Kingdom of Arzialla by Marilyn Arias (story reading txt) 📕

She nodded excitedly and replied, “Yes, your Majesty,” before rushing out. I was in no doubt that she’ll do the job herself.

I glanced at the king expectantly. He huffed a chuckle and shook his head at me, “It’s a wonder how you’re not born royalty, weren’t raised as a royal, have never grown out of your shell, and yet you could still make yourself into an illusion as if you’re naturally of imperial decent.”

“I learned it from the best,” I grinned at him.

“And that’s why I chose to adopt you. All the other boys try too hard to make themselves seem of noble heir and they don’t realize that less is actually more,” he said before winking at me.

I shyly glanced down at my food and then gave a small, forced side-grin before looking back up at him. “You make it seem like you knew me all along.”

He only gave me that knowing nod, the one he makes that says I know everything, remember?

“Well,” I dropped my fork and stood up as I gulped down the rest of my juice. “I’m off.”

Without waiting for a response from him, like the usual “Have a nice day” or “Good luck”, I walked out of the room and headed toward the front gates.

I went on my way to school, walking the streets and cutting through paths, until I heard voices in an alley that led behind the markets. They didn’t sound pleasant so I decided to check out what’s going on. Without a care or trying to keep myself unseen, I turned the corner and found two guys giving a girl—a sophomore that I recognized from school—a hard time. She was sitting on the ground with her back against the wall as if she was trying her best to get away from one of them, in which was hovering over her with his face inches away from hers. The other one seemed to just act as the sidekick, the one that’d cheer him on and team up with him.

“—go away,” the sophomore said. “Just leave me alone.”

He took hold of her chin and leveled it so she’d look right at him. “But you looked so lonely. I thought you’d like some company.”

From there, I didn’t wait for the conversation to continue so I started to approach them.

“Okay, well, how about you just go to hell?” the sophomore told him and without hesitation, the guy back-handedly slapped her. I apparently was stealthy, because for one who wasn’t trying to give the element of surprise, I caught the guy off guard. Or maybe he was just that into flirting. Not sure if flirting even begins to cover it since he has a vulnerable maiden cornered against her will. A millisecond later, I caught hold of the collar of his shirt and quickly gained all my strength into one arm, launching my fist at the left side of his nose. He flew backward with a scream, ruining his bad-ass image. He clutched his nose as he tried to sit up.

“Who the fuck—” he started to say until he looked up at me, realizing who stood in his presence. At that moment, now that I saw full on his bleeding face, I too realized who he was. He goes to class with me in military school. I believed his name was Kane. Just then, I didn’t bother hiding how disgusted I was of him. A kid that’s being trained to be a soldier should know that they’re meant to protect the people, not harass them. He gasped and said, “Prince Zelimir!”

"Shut up," again with the formalities, even with kids of my age. "Come on, up on your feet.”

“Excuse me?” he said.

“Your initial reaction was to beat the shit out of whoever came between you and her, right?” I said. “So come on. Hit me with your best shot.”

He managed to stand up but he still stared at me with disbelief and confusion. I glanced at the defenseless sophomore and nodded at her towards where the alley leads to the streets, a gesture in telling her to just get away. Her face gave way that she understood me but she just stayed there staring at me astonishingly. I winked at her and that seemed to have woken her up. Within less than a second later, she scrambled to her feet and couldn’t have run away any faster.

“Don’t think this is over, you little bitch!” shouted Kane to the sophomore, his voice echoing in the alley. His buddy didn’t know what to do, unsure if whether he should attack me or to stay out of trouble, knowing that I’m somewhat of authority.

I decided to not mind him yet and focused on Kane. Without giving much warning, I rushed toward him, crouched down when I got close enough to him, and with a straightened leg out, I spun in place and let my leg knock him back down, all in one swift motion. It created a déjà vu, reminding me of how I did that to Orde in our last practice before he got arrested. It reminded me of how he should be set free sometime soon.

Kane grunted in pain from the fall and glanced up at me with annoyance. “What’s your deal, man?” He didn’t let me answer, having a thought come up to mind. “You wanted her for yourself, huh?”

"Totally,” I said, sarcastically. "Because it definitely takes a man to save a girl only if he has a crush on her."

He stood back up.

“Well, whether I’m pronounced prince or not, have a crush on her or not, I’m an eye witness so I got to do something,” I said before attempting to punch him in the face again. He dodged me and I found his fist make contact just barely on my chin.

