The heavy oak doors of the grand hall creaked open as King Rima paced before his obsidian throne, his hands folded behind his back. Sunlight poured through the high stained-glass arches of the palace, casting deep blood-red shadows across the floorboards.
"Soldiers," King Rima commanded, his voice echoing off the stone walls like cold steel. "Go to Akanzi’s estate at once. Destroy him and wipe out his entire bloodline."
From the adjacent archway, Queen Lisa stepped into the hall, her silk robes sweeping against the stone as her eyes widened in utter disbelief. "My husband... do you even hear the madness coming from your lips? Akanzi is your sworn brother—your best friend! Why in the gods' names would you order his destruction?!"
"Will you remain quiet, woman?!" Rima snapped, whirling around with a dark glare. "Do you care for my crown at all?! You and I both know the truth. Akanzi was the one who placed me on this throne. Ten years ago, we swore a solemn pact: I would rule for a decade while he completed his sacred martial training, and when the term ended, I would hand the crown back to him as the rightful heir."
Queen Lisa stepped closer, her hands trembling. "Yes, I remember the oath! But Akanzi gave you the kingdom willingly! My husband, please... you do not need to shed blood. He has not come to court, nor has he uttered a single word demanding the throne back!"
"That is because tomorrow marks the tenth year!" Rima thundered, slamming his fist against a marble pillar. "I will not debate this with you, Lisa! If war broke out at our borders tomorrow, neither you nor our useless son could fight for me! Why don't you spend your time teaching Tan how to be a proper Crown Prince instead of allowing him to spend every waking hour hunting in the forest?!"
"Tan has gone hunting to clear his mind!" Queen Lisa shot back, her chest heaving with indignation. "Our son has sacrificed his youth for the defense of this realm, yet you offer him no appreciation! Listen to me, Rima... you are forgetting who Akanzi’s daughter is. You cannot harm his household while Naomi breathes under that roof. You know the dark power she possesses! Stop this madness before you invite ruin upon us all!"
King Rima’s eyes narrowed into cold, calculating slits. A terrible, mocking smile crept across his face.
"I have already planned for the girl, woman," Rima said quietly. He turned to the squad commander waiting in the shadows. "Listen carefully. Send a forged royal missive directly to Naomi. Tell her that a violent band of rogue assassins has laid siege to the Zika family estate, and that I command her to protect them immediately. Once she leaves the estate... enter Akanzi’s house and execute him and his wife without mercy."
"And the girl, Your Majesty?" the commander asked.
"Send a strike team to lie in wait along the forest path," Rima ordered, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper. "Ambush her in the woods and cut her down. Do not allow her to survive... and do not leave a single trace that leads back to the crown."
"By your command, My King!" the soldiers barked, bowing low before vanishing into the shadowed corridors.
Miles away, within the tranquil, flower-scented courtyard of Lord Akanzi's estate, Naomi sat near her window, polishing the steel edge of her broadsword. Her mother, Lady Akanzi, sat across from her, carefully stitching a embroidered cloak.
The peaceful atmosphere was broken as Lord Akanzi strode into the room, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Forgive me, my ladies, for barging in without knocking," Akanzi said with a warm, rumbling laugh.
Naomi set her sharpening stone aside, looking up with a mischievous smirk. "Father, you know I never mind. But tell me... have you finally changed your mind? Tomorrow is the tenth year. Are you preparing to ride to the palace and reclaim your crown?"
Lady Akanzi paused her needlework, looking at her husband with gentle eyes. "Yes, my love... have you made up your mind?"
Akanzi chuckled softly, walking over to pour himself a cup of spiced tea. "You two worry yourselves over nothing. I have told you a thousand times—I have no interest in sitting on that gold chair again. I am no longer young, nor am I eager to deal with the endless political headaches of Bawop. Let my dear friend Rima continue to rule. He has grown accustomed to the burdens of the kingdom, hasn't he?"
Naomi smiled brightly, her heart lightening at her father's peaceful words. "As long as you and Mother remain healthy and safe, that is all I care about. If you wish to leave the crown with King Rima, then so be it!"
"Indeed, my husband," Lady Akanzi agreed, gently patting his hand. "Let Rima continue his journey as ruler."
"Ah, before I forget," Akanzi added, reaching into his tunic and pulling out a heavy parchment sealed with red wax. "I found this royal missive resting at our front gate, Naomi. It bears the King’s mark and is addressed directly to you."
