Prince Edward:
Crack, Crunch, Creek!
The sound of branches broking and leaves stepping on filled the air as we walked through the forest. The winter was ending, so there were dead woods all around. It had been a week since we made it to the Beast Glades, and it lived up to its name. Today was the first day the beast hadn't bombarded us: wolves, snakes, tigers, hell, even boars all came at us. Although none were above layer four, the sure number had exhausted my men.
"Ahhh! How much further do we have to go to find this princess? Ahh!" Brad complained as another branch slapped him in the face. After the battle with my Protector, the falling noble decided to join us. He was a loud-mouth hothead, but that's to be expected of the ex-bandit leader.
"One would think you'd be used to something like this." One of the men said under their breath. None of my men had taken a liking to the man.
"Yeah, don't bandits live in caves or forests. You know, away from the civilized folk." Another soldier chimed in, getting a hardy laugh from the rest of the group. Brad grunted and released his mana. The laughter died down soon after.
"Do you really think a little girl lives here? Not only would she have to have survived the winter in this Gods forsaken place. She would also have to contend with these damn beasts. Brad said, making his way beside me. Tristan, my female knight, gave him a sour look after hearing the word girl, but she didn't say anything. I didn't blame them. What he said was true. I wouldn't have lasted two days if I had been stuck here alone. Something told me the princess was here, but it could've just been my desperation.
I needed her to be here. With her help, I could finally get a seat at the table. Right now, no one saw me as a threat. Most nobles ignored me, and a few tried to use me to get closer to my brothers. None of them believed I could possibly sit on the throne. I didn't have the backing or the strength even to be considered. I was hoping this trip changed that.
"I got a good source saying not only is she alive, but she's also thriving," I exclaimed, not even bothering to look at the man. The red witch herself was my source. The Red Emporium was known for having the most reliable information. I had got this information straight from the witch's mouth, so there had to be some truth to her words. The woman wouldn't lie to me, would she? (She could have set me up. Maybe that's how the assassin found us.) I shook the thought away. The witch wouldn't have anything to gain. Plus, the Emporium was neutral in the affairs of the kingdom.
Speaking of Assassins, Brad wasn't very helpful in finding the culprit of the attempt on my life. He told me that the woman who hired him was clouded in mystery. She had come in the middle of the night with a bag of coins and a chance to get his revenge. He didn't even know her name or what her face looked like. Granted, he wasn't really interested in any of that. I expected nothing less from the dark organization. They are trained from birth to be the kingdom's best assassins. So I wasn't expecting much.
Tristan put her hand on my shoulder, shaking me from my thoughts. While thinking, I didn't notice that the rest of my group had stopped. Ryan was in the front with his hand held up. He was signaling the rest to stop. Brad made his way next to my Protector, hand resting on his hilt. The forest went quiet as we waited for the knight commander to speak.
"There are two beasts up ahead. We can try to go around, but we have already been noticed." Ryan mainly said to me than to the others. The entire group looked at me, waiting for a decision. Through questioning, I discovered that the two creatures were tigers and only level 4. What struck me as odd was how aggressive the beast was, even though I had multiple knights at layer five and above. The beast hardly flinched when they saw us, especially the predators. I chalked it up to them being territorial, but I still expected to have an easier time than what we were having.
"We keep moving, hopefuly they let us pass. If not Tristan you and the others take point." I said, looking at the beautiful knight who was behind me. She nodded and started to order her men around. The other squires seemed excited, seeing as most of the fighting was done by Ryan, Brad, and Tristan.
"What! I gotta sit back and watch these flunkies flail their swords around like children." Brad spat. To my men's credit, they ignored the man as Tristan reviewed the game plan. When they were done, Brad and Ryan stayed with me while Tristan and her group went ahead.
Roar!
