After Resendus and Letentia parted, he made his way back to his royal guards, before it, he brushed dirt off his clothes as he walked.
He felt the weight of the day on his shoulders, each step heavy with hope and new determination.
As he approached the royal guards, he saw immediately a tall figure standing in front of the door.
The guard had long hair that flowed down to his lower back, elegantly tied together.
His glasses glinted in the fading light, and his cold, distant manner made him seem almost unapproachable.
"Your Highness, you've returned. I trust everything is in order?" the guard said, his voice steady and formal, one of his eyebrows raised slightly.
Resendus sighed, running a hand through his hair nervously. "I apologize, Quaerus. I lost my way... uhm... It won't happen again."
Quaerus's gaze sharpened, his expression unreadable, but Resendus could tell that Quaerus was not in the best mood.
"Straying from your path is a risk you cannot take. Losing your way is also not a luxury you can afford. It is not a game. We need you to be the leader, where we can follow you undoutedly."
"I understand, my apologies. I... I am really sorry." Resendus replied, his tone earnest.
He felt anxious, his stomach felt tight and uncomfortable as he turned to head back to the prepared guest quarters.
Once inside the modest cozy room, he sat at a small wooden desk, the ink trembling slightly in his hand.
He wrote a letter quckily, pouring all of his thoughts and new found informations onto the parchment.
After he had stored the letter well in the scroll box, he placed it on the small back of the letter messaging bird.
"Bring it to Letrus, buddy. Stay safe. Fly high." he whispered quietly, giving the bird a gentle pat before watching it take off into the sky.
In a quiet, long-forgotten corner of the kingdom, the sun left the world in darkness.
Letrus stood beneath the entwining branches of a great oak, its leaves unforgetten pain of the past.
He leaned back and rested his head against the rough bark, the hand was extended, trying to grip something that seemed so close but also so far away.
Laetrus was in his thirties then and wore a simple tunic, which indicated that he was a servant of the royal guard..
However, on this seemingly peaceful day, there were singing birds, swarms of insects, and he only had himself.
The lake could only reflect his frame.
His heart felt like it was being pinched, and his time stopped that day, burdened by the memory of that fateful day, the day everything was taken from him.
Confusion and surrenderness surged in his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut, desperately trying to banish the lingering images.
It made him sad when he thought about it, but it was also a memory that he could never let go of.
It was Ttaensus, a warrior with a heart of gold, who saved him by replacing the body with long burried one.
Ttaensus became a father figure and guide of Letrus. Still, the ache for his family lingered, a wound that refused to heal.
A memory flashed through his mind.
"Catch me if you can!" screamed the little vivid Letentia, her cute curls bouncing as she flew away from him, her laughter filling the air like music.
Letrus grinned, feeling bright und delight. "I'll come to find you, Letty!" he called out, chasing her around the oak tree, the sunlight sun shining brightly above them.
Whenever he thought about his family, it felt like he died that day.
It felt like sinking into the deep deep sea. At first glance, there was nothing, at last glance, there was still void.
There was only the blue sea made of his tears and sorrow.
"A flower for you. Happy birthday, Letty." he whispered quietly, kneeling down and placing a delicate bouquet next to the roots of the oak tree.
The names of these flowers were unknown. He only knew one thing.
If the cherished innocent little sister were here, she would give him a smile that would make world blossem immediately.
Their vivid bright colors contrasted with the sombre blue that nearly consumed him completely.
"Look at me, Letrus!" the young Letentia shouted, climbed onto a small low branch, her little hands gripping the rough bark. "I'm a dangerous dragon, you and your princess are in danger!"
"You will never take the princess away from me!" he shouted back, laughter escaped from his lips.
"The brave me will make you pay." He raised his hand, pretending to catch her, and she screamed and staggered to his side.
His fingers ran and trached over the petals of the flowers, imagined her growing up as a beautiful, strong woman, living her own life.
Each touch brought him into the memories of her bright smile and the sparkle in her eyes that could light up the darkest days.
"Let's play knight~" said little Letentia, her eyes sparkling and her evil grin. "I am the brave knight and you are the princess!"
"Okay! But you have to protect me from any evil dragons, and you know this is not just a game." Laetrus replied with an elegant and beautiful pose.
Bittersweet memories washed over him, each one reminding him of the contented life they once shared.
He could almost hear her innocent laughter, feel her small hand clasped in his as they climbed the tree.
But that world laid in ruins then, and the ache of their separation pressed heavily on his chest.
Everything seemed to be a sandcastle, they were only great and gorgeous but just a ocean wave, everything is gone.
Letrus stood up, brushed the dirt off his knees, and stared up at the oak tree intensivily.
"I'll come back, Letty." he promised softly. "You're never forgotten, you are safe in my heart."
With one last lingering glance at the flowers, he turned to leave.
The memories of laughter and joy intertwined with the silence of the present, their time is stopped.
But he could only move on.
The trees' leaves rustled in a cold night breeze.
A small bird flailed its wings speedily and flew swiftly in the distance.
There was a scroll with a message from the royal family is fastened on its back.
Suddenly a quick-moving shadow shew up.
The warrior wearing a cloak emerged from behind the tree.
"Don't move, stop!" He shouted in a low, booming voice that would undoubtedly frighten any helpless weak creatures.
The messaging sending bird wanted to turn back and flee but the caped warrior was way too swift, catching the scroll in midair.
The warrior grinned, grateful for it and was proud of his work.
He turned and ran toward the camp field, where the fire was crackling, and the tents were tall.
Prince Aellus was leaning on the wooden box in the middle of the camp, looking bored and disinterested to anything.
The faint light glinted on his long pit black hair;,his hair scattered.
The caped one held the scroll aloft, the prince raised his head and stared him approaching.
"What do you have?" With a lackadaisical tone, Aellus inquired.
"This must be from noble or even royal family. It might matter," the warrior said.
The prince looked incredulously. "And why should I care?"
The Warrior approached further with an anxious tone. "It could reveal their plans to us. They may be found out our plan and prepared a counterattack."
Aellus sighed and sat up straight. "Fine… all right. Let me check. "
He received the scroll from the warrior.
Aellus read the text after unfolding it. His stoic features broke into a grin.
"It's interesting, the dead noble's daughter is in the orphanage and the prince wants to marry her." he exclaimed with enthusiasm but his tone is lack of any emotion.
His eyes were glowing as he gazed at the warrior. "It is a game, we may combine rumors and the truth. Let them fly, let the game start."
With a smirk on his grave face, the warrior nodded. Under the starry dark sky, they planned together.
The planet seems to pause its breath as night falls and the stars shined overhead.
Aellus is prepared to take a part in this game, which has already started.
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Resendus
Quaerus
Letrus
little Letentia
little Letrus
Ttaensus
Cloaked warrirorAellus
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After Resendus left Letentia, he returned to the guards, feeling mixed. Quaerus, who reminded him of his responsibilities as a prince. Meanwhile, in a quiet part of the kingdom, Letrus, a servant of the royal guard, remembered his happy childhood with his sister and placed flowers at the oak tree where they played, promising her she would never be forgotten.
In the distance, a cloaked figure caught a royal message bird carrying an important scroll. The figure brought it to Prince Aellus, who was intrigued by its contents. Excited by the possibilities, Aellus and the warrior began plotting under the night sky.