Malisa's Birthday.
"Yjah...!"
A pressured grunt escaped the larynx of the broad shouldered, lanky fellow whose drawn sword was now stretched past his left thigh, its edge pointing at the earth.
"Yeah!!!!"
The calling cheers of the crowds gave him a nudge towards his contender who took a step back, pushing his sword up his left shoulder, with every ounce of strength left in him, to hold back the heavy blow.
Both men were dressed in Redcoats, black tops with metal buttons, trousers tucked into their large hunting boots. Their Shields held thoughtfully, knives at the left side of their waists and determined aura. Graced by gratifying cum tensed atmosphere. And a helmet which spared their visions.
"Ugh! He could do better."
One of the crowds called. Twas two hours into the celebration of the princess' birthday. The spot of action was like a typical arena, only that it's circular, with rectangular wooden chairs for the spectators. The royalties, including the King and the princesses were placed on an esteemed, slightly elevated rectangular steep, to give them a conspicuous view of the events.
The broad shouldered made another bold move, throwing his sword in the air ruthlessly, though his palm still clasped to the handle of the sword. And that quirky movement, knocked the helmet of his contender off.
There stood before him a heavy bearded middle aged man. He seemed to be in the death of his fifties. At the sight of the man, all the crowd gasped and had the atmosphere wounded in petty mutters.
"Ah... You cheated, old man. What satisfaction can your cock give to the princess?"
He edged towards the man who began to shudder, taking steps back. The man stumbled on his own helmet which had fallen over his head.
"Farewell, old man."
He held the handle of the sword in his two hands, and raised it uprightly past his height to bring it down in a fierce blow, aimed directly at the oesophagus of the panting old man.
"Oi!!! Manor!"
King Wealene called suddenly, yet Manor brought down the sword. But twas an epic moment. He planted the edge of the sword into the earth near the man's neck instead.
He stood up tall and everyone cheered him up. King Wealene sighed and sat back down. The broad shouldered Manor removed his helmet as guards hurried to the old man and dragged him towards the King. The broad shouldered followed.
He was Prince Manor. Like every other prince, he was handsome but with a pointed chin, stiffened cheeks, button nose and thick round lips. He had a brownish black cap-like hair which graced his uncommon aura. There was a great deal of pride in how he takes his steps. You could say that was owed to the fact that he was the sole heir to the throne of his father. He loved Princess Malisa and would stop at nothing in winning her over. And today being her birthday, he would do anything at all cost to impress her. He's the son of the dwarf king, Alanor.
"What shall we do with you old man?"
King Wealene started, without giving regards to prince Manor. The man knelt down, his face up, looking at the king and the princess who was dressed elegantly, seated beside him.
"I shall not hold any judgement against you. For you have cheated, and that cannot go without a punishment. I would had fed you to the panthers, but it's the princess' day and you shall have a cake of her answer."
He looked at his daughter who stood up with a gracious smile plastered on her comely countenance. Directly to the man,
"It's very displeasing to ruin the pleasure of such a great day too. A great day with many beautiful men and women. And lovely kings, Queens and princes."
She looked at her back to the numerous princes behind the major guests: King Alanor the dwarf, King Jaiith of Got and the Queen of Katil, Haya. Aside those were 100 princes, excluding Manor.
Few of the princes who wanted to win the princess over had contended with Manor to no avail. Even able citizens, men of good stamina and stature who wanted the princess had fought too. Even though many of them knew that they could only go as far as kissing her feet, ( because she was esteemed as a goddess. Her father, the king, made sure to give her such presence) yet, they wanted her.
"But let's know, sire. Why did you cheat? We all know that only juveniles, youth, princes are allowed in this contest. Are you weary of your life or what?"
The man shook his head fiercely, his right palm clasped to his left arm which was soaked in blood. A gore from Manor's blade. He found his words,
"Long live the goddess, our esteemed Malisa, the most beautiful of all princesses across the world. Who wouldn't want a good thing in his house?! But do not misconceive my words. I didn't do this for me. I did it for my son. My dying son, the prince of a faraway land. He's charming and lovable. But he could never step out into the sun. He would be devoured. The sorcerer of our land wouldn't tell us what disease that is, only that it's deadly. And I've come to do his battle and bring you to him."
The Princess fisted her left hand and pressed it to her chest, feigning a wince,
"Aww... Such a painful tale."
The crowd, getting the gist of it threw a wild laugh, mocking the old man.
