Chapter 2 - Almighty Law

"Princess, must you walk without your coat? "Hera, one of the two women Yumi brought with her on her trip, asked with her fluttering bronze colored eyes staring admiantly at Yumi.

"The princess said she is fine without it. She also says that you should put it on instead... To keep it warm for when she'll need it. "Hastella spoke, relaying Yumi's words through their connection.

"Oh! Okay! I'll make sure to keep it nice and warm for you princess! "A bright smile showed on Hera's face as they continued walking.

~

Finally, after a dozen long hours of walking, did they exit the treeline and began heading toward the old familiar village beneath the main castle.

'Your Highness... 'Hastella thought, relaying her concerns to Yumi who was blankly staring at the rundown village that was even worse than three years ago as they entered.

Many pale, thin faces were scattered all along the road. Several dead and rotting corpses remained littered every few blocks as the stench of it all made one's stomach churn for the worse. Hera, Hastella, and Ivora all hung closely to Yumi, who was seen by the lazing bums and a twinkle shot across their eyes as a few recognized her emerald colored gaze anywhere.

"P-Princess!! "One bum spoke and soon, many more turned their half-dead gazes toward Yumi and her group. Yumi tried her best to ignore the unwanted attention as she was torn but, could not do a thing lest her ending up in another blunder like in her first life.

Walking at a pace and moving along toward the inner city toward the castle, Yumi and the trio stopped as conflicting emotions overwhelmed the group, besides Yumi.

The castle was comepletely ruined. Broken doors and windows, huge holes were seen on the side of the walls as it looked like there were invaders who had stormed the castle.

When Yumi and her group had left, the castle had a small army of maybe a dozen plus fighters which included the guards. Now, all that remained were looted corpses and signs of a minor struggle as it was clear someone had invaded Vise.

Heading inside the castle, Yumi and the group were conflicted as well as guilty for feeling somewhat glad the castle was destroyed. With no sign of the twins nor their mother, Yumi walked up to her room and stood in place as it had been used as a storage area, now ransacked and ruined. Turning to find her way to her mother's room, Yumi looked around as her eyes landed on a pale green object in the far corner of the bedroom. Walking over, she picked up the small box with both hands and let out an internal sigh of releif as it was still in one piece.

Though empty, the box itself meant everything for Yumi's mother as it was a family heirloom of her ancestors. Estra had been long since longing for her treasure and seeing this, Yumi decided to go and retrieve it.

Turning back as she got what she came for, as they were leaving, Hera's sharp eyes and quick movement slammed onto hard gravel. An explosion ensued as Hastella lifted an indifferent Yumi with a blank expression into her protection while Ivora stood next to Hera.

Both had their eyes fixed on a shadow behind a hidden doorway in the wall. As the dust settled, Yumi pressed forward and turned to Hastella who raised her brows and let her go. Turning to stop Hera and Ivora from advancing, Yumi waited for a few second and to everyone's surprise, besides Yumi, they gasped as a battered, pale and thin young woman sat wearing nothing but a long white and dirty gown. A gasp sounded followed by a name.

"P-Princess Lirona? "Hastella had seen Lirona on more than one occasion. Yet, despite the three recalling the last images of her and her family kicking them out of the castle, Yumi pulled for her fur coat on Hera and as she took hold of it, she walked over to Lirona whose tears endlessly flowed her shaking gaze when she met Yumi's.

Yumi threw the fur coat around her half-sister and as if a damn broke, Lirona exhausted a long whale as she leaped into Yumi's embrace. Even though Lirona was the same age as she was, her body had taken the abuse of some sort as she shivered endlessly.

Turning to lift her gaze, an indifferent expression remained on Yumi as she blinked and then removed her hand. Abruptly catching her hand before she pulled away, Lirona held a determined gaze as she trembled violently. Yumi's frail heart ached and in that moment, she turned around. Her eyes hidden underneath her long bangs as the trio could immediately see pink streaks on her pale white cheeks. Meaning she was weak against beautiful women, and Lirona's cries made her chest ache.

Turning her head toward Hastella, Yumi held her hand with Lirona's and soon, Lirona was carried up and held prnicess style by a toned amazonian woman, Ivora. Lirona blushed as she remembered Ivora who had violet-white hair which was what set her apart from the other women in the castle.

~

Leaving the castle with two new additions, Lirona remained quiet the entire trip back down the village from the castle.

Few drunkards came close but were swiftly swatted by a soft flick of Hera's mighty strenght, which was of no surprise as among the group of women, Hera was by far the strongest and most stubborn yet, equally beautiful as she truly held an air of grace and elegance... All the women in Yumi's group did.

"Princess... Is that -- Aye, it is indeed... Blah! "Stopping, Yumi turned and met an unsightly middle aged man on the side of the road. His black eyes and disheveled appearance made him look worse than he smelled. "Hah... Princess Yumi, the one true heir to the throne... It is you! Hm? Ugh, why even bother with that one. "

He said, aiming his bloodshot gaze toward Lirona.

"You probably don't know -- she was the sole sirvivor of the invasion led by that King Rema of the Isles. I don't know what happened to you, but I am glad you and his Majesty's women escaped in time.

