The Lost Princess

Vestin walked outside the cave entrance and stared at the moons as they shined and lite the purple skies. He took in a few deep breaths as he stood there and watched the night take on a life unknown to most.

"Boy, what are you doing just standing there?"

He turned around and saw Gotte standing with sword in hand. His face held a frown and screwed brows.

"I was just taking a break. I was wondering if Loraz can see the same sky as me right now."

"Of course she can. She only went to a different kingdom, not off to visit other stars. Now get your head back into your training or do you wish for more punishment training instead?"

Vestin chuckled and walked over to his bow taking it in his hands he pulled back slightly on the drawstring.

"What's the difference? Either way, I have to train."

Gotte sheathed his sword and sighed as Vestin continued to practice his stance with his bow.

"By the way, we have news from the castle in Mossca..."

Vestin snapped his head back and looked Gotte in the eyes lowering the bow to his side he walked closer to Gotte.

"What is the news."

Vestin's eye was flaming with fighting spirit. Gotte took a step back and shook his head.

"So serious boy, if you trained with just as much spirit you could be better than you are now. Your head is full of nothing else, but the princess."

Vestin smirked at him and pulled the bow out. He drew an arrow from his quiver and placed it on the bowstring and pulled backed aiming for a target behind Gotte's head.

"Tete you know I have mastered pretty much everything that you guys have thrown at me, right?"

Gotte sighed and placed his hand over his face and slid it down then looked Vestin in the eyes while shaking his head his eyes narrowed.

"Stop calling me Tete, the name is Gotte...how many times must I repeat this?"

Vestin rolled his eyes and released the arrow which flew past Gotte's head and hit the target.

"Okay, okay...just tell me the news. What have you heard? Is Loraz alright?"

Gotte looked back and saw the arrow hit the mark perfectly.

"Well, of course, she is...now."

Vestin rushed up to Gotte and pulled him towards him.

"What do you mean by now?"

Gotte pulled away from him and inhaled deeply as he closed his eyes and whispered something to himself. He then walked to a rock on the opposite side of the entrance and looked up at the wall.

Vestin waited for him to say something. Tightly clutching his fist with each passing second.

"It seems that she has taken on the life of the king's bastard daughter and it also seems that there are many who wish to see her disappear because of this," Gotte said.

"So she is being targeted by more people now? I thought you guys said she would be safe there? Dammit, I have to go to her now. She needs me now more than ever."

Vestin started walking towards the rest of his gear and Gotte walked up and gently pressed on his c.h.e.s.t and stopped him in his tracks.

"Calm down you sack of hormones. This year your precious little lady turns sixteen, by the laws of Serenity she is able to go to Ay Su and study at The Royal Institute of Zanooma."

Vestin pushed his hand away and scoffed at him,

"You mean that overly priced school I heard a lot of the villagers going on about? I thought that place was only for brainwashing new soldiers and servants?"

"Watch your mouth boy, that place is the only hope for the princess. Ay Su is neutral ground the royal family there hasn't ever taken aside when it came to war and they hold the largest military force on the planet."

Vestin shrugged his shoulders and walked back a few steps into the cave then turned to face Gotte.

"So what does that have to do with a school and Loraz?"

"Because that school is where the princess will be the safest and regain her throne back. The Viper can't send her children to the school due to the fact that her firstborn son has become gravely ill and the twins have been removed from the line of succession for various reasons."

Vestin eyes widened and he snapped his finger then pointed at Gotte,

"So that's the reason she has picked up the pace on searching for Lo. If she doesn't kill her off soon she could lose everything she stole. Okay so how do I get inside this school?"

"Unfortunately at the moment, you don't. We have another pressing matter to deal with first."

"And that would be?"

"Getting you in shape for the long journey ahead of you ya little brat. Now I want five hundred sword thrusts and you have to shoot three hundred arrows into each target by morning you hear me? Lazy bum...taking a break there are no breaks when preparing for war, boy. Remember that always."

Vestin threw up his hands and g.r.o.a.n.e.d,

"That is so unfair...you damn old shagger. Why do I have to go through such training when you guys just laze about all day and night talking war tactics and politics."

"Because boy, if you haven't realized already we four will be going back with the Ancestors soon. You will be the one left to protect this place once we have passed on."

"You mean I have to stay here forever? What about my promise to Lo's mother?"

Gotte walked over to Vestin then placed his hand on his shoulder and pressed it firmly with his eye a bit misty he sighed,

"You will eventually fulfill it, but for now you have to focus on the responsibilities that lay in front of you. This new village that you founded fours years ago still needs you, boy. The people here depend on us, but it is you who they look to for survival. If not for everything you have done for them thus far they would have given up a long time ago. Face it, my boy, just like we four became father figure overnight you became a leader."

Vestin sighed pushed pass Gotte and started to shoot his bow at the targets that lined part of the cave entrance.

"One, Two, three, four, five..."

"Oh and for calling me livestock you now have to do ten hundred arrows," Gotte said and walked off with a smirk on his face.

Vestin stopped and turned to look at him,

"What, Gotte, that's outrageous. Come on you know I didn't mean it."

Gotte kept walking and started humming to himself as he ignored Vestin's protest.

"Ugh...six, seven, eight, nine, ten..."

Vestin pulled arrow after arrow hitting each of the targets perfectly every time.

They had been training him for four years now and ever since that little thing with the cige they haven't let him out of the cave except to hunt for food every now and then. It was always training in this train that. He knew more about bows, swords, and even herbs than he did back when he was still living with his parents.

"I already got this bow down and my swordsmanship is unmistakably perfection. I can fight like a damn beast and cure any illness like I were a mage...so why the hell won't they let me set off after Lo?"

Vestin threw his bow down and snapped the arrow he held in the other hand in half. Then he heard laughter echoing from the cave. He picked up his bow and slung it over his shoulder and walked in towards the sound. The cave was alive with children and their parents. The villagers had turned the cave into their new home and it grew with each passing year. Vestin watched as the children played with one another running about to and fro. Families working together to clean the latest kill to be used for dinner and other things. Nothing ever went to waste here, the people even dug out rooms for everyone to sleep in and keep their belongs.

"Hey look that boy is Vestin, my mummy told me that he saved them from the bad guy in black." a young boy told his friend as Vestin stood watching the villagers.

"My daddy said that he was going to see if he would wed into our family. He went to speak to the four grey people about it this morning." The boy's friend said.

Vestin eyes grew wide when he heard this but he laughed it off. The two boys reminded him of Jonic and Tylic. He wondered what happened to them after they left for Dimpa to move in with relatives. Thinking back they all separated after Loraz left. The girls Alise, Bon, Marie were all sent to a home in the town of Sentrel until their aunt wanted to deal with them and Jonic and Tylic off to Dimpa, while he stayed back protecting the lives he saved with the four guards he met that night everything went wrong.

"I guess Gotte was right...just wait for me a bit longer Lo. I promise once I ensure their safety I'll be racing to your side." He whispered to himself.

"Oh, Vestin come to join us for supper." A woman called out to him.

Vestin looked up and sighed, for now, this would be his life. He smiled at the lady as he walked over to her and took a seat next to her. Her family full of smiles and laughing among themselves.

"So what are we having tonight?" He said.

The lady smiled and handed him a plate. The atmosphere around the cave was pretty much the same all over and Vestin smiled to himself thinking about how he did a good thing helping all the people there.