Amir's POV:
Dearest, King Amadon.
I, Amirousz Ezial Qill, Seventh Prince of Haiyan, wrote this note to authorize myself to trek outside the vicinity of the domain, It is for I have a mission to acknowledge. On behalf of being assigned by yours to temporarily lead the Palace without your presence here. I would like to assign Prince Nexus to temporarily take my place to lead the palace for a moment until I come back from matters and will be able to accomplish my task as soon as it is accomplished. I'll make sure that my absence will not greatly affect the ongoing system and the ways of the realm. This letter will serve as evidence of my sudden disappearance here at the Qill Palace. Hopefully, you will be able to read it as soon as you're back at the Qill Palace.
Yours truly, Seventh Prince; Amir Qill.
Dawn. All things needed are packed. Undressed the Prince's suit and only wears casual Haiyanus clothes; plain pewter-toned wool knitted sleeveless fabric matches with straight wool shorts; fashioned. I took the young lady and the messenger with me. We didn't use a carriage, yet, we wandered across going to our first destination; the Osanyin Village.
The Realm is wide in terms of land radius. It would take miles for us to reach the other Villages covered by the domain but the nearest village from the Central and Palace was Osanyin Town; the town that produces crops and livestock and where grassroots healers are.
"So, ba't mo pa kami sinama sa misyon mo?" The young Lady asked walking with arms crossed over their chest.
I took a glance at her and caught them side-eyeing me.
I shrugged.
"Ah, 'yun lang! you'll use us as bait, tama ba?"
I shrugged, again. While keeping strolling.
"Let's just follow the Prince, for sure hindi naman niya gagawin 'yon," sudden utterances by the messenger who was right behind the young lady.
"Well, I'm gonna use you both. That's why I took the two of you to come with me." I uttered. Then gaze at them.
They both stopped and turned round to me who was just right ahead strolling with me.
"See that?! Papatayin tayo ng Prinsipeng ito!" Young Lady uttered pointing a finger at me.
"It's not that...I'm gonna use your skills just in case my plans don't go well," I said.
"Plans? —"
"Kita mo? May sarili siyang plano na hindi natin alam! Ipapahamak mo talaga kami!" she exclaimed.
"Please, Young Lady, calm down. Trust me, okay?! I will never use both of you as bait," I uttered with calmness in my voice.
They both looked at each other, then turned their gaze at me, and inhaled.
Exhaled.
After that, I smiled at them and continued strolling.
The Messenger grabbed the folded map out of his pocket and looked over it to catch sight of our location.
"Your Highness, according to this map, there are two bridges that connect the boundary between the land of Central and Osanyin. The first one was just right ahead of us, and the other one which we need to take a slight detour from the right, though it seems like it will take us longer to reach the Village by our feet," He said while looking over at the map.
"Then we took this straight. If it doesn't go well then let's take a detour," I said.
"I guess it's safe if we took the shorter one para mas madali and probably, gabi na tayo makakarating doon, which is better than if we took a detour and it will take us a day pa to arrive," the Young Lady uttered.
The messenger just nodded.
"What's your name?" The Lady asked the messenger.
The messenger gazed at her and then turned back to the map.
"His name is Mill," I answered.
The Lady glanced at me.
"So, you know him?" She asked.
"As I should, he's my messenger!"
"Okay." she shortly replied. She then turned her gaze to my messenger and introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Niala Fuegon. Nice to meet you, Mill!"
Mill nodded. Niala offered her hands for a shake, and Mill accepted it.
Sweats drop by, as we're half a mile on the boundary. Panting and strolling, I grabbed the jar out of my satchel and gulped some liquids to freshen up myself from the heat. As we walked by, we found a hut and decided to dwell there temporarily. The hut was about to collapse; old, dusty, pillars fragile, ledge urged to fall, and termites had taken up residence. We sheltered and took a nap for a while as there was still half a mile to voyage.
"Almost there, malapit lang naman lalakarin natin between the boundaries of Central and Osanyin." Niala deeply sighed after uttering and then gulped some water from her jar.
"Yeah, let's just rest for a while. It's our first stopover after miles of walking," I added.
I leaned over my backpack to lie and take a nap. I shut down and feel the warmth of the wind whistling around.
Amir!
Amir!!
Amir!!!
Someone was calling my name, it was not either a dream but somebody uttering my name in the real world. I gradually rapt my eyes and saw a familiar face right on me. I can visualize her clearly, I was astounded to see her in the middle of the night.
"Adylh?!" I surprisingly uttered. I got up from the mattress, She was kneeling beside my bed, presumably, trying to wake me up in that position. I saw her teary-eyed even though the lights were off, the dim light of the moon that reflected through the window served which made me view her face red and teary-eyed.
