Maria, god of misfortune by Leandra A. (little bear else holmelund minarik txt) 📕

Maria then slip through the crowd who are watching the carriage as it enters the city.This time Kai didn't disguise himself as a woman but instead wear a black suit and a cloak. "I can't even imagine what would happen if someone attacks him while in Hellas" Kai thought as he follow the carriage secretly."Tsk!That lay back general, he always made me do the hard work!" Kai cluck his tongue and then move faster to enter the forest first before the prince carriage.

"I surveyed this area yesterday so it should be safe for the prince carriage to enter this area now" Kai muttered as he hide himself behind a tree and watch the horse-drawn carriage enter the woods. He kneels down and then carefully watch if someone is following the carriage aside from him. "The Hellas castle is still far away from here and would take another eight hours for them to get there with this pace, so if an assassin will attack, most likely the place will be here in these forest!"

Kai put a black mask, covering his mouth with his eyes only visible then tried to move closer, making sure that the prince men wouldn't notice his presence and then he run faster to the forest end making sure that the path where the carriage will go are clear from any assassins and enemy that might be waiting.

He move swiftly within the forest making sure that he won't missed a spot where an enemy could be hiding. Suddenly Kai heard something zip through the air and felt a sharp pain on his left cheek. Just a few meters away he saw an arrow stuck on a tree in front of him. He immediately draw his dagger then turn his head back and try to see who shot the arrow.

Shit! Kai looked around but was not able to see who shot the arrow. He tighten his grip on his dagger and then move slowly while trying to feel any presence of life with killing intent. "I should find them before the prince carriage arrives here" Kai muttered and then advance to find the man who shot the arrow and if there are more than one assassin who was just hiding somewhere.

"Who are you?" Kai felt the tip of the blade pointed at his back and raised his both of hands then turn around to see who came on him from behind. Kai gasp upon seeing a man wearing a white formal attire with two of his men beside him. Without seeing the prince of Arias himself, he knew that this man was Prince Rene or also known as General Rene.

"I am not a suspicious person" Kai said to the man who was pointing the blade at him but he suddenly pushes him and then throw his dagger on one of the men that was with Prince Rene. The man was holding a knife and was about to attack the prince when Kai noticed and killed him first for him.

"What is this all about?!" The prince shouted but before Kai could explain he grimed on the presence of fifty to sixty men approaching from behind. "RUN!" Kai grabbed the Prince arm to pull him away and then pulled his sword out. "I wasn't expecting this many will come after him" Kai hissed and his right hand twitch upon seeing one of the assailant running towards them with his sword up.

A surprised gasp escape the first assailant lips as Kai's blade plunged into his throat. Kai tighten his grip on his sword as he felt a movement from his side. He leaned back just in time, feeling a light swish of air as another blade passed, narrowly missing his face again. He twist his wrist and thrust his sword on the other assailant on the same time. Kai continued to move fluidly as he cut the incoming assailants without even flinching from the pool of blood that splatters.

Kai never paused, as he cut and thrust his sword on any silhouette his eyes sees. Kai tried to forget the fact that there are too many of them that's coming into them. Fortunately, the Prince men was able to catch on them and help Kai in protecting the prince. Kai sees these as an opportunity and grabbed the prince hands and run away with him.

"What's going on, who are you?" The prince with bewildered face ask Kai while they are running.

Kai glares back at him, panting hard "Just shut up for a while, I'm busy here trying to protect you!" Kai shouted at him.

The hood on the cloak Kai's wearing came down letting his long red hair tied up shows. His hair flows against the wind as they run away. The prince for a moment was stunned while looking at the back of this person who's trying his best to protect him. " Are you perhaps a woman?" The prince ask him but Kai was too tired and busy checking the path for an enemy presence to even bother answering his question.

"Good thing I have surveyed these area yesterday and secured escape routes" Kai thought to himself as he guide the prince, who just silently follow him. 

"Here, please mount on these horse and get out from these forest" Kai stopped and showed him the horse he had tied and left there yesterday just in case on one of the escape route he had secured.

