"Did you find them!" Yamano barked out impatiently.
"N-no. Not yet." The soldier trembled uncomtrollably.
"Argh! You guys are of no use. Tell them to search, if they are dead I want to see their body if they are alive then bring them to me!"
The soldier nodded and scrambled away as fast as he can.
Yamano rubbed his temples as he sat down in his cushion chair.
"Young master, it seems like the two most likely ran away." His servant said.
"Do I look stupid to you!" Yamano yelled back.
"No young master. I just want to suggest that we send a patch of troops into the forest in case they did get away." The servant answered back in a calm tone and kept his head down.
"Ok. Ok. Just do what you want." Yamano shooed him away.
Yamano can not believe that they escaped from him. He originally wanted them to pay for what they did to him earlier so after he was let go he immediately had someone track them. This tracker was able to follow them back to this house and reported back to him. After hearing this he ordered for his small army to burn this house then bring their heads back so he can hang it up in the square. He needed to tell everyone that those who mess with him will not be forgiven.
However to hear that they have escaped made his blood boil with anger.
"Find them!" His anger overtook his rationality and he bellowed for everyone to find them and if they don't them they would live to see the next morning.
Some of the soldiers' face became pale and immediately set off while others cursed under their breath. Yamano is what you can call the worst commanders. He picks favorites and believes he's always right. Everything and anything he wants must be his. Many of his soldiers are carefully planning to assassinate him but they know that they can't.
As his soldiers set off, Yamano looked at the burning building. He suddenly remembered that there was once another fire set here in this territory. That time his father ordered for buckets of oil to be spread around the house before the battle. So if anyone knocks over a lamp or candle inside the castle it will light on fire without then having to do anything.
True to his father's words, the castle was set on fire and to their luck, the general and hs wife that reigns over this territory were trapped inside their house. His father, himself went in with some of his bodyguards went into the castle, they killed and looted it. He remembers the creepy smile on his father's face and carelessly told the soldiers to leave when the crown prince arrived.
"You're too late. Prince."
His father laughed as he rode away, with his back facing the burning building.
As for the prince his father didn't even care to kill him since with no one and nothing to rule over he is no better than an ordinary person. Even if he wants revenge, how can anyone go against the great and powerful Mugo clan? Soon after the crown prince went missing and he was soon forgotten.
"Young master. Someone is here to see you." A maid said gently.
Yamano nodded and the maid quickly walked over a distance to talk to a guy in black.
"Master has summoned you home." The black figure said without any sort of emotion. His black cape covered his head and face the only thing that identified him was his cold voice.
"Father?" Yamano was surprised, why would his father want to see him?
'Unless he knows what have done!'
This time it was Yamano' s face that paled as he nodded and orders for retreat. The man in black stood silently as he watched Yamano' s men slowly pack up. With silent cursing Yamano left with a half burnt house crumbling to ashes.
However, the young servant that had asked for Yamano to let him lead a small patch of soldiers to find the two were still in the forest. None of them were aware that their commander has already left them.
"Search! They have to be in here. Search every nook and cranny!" The servant commanded and the soldiers split around and used their swords to cut through the branches and bushes.
"Find them!" Mirai and Suki heard the loud bellows from behind them and knew that it was Yamano's men.
"Suki should we hide?" Mirai asked.
"No. Not in here. They will easily find us." Suki looked around and realized that they have arrived in a familiar spot in the forest.
"Mirai, if I remember correctly this is where we met the bandits right?"
"Eh. Looks like it." Mirai answered.
"Well then. I have a plan." Suki turned around and her horse sprinted towards the way they came from.
"Suki!" Mirai followed her.
"Are you out of your mind? If we go back we would only get killed!" Mirai said.
"No. We are not going to be killed. They are." Mirai saw the glint in Suki's eyes and knew that she has come up with a plan, a devious one.
"Mirai, I need you to lead those men here while I need to do something else." Suki said and Mirai nodded.
The two split up and Suki rode deeper into the forest while Mirai rode back.
Yamano's men continued their search around the forest, checking each cave and suspicious areas.
"Quiet!" The young servant ordered and each soldier froze.
They could hear the sound of horse hooves against the ground and that it was becoming louder and louder.
"Are you looking for me?" A loud crisp voice said and they looked up to see a young man on his horse.
"To think that you would come out by yourself, you sure have saved us the trouble." The young servant sneered.
'How stupid and courageous. To come back knowing he would die.'
"Kill them!" He did not waste a second and every soldier under his command ran up and charged at the two men.
"We'll see if you can." Mirai turned back around and sprinted back at full speed.