Chapter Two

      "Your highness, Keir asked to see you," a bodyguard in his velvet armour politely said to Prince Zaeius.

      "Let him in," he answered while playing the tip of his hair and the bodyguard opened the door for Keir.

       "I told you! You shouldn't have took her in and I should've let her crawl on her own! She's crazy!"  Keir bluntly said out loud as soon as he entered the prince's hall, clenching his fists.

        His voice echoed to the other end of the hall making multiple, fading mimics.

       The prince was confused at first by the way his forehead furrowed but then eventually realized what Keir meant. He stood on his seat and fixed the collar of his royal blue and golden yellow clothing. Its beads glittered upon the luminous light of the grandiose chandelier from above them, were made of the same color too. 

        "Aroh, leave us alone," the prince ordered his bodyguard.

        "Yes, your majesty." Aroh bowed and left the room without hesitation.

         After the bodyguard left, a dead atmosphere filled the room. It was like any second now, a bloody battle would began.

          "Watch your mouth. You're talking about a woman," Prince Zaeius calmly said, breaking the silence.

     Keir was confused by the way he talked. He could tell the sudden change of his expression. But he couldn't tell if it was anger or was just shocked. His calm and composed nature was nowhere to be found in him anymore—the nature that almost every woman in the kingdom died for.

          Keir took a deep breath trying to calm himself down.

         "Right. A woman who just tried to kill me awhile ago," he couldn't help but let his disappointment out.

         'I was right from the very start. She'll bring no good to him nor to me'

         "I...She what? But how?" Now the prince couldn't even believe what he said. "She's dying when we found her. That's impossible!" 

       "Do you think I'm lying? You can't just defend a stranger like that!" Keir defended himself. "Look, if you want to get married right now, at least find someone suitable for you. Not some limped, crazy stranger!"

      Keir couldn't help his anger anymore. If only the prince could take care of her on his own, he wouldn't have nearly get killed! What if he really died? What about his parents' dream for him?

      "I said stop it! I didn't mean it that way!  It's just that—you don't trust me, do you?!" Prince Zaeius explained, already losing his self.

       He knew it was quite ridiculous to say something like that with the given situation. Once Keir would lose his temper, it would cause him a lot of trouble. Like he'd never talk or visit him for months. He remembered when they were little Keir fell off a guava fruit because he climbed it for him. And it was his fault for asking him to.

       But even the prince wasn't aware of they way he acted. Something had ignited him. He didn't thought he'd get irritated with just this simple argument. Between the two of them, he was the most composed one. He rarely lose his patience.

       "I trust you but my trust for you will kill me! Now tell me how would I just sit back and relax?! We'll turn her over to the homeless shelter until her family finds her. I'm done helping her." Instead of fighting back, Keir started walking away, releasing his heated fist from being balled.

        Keir didn't care about what he's going to react anyway. He'll do it his way!

        "Hey! Where are you going?" Prince Zaeius called him from the back.

        He suddenly heard footsteps on the smooth marble floor towards him.

      "To the royal inn. I'm sending her off," Keir answered making his pace faster towards the royal hall's magnificent hall.

        'Besides, treating someone that badly wounded is too much for my beginner's skill.'

        He's right though. He had only just practiced healing a month ago. How's that possible for him to treat her? Not to mention that he almost lost his life this morning. It's probably one of the most dangerous moment in his life!

        When he was about to open the thick timber door, he noticed that the footsteps had gone silent. Keir turned to look back at his friend. He's surprised to see him standing still, looking blankly at his faint reflection on the surface of the floor.

       Keir knew that something was wrong. Since when did he last saw the prince like this again? He couldn't remember anymore. Lowering his pride, he silently walked towards him. The prince  just ignored his appearance.

      "What's wrong?" he asked with a little hesitation completely swallowing his pride.

       Now the situation had flipped. A moment ago, he was the one who lost it but now the prince had it instead.

       "Yeah..." Prince Zaeius finally spoke under his breath. "I think we should send her away."

