Chapter 4: Dear sister

The morning came quickly and Angelo was jolted awake by a slight electric shock on his leg.

"What the hell was that?! Are you trying to kill me?!" Angelo said as he quickly got up and rubbed his left leg.

"Gods, do you sleep like a log? Calm down, that shock spell wouldn't be enough to even harm a dire-rat, get your things, we must leave for the neighboring town of Silin, it's a half-a-day walk from here, I was not given enough funds to waste money on a hired mount so we must make haste." Melaina said as she grabbed her cloak and sheathed her wand.

Angelo grumpily got up from bed and stretched his back. The straw bed that he had been sleeping on was far from the comfort of his memory foam bed.

He too sheathed his sword and put on his coat. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Melaina before saying "I don't suppose there is a shower or bath house in this place."

Melaina just shook her head and replied with "Those are luxuries we cannot afford, and I doubt there is a bath house n this establishment, though there is a bucket of warm water the inn keeper brought inn while you were still asleep, you can wash your face and arms, but you must be quick, we burn daylight just standing here."

Angelo looked at the bucket that Melaina talked about placed atop of the only table in the room. Angelo jus sighed and walked over it and plunged his face in the water and rolled up his sleeves where he noticed where the armguard was supposed to be, a small bracelet of the same white and gold color scheme replaced it.

"Well that's convenient." Angelo said to himself as he washed his arms and face.

The pair soon walked out of the inn where Melaina led the way through several streets, snaking their way past the crowds of various people going about their day until they made their way out of the large city and began their journey to the next town.

"So, who exactly are you?" Angelo asked as he tried to ignite a conversation as they walked.

"None of your business, all you need to know is my name and that's it." Melaina spat back.

"Wow, ok, I was just trying to end the awkward silence, but fine… can you tell me a little bit of this world then?" Angelo asked again.

"Mur was the creation of the ancient gods and all of its inhabitants from men to elves and dwarves besides beastmen were bred to life by the trinity of ancient gods eons ago before the birth of the new gods. Man were birthed by the goddess Asua, elves by the god Alekath and dwarves by Alderon"

"Man spread like wildfire, occupying most of the continents of Mur, forming their own kingdoms, dwarves and elves stayed mostly in solitude, only allowing trade between the races. Man formed the kingdoms of Peterad, Sol and the holy kingdom of Aringard; the birthplace of the new gods and where we currently are. Elves divided between their races and built their own respective kingdoms, The kingdom of the high elves; Frankfur, the kingdom of wood elves in the great forests of Aragon and the dark elves of Timur. The dwarven kingdoms of Kelingrad and Svestopol were built within their respective mountains.

As for the tribes of beastfolk, they lay littered around the various rangelands and wetlands of Mur created by the new gods a few millennia ago. No one knows their reasoning for doing so except for the High Authority. Now are you satisfied?"

"I think so, I still have many questions, but I think I'll save 'em for some other day." Angelo said as he rubbed his head.

"Let's rest here under this tree for a bit, I have some apples and bread if you're hungry" Melaina said as she set down her little knapsack and tossed an apple to Angelo.

..........................

There was a commotion in the streets of Pitensse, a small city of the kingdom of Aringard where the third prince of Aringard was given estate and governance over. City guards and commoners, merchants and all gathered arounds something that apparently had managed to cause a ruckus enough to gain the attention of the nobles of Pitensse as well.

A carriage with a black horse's insignia stopped by the crowd and its doors were opened by an armed guard clad in spotless silver and white a cape with the same black horse insignia as the carriage. A person of high nobility stepped out of the carriage decked in extravagant clothing of a deep red tunic with a black cape of fur that dragged down to his feet. The noble had a young and a sculpted face that would cause any maiden to lust over from his short light brown hair and his deep brown eyes. He appeared to be in his late teens as well.

"Make way! Make way for the prince! Prince Charlion passes!" one of the other guards yelled out announcing the presence of the noble to those around him. A path was cleared for the prince with some people bowing at his presence and others giving a curtsy to the prince.

"What's all this commotion about?" the price asked. A city guard rushed over to him a knelt before continuing "Sire, it seems to be a naked girl lying unconscious in the street, the commoners say she had just appeared in a flash of light out of nowhere like-."

"Magic? Let me see her." The prince said as he made his way towards the girl in the center of the crowd.

The girl had short fully blond hair, neatly cut and quite an uncommon beauty to her with rosy freckled cheeks. She looked to be about the same age as him. The thing he found really odd about her was the pure white armguard she had on with unfamiliar golden runic letters on it as well as a bow seemingly made of the same material slung over her bare chest.

