swiftly turning around.
"So does that mean we can go now?" The human boy asked again.
"No Jacob you can't. In fact, I would like you to go back to the ship, I'm going to hold a quick assembly."
The boy and his two friends groaned as they followed the God through the marketplace, grumbling at how unfair it was. They could not see the troubled look on the God's face.
'A young half-elf that just appeared. A hood is being used to hide his identity and mud to hide his hair colour. All this and with the recent big news sweeping the world. It can't be.'
Baldur would soon do an assembly for a quick head count but had secretly used it to hide that he had sent his captain, Leon, to go search for the missing boy, making sure no elves were around when he spoke of why.
I continue to follow the road that the man said led to Orario. I'm glad he didn't realise that I was trying to hide my identity. I didn't want to have to face another incident like that again. I guess some adults are smarter than others. But because I can't risk running into one of the smarter ones, I'm staying a couple of metres away from the actual path. There is a nice tree line that follows the road, though I can't see if it continues or not. I pray that it can take me all the way there. I believe that I'm going the right way as just recently, the sight of a wall has just come into view.
I've heard of the walls surrounding Orario since I left the forest and ever since I have looked for them. But it wasn't them that my eyes were locked on. Even though the walls had just come into view, something else had been visible almost since I had left Melen.
'So that's the tower of Babel?'
Suddenly I hear some noise. I dash into a nearby bush and peek out. I recognise the sound, it's the sound of horses and a wooden carriage. I silently watch it trot past my location, no sign that I was spotted. I'm sure even if they spotted me they wouldn't be bothered but I can't risk it.
Ever since that day in that village, Frynn, just the sound of Horses and carriages is enough to put me on edge, as I think that it's going to be someone who is after me like that man. After I left, I did my best to stay out of villages and other places with people but sometimes it was impossible to avoid, whether that be hunger or if I needed directions to Orario.
In those times, I managed to get better at hiding and stealing. I wasn't proud of it to begin with but I quickly grew numb to it, telling myself I needed these things more than others. I can't argue with it because the hoodie I acquired along with an upgrade to my satchel and water carrier has helped me immensely in surviving. Because of the hood, I was able to infiltrate more places easily as it hid my hair colour, eyes and ears. While it did hurt to bend my ears to fit within the hood, the pain was bearable and worth pushing through.
As I see the carriage go out of my eyeline, I begin walking again. I think of how much I have actually stolen. The hoodie, the top, the pants and the boots. The boots were one of the first things I looked for. Not to mention all the food I've taken from stalls or some travellers out camping, dropping into their supply while they are asleep or away. I leeched off one caravan for a whole week before they became suspicious.
Maybe one day I can apologise to all those people I stole from but for the time being, I don't regret my decisions. Those people would've captured me if I had asked them politely. What's wrong with stealing from those that are my enemy? Why would I even need to apologise to them?
After another half 'n' hour of walking later, I finally get close enough to the walls to fully grasp the size and magnitude of the great fortress. They really are as big as they say. They still don't compare to the Tower, which has only gotten bigger the closer I got. But I had almost gotten used to that sight but the walls had only just shown their full weight and it was daunting just looking at them. How could you ever hope to get past them?
'Oh no, how do I get in?'
How had this thought never crossed my mind before? How had I never thought of a plan to actually enter the city? Had I actually just thought I could just walk in like it was some random village? Judging by the guards stationed at the entrance, that was a massive no.
'I can't stop here, not when I'm so close?'
What should I do? I don't think the guards posted to watch over Orario are going to be on the same level as the ones who are outside a Village gate. There was no way to sneak in either, it was impossible to scale the walls. I'd need some ridiculous strength or some really powerful magic to get over them.
Forcing my way in was never even an option. The only one that I could think of was to wait for a travelling party to come by and sneak in.
That idea was snubbed when I watched said travelling party get searched back to front with everyone giving away their identification thingies. I don't know what they were but what I do know is that I don't have one. The only thing that I have that proves my identity is my mother's letter addressed to my aunt.
And that was the only option I could think of. Do I go out into the open, show the guards the letter and plead for them to take me to my aunt? What could go wrong? Everything of course!
The least likely is that they don't even know my aunt and will just turn me away or capture me for the elves. More likely is that they will take me to whoever their boss is first instead and he will then take me to the elves.
The worst outcome would be that it works but when I get there, my aunt turns me away. The lies about what happened must have made their way to Orario by now, so she must've heard of them. What if she believes it and hates me now? What if she captures me herself, she might even want to hurt me because she believes I hurt her sister.
