The Legend of Carmine

On the 14th day, Rulean and his servants arrived in the palace. King Ather greeted them.

Rulean introduced himself as "The General of Norand. " Then, King Ather being a good host showed them their residences. As they walked past the palace Rulean noted every single detail such as the location of the place guard station; how often they patrolled and where they stand in the palace's gate.

As the tour was finished. King Ather said that since they had traveled so much a banquet will be held after 3 days in the Center Pavilion, where he will be greeted by all the ministers and officials and the Princess as well for his formal welcome.

When the night fell. Rulean went out for a walk to check the number of soldiers stationed and their patrolling time. He also went to find where the Center Pavilion was. As he asked the servant of the palace; he took him to the Center Pavilion. And it was located in the Center of the palace which was an open space, it's engraved ceilings were held in place by beautifully carved pillars. And those pillars stood on a green marble stoned floor which appeared like an Emerald. As he looked around the pavilion he could see that there were soldiers on the top of the walls, which surrounded the palace.

This gave Rulean an idea. This could be the safest place because of the soldier around the walls but it could also be the most easily accessible location for him to execute his plan. If he could have his soldiers around those high walls of the palace.

On the 3rd night as the banquet began with all the ministers and officials and the king. In the midst of the banquet, all the officials and ministers were greeting the general. His 40 warriors had climbed up the wall of the palace and killed all the palace guards. And had replaced them and stood in their place. From the pavilion, it appeared to be Lapen's soldier as they had put on the dead soldier's uniform.

When the entire wall was conquered and all Rulean soldiers stood there with the bows. A clue of accomplishing their mission soldiers lit a fire at each corner of the walls. When all the four sides were lit. Rulean knew that his soldiers were successful. With these clues, he stood from his place and went to the king to offer a drink. As he reached them he took his dagger out and hold it against the King's neck.

Everyone was shocked and everything came to a halt.

King Ather said," General Rulean what is the meaning of this? How dare you attack me in my own palace. Are you seeking your death? With my one notion of finger, my soldier will have hundreds of arrows across your body."

General replied," Is it? Why don't you try it, I want to see it."

So King Ather replied," I will have to give to you that you are a brave fool to do this. I gave you a chance to live but it seems you are tired of living. So, the king singled to attack and the arrows came flying in. But none of them hit Rulean or his servant. All the arrows had hit his ministers and officials.

Rulean laughed," Your Majesty, your archers have poor targets. How can they shoot their own people."

This had made it clear to the king that those standing soldiers were not his soldiers.

He knew that they were all good archer and would not miss their targets. This made it evident to all the officials as well that if they even move a single hair they all would be shot to death.

As per the plan, Alor opened the 10 gift boxes that they had got for the banquet and from under its hidden compartment, they took out their swords.

A female servant named Liya who was hiding in the garden, which was beside the Center pavilion saw everything and ran to princess Carmine to tell the situation. (Note: She was one of Princess's maids and she was sent to the banquet by Princess to spy on the banquet and to notify her if anything went out of order.)

As Liya ran into Princess's room. She saw Allaya dressing up Princess Carmine for the banquet. As Liya was gasping for air she retold all the things that had happened in the pavilion to the Princess. Hearing it, Princess Carmine stood in front of the mirror and went to a wooden trunk and took out a corpse of a dead baby from it.

Seeing this Allaya was scared and shocked and questioned," Princess, What are you doing with a dead child?"

Carmine replied in a stern voice, "I will take the heaven's rage for unearthing the dead and not letting it rest. But I will do it again if I had to protect my brother."

She turned to Allaya and instructed, " Fast, change my brother's clothes and put in this baby. As they swiftly changed the clothes among the babies.

Carmine took her baby brother in her arms and feed him a bowl of sweet wine to put him to deep sleep. Then she kissed his forehead and said," This may be the last time I am putting you to sleep, my little brother. And let it be my sweet goodbye to you."

As everything was ready. Carmine kneeled in front of Allaya and said, " Allaya if you ever thought of me to be your sister even for once in your life please take good care of my brother as his mother."

Allaya was surprised she quickly raise the Princess up and said," What are you saying, I will never need to look after your brother because you will always be with him. Let's run from the palace, from the secret passage as we still got time before they come here."

As Allaya tried to pull Princess Carmine away she firmly stood and did not buzzed and replied, " No, I am not leaving. It is my duty to protect my nation with my last breath."