Finally, he didn’t see me as someone above him.

I threw a few punches at his stomach and my foot snaked behind his knee, throwing off his balance. He caught himself before he even came close to falling again and tackled me. He threw all his weight on me, making me fall and slide on the ground as he pinned me down. He threw two punches at my face and I managed to kick him off of me. I hopped onto my feet and we circled each other. We both sized each other up for a moment before he gave the first move. He attempted to tackle me again, in which was what I half expected him to do, and I got out of the way. Just as he was stumbling past me, I pushed his head down and made him somewhat fall. I took advantage of it and just when he struggled to stand back up, I put him in a head-lock and started squeezing his neck with my arm. I heard footsteps behind me, remembering that his friend was still around.

I shot him a menacing sidelong glance and with a low voice I said, “I dare you to come anywhere near me.”

He took the threat and backed off, probably knowing how I could find a way knock to him out while still holding Kane in a headlock. I noticed how I was choking Kane so I eased up my grip. Only slightly, though.

“So, what was it you’re going to do with her?” I said.

As much as he’s stubborn and full of himself, he wasn’t stupid. I was hoping he’d reply with a wrong answer but knowing that I’m allegedly prince, he said what I should want to hear.

“Nothing,” he gasped.

“Nothing?” I said, with a fake surprised tone.

It took him a few seconds to speak again. “Yeah, I’ll… I’ll leave her alone.”

“Only her?”

He didn’t answer right away. “I’ll leave every girl alone.”

“Do I have your word?” I asked with amusement.

“Yeah, whatever,” he struggled to speak.

I released him and stood over him. "Do you think you deserve graduating?"

"What does it matter to you?" he said, before spitting on the cobblestone ground.

I grabbed at his collar again and shoved him against the wall. I leaned close to him and in a low growl I said, "Because I need every single soldier to understand that the meaning of being a soldier is to protect the people from both Gavrils and each other."

"But I promise that I won't touch another girl," he said.

"It's a bit sad that you need your ass beat so you can hold a promise like that though. Did nothing in this kingdom teach you anything of dignity, respect, morality, and sacrifice?"

"So what you saying, man?"

I dropped him, not realizing how I had him up a foot off the ground. "I'm saying that I think you should go back to school."

I walked away and started going back to where I came from. I then noticed a face peeking around a corner, recognizing it to be the sophomore. She ran away when she realized that I spotted her.

“No, no, come here,” I told her, not trying to be noticeably loud as how Kane was earlier. I turned the corner and found her to be close to the streets as if in case of anything she can just safely be in sight of the towns people and gain easy help. "Come back. You think I'm like him?"

She thought about it before slowly starting to walk back towards me, still hesitant to approach me after watching me basically beat someone up. She stopped ten feet away from me and she backed up when I attempted to get closer.

I laughed at her, “It’s alright. I won’t hurt you. And I’ll be sure that neither will he.”

She just stood there with her arms crossed as a protective stance and she never once looked at me. It bothers me when people don’t make eye contact while speaking but I suppose I can't blame her at the moment. She didn’t seem to want to say anything so I decided to find a way to make her.

“How about we start out by introducing myself, start out a bit more friendly. Hi, my name’s Zelimir Callaghan. What’s yours?” I said, making myself sound overly cheery on purpose. I held my hand out and waited for her to take it. When she did, she said, “I’m Chana.”

“Okay. So Chana, now come to think of it, why were you going through a place like that?” I asked her.

“I live there. My house is in one of those buildings and I normally go through our back door and go through the alleys as a shortcut to places,” she said.

I nodded in understanding. So… he was technically trespassing. And stalking…

I walked back to where Kane was and found him still there. His friend was lending him a hand and they both were walking through the alleyway, on their way to wherever they were heading—obviously not to school since the school was at the opposite direction. That was the least of my worries, however. I could care less if he skipped. He’s not graduating this year, whether the school hears it from me or not. I picked up my pace and when I reached them, I grabbed Kane’s shirt by the shoulder and pulled him away from his friend. I got hold of his collar again and pushed him against a wall.

“Now what?” he exclaimed.

“If I ever find you going through here again, I’ll personally throw you into the dungeons,” I said. “And I don’t care if this is your way to school—to anywhere. Find a different way.”

“What kind of prince does the dirty work? There’s soldiers for a reason,” he spat.

“I’m no prince,” I said. That was my last straw for the day and