I could hear the tigers roar a few meters away past the group of dead trees. The sound sent a shiver down my spine. I anxiously move closer to Ryan. I shook the fear from my heart as I touched the rapier on my hip. I knew I had nothing to worry about with the knights around, but the princess wouldn't have the same luxury. I prayed to the goddess of order to find her alive instead of a corpse.
"Ugh, this is boring! Why'd you let those fledgeling take all the fun." Brad groaned. He had been passing back and forward as we waited. We could hear the battle going on from our position. \ Tristan's soft but firm voice reached my ears as she issued orders.
"The squires need this to train. Fighting a human is one thing, but beasts are a different thing. Their unpredictability will help sharpen their skills." Sir Ryan answered before I could say anything. His answer matched my own. The squires didn't have much ex[irence since leaving the military academy. This trip wasn't only for me. It was also to train and instill loyalty in my future knights. Brad grunted but didn't reply.
It took 15 minutes before one of the aspiring knights came to collect us. We followed him to a small lake with small grey rocks surrounding it. The outsides of the lake had tiny pieces of ice slowly melting away. I looked around, spotting Tristan, who was busy talking to a group of three. The group was around one of the two now-dead tigers. I noticed that the beast had numerous cuts and stabs covering their bodies.
I also saw that most of my men sported a few cuts, but nothing looked too serious. The men had done quite well for a group of squires. When Tristan saw us coming, she shooed her men away and headed toward us.
"The deed is done, your highness! The men are busy cleaning up the corpse to avoid attracting more beasts." Tristan announced as she put her fist to her chest. I congratulated her and the men and told them. While I waited, Ryan and Tristan conversed as I stared at the lake. The men moved around me with purpose. Thankfully none of them seemed to be in a bad mood. Most of them were laughing or talking about the last battle. I was happy that my men were in high spirits. I attributed their attitude to them being young and eager. They were all recent graduates from the military academy, so this trip would be their first real taste of battle.
"So what's the deal, little prince?" I heard a gruff voice behind me, scaring me out of my thoughts. I almost fell into the lake. Luckily I caught myself before I took an icy bath. When I calmed my fast-beating heart down, I recognized the voice immediately. It came from Ex bandit. (Where did he come from?) I thought as I turned to look at the man. Brad didn't even look at me. He only stared out into the wilds. I followed his eyes, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. I also noticed that the sun had dipped lower now. It was barely peaking over the trees.
"What do you mean?" I asked the man. It was clear what he was asking.
"come on, little prince, even if this magical woman has survived here. What makes you think she'll marry you? I mean, your no Prince charming. Brad said. His statement was hurtful but true. I didn't have much experience in whooing the other sex. At the banquets, most of the noble women avoided me. I told myself it was because I held the least power in the royal family, but I was still a prince damn it. Yet none of the women seemed even a little bit interesting. I doubted that this demon princess would be any different. I'd just had to hope that the forest queen would want to leave it.
"I'll find a way." I stated simply. Brad just shrugs before walking away. I sat there racking my brain on what to do. Hell, I didn't even know what I was doing anymore. I had been firm in my plan before leaving, but it was only now that I stopped to think about everything that I questioned myself. I was so tired of being ignored by everyone that I rushed headfirst into a half-baked plan.
"Your highness, we decided to camp here tonight. The men wanted to take a bath in the lake. I figured that be good for morale. Your highness?" Tristan asked while placing her hand on my shoulder. I shook my head, coming back to reality. I assured the night that I was fine as I stared into her hazel eyes. She didn't have her helmet on, so I could see her beautiful face. Her long golden hair hung past her shoulders; she looked more like a noble lady than a knight. I considered asking her for advice, but I didn't want to worry the men. We had come this far, and I couldn't have them doubt me now.
I stood up and adjusted my long red and blue coat with white fur lining the collar. With the sun going down, it started to get a little chilly. Most of the men were already starting to pitch tents. Some were even undressing. The water would sure be cold, but we'd been on the move for so long, and things were starting to get stinky. I looked up at the sky as the first of the stars started to make an appearance. Tomorrow we are setting off again. I will figure out what to do about my princess when I meet her If I can meet her.
