This is a story of a time that could've been a long time ago, but not of this world. It is a tale of a prince and a hero. A tale of a hero who fought with all his might and lost so much, yet also gained so much. A tale that will make you laugh (hopefully), cry (maybe) or unsure if you should laugh or cry. Though it must be said, that this is not a typical fairytale. Who would've known that fairy tale character you would've admired in your childhood was actually not what it seemed? Hero Prince(ss) Chapter 1 When the hero is not what you'd expect. By Shiina Ai

The year was 156, two years after the crowning of the great King Rufus Melthandios. It was a good year. Agriculture was thriving and the economy was strong. The army protected the border all year around, providing safety and comfort to the populace.

That was, until the first princess Nua Aruca Melthandios came of age. Princes, nobles and merchants came from all over the continent, trying for the hand of the fair princess. The fair princess welcomed all, but accepted none.

The king of Lacros offered a large fertile land.

The prince of the elves of S'lithra offered eternal youth.

The sorceror of a distant land offered immortality.

The nobles and merchants offered gold, jewels and beautiful works of art.

Yet, the princess refused them all.

Until the Demon King of the Dark World came forth and stole her away. None of the soldiers, the knights and the wizards were his match. Yet still, they fought hard. Still, they failed.

Unable to stop the Demon King, King Rufus declared an all out war on the Dark World. Despite the illustrious Crown Prince leading them, the kingdom's armies were forced back in every engagements. For the enemy were forged in the torments of hell, the soldiers of the kingdom who had enjoyed years of peace could not stop their advance. It seemed to be hopeless, until a single ray of light appeared.

The second prince, Aru Nefeskaya Melthandios, then only 13 summers old, stood before the king. He was attired in a sword too long for his arms, armour too big for his build, mantle too long for his height and helm that almost covered his eyes because of its size. He told the king, "I will save big sister!"

"But you are too young," the king said.

"For the kingdom, no age is too young!" the young prince said.

"But you are just a boy," the king said.

"Even a boy can be a man when he has something to protect!"

Unable to persuade the young prince, the king had him arrested and confined. To keep him safe, the king locked him inside a tower, one so tall he should not be able to get away. But the next morning, the prince was gone. Nobody knew where he went or how he left the tower.

Unbeknownst to everyone, the prince was not merely running away. He escaped to fulfill his promise, to save his sister. To be a man, worthy of the kingdom. To be a man who protects his loved ones.

His first opponent was the Bandit King Meclis. With a wonderful display of wind magic, he charmed his opponent. The Bandit King Meclis, a name feared across the continent chose to leave his title behind and became the young prince's subordinate.

His next opponent was the Mistress of Flame, Lysianda, the monster who took part in all of the Dark World's advances. With a sweep of her hand, she could burn whole fields to ashes. Where she stood, not even cinders would remain. Yet the young prince, without fear turned her flame magic against herself and won despite all odds. The defeat of Lysianda brought new life to our soldiers and little by little, our army was able to reclaim the lands lost.

Yet, not all enemies were outside our borders. The greedy and cowardly Count Meleodoros, after knowing the demon armies were approaching his fiefdom, cut ties with the kingdom and supported the demon army with supplies and weapons. Yet, the kingdom could not do anything about it, with the demon armies approaching the capital, the County of Sanori's betrayal was considered of little importance.

The young prince, knowing the strategic importance of the County of Sanori went to plead for Count Meleodoros's support. Instead of support, what he received was an enemy's welcome. He was captured and imprisoned, until he challenged the count to a game of chess. Count Meleodoros could be called many things, but he deeply respected the game of chess. Unfortunately, the count was a prodigy in chess since he was a child. So there was no chance for the young prince to win.

Therefore, the young prince proposed a new game of chess, where the chess pieces were the count's attendants. He took the game further, deciding that both Count Meleodoros and himself become opposing kings. It was a game of chess where both kings put their lives at stake. It was a game where the only way to win was for one of them to die or surrender. The count, bored with the normal game of chess, heartily agreed. With cunning and clever tactics, the count surrendered and now with Sanori again in the kingdom's possession, the demon front lines were also hit from behind.