I stop myself from thinking this stuff, again. I've had this thought process countless times now and it gets me nowhere and I still made my way to Orario, to here. It is pointless to think like that. If my aunt does turn me away, then I have nowhere to go anyway. She's my last resort, I have to trust my mother's trust in her sister to write her that letter for me.
Seeing no possible way through this, I decided to take the risk and plead.
Then I hear it, the sound of foliage rustling like someone is sneaking up behind me.
"Not so fast young man."
I swirl around at the sound of the voice. I fall back, hard, hurting my butt. The reason for my shock is that a man is standing behind me. He has blonde hair and clothes that say he is not struggling for money. He doesn't look old but he is clearly a mature person just by the way he holds himself. He is by all means an adult. I also notice the very sharp, pointy sword by his side as well.
Almost sensing what I was thinking, the man smiles before bending down and reaching out a hand. "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." The man's voice was calm and quiet, almost as if he too was trying not to go undetected.
Leon had made quick work of catching up to the young boy after receiving the mission from his God. He had rightly guessed that if someone was going so far to drench their hair in mud to mask their identity, they would know to stay off the main road. But he also knew the boy most likely had little knowledge of the area so he couldn't stray too far away from the road. So with his level 7 speed, he easily found the boy crouched down behind a tree.
He hadn't given his presence away immediately, wanting to appraise the boy. He was in dire straits, his clothes in tatters and Leon didn't even need to see his front to know the boy was extremely malnourished. How he had made his way from the Royal Alf Forest to Orario in this state without a Falna or any help was beyond the man but he looked past that, for now anyway.
He was taken off guard when he saw the boy realise he was behind him as he advanced forward. Most of his students couldn't tell when he was standing behind them but this young boy had. It was probably due to the sad truth that he was always on edge and was suffering from paranoia, his body on full alert at all times.
As Leon lifted the boy off the ground, his theory of the boy's weight was made concrete by how light he was. Leon knew how to hold his strength, he had dealt with toddlers before, but this was bad. He wished he had bought some food.
"Are you planning on going in?"
Leon decided to get straight to the point. However, he noticed the boy trying to keep his head down but the level 7 captain of the Baldur Familia was aware when someone was looking for an escape route.
"I promise you I mean no harm. I've been asked by my God to come here to help you... if that is ok?"
The boy looked up at him, surprise and caution in his eyes as the mere mention of help was foreign to him.
"I'll prove it, ok. Do you want to go into the city?" He calmly asked again, trying his best to seem as friendly as possible. After a few seconds, the boy slowly nodded, his hand clenched on something around his neck.
"Ok then, let's go."
And with that, Leon scooped up the boy and started heading towards the gate. This allowed him to finalise his God's theory. Jade eyes, spits of Jade hair sticking out from the mud and a green necklace with a symbol that could only come from the Royal forest of elves.
At first, the boy tries his best to escape Leon's clutches but quickly realises that he has no chance. He could not fathom the gap in strength but he knew it was enough to stop him from wriggling away. Instead, as Leon made his way closer to the guards, the half-elf shrunk as small as he could, hiding his face from the guards.
Leon could feel the boy's heart pounding against his shoulder, giving him a gentle pat on the back to try and calm him down. Leon knew no words would get through to the boy right now, he needed to prove his friendship through actions alone.
As he made his way to the guards, he wasn't surprised by the lack of a queue that was common in front of every entrance to Orario. No one wanted to enter, only merchants whose livelihood rested on their stock selling dared enter at this time of unease.
The guards, after spotting Leon and recognising who he was, stood up straighter and held their heads level.
"Sir Leon, what can we do for you?" One of the men asked.
"Well, this little one here was split from his father when he was down in Melen for a couple of days. He says he lost his father on the way back to Orario and didn't know how to get back. Lord Baldur found him wandering around and asked me to deliver him back, if that would be alright."
The young Prince froze as he listened to the man. He had come up with a convincing lie so quickly and said so confidently that it would fool anyone.
Leon however knew otherwise. He was the head of the Baldur Familia, a very reputable Familia. Not to mention he was arguably the strongest person in the world, besides maybe a few leftovers from the Zeus and Hera Familia. He knew he could just walk up and in without being questioned, but he was a better man than that. And also, he got a small joy in seeing if anyone would choose to disrespect his God in front of him.
The Guards both knew asking the boy for any identification would be futile and it would definitely be seen as disrespect. If his God had vouched for the boy then just saying no could be seen as blasphemy, and they were not strong enough to be doing that. They both could tell Leon would take it lightly but with too many stories of the Freya Familia, they chose not to take the risk.
"Oh then of course Sir Leon, go right in." The other simply stepped aside and gestured for the man step by. Leon did gratefully.
"Thank you for your service, goodbye."
