"Stop right there! Do you have an invitation card?" Two guards stopped him at the entrance, crossing thier swords before his chest.
"I am Hellion Duxsoro and I have been invited by the King." He took out the invitation card with the Royal stamp over it and raised it in front of thier eyes.
One of them took the offical paper off his hand and scrutinized the paper carefully which clearly stated his invitation with name and picture. They had no doubt that it was indeed issued by the Royal authority as they recognized the thick off-white paper which was always used for such invitations and was specially hand-made inside the Palace to avoid fraudulence.
However there was a thing; according to the invitation he was expected at the castle on 7th of December but it was 5th of December that day.
The guards exchanged looks before looking at the tall man standing in front of them with a bored look on his face. In a pair of blue jeans and plain black jumper, he appeared quite casual for a royal meetup. However there was something about his gorgeous looks and confidence that overshadowed everything else.
As if realizing thier hesitation, he lifted his hands up in the air and shrugged before speaking. "It's okay if I am not allowed in today. I can always come later."
"Expected guests are always welcomed in." He heard a throaty voice from somewhere behind.
All of them turned around to look at the intruder and were met with a man in military attire. He walked up to Hellion and shook his hand before introducing himself. "General Alec Preston."
"Hellion Duxsoro." He returned the general's nod with his own.
The guards didn't need any instruction to open the doors soon after the introduction was finished. Immediately they opened the gates and the two men strode in side by side. Even though Alec Preston was a manly man with a broad chest and thick build, Hellion seemed to tower him in both height and mass.
"I didn't have much to do tonight so I decided to pay the Palace a visit." He initiated the conversation, revealing his intention behind appearing days before their official meetup.
The General nodded formally at his statement before speaking, "The doors of the Palace are open for you anytime, Mr Hellion. The King himself is really impressed by your track record. We are eager to brief you about the services we are looking forward to obtain from you."
"And so do I." He replied but in almost a whisper as if was talking to himself.
"A Royal ball is being held tonight. As you would soon be a part of the Royal servant community, you may join the dinner. I shall inform the King about your presence." The general informed him while glancing at his face which was moving right and left, busy observing the huge castle as they walked towards the inside. It seemed like he didn't pay attention to what he just said.
Hellion on the hand was slightly curious at why he was treating him like a special guest even though he wasn't expected at the Palace tonight. What kind of services were expected from him which made the general escort him to a Royal ball without invitation. Whatever it was, he had a feeling that he was going to enjoy it.
No one stopped him this time as he was walking by the general when they crossed the garden and turned towards a more private side of the castle where the ball was being held.
~
"No thanks, there is no need for an announcement." He stopped the Royal announcer with the gesture of his hand who was about to call out his name upon the general's instruction.
"As you wish." The general didn't seem to be offended by the act as he led him in.
Though Hellion Duxsoro wasn't the type to take someone's offense seriously even if it was the state's Military general bedside him.
As soon as his eyes captured the scene playing in front of him, he immediately regretted his decision. A huge hall decorated with lavish accessories, a screaming show off of riches and packed with glistening men and women. Everything was irritating his eyes like the sun rays that blind the ones that have been stayed in the dark for too long, upon sudden exposure.
He just wanted to visit the Royal library because he had heard that it contained a secret chamber consisting of books written on ancient history of Egypt, the deserted land around the land they resided on. He had hoped that he would find some of his answers in those manuscripts but it seemed like he wouldn't be reaching there any time soon.
"I-" He wanted to say something but the words were lost somewhere as his eyes finally adjusted to a certain someone right in front of the line of his sight.
His onyx eyes immediately spotted a familiar pair of champagne eyes…
A girl or to him 'the girl' was being placed in one of the platforms of a huge scale. On to the other platform were placed chests filled with gold and jewels. For a moment he couldn't make sense of what was happening so he instinctively tilted his head to look at the general but his baffled expressions suggested that he was as clueless as Hellion himself.
After he scrapped his vision off her and let it splatter around, it didn't take him long to realize what was happening. The king was marrying or can also be termed as 'selling' his daughter to another King of the neighboring kingdom.
He didn't understand from where a blazing surge of anger appeared and lashed through his heart, making its way to every vein among which the blood was being pumped. With great difficulty, he managed to stop his eyes from changing color but he couldn't stop his fingers from clenching into fists.
What is happening to me? He questioned himself as he couldn't understand this sudden outburst of emotions inside him threatening to take over.
He wanted to leave immediately. It was none of his business but…but then her eyes met his…
She blinked and he saw a tear escaping her eye and traveling down her milky skin. How bad he wanted to see the face of that mysterious girl from his dreams but at that moment nothing was exciting him.
He didn't know why she was looking at him like a kid who had fallen in the mud and was now expectantly looking at her parents to pick her up.
She didn't know herself why looking at the face of that stranger caused her to let go of the tears she had been holding. An inexplicable emotion surrounded her heart. It was like when someone finds a familiar comforting face in a herd of strange creepy faces.
Her cherry pink lips trembled slightly and he lost it...
He broke the promise he made to himself…he didn't know why but he had to…