Chapter 8

The Castle of Stromgard was busy as usual. At the castle courtyard, soldiers stood in rows, responding to commands from their trainers. Sound of metal clashing and heavy boots thumping on the ground filled the air. The instructors drilled the soldiers vigorously, yelling and screaming all the time, and were quickly answered with the same intensity. For most people, they found the environment noisy and annoying, for the sound could be heard throughout the city beneath the palace gate.

For Maya Murdock, the sound was extremely annoying. She was a nature girl. She loved being in places where everything was natural. She loved being alone in the forest or vast grassland or near caves and waterfalls where she could hear the sound of life around her. As a slave at the busy town of Tiras, she had been confined from that freedom for a long time, but since she joined Atrus' cause, she had had plenty of time to unleash her heart's desire.

Atrus ... Atrus White Lion ... Her master and hero. She could remember the very first day she met him. She could remember the fear, the amazement, and the excitement she had, blended together in their first encounter. Her vows remained that she would serve him completely, even if it would cost her life.

Her hands grasped the metal talisman in her neck. Her father's last memory, the talisman had proven to be magical. Anna had confirmed it that the talisman magically increased the wearer's speed and agility, enabling her to move and run faster than normal humans. The talisman should indeed be useful for her, for speed was indeed her most valuable asset.

Her mind shifted to Anna, Adriana Freesland, her mistress. As a priestess of Lycra, her magical ability was impressive. She was very smart, too, and in fact her vast knowledge impressed her the most. Just like her, Anna shared the same fate of her childhood. She was raped when she was only seventeen, and was therefor banished from the shrine. Yet she rose up from her grief and had become Atrus' most trusted ally.

The noisy sound stopped, but the training was far from over. Instead, the soldiers grouped together near the fountain where Maya was sitting. Today was a special day in the training schedule, for there was a special event being held. It was a joust between Atrus White Lion and Captain Hawk.

Captain Hawk was the head of the royal guard instructor team. Being the youngest captain in the royal army didn't mean he was incompetent, for he was the best man in lance and spear fighting. No one could match his spear skill. Atrus, however, was not good with spear, so he used his Rainbow Sword. He received the sword from Baron Stoke when they were battling the demons to save the town of Blackwell from destruction. Anna could not confirm it, but the sword was indeed magical. The metal was heavy and strong, but it was incredibly light in his hand.

From her spot next to the fountain, Maya got a perfect view of the battleground. Anna was nowhere in sight, for she was taking a private lesson with a knight on how to ride a horse. Maya couldn't help but laughed, thinking of her mistress, trying to control the horse. Well, she is going to miss the fight...

The soldiers sat quietly on the ground around the battleground. At the center, Captain Hawk stood proudly with his spear on his hand. The spear was real, with sharp blade at the end. Atrus stood defiantly, facing him. His Rainbow Sword rested on his back.

"This is real, Atrus ... Real weapons and real blood..." Hawk warned.

"Indeed." Atrus answered calmly.

"I've never fought a Ranger before ... Let's see how awful they are..." he taunted.

"Admit it, Hawk ... You're too old for this..."

The battle started as dashed at each other and swung their weapons. The weapons clashed together and the two warriors broke their engagement. As soon as they were apart, Hawk's spear broke into two parts. The crowds grasped as the sight.

"Boy ... this thing is pretty strong..." Atrus inspected his sword.

"Guards! Get me another spear!"

Quickly Hawk wielded a new spear with curled blade at the end, and charged Atrus with it. He played his spear with amazing skill, but Atrus also played his sword well, blocking every blow. Hawk was very skilled in using both ends of the spear and often surprised Atrus by using the other end. Atrus was indeed faster and was able to dodge the attacks. Suddenly Hawk leaped forward and swung the spear over his head. Atrus escaped the blow just in time as the blade sliced through the hard ground. He imitated the attack and made an overhead strike, but Hawk saw him coming and moved out of the way. The sword penetrated the ground and met the spear blade with a loud clash. When Hawk lifted the spear, the blade had been cut into two. Again, the crowd was amazed by the sword's strength.

"Oh my ... I'd better be careful with this..." Atrus wiped the dust off his sword.

"Guards! Get me a lance!"