The resulting rout was legendary. Even three years after, new songs were composed, new poems were written and new plays were performed. It was considered the kingdom's greatest victory and it was later known that it was Count Meleodoros's plan all along. The stupid demon races stood no chance against the cunningness of mankind.

Yet, all was not over. For the demon king's palace was still as imposing as ever. The closer the young prince's party was to the palace, the more enemies appeared. Yet despite the sharp, strong winds of the Dark World and the mass of monsters blocking his way, the prince never faltered. He pushed forward, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

He was stopped at the gate by a fallen angel, the former Angel of Thrones Illuriel Seraphita Docus. The young prince, unable to bring himself to slay a high angel, tried to persuade the fallen angel to step aside. All words were in vain, as the fallen angel materialized the angel blade Galtharus in his hand. The poor prince could barely protect himself from the slashes of the angel blade. In the end, he fell to the ground, exhausted.

As the last strike was swung down, the young prince heard his sisters voice. "Don't give up!" she cried. The young prince evaded the blade at the very last second, now recalling the reason for his journey. He stood up and with all his strength, swung his blade for the last time. The blade broke as it hit the fallen angel's body, but it fulfilled its purpose. The angel fell on the ground, breathing his last breath in the mortal world and vanishing in a trail of light.

"Thou hath proven thyself worthy of me. I shall serve thee to the end of thine lyfe."

It was the angelic sword's oath. As if in reply, the young prince wrapped his hand around Galtharus's hilt. Despite the exhaustion, power flowed into his body. Despite numerous battles, his determination to fulfill his purpose remained strong. Yet, his eyes, flowing with tears of blood, could no longer see the world around him. His once bright blue eyes were burned inside its sockets during the battle against Illuriel. It was now empty, except for the blood that continued to flow from his veins.

Still, he persevered. Everytime he stumbled, he stood again. Everytime he was stabbed, he stabbed back. Everytime he was engulfed in magic, he stood strong. By the time he faced the demon king, only his perseverance remained his strength. Only his will remained his drive. Only his sister's voice guided him.

In the end, the demon lord was sealed and all the demons returned to the Dark World. The princess then returned to the capital safe and sound. As for the hero, the second prince was nowhere to be found.

Some say he fell in that final battle. Some say his body was claimed by the gods. Some say he is still alive to this day and walks the world helping those in need. We may never know, but he is an example to all those who still live today.

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"Eeh... that's amazing. How much of that was the truth?" a thin man in leather vest and triangle hat asked.

"Oi, don't ask that question. Everyone in this kingdom owe their lives to the second prince. You don't want be stabbed in a dark alley," his companion, a heavy-set man who seemed made of logs said.

"It's just a folktale, right?" the thin man asked.

"Hah?!!! What did you say, you bastard?" another man from the next table stood up, followed by all five of his friends from the same table.

"This is why I say don't question it!" the heavy man grabbed his head in panic.

"If not for the second prince, me and my friends here would've been eaten alive by demon monsters in Carima. How dare you say it's a fairytale!"

"I said folktale."

"We're village folks, we don't understand cultured words!" the man from the other table said as his friends nodded as if it was a fact.

"Hey hey, calm down. He wasn't trying to insult. He's just new here. He's from Galda, you see. Ah, I know, how about I treat you a round of beer?" the heavy man said with a friendly smile.

"Hmph, if you buy a round for my friends too, then we'll forgive you."

The rest of his goons nodded twice.

"Yes, of course. Feska, a round of fire brand for these gentlemen!" the heavy man called to the barmaid at bar in the back.

The barmaid in question gave her usual smile and said, "Coming right up!"

The girl was something like an idol in the village. With hair the colour of wheat straws, skin as fine as virgin snow and a melodious voice like that of a nightingale, she could be said to be a peerless beauty, though that was not her only allure. Despite being a barmaid, she had a certain grace that was out of place in this backwater village. Not just her choice of words, her posture and her demeanour were also reminiscent of someone of high birth. Many in the village believed she was actually a young noblewoman who ran away from home.

