2 A Little Prince, Check - Part 2 [Aife]

Aife's eyes went wide as she took in the scene ahead of her. A little boy was standing a few feet away from the unmercifully slaughtered bodies clutching the teddy bear in his cute little hands. The golden bangs fell on his forehead, but his pitch-black eyes still could be seen.

"What are you doing here, kiddo?"

The tall woman beamed tenderly at the little thing and ambled towards him. The boy took a step backward which was a logical move since he witnessed her deeds.

Aife froze in her place and took a deep breath. Even kids hate me. The human despised by kids is something terrible. She thought to herself as the corners of her lips turned downwards.

"Sorry," the boy spoke again and strolled towards the fascinating stranger, "I came out as rude, didn't I?"

"No, sweety, just return to your home, okay?"

Aife's voice was laced with care and concern, which instantly bewitched the boy.

"They should be in the center of the city! The prince couldn't have gone too far too." Shouting reached these two as the boy halted and looked behind him while the Redhead pondered about the situation.

"Miss, please, please save me."

The kid ran towards Aife and shot her gaze filled with fear and hope. Aife tilted her head and analyzed the circumstances as she grabbed her buster sword. She sheathed it in the scrabble on her back and noticed that the child was following her.

They are close. Aife concluded from the clanging sounds closing in.

"Miss, please!"

The boy was gripping the toy so much his knuckles turned white. Aife was planning to eliminate the leading group of soldiers and take the general's blood, but her heart broke at the sight of the poor thing.

"Okay, let's get out of here," she told him with a smile.

"Yes!" the boy exclaimed with an eye-smile!

Aife immediately motioned for him with the finger on her lips to keep quiet.

"Oh, sorry!" he said with a scrunched face on which Aife let out a breathy chuckle and stretched her hand out for him to take it.

The boy smiled before gladly placing his much smaller one on it. Aife held his cold fingers in her clutch, and her heart fluttered. She had never touched something so pure in her entire life, and something protective took over her as she promised him inwardly that she would never let anyone harm him.

***

"Your majesty," Melodic voice resonated in the throne hall.

The emperor was gawking at the charming lady from his throne. His gaze was devouring her every curve even though she was the priestess of the kingdom Taiyang.

The woman had pale and smooth skin as the porcelain doll with silky raven hair reaching her backside and curves that accentuated her slender, delicate figure even more despite wearing a long black dress relevant to a priestess. Her hands were clutched in front of her as she had her head bent in respect to the ruler.

"Where is my son, druidess?" Asked the emperor. His voice was laced with bitterness and contempt. But he still couldn't stop admiring the woman in front of him. God damn it, she was addictive!

The druidess raised her head and let the man get lost in her obsidians. The man couldn't terminate his gaze from the priestesses demanding ones. He would never admit it, but this woman held immense power over anything she laid her eyes on. The man took a peek of her full breasts before landing his gaze on her red, plump but dainty lips. The woman had her raven bangs dropped on her forehead to cover the symbol on her skin.

"The prince got away, your majesty."

Her voice was as sweet as honey but still seductive. 'Witch bitch!' thought the emperor about her and took a deep breath.

"How could you let him escape?! He was our only chance!"

"I know your majesty. Little Kita really was the precious sacrifice."

The druidess almost shut her eyes in ecstasy as she remembered the soft skin of the baby boy, his gleaming, watery, dreamy eyes, and his wavy golden hair with an arousing aroma. She clenched her jaw, and at that moment, the ruler could no longer discern the difference between her and the bloodthirsty tiger as he settled further into his throne.

"I will find him, your majesty." said the priestess with the reassuring smile plastered on her perfect face.

Through her calming façade hid the untamed beast which was roaring inside to be let out. 'Not yet,' she thought to herself.

"Raven, promise me I will be the most powerful ruler of them all."

Raven smiled before answering, "You will, your majesty."

"You are dismissed, then."

She bowed her head and turned around to leave as her nose wrinkled in revulsion. 'You already are the all-mighty by having me on your side.'

'That boy will be mine.'

***

"Now what?"

Kita was sitting on a wooden table in a cozy cabin holding the bear on it and swinging his legs as they couldn't reach the ground.

Aife was in another room, preparing different poisons and experimenting with them. Fascinated as ever since she collected the general's blood.

"Now, you let me work."

The boy sighed with bored eyes and started counting the books on the shelves. At least he was safe now. His uncle was a gruesome human, as he and his priestess were delighted by the idea that they were going to sacrifice Kita.

'Untold Truth of Witchcraft,' 'Secrets of werewolves,' 'Against Ogre,' 'What does Banshee eat?'.

Deep. Kita thought about the book titles and decided to read one of those books since reading was his only friend until he met Aife. Soon he heard a familiar trustworthy voice:

"Kita, come here."

His brows raised, his eyes widened and his mouth parted in excitement.

"Coming!"

Kita jumped from the table and ran towards Aife, waiting for him with a soft smile.

