The resonating sound of screams and crackling fire brought back Prince Akemi to the waking world. Vision clouded and ears pounding, the now conscious prince stood up and held his aching head. The sun was still in the sky, yet the dark clouds that seemed to be smoke were making it hard to know how much time had passed since he blacked out. Scanning and familiarizing his surroundings, his eyes widened when the images flashed before him, all coming back.

Marquess Kei.

The alpha woman.

Hanako.

At the port.

Willing himself to run to the stables, Prince Akemi cursed his still-muddled head as he took his horse to go after Hanako. The spot where the rebel hit him was still throbbing and swollen. As he tried to forget about the pain, he found his horse and mounted the animal immediately. If Hanako got into the boat and fled successfully, he would have to return as soon as he could. Yet as the horse galloped through the forest, down the muddy path to the private port of the royal family, Prince Akemi couldn’t help but glance back.

What he saw only made his heart ache.

The palace was still on fire, and so was the town. Heaps of smoke were present in the air, its toxic scent lingering in his nose as he went deeper into the woods. It felt like he was living in a nightmare, never did he foresee the day Soleil would fall. Decades of regal solitude and victories would make the majority think that this kingdom would never decay.

But here it was, burning.

He could never forgive who brought the kingdom of Soleil to its knees in just moments. Whomever the culprit is, who organized this chaos and traitorous crime, he would make sure to see them hanged.

“Hanako, please… please tell me you have escaped,” he whispered, hoping that his sister had boarded the boat and was on her way to seek refuge from their neighboring ally in the east, the kingdom of Ondine. If she could reach them in time, help would come and he could find out who is responsible for the death of many. Have them condemned.

The path leading to the private port was getting narrower, the steep descent was giving the prince a difficult time maneuvering the horse as it stopped in its tracks every time huge rocks were in the way. It was when he heard the sound of rushing water that the breath of trepidation he held was released in relief. As much as he wanted to investigate whether Hanako had escaped, he wasn’t alone.

“Burn it! Burn it to the ground!”

“Find Prince Akemi! He could be anywhere!”

Urging the horse to stop, Prince Akemi dismounted and rushed to hide behind the safety of the trees. After seeing that the rebels were too busy to notice him, the prince peeked his head out to spy on them. At the sight of the rebels flocking around the port with torches in their hands, he clicked his tongue and frowned. His hands curled into fists; he couldn’t hide his irritation. “They’re already here? These damn—” he cut himself off and hid further into the forest when one of the rebels turned his way.

Not wanting to be detected, the prince quietly left and walked in the opposite direction to where one could see all the boats that were currently docked. Eyes scanning for the vessel with the royal family’s insignia, Prince Akemi stopped short. He felt his knees wobble when the boat that was supposed to carry Hanako to safety was sitting still beside the others.

Where is she? Please tell me she has escaped… I can’t afford to have her captured.

Trying to convince himself that she may have used another boat or the rowboats available, he almost jumped when he heard yelling from behind. The rebels have seen him, pointing their fingers at his figure as they run up to catch him. Eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed, Prince Akemi trudged through the tall grass before sprinting off.

“Catch him! Don’t let that slut get away!”

Panting hard, Prince Akemi avoided the muddy trails for fear of slipping and opted for the rocky path instead. Still tailing him, the rebels began throwing the torches at the prince, some of them hitting the dried grass, opting for the fire to start in the forest which only made the prince hasten his pace. Years of training and sword fighting honed his body to act as soon as peril would arise. His etiquette tutors would often display their dismay as to how omegas should not gain a lot of muscle and maintain their ethereal beauty in hopes of having a good match. Prince Akemi would only express his disdain in the privacy of his room.

Just remember those peaceful days learning with Hanako by his side seemed like it happened long ago. If he could trade anything, it would be to go back to that time and pretend this catastrophe never happened.

“Get him! Someone get that prince!”

Groaning in pain as he felt something sharp pierce his arm, he only looked back in horror as they began to shoot arrows. Slowly removing the arrow’s head that pierced his skin, Prince Akemi continued to run as he hissed in pain. Going up the steep path was already taking a toll on his energy, little by little. How much more that he was losing blood as time went by. The castle was now in sight, relieving him. Without hesitation, he dashed to the servants' quarters.

Blood decorated the stone floors along with his, the bodies of the people he knew or had a glimpse of in the hallways were now lying on the floor. Fighting the urge to hurl, Prince Akemi grabbed the abandoned sword on the floor. After rummaging for a cloth to stop his wound from profusely bleeding temporarily, he went down the hallways. If the rebels followed him, they shouldn’t be able to pursue any further since the palace is a maze if one hasn’t visited often.

Let’s see how you get through here!

Using this advantage, Prince Akemi continued to run down the hallways in hopes of finding someone. Dead bodies or those who were about to die only greeted his sight, not one able body in view to aid him. Biting his lip, he exited through the kitchen before halting on his tracks and freezing in surprise. The rebels who were chasing him were now standing at the entrance, scanning their surroundings for the runaway prince.

Damn it, even here?

“Find him! He’s probably in his room. And in the meantime, arrest all the nobles! We have to make sure everything is perfect before he arrives!”

He?

Watching the troublesome bunch go away, Prince Akemi shook his head and tiptoed his way to the garden. There was a secret exit located near the rose bushes, the same exit that Hanako would use to leave the palace to mingle with the common folk. The only one aware of it was the gardener.

Thankfully, the rebels didn’t bother to pay the garden any attention and Prince Akemi slipped in without meeting trouble. As soon as he went through the exit, he began to run again. Feeling his legs turning numb, the prince tried as he might to reach the nearest nobleman’s home to seek shelter as the castle was under siege. As he ran, Prince Akemi passed by a few peasants bemoaning the state of the kingdom. The fire was consuming houses, and the people grabbed whatever object they could to fill with water to put them out.

