The training grounds were in a chaotic state when every soldier in the palace was asked to gather leaving their positions behind. Together with Caleb, Claude rushes to the area and saw his soldiers but no Tayne Willow insight.
"Are you sure it was Tayne Willow who ordered them?" he clarifies to Caleb
"Yes, your majesty, I'm sure of it."
Then suddenly they heard footsteps from behind "My, my, what a ruckus you made so early in the morning Tayne" Claude's father His Majesty, Blythe de Ashger Saveria, said, comes to light together with a familiar face.
"Tayne Willow" utters Claude
The girl smiled, "You remember me"
"How can I forget?"
Tayne willow was the same as any other regular woman you meet in the Kingdom of Saveria, with her common chestnut-colored hair and short built. The only thing different is her uncanny emerald green eyes.
"Well, I guess I don't need her to introduce to you then" Claude's father chuckle and he faced his soldiers "Men, can this old man get your attention for just a moment?"
All the soldiers straighten their backs and altogether shouted " Sir, Yes Sir!"
"Hahahaha, I'm happy everyone is doing well, now, I apologize for the sudden disruption in your everyday duty but I want to introduce someone to all of you, it's been a while we don't have a head of security and Tseng did very well for guiding all of you until now even though he's guarding my son at the same time but starting today, this woman" he pats Tayne's back "This woman here will be your new head of Security and also she will be Tseng's partner in guarding the King, so please welcome her and be good to her"
It took quite a few minutes for everyone to understand what Claude's father said. Their faces were filled with questions but seeing that his majesty took the liberty to introduce her personally to them means he's being serious.
"Hohoho, don't worry, all of you are in good hands, now I'll be going then. Claude, I hope you do remember our little talk yesterday" His father gave him a teasing smile that tells *I told you so* and left while humming a song.
"That Old geezer" mutter Claude
"Hehe, His Majesty never change one bit, always the one to bully you"
Tayne goes near them, Claude noticed she's already wearing a black and white suite just like Tseng. "I heard you were the one who saved me, thank you, Your Majesty" she bowed in front of him
"How did you got out of the capsule? And your injuries?"
"Ah, sorry, the moment I looked at the time and day I immediately ran here so I couldn't be late today, it's my first day on the job you know" she confidently answered
"And why did you fell seven floors high? Also, you were a patient there"
"I broke my arm last week because some guys were playing a prank on me and about me falling off the building, sorry about that but I can't recall about it, hahaha!"
*Is this woman right in the head?* Claude thought *She was in the worst condition the other day that she needs medical attention immediately and here she is in front of me laughing about it*
"You are crazy and here I got worried over nothing" scolded the King " I don't know how deep was your connection with my father but you work for me now"
Tayne stops laughing and straightens her posture " I'm sorry, your majesty, I thought you were a chill person"
"Chill? Ha, don't make me laugh, I'm only like that to people I trust so don't get your heads hopeful, newbie because as of today you just got added in my most annoying person list" Claude walks out on everybody followed by Caleb and Tseng.
"Wow, that was new, never saw you pissed so early in the morning" Caleb points out
"How can that woman possibly lead the most powerful soldiers this country ever has? Can't you see she's just an irresponsible midget! My father must be mistaken about her, and what's about that not getting late on her first day? She almost died the other day!"
"Well, I also doubted her your majesty but knowing your father, he doesn't put efforts like that to just anyone"
Claude paused and lets out a huge sigh while striking his forehead, "I'm not really sure, maybe he's just getting old his judgments getting cloudy"
"Well, we can't do anything about it now, he just introduced her to everyone as the new head of security so for now let's just observe her, agree? I'll research more about her background for the meantime" after hearing Arkynn's suggestion Claude calms down a bit "You're right, I'm not good with a personality like her"
"Point taken, now let's have breakfast, you have a lot to do today"
---
Claude received a report from Arkynn that south of the Kingdom a group of bandits wielding a black flag was seen rampaging a small town. For the Kingdom of Saveria, the black flag only means one thing and there was no one in the Kingdom doesn't know about it.