"A letter from the King?" Naomi murmured, taking the parchment. She broke the wax seal and scanned the sharp ink script. Her warm expression instantly vanished, replaced by an icy, focused glare.
Without a word, she leapt to her feet, strapping her sword sheath tightly across her waist.
"Naomi, what is it?" her mother asked, her eyes filled with sudden worry. "What does the letter say?"
"There is grave danger at the Zika estate," Naomi said, her tone sharp and precise. "Rogue bandits are threatening their household. The King has ordered me to intervene immediately."
"Oh, my dear child, please be careful," Lady Akanzi pleaded, standing up to cup her daughter's cheek. "Do not let those filthy bandits leave a single scratch on your beautiful face."
"I will be safe, Mother. I promise," Naomi whispered, wrapping her arms around her mother in a tight embrace before turning to her father. "I will return before sunset."
Akanzi nodded proudly. "May the gods guard your blade, my daughter."
Naomi hurried out to the stables, mounting her black stallion. With a sharp kick to the horse's flanks, she galloped out of the estate compound, the wind whipping through her long dark hair.
Hang on, Lord Zika, Naomi prayed silently, leaning forward as the horse thundered down the dirt road. May the spirits keep your family safe until my steel arrives.
The open path quickly gave way to the dense, ominous thickets of the border forest. The towering canopy blocked out the afternoon sun, casting the trail in eerie green shadows.
Naomi pressed her horse faster, her instincts telling her something was wrong.
SWISH!
Out of nowhere, a heavy iron-tipped arrow whistled through the brush, striking her horse directly in the flank. The beast let out a agonizing shriek, collapsing violently onto the muddy path.
Naomi reacted instantly. Throwing her weight to the side, she executed a clean barrel roll across the dirt, coming up on one knee with a sharp metallic CLANG as she unsheathed her sword.
"Show yourselves!" Naomi shouted, her icy voice echoing through the silent forest.
From behind the dense trunks, a dozen masked assassins emerged. They were clad in dark leather armor, holding heavy iron crossbows and short swords.
"Who sent you?!" Naomi demanded, her blade rising into a perfect defensive guard.
"Kill her!" the lead assassin barked.
A volley of arrows flew straight toward her. Moving with terrifying speed, Naomi lunged forward, grabbing the nearest assassin by his throat. She thrust her sword through his chest, using his body as a human shield to absorb the incoming arrows.
With a fierce grunt, she kicked the corpse into two approaching attackers, sending them crashing to the ground. She spun through the dirt, her blade flashing in the gloom as she slashed through two more assassins in seconds.
However, more shadowy figures poured from the trees, surrounding her in an impenetrable circle of steel.
"Drop your weapon, Naomi!" the leader sneered, pointing a dripping blade at her throat. "You are surrounded!"
Naomi’s eyes flickered across the masked men. They know my name... This was no random bandit attack.
Slowly, deliberately, Naomi raised her left hand and let her broadsword drop into the damp grass, her mind frantically calculating the distance needed to snap the leader's neck with her bare hands.
"Execute her!" the commander ordered.
Four blades raised into the air, sweeping down toward her unprotected shoulders.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!
A volley of phantom arrows shot out from the high canopy above, striking the attackers' weapons with blinding precision and knocking the swords straight out of their hands!
"What in the gods' names?!" the assassins gasped, staggering back in confusion.
Before anyone could move, a tall youth dropped gracefully from the high branches, landing lightly on his feet directly in front of Naomi. He unstrung his hunting bow in one smooth motion, a confident, playful smirk resting on his lips.
"Back off, fellas," the boy said smoothly, adjusting his leather wrist guards. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you it's bad manners to jump a pretty girl?"
Seeing the unexpected archer stand his ground, the remaining masked assassins exchanged uneasy glances, grabbed their fallen weapons, and retreated back into the shadows of the forest.
The boy turned around, brushing his dark bangs out of his eyes as he looked down at her. "Hey there, miss. Are you alright?"
In a flash of motion, Naomi’s hand shot out, her fingers locking tightly around the boy's throat, pinning him back against a nearby oak tree.
"Who are you?!" she growled, her eyes burning like fiery coals. "And why are you following me?!"
The boy gasped slightly, though his smile didn't fade as he looked into her eyes.
"I'm Tan..." he managed to choke out. "Crown Prince of Bawop."