Blades of Desire

The room fell silent, with King Harold and Crown Prince Kaius staring at Prince Keiran unbelievably.

An hour later, Prince Keiran stood by the window in his room, gazing out at the kingdom from a top view. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Children played, and people went about their daily chores, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within them. Prince Keiran's mind was consumed by fear for his brother's life. He knew of Prince Kaius's unwavering determination to avenge their older brother's death and the extensive preparations he had been making. However, Prince Keiran harboured doubts about his brother's ability to defeat Vesper.

He knows his father and brother would have been shocked by his earlier proclamation given his reputation for recklessness. Nevertheless, he knew he was the one that would defeat her. Not their father, not Kaius and he has started planning towards this secretly since his brother's death.

"May I come in, Keiran?" Prince Kaius announced his presence at the door not giving the maid the chance to do so instead.

"Sure, come in", Keiran said, leaving the window to sit on the bed.

"There has been some information from our spies in Marlenia; Vesper is holding back her armies from proceeding despite having a high chance of defeating us this time; I think she's up to something," Kauis said, sitting beside his brother.

The two kingdoms, Marlenia and Everia, have been at war for so long now. And the enmity between them has been from generation to generation.

Vesper, the crown princess of Marlenia is an epitome of elegance and refinement, her stunning beauty captivating all who laid eyes on her. Her piercing emerald green eyes sparkled with an inner fire, hinting at the fierce warrior that lay beneath her polished exterior. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of night, framing her heart-shaped face and accentuating her porcelain skin.

But Vesper's beauty was more than skin-deep. She was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, her swordsmanship skills honed to perfection from a tender age. She had ridden into her first battle at the age of twelve, and by eighteen, she was leading the armies of her kingdom with a strategic brilliance that belied her years.

As the first female heir to the throne, the weight of expectation rested heavily on Vesper's shoulders. Her people looked up to her as a symbol of hope and strength, and the pressure to prove herself as a capable leader was immense. Yet Vesper bore the burden with grace and poise, her determination to succeed burning brighter with each passing day.

Despite the demands of her royal duties, Vesper remained humble and kind, earning the love and respect of her people. She was a true warrior princess, with a spirit as sharp as her sword and a heart full of courage.

Her greatest battle accomplishment was ending the life of their rival kingdom, Crown Prince, and achieving victory against Kingdom Everia a few years back.

"According to the spies, she's been going out of the kingdom secretly holding meetings with people from other kingdoms. My guess is she's trying to form alliances to strike us." Prince Kaius said his expression uneasy. He's the crown Prince now, and protecting the kingdom and its subjects is his responsibility.

Prince Keiran's eyes narrowed. "When does she leave her kingdom, and do we know the time?"

"According to them, she leaves twice a month, but there's no specific day she chose; all we know is that her next outing will be soon as we're nearing the end of the month already, and she has only gone once this time". Prince Kaius answered his brother looking at him suspiciously. "Why did you ask?".

"Well, I was planning to kill her when next she leaves the kingdom. Since her meetings are secretive, she can't be going with many escorts and she'll be much more vulnerable. Tell our spies to gather pieces of information about her next movement, we can ambush her and take her captive then her father will have no choice but to come plead for her life, although we're going to eventually kill her that doesn't mean we can't use her as leverage to bargain with her father first" Keiran said with a straight face. He knew it wouldn't be easy, even with escorts or not, Vesper is still dangerous and can't be underestimated, but with proper preparations and ambush, he believes they could capture her. Of course, Kaius might not be able to defeat her alone, but what about ten more skilled Warriors like Kaius, what about twenty more?

"I've been thinking about that too, but it isn't a really good plan", Kaius said, sceptical of his brother's plan. "Why? It's our best chance so far".

"Vesper doesn't work alone, you know that. She's always in the company of her three friends, which she calls sisters, and rumours have it they're as deadly and fierce as her. We wouldn't be able to move many men from here without people noticing and trust me, Marlenia spies are here also, and it's very hard to identify them. It will be very dangerous for us if Vesper gets to know of our plan and we can't move more than a few men without arousing suspicion." Prince Keiran was bold, but Kaius, who had been thinking about this particular plan since he heard about Vesper's movements, had to dismiss it. He knew it was fraught with danger, and the risk made it unfeasible.

Prince Keiran and Kaius sat in silence, each lost in thought as they contemplated the best strategy to defeat their foe. Keiran had devised a plan, but it was still in its infancy, and he was hesitant to share it with his brother. The intelligence gathered by their spies was crucial, and they needed to capitalize on the situation.

Keiran was aware that if war were to break out, Kaius would likely attempt to minimize casualties by putting himself at risk. He knew his brother intended to challenge Vesper to a one-on-one duel to determine the outcome of the war if it came to that. Although this approach would save countless lives, allowing many soldiers to return to their families, Keiran couldn't bring himself to accept it. He wasn't ready to lose another brother.

According to the soldiers who survived the war with Marlenia a few years ago, Vesper had challenged Prince Orion to a duel to decide the victor. Orion, underestimating Vesper's abilities, accepted the challenge, which ultimately led to his downfall. During the duel, Vesper's face was veiled, and she was dressed identically to her sisters, leaving the soldiers of Everia wondering if Vesper was indeed the one who had defeated and killed Prince Orion.

"We can't win a war against Marlenia now, can we?" Prince Keiran said, breaking the silence after a few minutes. "They have more soldiers and allies. Our only hope is to capture someone important and use as leverage for bargaining."

He stood up and placed a hand on his brother's back. "Promise me, Kaius, no matter what happens, you won't sacrifice yourself for anyone. Promise me you won't die." His eyes locked onto his brother's, filled with a serious intensity.

Prince Kaius's eyes warmed as he looked at his brother. "Then let's do this together, brother. Let's defeat our enemies, bring ruin to their kingdom, and claim victory for Everia. Let's make our brother proud. Let's show them that we're not to be underestimated."

He paused, his expression turning solemn. "Promise me something too, brother. Promise you'll change your ways and let me teach you the art of swordsmanship. You have potential, Keiran, but you need to focus. When I face Vesper and her sisters, I want you by my side. Together, we'll conquer."

Prince Keiran's gaze faltered, and he looked away, his jaw clenched. He knew his brother was right; he needed to change. He couldn't keep living recklessly, not when their kingdom's future was at stake.

"I promise, Kaius," Prince Keiran said finally, his voice firm. "I'll change. I'll learn to wield a sword, and I'll stand by your side when we face Marlenia."

Prince Kaius smiled, relief washing over his face. "That's all I can ask for, brother. Together, we'll bring glory to Everia."