Then Carmine turned to Liya and gave Liya her's Royal Princess's token, which would identify Carmine as Princess. And said," You have done a lot for me, take this token to the Ragas mountain's monks and tell them the situation they will look after you and find you a good husband and house to marry. Those monks have always been loyal to our family."

As Carmine was turning away from her she sat on the floor and hold her legs and said crying, "I was an orphan with no family, you took me in and gave me food and shelter when I was about to die. I cannot leave you Princess when you are in such a grave situation. I am not leaving you."

As Liya kept holding Princess's leg and dragging along her. She looked down in her face and said, "I do not need your help to protect me. I only worry for my naive and innocent brother. Then, Liya got up from the floor, took the token, and said I will create a decoy for the prince to escape. Carmine was filled with emotion and verge of crying to have such loyal subjects.

Carmine then looked into Liya's eyes and said, "Promise me after creating decoy you will go to the mountain with this token and live a normal life, forgetting about me and the palace." So Liya promised Carmine to live a normal life.

Both of them Allaya and Liya left the Princess's palace in soldiers' uniforms with shields on their hands. And behind the big shield, each of them hid the babies. So, from distance, it appeared as soldiers were carrying shields.

When they sneaked out of her palace, Princess Carmine took out her General uniform and put it on, and marched to the gate of the Princess's palace.

In the Center pavilion Rulean, he had clearly established that he had the upper hand. And all the ministers and the officials including the king of Lapen's life was in his hand. He ordered his two servants, who were also soldiers in disguise to fetch the Princess to include in his brood of hostages.

In a while, a soldier came limping to the pavilion and said, "General Arm...." but he could not complete it and he breathed his last breath.

Rulean was enraged thinking how could someone dare to kill his soldier when he has captivated the whole palace.

So, he commanded Arol, "Take all of them to the prison and put the King in house-arrest."

So, Rulean with his other 5 servant soldiers went to Princess's palace. And in front of them stood a domineering figure, General Armine.

General Rulean asked," Who are you? And how dare you to stop my path?"

Princess Carmine stared him in his eyes as if she would eat him alive and said " I am the General Armine, who defeated your army in Inap. And you will have to go through me to get in the Princess's palace."

When Rulean heard those words he got angrier and said, "I had never thought I will ever have a chance to meet the great general Armine today. You are a capable man and I do have a sense of appreciation for you. If you just accept your defeat, I will let you to live."'

Armine laughed and said, "Allow me to live. General Rulean, you do not hold my life in your hands, to allow me to live."

This was it, for Rulean he snapped. He was being tolerant with him but this was it," I will make you regret what you have just said as he signaled the archers in the palace walls to attack him. Armine's reflexes were good as she was able to dodge them and cut through them with her sword before it hit her.

Rulean was so pissed with it as he saw Armine giving a sly smile to him.

In anger, he attacked General Armine with his sword. As she shielded off his attacks. More arrows came flying in. Though she deflected most of them. One-shot her back of her right knee which made her right knee kneel down and subsequently another arrow hit her left knee. And she ended up kneeling down but she was still holding Rulean sword above her head. As Rulean forced his sword against her it was only a few centimeters away from her throat and she was still holding it. Then all of a sudden Rulean pulled off his sword and went under Carmine's sword and swinging it towards his leg. This change was so fast before she could counter-attack and her sword was under his feet and his sword on her neck. She knew this was the end for her.

Just outside the palace wall, both Liya and Allaya had finally made it out through the secret passage. The Little Prince who was asleep during this whole time gave a cry as if he had a nightmare. Hearing a baby's cry the soldiers became alert and they started to move towards them. (Note: All the Lapen soldier has been captured and these were all Rulean soldiers.)

Liya looked into Allaya eyes as if saying goodbye with her eyes and then she ran out of the bush before the soldiers could come near them. As the soldiers saw someone running away. They started chasing him. Then, Allaya snuck out.

The sword which was now on Armine's neck had not pierced on her neck yet. Then he said," If you beg for your life I will spare you."

General Armine replied, "I do not need your mercy."

As Rulean raised his sword to strike her but he stopped in midway and said," I love your stubbornness. It is a rare sight for me to get to see such a fearless man. I want to see how long can you last."

Then, he removed his sword and ordered," Treat him well. Take him to the underground dungeon and no food or water for him. Until he begs for his life."