The next morning, after all the men cleaned the camp sight, we set off again. We made our way deep and deeper into the forest. It was strange. The further we went, the fewer attacks we suffered. It was as if the beast were avoiding us. It had been three days since we left the lake, and we hadn't run into any other beast.
"hold up!" Ryan shouted. He stood ahead of us, his bulky figure blocking my view in front of him. Before anyone could question him, I could hear rustling from the trees. I moved ahead with Tristan close behind me. The moment I reach Ryan, the rushing stops, and three wolves leap out of the trees in front.
All the men placed their hands on their weapons and prepared to face the beast. I saw a smile cross Brad's face as he pulled out his saber. The man had been itching to fight. The grey-furred wolves all bared their fangs and began to circle us. ( At least it's only three.) I thought and instantly regretted it. More rustling came from all around. Moments later, multiple wolves began to pop out of the forest. One after another, they came.
They showed up from the left, right behind, and in front. I lost count after ten.
Instead of attacking, they all just watch and growl at us. Ryan ordered the men to draw their blades, and Brad's smile grew, as did my anxiety.
"Who dares trespass on the Queen's lands." A soft, almost childish voice sounded in my head. Judging by the looks on the men's faces, I surmised that they, too, heard the voice. I looked to Ryan for guidance only to see the man staring at one of the trees. I followed the man's gaze, spotting a creature, no a woman standing on a branch. The sun shined down on the women's bronze-colored skin. Her dark brown hair hung to one side, and her sharp hazel eyes stared down disapprovingly. The woman looked human, but that turned out to be false on closer inspection. Behind her, a tail swished back and forward at a slow pace. She also had two sets of arms, two! One set was folded over her chest while the other held on to the side of the tree. Despite not being human, She was cute in the grass skirt and top.
"Your Highness? What are your orders." Ryan whispered, shaking me from my thoughts. I noticed I'd been staring intently at the woman for too long. I gathered myself before answering the new woman.
"I am Prince Edward Marian of Mira. I come seeking an audience with the ruler of these lands." I announced as politely as I could. I didn't know if the woman was the princess I was searching for, but I had a feeling she could at least point me in the right direction. I, the girl, turn her head to the side, exiting us curiously. Seconds ticked by as the girl just stared. The wolves surrounding us were still growling, but none seemed to move. I figured they, too, were waiting for the woman to speak.
The woman jumped down from a tall tree, easily landing on her feet. She was now in front of our group, petting one of the wolves. With a nod of her head, the rest of the pack scattered back into the woods. I signaled for my men shieth their weapons as the women turned back to me.
"I guess ill take you to Uncle. He'll know what to do with you." The girl said before turning around and walking away. We all stood there stunned momentarily before I began walking after her. As we followed the mysterious creature, I instructed my men to be on their best behavior.
"Excuse me, umm.." I paused, waiting for the girl to introduce herself. She looked back, confused before it finally dawned on her.
"My name is Leafy." She said flatly. The name was strange, but I didn't say anything about it.
"Miss Leafy. Is your uncle the ruler of this forest?" I asked, trying to grasp the hierarchy in this place.
"Uncle Titan, hahaha no. My master left him in charge when she went on her trip." The girl giggled. I learned two things. One, This Titan was a high-ranking member, and two. Whoever this "Master" was, they had significant power. ( The "Master" is most likely the princess.) I thought as we continued our journey deeper into the beast glades. As we moved, many more beasts began to appear. Gorillas swung from the trees. Wolves popped in and out of the foliage, and I could also spot a few tigers roaming around. An army of beasts. I was glad we didn't try to fight the wolves at the start. I had faith in my men, but even they would be overwhelmed by the sure number of enemies. ( I hope this Titan fellow is the agreeable sort.) I thought to myself as we walked.