May I Have This Dance

Chapter 1

Phayu doesn’t believe in monsters. Monsters are just stories that the uneducated villagers tell themselves on dark nights by the hearth fires. Monsters are just something parents tell their children so that they will behave. Phayu on the other hand has been brought up with the best tutors money can buy. He has studied science from books brought to his family’s palace from all over the world. He has been taught battle strategies and fighting techniques from the time he was old enough to sit in at his father’s war councils. He has been taught farming, and animal husbandry. His well-rounded education didn’t allow for superstitions.

Phayu has never believed in monsters, that is until he becomes one.

The conflict is supposed to be over in a few days. Just some invaders that needed to be dealt with quickly to protect their people. There have been rumors that the invaders have brought along soldiers with abilities whispered to be beyond those capable of a normal human. Phayu and his brother Saifah, however, aren’t normal humans. As the youngest princes of this land, and as twins, which is considered sacred in their land, they are given a status just below godhood.

Naturally the princes are the ones sent to lead the army against the invaders. He and Saifah are the youngest sons of the family with three older brothers. They are the ones always chosen to lead the army while their older brothers stay home and help the king and queen with ruling the country.

The first indication they come across is a village burnt to the ground. There is no sign of life and not a building has been left standing. Phayu motions for his men to wait at the outskirts while he pokes through the rubble and ashes. He motions Saifah forward and points out what looks like the remains of a handmade doll and a scrap of clothing that could belong to a young child.

“Do you think they slaughtered the villagers and burned the remains?” Saifah asks.

Phayu shrugs, without bodies it is impossible to tell but that seems like the most likely scenario.

“What do you think these invaders want? They aren’t making a push towards the more populated areas; they only seem interested in attacking the coastal villages. Do you think they are taking supplies? But most of these are only fishing villages. They don’t have a lot to take,” Saifah says.

“We’ll find out when we catch up with them.” Phayu tells him. “Let’s move on, there is nothing more to discover here.”

They came across a couple more similar sites before they caught up to their quarry. The invaders were preparing to leave by the looks of it when Phayu and his men caught up with them. They didn’t appear to be loading any sort of stolen supplies or kidnapped passengers which reinforced Phayu’s belief that the villagers had been killed, but he isn’t sure for what purpose.

The invaders were few in number, Phayu’s men outnumbered them by five times. The fight seemed, to Phayu, to be already won.

“Take some hostage for questioning, kill the rest.” He informs his men.

His men fall on the invaders but immediately they can tell something is wrong. Swords and arrows seem to not be able to penetrate their skin. While the invaders, with no visible weapons devastate the army until only Phayu and Saifah are left standing.

A man, perhaps the leader of the invaders from the way the others defer to him, strides forward. He looks the brothers over. Then says something in another language Phayu doesn’t recognize.

Phayu and Saifah are easily bound and taken to the ship’s hold.

Phayu’s first instinct is to protect Saifah. Even though they are twins, Phayu is still the protective older brother, even if only by a few minutes.