"He has risen" inside the car, Claude repeated. He was accompanied by Tayne and Tseng who was driving the car.
"Why do people believe in a tale like that? Even my father believed it as well"
"Do you mean the black flag your majesty?" Tayne asked him.
Still annoyed with what happened this morning, Claude was giving her the cold treatment when he heard she'll be accompanying them. She also carries a piece of huge baggage with her almost as big as her and was put in the trunk.
"So you know about that tale too? I'm sure it's just one of our enemies using that story to scare my people"
"Hide now my dear child for you have angered the Gods. As punishment, a black flag will be raised as a signal of the end and the start of anew" an excerpt of the tale 'The Angels of the Abyss' Tayne speaks aloud.
"That's a famous tale from where I came from," she said
"Oh really? Let me guess, from where you came from magic and faeries exist?"
Tayne laughed out loud "Hahahaha! Not quite but maybe?"
"Great, she's a fantasy nerd too" Ridicule Claude
Tseng stops the car, Claude looks outside and sees the town that has taken damage to the said bandits. "Your Majesty, please be careful, this place is filled with latent criminals, were far from the city so for a King to be here is not safe"
"It's fine Tseng" Claude pulls out a silver earring and wears it on his right ear. Suddenly his hair color and eyes change to the color red. Although his hair was still the same medium length and was tied in a low ponytail, he was still as handsome as ever.
"Phew. That's amazing" Tayne complimented "That earring is made of Etheria right? And this entire look" she pointed at Claude's appearance "...is what you call 'Holo' right? This is the first time seeing one"
"This is not magic, it's just science and what do you mean the first time? The healing capsule you just escape from was also made of Etheria - the liquid that is"
"Really? Maybe that's the main reason I healed quickly?" she cheerfully concluded
"No, I doubted that maybe I was wrong about thinking you're so frail but in reality, you are very thick-skinned that's why you don't understand logic very well" The King makes fun of her
"Hmmmmm... thick-skinned huh, maybe I am?"
"Are you kidding me? I was just mocking you -- you didn't ---ah, whatever, I don't want to waste my time with you, let's go" he leads the way as the two bodyguards follow, Tayne hand-carried her heavy bag.
While looking for the bandits, Claude observes the town, it was filled with many homeless people and unfinished buildings. It was not the same as the other towns inside the Kingdom, Tseng was right the town was filled with latent criminals hiding their identities. This was the first time in ten years he visited this run down place.
"How odd, your Kingdom was known to be the most prosperous of all the other Kingdoms but how come you have slums?" Tayne asked him
"The people here don't believe in their King"
"So that's why you abandoned them?"
Anger suddenly rises inside Claude "You're really getting on my nerves so well newbie, is that the way you talk to your King?"
"Sorry, I'm still not used to this monarchy stuff" she replied
The two were suddenly put into a halt as Tseng who was the one leading them now stopped walking.
"Your Majesty, you have to look at this"
"What? Is something .....the.... matter?" Claude slowly walked to the center of town and directed his eyes above them and saw it.
Three people were hanged and above each of their pole, a black flag was waving in front of them.
"This is unfortunate, to use human lives to scare the people here" Tseng bow down his head
"Don't bow your head Tseng" Tayne said to him
Claude and Tseng looks at her staring coldly at the dead bodies "Don't let their death be any useless by not looking at them, this is the only way we can pay respect to them"
Her Emerald green eyes glow, as the light of the afternoon sky touches her face.
Strrrrrriiiiiiike! An arrow was shot targeting Claude and was stopped by Tseng. "Your Majesty, you must hide!" Just when they turn their backs, a group of armed men already surrounded them while they were busy looking at the dead bodies.
"My, what's a pretty boy like you doing in the slums and with two nicely dressed bodyguards too?" A big man holding a huge bolter gun steps in front of them.
Tseng was already in a defensive stance to protect Claude. "They must be the bandits were going to deal with"
Claude nodded ".., and all of them are armed, be careful" he looks at Tayne and she was just standing holding her heavy bag *Great, she had just become a burden now, to think I thought she was cool a moment ago*
"Guess we got a rich guy here boys! This one looks loaded!" the big guy announced to his people and everyone was cheering.
