บท 3: Prince's arrival

The gate of the city was opened by the castle guards and the prince's caravan entered the city, the people moved few steps away making a path for the prince and his soldiers to pass through.

Many people cheered for his arrival and prince Asa was on his horse nodding to the cheered men and women.

I was running back to the palace when I heard the cheering voices of the people behind me. I stopped to see what makes them cheering.

I turned around and to my surprise my gaze met a tall and giant white stallion standing just few feet away from me which on it sat a man with black and short hair.

His eyes were black as darkness while his face was pale white as paper when he stared down at me.

The horse flashed and neighed at me. I gasped and froze on spot. I was afraid, adding to my problems I felt pressured and suffocated but that man on the horse shot me a glance and then I heard the voice of a soldier beside him urging me to step aside. "Hey woman, move !!" he bent a little to my direction. I traced my eyes to see his hands were likely to draw out a sword. I trembled in sensation until I heard the black haired man speak.

"Boy ! relax!!, you are scaring her" he stopped the man beside him from drawing out his sword.

After hearing him speak, most of the people close to the caravan stopped cheering while some started whispering.

Many of them turned around, I felt their burning gazes directed on me. They were spitting an image of discontent.

Prince Asa was pleased by the warm reception from his people or maybe he was just happy because he was finally back at home.

Asa and his guards were slowly riding through the crowd of people who were cheering for his arrival but suddenly his horse stopped because someone was standing in the way.

His happiness vanished for a moment before he managed to relax.

He was expecting to see an angry man who was trying to provoke him or causing the commotion just to make the misfortune on his arrival.

But to his surprise, he found out it was just a girl standing dumbfounded, scared because of his guards earlier threats.

She was beautiful and stunning in a white and black colored dress, her hair in a messy and was panting in fear, her eyes wandered over him actually he knew the reason for her glances.

He told his guard who was about to draw out his sword not to panic since he saw no danger from the girl.

He kept his gaze on her, suddenly he felt something, a strange feeling when he was looking at her.

He felt pain, guilty and yet an abandonment.

In the state of being confused about these mixed feelings. He opened his mouth to say words that he felt hard to speak them.

"Who are you ?!" he asked her.

She was shocked and didn't even hear him.

"I'm asking you, who are you !?" he repeated this time his voice was louder than before.

Maya felt like the fire was burning her inside, she didn't know what to do, she didn't what to answer his question either even after she heard his voice.

And what is that made him, yelling at her like that ?!.

She was truly afraid, many things had happened to her so far. She couldn't let herself believe that a man she never know, she never met was making her body shaking in fear, shiver and trembled in coldness that his voice and his presence creates.

Ravius was watching from afar, the crowd of people gathered for the prince and his caravan. He caught a sight of a woman he suspected earlier now she was being intimidated by the prince's soldiers.

What must he do ??.....Save her ?!.

Or he could let things be the way it is. But he thought he shouldn't leave her, he must do something to help her.

He realized that she was a very important person in his life, he wants her because he fell in love with her on the first sight.

He didn't know when or how it happened and how he started taking interest on her and then how could he leave her alone, helpless and afraid with no one on her side ?!.

But that wasn't the only reason he wanted to help her, he had the other plans for her.

He turned around to see what he could do to save her. He saw a cart with horses tied with a rope to the one of the trees beside him. Probably the horses were left by the merchants who were on their way to watch the prince's arrival at the city.

He drew out his sword and cut the rope tied to the horses, the horses panicked and started galloping in the direction towards the people and the prince's caravan .

It was chaos, everyone run to the other directions not to face the horses.

And then the maiden got the chance of running away, she disappeared from the prince's sight.

Until someone calmed the horses, the prince and his people have already gone .

The banquet had already been started at the grand hall inside the palace. The king and his queen were sitting on the throne chairs across the middle of the two large tables where the officials and other guests were sitting.

The palace maids served the foods and drinks to the guests who were waiting for the prince to arrive while the King and his queen were exchanging some words of gratitude with the invited guests.

Because it was only the banquet for the prince's arrival, there were not much music and entertainments.

The prince's arrival at the grand hall was announced by the guard at the entrance. All eyes of the people inside the hall traveled towards the doors, anticipated to see the son of the king Prospectus, the only prince of monocot.

The doors to the hall were opened and the prince entered. He and his closest guards behind him, they walked on the red carpet that leads to the throne chairs where now the king and his queen were stepping out from them.

The king strolled forward when the prince and his soldiers knelt in front of him. Asa stood in front of his father and looked at him.

They were both happy and can't wait to hug one another much to pretend in front of the other people that they have missed each other.

The king opened his wide arms to hug his son latter the prince also hugged back his father.

Everyone inside the hall was standing, looking flabbergasted to the direction of the prince and his father hugging each other.

Some whispers were heard among them, many people commented amusingly to their reunion while some were displeased about it.

The king allowed the prince to sit next to him who cautiously followed his order.

It was about seven years ago when the prince left the palace and went to live at the South border of the monocot country. It was his decision back then as he was young but he was determined and decided to live outside of the castle.

The king allowed him and then he left but now he was back .

There were rumors going on inside the palace to those who do not know the truth, they said the prince was chased out of the palace by his father, the current queen convinced the king to abandon his son.

Also some said that the prince mistakenly caused the death of his mother and he was punished.

Because back then he was young and he didn't know what he had done so the desolation was the best punishment for him.

As they say, the abandoned yet the punished prince before their eyes was now sitting beside the king who abandoned him, desolated him from the palace.

The invited crowd sent glances now and then to the arrived prince, he seemed to be calm and stopped smiling and seemed much not to be acquainted with his father. Much to their surprises. It has been seven years since the prince left his side but there seemed to the visible hostile between them and not to mention the queen whom he didn't even try to look at her.

She had a daughter in his age who was now chatting with her mother while she sometimes glancing her way to the prince.

She was beautiful with her long blonde hair which perfectly matched with her green like eyes.

She was wearing her red velvet princess gown with golden earrings and single chained necklace.

Among all the ladies and daughters of presented guests, she was the only stunning beauty that catches everyone's attention inside the hall.

Except prince who was now being uninterested to the thrown banquet because of the hard glances of the invited people sent over him.

The king also seemed to be a little detached from the people's echoing chatters inside the hall while his eyes focused on the table prepared for the royal family.

The king raised his golden wine glass above and the whole crowd stayed silent before he spoke .

"Prince Asa is back. It has been seven years of his traveling outside the palace. I hope through his journey, he learned the hardships of our people and gained the wisdom of protecting them and make this country prosper for many years to come. Ladies and gentlemen let's drink and celebrate for my son's return"

He gulped his wine down the throat and then he spoke to the prince beside him.

"Welcome back....my son"

"Welcome back !!. your highness" the majority cheered in unison. Asa bowed gratefully in return.