"But what can I do, but to feed you to the Panthers as my father had proposed. A present to my father on my day!"
Few of the crowds concurred with howls and claps, but many had disagreement etched in their faces, though none of them could speak up.
As the man was taken away, there came a strange loud voice from the entrance of the space,
"How evil of you to do that."
Everybody turned at once to the owner of the voice who was riding on a horse towards that spot. Kie Azholophased.
"Because you're elevated a bit, you think now that you're a goddess and your father a god? You evil breeders. You think you can seat on the death of my uncle, Ama, the great Soothsayer? And now you would feed an old sane man to the panthers when you should be the one fed to a panther."
King Wealene was already on his feet boiling, his eyes bulging heavily at his sockets, as the guards hurried towards Kie. Manor had made quick advances,
"Who do you think you are?"
He had argued, leaping towards Kie, but Talia had sent him flying with her fetlock.
As the guards got to him, Talia snorted, tossing her neck in the air as she pushed up her throat latch, her chin groove flowing. Kie held her tightly.
"Seize this loon right now --"
King Wealene pointed in rage as his grim face wielded the most scariest of his looks. But Malisa raised her voice suddenly,
"Guard, stop!"
King Wealene shot her a quick glare,
"What are you doing, Malisa! Would you just stand there when someone speak so honorably of your father?"
She took a deep breath as all eyes were on her. The guards were with spears poised, ready to made throws at order. The princess spoke,
"Father, this is the man I will marry!"
The whole place was filled with sudden noises of criticism and shock. Even Kie was taken aback.
"Malisa, are you mad?"
King Wealene shot, as other king began to stand up. Manor was up again, staring, disbelief stalking his beautiful eyes as he stared blankly at the princess who continued,
"Come to think of it, father. We all saw how bold he was when he walked down here! He didn't care whether or not he would be killed for such criticism. He did it anyway! Isn't that a trait of a great king? Wouldn't you be glad to have such a fearless Hunter who knows what struggle is, as your son-in-law? Wouldn't you want to--"
A slap on her face ended it. King Wealene was far away from boiling, he was -- whatever adjective you can think of.
"Is this your own way of disgracing me in the front of all dignitaries? Is this what you call a surprise?"
He shook his head in disbelief. He turned to the guards,
"Seize that crackpot and throw him in the dungeon. I'll decided his fate later."
He looked back at Malisa and held her wrist,
"Come with me."
He pulled her, twitching his nose at intervals to stimulate his rage.
He stomped off without a word to the dignitaries. His dignitaries.
The Next Day.~A dungeon~"Is it true what they say about you, stranger?"A pale faced man with smears all of his face, spearing the goatie, bulky eyes and pierced nose, called at Kie who was seated at the other end of the pit. The pale faced was opposite him, his back to the cold wall, a wierd and unnecessary smile feasting on the delicateness of his cheeks.Kie glared at him and looked away quickly. A side of him was buried in the wall, he would occasionally look up at the rim of bars at the top of the pit, covering the mouth of the pit.Earlier that day had they killed an adder which had crawled into the pit. And the next few moments comes with no promises for either of them. No guarantee or faults."Do you wish to remain silent until you hear your sentence?"The man came on again. Kie didn't spare him a glance this time. He continued,"You probably want me to tell you how I ended up here."He picked a stone with shar
Later that day.~The dungeon~"You wretched bastard!"Samantha called from the mouth of the pit, kneeling at the side, half of her frame projecting into the length of the bars of iron covering the pit.Kie was the first to stand up before the pale faced. The voice registered in his consciousness. He'd heard that voice before."See who is here, the dog of her mistress.""The gods strike you down and make a mess of that your unbridled tongue, you wasted mead!"She struck by in rage. Kie chuckled, walking into the strands of orange rays idling at the centre of the pit."Why waste your time coming here when you can't master your own words? You aren't only a puppet of your miserable mistress but a slave of your rage and unfiltered tongue."She growled in rage and stood up from where she was. To Kie, twas as though she had left."You aren't strong after all."He mocked, his voice loud enough to rip the cover of t
The Palace.~King Wealene and Kie~"Go bring the retarded fool!"Wealene barked an order at Jaith who hurried away, out of the Palace. He took a turn at the left side of the palace building and turned at the end of that block. He strode towards the wooden gate behind the Palace building into the lone garden where all hideous pits and hides were located. Pits which held the dark secrets of the king's pasts.There was a pit which contained several wild animals that fed on themselves whenever the king refused to provide them meals. And one of the numerous pits held the skulls of all the people he had ordered killed with tags of their names hanging over them. Including the bones of the great Soothsayer, Ama et Azholophased."Fools, rise."Jaith called, getting to Kie's and the pale faced's pit. He had grabbed a gallon of water and had turned in into the pit as soon as he got there."Pray to the gods that Wealene spare your lives."
