Orsgadts
Dark History

Black fog descended from the ceiling of the room without a sound. At first it was only in line and then increased to form a layer of coiled down to the floor. Moving slowly like the tentacles of an octopus, the black fog climbed onto Emune's bed. The sleeping Emune looked aside not moving at all as the fog covered his entire body.

“Man, you called me. Look what you want,” whispered a voice in Emune's ear.

The awakened human might be horrified to hear such a mystical sound yet only Emune could hear it. Fiona who sleeps on the bed opposite Emune is even sound asleep without realizing that Emune is entering a dangerous realm between life and death. Emune's eyes opened but only showed dark black eyes. It is under the influence of black fog.

The black fog thinned and displayed a carriage that entered the palace's large gate guarded by several soldiers. After parking the train properly, the driver got off and opened the door for his passengers.

A woman dressed as a waiter got off the train holding a small baby wrapped in cloth. The baby was only a few days old and was sleeping peacefully. He looked happy as he looked at the night sky illuminated by the full moon.

The woman entered the palace. Other servants greeted him with smiles and warm greetings. Some moved quickly across the hallway and then up to the second floor.

“Beautiful baby, Emilia.” A maid praised the little baby.

“Thank you.” Emilia smiled happily.

“You just wait, we will tell you when the time comes,” said an old woman carrying a pile of cloth.

“Good, thank you. I hope everything goes well,” said Emilia.

He rushed over so as not to obstruct the busy people to the upper floors. He continued walking and turned to the left and went into the second room. After closing the door, she laid her baby daughter on the bed and kissed her forehead. He sang a crib song for the baby while embroidery.

On the second floor, two soldiers stood guard at the door of a room. They let in female servants carrying cloths and flower baskets. Inside the spacious room, some men were sitting and some were standing. These men wore royal clothes and attributes. Their faces looked worried. They're looking forward to something.

A luxurious bed that could only be owned by a king's daughter was surrounded by servants and a midwife. A beautiful woman with a clean skin glows lying in pain. Sweat flowed profusely from his forehead and temples.

“Princess Erika will give birth soon.” The midwife announced.

Time seemed to run slow as Princess Erika's struggle to give birth to her baby took place. The guide of the midwife alternated with the screams of the princess. The silence was suddenly royal and replaced by baby cries. Everyone exclaimed happily.

The beautiful little baby was handed over to Princess Erika who held her lovingly. Happy tears dripped down her cheeks. Prince Cedric sat by the bedside, kissing his wife and newborn son alternately. He stood up, took his daughter and handed her over to the golden-crowned old man, the king.

“Elizai Murisie Nezca Orsgadt, heir to the throne of Orsgadt,” said Grand King Orsgadt announcing the presence of his beloved grandson.

Cheers sounded. News of the princess' birth spread throughout the palace. A soldier blew a trumpet from the palace tower to preach the news of joy.

Emilia held the baby and immediately walked out of the room and half ran to the second floor through the stairs at the end of the hallway. From the second floor window he saw there was a crowd outside the palace. He did not bother, he wanted to see the newborn princess immediately.

Three knights ran to the entrance of the princess's room. He ordered the two guards to block anyone from entering the princess's room. He came in and closed the door.

“Your Majesty, we are under attack. There's an unknown group slaughtering people. You must evacuate right now.”

Everyone in the princess' room gasped. The princess screamed. She hugged her baby tightly. “Save my daughter. Cedric, Dad, save my daughter!” between cries of fear.

Great King Orsgadt ordered all servants and midwives to come out to save themselves. Only the royal family, an advisor and 4 knights were left in the princess's room. Drogean's advisors insisted that the entire royal family save themselves but were rejected by the king.

“Cedric, take Erika and your daughter away right now. Stay away from Orsgadt. Drogean and you, Hemworth, take care of them.”

“Cedric, go. Save our daughter. Abandon me. I will only block your movement,” said the princess. She took off the emerald necklace around her neck, put it in a blue velvet pouch and placed it in a cloth that wrapped her baby warm.

Princess Erika whispered to the baby, repeated her father's words by the door with two other knights, kissed the princess on the forehead she might never see again and handed it to her husband. He was crying without a sound. Good bye, my daughter. Keep living, Elizai!

“Cedric, no more time. Go!” exclaim the king.

Two knights stood by the fireplace. One of them pulled a lever that was inside the fireplace. The wall beside the fireplace was open and a long hallway was visible.

Prince Cedric kissed his infant daughter's forehead and handed her daughter to the knight in the hallway. He looked at his wife and father-in-law who were ready to welcome anything that would come from the door.

Adviser Drogean and Commander Rudick had drawn their swords. He could not leave his wife who had just fought desperately for the birth of their daughter. He looked at the knight who opened the door to the secret passageway.

“I leave my daughter in your custody. Take good care of him. Later, remind him of his right as the rightful heir to the throne of Orsgadt. Go,” said Prince Cedric.

The knight saluted the prince and went into the hall. Prince Cedric closed the door of the secret passageway and broke the opening lever with a sword. He did not want anyone to open it, not until his daughter came out safely from the palace.

“Erika, our daughter must have survived. I love you,” said the prince. He kissed his wife who was looking at him with love.

