"Prince Adlai, you looked really delighted." Said General Zaman.
"Does it really shows in my face, Lord Zaman?" the prince replied. He is currently cleaning his favorite sword. His eyes are bloodshot and he's grinning from ear to ear. Zaman let out a very loud laugh. Now that Zereko is gone, he had to find another tool for him to use, and that is Zaman. After all, among the generals, he's an easy catch. All he think about is war and battle which made him an easy target for Adlai.
"I know, your highness! Because I'm feeling the same way!" exclaimed Zaman who's shaking because of excitement . "I can hardly restrain myself." He added.
Adlai on the other hand found him very uncomfortable. He thought they are not alike. Not in a bit. However, he's got no choice. The rest of the divine circle are either suspiscious of him or they are just simply uninterested of the prince.
"My blood is boiling, I can hardly wait to fight warriors from other kingdom!" said Zaman who can't shut his mouth.
"Yes. We'll make Amane a great country again. We'll gonna make war after war and make a name that will etched a fear in every people that hears it." answered the prince.
"Now that I think about it, what are you going to do with your brother?" Zaman asked. Adlai suddenly Adlai slammed his fist on the wall and throw a death glare at Zaman. Zaman on the other hand, suddenly began sweating and his throat felt dry. But instead of fear, he was thrilled by how the prince looked at him.
'I was really right to pick his side! He's gonna make a bloodshed battlefield!' he thought.
"Don't you ever call him my brother!" growled the prince.
"I-I apologize, your highness." Said Zaman, fakely apologizing.
"Well, about that trash, there's no need to worry about him. He's badly injured so I doubt they would do something. Besides, they don't have anything to fight us, men, equipment, and the girl is in our hands. He is not stupid enough to fight on a one sided match." The prince quickly calmed down.
"So? You won't do anything to him for now?" Zaman asked.
"No, I'll have him captured tonight." The prince answered reluctantly.
"Would it be better to just kill him?" Zaman asked again. The prince grew irritant of him.
"I would. In front of the people of Amane. To make an example of what happens when someone opposes me." The prince replied. Zaman's grinned even wider.
"I really liked that part of you, your highness!" Zaman said but Adlai find this disturbing.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door on his office.
"Come in." the prince said plainly. An injured and heavily-sweating man came to view. Adlai's eyes widened.
"What happened?!" he asked.
"It's not working, your highness. Some of the families won't hand over their sons to us!" the man said. He is bleeding from the center of his forehead and his body shows some bruises. "They were wrecking and picking up a fight with the soldiers." He said panting.
"All right. I'll go there myself." The prince said and sheathed his sword.
"Tsk! Pests!" Zaman said and followed the prince outside.
When thet got out from the office, they can already hear people shouting and by the sound of it, it might be a big mess and that is true. Outside is like an image of a riot with barrels, bottles and kitchenwares as weapons. The soldiers, even with the swords and spear can't even point it against the citizens. It was an absolute rule of the late King Amos not to hurt any civilian of Amane.
When the prince stepped outside the terrace of the second floor. He can see how messy it was. He can see how powerless the soldiers are to the citizen. He had to take an action.
"LISTEN UP!" he shouted from his place. Everyone stopped and was looking for where was that voice came from.
"Up here!" the prince said. Everyone looked up and surprised to see the prince. The prince looked at them fiercely as if he is wearing the crown of a king. Everyone started to whisper, even the soldiers.
"Prince Adlai! What is this all about?" one man from the crowd shouted.
"Did the soldiers have not tell you about the new law?" replied the prince. The sound of disappointment were heard from the crowd.
"But why do we have to offer our sons as soldiers for Amane?!" other one yelled.
"Because it is the law." Replied the prince coldly.
"Since when did that became the law?!" another man shouted.
"And besides, every law that is mandated in this country, the people shall vote if they agree or not!" another from crowd shouted. Many of the people said the same thing. They agreed with each other. It was really loud and the actions of the people are really beyond control of the the soldiers.
"A law must become a law by voting done by the citizen. That's true." Said the prince.
"Then why--."
"That's true from the old administration of this country. However, that has been changed. No, everything will be change." The prince let out a wide grin but he just receive more dispute from the people.
"What do you mean by change?!" one huge fat man yelled, breaking barrels and bottles.
"The old king is gone as well as the old laws. Now, I'm creating new ones. Well, not really new. I'm just gonna bring back Amane to its former glory!" said the prince. However, the people think that Amane has never lost its glory.
"How dare you say that?! You're not even a king!" someone from the crowd shouted and that didn't escaped the ears of the prince. He glared to the crowd and they turned silent.