But, she... she survived while her highness and the young new King were led around the village, stripped, battered, and humiliated in all manner of ways. It was a heartbreaking sight. They stole all our women, killed all our young and able men, and left nothing but scraps for the remaining villagers to fight among ourselves. "Turning to Lirona who hid her gaze away in shame, Hastella stepped forward as she tossed a few silver coins at the man's feet for his information. "Heh, you always were so kind, Princess. Many thanks...

I would escort you out but, I am in no condition. However, seeing you when I am nearing my end, ahh, truly a blessing from the heavens. Best of luck, my one and only, Princess-nay... Queen Yumi! "

Yumi hid her gaze and nodded as she and her group then left the village. There was nothing Yumi could do at her current power. Hastella clasped her hands around Yumi's small ones as she felt the stinging pain as Yumi dug her nails into her palms.

Stopping outside the treeline to the forest, Yumi turned around and walked up to Lirona who was blankly staring at Yumi. Seeing Yumi abruptly take out a small clean cloth, she then used water fron a jug and lightly pressed it against Lirona, removing the muck and dirt as she cleared her face.

Yumi held her gaze and immediately knew how Lirona had survived. Years of life and death were not kind to Lirona as she must have eaten anything she could get her hands on. Her once beautiful pale skin and silky smooth hair, now charred and broken as her eyes barely held a glint in them.

Yumi surmised Lirona only managed to live this far because of her tenacity to avenge her family. Yumi lightly nodes as she then cleaned her hands and left the cloth in her care. Turning, the group then began trekking through the forest once more.

However, two shadows lingered at the entrece of the village as they stared in the direction of the group.

"What do you think... The king of Isles will give us if we tell him we finally found that princess he's been searching for all these years? "A wicked, low tone rung out from one of the shadows.

"Hehe... Silver coins! Silver coins! "The other, much bugger and masculine shadow happily replied.

Disappearing, there only remained silence.

~•~

[Land Of Isles - North-Border Of Vise]

"Hmm... So, my prize had finally decided to show herself. Hah! Good, Good! Steady! We march at dawn! "

A pair of silvery grey eyes looked down from a massive throne as he held back a hearty laugh as seeing hundreds of his loyal soldiers standing ready. Beyond them, a massive city filled with thousands of pesants loyal to Isles. Many of which, owned various spices of slaves from humans, reptilian, and even animal-like humanoid beasts.

The Land of Isles had just come into power four years ago. The newly formed country was strong as they wasted no time in conquering the nearby kingdoms. Their brutality was second to none. The current King of Isles, Rema, was a teenage, hot-blooded punk who beat down anyone who stood against him with overwhelming force.

However, Rema's parents were never in the picture as they banished Rema to the scattered, poverty stricken lands of the world as he was born with silver-grey eyes, which was an omen representing calamity.

With no choice, Rema's parents cast him aside and sent him away at the age of three with a few dozen guards and maids. Rema's parents desperately made more children in an effort to fill the hole in their hearts, which not only pained them, but nearly killed them after years of not knowing if their son was still even alive.

After the meeting, Rema sat back on his throne which was his favorite place in his kingdom. Many beautiful maids entered and Rema plucked one passing by onto his lap. A violent yet, passionate kiss ensued and with that, Rema abruptly stood as the maid fell to the ground.

Board, Rema turned and left to the kitchen where he ate whatever he wished.

Sitting nest an open railing beside a large window of his castle, Rema looked out at his kingdom he built up all on his own. Rema held a longing in his heart yet, inky rage seemed to cloud his mind in the recent years. For many, it was a sign of puberty.

However, for Rema, he has long since searched for a queen to match him. He began his raids on kingdoms and toppled kings twice, three times and even old men but, to no avail. Yet, when when Rema visited the kingdom of Vise to raid after hearing talk of beautiful women, he was ecstatic and stormed of in a moments notice. However, what he found once there was a sight far beyond what he could ever imagine on his worst of enemies.

Men drunk, fighting and abusing their women out in the open. Dirt, muck, and fieces littered all along the sides of the road. Rema grew up with a warriors heart yet, the sight before him garnered the kingdoms women pity.

Killing off most of the men, Rema personally loathed the strong beating the weak. Rema was more enraged when few of the women had been forced to band together just to pump some water from the nearby well. It was unacceptable and as such, Rema gave the order to seize every woman and child while killing anyone who interfered.

Next, came the seige of the castle and soon after meeting current King, Rema was appuled when he heard the kid bargain for his life by giving him his sister and mother. The mother was equally worse as she did the same by offering her only daughter whom had escaped Rema's clutches.

Not believing the two before him were even human, Rema was much to annoyed and let his gaurds handle them. Returning home, Rema did not go on any more raids as he was much to appalled by his last raid. Many times, in Rema's raids, all kings he met and came across had some level of chivarly despite their poverty for their kingdoms.

However, that illusion was shattered when he went to Vise.

For the next three years, Rema sat around and idled until word of the princes of Vise was spotted. Thinking she was kidnapped, Rema suddenly felt a pin drop in his chest to his stomach.

'Could she be like her family... ? 'With that thought, Rema suddenly wanted to find out and thus, left for Vise once more.

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