Many had proposed to her, all she turned down gracefully. As a result, men chose to watch over her in silence, despite already being turned down. As she never judged and never discriminated against anyone, young men found her to be a good target for their first love confessions. Older men too tried their luck. In some cases, she would agree to a limited courting before breaking it up after a week or two. However, none knew how she chose her potential partners.

Despite the seeming perfection, this girl, Feska, had one debilitating flaw. She was blind. While most men in the village didn't mind it all that much, there were talks that perhaps that was the reason she was in the village in the first place. Some believed due to her flaw, she was matched in an unfavourable marriage. Some believed she suffered misfortune in love that she took out her own eyes in a fit of madness. Some thought she left her home simply so that she wouldn't continue to be a burden. Regardless of the reason, everyone believed there was more to her than what she let people know.

"Five fire brand! Here you go!" Feska the barmaid said as she skillfully maneuvered around chairs, the outstretched legs and the animated arms of the excited patrons with five mugs of ale in her two hands.

Despite being blind, Feska did not act like someone blind. Despite having her eyes closed, she avoided everything coming her way like an accomplished martial artist. Despite being blind, she could easily perceive who was speaking to her, as well as where and how far that person was. Many who frequented The Daily Seasons no longer questioned it, having assumed the reason being a sixth sense of sort.

This tavern wasn't the only place for wining and dining in the village. There were two more taverns, both with their own charm. Being a little far from the center of the village, this tavern's charm was it's peacefulness. Being far from the village center, the tavern was frequented by farmers who just wanted to rest and talk in peace.

However, this tavern's charm was about to be broken this day. For suddenly, two men in bluish boiled leather armour and armed with short swords appeared at the entrance of the tavern. Their uniform appearance was so out of place that the whole tavern was reduced to silence.

Not wasting any time, the men in question scanned the tavern. Their eyes fell on each patron before moving to the next. When they noticed the retreating figure of the barmaid at the rear door, the man with some kind of medal on his chest bellowed.

"Stop! In the name of the king, show yourself!"

Shit, he saw me, Feska thought as she slowly turned around. With every second she could feel her anger rising. After all, this should not have happened in the first place.

"You..." the big man with a medal on his chest looked in astonishment before getting down on one knee and thumped his chest with his right fist as he said, "I have found you at last. Clom of Summerwind greets the honourable highness, Pri-"

"Captain Clom," Feska said gently with her closed eyes and gentle smile despite the bulging vein in her temple, "Would you mind following me to the inner room? You too, soldier."

The two soldiers stood up and followed close behind her as she walked along the corridor behind the bar. She stopped at a door near the end of the corridor and nonchalantly opened it with her small hand. There were already five men inside, playing some kind of card game.

To these men, Feska said, "Good evening, gentlemen. I have use for this room. Would you mind letting me use it until I'm done?"

But of course, the men wouldn't just obediently leave.

"Feska, we already paid for the room."

"Don't disturb, Feska. It's finally my win."

"Go away girl."

"I need another tankard of ale."

Feska, still smiling with closed eyes, released a great killing aura. "GET. OUT!" she said as she continued releasing even stronger bloodlust into the room.

For the two men who were trained to have sharp senses, Feska's killing aura made their knees weak and the bodies shaking, sweating in fear. To Captain Clom, standing next to her felt like being stabbed by hundreds of tiny knives. To the men in the room though, they only felt a strange foreboding feeling as if they'd be murdered if they stayed, so they quietly left through the only door, feeling their fear rising as they got closer to Feska, the source of the foreboding feeling. When they were finally out, they felt like they could sing, their eyes flowed tears of happiness knowing that they could live for another day. It was a strange feeling they as farmers and craftsmen couldn't understand at all.

On the other hand, despite suffering the most from her bloodlust, Captain Clom had nothing but respect for Feska. As expected of the hero who defeated the demon king, he thought. As for the other soldier, he'd just have to change his pants later.