"I'm here!" He exclaimed, grasping the toy.

She motioned him with her fingers to come closer, which he did in a bat of an eye. Kita was grinning from ear to ear, and Aife couldn't hold in a giggle.

Aife picked the boy up and gently placed him on the table.

"You had cuts on your knees, and I'm going to take care of it, hm?"

The boy sighed, and the shine in his eyes died as he was expecting something more striking.

The warrior took out the soft cloth and spilled a few drops of red liquid on it. Then she placed it on his knees from one to another. Kita was in awe as the blood from his skin started levitating in the air and turning into golden orchids, hovering in the air and floating like in the water.

"Beautiful…" he murmured as Aife eyed him with gentleness as if even the gaze could break him.

"Now, let's talk."

"Okay." Kita was still watching the flowers swimming in the air but realizing the seriousness of her words.

"I must know who is after you. Is it only the emperor's warriors, or is it another force too?"

Boy's eyes were about to jump out of their sockets. 'How did she know I was the prince?'

Aife soothingly patted his head to let him know she was there for him.

"No. There is the priestess that wants me the most, or so do I feel… She is… dangerous…."

He shrank at the thought of her getting to him. "Please, don't let her take me! Please!"

He clutched Aife's hands, and she sighed at the action. She freed her limbs from his fragile hold because her hands were drenched in blood, nasty, and sinned, unlike this little creature.

Kita's cheeks became wet from the tiny pearls running down his face.

Aife looked puzzled as her hands lingered in the air, not knowing whether to touch him or not. 'He misunderstood my intentions. I'm not abandoning the little prince.'

"Kita, I will not let her get ahold of you."

The boy jumped from the surface and hugged her, which caught Aife by surprise. She patted his head before unclasping his arms around her legs.

Aife squatted before him and smiled at him, causing the kid to grin as well.

'New companion,' thought the warrior. 'It's so dangerous for him to stay with me. But Raven is after him.

How cruel can a human be? Did she really attempt to s…sacrifice this innocent little thing?'

Soon both of them halted as they heard the thud of the wooden door being taken down.

"Aife!"

"Get under the table," Aife told him with cordial eyes. Aife opened the cupboard in which the spinning wheel was floating. She gasped when she saw the arrow of the wheel pointing at the word 'You.' Aife cursed under her breath.

This universe was ill-fated. There were wandering harrowing creatures ready to pounce at any living. Since forests surrounded this place, these monsters had no difficulty attacking people. They had their mysterious leader with unbelievable power. He was the one who invented this gameplay: Every village, as well as the beasts, had the spinning wheel. Each day at an unknown time, the arrow span and stopped at the village/person that the beast would assail.

'I checked it! There must be someone intentionally attacking us.'

Aife took out her sword since only a huge monster could make that bang. And strolled towards the main room with caution. Her knees were slightly bent and placed at different rails, her breathing regulated.

Kita was mixed in a bundle of emotions. He was intrigued to see the attacker as well as Aife's fight, but he was also frightened that it could have been the priestess.

Aife opened the door and like a bolt of huge lightning, the serpent slipped in the room and towards the boy. Kita yelled and covered his head with his hands. But nobody could overpower or outsmart the witch warrior as she wrapped one arm around the snake and cut its' head with her sword.

Kita opened his eyes, and as he took in the scene before him, he sighed with relief. The boy ran behind Aife and hugged her leg as she caressed his head to console him.

Aife had to drop the body as it started thrashing in her vice-like grip. Kita yelped again, and Aife covered his body with hers. The serpent's body started searching for its' head, and the female let it do so since she needed the answers.

The brown skin of the serpent blended with the head, and soon it arose on its' full height towering over both of them.

"Witch Warrior," It hissed and closed in the distance between it and her.

"If it's not Se, the great serpent of the dark lord."

"One and only."

"Try that again and you will be none and only."

The snake hissed and narrowed its green eyes.

"Excuse me. I sensed the soft flesh of a child."

Kita's eyes went wide and desperately clung onto Aife.

"I only want your assistance," Se said, trying to sound polite.

"hm?"

"The dark lord has been captured and is sentenced to death. "

"How did they capture them?"

"There is no time for explanation, witch. I'll tell every detail on the way."

"How do you know I will help ya?"

"Dark Lord will grant you any wish, and you have nothing to lose."

"If he couldn't escape himself, it means I have to risk my life."

The snake was quick-witted, thought the boy as he heard its' next words:

"You do it all the time. That being said, you don't value it as much as your goals. I remember you sneaking in the serpent's territory and killing off our head. I still haven't paid you for that."

Aife looked to contemplate the request.

"Alright. I'll do it."

The snake's smirk was the most terrible thing Kita has ever seen.

"But please clean the floor first, "Aife said to the snake as she walked the boy out of the room.

"Oh, sorry about that. I will."

'Faum will want you, Aife,' was Se's last thought before grinning wickedly.