With a small bow of his head, Leon waltzed into the strongest city in history without even trying. That was the level of status the man had and Leo saw every second of it. He saw what true strength was and he would never forget it.
As Leon began walking through the south road of Orario, he took in his surroundings. He saw the usual bustle of the city at the centre of the world but he could sense an unease that had descended over the citizens. The latest attack over a week ago was the third one in a line of clearly planned attacks. Leon was thankful for his God's unbelievable foresight and care to not allow the students into the city.
As Leon only moved further in, he agreed with the plan his God had thought of. Baldur and the other gods of the education district had decided it would be best to leave Orario early and come back when everything had settled. Leon was growing tired of being asked by the Guild to stay, knowing they wanted his strength. He would not abandon his students and his home though and after his walk through the city streets, he too believed leaving swiftly would be the best course of action.
Leon's wandering mind was soon distracted by a nice smell. He recognised the smell and with a tap of his right pocket to check his wallet had not magically vanished, he headed over to the stand.
I smelt something really good. Maybe it was due to the lack of decent warm food I had been deprived of for the last few months but this smell made my stomach growl, like really growl. I grew embarrassed by the noise, knowing the man carrying me must've heard it or even felt it.
I didn't dare move though to look, not chancing my appearance being recognised even if my hair was caked in mud. After a few actions of standing, the man saying something and then beginning to walk again did the scent begin to degrade. Though a small scent remained, it really was a pleasant smell.
I noticed the sunlight that had been on the back of my head suddenly disappear and the sound of people slowly get quieter until only the sound of the man's boots on the ground remained.
"Down we go."
The man gently placed me on the floor. I opened my eyes and saw that we had come to what seemed to be a worn-down house. Its dishevelled look contrasted with the greenery that had begun to spread through the roots of the house's structure.
"Don't worry, no one will be here. It is called the abandoned district after all," The man gently said with a smile. "Anyway, here you go."
The man bent down and stuck his hand in a brown bag that I had only just noticed. What he pulled out was the culprit for the torturous scent that had followed us for the past 30 minutes. I silently grasp it before looking up at the man.
"Don't look at me like that, I felt your stomach rumble. Besides I bought them for you, it's rude not to try something another person bought for you."
I feel my cheeks go slightly red before biting into the food.
"Is it good?" The man asks as he watches a few tears begin dripping down my face. I gulp down the food, hum in response and then continue to slowly make my way through the food.
I finished it way too quickly, not realising how fast I got through the first nice thing I'd eaten in so long. I didn't even get treats like this back in the forest. The last time was probably that small cake I got on my 5th birthday.
"Don't worry, I bought more than just one, take your time."
As he handed me another one, he stood back up and started walking away. My eyes followed him as I took another mouthful. He gestured for me to follow him. I obliged.
I felt a bit better with something in my stomach that wasn't sour berries or dry meat. As I followed the man I started thinking about him. Why was he helping me? What did he get from this? Was he trying to trick me? If so, why has he done all this for me? Some weird way to earn my trust?
No, if he wanted to capture me, he would have done so. It was obvious he was strong, like really strong. I wouldn't stand a chance of escaping. So I just followed him.
"I like to come here whenever we visit, as in the education district. The way the old buildings that have decayed blend into the growing plant life seems to appeal to me."
I don't know if the man expected me to answer back but I was too busy eating, though I will admit it did look nice.
"My favourite spot is just up here. I know you will like it. It will resonate with your elf blood."
I tried not to show it but I didn't like being associated with the full-blooded elves. Apart from my mom, I want to share as little as I can with them. I hide any scowl by taking another bite out of the snack.
"Here we go, just through here."
I step into the sunrays and as my eyes adjust I stand in awe. As much as I hate to admit it, the sight did have a connection with my elven background.
A large, towering tree stood in the middle of a lush collage of greens, yellows, reds and oranges. It was gorgeous. It reminded me of the tree where me and mom used to star gaze a lot.
"Come here, sit down with me please," The man said as he gestured to a spot next to him beneath the tree branches, creating a nice block of shade.
I looked over at the man, wondering what he wanted to talk about. I knew it had to be with me being this Cursed Prince.
"Firstly... are you the lost prince that has gone missing from the Royal Alf Forest?"
I look away but after a few seconds, I nod.
"Have you heard what they say about you?"
I nod.
"Are they true?"
I shake my head, trying not to cry thinking of all the horrible things I've heard about me.
"Ok. I believe you."
I shoot my eyes towards him, shocked.
'Did he just say... he believed me? That I didn't kill mom and that I am not a curse and and and...'
"What are you doing here then?"
"...Looking..."
"Looking for who?"
