Kapitel 18: Kaden's Sunshine

Kaden led his platoon with the Lafta warriors tagging along.

With vigilant eyes, he watched the woods for any signs of danger. The trees rustled by the winter breeze, but even that could not hide Fang's footsteps in his ears.

He knew Fang was following them using his Butterfly steps. His subtle steps could not be noticed by others, but to Kaden those steps were all he heard.

He glanced around at the tree in which Fang hid.

A small head peeped out and hid itself.

Kaden started sweating. 'Fang, what the hell are you doing? If you are so careless like this, you might get noticed,' he chided in his mind. But his face still remained stoic, devoid of any expression.

It is a skill he perfected when he was inside the castle, raised alongside the Wolves in silk.

He sighed and glanced at the little figure moving in from branches to branches.

His heart burned at this sight. The one he longed to see for seven years appeared before his eyes, but he could not even greet him properly.

His hands reached into his pocket and clenched the well folded red ribbon.

'Fang we meet again,' he thought slightly caressing the silk ribbon.

He could still remember the beautiful silky texture of Fang's hair, similar to this ribbon, that's why he had bought it for him.

He pulled the ribbon out and tied it around his sword hilt.

'Fang are you seeing this, I miss you so much,' he thought, glancing at the tree to the left.

Fang did see all this. His heart pounded, glancing at the red ribbon his hands.

'Stupid Kaden, so you still remember.' He thought with a smirk.

As if feeling his gaze, Kaden smirked at the tree and strode ahead. He could feel his gaze on him, following him wherever he goes.

His heart pounded, just like the day he first met Fang. It was love at first sight for him.

Ten years ago he was just a street urchin with no family or friend. He used to steal for his lively hood. But one unlucky day he was caught and beaten brutally.

"Kill him. This dirty bastard dare steal from me," a burly man shouted as he kicked little Kaden's stomach.

"No, let's cut his hands off. Then he will remember not to put his hands where they don't belong," another man sneered.

Little Kaden closed his eyes and resigned to fate.

But just as they were about to cut him, a loud voice came from the alleyway.

"STOP!!" a little kid dressed in red fur shouted.

That's when Kaden met him. His savior, Fang. Just six years old, but his bravery knew no bound.

He rushed into the alleyway and held him in his arms.

"Why are you bullying this little kid?" Fang shouted.

But a little kid dressed in red fur was not intimidating enough for his assailants.

The lead assailant held little Fang's face and snickered. "This kid looks beautiful, sell him to a brothel," he said.

That's when Kaden knew that he had to fight back. Not just for his life, but to save his little saviors as well.

He picked up a rock and bashed the assailant's head.

"DONT YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON HIM," he shouted as he bashed again and again and again.

The man died. The others ran away.

Bloodstained little Kaden glanced at the little kid. "Are you scared of me," he whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Little Fang chuckled and hugged him. "Why should i be? You saved my life silly," he said. "Come on, I'll take you to my home so that you can get cleaned up,"

Fang pulled him down the busy road.

Little Kaden did not even know what love was, but from his pounding heart he knew that this kid was his everything.

His own sunshine.

Thinking back to that time made Kaden smile.

Fang was very cute as a six-year-old, with his chubby cheeks and gappy tooth.

Unknowingly Kaden let out a small chuckle.

"Captain," his lieutenant called in hesitation.

"Yes, what is it?" he said.

"We have reached the boarders," his lieutenant said.

Kaden put on his stoic face and entered the kingdom.

He glanced back at the cage and frowned.

"Stop," he ordered.

The entire platoon stopped on his command.

"Go get yards muslin," he said.

His lieutenant rushed into the kingdom and brought back a long yard of cloth.

He walked to his friend cage and whispered, "I will not let your dignity be destroyed even more,"

The cloth covered the entire cage, exposing only the wheeled bottom.

After which the platoon marched into the kingdom.

The citizens of Miriafa stood out from their trees to watch the spectacle. Some even threw rotten egg and potatoes at the Lafta warriors.

One of the Lafta warriors caught one rotten potato and sneered. "Che, savages, they don't even know what is good for them." He said.

Kaden glared back at him. "It's better to shut your trap. These citizens have lost their loved ones, and they will not hesitate to take your pathetic lives," he said.

"You... You.... audacious," Lafta warrior stammered.

Kaden stopped in his path and snickered. "I don't think you understand your position in this peace treaty." He walked up to him.

The Lafta warrior stepped back and gulped. "We.... we understand," he said with shifty eyes.

Kaden humped and walked ahead.

The Lafta warriors gritted their teeth and followed behind.

They soon reached the palace. And the crowd formed little by little.

King Rukle strode out of the castle in his golden Armour and sword.

All the warriors bowed down to him. "Long live the King," they said in a uniform manner.

Their King raised his hand and silenced the crowd.

"Citizens of my Kingdom and Brave warriors, we have gone through a great tragedy." He said.

The citizens sobbed, thinking of their lost loved ones.

"But as the old saying goes, even if the forest is burnt down, it will only act as a fertilizer for the new generation to grow. Let the sacrifice of our loved ones be the fertilizer of our growth," he said.

The citizens bowed down to their King.