Queen mother screamed in agony as the sight of her dead husband sent piercing bitterness through her heart. All Yan and Manina could do, was stand behind her worrying she might pass out if she continued hitting her chest so violently.
Yan was only 10 and Manina 15 but they already knew what the sight of a dead person looked like even though they were royalty and not allowed to see such of that. Though Yan didn't seem like he had cried a drop, his down casted countenance assured the maidens standing at each corners of the room, that he wasn't happy about the death of his father the king. Although his father seemed strict towards him, he always had a soft spot for his son; A part of him that allowed Yan into the summoning of the ministers at such a young age even though he never sat still in his small throne but constantly made faces at the ministers and Mimicked their replies which often made the king chuckle or even burst out laughing.
The door bursted open and the Army commander barged in. The uneasy look on his face sent signals that something was definitely wrong.
"My queen, we must leave to the lower Chamber in Kalimo immediately"...…
"Have you no sense to see I am mourning my husband?—"...…
"The palace is under siege, your majesty. It seems that a plan was hatched during the time of the king's illness and it's manifestation is coming to pass now "...… he interrupted.
"My queen what is he trying to say?"...…Manina asked. She could only understand a little of what the Army commander meant though Yan seemed totally lost.
Without a reply, the queen rushed to her feet. She dabbed her tears with the back of her palms and then held onto Yan who watched her every movement with curiosity and confusion.
The Commander nodded his head and then rushed to the door guarded by two officers on each side of the door. He led them as they made their way through the corridors and then outside towards the maidens chambers. Manina followed closely behind them, terrified at the increasing sounds of screams and wails as well as the smell of smoke and blood.
Suddenly she stopped at the sight of a burning cottage. The cottage where a dear friend of hers lived with her parents.
"Naomi.....Naomi"…..she mumbled to herself, fighting the tears that ran down her cheeks. She wanted to run in and save her friend but somehow her legs wouldn't move. She could only stand there and imagine the lifeless body of her best friend burning to crisp with no help or chance of survival. Yan turned around nervously. Noticing that Manina was no more running, distracted his attention from everything happening and towards his sister .
"Manina!"...he yelled out her name. With no sign of response, he loosened from his mother's grip and ran back for her unknowing that his actions had put a pause on their hasty escape.
Queen mother turned around nervously as she watched her son escape from her hands. All she could think of was escaping the palace before she was killed and with her two children at that.
"Yan, Manina, Yan, Yan!"….. she called out to continuously, unknowing that her call might have attracted the attention of the fleeing army commander as well as some strange looking men.
"we must hurry my Queen, we cannot—"….. a strange presence shortened his words. He turned around to see a dark figure pointing a sword towards the left side of his neck. He couldn't recognize the figure as it was as dark as midnight with no source of light except that of the fire from the burning houses and shops.
It was as though Manina woke up from a trance at the third call from her mother who was already running towards her as well. She looked further to see the Commander in a sword battle with what seemed like an assassinated attack. The queen ignoring the war storm they were in the midst of, reached Manina and held onto her cheeks with a worried look in her face.
"My dear are you okay?"…..
"My queen I am fine but …..but"…..she stammered continuously as she nervously pointed towards the Commander.
The queen toke a quick glance but then quickly held unto both her children, running towards the opposite direction . As they ran towards the kin river North east of Mancove, Something creeped out of the bushes and grabbed Yan from the queen who stopped in fright, Screaming "Yan!" at the top of her lungs. She leaned forward as though she were going to enter into the bush and search out her son but was stopped by the sudden appearance of four black swordsmen. They seemed to have cornered both her and her daughter with no way to escape. Manina fell to her butt in fear as she watched the first swordsman pass a sword through her mother's chest. She quickly got up anxiously and tried to escape the two men behind her who at the end, wasted her efforts by grabbing her hair and pulling her back in the midst of the four gathered men . She screamed in pain as they laughed and watched her cry out.
"She's beautiful"….. one of them said.
"Why waste her like her mother, let's have some fun first "...Another chuckled. They all bursted into laughter as she was pinned down and stripped naked right in the middle of the road .
Whatever held unto Yan didn't kill him, instead it held unto his mouth so he wouldn't scream though he continued to fight the grip of his kidnapper. They both sat in the bush, watching the swordsmen take turns on the princess.
Yan continued to fight the grip of this kidnapper who didn't seem like his intentions were to kill him . He thought that if he could escape from this kidnapper, he would be able to save his sister but at the sight of his lifeless sister no more struggling or screaming and groaning in pain, he relaxed and the tears flowed down his cheeks uncontrollably.
He looked at the Blade of the sword of one of the assassins and noticed a sign, a sign he swore to never forget as he was taken to an underground cave in what seemed like nowhere.
"Let me go!".... Yan continued to scream aggressively as his abductor tied him to a wooden chair.
he removed his mask which exposed his face and at the sight of him, Yan remained silent for a while and then spoke ,
"Vernon?"…. He asked softly as though he couldn't recognize him.
"It is me your majesty and I'm sorry to tie you up like this but——-"....
"Untie me you traitor!, when I'm back in the palace I will have u beheaded. How dare you kidnap the prince of Mono !"….. Yan yelled authoritatively with his small voice at the man who seemed already uneasy.
"I'm sorry your highness, but I can't let you go. It's dangerous out there and like your family, they also want to kill you. You are the last hope remaining and I can't let you risk your life just yet. Besides you are too young to do anything, you will only just get in more trouble so please stay still"....
Yan bursted into tears. He continued to cry loudly even though Vernon petted him and begged him to stop crying. When he saw that Yan was calm, he untied him and then swept him in his arms . He could feel the pain that Yan was enduring and he couldn't help but cry too.
Yan's tears soaked Vernon's shoulders but he didn't mind. He allowed him express his bitterness after everything he just witnessed. When it seemed like Yan had stopped crying, he slowly pulled him away from him and looked into his eyes.
"Are you okay?".....he asked as he wiped Yan's tears with his hands .
"I will find them and kill them all and all their daughters will cry out like my sister cried out "…..
"Come on find the boy!, find him!, we must kill each and everyone of them!, find him now!"….. a distant voice echoed. Vernon quickly left Yan and crept out of cave to see what was happening . little did he know that Yan had followed him closely behind. The two peeked out to see a gang of men with fire torches searching the village. Screams of terror and fright echoed in the air as they destroyed house after house in desperate search of prince Yan.
"Are they looking for me?"...Yan asked.
"yes, and when they find you, they will kill you too for sure ."....
"What must I do ?"....
"my prince, wait a while and when the time is right, find them and bring their heads to me "...Vernon stared straight into his eyes with a serious look.
"I will"....