The Princess And The Lord

Contrary to the tumult outside, Lory was still asleep inside the mystical realm. A small realm that far from a turbulent world outside, a place that looks like a dream itself where the time seemed to freeze and everything moved in constant over and over without an end, a place that only existed because of Huo Long wishes.

However, even the safest place still can't save her from the past that haunted her, Lory finger moves slightly and her breathing gradually quickened as she fell to another dream, a bittersweet dream that happened when he was only fourteen years old, she was in the cestine palace training fields.

"Aaah!" Lory fall to the ground violently, the heavy fall made her lose the grip of her sword.

"Lory!" Lucas jerked from the bench.

"STAND DOWN!" Marcus reprimand Lucas sternly.

Lucas's movement abruptly paused, he didn't dare against his father's words, he balled his fist while stared anxiously at Lory. 

Marcus swung his sword to the side, he stood gallantly with a strict and firm expression. Lory struggle to withstand her body weight with her slender arms, she took a sharp breath knowing she had sprained her right ankle from a fall, she realized she was in a disadvantaged situation because her healing gift was sealed during her training.

Fargo watched intently with his arms crossed over his chest, at the same time Fred watched the training quietly, he shoved his hands inside his front pocket with calmed manner, but everyone with a keen expression could see the anxiety in both their face. Everyone thought Fargo's teaching was tough but they don't know that the King who usually looked gentle and kind in front of his people was a spartan teacher that even Fargo could not compare to.

Today is the rare occasion for the King to train his own children, the king puts the princess and Prince training as his top priority, others might not understand why the royal children who live inside the safety cocoon of the empire have to train so hard, in fact, Lory and Lucas's training wasn't less difficult than the elite soldiers in Harland kingdom.

Nobody understands the king's decision, even though they understand the King's great expectation for Lucas but they don't understand why Lory includes in such rigorous training as well. At this age, the princess should play dress-up with her friends, went shopping to the mall, or go to the movies with her girlfriend's bu instead Lory confined in the training ground with her brother and the Archknight, and when she had a break from school she would order to follow Lucas in beast subjugation in the wilderness.

This is not what a normal princess should do, and everyone knows it but the King was adamant to trained his daughter like his Son so what can they say. Because of this Lory didn't fit in with her peer whether they are commoners or Royal families from another kingdom. 

Lory used to pretend as graceful and calm princess among the high society but she never felt comfortable with them so many people describe Lory as cold beauty and aloof princess, Lory didn't bother what other people said nor she tried to fix her own imaged since the only thing matter for her is their opinion about Lucas since Lucas will be the next King.

"Get up Lory, is not over yet" Marcus pointed his sword towards Lory.

Lory gritted her teeth, her whole body screamed to stop but she refused to disappointed her Father, she grabbed the sword from the ground then she forces herself to stand while using the sword as a crutch. Lory winced as the pain from her ankle stun her like she had been electrocuted.

Her whole face turn blanch and cover in a thin layer of sweat, but Marcus unmoved. He looked at his daughter sharply, then he gripped his sword with both hands and he made a fighting stance he said: "I'm ready when you are" 

A flash of irritation came to her, Lory took out another short sword from her back then she used a long sword on her right hand as a crutch, with one quick move she lunged towards Marcus using the long sword to pushed her forward. Marcus smirked when Lory used her short sword to attack him, his daughter is smarter than he thought.

The short sword was used for close-range attack whereas the long sword is used not only as a replacement for her twisted ankle but also made wide range attack, compare to Lucas, Lory was more cunning which is not bad.

Unfortunately, that still not enough to fight against the mighty King. Once again Lory tossed to the ground as her back made a heavy thump when it against the ground. This time Lucas can't hide his worry, he dashes toward Lory and carefully helps her to stand. When he saw her swollen ankle Lucas hit by a surged of irritation, he turns his gaze towards his father angrily.

"Lory already this hurt, what else you want her to prove!" he felt indignant for Lory's sake.

Lory pulled Lucas sleeves repeatedly to shut him up but Lucas didn't care, he didn't understand why their father was so hard on Lory when she's only a girl "If you want to know how strong your daughter is then you've seen it yourself, in this country, there are no other women who can fight better than her, what more do you want from her!"

Marcus didn't offended or angry by Lucas's words, his expression remains calm and dignified as always. Marcus stomped his sword to the ground then he looked at his children "Every fool can't fight, the problem is… can you win….will you win Lory?"

Lory's fingers jerked, and suddenly a whirlwind came out of nowhere and scattered everything to the floor then the next moment the water inside the teapot and the flower vase suddenly exploded, the ruckus make Huo long storm toward the room, however when he opens the door he was pushed by a strong wind, Huo Long released his Qi against the win then slowly the wind subsides.

Huo Long take a deep breath before he opened the door, as expected the room was in shambles for everything scattered to the floor and in the middle of the wrecking room Lory sit on the bed with a blank expression.

"You awake?" although he expected this but he still a bit surprised.

Huo Long voice awoke her from her daze, she slowly lifts her head, she didn't care about the mess in her room or perhaps she not realizes it, she said to Huo Long with a firm gaze "Do you have armor…"

______________________

On the north Island people busy extracting the spirit stone, dozens of people push a small carriage filled with spirit stone that looked like normal steel if they didn't take a closer look. Spirit stones were twice strong than high-quality steel but lighter and had better durability, the only downside was the number of spirit stones is too little and not enough to carry out for long mass production in fact these were the last spirit stones they could gather.

The Hei Shen sect members sighed in grievance such a good material they don't know where they can find the spirit stone again.

"Is this all?" The man asks while checking the stone.

"Yes, I think this will be the last day in spirit stone mine" the man wipes the sweat from his forehead, he genuinely feel dejected.

"I guess so too" the man sighed.

"But I heard the Young madam beast would come to our place, is that true?" the man shift the conversation.

He nodded "yes, I just got the urgent message just an hour ago, I don't know why they give us an urgent message for this matter…" the man shakes his head confusedly, using echo stone to send this type of massage is kinda waste in his oppinion.

Echo stone is like a one-way telephone, it was made from one stone that was split in half when two people carry each other half when the other shout at the stone the other man who carries the other half could hear what the other shouting about, but the problem is the distance between the stone cannot be too far and it only works after being used three to five times depending on the stone condition and the armament master who made it.

Echo stones are not easy to make and the production cost was too expensive so the stones were not popular among the people, even the rich Hei Shen sect doesn't like to use the echo stones unless it very – very necessary. So one can only imagine how many echo stones were wasted for today's message.

"What is Young madam beast anyway?" the other man didn't care with echo stone, since it got nothing to do with him. he just a low-level Members Hei Shen sect, all he has to do is follow his superior order.

"They said, is a big bird, perhaps like a crane or Goshawk…" the man replied casually.

"Oh, if it's big we won't miss the beast arrival?" he said in jest.

"But the rumor said the bird is cute, it got green eyes, pink beak, and golden tails" the other man laugh.

"That indeed sounds cute, I can't wait to see it"  the other chime and laugh as well.

However a thunderous squeak shaking the ground, they are suddenly hit with storm wind. People become frantic they immediately run for cover, above the grey cloud a giant bird with wide wings glide, the long golden tail glows magnificently under the sunlight.

The bird let out ear-piercing squawk forcing everyone to cover their ears. The two men who were laughed a few minutes ago look each other in fright and their eyes shouted the same thing. 

'That's not CUTE!'