"It better be worth my time." his eyes darkened in fury.
They left for the stables when the stable keeper brought a majestic black horse that looked bigger and less tamed than any other in the stable.
"Ah, master I knew you'd be on your way by now. I cleaned this fussy beast and saddled them up for ya." he was a middle-aged stout man with a long beard and plump cheeks as he laughed out loud.
"I should pay you ten times more than your wages for being vigilant mister Hugo." Sebastian smiled and patted his horse who looked calmer being with his master.
"Could you prepare another horse for the guest? It seems they suddenly developed an interest in hunting."
It was somewhat of sarcasm directed towards his half-brother. The man shifted his gaze to the crowned prince who impatiently stood cross-armed by the fence that separated the mansion from the forest and the farm behind near the training grounds linking the Academy walls.
He hastily bowed and greeted the crowned prince and hurried inside the stables to get a more tamed horse than 'Beast' that was Sebastian's horse.
He mounted Beast and let him loose on the reins so he could run slowly around the track.
"Easy boy."
He pulled the reins gently as he picked up some speed. Charles stared at them in disbelief. It was a saying he heard that a horse chooses its master due to the similarities shared between them.
When he came closer to him he was a bit shaken as he inquired about his little brother about this demonic creature.
-"How does he even tame such beasts?"
"Have you got no better option than this creature?"
Sebastian looked displeased after hearing him.
The horse glared back at Charles when Sebastian got off him and charged at Charles for his curly blonde hair gleaming in the sun.
"Master I've brought the horse-"Hugo saw something unprecedented as Sebastian finally got hold of Beast to stop him from chewing at the crown prince's hair.
"Hugo, did you not feed him well?" He gently stroked its neck as it snorted at the prince.
"I could've slayed it here and now." Charles raged as the horse looked away as if to feign ignorance to his words.
Hugo apologized deeply for the trouble they faced.
He handed the reigns of the horse that looked calmer and milder than Sebastian's.
"She's the most tamed one out of all the horses in there, your highness." He fidgeted nervously as the mare sniffed around Charles' hair once again and alarmingly backed away a little due to the trauma he received from Beast.
She rubbed at his face gently as her silk white coat glistened under the rays of warm sunlight.
"She's similar to Trojan." He gently rubbed her face and got up.
"Then, please follow me, your highness." Sebastian remounted Beast and wheeled him towards the woods.
Charles snorted in agitation and galloped after him wearing his bow that towered behind his back.
The woods seemed neverending as the canopy of thick trees laid a shade that looked like a green blanket over the damp forest bed with overgrown shrubs and mosses covering dead logs.
The trees were generous enough to let abundant sunlight reach the forest floor to the smaller plants that made it livelier than other dull forests.
Small birds sang and chirped over the branches extending from the main bark of the ten-meter-tall trees.
"Does having me around trouble you that much?" Charles pulled the reins to match Sebastian's pace.
"I'd rather you're dead." He spat words that were colder than ice.
He smirked and began his conversation ignoring the anger that caused the small harmless creatures to scurry away in fear.
"The Nirvanas are a cursed bloodline." he began when Sebastian unsheathed his longsword and swiftly brought it near the prince's throat.
"Another word and I'll forget you're the crown prince." He stared darkly at him.
He continued despite the life that was now under threat of being lost at any moment.
"Well, the ancient scrolls in the palace library have said so as we speak." He chose his words carefully.
He knew that even if he was a talented swordsman but he could never outdo his little brother who was more of a war-crazed beast and was on par with him.
"What about them?"
He roughly pointed the sword at him as they reached the center point of the forest.
"You're more of a trickster than I assumed you to be. Forcing me to a place where not a soul is found."
"Just answer what I asked of you."
He sighed and slowly continued where he took pause.
"According to the scrolls, the Nirvanas were originally responsible to guard the saintess born in every generation. However, they have broken the oath twice and were cursed to face the wrath of God. Thus they are merely dogs of the royal family for the rest of their lives as the only way of repentance through the generations."
He shrugged and glanced at the dumbfounded war beast who tried to hide the overwhelming expression as best as he could.
"But what does that have to do with teacher's daughters?"
"Why not ask him yourself? As far as my intuition has laid conclusion. They'll face a hard life." He took off his bow and positioned the arrow pointing at Sebastian.
Before he could react the arrow left the bow at the speed of light and flew past him hitting a small grey rabbit behind him.
"I missed it again."
"Charles Atlanta!" Sebastian roared and nearly cut his neck so that he barely dodged.
"Never call me by that name war hound." the air around him suddenly changed.
"And it will be the future King Raphael Zedekiah von Atlanta." He hissed in a dark heavy voice but that did not faze Sebastian to even twitch his brow. He pulled the reins to where his prey lie dead bathed in its blood.
"Wait..."Sebastian called out in a calmer but heavier voice.
"Give me the complete details." he knew that the information his brother spit out was a droplet in the vast ocean that was given to him on purpose.
"It will have to wait until our next appointment lord Valentino." He wheeled his mare and galloped away to the exit leaving him behind speechless as his eyes were left in long thought.