Novels2Search
The Garden of Sun and Moon
Chapter 01: The Captured Prince

Chapter 01: The Captured Prince

The bright sun shown down upon the land of the Kingdom of Sun.

The grassy green fields danced with the soft breeze that brushed by.

A young man in his late teens, rode high on his beautiful white horse. He beamed as the warm rays hit his tanned skin. He used his hand to cover his sky blue eyes and pull back his dark hair. He glanced out in the distance, seeing a scenic lake before him.

The clothes he wore were airy and breathable. An off colored white shirt and dark pants kept him warm and yet cool enough from the summer rays.

Fishing pole dangled on the saddle as it moved with the horses momentum.

With a press on the horses side, she started to move a little faster.

“Come on Comet, just a little further and I’ll treat you to some sugar cubes.”

The horse seemed to under stand those words, moving faster on her own. The man laughed as she picked up pace. As they got closer the man looked around confused.

“Strange? Is he not here yet?”

He trotted his horse to a slow walk, leaving him to look around and not see any signs that anyone was there. He let out a sigh, before dismounting. With ease he clipped open a pocket from his saddle, pulling out two sugar cubes.

“Here you go girl!” He hummed as the horse happily licked away at his hand. With a sigh, he looked around some more, a bit uneasy that he hadn’t seen sign of anyone else. “Do you think teacher got held up on the way over? I knew we should have left together….” After Comet was done licking, the man walked over to the lakes edge and started to wash his hands off.

It was then, in the reflection of the water, did he see a dark shadow looming behind him. In one swift motion, he kicked behind him, knocking whoever it was down hard into the damp ground.

He didn’t look back as he made his way to his horse, jumping on and pulling the startled horse into a full sprint run, leaving behind the man who tried to take him out, only for others to move out from their own hiding spots.

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“Damn it….” He gritted his teeth. He knew Comet was already tired from the trip over but to have this sprang up on them now. He looked behind him, seeing who was chasing them.

Men clad in brown, nets and clubs raised, a wave symbol well marked on their hands showing who they belonged to.

The Black Market.

The white horse ran with great haste as her rider desperately pleaded to get away.

The rider pleaded to his horse as it huffed across the threshold he once thought was peaceful.

"Comet, please, don’t give out now!"

The youthful rider looked back behind him with his sky blue eyes, seeing two of the Black Market raiders approaching closer. He drew his long sword, preparing for the on coming attack as his horse started to fail him.

The Raiders galloped towards the youth, one taking the left, the other the right, a net dragging in the middle.

"Damn it!" He knew his sword wouldn't be able to cut those ropes. His only hope was escape.

The youth turned his sights forward, ready for almost anything the raiders would throw at him. What he was not prepared for was his horse tripping on a shrub, sending both horse and rider tumbling to the ground.

Comet cried out as she tried to get up on its feet again, only to fall forward. Her front legs were broken on impact with the shrub. Her bloody nose, flared with pain as she cried out in pain.

The young man, slightly concussed, tumbled and rolled before he turned towards the direction of his horse, only to be snared and dragged a few feet by his captors.

The weapon he once had in his hands was now with his flailing horse that still trashed about in fear.

"Comet!" The sun kissed youth called out, pulling at the netted ropes that held him, cutting his skin. His struggling was futile as he was pulled back down.

It didn’t take long for the other criminals to appear. A smug looking slave trader looked down at the youth, a sly smile already determining the young man’s fate.

"What we have here boys, is a rare gem in deed. The Prince of the Sun, Castor." The wicked man put his hands in his pockets. “The tip off wasn’t lying when he said we’d make a killing...”

The jarring sky blue eyes glanced up at his captors, his jet black hair clung to his face from sweat, dirt and blood.

"Wait till my father hears of this! Even his kind rule can punish the lot of you to the gallows…"

The Slave trader jumped off of his horse, walking his way over to Castor. With his huge hands, he lifted the Prince by his neck, cutting off the teens air supply as he was held gagging.

"You’ll be long gone and sold off before anyone notices your absence young one…."

Castor clenched his teeth, trying to breathe and fighting the man who held him. His strong arms, already weakened by the fall, gave way. His vision started to fade to black. The last thing he saw was the man’s evil smile.