Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Warmonger
Princess Isalene once again found herself at the arena. She planned to watch Cruel Knight fight again. She has been down here every now and then for the past couple of weeks. Despite knowing that her father is getting suspicious of her, she can't get the knight out of her head. She must know how he can be so cruel. Unfortunately, the more she watched him, the more she seems to understand him less. The only thing she knows for certain is that he likes the strong but hates the weak and cowardly. Well, that and his love of fighting. He's also the silent type, or at least his voice is never loud enough for her to actually hear him.
Isalene badly wants to meet with him but she is too scared to. Besides, if any of the knights saw her they would surely spread the word around or just tell her father. The only reason she hasn't been ousted yet is that the royal guards with her are loyal to her more than her father and mother. Besides, they know that she won't do anything stupid...or stupider than what she is already doing. By now, they are aware that she is coming mainly to see Cruel Knight. They personally don't get what she sees in him. In fact, they can see the disgust and horror on her face when she sees him brutally kill someone. Yet still, she keeps coming back. During one of her visits to the arena, once she learned that Cruel Knight wasn't participating in the event, she left before it was more than a quarter in.
Isalene flinched when Cruel Knight sliced off his opponent's legs, watched them crawl for her weapon, then stabbed her right in the back of her head with a simple thrust. Normally, a woman isn't allowed to fight in the arena. However, for whatever reason, this woman was charged as a criminal and nothing says a female criminal can't fight. Still, it isn't seen much.
'So she doesn't spare females either.'
Isalene felt herself fear this knight more yet, she also felt somewhat...relieved? Why would she feel such a way? Ah, probably because he wouldn't hesitate to kill any enemy that he faced. Isalene wasn't worried for him. No. She just felt that a knight shouldn't hesitate to kill both genders. Those who speak of how they should never harm a women kind of disgust her. Although Isalene wasn't alive during the time the Kingdom was still involved in the Great Wars, she did hear it was everyone for themselves. It didn't matter what species or gender you were. If you got together, you helped each other. If you got in their way, you'll kill each other. At least, that is what the Grand Advisor told her. He was a captain during the wars so he's seen his fair share of violence.
Isalene never pressed for more details and he didn't give her any. He knew it would make Isalene sick and Isalene felt like she would become sick if she heard any. She was glad that the Kingdom wasn't involved with the Great Wars anymore and glad to the fallen kingdom that stopped them. She still knew that outside the Kingdom's lands, the Great Wars still raged on. Not everyone has escaped its grasp. Nostalisk is a very dangerous world, and it is for the most part, constantly engulfed in war.
Isalene let out a sigh. The next match is starting soon and she didn't think Cruel Knight was participating. At least, that is what Isalene assumed watching him for so long. Still, Isalene knew that if she left now, she would definitely miss out on the big finale which Isalene knows that Cruel Knight can't resist. He was a battle maniac and this big showdown with over two hundred participants is something he must be dying to get to. Even though Isalene watched him for so long, she still knows she hasn't got him figured out. She really wants to know more about him. What could make someone so cruel yet have a strong code they follow. What made him fight so gracefully and elegantly, his fighting style putting all the knights Isalene knows to shame. Well, maybe not all of them. Isalene can't find herself thinking too highly of him.
Yet, even as she was thinking that Isalene knew deep down, she believed him to be the strongest in the Kingdom. She didn't want her to be proven wrong nor does she want him dead...or at least to be killed by these knights, prisoners, and mercenaries. For someone like him, who can kill someone by casually swinging, only a great knight or hero should be able to take him. Perhaps a dragon or wyvern? Then again, those creatures are rare and would take an army to bring down, and that is a wyvern. A dragon is a whole different story. Despite loving the many creatures of this world, she didn't want to face them, let alone any from the wyrm family. Though Isalene was confident that this knight could take down an ogre no problem.
Isalene was interrupted from her thoughts when she noticed there were more guards than usual and they seemed to be holding banners? Isalene quickly turned around, pulling out a dagger she had kept hidden in the cloak she wore. However, before she could see what was wrong, a hand grabbed her shoulder.
