The sound of the sword clashing and growls from fighting men thundered on the gold mining area.
Drey glares at his brother, who was only two years younger than him. He looks at him with a look that would make anyone think twice about approaching him, but this brother of his wants everyone to consider him to be a strong opponent. He stood in front of him.
With a grin at the corner of his lips, he stared back at Drey. Drey had expected Dany to fall into his trap. And truly, Dany fell for it.
Two decades ago, he had fought to the death with his brother, but their father came to rescue his favorite son. Now he had sent Dany alone, leaving a question on his mind.
As Drey remembered this, he could feel his blood boiling. He tightly forms a fist, his nails digging deep into his palms.
"I was waiting for you Dany I didn't know you would arrive this early but welcome little brother." Drey torments him as he had seen Dany's surprised face earlier.
Drey stood and moved backward away from his Knight, who had come to fight Dany if he tried something on him.
Dany followed him quickly. If Drey wanted to escape, he wouldn't let this chance slip away from his hand.
"Your Highness!"
Alex was quick to approach Dany ready to fight, but Drey signals him to stop. Alex moved, but he didn't return. He stood near them.
"I can fight both of you, or are you incapable big brother that you need your knights for help?"
One of Dany's soldiers runs to Alex, pushing them down. Alex didn't see that coming. His attention was fully on Dany.
Being down was disadvantageous for him when the man straddled him and threw a blow at his face.
Alex saw Dany rush to attack Drey, but before he could shout at Drey, whose attention was on him, Drey had already moved away. Dany staggered but didn't fall. Drey kicks the man on top of Alex and helps him stand.
When Drey had kicked the man, his sword had fallen. This made Dany attack him and Drey used his hand to defend himself. Dany left cuts on his hand when Drey swayed forward and started to attack Dany with his bare hands.
Having no time to groan in pain and feel disgusted by his brother, Drey rolled on the ground getting hold of his sword, he stood to look at Dany.
They weren't brothers now, but enemies trying to fight each other for their lives. They attacked each other mercilessly.
"Ooh, I forgot about your little girl at the mountain," Dany says when he loses and Drey got the upper hand in the fight.
"Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on her!"
"What, big brother now got a weakness?" Dany said when Drey's sword was directed at his neck. He was trembling, but he held tightly to his sword, never letting it go.
"If you kill me, my father will come after her."
"I will be waiting, just as I had been waiting for you," Drey replied as his sword drew a few drops of blood from Dany's neck.
Dany ensured Drey was immersed in the topic before his sword was directed at Drey's heart. Drey groans in pain when the sword was only inches away from his heart.
Dany twisted the sword on Drey's chest, and Drey's sword fell to the ground. Dany didn't remove the sword, even after getting the satisfaction of watching Drey die by his sword.
"I will rule over Rosario and Rivea. And ensure I bring them back to exile, where they all come from." Drey heard Dany whisper. He was in pain, but he held the sword as blood covered his hands.
Dany removed his sword and held it high to ensure the poison had mixed with Drey's blood. He watched his brother struggle to breathe as he continued to avoid falling.
"I didn't know watching you die would be this merrier?"
"You won't succeed, Dany, maybe over my dead body."
"You are already dying brother, I will ensure to step on your body I claim victory." He promised his dying brother innocently.
"No one had escaped this innovation of the Poison's Master." He looks again at his sword." I have tried on two of my soldiers, and they are no more."
Now that. Drey understands why their father let Dany come alone. The Poison Master had come up with something new again to destroy him. He won't back down. Drey now figured out his father's and Dany's clear intent.
"Not so quick, Dany," Rico approached from behind Drey. He pats him on the shoulder, assuring him before facing Dany.
He removed a small dagger and raised it in the moonlight shining. "Remember this?" Rico asked as he continued to move forward. "I will remind you if you have forgotten."
"The dagger l left on your little sister's neck! To put it right, your half-sister's neck."
"Ooh yeah, I knew you will remember." Rico assumed his insults.
He continues to move forward, and Dany sees his murdering gaze as he moves backward.
"I have been waiting to avenge my parents for a long time now," Rico was sad, remembering how single-handedly Dany had murdered his family.
Dany reached the edge of the cliff where Rico wanted him to be, he gasped, realizing how foolish he had been. Rico smiled at his panicky expression.
With one swift, he directed the small dagger at Dany's heart. He twisted it, making sure he cut his heart into peace. Rico felt his heart lighter now when he saw Dany's wide-eyed.
"You got in life what you are." Whispering that to Dany he let him fall off the cliff. He didn't turn immediately until he heard the beasts ravaging his body.
Drey was on his knees when he turned back, Rye was trying to hold him, but Drey's weight was much stronger than him. He rushed and held him up as they carried him to the house.
"Don't try to close your eyes, Drey!" He shouted." Someone brings the physician." They lay him in the bed as the physician came in, escorted by Alex.
He immediately started to tend to Drey's wound, which was deep in his chest. The knights help to bring him the things he needs.
They didn't leave, and they watched closely every move with worried complexions.
"I'm not going to die, why are you all moaning?" They all heard Drey's weak voice trying to cheer them up.
They laugh at him, cheering them on his deathbed. Drey looked at Rico and whispered." Don't even think of informing them. Especially her." Rico trembles as Drey tightens his grip on his hand. He nodded quickly. Drey did this because he knew Rico would try to do unimaginable things when he worsened. He didn't want them to see him hopeless.
Drey loses consciousness after that. Looking at him like this, his knights and Rico's hearts pained.
"You should all leave and tend to your injuries," Rico sent them away, even though he knew they didn't want.
They dragged their legs gradually." Alex?" He called. "Find a traditional physician at Niva If he refuses to come with you, kidnap him."
Alex had Rico's orders and rushed out of the houses into the stable.
***
Weeks had passed, but Drey hadn't woken up. This worried them, but they had seen improvement in his condition after Alex kidnapped the old traditional physician from Niva who had been by Drey's side from that night.
They had buried their soldiers who died and some had recovered who were injured even by the poison. But Drey hadn't shown signs of waking.
This worried them as they prayed silently for his quick recovery. They knew their king was strong, but the physician said it almost affected his heart. It would take time for him to recover.
They were just hopeless knights who couldn't help their king right now but watch him every single minute.
Rico never left Drey's side as the king's men stood quietly watching him.