       Keir was somewhat relieved but he saw...pain in his friend's face. Though he tried to conceal it with his blank expression but he knew him better. Guilt had taken him but his decision was final. He's not helping her anymore. Even if its  the prince's will.

        "Let's go." Prince Zaeius calmly walked  passed him.

        They travelled a day and a night. Over the plains and narrow passes between towering mountains. Across a barren desert and rivers and marshes.

      When they arrived at the royal inn's entrance, Keir noticed a crowd gathering in front of the room's porch where the girl was staying.

       "What's happening here?" Keir asked them but their eyes were laid on the prince from behind him and made a way for them.

      "Your highness..." They said together and bowed before him.

     "We heard someone crying hard in there, asking for help. My husband and my son went to see what's going on but they're not yet back for hours and the door can't be opened. Please help me, your highness! I'm begging you," a lady with a baby in her arms, cried and begged.

       Suddenly, they heard something splashed from the inside and stained the white curtains. It was blood! Everyone panicked and moved back. The lady let out a loud, terrified shout and fell on her knees.

     "Stay back. Don't worry. We will get them back," the prince assured after helping her up.

     Keir and Prince Zaeius destroyed the door. Dozens of necks from behind them peeked. All were shocked when they saw nothing but blood everywhere. Not a single trace was found about the whereabouts of the lady's husband and son.

        There in the corner was the girl, curled up on her knees, dripping on her hair were drops of blood and sweat. Then something heavy passed above the roof that the pillars almost gave out. It's force made the lighted candles went out and everything went black except for the moonlight outside. A gigantic tail full of scales sparkled from the window never ceased to escape from their eyes, as it sought itself from the nearby forest and disappeared.

       All of the people went back to their rooms scared. At the moment, the prince already knew what it was. He thought he's already killed it. Now, fear slowly engulfed him. He feared that maybe it came back to take revenge for what he did. He feared that many lives will be in danger because of his failure.

       "That...that was the— I thought you already killed it?" Keir had curled his tail.

    He couldn't believe what they just saw and hid himself behind the prince.

       "I thought so, too," Prince Zaeius replied while staring blankly at the window, still distinguishing if what happened was just a dream or not.

       The next day, the news about the incident spread like a wild fire. The kingdom was alerted and had everyone taken precautions which included to stay at home when the sun sets because that thing had its history of hunting on night time.

     The king was outraged the most. He knew it won't attack if it wasn't disturbed in the first place. For now, he'd sent elite squads to investigate the crime. He had to find that person who did it for he had known that 'that thing' only take its revenge on the one who disturbed it. If not, it will continue to look for that person and everyone in its way will surely be devoured.

       In the morning after the incident, Keir and Prince Zaeius visited Méah. They came to send her to the homeless  shelter. Her condition was still the same but what made the two men wonder was the sudden disappearance of some of her minor wounds especially those on her feet, leaving no scars at all.

       'How come there's not a single scar left? Those wounds were just fresh yesterday when I treated it,'

      However, Keir didn't care. She'll be sent sooner anyway.

       "Did someone treat your wounds while I'm not here?" Keir asked Méah with the same cold voice.

       But she didn't respond at all. She was just curled up again in the corner of her bed, trying to fit herself in such a small space.

       "Could you at least talk properly? You're scaring her," Prince Zaeius interjected.

        'What's wrong with him? Eversince she came, he's been like that. Has he fallen for her? What a bad taste! She looks like she won't live for a few more days.'

         "I'm talking properly. It's not my fault if she got scared," Keir defended, irritated. " Excuse me."

         Keir left to buy some hot tea. In fact, did it on purpose. He knew something was bothering the prince. And of course, he knew she's the reason why. It should be her.

         When he was about to close the door behind him, something caught his attention. A small rolled paper, just a forefinger long.

         'A scroll?'

        Keir picked it up and started unrolling it. But afterwards, he found out that its folded thrice. Somehow, he suddenly felt a little bit nervous for an unknown reason.

       The moment he completely unfolded it, a bolt of nervousness hit him. An old paper smell caressed his face. Guilt crawled over him. He should've never lost his patience. Now he completely understood.

        'So that explains why.'