34 _ The Imperial Soldiers .
Pei Leng, Head of The Kanerria Dynasty's personal Guard , gestured for his men to stop as they reached the Fang village. He inspected carefully the ground before him , noting that the ground had recently been disturbed with two distinct set of hoof marks. He nodded and the company of men proceeded into the village.
It had been difficult Finding them , tracking them since they left the Imperial Palace. Pei Leng had trailed them up to the Fuyo Empire but by then they had already departed. At loss at what to do next , they wanted to return and report their findings to Li Huang as the next course of angle when one of his men noticed someone in possession of the royal diadem of his Empire , the one that had been stolen away by Prince Lu on the day of his escape.
The present owner of the ornate headband was accosted and shaken down , in which he revealed while trembling that he had bought the costly ornate from a man called Chen.
After buttering the old man with some threats and some promises of a good beating , the rest had been easy. As they came into the village , the children ran scattered in every direction. Every one shut their doors at the sight of The Soldiers from the Imperial city and the crest on their chest signified that they were from the Emperor's private guard.
A child skitted across the open ground trying to get away when he hit his foot against a rock and descended to the ground.
Pei Leng drew the boy up by the neck as he struggled effortlessly to be released from the iron grip.
"I have a few questions for you boy..."
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"They are coming...They are coming..." Kaya muttered as she tossed and turned.
"What is happening to her?" Hikaru queried as the healer came closer to Kaya and shook her head in the negative.
"You men have to leave now." She said with a tone of finality.
"What is wrong?" Lucian asked rising to his two feet.
"There are strange men in the village ,they are coming here. I sense that they are after you and want to retrieve her."
"What about her? Will she be able to move without jeopardizing her health?"
"She will be fine within some time." The Healer replied as they saddled up their horses and got in them. "You can not go the Way that you came. Keep heading forward until you come to a clearing in the bushes .That path will take you directly to the Wuhan Pass."
However she knew that they were heading to the Wuhan Pass was not of concern to Lucian. What was of greater importance was the fact that they had been cornered by the Imperial Soldiers as well as the fact that Kaya was too weak to go on a quick flight from these soldiers.
Hikaru had thought Li Huang was after only Lucian but what use did his Li Huang have for Kyra? That surprised Him.
Pei Leng clapped his hands slowly as he moved his horse towards Lucian. "I never did believe that you would last this far? I always expected you would come back to the comfort of Father dearest."
"Leave well enough alone Pei Leng." Hikaru warned with a stern stare of contempt.
The man scowled as the frown lines on his face deepened. "You are returning back to the palace with me Prince Lu Cyran Huang, You and the girl. You are going against the wishes of the Emperor."
"The Emperor can burn in the ninth hell for all I care." Lucian cursed.
"Then I am afraid , Even if we have to tie you up and strap you to your steed. You are coming with us , Your Majesty."
"Oh really?"The Prince dug his feet into the sides of his stallion who in turn,neighed at with great intensity, catching the soldiers unawares. It set its mighty hooves down on the ground with a thud as Lucian took control of its reins and bolted off into the distance with Hikaru right behind him."
"Well what are you waiting for?!" Pei Leng spoke angrily , prodding his own steed forward in the pursuit of Lucian and Kaya. "Fire."
"But we can not hurt him." One man voiced out the others collective fears."He is the Prince."
"If you do not Fire that arrow from your bow soldier , I will kill you with my own bare hands." Pei snarled. "Now let me repeat myself."
"Fire.....