The evening sun cast long shadows on the ground. The slanting rays of the setting sun gave a warm orange tinge to the sky. It was a normal boring day, like any other day, with no clouds to be seen for miles. But the day was about to get exciting, a public execution. For the people of Tolemac, they did not get the chance to witness that very often. Normally only the worst of the worst got to be burnt alive. They all wondered what this person did this time and what kind of hideous face he had? When it was announced that this person was accused of being a spy and kidnapping the princess, they all nodded, agreeing that he deserved to die for the crime. Then they saw his face, and to their disappointment, he looked completely normal. Except for his rather exotic eyes, Azar looked as if he could just be any one of them.
“The prisoner has requested to have his last word !” The executioner announced.
Azar, all tied up to a wooden pole, started to talk out loud. Usually, the last words of a dead roll prisoner would be something like a high pitch trembling and remorseful pleas to spare their life. Or a long and angry rant full of curses and profanities. And judging by how unregretful Azar looked, they were all expecting the latter. However, once Azar started speaking, it was a strong and prideful smoky voice, something they would expect from those of the royalty,
“Dear all you humans, standing here to witness the execution of one of your own kind. I have nothing but my pity for all of you. You all stand here joyfully witnessing someone getting killed for something he did not commit. And no matter how the facts and evidence say otherwise, you would rather listen to those that you proclaim to be wiser and more worthy than even yourself and turn your back away from the truth. I truly feel sorry for all of you.”
“INSOLENT !” The king slammed his fist on the table and stood up. “Rather than admitting your sins and pleading for God’s forgiveness, you continue to spat out lies and insult my people ! For that your soul shall forever be punished in Hell !”
“HAHAHAHA,” Azar laughed like a madman, “Taking an innocent life and you still think that God is on your side !?! How deluded !”.
Then, out of nowhere, dark clouds covered the once clear sky. Thunders roared like a dragon wagging its rampage on the land below, and lightning split the sky as Azar continued to speak.
“A king like you, who would only rather listen to honey lies than bitter truth, you will be the reason why this kingdom crumbles under God’s flame !”. Or, more precisely, Arar’s dragon’s fire.
“What is going on !?”
“Where did the storm come from !?”
The people started to panic. Even King Henry fell back into his seat when he heard a thunder strike out of nowhere. The king shouted, “Execute the prisoner !”.
The 6ft6 giant of an executioner walked slowly toward Azar. His hand was holding a torch while trembling uncontrollably. Azar stared into his eyes and told him.
“Do it, burn an innocent man !”
The executioner felt fear for the first time when he was about to execute a prisoner. Even though he had just heard the king’s command, his hand refused to let go of the torch. But then, a thunder roared so loud that it made him drop it. Azar smiled brightly, there was no way his secret could be kept now, and he would have a good reason to take his revenge on these puny humans without technically breaking God’s promise … However, that moment never came.
Clang!
The torch was knocked out of its course. Like a flash of lightning, just blink, and they would have missed it. A beautiful young woman in full royal armor stepped in and stopped the execution.
“CAPTAIN ! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS !” General Geralt shouted.
Sasha drove her sword to the ground and got on one knee, bowing to the king and the general.
“Forgive me ! But I can not let you kill this innocent man !”
And as if it was scripted from the start, the dark clouds went away slowly, taking the thunder and lightning with them. And after the storm came the bright sun. Under the playful light, Sasha stoically kneeled on one knee as the sunlight made her hair blossom angelically.
“Isn’t that Captain Olivera !?”
“Why is she saving that prisoner ?”
“Is he really innocent !”
The people started shifting their minds.
“Order !” Harold screamed at Sasha, “How dare you ! A mere Captain ! You dare question the decision of your king ?! For what !? A street rat like him !”
“He is not a street rat !” Another voice rocked the ground, all eyes went to that young man, Munir,
“He is a human, just like you and me ! And he deserves to be judged fairly not rushing into a conclusion like this ! This man was barely imprisoned for one hour, no evidence, no confession, how can you all be so assertive that he is guilty !”
Chatting started to get louder.
“Isn’t master Munir well-known for being kind ?”
“If even he stood up for this man, could he be …”
“INSOLENT !” Harold shouted. However, he did not dare speak another word. The king held his hand up and stopped all the nonsense. Even though his heart wavered a bit, he could not show weakness in front of all the watching eyes of his people and loyal subjects. Standing in front of the kneeling Sasha and Munir, things had gone way out of hand, and Henry had to make the tough decision.