The Prince stares at him for a while and then stand still, " What about you?" He ask him, concerned on how his savior will escape if he was to left him alone with the possibility of the other assailants that's on the way now to them as well.

"Don't worry about me, I have secured another escape route for me, it will be harder for me to fight with somebody I need to worry protecting first" Kai told him and then help the prince mount on the horse.

"Fine, I'll go ahead and ask help on the next village" The prince taking his hands on the reins, give a light click and then gallops away from the scene, leaving Kai behind.

"Another escape route my ass, this is the only escape route I was able to secure for such short time!" Kai let out a big sigh and then pulled away another sword, making him holding now two swords at his hand. " I need to inform General Shin somehow about these dark shadows lurking around the black snow prince" Kai muttered.

Kai prepared himself as he waited for the assailants that will come anytime soon. He didn't even flinch as he saw more than twenty men who was able to find the place where he is right now. Kai planned to be left behind in order to make sure that no one will follow the prince who escape first.

He slowly breathe out an air and then move quickly towards the enemies. The assailant can barely follow him and his swords movement as it cut through them effortless. He continued to move fluidly, ripping their blade free from their hands. Kai never stop from moving his swords and successfully found its mark and cut them without an error.

"W-What the hell are you!" The remaining assailants move away from him with their hands trembling in fear.

"Just think yourself unluckily meeting the god of misfortune, Maria!" Kai smirked and then lean towards the remaining assailant and cut through them one by one.

Kai silently cleaned his blades before returning them into their sheathes. He then look around and search for any sign of life from the pile of corpse that surround him. Kai didn't even flinch from the pool of blood that he is seeing.

"I guess these are all of them" Kai left an audible sigh of relief and then finally relaxed his shoulders. 

"Sir, are you hurt anywhere!" My personal guard and friend, Victor with such worried face came on me hurriedly. Shaking my head I assured him I am not hurt anywhere, Thanks to my men and that long red haired person who saved me. "Prince Rene this is an insult to you and our kingdom! How dare them to try and kill you amidst of your good faith when you decided to come here in Hellas!" He clench and grit his teeth as he look at the face of the soldiers from Hellas who was waiting as well on my arrival.

"We apologize for what happened" One of the captains bows his head before me.

I pat his shoulder and ask him to raise his head, "Its fine, things like this are to be expected and it was careless of me to nonchalantly parade myself like that, tempting an enemy to come at me."

 "We promise to investigate and punish all of those who were involved in the plan to kill you." The captain with his men then ask me to rest first in the Inn they have prepared before we go the Hellas palace.

"I want be left alone first" I told Victor who insisted to stay close at me.

"But Sir, y-" I cut him off before he could start his long argument with me. "I'm fine so you can all wait outside" I ordered him and he finally gave up and left me alone.

"I should not have left that person" I muttered and then breathe out a heavy sigh.

"Just like what I thought, it’s better if I stayed and fight with you, stranger!"  I know that I might be just a burden for him and I know that I'm the one they were after but still, I can't just leave one man against who knows how many of those assassin were left and coming now.

But instead that person chuckled and looks straight in my eyes, unwavering "Don't worry about me, I rather stay here and made sure that you're safe than to see that man face with his condescending look if I failed to protect you...so go now!" That's what that person with a long red hair told me, confidently before we part our ways.

"That person's eyes show no fear at all, I can't believe there's somebody who would risk their life for a stranger" My head is full of thoughts about that person who saved me. I know this is not the time to be thinking such unnecessary things but I can't help myself be curious on that person. 

I was stunned while watching that person fleeting red hair as that person move fluidly against those men who came after me. That person eyes were starving, as if it was craving for more blood coming from those men. This is the first time I felt this way.

 "I must be tired" I sighed. Suddenly someone knocks at my door and advice to get ready and they will escort me now to the palace.

As I walk out of the Inn, I saw these men lined up with a wary and eyes sneaking a look at me with such obvious malice that are still with them. I can't blame them yesterday our throats were against each other and suddenly talk about an alliance