Instead of answering, I show him my mother's letter. I hadn't opened it to read but after I had fallen trying to escape in the forest, the top got torn. The first line became visible. It seemed the man also understood and without opening the letter to read the rest, he handed it back to me.
"She is your aunt, yes?"
I nod again.
"Do you know where she is?"
I shake my head.
"So you thought you'd get into the most defended city and just walk about hoping to find a single person."
"... she stands out, I think."
"hah, you're not wrong."
We sit there in silence for a few moments, taking in the surroundings and our conversation.
"I have a proposition for you, will you hear me out?" He asks as he turns to face me.
"Pro-prop...?" I didn't understand the word he just said. The man breathed through his nose in amusement before restarting.
"I have something to ask you, will you hear me out?"
I nod in return.
"Will you join the education district?" He says with a straight face. I answer with a look of shock, not being able to fully comprehend what he just said.
"If you do, you will be under my protection and I will not let any harm come to you, not even from the high elves. You will not have to stay in hiding and I will personally escort you to see your aunt if you want to see her. We will support you in whatever you want to do, that I can assure you. If anyone tries to pick on you, I will be there. If anyone wants to hurt you, I will be there. My god will allow this and no one will question it if my God and I both give you our blessing."
I just sit there, stunned. This offer, it sounds amazing. Almost too good to be true. I want to believe it though.
"I would like you to consider it, please."
I numbly sit there, dazzled by what I was just asked. Is that alright? For someone like me, a castaway, an unwanted child to be taken in.
'No! Remember what mom said, I'm not unwanted. I wasn't a mistake; I deserve a life!'
"Are you lying?" I sincerely ask the man. I want to know if this is real. The man moves from where he was sitting to bend down on one knee and look me straight in the eyes. His Gold irises ripple with sincerity
"I swear on behalf of my God, Baldur, I Leon Vardenburg will uphold everything I have promised you and more."
I stare the man in the eyes before, his Gold meets my Jade. I can tell he means every word of it and he even swore on his God, something that sounds very wrong to break.
I seem to take too long to answer so the man, Leon, stands up and brushes his clothes.
"How about this, you stay here and rest. Sleep on what I just said and go look around the city for a bit and decide what you want. I will respect your decision."
I register what Leon just said and agree to it. I would like to rest as my journey here has been tiring. I feel like my legs would have surrendered if I had to walk another day.
"Ok, let's meet back here at about dinner time. I'll bring us something to eat and we can discuss what you want to do. Does that sound alright?"
I go to nod but realise I have barely said a word.
"Ok"
That was all I could muster but it was enough to make Leon smile.
"Ok then. Rest here, you won't have to worry about being found. Also, one last recommendation. While I can't judge you for hiding your hair colour and eyes, don't be ashamed of who you are. Besides, I bet your ears are hurting from being squished in that hood all the time."
I realise the small pain in my ears as I lower my hood, relishing in the freedom it brings as my pointed ears are finally free of their confines.
"Try cutting some holes in your hood if you want to walk about. That'll hide your hair and eyes but allow your ears to be free. Just a thought."
I fumble at the side of my hood at Leon's words as he begins to walk away.
"I'll see you tomorrow then, don't get into too much trouble."
And with that the man that has thrown me a lifeline and everything I could want walked away, leaving me with the decision that would change my life.
I decide to listen to Leon and get some rest, lying down below the large tree as the soft breeze tickles my ears.
I drift off to sleep with one last thought.
'Things might not be so bad after all.'
Here we go, the start of the backstory. I've decided to just start it fully as where the present day has ended leaves a good cliffhanger for what happens and allows for the backstory to properly be constructed and shown for you lot and who knows, it might not be so bad 0-0
Anyway, Reviews:
SoarenStrafer - Yh glad to hopefully be back giving somehat consistnet chapters over the christmas breaK. Leonis is a very nice name and does tie into the stars.
Jetstormfire - You can pay me if you want... please don't, I don't deserve money. I do this cause I love doing it, that is enough. I'm just glad people love reading just as much.
Brendan1479 - First off, thank you appreciated. Second off... really, one of the best. That's some praise. I know I need to fix grammar issues as whenever I go back and re-read this story, they really bug me but I'd need to dedicate a fuull 3 hours to it so yay. And yh, I like my Hestia. The goddess in mythology is a mother type who truly cares for people, something I want to focus on and not her annyoing clingy parts Omori gave her. Her love for Bell is toned down to more of a supporting motherly role for me but she is still got her cute clumsy and ditsy side to her that just adds to her appeal for me. Thanks for the support.
With that done, I'm back onto my other story so go check it out. I'll see ya in a bit, Peace!