"Catch that manwhore of prince don't let him escape! These are her highness orders. We are to bring him and make her kneel before our empress"
The sound of several women were spreading through out the forest, as they rode their raven horse to chase a carriage, that was riding in front of them.
The air was thick with urgency as Prince Falko clutched the edge of the carriage, his heart racing. Outside, the sound of galloping hooves echoed ominously, a grim reminder of the empire soldiers hot on their trail. Beside him, Selene and Sarai, his twin guards, held their positions, both resolute and fierce.
"Are those empire bitches still chasing us?" Selene shouted in anger, as if she were about to lose it.
"They're not the type of people to give up. Surely, they will chase us forever, even if we keep running," Sarai muttered, her eyes slowly drifting to Falkor, who was still in shock. She couldn't blame him for spacing out.
'Getting your mother and sister killed and losing your kingdom overnight must be hard,'
Sarai thought, but she quickly came back to her senses.
Selene, with her vibrant red hair cascading like flames down her back, looked at Falko with a determined glint in her eyes. Her slightly muscular frame exuded strength as a warrior, a stark contrast to her sister, Sarai, who was equally striking but more normal, her body well-developed in all the right places. Sarai's also had red hair shimmered in the sunlight, framing her face with a softness that belied her fierce spirit.
It was easy for anyone to guess their relationship just by looking at them because they looked exactly the same. While it was a rare occurrence to see twins in this world, they were not nonexistent.
"Stay calm, Prince," Selene said, her voice steady despite the chaos outside. "If we can just make it to the borders of the kingdoms and reach the Free City, we'll be safe."
Falko nodded, trying to ignore the dread pooling in his stomach. "What if—"
"Don't worry," Selene interrupted, flashing him a reassuring smile that held a hint of desperation.
But the calm was short-lived. Suddenly, a sharp twang sliced through the air, followed by a sickening thud. The carriage driver let out a strangled cry, and Falko's eyes widened as he saw the woman slump forward, an arrow piercing her chest.
"Hold on!" Selene shouted, grabbing Falko's hand just as the carriage veered dangerously close to a tree.
With a surge of adrenaline, Selene and Falko leaped from the carriage. Selene landed hard, pain shooting through her wrist as she felt a crack—she had broken her hand—but the urgency of the moment overshadowed the pain. "Run!" she yelled, pulling Falko with her toward the dense forest ahead.
Sarai, moments behind them, conjured a shimmering barrier, deflecting arrows that whizzed past her. "Go! I'll cover you!" she shouted, her voice laced with urgency.
As Selene and Falko dashed into the trees, the sounds of battle erupted behind them. Selene could hear the clash of steel and the cries of their pursuers, all soldiers, fierce and relentless. She could barely glimpse the fight: Sarai expertly wielding her magic, a shield of energy repelling the arrows aimed at them while she fought off any who got too close.
The mages were deadly beings, feared by most people at the mere mention of their name, but right now they were being chased by the empire's soldiers, who didn't even know what fear was.
"Selene! We need to keep moving! I will not give up, as long as I have your strength," Falko urged, glancing back at the chaos.
Selene nodded, determination etched on her face. "We're almost to the borders!"
But just as hope flickered, an arrow struck Selene's leg, another embedding itself in her shoulder. She gasped, stumbling but refusing to let go of Falko's hand. "Keep going!" she commanded, but Falko's desperate shout echoed in her ears.
"Selene!"
She could feel her strength waning, but she forced herself to drag Falko onward. The forest thinned ahead, revealing a dark cave that loomed like a monster's den.
"Falko, let's hide their for now and let's hope it is not an actual monster den." Selene urged, but her legs were beginning to buckle. She fell to her knees, staring at her wounds. "Sarai, take him and go! Leave me! Make sure he is safe"
Sarai hesitated, her expression torn. "Selene, I can't just leave you!"
"Do it!" Selene shouted, her voice hoarse from pain. "You need to protect him!"
