The Princess and The Bandit

FORTY ONE

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"Him!"

Alejandro points his sword to one aging imperial minister in shackles and royal blue robes, cowering in the corner with the other hostages. For the past couple of days, the lord of serpents has been occupying the imperial castle of Arcadia. Statistically speaking, he doesn't have as many as the entire imperial army; his group of bandits are nothing but a speck compared to the numbers of the Arcadian troops. Especially when they are all united. But since there's a bit of a discord between the Arcadian kingdoms, and holding position inside the most secured fortress in all of the empire, Alejandro has gained himself a bit of an advantage.

He praises himself for accomplishing such a feat, occupying that castle and stay in it for more than twenty four hours.

He already feels victory coursing in his blood.

Jelena drags the old man in minister robes, shoves him hard on the foot of the golden throne. Right next to where Alejandro's dirty boot-clad feet are.

The lord of serpents sat there like he's the king of the world. A few changes will make it all official. He has the emperor's crown on his head, all of the jewels adorning it was a welcome weight he'd like to carry for the rest of his thieving life.

His cronies guarded every entry and exit points of the castle, exploiting the extensive and advanced armory within the castle and it's strategic position for defense. No thanks to that self-entitled, forever-boasting Bunloaf idiot, Alejandro already knew how to deploy his forces to infiltrate and occupy the imperial castle.

He had a first hand intel from someone who used to live there about the ins and outs of the castle. It just took a lot of preparations and the right people to use to actually get in there.

While a number of their prisoners have been beheaded already, he still kept a few for interrogation. In the case of the elf prince of Javaad, Zayn, he serves a purpose for future conquest, that's why he's still breathing. A number of Alejandro's minions have been collecting items of value from every nook and cranny of the castle. They put it all in a mountain heap in the middle of the hall. All sorts of ornaments, jewelry and artifacts were piled.

But one particular artifact he has set his mind on. The one that will be the most crucial in his quest of becoming an emperor. And so far, it is not anywhere in that castle.

"Tell me, old man, where is the Arcadian book of life?!" He demands.

The old minister stands himself straight. And he stands proud. He doesn't reply and only stares the lord of serpents with defiant eyes.

Alejandro backhands the minister's face. Blood trickles down his nose.

"Where is it?!"

Prince Zayn, shackled to a pillar near the throne, observes. He has heard of the Arcadian book of life. But as far as he knows, only nobles born in the Jauregui family can read it. What can Alejandro Cabello, notorious bandit, would want with it exactly? He really doesn't look like the kind of person who reads books.

Frustrated at the lack of answer, the lord of serpents swings his sword, sharp and unusually blackened by the amount of poison in it, and he slices across the old minister's neck.

Another severed head rolls off the steps of the imperial throne.

Zayn's stomach churns at the morbid cruelty. But as he watches the severed head roll down, he catches Jelena, the young serpentina lieutenant, wince a little. Nobody else catches that slight muscle movement on her pretty face. While every other serpentina chuckles and cheers their boss, the girl, whose snake tattoo coils around her neck but the head of the snake hides underneath her braided dark blonde hair, doesn't join in on the amusement.