The fight continued as Atrus charged for attack and put Hawk completely on defensive. The lance's thick body offered more protection to the sword's blow, and Atrus held himself back a little bit. However, whatever in the sword's way wouldn't last for long. The sword cut through logs, metal posts, and even water pipes, which were made of solid stone. Hawk answered the attack by continuously jabbing the lance on the ground, targeting Atrus' legs, but never found his mark.

After fifteen minutes of harsh battle, the joust was decided a draw. Both men were exhausted, but no one scored any hits on each other. The losses, however, were high. Among those were 3 flag posts, 2 banner posts, 4 wooden benches, 8 lances, 11 spears, and a battleground itself. The entire battleground was filled with holes and cracks, that it badly needed repairs before it could be used again.

The soldiers clapped their hands as both warriors bowed. Then the crowd was dismissed for a short break. Atrus sheathed his sword again and faced his opponent.

"I have to say, that was a wonderful match. You are very good."

"You're not bad yourself." Hawk smiled. "Your sword is very deadly."

"It's rather new, but it keeps me alive until now..."

Their conversation was interrupted when somebody approached. It was Anna, and she was not in her best shape. She walked limply, with bruises all over her arms. Her priestess costume was full of dirt. The satin dress was ruined by the dirt. Her short satin skirt was torn here and there. A wide bandage covered her forehead. Maya quickly jumped on her feet and ran to her to help, but she brushed her away.

"Mistress... ? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Is that an honest question, Maya? Or are you just mocking me?!"

Maya stepped back quickly and Anna felt terrible. "Sorry..."

When Atrus saw Anna, he was completely shocked, but Anna cut him off pretty quickly. "Don't say anything, Ranger, or you're toast... !"

"What happened with you? You got stumped by the horse?" Atrus asked anyway.

"Yeah ... twice ... And got pulled by the horse all the way across the field..."

"It can't be..." Hawk grasped. "He was the greatest cavalier trainer..."

"Well, I'm not a cavalier." Anna grumbled, then looked at Atrus. "Don't give me that look."

Atrus snickered. "I know I should have been the one to train you..."

Again, their conversation was interrupted when a royal guard approached them. "Captain Hawk, Sir White Lion, the king wants your presence inside the courtroom immediately."

Hawk turned to Atrus. "They must have finished making the alliance proposal."

"The sooner we leave, the better. Come."

Both men left for the castle leaving the girls. Anna just stood there, watching as Atrus walked away. Maya's hand softly caressed her shoulder.

"Don't take it personally, Mistress ... You know he didn't mean to insult you..."

Anna reached out for the earrings on her ears. Atrus had given them to her on her birthday. She loved them. She treasured them. They were the sign of Atrus' unspoken care to her.

"I know, Maya..." She smiled. "I know..."

"Come, Mistress ... Let me tend your wound..."

The courtroom was silent. King Edward sat uneasily on his throne. Lord Garth, the royal advisor, stood quietly beside the throne. General Kepfer, the minister of war and foreign affairs, sat on his chair. Captain Hawk sat on the other side of the room, while Atrus stood before the king, unmoved.

"This is the fateful day for the kingdom, Sir Atrus." The king slowly said. "The kingdom has lost a hero to the enemy, and has almost lost you. We have carefully read your report. Sir Stoke's betrayal is unacceptable, but he will be missed."

Atrus stayed silent. Baron Anthony Stoke was a villain from the Southern Aragon that had almost sold the region to the demons. He was also Maya's former slaver and the killer of her parents. But her sincerity had turned the baron back from his wrong way and he gave his life to save hers. Finally, with his last breath, he gave them information vital to the kingdom about the demons' ultimate plan.

"And if the baron didn't lie, the plague of the undead armies will spell doom to the realm." King Edward continued. "The practice of bringing dead people to life is forbidden throughout the realm."

"Indeed." Lord Garth stared at Atrus darkly. "The demons have to be stopped."

"The alliance must be forged, your majesty." Atrus answered. "The kingdom of Aragon would not stand a chance alone, but if we join hands with other kingdoms, we may succeed."

"We have faith in you, young man, and your friends." General Kepfer spoke up.

The king smiled, and lifted a scroll with his right hand. The scroll was made of fine paper, tied with a thin band.