"Who said that?" the prince growled. His eyes filled with intent to kill. Everyone hesitated and no one dared to talk nor to move. Suddenly someone pointed a person and said that he was the one who shouted.
The prince could not contain his rage by that insult told the soldier near that man,
"Behead him." He said without any consent. Zaman, by his side grinned as he looked at the terrors on the eyes of the people. The man who just insulted the king was stoned on his place. He knew that the prince would dislike it, but he was so angry that he wasn't able to control his mouth. He was asking himself whether what he did was wrong or not. What's wrong in telling the truth? That was what on his mind.
Everyone, citizens, and the soldiers stood in disbelief. They can't believe what they're hearing and witnessing. For so long, Amane experienced a silent, gentle, and peaceful life.
A life that everyone had wished for. A life of contentment indeed. However, it seems that that would be coming to an end now.
"Why are you just standing there? Do it." he ordered. The soldier in question was stuck between following his prince's order or his own humanity. Their role is to protect and maintain order but to behead someone with just so shallow reason.
"I-I-I can't, your highness!" the soldier showed his resolve.
"You disobey my words?! Well then, I'll give you an option. His head or yours?" the prince asked. This made everyone shocked in terror. They've never seen a public execution in their whole lives. This gruesome scene inflicted a fear in every citizen as well as the knights.
The soldier he just threatened was sweating a lot, hardly breathing and was shaking to his bones. But that is nothing compared to the man whom he was asked to behead. He was down to his knees with terrified expression.
"Your highness! This is unnecessary, we can still ask them to submit!" the threatened soldier said. His resolve is strong but his voice showed his fear. It is shaky and hoarse.
Suddenly, Zaman descend from the second floor to the ground. This made many people moved away from him. Everyone is pretty scared at him.
"A soldier who doesn't know how to kill is not worthy to be in service for any king!" he scowled but the next thing he did make things worst.
Blood splattered after he swung his sword unto the neck of the man who insulted the king. His blood mixed with the water in the fountain. His head was separated from his body. The people looked at its face only to find it very horrific. Its eyes will look at you as if he's going to take you with him. The people have enough of this cruelty but Zaman isn't done yet. He looked at the soldier who failed to follow the prince's command. The soldier shook his head and fell down to his knees, begging for his life.
"I apolo--."
The general did not even let him finished his words. Blood was again splattered. His head was also separated from his body. His badge as a knight fell off from his chest. The other soldier found this very unfair and unreasonable action of a general. They should be able to stop them but it was Zaman they are talking about. His physical strength alone is unparalleled. Not to mention, the prince is acting the same way as Zaman. All they can do is grit their teeth, clench their fist, and glare with their eyes.
"Listen, people of Amane! Anyone who fail to do what I say, even if you're a soldier, a knight, or even a GENERAL, you will be subject to execution!" the prince said and left them to return to his office.
Zaman looked at the people which made them run for their lives. He then looked at the soldier.
"I supposed, you know your place. Follow his words and you'll live. Failed to do so will…" he then pierced the severed head of the soldier at its forehead. "Will end up in same place as this trash!" he added.
The soldiers just looked down to the ground because they can't bear to ignore what is Zaman doing at their deceased comrade. Zaman left delighted and laughing hysterically. His voice echoed like a bass drum. People hid inside their houses and everytime Zaman would passed their houses, the would shiver in fear.
"Damn it! I never signed up for this!" one soldier said.
"What do we do now?"
"We have no choice. It's either to kill or get killed." Others agreed with him. They have to bear this inhumanity of the new ruler.
"What on earth happened here?!" somebody who just arrived said. They turned around and saw General Balthasar.
"General Balthasar!" they all exclaimed. They have explained wwhat had just happened when the Lord General wasn't around.
"I see. Did the other generals know about this?" The general asked.
"It just happened so I guess they haven't reached by the news yet." One answered.
This is truly troublesome, General Balthasar thought. This course of action of the prince is something he didn't expect.
"Amane really needs you." General Balthasar whispered.
"There's nothing we can do about it. He'll be crowned as the new king tonight.we just have to get used to it sooner." A solider sighed. The Lord General got mad.
"Why do you think you became soldiers?! Wasn't it to protect and maintain order?!" he snarled.
"We know that Lord General but we got lives too!" one soldier answered.
"A life that would be spent for inhumanity? This country will go for war, in no time, you'd be dead. You aren't train for wars afterall." The general said.
"But when we oppose the king, we'll be good as dead." One said.
"You won't if you'll go with me." He said. Other soldiers were confused but followed him anyway.
"Where are we going, General?"
"To the one who can save Amane." The general said with hopes in his eyes.