Kie's Hut."Shamaica?"Kie queried, staring blankly at the dragon-woman who had just transformed before him. It hadn't been more than few minutes since they arrived at his mother's hut, wrapped around her handful bosom.Shamaica was his long-time admirer in whom he took no delight. He had never taking a delight in any lady in all his life.Charlene Shamaica (Kie's stalker) was a blond. 5"5, thick and curvy, oblong face, silver eyes, button nose, and soft medium lips. She loved Kie so genuinely and would do anything to make him hers, even being a terror to several other ladies who would not take love as war. No matter how many times she was rejected by him, she kept giving it her best. Everyone who claimed to love Kie was her worst enemy, a nightmare to her. And she wouldn't back down unless she goes down.She used to be very ugly and without focus, a seamstress kicked about like some balls by almost every one who hired her. But one summer, she disa
Few Days Later.~King Wealene~"If I may, His Greatness."Jaith pulled the curtain of the inner chamber of the King. King Wealene looked to his side in bed, surrounding by a bevy of naked ladies. He sat up, as one of the ladies trailed her hand down his chest, towards his stomach. He ogled her suddenly as she took the warning.As soon as the ladies paved way for him to see Jaithz he found his words,"Do not tell me you've brought a bad news yet again?"Jaith took few steps in and crashed before the king,"Far from it, His Greatness."Wealene pushed further in the bed and sat at the edge,"Bring him in then."Jaith thrusted his face to the floor."I thought so."The king scorned. Jaith looked up,"We have where he lives. He lives in a cave. The third batch of men has been sent, they are there at the moment. Even men worked through the night in cold and terror.""If you have nothing fruit
That Evening.~Kie Azholophased~"Hey Handsome."Shamaica teased him from the hanging cage next to his.The both of them had been brought to the palace straight and King Wealene had had the best of Kie... having him flogged severally by the captain of his guards, Jaith.And twas evening already, the time for judgement to be passed on the both of them. And all the people were gathered in the square, the gaurds stationed, the princess at the upper porch staring at Kie who was held up in a drooping cage.Everyone was awaiting the arrival of King Wealene, who would pass the judgement.The wooden cage in which the two of them were locked had iron doors. Kie's hands were tied as well as his legs. He could hardly move in peace in the tiny cage, tossed by the crashing wind, let alone break himself free.And of all the pains and rage he was plying through, Shamaica had just gone out of the mark and line to tease him. The hell!"Y
Same.~Kie~"Where's she?"He stopped walking for a little while, looking around him hurriedly. He knew he didn't have the luxury of that time. He knew the guards were still on him and could catch up with him anytime and any moment."The dungeon."He thought he heard someone say that to him. But it didn't matter. He hurried in the direction of the dungeon. He knew the path by heart even though it was once he had visited it."Mother?"He called as soon as he got to mouth of the pit, staring through the bars of rage beaten by wants, into the cold slightly gloomy pit."Are you there, mother? If you're there let me know please."He went on his knees, throwing his face into the bars to look into the far end of the pit. Then suddenly, he heard a movement in the pit. And soon, the silhouette first, then the frame of his mother came to view."What have they done to you mother. I will have the head of that foolish Wealene.
On a Path. The Next Day.~Malisa and Samantha~"It's rather contemplative how His Greatness looked away from the nuances of that insolent hostler."Samantha took a stray off the topic, taking a slight gaze at the princess who was riding beside her on a horse. They were taking the early morning stroll as usual, and the path to which they were headed led to the final hut at the outskirt of the village, Kie's Hut."What say do we have over the wills of the gods?"Malisa came on, taking a quick glance at her. Then looked to the front,"My father, the king, could seem harsh and tough and ruthless. Which all best suit him. But he does have regards for the gods. And he wouldn't go out of his way to insult or ridicule their words."Samantha was quiet for a while, but responded eventually,"But what would you do with the hostler. He sure is so dumb not to acknowledge the feelings of the only and the most beautiful princess in all the wo