The moment the last of the men left, Feska locked the room and went to sit at one of the now vacant chairs. She looked at the two soldiers in the same room, making both of them uncomfortable. Well, 'looked' was actually a misnomer, for Feska's eyes, being blind, were closed the entire time. However, while the two men couldn't understand it, they could certainly feel her gaze on them.

"Boy... get behind me and start massaging my shoulders," Feska said as she rested her left cheek on her fist, propped on the table.

"Me?" the boy, who appeared to be older than Feska said.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

The 'boy' saluted and dashed behind Feska. With an 'excuse me', he started massaging her tiny and soft shoulders not covered by her commoner dress. Being a virgin, he almost gasped at the feeling of soft skin under his fingers.

"Now you, I shall hear your explanation. No, before that, what happened to Captain Juko?" Feska said while making small groans from her throat as her sore muscles were massaged with the young soldier's strong hands.

"He retired, your highness."

"Oh, he retired! I thought he'd never leave his position. Well anyway, speak your piece and then go back and tell father not to disturb me anymore. A little lower, please. Lower, I said!" Feska said to the captain before talking to her masseuse.

"Your highness! Please come home!" the captain cried.

"Shit, why don't you say it louder, you bastard! So loud that the whole village can hear. Or even the whole county. After all, you're here to cause me trouble, aren't you?"

The captain shrank under Feska's gaze, despite her being blind. "No, we're not here to cause trouble."

"Oh? Then tell me, despite the fact I specifically said not to look for me, the captain of the troops directly under the Crown Prince, the famed Gryphon Knights are here. And you're here to tell me to go back."

Again, let us ignore the fact that she was blind and had not opened her eyes even once.

"There's a big problem, your highness."

"Whatever it is, it's not my problem," Feska dismissed it while moaning from the massage.

"But it IS your problem, your highness. The demon king has returned."

"I've already sealed him. He won't return for the next one hundred years!" Feska stated in annoyance while inside, she was thinking, Hopefully after I'm already dead.

"But he has revived, your highness. He's really back. Our spies saw him and all the demonkin called him the demon king, your highness."

"Could it be another demon king instead? Oooh, that hits the spot."

"Unless there's another demon king whose left horn is cut off with a light sword, no, your highness."

Biting her nail, Feska thought, Shit, sounds like it's really him. Just as I thought I'd be able to live the rest of my life in peace, he has to return and ruin it for me. Damn it, I knew it was too cheap to be real. That fake priestess!

"Your highness, what is in your mind?" the captain said as he saw Feska was deep in thought.

Feska turned her head towards him, "What if I still say I don't want to go back? And you, don't stop your hands."

"His majesty permitted the use of force, your highness. He told us to bring you back using any means necessary," the captain answered while lowering his head and not looking at Feska directly.

"Oh? Force, you say? Are you perhaps that confident with your own power? Should I give that confidence a test?"

The young soldier behind her soiled his pants again being so close to the source of the bloodlust aimed at the captain.

The captain quickly got on his knees and placed his head on the floor between his two hands as he said, "No no, please don't misunderstand me, your highness. This humble soldier only answered your question. Of course my humble self is not a match for the hero who defeated the demon king. Please show mercy!"

Feska thought about it further as the captain kept his forehead in contact with the floor. "Fine," she said as she stood up, "I'll go back with you. In the first place, it's that idiot father's fault for not being able to follow simple instructions."

The captain breathed a sigh of relief as he raised his head.

"Wait here. I have some packing to do," Feska said as she left through the only door.

Soon after Feska left, the other soldier who was used as a masseuse approached the captain and said, "Captain, is this a nightmare? How could the legendary prince in the story become... that?"

"Weld, in this world, there are many things we can't understand. His highness's trials must've been so great, his strife unimaginable to us that it broke his mind. Just remember, this man saved us all at the cost of himself. He deserves our respect, regardless of what he became. Anyway, go change your pants. You're starting to smell."

"Yes captain."

Meanwhile, in Feska room.

"Shit, I don't have any court dress!"

*As always, please leave your comments and feedback. Praises motivates me to write faster. Constructive criticisms helps me to write better. Thanks for reading and supporting me.