"Now, be a good boy and just surrender your master to us, we won't hurt him don't worry, we just need a little ransom you see"
Tseng pulls out two guns with each of his hands and points them at the big man. " I don't think so, now answer me, why are you wreaking havoc in this land?"
"Hahahaha! Wreaking havoc? Are you blind? This town is already doomed, their so-called 'King' abandoned them here to rot! People here are criminals!"
"That doesn't give you the right to kill them as you please!" Claude angrily yells to him
"Oh, you mean them? I was just teaching the people here what happens if they don't listen to me, you see, the people living here need a leader"
"And you volunteer yourself?"
"Of course! If I didn't then who else was going to? Hahahaha!" the big man's men laughed along with him.
"You are pathetic" Claude mocks him
"What?"
"I said you are pathetic, controlling people over fear and you're even using a black flag! You're nothing but a group of cowards who takes pleasure by hurting the weak!"
"Shut Up or I'm going to rip your pretty face boy, this is just the first step in taking over this Kingdom"
"Ha, don't make me laugh, you will never get the throne from the King"
"So you are a friend of him huh? I change my mind, boys!" He points his gun at Tseng, Kill his bodyguards and give me the pretty face boy to me.
Yaaaahahahahaaaaah!!
The big man's men charge forward and the others started shooting at them.
"Let's take cover there!" Tseng leads them to an empty car as a shield then he started shooting back at them.
Claude pulls out his gun and started shooting as well, " Damn that pig guy"
Tseng was a skilled shooter, he already killed half of the big man's men. But there were still a few above them shooting arrows.
With Claude now helping he easily shoots them with his long-range gun. Just when they thought everything was on their favor more armed men arrived and started running to where they are.
"Tsk, to think we almost defeat them, I can't shoot everyone at the same time"
The battle became more difficult as the big man finally enters the battle, just a single shot with his bolter gun can make a human thrown away. He shoots multiple times at the car where they where hiding to shield themselves.
"This is bad, we must stop that guy's rampage or he'll blow the car!"
"Leave that to me!" Tayne offered
"What? How can you kill that man when you did not bring any gun idiot!" Scolded Claude
"I understand this Kingdom relies on guns but who said I did not bring any weapon?"
Meanwhile, inside the palace, Claude's parents were having a cup of tea together.
"That Tayne girl you hired behind your son's back, I heard she had him worked up this morning, are you sure about her?" Queen Cecil, Claude's mother asked
King Blythe smiled, " Don't worry, my love"
Back to the battle, Tayne opened her bag and a massive object came out from it. She jumps off in front of all the shooting.
"What are you doing!?" Claude stands up
"Your Majesty! Don't!" Tseng stops him
King Blythe, " That woman has gained my trust and is currently keeping a long time promise"
Cecil, "Promise?"
Claude's father nodded.
"HA! What are you carrying little girl? Do you want to die!?" The Big Man directed his gun at her and starts to shoot
"No! Run idiot!" Claude yells at her
King Blythe, "I believe she can change him and this Kingdom"
"AHHAAHHA! Take that! Take that!" series of gunshots were going at Tayne's direction
"No way" Claude looks at her direction already filled with smoke
"My father is wrong about her, she's just one suicidal idiot, to be killed on the first the day of the job"
King Blythe, "Her ways are different than ours when she starts fighting that's the time Claude will see"
"Your Majesty, look!" Tseng shakes him "Something is emerging from the smoke"
King Blythe, "How a real Soldier fights with their lives are on the line"
"Wow. you really gave me a shootout there" Tayne said as she slowly appears from the disappearing smoke.
"W-what? How did she? What is that thing?" The enemy stopped attacking for a moment as they saw what Tayne was carrying.
Claude's eyes grew wider as he saw it, a massive black sword almost as big as the one who wields it emerges from the smoke.
"It's been a while, I hope I'm not getting rusty now" Tayne smiled
--- End.