Juvenal

Chapter II

Juvenal did not know for how long he had been fighting. All he knew was that Esme was still protectively in his arms and that there were injured and killed soldiers in front of him. He gripped the hilt of the sword tighter as he saw more soldiers jump in his way. His hands were already red with blood, and he knew that this would not be an easy battle to win. He had fought many battles with his soldiers, and in all of those battles, he had gained victory as he had taken many kingdoms under his name. All the battles he had fought before were for the kingdom. Even though he hated the Queen, he was not able to not do it for the good of the kingdom. Therefore, he had been taking armies down in enemy kingdoms ever since he had turned seventeen years old. The practice and training he had received ever since he had turned seven, had paid off when he had been on the battlefield. He was called the warrior prince among all the neighboring kingdoms, and it was the first time in his life that he was fighting against his own soldiers.

The gathering around them were staring at the battle taking place in front of them with their mouths hanging open. Even though all of them had heard the reputation of the crown prince as the unbeatable prince ever to exist, none of them had seen him in the battlefield fighting against a whole army of grown men with a single sword.

"Get her now!"

The Queen commanded once more, and the crown prince had a moment's warning to change the hold in his hand. He raised his arm and blocked his bride from view. He felt her tremble behind him as her fingers gripped on his sides fearfully. He stared dangerously at the oncoming soldiers. He pointed his head to the side and indicated the fallen ones. His warning was very clear to the oncoming soldiers, but they did not falter their steps. They knew that it was now or never. The soldiers knew that their death was already fated to fall on that evening. If they captured the girl, the crown prince would rip them off their souls mercilessly. If they did not capture the girl, it would be their necks placed below the sword, according to the Queen's command.

The prince swished his sword down once more. It rooted down along the soldiers metal armor in a screech and the prince's lips pulled up in a corner in an evil smirk. The soldier stopped where he was.

The prince did not falter. He aimed his sword carefully and with the sound of metal meeting metal, and as a loud scream echoed in the dark evening, the soldier fell onto his side, blood oozing out from his neck. The prince was known to be merciless. He had never been defeated in any of his battles, and he fought as though he was in a frenzy to take down his enemy. In all of his previous battles, his enemies had been the soldiers from another kingdom, but this time, his enemy was the whole kingdom, standing against him and his bride.

The prince turned to his right. He pulled Esme along with him and did not turn to look at her to ensure that she was alright. He just knew that she was alright. He did not see where the Queen was standing. He could not see who was around him anymore. He just saw blood everywhere and oncoming soldiers. That was all he was able to see. His heart was beating loud in his ear.

He turned to his right once more. For the first time since the evening, the prince started to hear his heart beat loud in his ear. He had not known how many soldiers were laying down now, but what he was seeing was not something that was encouraging for him. Soldiers were starting to round them up. He looked around them from the corner of his eyes and he felt Esme's fingernails dig deeper into his sides. He was able to feel her heart beat louder on his back and he knew that things were not falling in favor with them.

He turned the sword once inside his arm, as he felt his hold slacken in his sweaty palms. He closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath. It was now or never.

When he opened his eyes once more, he saw that the soldiers were growing in number, and he wondered whether he would have to take down all the soldiers in the kingdom. Lifting his sword high up above his head, he swished his sword down, slicing the air clean. But the oncoming soldiers did not stop. They had been trained with him not to fear the enemy. He could not have expected less of them.