“Remember this well you two, I will show you mercy, only this time. But a king is never wrong !”
His word meant the execution would go on. He knew he might be wrong, but he couldn’t restrict his words now. A single meaningless sacrifice of a random nameless man meant nothing to a king's pride and honor.
“Please ! All we ask is more time … !”
“Just stay out of this !” A strong thunderous voice shocked everyone. “This does not concern you !” Azar called out to the two in front of him.
“Shut up ! We’re trying to save you here !” Sasha turned her head and grunted.
The people started to rattle. If they let this continue, no one could tell if a riot wouldn’t start.
“My word is the law ! Finish him” Rather than the usual executioner, it was the royal guards who came forward. Armed to the teeth, their intention was clear. But still, Sasha and Munir did not waver. Instead, they held their stance, not moving an inch.
Azar did not feel an ounce of fear or concern when those humans came for him, but somehow, for those two, he felt something. His heart beat faster, his breathing started to become more eradicated. And at that moment, it struck Azar, why did he care for them? They were human as well. In fact, by the look of things, they were working directly under this joke of a king. He should feel nothing but hatred for them. But he could not. Azar did not know if it was because he met them before when they were just small innocent little children or because out of all the humans here and in the past 10 years, they were the first to stand up for him. Even though it did not matter honestly, they could not hurt him with their steel and magic. Their actions made him feel warm inside. They reignited a feeling he had long forgotten, even when he was a dragon, the warm feeling of having someone else on his side. But it did not matter why. Azar just knew that those two did not deserve this. His instinct kicked in,
“NO !” Azar took a breath and was about to unleash his strength
“STOP THIS MADNESS !” A loud and crystal voice stopped everyone in their tracks. Walking ever so gracefully, the princess of Avalon, Elizabeth Leon. Everyone was surprised to see the princess but none more than Azar.
“Wait, Elly ?”. She looked so different from her short time with Azar. The long elegant white dress, the white gold jewelry, her face looked as cold as winter, and her eyes looked as sharp as an emerald sword. Elly was truly a princess who walked out from a fairy tale, unlike the little girl who was afraid of everything.
Everyone quietly looked at Elly in awe as she gracefully walked to the king’s table, where a seat was already reserved for her. Everyone instinctively opened a path for her without rehearsing beforehand or even batting an eye at each other.
“Father, please retract your order. Azar is not guilty !” Elly gently asked.
“Princess Elizabeth, please don’t inter….”
“Who do you think you are ? Interrupting me and my father ! Know your place Harold !” Elly stared Harold down. And he bitterly bowed down and took a step back.
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“Father, please!”.Once again, all eyes were on the king.
Azar noticed something quite odd. He had become the side character of his own execution. Sasha, Munir, and Elizabeth had stolen all the spotlight. And then there was the king who everyone could see starting to sweat nervously, a king backing down on his words... that was unheard of.
“I’m sorry daughter. But without certain evidence to prove his innocence , he will still be executed” he then stood up and whispered in her ears, “Stop making a fuss about this. He is just a worthless boy, don’t embarrass our family for a nobody!”
Elly’s icy face turned red with anger. Her lips trembled, and her fist held tightly. Her razor-sharp rebel eyes refused to back down, but so did her father, the king. The maids tried to pull her hands back, a big mistake. Elly forcefully shook them off, showing clear refusal and rebel against her own father.
“I’m saving this family from embarrassment, by stopping them from murdering a good man,” she told her father. That made the king furious, his veins popping out of his forehead.
“It’s alright Elly !” Azar spoke from a distance, “I’ve told you before I don’t need you or ANYONE to help me !”. The strong and prideful voice reached everyone. “If you want to burn me, fine, I won’t fight you.”
But then something sparked in Azar’s mind while talking to Elly. Azar easily got away from the rope and pulled something out of his secret pocket.
“Watch out, he got a weapon !” Harold shouted, and the guards raised their shields and ran toward the king and the royal family.
“Here !” Azar called out. He pulled out the medallion he found in Elly’s pocket the day he found her. “I found this on you while you were unconscious. It looks like it’s important to you. So take it back before it gets ruined in the fire.”