With a pained expression, Sarai took Falko's hand, pulling him back. But Falko could obviously feel Sarai's shaky hands. "Come on, Falko! We have to go!"
At first he thought she was just scared from all the things that are happening around them, but seeing her trying to forcefully drag him toward the direction of the battle where the empire soldiers are, Falko slowly started to realize what was happening. He tried to break free from her grip, but obviously being a man in this world, he couldn't even move Sarai's hand showing her superior strength.
Selene struggled to rise, rage and despair mingling in her chest. "Sarai, no! Don't you dare! You're supposed to protect him, why are you going there?"
Sarai bit her lip, torn between loyalty to her sister and survival. "The empire offered me a place," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I could be an official of the Silvaris Northern Empire if I just hand him over. Same could be said for you sister!"
Selene's eyes widened in shock. "You're betraying us? You would sell him out for power? Don't forget who he is! Are you going to bite the hand that fed you?"
"I'm doing this for us!" Sarai shouted back, anguish in her eyes. "Do you want to go back to that life? We'll have nothing! We will have to strave for days without anything to fill our bellies. We will have to sleep among bed fleas and hope that no monster would come to kill us in our sleep."
"Shut up!" Selene quickly cut her off, before she could say anymore. "Do you think I don't know about that? But are you an ungrateful bitch to hand him over and take a comfortable life? What happened to you, Sarai? What happened to you, sister?"
She didn't stop talking instead her face twisted in fury. "And what about Falko? He'll be forced into a life of a manwhore—"
"He will be force to impregnate royal family so they could make sure the people of the kingdom accept their heir. It will not stop their. Do you think they will be merciful for him? He will be absued until they break him."
"What's wrong with that?" Sarai snapped, desperation spilling over. "It's better than dying as a nobody! You know that!"
"Falko will suffer!" Selene yelled, her grip tightening around her sword, resolve hardening in her chest. "I won't let that happen!"
As she surged to her feet to take back Falko and run away, another volley of arrows rained down, striking her again. She staggered, blood seeping from her wounds, but she refused to fall. "I won't let you take him!"
"Selene, please!" Sarai's voice broke as she watched her sister struggle against the pain. "Give up! If you go on like this-"
But Selene was determined. She lifted her sword, ready to fight, when another wave of arrows struck her. With a gasp, she lost her balance, tumbling into the cave, her body disappearing into the darkness.
For a moment, both Sarai and Falko went silent, as they felt like they were dreaming but when they realized what just happened, both of them felt a lump forming in their throat.
"Selene!" Falko screamed, rushing toward the edge.
Sarai grabbed him, her grip firm but trembling. "We have to go! Now!"
"But Selene—" Falko protested, his eyes wide with panic. "Are you not going to help her?"
Sarai's heart shattered as she looked back at the cave, where shadows danced ominously. "I'm sorry, Selene! I'm not going to give up my life because of you. I promised to you that day I will live for myself. I don't want to go back to our old life."
Just then, a group of empire soldiers appeared, their dark armors glinting menacingly. One of the generals stepped forward, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. "Good work, Sarai Faore. The Empress will be pleased to hear about your decision. Without you help and details, we wouldn't be able to reach here."
Sarai felt a surge of anger and fear, conflicting emotions churning within her. "What have I done?" she whispered to herself, casting one last look at the cave.
"Let's go, Sarai," the general commanded, her voice cold. "We will send a squad to retrieve your sister's body,"
With a heavy heart, Sarai turned away, feeling Falko's pain radiating beside her. She took his hand, leading him into the grasp of the empire army, her heart a storm of regret.
"Falko," she said softly, her voice trembling. "I'm so sorry…"
As they moved away from the cave, she couldn't shake the image of Selene's determined face, the sister who had always fought for them. In that moment, she made a silent promise to herself: I will live for myself.
And so they marched on, into the embrace of the empire, leaving the battle—and the ruins of the former Rondavalu Kingdom.