The Rising Sun

27

The prince walked in front of me. I took my bag that fell as a result of our affair. Walked after. We walked through the woods. The prince said nothing. He didn't say where we were going.

"What's up ?" I was surprised when suddenly the Prince pulled me behind a tree. We ducked. Hide out. The prince put his finger on his lips. Told me to shut up. I turned my face away. Trying to see what's going on. In front of me the troops of Prime Minister Boredo walked. The Prime Minister sat on a stretcher. His eyes were giddy, looking ahead. There's a snobbery I've seen before in him. I saw him a few years ago in the land of Rashamsah. The eyes of Rafael.

Is this just my feeling or are they related ?. Rafael disappeared as Prince Sera's forces raided the capital Rashamsah. He could not hide in the palace because the rebel forces led by Prince Riana had taken control of the palace. I haven't heard from him since.

Crackling

My heart seems to stop. I accidentally stepped on a wooden branch. His voice sounded loud enough that Prime Minister Borendo raised his hand telling his troops to stop.

The prince immediately encouraged me to further hide into the bushes.

"You wait here" said the Prince calmly. "Don't argue. If you want your son to survive"

I nodded my head understanding.

The prince quickly moved away from me. He disappeared behind a thicket of bushes.

"Who's that..Stop" Shouted a Soldier as the Prince deliberately displayed his presence. The prince ran away with a nimble motion. "Pursue Him"

Some troops are chasing the Prince. Meanwhile the Prime Minister stared at the commotion with boredom. "Just leave Them, We continue the journey" the Prime Minister's order later. The troops that were left behind obediently re-formed the ranks. Their eyes are watching the surroundings. The group walked back. I watched all of it with a thumping feeling. After making sure the group went away, I shuffled away quickly. Where the Prince went.

I saw some of the corpses of the soldiers who were chasing the Prince had been stiffened on the ground. Signs of resistance. I quickly ran to find the Prince. He couldn't possibly kill a single troop that much. When I was on the cliff, I saw the river below me. There the Prince ran with great difficulty because his left leg was injured. Meanwhile behind him the warrior chased after him with a complete weapon. I was accelerating my pace. Down cliff. I was almost there when the Prince plunged into the river. The soldiers threw arrows into the river. My heart stopped when I saw fresh blood flowing from the river. I stood in my place. Waiting. Nothing comes out of the river.

"Have stopped. He couldn't have survived if he saw the blood. Let's go" said a soldier who acted as the leader. "It's gonna be a little night"

The other soldiers put down their bows. They looked at the river for a moment. Then turn away.

I slowly step my legs. After taking a breath to take air. I went into the river and swam.

I keep swimming. Towards the direction the blood came from. The prince was there. He was unconscious. I grabbed him and immediately put the air from my mouth into his mouth. Then pull him away from the place.

I managed to pull him to the riverbank. The prince was not injured except in the leg. He fainted probably from being out of breath in the water. I tried to press his chest. Give him breathing assistance. After ten minutes of fighting. Prince coughed. He opened his eyes slowly.

The prince silently looked at me who was crying. He then pulled me closer to him. I lay on his chest. Heard his rhythmic heartbeat in my ear.

It was already evening when the Prince finally stopped and decided to rest making a bonfire. We've been down a long road. Trying to stay away to avoid the possibility of the soldiers returning to search for the Prince's whereabouts. We were both sitting in the middle of the forest, somewhere. I've always been screwed in recognizing the direction of the wind. I stared at the sparks in front of me. The prince turned over the fish he caught in the river.

"Prince in fact where are we going ?" I finally couldn't hide my curiosity.

"Mermaid River" replied the Prince slowly. Our clothes are soaked. The prince had removed his superior clothes and dried them in such a way on the trunk of a tree near Kami.

"Mermaid River" I said in surprise. "What are we going there for"

"We'll meet the mermaids to hear their prophecy about the child you bear"

"Pregnancy"

"I don't understand why Arana gave you to me. He was unsure of being able to defend his kingdom in the current situation. If something bad happens, there will still be a successor to King Jafar's family still alive under the protection of Garduete. He hoped that the successor would reclaim the glory of King Jafar"

"What do you mean Prince Arana will lose ?"

"We talked about the worst part. If not, the Kingdom will be divided into two. Arana won't have enough strength to protect you and your son. Therefore being in Garduete is the safest thing for you"

"Are you sure you'll be safe. If Garduete finds out this isn't your son. Will they accept it ?"

"Origin is the child in your womb. I'll fight it like my own son"

"Why ?" My whisper still doubts.

The prince was silent for a moment. Then he took something in his deepest pocket. He pulled my hand. Shoot something there. When I opened it. I'm appalled.

Prince Sera's wedding ring in my hand.