However, looking at everyone’s faces, Azar could tell, no one was listening to him. All they were focusing on was the medallion he was holding forward. And no one looked more shocked and scared than Harold, the King’s servant. Elly held her head and seemingly had a strong headache.
Memories came rushing like a tidal wave, that voice, the medallion, the symbol on it, Elly remembered.
“You fucking trator !” Elly pulled a sword from one of the men standing near her and aimed it at Harold. Harold quickly fell back.
“Wait princess !” he cried out.
“It was you ! You are the one who kidnapped me !” Elly was held back by General Geralt. “I remember it all ! How you lied to me that my father was asking for me in the front garden, your knockout handkerchief ! But you didn’t know, did you. How I managed to snatch your medallion in the struggle. How I kept it a secret to all your hired goons !!!!”
All eyes immediately turned to Harold.
“Explain yourself Harold !” The king, whose eyes were of a stone-cold murderer, commanded, “That’s this the medallion I gave you, is it not !? How did it get into the hands of that boy !?”
“My lord, please listen to me ! I must have been framed ! Someone must have stolen it from me and gave it to him !” the man bowed his head to the ground and pleaded.
“Liar !” The princess shouted, “I took it from the kidnapper and I can personally vouch for Azar. For the last day and a half, he had been with me, heading toward the city ! Not meeting anyone on the way !”
“And during his time here, he was put in lock down, only I and my most trusted people ever came into contact with him !” General Geralt added.
“And you are always on my side, Harold ! You never set foot out of the castle until now ! And I can remember it very well ! You couldn’t have lost the medallion that I gave you ! At least, until that day !” the king spoke.
Shields were raised, and swords were drawn. Harold crawled on his back and begged.
“Please ! You have to believe me ! I would never betray the kingdom ! I am being framed !”
“Who would want to frame a man severance like you Harold !??” General Geralt questioned, “And if you are actually innocent, then you wouldn’t mind letting me interrogate you, … right !?”
Of course, just based on the fact that Elly could pinpoint her kidnapper was enough for them to kill Harold right there and then. If it wasn’t for the fact that Harold had been the king’s loyal severance for nearly 25 years, his head wouldn’t still be on his shoulders.
“Why, Harold ? Why did you do this !?” The king asked.
It was clear Harold was not going to get away with it. The question had changed from “did you do it” to “Why did you do it !?”. His lips trembled, his fists held tight,
“WHY ?! WHY !!!!!” Harold shouted, “ 25 years, 25 fucking years I serve you ! But not once did I get any credit I deserve !”
“Have you forgotten, Henry !? You promised me that if I serve you, then I will receive a rightful position in the kingdom. I did everything from offering financial and political advice, to prepare your fucking meals. And when any position is open, you always ignore me.”
“25 years I waited for you to fulfill your promise ! But to all of you I am just a worthless severance, nothing more !”
“But do you know who isn’t a bunch of blind idiots like you !? The Citnalta ! They offer me a position worthy of my skill and knowledge ! That’s why ! I didn’t betray this country ! I just take my vengeance on a liar who had betrayed my loyalty for the last 25 years !”
Everything was out in the open. The true perpetrator, the motive behind it, but it was still far from over. The king shook his head.
“I gave you the highest and most honorable position anyone could ask for !” Then, the king loudly spoke, “To serve next to me. To serve a great king !”
Harold spitted on the ground.
“Serving a idiot and liar like you for 25 years is the most regretful thing I ever done !”
“Enough ! Take him to the dungeon !” The king commanded. Harold was quickly apprehended by two soldiers. However, Azar could see it in his eyes, that fire of vengeance, that heavy breathing. Harold was not going to go down without a fight. Under his sleeve, Harold pulled a short knife and stabbed one of the guards in the chest, and took his crossbow. Harold aimed it at the king and said
“Fuck you, Henry !!!” and he pulled the trigger. However, the moment the arrow was shot, General Geralt knocked Harold's crossbow off. So instead of shooting at the king, the arrow ended up flying toward Azar.
To most humans, they could hardly even see the arrow’s trajectory. But to Azar, it was like a snail slowly crawling its way toward him. Of course, Azar could easily dodge it, but why would he.
“This is my chance !”