"Amir, my brother. " Uttering those words coming from her gob causes me to shiver. I am trembling and stuttering from this moment. I was unhesitant to hug her tightly and feel her warmth of hugs, she caressed my back to calm me like she did when we were young back then. She was sobbing from joy... I know where's the tears coming from. She believed in me. She let me believe in her. The reassurance she gave twenty years ago had never been crumbled apart. She came back for me. Slowly, the tears came out of my eyes and started dropping. After two decades she had gone, she came back at the right time.
"I've missed you. It's been long since you vanished from this Palace," I uttered after we hugged each other.
She wiped her tears away and then gave me a forehead kiss.
"I know, I came back for you, my little brother. I've heard you've already been crowned Prince... you know how happy I am," she uttered.
"I know. Our parents would be really glad about it," I responded.
"How are you doing right now? Where do you live..." I stopped asking midway. When I saw something different from her.
She stood up from kneeling beside the bed and noticed that she was wearing a ninja-yoroi. I pointed at it and she immediately depended on it.
"It's not what you meant, brother. Look..." She said while walking towards me and holding my hands.
From immense joy turned into confusion.
"... I need your help. I know you will, my brother..."
I forcibly took off my hands that she grabbed.
"W-What?! What help?" I said with confusion and deep inside me was a slowly brewing anger.
"You need to help me. I know what you're feeling right now. But please, I need your help. You have a shared power of this palace..."
After I heard those, my eyebrows crossed, and turned back away from her. She only came back for me for the power. It hurts me inside, she needs my help and I don't know what will be caused by it and I don't want to risk it at all.
"You need power, right?" I said, with multiple nods, and clenched my fist.
"Y-yes! Amir, I know this is hard but... "
"Then why did you run away?!" I said and turned back at her with rage in my eyes.
She darted at me and stiffened.
"If you ought to have power, then why use me when in fact you could have claimed your crown and have a shared power in the palace — You were supposed to be crowned!" I angrily uttered.
"Look, I've run away from the Palace and escaped my future endeavors because I don't want to bind myself to this realm, I don't want to lead. That's why I've run away and hidden from everyone... I am scared, even before our parents died," She defensively uttered. Tears drop down her cheek and brush away and unexpectedly, tumbles and kneels pitifully, sobbing. I was stupefied. It feels like guilt inside me started brewing. But I held myself composed and tried to utter, after seeing my sister's meltdown.
"I've come here to visit you because I've been longing for my little one for a long time, and I desperately need what you have right now. I'm sorry."
I walk forward to her, kneeling and sobbing. Offered my hand for her to grasp and stand.
"Get up," I uttered in earnest.
She gazed at me and back to my offering hand, she grasped it and pulled her to stand.
I deeply sighed.
"I can't help you, I will not risk it at all. I don't know what you're planning and I don't want to meddle with it."
She smiled a bit.
"You've changed."
"No, I'm not..."
"You're already grown."
She caressed my cheeks and grinned at me.
"I understand, Amir. I'm sorry if I bothered your peace..."
"You're not, You didn't, and I am sorry, but I can't help you," I responded.
"It's okay, I understand."
She took away from caressing and put back her head mask. She started backing away and turned around to face the balcony to get away. Maybe, she climbed up through a tree near my room and was able to reach her. I followed her through the balcony and reached the branch of a tree, she glanced at me and saw in her eyes the tears.
"I will miss you, my little bro," she said.
"Me too, sister. " I said while tears slowly fell down my cheeks. I can't contain it anymore. My heart aches to see my sister cry because of me, but I could not help her, in some way, something pushing me away from helping her.
She let go of her grasp on the branch at returned forward to me giving me one last tight hug. We're both sobbing.
"It's okay, you don't need to feel guilty. I'm sorry if I caught you off guard about that. Don't cry. Be strong."
"I will, sister. I will," I responded right away after uttering her last words.
"I have to go now, it's almost dawn," she said in haste
"Where?" I curiously asked.
She didn't respond, rather, she walked forward near the edge of the balcony and grasped the branch of the tree. She smoothly climbed from and down the tree. She stealthily walked by away from the Palace. I followed her with my gaze, she then turned her head around and waved goodbye at me.
...
"Your Highness..."
"... Gising na po." I heard. I slowly opened my eyes to glimpse at it, and saw Mill trying to wake me. It wasn't a dream, yet, a flashback that stuck in my mind.
I slightly leaned back to sit and saw Niala at the back trying to wipe off all the traces that we unconsciously made. On the other hand, Mill started to pack all the things and put them back into the pack. I stood up and cleaned myself up, after. Then, back on track. We started to stroll as we were half a mile to the boundary of Central Village and Osanyin.