"Isalene, what are you doing here?"
Isalene paused as she heard a familiar old yet wise voice. She met the eyes of the person in front of her and let out a small nervous smile. In front of her was the grand advisor, Grillant. He was wearing his armor too, meaning he probably thought something bad had happened to her.
"H-hey, Grillant. N-nice seeing you here," Isalene's eyes couldn't meet his so they stayed rooted to the ground. Somehow, she felt ashamed by doing this. Still, she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. She was caught, and that was that.
"So, princess...do you mind telling me what you are doing here?" Grillant asked, taking a couple of steps forward. With the banners in the way, no one could see or know that the grand advisor is here. The last thing Grillant needs right now is the announcer singing praises about him. In all honesty, he hates the name Grand Advisor. Wasn't it a bit too much? Sure he was brilliant and did help a lot in the Great Wars but, he felt like his title is something found in kid's books.
Isalene let out a sigh and pointed down towards the arena.
"I wanted to know what the knights on the list were like outside the competition."
Grillant nodded understandingly as he took a couple of steps forward to take a peek into the arena below.
"But...lately I've been finding myself drawn to someone called Cruel Knight."
Grillant froze and he quickly scanned the ground below until his eyes settled on Cruel knight. Perhaps sensing this, the knight looked up from where they were resting casually and met his gaze. After a bit of silence, Cruel Knight lazily waved at Grillant. All of this went unnoticed by Isalene.
"I just don't get how someone can be so cruel and so...casual about killing. Yet they also have a pattern. He likes the strong and hates the weak and cowardly. Plus, their weapon is so unique! I can tell they have a backstory. I want to learn more about them, you know? Like what is driving them and their view on their morals."
Isalene jumped a little when Grillant suddenly put his hand on her shoulder. She met his eyes and he shook his head, sighing.
"That is Warmonger, Isalene. And that is not a he, but a she."
Isalene blinked and didn't say anything for a couple of seconds. Then a flash of recognition sparked in her eyes.
"Wait! Then that would mean-"
"Yes, Isalene. Warmonger is a prisoner, though a special prisoner." Grillant told Isalene, leaning back against the short stone wall of the podium.
"Well, can you tell me what you know about her?" Isalene asked. Her curiosity was finally about to be sated, or at least it somewhat was. But right now, that was good enough.
"I can tell you some, but not much."
Grillant let out a sigh. He wished Isalene had never seen Warmonger. They were too polar opposites. One was a peace-loving princess who can't stand violence and the other is a war maniac who loves violence and will impose her will on others, even if they don't want it.
"Warmonger is a war criminal. While it is true that she and her master have done many great feats during the war, hell, you could even say that with them, we won the war, but that doesn't excuse what she did. Her master left to go fight elsewhere but Warmonger, she stayed and started working in the shadows to prolong the war our kingdom was fighting. When she was found out, she was defeated and taken into custody. She is considered too valuable a warrior to just execute so she spends her time in the arena. She's not someone you should get close to, Isalene. She isn't loyal to the kingdom and is extremely violent. She is the polar opposite of you. You won't get along."
Isalene let the words sink in. In a way, it kinda made sense. Still, there were now even more questions. Right now, she can't get them but there must be a way. Her curiosity is her one flaw, and right now, she has an idea of how to get the answers she's looking for. A really stupid idea.
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After going to bed, Isalene found herself still awake. Her mind was swimming with the idea she had in her head. Sure it would take a lot of work to convince her father but it might work! Isalene knows that it is a terrible idea. In fact, it would probably put her in danger. Yet, she can't help it. Her curiosity is too much. Princess Isalene is cute, kind, smart with certain things, sympathetic, and has a terrible curiosity that she can't quell. Her curiosity is her weakness, and she'll easily do dumb things because of it. There is a saying that goes, "the curious mouse never lives long". Isalene may very well be that mouse.
"Alright. I'll make her my personal guard!" Isalene told herself out loud, her eyes full of determination.
Yes, she was very much like the mouse.
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