“I love you,” reply the princess.

The next incident was terrible. The door was broken from the outside. People dressed in black burst in. Great King Orsgadt and everything in the room couldn't hold out for long against the bloodthirsty, violent assassins. They were slaughtered.

Prince Cedric tried to protect Princess Erika with his body but he failed. A sword pierced through both of them. Both died hugging. Smile on the princess' lips. He felt relieved that his daughter had been taken away.

People dressed in black spread out from the room.  One of them shouted as he saw a servant who had just appeared from the end of the hallway. “That's the baby!” loud shouting.

Emilia surprised. She hugged her baby tightly. His body was stiff and trembling.

“No! Nay! Who are you?” emilia screamed as two men dressed in black dragged her into the princess's room. She did not want to let go of the baby. He tried to fight back by kicking but in vain. It is not their opponent.

Emilia screamed at the sight before her. They're all dead. The king, the prince, the princess, the advisors and the knights were stiffened with gaping wounds. Blood is everywhere.

Little princess, where is the little princess? Emilia asked as well as cried inwardly.

“Is this the new king's grandson?”

Emilia was stunned to hear the question. These people did not know that the baby he was carrying was his own daughter. Where is the king's grandson?

“Jawab! Dumb waitress, you'll join the bodies.”

“The king you raised is only an old man hiding behind the glory of his ancestors,” said the group leader who spoke loudly and spat on the floor. “He's dead!”

Emilia was only a servant but her father was a scholar and she knew many of the stories told by her father. The rebellion is happening. The wicked men wanted to finish off the entire Orsgadt bloodline.

Emilia had no idea where the little princess was but if these people were to look for her it meant that she could somehow be taken out of this place. Her tears are dripping. His gaze shifted from Prince Cedric and Princess Erika who died hugging to his little daughter who was not disturbed in the slightest by the frenzy around him.

“Please, don't hurt him. He's just an innocent little baby. Please..” he said.

The violent-faced leader of the group stood in front of Emilia who was kneeling while hugging her baby who was only a few days old.

“Stupid woman. Blame King Orsgadt who sent you to death, “he said coldly. His hands moved quickly doing a piercing motion. Emilia and her little baby died instantly. The man looked at his men. “Orsgadt has fallen. Broadcast to all corners of Artamea!”

People dressed in black cheered. Like the plague, they scattered and combed through every room in the palace. Without mercy, they kill everyone. The roar of death filled the air along with blood spilled on the floor and walls of the palace.

The two knights who were entrusted by the prince ran through a long passage full of twists and traps. Only the king's guard knights knew about the passageway. If it rushed, they would arrive across the forest behind the king's palace.

“Arthen, be careful.” Hemworth reminded his partner.

Arthen pushed the thick wooden door at the end of the hallway. Darkness welcomes. He stretched out his left hand, shaking off whatever was blocking the moonlight. The vine plant had grown bushy covering the secret door. Arthen did not want to cut the plant with his sword, he grabbed it with his left hand while his right hand was holding the sword.

There's no one out there. The sounds of night beasts taking turns filled the night. Arthen was amazed by the peace in this place when only half a mile away from here was a massacre.

“Aman,” says Arthen. He signaled Hemworth to follow him.

Hemworth held up the blanket that wrapped the baby in his carrier. The baby was now covered by his thick and long robe.

“We have to find horses.” Hemworth stared at the slumbering little baby while his entire family faced great danger.

“The nearest village has strong horses,” says Arthen.

As Arthen said, the village horses were indeed strong. They managed to leave the palace territory and reached near the border of Orsgadt and Imperia. Now or not at all. There is no time to hesitate because soon the entire border will be closed.

“Arthen, listen, we have to split up. Seven years from now we will meet in Eimersun. You want the code we made first? We'll use it to communicate. Mix and build a trusted network. Orsgadt's dark time has come.” Hemworth patted his best friend's shoulder.

“I will collect information. May the royal family be safe.” Though unlikely, Arthen feels compelled to express his hope for the safety of the royal family.

“Get yourself well, Arthen. See you,” said Hemworth.

“See you, Hemworth,” reply Arthen.

The two knights separated. Arthen headed for Imperia while Hemworth went south. Each carried a heavy weight on their shoulders. Heavy duty that they will continue until the throne of Orsgadt returns to the rightful.

The black fog rolled back like a wave and then thinned. Emune saw a man knocking on the door of a small cottage on the edge of the forest. Despite having changed his clothes and his face overgrown with a thick beard, Emune knew it was the knight Hemworth.

Emune's father opened the door. The two of them came in and spoke slowly. Hemworth handed the blanket-wrapped baby to his father. Edmund hugged the little baby while sobbing.

“Take care of this heir to the throne like your own son. I'll be coming in seven years to pick her up,” Hemworth's message.

Hemworth moved out of his seat. “Emune, name him Emune,” he said. He got out of the hut and rode his horse north.

Inside the cottage, Edmund was still sobbing. The news Hemworth brought broke his heart. Emilia and their daughter, Nania, who is just a few days old have been the victims of the rebellion. Instead, he had to keep the sole heir to the throne of Orsgadt now in his arms.

“Emilia .. my daughter Nania .... Emune ...” He muttered while sobbing.