"This is the proposal from the kingdom of Aragon to forge an alliance with other kingdoms. I will entrust you with the scroll. Go and forge the alliance in the kingdom's name. Our lives may depend on your success."

Atrus accepted the scroll. "I will do my best, your majesty."

"And do your best you will, Sir White Lion, because I will assist you in any way. You will not travel alone. I have chosen an assistant who will help you in your travel, and he is Sir Hawk."

Atrus was surprised, then turned to face his friend. Hawk just smiled from his seat. "That's right, buddy. I will go with you."

"But you're with the royal guards..."

"Sir Hawk has voluntarily left his position as the chief trainer for his new task." The king said. "He will be ready to go when you are."

"Thank you, your..."

The east door swung open with a crash, and a young man with complete plate armor barged in. Atrus had seen the man before. Prince Roberto was the king's second son, and as the foremost knight of the realm, Atrus had been forced to fight him to gain the king's trust. The battle had issued Atrus as the winner, and Roberto wasn't very excited with the result.

"Father, if these people go, let me go too!"

The people inside the court were surprised at his request. The king stared at his son, puzzled.

"Roberto, are you aware how dangerous the journey will be?"

"I am! I am the foremost knight of the realm. I fear no evil."

"But, Prince Roberto, you are the heir of the kingdom!" Lord Garth exclaimed.

"I don't care! I will go, and nobody can stop me!"

The king was silent for a while. It was clear that nothing could stop the young prince from going with Atrus. Yet releasing the heir of the kingdom to enemy's territory would be foolish.

"Very well ... although your mother would not agree to this..."

"I have talked to her. She agrees." Roberto quickly added.

Finally the king nodded. "You may go. Pack your things up." He turned to Atrus and Hawk. "Please take care of my son."

But Roberto cut him off. "I will be taken care by nobody!" Then he walked out.

The court was silent for a while. The king sighed. "Please forgive my son, Sir White Lion, Sir Hawk. It's all my fault. I should have spent more time with him when he was young..."

"Please, your majesty, you have taught him well!" Hawk spoke up.

"Not well enough, I'm afraid. He is an able warrior, but he lacks experience and attitude. He keeps his pride high, and is willing to break his warrior codes. He is unworthy to be the king of Aragon. If I may speak frankly, I'd rather rule the kingdom from my grave than letting him take over my place."

All people in the courtroom were shocked at the king's confession. He was indeed deeply grieved by his son's incompetence. Then General Kepfer rose from his seat and talked to the king quietly. Soon he, the king and Lord Garth were engaged in a serious discussion.

"We have made an important decision." Lord Garth concluded the discussion. "We are to demote the prince from his royal position."

"What?!" Hawk blurted.

"My son is no longer the heir of the throne, at least for the duration of his journey." King Edward explained. "He will become a commoner, a normal knight under your command."

Atrus was stunned to find the king pointing at him. "My command? Your majesty, I can't do that ... I mean, with the prince's safety at stake..."

"You have proven yourself, Ranger." General Kepfer said slowly. "We trust that you can protect the prince and bring him back alive."

"Please, Sir White Lion, I need your help. I need you to teach my son the real struggle of life, so we stripped him off his royalty to make your job easier. I'm growing old, and soon my time will come. I want to see my kingdom ruled by somebody worthy. I have confined my son for too long, and I'm too old to teach him anything.

"I therefor ask you to teach him all things a king needs to know. He had been confined inside the castle for too long, and he had grown superior here. It's time that he meets somebody superior to him. I cannot drill him. I want the fate of life to drill him, and I want you to watch over him. He may be a difficult man, but the fate of the kingdom lies in his hand."

The king stood up from his throne and stared at Atrus. "Sir White Lion, knowing the danger involved in your task, this is not an order. This is a simple request from the king of Aragon." And to Atrus' surprise, the king fell on his knees, and was quickly followed by Lord Garth and General Kepfer.

Atrus was in the greatest confusion in his life. The king asked him sincerely, and refusing him would be against his will. But taking the annoying prince with him could jeopardize the entire mission. The young prince had proven to be a major nuisance. But the king was right. The prince needed experience outside the castle. He hated to hold the fate of the kingdom in his hand, but he knew he couldn't refuse.

