by Reja
King continued “Just as you see ... Perhaps because she is my only daughter, I have spoiled her to some degree... excuse her, lord Griffin”.
And king started to leave from there he called his daughter again “Come let’s go, Charlotte ”.
And Charlotte started to follow them but suddenly her feet stumbled on a rock and she lost her balance and started to fall. Griffin saw it and instantly caught her in his arms and saved her from falling.
Griffin helped her to stand and instantly got in his earlier position and said: “You pardon...please be careful”.
Princess Charlotte became impressed with Griffin’s nature and his beautiful face, and she was continuously staring his face. When suddenly Duke Julius came and started shouting on Griffin “HOW DARE YOU .....TO TOUCH THE PRINCESS ...?
THE ROYAL FAMILY!?...
YOU BASTARD!!” And slapped Griffin’s face with his full power.
Kaal saw it and said it with anger “HEY PAl !...!”.
But Griffin stopped him in middle and replied to Duke Julius “Please pardon my rudeness .. You’re lordship general Julius” With an evil grin on his face.
Julius saw it but before he can say anything the king called Charlotte “What are you doing?”.
She replied “N...NOTHING at all father”.
After her reply, Duke Julius said, “Let us go, Princess ...now”.
Griffin and princess Charlotte saw each other again and after that princess left from there, but Griffin continue staring her. Kaal noticed it but didn’t said anything and just smiled. After that, they both leave from there and returned to the hospital.
CHAPTER 12
THE SECRET MEETING
Same-day in the royal castle
Count Julius was walking in the corridor when he suddenly saw few maids are talking with each other near the corner of the corridor. Count Julius went towards them and overheard their conversation.
“Oh, but did you hear??... they say that thanks to his merits in his last battle, lord Griffin could be made a count”.
“I did hear that”.
“He is just superb ... even prettier than me and even though I‘m a woman....
How frustrating!”.
“Well not only that, he is the leader of the strongest military group in the kingdom and the best swordsman ...it’s just too much”.
“Yes, that it is”.
“He is so elegant and dignified....
it’s hard to believe he’s a commoner like us”.
“And he is so much refined than those awkward aristocrats”.
“On that note, the officers in the castle are all boorish and rude! It’s disgusting”.
“The other officers are pitiful compared to lord Griffin!”.
“Oh yes ...”.
“Right, right”.
Suddenly Duke Julius shouted “HEY!! ..YOU maids!! What are you chattering about?!”.
After seeing Duke the maids started to flee from there saying“ There you go ...” With a laugh in their face.
Duke stared toward then and said “Chirping sparrows ...”.
Duke was still in his thoughts when an old man suddenly came toward him and said: “Such a loud shout will echo throughout the entire castle”.
Duke Julius instantly recognized him “Minister Foss” and that man calmly removed his hat and bowed his bald head toward Duke and said, “You seem disturbed ...lord Julius....does something concern you ?”.
Duke instantly refused him “It’s nothing” and started looking another way.
Minister foss saw it and said “Incidentally general... Did you hear the debate ...about the king’s guard for the upcoming autumn hunt?”.
Duke instantly replied “Well its customary that be left each year to my White Dragon Knights....but... What about that? ”.
Minister foss replied Duke with poker face “Hm... Well, I hear it was determined by the king’s command ...
that this year it will be the Band of the Hawk...”.
Duke Julius shouted with anger and frustration “WHA!....WHAT?!...THAT CAN’T BE!!.... The Autumn Hunt is an important event for the king to foster goodwill among his lords!! ”.
He suddenly caught the collar of the minister in anger and continued shouting “GUARDING HIS MAJESTY....
should be an honorable duty permitted only to fall upon the White Dragons Knight, who has always been part of the regular army!!....
BUT... to think that ... UNTIL YESTERDAY THAT...BAND OF ...ROBBERS... Could be promoted and then...!!!
....doing ...this.....what could his majesty be thinking?”.
After getting back to his senses Duke let the minister go.
And minister just brushed his clothes and said:
“*Whew*...
are you certain this is permissible?”.
Duke Julius looked him with confused look “...What??”.
Minister continued “It seems that the glory of white dragon knights, formerly admired as our kingdom’s mightiest, has faded due to the recent activities of the band of the hawk... Now everyone wonders if the name of courageous general Julius will end up being erased by that of Griffin ...”.
Duke Julius shouted with anger in his face “HOW DARE YOU!!”.
Minister said again “It is a rumor, a rumor told by many”.
Duke clenched his fist to hold his anger.
Minister foss continued “However one cannot scorn ... his ability on the battlefield... that Band of Hawk is ever victorious is an undeniable fact... he sure is a godsend in our time of conflict... well the fighting shows no sign of ending soon.
In such a case he will continue to recognize himself militarily. Furthermore, the way he ingratiated himself ...his majesty seems to have placed a terrible high value on that boy ...
If we are not careful then ...Griffin might even reach the level of general”.
Duke Julius shouted with anger “RIDICULOUS!!!...
I won’t accept it....!!
... I have never even heard of a common-born general!!...
that boy a general likes me ....?!...Y... You mean that humble commoner will speak to me on the same level one day?!... that’s...”.
Minister replied with politeness “Well such a possibility does exist it is said ...”.
Duke Julius hold his anger and said: “Never ... I swear I will never accept it ...”.
After hearing Duke Julius minister grin a little with a selfish smile and continued saying again “However speaking of customary events hunting is an inherently dangerous thing ...”.
Duke Julius looked him with confused expressions.
Minister foss said, “No one never knows what kinds of beasts may be concealed in the forests and thickets”.
Julius asked him with confusion “...Say what ...?”.
Minister replied, “At times an unexpectedly dangerous beast may lie in hiding...”.
Julius still didn’t get it he asked the minister again “...What do you mean to say?”.
Minister replied to him with an evil look in his eyes “...Or perhaps a stray arrow meant to strike prey could at some point fly wildly...
A stray arrow well covered in poison ....”.
Hearing this made Duke’s eyes wide open and he said “Y...You couldn’t!! ..possibly ...?”.
Minister cut him off in middle and said to him with a poker face “A stray arrow ...General.”
Duke Julius understood him and started laughing and said “....*haha *...
hu hahaha ...hehe
...a stray arrow, eh..?
..... Interesting...well that’s a fitting way for a commoner to die!!”. And started to go from there.
Minister look him for a minute and smiled with an evil grin on his face.
After that, the day past likes that.
At the night on the rooftop of a building
Kaal was laying on the roof with his sword. He was holding his sword with his hand and was looking at the moon at the edge of the sword and was remembering
today’s Griffin’s word.
“for your sake”....huh?
Kaal suddenly remembered the day when he was wounded and laying on the ice and see the moon just like today
That one time ... it was this same sort of ... Glaringly bring full moon...
After laying down a little he changes his position and sit down on the roof and started looking his sword and started thinking.
I don’t know if this is the answer I was searching for or not ...but for now ...for now, I will wield my sword ...for his sake.
And night flees in no time.
EPILOGUE
Few days past after the Duke incidence and the yearly Autumn Hunt time has come like everyone was expecting the guard duty was given to the Band of Hawk by the King.
On the field, the Autumn hunt was performing.
Nobles and their hunter dogs were following the foxes for the hunt and laughing on their success.
The king and Duke Julius are seeing them from the cliff and enjoying the view.
After seeing the whole ground for a while the duke gives the signal to minister and with this signal the order of Griffins, death has been given.
will griffin survive or the duke plot work ..........
in the next part