To hell with the fire, that arrow was enough for Azar to show that he was not an ordinary human without having to break his promise with God. Azar smiled and opened his arms, cheerfully waiting as the arrow flew at him. Just a few moments later, then Azar wouldn’t have to keep hiding his power and could technically still take his revenge on these humans.
Sasha, Elly, and Munir watched in horror as the arrow flew at Azar. Sasha tried to block it, but she was too slow. Nothing was going to stop it … Until something flew in like the wind in the corner of everyone's eyes.
The arrow hit. And blood spattered all over the ground.
“Noooooooo !!!!” Azar cried out as he saw what had happened. A sparrow flew out of nowhere and blocked the arrow for him. Of course, with the cost of its own life.
Geralt easily knocked Harold to the ground and put his sword laid right on Harold's neck.
“Geralt !” The king commanded furiously, “Of with his head !”
One swift move and Harold’s head was sent rolling on the ground. Everyone came there for an execution, and they finally got one.
The king’s tiger-like eyes spoke more than words ever could. However, Elly still stepped in and said
“Look at him, father” she looked at Azar. “A man that moans about the death of a bird, and you were about to kill him.”.
The astonished eyes, the gaping mouth, Azar’s facial expression could be interpreted in many ways. However, his shout helped narrow it down, or so those humans thought.
“Damn it !” Azar looked at the dead bird sorrowfully. It was supposed to be his ticket to rampage, but sadly God had other plans. Azar felt the frustration and disappointment running through his veins, which was clearly shown on his face.
“Azar !!!” Sasha ran to him.
“Ummm…. So no one is going to talk about how he got out of the rope so easily !?” General Geralt spoke. But no one cared. They were either focusing on Harold’s decapitated body or Azar’s well-being. “Alright, no it is then ….”
“Thank God you’re safe !” Munir cheerfully said.
Azar bit his lips, nodded slightly, and sarcastically said, “Yep, thank you God …”. And with that, he confirmed that God would do whatever it took to prevent Azar’s secret from being ‘coincidently’ exposed. Azar sighed and looked at the dead bird longingly.
“So father, can I take this as he is free to go !?” Elly gently asked. The king reluctantly nodded and pacily turned back to the castle.
“You two !” Elly turned to her two maids. “Take him in and fix him up, it's the least we can do !”
******************
“Well, I can get used to this !” Azar comfortably sat in a giant tub of warm water. Getting his hair professionally done for the first time in forever and having a relaxing bath. Azar almost felt like forgiving those humans for what they had put him through … almost.
After an hour of soaking himself in the warm bath and almost falling asleep, Azar finally found the mental strength to pull himself out.
“What the hell !??” The first words Azar said when he saw his towel. It was way too small, and those two maids had taken his clothes away beforehand. So with the small towel that barely covered anything, Azar snuck outside. Luckily for him, fresh new clothes were ready for him, those were high-quality silk, and based on the custom-made sewing and symbols, these were for the royals.
“Wow !” A familiar female voice suddenly broke the silence. Azar quickly turned his head around and saw Elly had already been standing by the door.
“Ok two questions, why didn’t you use the big towel and secondly how is it possible that you can be so fit !?” Elly flat out asked as if the situation was not inappropriate at all.
Azar also casually turned around and replied, “Ok first of all,... there is a bigger towel ? And secondly walking, climbing, and fighting for the last 10 years, eating meat, drinking wine…”. Azar was quick to notice that Elly’s eyes were shifting somewhere else.
“Hey hey hey !” Azar snapped his fingers “ Eyes up here little lady !”. Elly looked up and gave Azar a playful smile.
“You know what, turn around ! Why the hell are you even here anyway !?”
Elly slowly turned her back and answered.
“I’m a princess. I can come and go anywhere and anytime I want, even here.”
“Princess …” one of the maids suddenly came in unannounced. “AAA !!!” She covered her eyes and screamed.
“Oh come on ! Why does everyone just keep coming in unannounced” Azar loudly said.
With flustered cheeks, the maid replied, “Why are you naked and facing the princess !?”
“To make sure she wouldn’t turn around and oh also, IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS !”
“So why are you here ?” Elly softly spoke.
“Uhm, the king and queen request your presence, princess, and him as well.”
Elly smiled kindly, but then she saw that the maid was actually peeking through her fingers.
“EHM !!!! If that's all, then you may go now !” Elly coldly commanded.