Atrus fell on his knees and bowed. "I will guard Prince Roberto with my life."

Atrus and Hawk sat uneasily on the bed inside their room back in the inn. The girls were listening carefully to their story, and somehow Atrus could guess their response.

"WHAT?!!! That little brat is going to travel with us?!!"

"Anna, I know this might sound crazy, but..."

"Crazy?!! It's insane!!" Anna regained her breath for a while. "Atrus, do you know what it means? We have our vows to the Guardian! That Prince Roberto might hold the fate of the kingdom, but if we fail, the fate of the entire realm is at risk!"

"Miss Freesland, may I point that..." Hawk spoke up.

"Call me Anna, will ya?!!" She blurted out, then regained her breath. "Sorry, I'm freaking out. I just don't like the idea of having Prince Roberto in our party. What do you want to say?"

"It's not Prince Roberto, Miss Anna. It's Roberto. He is no longer the heir of the throne."

"What difference does that make?" Anna inquired again.

"A lot." Hawk answered calmly. "He will have to follow you and heed your orders. I am there to make sure he does that."

"Anna, you have to understand!" Atrus plead. "If you're in my position, you know that you can't refuse such request! We can still do our task. Hawk will help in dealing with the prince."

"That's right, Miss Anna. I will be responsible for the prince's safety."

Finally Anna agreed, although she still insisted that completing their quest was far more important than babysitting the prince.

"Maya, we'd better start packing up. We will leave tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Master." Maya bowed and left.

Hawk stood up and took his leave. "I'd better do the same. We'll meet in front of the inn tomorrow morning. I will bring Roberto along." Then he left.

Atrus turned to Anna. Maya had taken care of her bruises. It seemed that her training didn't go very well. He lay his hand on her shoulder, and she instantly winced in pain.

"Did I hurt you?" Atrus asked.

"I'm just a little tense, that's all ... The training was harsh..."

"Harsh?" Atrus sat on the bed before her.

"Yeah ... I never thought riding a horse will be that difficult."

"It takes time..." Atrus said, then reached out to touch the earrings on her ears. They dangled beautifully beneath her long hair.

Anna blushed. "I took them off during the training ... I don't want to ruin them..."

"I'm glad you like them..."

"I ... I treasure them..." She hesitated for a while, then boldly approached and kissed Atrus lightly on his cheek. "Thank you, Atrus ... for the wonderful gift..."

Atrus softly lay her body on the soft bed. He could feel the tense muscles all over her arms, limbs and shoulders. While he was not good at massaging, he knew how to make her feel better. He undid her red bow, letting her long golden hair fall on the bed, and stroked her hair softly. She hummed in delight at the treatment, and her muscles began to relax a bit.

Anna was taken by surprise when Atrus' engulfed her small mouth. She gingerly accepted the kiss and almost ran out of breath when Atrus broke the kiss. Atrus continued his intrusion on her neck, arousing her. In his second kiss she was more prepared and responded fully.

"Atrus ... take me..."

"No, Anna. You're tired. You need rest. I'll help you."

Atrus softly pulled her dress down, revealing her cute breasts. Her nipples stood erect instantly upon contact with the cool air. Atrus expertly played with her breasts, cupping them and teasing her nipples, arousing her even further. Her breath was getting short. Tiny beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. When he touched her nipples, Anna almost jumped from the sensation.

"Atrus ... please ... don't just tease me..."

"Hush ... just lie down and enjoy..."

Atrus reached out under her skirt and slowly removed her panties. They were soaked with her vaginal fluid. Anna was blushed at the sight of her own panties. When Atrus touched her tender nether region, she moaned in pleasure. He slowly traced his finger along her hips, probing her lips and finding her clitoris. She responded almost instantly. Her hips jerked violently at his touch. He played with her clitoris for a while, making her crazy.

"Atrus, please ... please..."

"Let it go, Anna ... let it go..."

Then he inserted his finger inside her pussy. She couldn't hold it anymore and exploded.

"Atrus ... I ... I can't..."

She arched her back despite all the bruises across her body. A silent scream escaped her lips as she reached climax. More vaginal fluid came from her vagina, drenching his finger. Her body tensed for a while before relaxing again.