"Now, what will we do if we find him at Osanyin?" Mill said.
"I'll take him. Probably, it's my mission to find them. Am I right?" I said, switching my gaze to Niala.
"Yes, most likely, it's your mission. Though you all have different missions which in accordance to Master Ki Bou's plan, Isa't-isa kayong nabigyan ng sariling misyon and... "
"it's all connected!" she responded.
And we're here. At the border, a rapid current of misty streams, and gusts of strong wind make the hanging bridges swing back and forth. We all stopped and stiffened, seeing the condition.
"Now what?" Niala uttered.
"Well, this is the nearest. If we take the usual route then we'll take a detour..."
Mill said. Then deeply sighed.
"— and it will take us days to be exact, but it will take us quickly if we took a vehicle to ride on." He added.
Two choices; Go straight or Detour. Straight; almost near but way too treacherous to cross through this aged hanging bridge with a strong gust of wind and torrent river or a Detour; secure but will take us longer to reach, not unless a vehicle was. I am torn. But the mission needs to be accomplished as soon as possible.
I gazed at them and no hesitation pointed the bridge right in front.
They just turned they gaze at the bridge. I saw how they swallowed.
"We take this," I shortly said.
"But first, we have to take precautions. Do we have a rope?" I asked.
Both of them nodded. Mill put down the pack on the ground and rummaged through it.
"Anong gagawin natin sa lubid?" Niala asked.
"We hang through it,"
"What do you mean?" she asked curiously.
"We tie up this rope first at that tree, make sure that it's tied tightly..." I commanded and started pointing to the tree just right behind us.
"As we can see, the bridge is frail. Some wooden step was fragile, if you take a look through them; one wrong step on it, expect the worst,"
"Prince Amir! I got the rope," Mill eagerly uttered.
"Good. Now, tie it to that tree, and make sure it's tight." I commanded, and Mill's eagerness followed.
"Now, did you see that tall firm tree?" I said pointing my finger through the firm tree across it.
They turned their gazes to where I was pointing it.
"Someone will cross this bridge first, holding the other end of this rope, he or she will tie it there, once we make it there," I said with conviction.
"Not me," Niala said, turning around.
"Not me, either. Your Highness, my apology," Mill apologized and bowed. Both of them refused.
"It's okay, I'll do it, it's my plan," I confidently spoke. Then tie the end part of the rope around my waist.
Mouth slightly opened and in awe. I just smirked at them.
niddle-noddle sync in agreement.
"Then, be careful your majesty," Mill emitted.
I slowly walked forward on it, bridge swinging by, set foot on it, and heard the crackling. I put less weight on the lower part of my body so that it would not cause too much mass between my foot and the frail wood. I avoid stepping in the middle however I walk at the edge where it's more stabilized to step for. I continued amidst the uncomfortably up-and-down and side-to-side movements of the bridge, making me nauseous. I looked down at the vigorous current of the river capable of washing you away if you fell. I gulped for I was trembling but remained calm and composed to keep on walking while holding onto the handrails at one side merely. Midway, I heard my comrades cheering behind me like I was at a game, nearing to reach the finish line. I didn't bother to take a glimpse but rather persisted.
"Almost there!" I whispered to myself.
Then a strong windblast occurred, and astounded by it and accidentally lost my grip on the handrail and fell. I rushed to grip the handrail and then...
I heard the popping sound of the frail timber and...
cracks!
I tripped and my right leg was scratched and wounded. But luckily, I catch a grip on the handrail.
Argh!
"Prinsipe Amir!" Niala shouted. Shocked by what happened.
"Your Highness! Are you okay?" Mill uttered with concern in his tone.
I managed to stand though my leg was badly wounded because of the broken timber and scratches my leg on it; a piece of timber stuck and dangling around my leg wound. Blood dripping and leaking. Despite the numbness and blood spread all over my leg, kept moving forward 'till I reached the other end of the bridge. I stumbled. Tore apart the lower part of my clothes with all force and rolled it on the wound, bandage-like to put pressure on it. I stood up again and tried to step forward from the tree. Untied the rope on my waist and pulled out the rope to stretch out and avoid sagging. I was able to roll it up and fasten it on the tree. I gazed at them and saw their worried and frightened complexions. I signaled them with a thumbs up and was able to understand as they nodded after. They took out extra ropes and rolled them on their waist and knotted the end part to the other one so that it would go smoothly as they crossed. I sit and lean back on the tree to leisure myself for a while and reduce my movement after being wounded. I lose blood, weakened, pale, and numb. The wound severely caused damage to me.
"Prince Amir!" As I saw someone coming forward to me, blurry. Then, slowly lose sight of them as I lose consciousness and slumber.
- END.