To his dismay upon arriving, the Lord's house was empty. No one was inside at all.

Exhausted, he dropped down and heaved a long sigh. His mind was filled with endless worries. He thought he could get everything under control as long as he stayed behind. However, without manpower or anyone to assist him, he was useless again. His position as the prince of Soleil is now merely a title, a title that could be easily taken away.

With most of the soldiers on the frontlines to battle the war in the far south, the capital is lacking defenses against surprise attacks from unknown enemies other than the ones they are battling in the war. But he couldn’t blame them. His father was a mighty king, promising that this kingdom would never bow down to anyone. Yet he died in battle, a reminder that no matter how strong he was, he was still human. And now, Soleil is in deep trouble. Without a king to guide them, everything is in chaos.

The sun has fallen.

“Are you all right? You don’t look so good…”

Looking up from the ground, Prince Akemi stared back at calm blue eyes. Black hair danced with the polluted air, a comforting smile on the lips of this stranger who appeared to be older. Unlike him, who is covered in dirt and soot, the stranger seemed like he just come out fresh from his bath. The man had his hand extended out to him, asking him to take it. He didn’t look like one of the rebels with that serene expression on his face. But he wasn’t certain whether this man was a friend or foe. For all he knew, he might get deceived at this vulnerable moment.

“Who are you?” Lifting his sword with his uninjured arm, Prince Akemi grimaced. “Are you one of them? Who burned down the capital?”

Bending down to be on the same eye level as him, the man laughed. “No, I am not as barbaric as them. I’m just a passerby. What about you? Who are you?”

“I have the choice of not telling my name.” Prince Akemi stood up, hiding a wince. The stranger didn’t have any scent on him, he wasn’t an alpha or an omega. A beta. “If you are what you say you are, I suggest you leave immediately. The kingdom of Soleil is under attack by rebels of an unknown faction. It’s too dangerous for a visitor to be here right now.”

“And what about you? Shouldn’t you leave as well?”

“No, I mustn’t.” Ignoring the stranger, Prince Akemi began to trudge in the direction of another nobleman’s house in hopes of finding someone there. “If you’ll excuse me, I must go—”

“He’s here! Prince Akemi is here!”

“Quick, get him!”

At the alerting screams, he didn’t have a choice but to take off once more. Waiting around would only bring him closer to death. Much to his surprise, the unknown man grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

“Hey! Where are you taking me—”

“To safety, of course!” The stranger yelled, pulling him past burning houses and down an alleyway. Emerging from the shadows, Prince Akemi recognized the market that was usually buzzing at this time of the day. Due to the unforeseen attack, the market was noisy for a different reason.

Cattle were bleating loudly, and fish sellers swiftly closing their stalls. Merchants who travel to and fro are now packing up their goods, wanting to leave as soon as possible. Still, on the run, Prince Akemi winced again as he felt his arm growing numb and his head slightly faint. Fearing losing consciousness again, he tugged on the man’s shirt. “S-stop… Can we please stop? I’m tired!”

The man stopped and observed the prince dropping to the ground, panting breathlessly as they halted in their tracks. The rebels were not in sight and if they were to come to the market, they would get lost in the crowd. As if searching for something, the prince watched as the stranger narrowed his eyes at the carriages filled with vegetables. Turning back to him, he asked. “Could you still stand?”

Nodding, he inhaled deeply and stood. Following the man, Prince Akemi furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, silently eyeing the stranger talking to the old man selling cabbages. They spoke for a good few minutes until the old man nodded. The next thing he knew, his feet left the ground as the stranger carried him toward the carriage.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“This old man lives in West Siera. He would take you to the port where you’ll be able to catch the next boat to the island of Elysium where it’s safe for someone of your status.”

Sitting in the carriage next to heaps of cabbages, Prince Akemi instantly tried to hop out when he was blocked by the man. “No, I can’t leave my kingdom. That is just preposterous! My sister could still be here. Let me go—”

“Prince Akemi,” At the mention of his name, the prince’s eyes widened. “This is your chance to escape. A chance to leave nobility behind and have a simple life. If you go back now, those rebels would kill you.”

Other than the harbor in West Siera, the private port at the back of the palace was the only means of leaving Soleil. If Hanako were to leave using the public harbor, adding the fact that the journey to West Siera is two days, it would take longer for her to reach the kingdom of Ondine which is why the private port was the best way to go.

At the thought of Hanako coming back successfully with help, Prince Akemi shook his head. “No, I need to go back. I have my duties as the prince! My sister is also on her way to Ondine to seek help. I can’t leave my kingdom alone, not when some maniac is trying to burn my father’s hard work to the ground—”

“Come to your senses, Your Highness. You’ll only endanger, not only your life but this kingdom’s future as well. If you leave now, you might have a chance to come back once things get calmer and you will be able to have your vengeance. You might be able to see your sister too! The people you will be leaving are the same individuals who are scurrying to save their wealth. They are not meant for saving.”

“What do you know about me?” Prince Akemi demanded in a cold tone, unable to believe what he just heard. “You are merely a stranger. You don’t know anything about me or the royal family. Who are you to tell me to leave my own country? What you suggested is downright selfish—” Words muffled out by the stranger’s hand covering his mouth and nose, he could only struggle to free himself as the lack of air only aggravated his dizziness.

“I’m sorry, Prince Akemi…” The man replied quietly, still maintaining a calm expression that didn’t suit his current deed. “But this is for your good.”

Already weakened by the loss of blood and exhaustion, he was pulled back to the world of the unconscious as his body ungraciously fell on top of the cabbages. He never got to ask the stranger’s name, but he’ll make sure to remember that face of serenity that comforted, but unnerved him at the same time.