Atrus helped her to lie comfortably on the bed. He wiped her wet region with a towel. He then put her dress back on and wrapped her weak body with a blanket. Anna was in heaven. She was completely exhausted from her orgasm, and was lying on the bed comfortably, wrapped in a blanket, tended by the man she loved. She looked at him lovingly; tears fell from her eyes.

"Atrus ... you're the best ... Thank you..."

Atrus kissed her forehead, just like a father kissing his daughter. "You're welcome, Anna. Sleep well. When you wake up, you will feel better."

The next day, Anna felt a lot better. In fact, she got the best sleep ever. The sore muscles were healed almost completely, and she had no problem using her new energy to heal the bruises. Maya served them a light breakfast, and they checked out.

Hawk came later on his horse, towing two other horses. He wore simple suit and trousers. A chain armor covered his torso. On his right hand he held a fine spear with crescent-shaped blade at the end. He also wore thick leather boots and metal gauntlets. His cloak bore the crest of the kingdom of Aragon.

"Good morning. I'm ready to go. The prince is coming shortly."

Atrus helped Maya load their stuff on her horse. Atrus then mounted the other horse. Anna was to ride with Atrus for the time being until she could ride by herself. As usual, she instantly clasped her hands around Atrus, cutting his breath.

Prince Roberto arrived later on his black horse. He wore a full body armor, complete with helmet, steel boots and gauntlets. His long cloak greatly enhanced his dark appearance. On his hip hung the long sword: the four-foot-long Kaiser Sword. He stared at Atrus darkly.

"You win, Ranger. I'm no longer a royal prince. Are you happy now?"

"What do you mean?" Atrus challenged.

"Don't push me, Ranger..."

"Enough!" Hawk snarled then stared at the prince. "Roberto... ?!"

It was clear that the prince somehow feared Captain Hawk. He held his anger and nodded toward Atrus. "I'm ready to go."

"Okay, here's the plan." Atrus began. "If we will move quickly, we can reach the nearest town, Lyrus, before dark. We will rest at Lyrus for a night before resuming our journey tomorrow to the border. If we do it right, we will reach the border somewhere at noon tomorrow."

Once the direction was given, Prince Roberto raced his horse away, followed by Hawk. Atrus looked at the frightened Anna behind him.

"Hold tight, Anna. We have to ride quickly. Tell me if you want to stop, okay?"

Anna nodded nervously, and Atrus raced his horse toward the other two men as Anna's cry echoed across the town. Maya giggled at the sight, and paced her own horse.

The journey went well. They stopped for lunch somewhere in their journey. Maya made a quick lunch of buttered bread with ham and lettuce. Roberto didn't join them for lunch. He seemed to bring his own ration. Maya didn't mind. She didn't really like the prince. Her other friends, however, were engaged in an interesting discussion, so she merrily joined them.

They arrived at Lyrus on time. Lyrus was a small satellite town near the Human-Elven border. It was heavily fortified by a mix of soldiers and mercenaries, therefor slightly hindering the town's growth. They rented three rooms at the inn. The girls would share a room, and Atrus and Hawk would share the other, since nobody wanted to be in the same room with the prince.

The party gathered again in the inn dining hall. Atrus and Hawk seemed to get along well, sharing their war stories and experience. Anna and Maya were also engaged in rather naughty conversation, with Maya teasing her about Atrus. A maid came to them with the dinner menu, and Maya busily inspected them, trying to find anything interesting to learn.

"Diced beef with mushroom cream and vegetables ... this sounds good..." Maya looked at the maid with his pleading eyes. "Can I watch while you prepare this meal? Please?"

The maid blushed. "Of course ... I guess..."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to open a restaurant. I just want to learn."

"Okay ... I can teach you ... The kitchen is..."

The party fell silent as Prince Roberto approached. He found the maid standing next to Maya. He took the note from the maid's hand and read it.

"Diced beef with mushroom cream and vegetables?! Doesn't sound like your stuff!"

"What's your point, Roberto?!" Atrus said coldly.

"She's a slave! A slave should eat leftover food, not main course!"

The party stared at the prince in disbelief. Tears sprang from Maya's eyes and she began to sob softly. Atrus couldn't hold his anger anymore and stood up to challenge the prince, only to be stopped by Anna. Captain Hawk was speechless, unable to figure out what to do.