"Gently pick her up, cover her and take her to my carriage, we leave for my manor at once." Charlion commanded before turning around and heading towards his carriage.

The coachman commanded the horses to move and so did the carriage. The crowd dispersed as fast as it formed and everyone went about their daily routine. Charlion sat opposite the girl who had been laid down atop of some cushions. The bow was placed beside her but the guards were unable to remove the armguard as if it was a part of her body.

Charlion looked outside the carriage's window in deep thought. It took less than an hour to navigate through the city's streets on their way to the prince's manor located a bit further from the city center atop a small hill littered with neatly trimmed trees. Isolated from the other nobles' homesteads, it was a peaceful and quiet place.

The carriage came to a stop in front of a large mansion that looked to be built with deep yellow stone bricks and white marble pillars. One of the guards opened the door of the carriage and two women in brown and black uniforms that could only signify them as maids appeared in front of the carriage doors.

"Prepare a room for our guest here and issue her a set of clean clothes. Tend to her the best you can." Charlion said as he got out of the carriage.

The sun was waning in the distance and the manor staff began lighting the lanterns in and outside the manor.

"Charlion! To think you would keep me waiting the whole day for your return, you must not love your dear old sister." Feminine voice sounded in a tone feigning sorrow from behind Charlion.

"Please, save me that crap, you chose not to announce yourself beforehand, it's your own fault you had to wait the whole day when you knew I went out." Charlion said as he turned and looked at the woman who stood behind him. She had long brown hair that reached her lower back and was intricately plaited in a simple yet beautiful pattern.

She had on a light blue circlet with an amethyst gem embedded on its center. The light blue dress that hugged her figure was cause enough for any man to look twice at her beauty when crossing paths. It was Princess Claire, second born to the king and queen of Aringard and sister to prince Alun, Charlemagne, Charlion and princess Elika.

"I see you're still the grumpy little fart as always, is that really how you treat your sister who you haven't seen in two summers?" she replied as she crossed her arms.

"Doesn't the future queen of Peterad have other matters to attend to?" Charlion spat back. Claire had been betrothed to the heir of the kingdom of Peterad when she was 17 years old and had just married him two years ago.

Ever since then she had been kept busy in the administration and matters of the court in Peterad and hasn't been able to visit her siblings since then until now.

"Please, join me brother, I am sure you have missed me just as I have. I have invited the others but Alun didn't have time to come, that jerk. Charlemagne and Elika are waiting for you in the dining room." Claire said as she climbed up the stairs with Charlion close behind.

The entered the dining room and Charlion met the eyes of a charmingly handsome man who looked similar to him yet older, with a full grown beard and a pretty and petite young girl who sat beside the man.

"Brother!" the girl said as she got up to hug Charlion to which he hugged back.

"I see you're in good health Charlie, come, sit little brother, we have much to catch up on" the man said as he welcomed Charlion in a deep voice to the table.

"I'm not little anymore Charlemagne, its best you stop calling me that or else I'll have Elika here kick your ass" Charlion rebuked with a little chuckle at the end.

"So Claire, what is the occasion?" Charlemagne asked as Claire excused the servants in the room and snapped her fingers. Soon after, four men and women dressed in bloodied black and blue tunics with a white insignia of an eagle with two heads marched into the room.

Charlion recognized the insignia but not the tunic, he knew they were from Peterad, but he had never seen any uniform like that. The summoned men and women soon stood behind Charlemagne, Charlion and Elika with daggers to their throats.

"What's the meaning of this!? What in Korin's name are you doing Claire?!" Charlemagne said as he tried to stand up from his seat but his action was soon thwarted by the woman behind her as she slit his throat in a swift manner.

Charlemagne tried to cover his throat to stop himself from bleeding out but it was futile. In an attempt to speak, he gurgled out a "Why?" as he began choking on his own blood and fell limp over the table.

The blood from Charlemagne splattered onto Elika's face. She could taste his brother's warm blood in her mouth and an irony scent filled the air. The gory scene shook her to the core and she was unable to find the strength to keep in the food she had eaten and soon regurgitated it all out tears welling up in her eyes.

"Why? I promise you my dear brother, it isn't out of spite, vengeance or any of the thoughts you may have running through your tiny little brains. It's nothing personal. I have a job to do with an ultimate goal in mind. Now please do me a favor and die my dear siblings." As she finished speaking, the rest of the men slit both Charlion as well as Elika's throat.

Charlion could see the fear in his little sister's face as the blade of the dagger was pressed tighter onto her throat. "Save me big broth-." Her words were cut short as the dagger dug deep into her jugular. Claire turned around and walked out of the room followed by the men and women as Charlion faded into unconsciousness as it was his turn to die.