1 A Little Prince, Check - Part 1 [Aife]

The rushed footsteps echoed throughout the narrow, cobbled empty roads accompanied by the alarmed clamour. Somewhere close to this chaos, a woman let out an ear-piercing scream which wore off her vocal cords so much that her subsequent yelps were as hoarse as a dried wood. Something dreadful must have happened to her since the futile shrieks maintained in the air impregnated with the vile smell of sweat, metal, and urine.

Out of the blue, a tumult of shouting and chaotic stomps of the boots subdued. Faint grunts and rough breathings, as well as helpless whimpers, could be heard from the dark alley because of the dead silence.

"Why did the lights go off?" asked the young soldier with a shaky voice and gripped the hilt of the sword with unsteady hands.

"Stay calm, everyone! Don't leave each others' side! The witch is strongest in the dark!"

Few gasps escaped the lips of the comrades before stern 'Yes, sir!' was reflected from the walls of surrounding small houses.

The smell of palpable despair and panic was lingering in the thick air. Even in the dark, the drops of sweat were evident on the men's temples. The bewildered eyes were scanning the area in a helter-skelter manner.

"Stop, please. Stop…" The woman sprawled on the ground near the intense encounter was pleading to the man with glossy eyes. But he smacked her head and continued undoing his belt. He twitched his nose to stop nasal discharge from coming any further down.

"Anyone, please…I've been poisoned… please…."

The man shot a sharp glance towards the open area to make sure the soldiers weren't coming to help her. After that, he grabbed the crummy piece of cloth and intended to shut the woman up with it.

"Shut up, you whore!"

His other hand was about to collide with her cheek, and the woman squeezed her eyes shut, but it never did.

"Wha…What?" his hoarse voice cracked because of the surprise. When the woman opened her teary, hazy eyes, she saw something unique, unparalleled, drawn from the fairytale book.

A tall female was erected like a brick wall, unflattering, unmoved, like a solid rock. The giant swords couldn't go unnoticed on her back.

She had caught the man's arm with a painful grip, and if she continued with her advance, the blood pressure in his arm would blast his limb in mere seconds.

The poor thing couldn't let her gaze terminate from her savior's captivating eyes. Even in the pitch darkness, she could decipher the color of her intense orbs. They were glistening red. They were bloody red! The woman on the ground gasped and leaned on the wall as if asking it to swallow her. If that wasn't enough, her savior's hair was the same color. As if God intended to drench her in a pool of blood.

"Hey, you, bitch!" Grumbled the drunken man.

Unexpectedly, the hazed woman found the last ounce of strength to scream in the night as the scene before her exceeded all her creativity. Hot liquid burst at her face as the red-eyed stranger tore off the man's arm and kicked him hard in the ribs, so he was thrown to the darkest corner of the alley. The scream of agony slipped from his mouth before the immense pain made him lose consciousness.

She threw the ripped arm at him and then crouched down to the victim's eye level.

"Wh…What are you?"

Shocked human crawled even further back as tears rolled down her sweaty cheeks.

Even tho the stranger had a human figure, her strength and agility still raised suspicion. She had part of her hair tied up in a messy ponytail and the other part fallen on her back. She was wearing a dark hakama with a white crop top, or so did the woman make out in the moonlight. Yet, the most intriguing thing about her was the bandages on her left arm.

Red-haired shoved her hand in the pocket before taking out a small bottle filled with a pink substance. Before handing it to frightened human, she cooed at her:

"Drink it."

It was all so magical: Luminous light of the moonlight graced the perfect features of the warrior's face. Her beauty wasn't mesmerizing, but her gaze was. Sincerity was leaking from her red orbs and filling the woman's being. She couldn't refuse her command and accepted the help.

"What's your name, miss?" Asked the woman with a trembling voice, afraid to irritate the intimidating lady.

"Aife."

A genuine smile spread across Aife's face, and the woman couldn't help but let the corners of her lips turn upwards.

"Thank you, miss Aife! Oh, thank you!"

She started to cry and clutch Aife's veined forearms with her petite hands. Aife widened her eyes and was utterly confused. Even though Aife was muscled she was still slender and had delicate bones. You could tell she was a young alluring lady.

"Stop, you don't have to," She told her with a hushed voice and knotted eyebrows as the woman kneeled in front of her.

"I was scared of you! But you were the only one who saved me! It's true then! There is no prince charming but a female warrior."

"Huh? You have heard about me?" Aife asked and tilted her head.

"Yes, miss, yes! They call you...oops.." The woman let out the words with frantic jerks of her head before clamping her hands on her mouth at the last part, "Please, forgive me."

The Redhead sighed and shot her a soft smile before rising to her feet. The 'herb' she gave that woman had two effects: first – who drinks it will be healed, and the second, the one who damaged her would be executed. It worked only if the victim hadn't hurt the guilty person.

Aife walked out of the dark alley and headed to the disorganized bunch of soldiers.

"General Gaoth, what if she gets to the prince before…."

"Shut the fuck up, soldier, and concentrate how you're holding that damn sword!"

"Yes, sir!"

Aife hid behind the building two feet away from the general and warily calculated the potential outcomes of her decisions. Her eyes studied the surroundings with knotted eyebrows and lips in a thin line. She was as calm as the sea after the storm and as determined as the storm itself.

General turned around as he heard the clatter of the metal objects.

"Soldiers, brace yourselves and stay put!" roared Gaoth before unsheathing his sword.

Even though the silence reigned over the men, their panic and terror were conspicuous.

Before the general could console his comrades, the ringing sound filled his ears before his armor was pierced and his heart split open. Few gasps escaped him as he ejected blood. Horror covered the soldier's faces as their leader's lifeless body dropped to the ground without a trace of the attacker. They were shouting at each other and trying to develop a surviving plan but in vain.

Soon they heard the sound of metals crashing onto each other again. One soldier's air supplies were cut off as the tall figure advanced towards him with a buster sword almost as massive as himself. He ducked, but she kneed him in the face and then slashed him with her vile sword.

Another male dashed towards her, but in a blink of an eye, she outstepped and slid between bodies before reaching another male and picking him up with his throat. Then she threw him at the crowd and slit the other attacker across the chest.

Even when she deliberately left the iron toys on her belt, the soldiers were still too frail against her. Three comrades raced towards her with a roar and erected swords. Aife threw her weapon and slid on the ground, so she crashed into the man's legs and knocked him down. Two others wielded their swords at her, but she was faster as she jumped up and smashed her foot on the man's head, twisting his neck in a lethal move before stepping onto the clearer area.

Then Aife kicked the opponent on her right, slamming him onto the wall before dodging the attack from another, taller one. She knew the rest of the force would soon join their friends as reality hit them. Thus, Aife had to get rid of the two ahead of her quickly.

Redhead span to the soldier's side and swang hook at him. As he stumbled on his feet, Aife grabbed the hilt of his sword and thrust it into his face. Blood exploded from his nose as he fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Aife needed only 14 seconds to demolish her enemy.

The night was melding with the day as sunbeams shot from behind the mountains. The birds were chirping, filling the place with the dawn chorus. Aife dropped the blade and sighed at the sweeping scenery. She hoped one day she would feel this peaceful but death was her partner, her companion.

Aife scrunched up her nose and softly chuckled as blood dripped from her long fingers. She fantasized about playing the piano and pleasing the people around her with the enchanting melody. But instead, she squeezed the life out of living beings.

"Hate me," She snarked before turning around.

"But you were awesome! I wish I were like you! Do I have to be a woman for that? That's not the problem."