"Roberto ... Have I not make the vow to the king, you would have been dead by now!"

"Atrus, take it easy..." Anna tried to calm him down.

"Roberto, do you aware of what you just said?!" Hawk snarled.

"What? I said the truth! She's a slave!"

"Damn you, Roberto!"

"Master, stop it!"

Atrus turned to Maya, who were looking at her with her teary eyes. "I thank you Master ... But he was right ... I ... I'm not supposed to eat with you ... Good night..."

"Maya!" Atrus stopped her just before she left the dining room. "You are a slave. You are to obey my orders, right?"

"Yes, Master." Maya answered.

"You will do whatever I tell you, right?"

"Yes, Master."

"You will obey only me and people I tell you to obey, right?"

"Yes, Master."

"Then I order you to eat with us. Don't listen to this nonsense."

Maya stared at her master for a while, then nodded. "I hear and heed, Master. Thank you..."

Anna approached her. "Maya, the sun is still high. Why don't we eat dinner outside, just near the forest? I will spread several blankets for us to sit on. You can use the kitchen and learn how to cook that beef thing. You can even make your own dishes!"

Maya's face brightened and she nodded readily. "That's a wonderful idea, Mistress ... Master, can you take me to the market? I have some stuff I need to buy for my dishes."

Before Atrus could answer, Maya grabbed her master's hand and dragged him outside the inn. Anna left the dining room to fetch the blankets. The maid left for the kitchen to prepare the meal.

Prince Roberto turned to Hawk, but was welcomed by his fist. Hawk punched the prince on his jaws, sending him crashing on the wooden floor. The prince was ready to fetch his sword, but the young captain's cold stare stopped him.

"Go on, Roberto! Kill me and make you father proud!"

The prince didn't move.

"You're a disgrace to your family! I can picture how happy your father will be when he hears this incident. I'm ashamed to hear such thing being said from a mouth of someone who will inherit the throne of Aragon! You're nothing but a damn little rascal!"

Hawk grabbed Roberto's shirt, lifted it, and slammed his body against the wall. "Now I don't have time to baby-sit you. We're going to trust our lives on each other, so if you want to see them save your ass, you'd better change your wicked behavior right now! Lecture's over!"

The knight dropped the prince down on the floor and left him. "One last thing." He said before he left for the door. "If Sir White Lion decides to kill you, the second blow will come from me."

Hawk opened the door with a crash. Anna, who had been watching the few last actions, stepped down the stairs, dragging a pair of blankets with her. She stared coldly at the prince for a while before exiting the inn. The entire inn had been quiet since the incident started. All eyes were looking at Roberto. But he just stood up and walked toward the stairs and into his room.

The dinner was wonderful. Maya memorized the recipe quickly and even added her own vegetables from the market. They ate while watching the sun go down. Hawk brought his wooden flute and played several songs, charming the party. They went to bed early, for they had to wake up early tomorrow.

The journey continued as they paced their horses past the fort of Lyrus and toward the border. Different from the area around the village of Whitewater which was covered with thick forest, this area was entirely grassland. The humans had erected a long chain of guard towers across the grassland to fortify the border. Although both nations were in cease-fire, the towers were all manned and alert.

Beyond the grassland lay a small patch of swamp, the border of the nation of Elom, the Elven kingdom. And beyond the swamp, the unbroken view of dense forest of Elom filled the landscape. The swamp served as the border and a trap for any intruders. Atrus had heard the story of the Elves thwarting an entire human invasion by charging them when they were crossing the swamp. The defeat had become the thorn inside all older human generals.

Atrus had learned many things about the Elves from Anna lately. The Elves allied themselves with their Mother Nature. They preferred staying in simple dwellings inside thick forests rather than cutting down trees to make better towns. The action of Humans destroying the nature was actually the main cause of the Human-Elven war. The Elves blamed the humans for destroying nature for their own benefits while the humans condemned the Elves' act in preserving the forest for themselves.

The Elves were somewhat similar with humans, except for several things. The easiest detail to spot was their pointed ears, which were their primary identity. Humans also found the way the Elves talked interesting, as their words flowed in melodious tone, just like a song. Their hearing was also excellent, making them great hunters.