"The Royal's Hunter"




Summary: A young prince in the past gets tired of his daily life that he has no control over. So every night when its time to sleep and he can lock his guards out of his room; he takes a stroll in his large garden for a relaxing walk during the night. One night thought on a full moon during the time of the harvest or as you would call it Autumn. The moon shines down showing a shadow to the distant and there lies a bounty hunter made to make sure that the prince doesn't follow the royal wedding which he must act in. What does this hunter want? Why is he toying with the prince? Will he ever live to see past the night or will the hunter kill him there on the spot? Find out and see in the first Chapter..."The Night that changes everything"




Skelly-
Name: Alexander Kalebs
Age: 22
Rank: Bounty Hunter
Pic/words:

Name: Alaric tul Bryonne
Age: 19
Rank: Prince
Pic:

Alaric finally was able to get some peace by shutting his door and locking it after a long day of being ordered around to do this and that so that he may be prepared for the wedding in 3 months to this girl he hadn't even known her name. Finally as the moon lit up his dark room through his large glass door like windows. The moon showed that outside it was nice and peaceful and yet warm at the same time. It would be the best time to visit the garden and sit under his favorite weeping willow tree...
(Your turn, I'll reply afterwards)

Alaric closed his bedroom door quietly, slipping his worn key into the lock and bolting it firmly before crossing the room to throw open his balcony door. The moonlight outside was breathtaking; the moon was full, and silvery shafts of light were pooling all over the royal grounds. He could see from his balcony that his favorite weeping willow tree was still hidden in shadow, which suited him just fine. It meant more cover.

He twisted the ends of his sheets together in quick, practiced motions, knotting the corners together and fashioning a long rope. Knotting it quickly around the balustrade, he let the silky rope drop, checking for guards who might spot him beforehand, and quickly scaled the outer wall of the palace. He dropped down on the stone path below and made his way into the cover of the gardens. His mother and father would have said it was dangerous, but he had a dagger concealed in his robe and he was confident in his skills. He just needed a little time to himself...just a few moments of no one telling him what to do or how to think, or how happy he should be about his marriage.

Alaric finally made it to his favorite tree, reaching up to touch one of its branches gently as he gazed out into the mesmerizing moonlight.

"Ah, a young prince out for a midnight stroll it seems and yet very unprotected. How careless" a semi-deep voice spoke as a figure in the shadows stood against the inside wall of the palace. The wall itself provided shade for him to stay deep in cover but even with the shadows help to conceal him, you could tell this was no ordinary bandit. His dark red eyes shown out about the darkness as he watched the prince...(Goodnight, it's my b-day so I have to sleep soon)

(Really? Happy b-day! XD)

Alaric's peaceful and lighthearted demeanor vanished instantly and the prince whirled, trying to locate the sound of the voice he'd heard. His heart was suddenly slamming in his chest and he peered into the shadows around him. He thought he could spot two gleaming red pinpricks in the shadows, but he couldn't tell if they were real or if it was just his eyes playing tricks on him.

"Who speaks? Identify yourself!" Alaric ordered, not yet reaching for the dagger in his robe but keeping his hand at the ready. He didn't know if he was in the position to be issuing demands, but he did so anyway in the vague hope that the vagrant would be intimidated and flee.

(Thank you ^_^)

The shadowed man stepped forward with a smirk on his face, his long black hair tied in a low ponytail, and the top of his face was hidden behind a thin black mask but revealed his eyes. "And why would I have to identify myself to you young prince? We've met before, can you not remember?" The man spoke teasing Alaric, teasing others was considered fun to him but not teasing women since they were overly sensitive. The man was about 2 inches or so taller than Alaric himself and he seemed more built than you'd expect but more on an average notation.

Alaric whirled to face the man, finally drawing the weapon from his robe and brandishing it, his heart pounding heavily in his chest. He was immediately irritated by the man's lighthearted demeanor, and it showed on his face.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded, trying to sound impatient but worried that his voice was faltering. "I don't remember meeting you...unless your face was uncovered the first time?" His voice became dry and bitter toward the end.

He didn't speak for a moment, letting the wind pass by them ever so gently yet picking up a tad, the man spoke in a quiet yet at a tone that could be heard by the prince "This is the mask I wore when we first met and afterwards I believe you did see my face, though at the moment I suppose you couldn't remember something that happened when you were only 16 years old. But I figured you'd remember everything on your birthday" the man spoke the last words getting closer to the prince and moving his hand to the necklace the prince wore. It had the prince's birthstone on the front of the locket but the locket itself never opened since there was only one way to open it and only one person knew how to. "Only one person knows how to open this silver locket and that's the one you met years ago, correct?" the man asked knowing there was no point to ask because he knew he was far more than right. The man's dark red eyes met the prince's young violet shaded eyes and the moment was caught. There was something in the man's eyes that made the prince feel like he's met him before.

Alaric took a step back from the man as he suddenly came closer and reached out to touch his locket. The prince's first instinct was to slap the man's hand away--he didn't like anyone touching that locket--but somehow he found himself frozen where he stood, unable to move any farther away from the strange man. When he gazed up into his crimson eyes there was something familiar in his gaze, but Alaric didn't know why or from when. Had they met before? He tried to tell himself that the man was simply trying to fool him, but he had a feeling that wasn't true.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alaric finally managed to say, raising the dagger a little higher as though he was about to use it. "I don't remember you, and..." His voice faltered a little as he realized what the man might be getting at.

"Are you saying you know who can open this locket?" he asked hesitantly.

(last reply until I get back)

"Of course, the one you met back then is the same as now" the man spoke tapping the back of the locket a couple times as it sprung open to the picture of the prince and the man when they were both younger "See I told you didn't I?" the man added.

The prince jumped slightly when the locket suddenly sprang open; he had never managed to open it himself, and he gazed down in stunned fascination to behold an image of himself and the man who was surely standing before him.

"Impossible!" he breathed, staring down at the picture and then up at the stranger once again. It was clear they had been together at least long enough for this picture to be made--but then why didn't Alaric have any memories of it? Confused and suddenly quite frightened, he pulled back from the man.

"This is some sort of trick!" he accused. "If I have met you before, why don't I recognize you now? Why don't I remember you?"

"I believe I still have my mask on and what happened that night should stay forgotten" the man spoke getting closer to the young prince and took the blade from his hand. The prince was trapped between the tree and the stranger with his own knife now at his throat, the cold blade touching his skin but not moving. "You have only 3 months left to live young prince and then I shall come and kill you on the night of your wedding after you wed as I am ordered to do by another of an opposing kingdom. So enjoy your life while it lasts" the man spoke one final last time but whispering it in the prince's ear and stepping back. "I will be watching you ever so close, so if you tell anyone of this meeting or of what is to come I will kill your family within the palace." he spoke adding to it and handing the knife to the prince closing his fingers around the handle of it and then turning away to leave.

Alaric gave a cry or protest as the dagger was pulled from his hand, but before he could even think of retrieving it the man was turning his own blade against him, pressing it to his throat. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears; no one had ever treated him so roughly in all his life! But the man's words were far more terrifying than his actions. He was going to kill Alaric? After the wedding? He felt the dagger being pressed into his hands again, and took it numbly, wanting nothing more than to be away from this man. But when he began turning away, Alaric couldn't stop himself from grabbing the man's sleeve to prevent his departure.

"Why?" he cried, grasping the man as tightly as he could. The picture in the locket wouldn't leave his mind's eye. "You say you'll kill me? You'll never get away with it! You're throwing your own life away!"

He hoped he sounded more sure of himself than he felt, and he gripped the blade tightly in one hand as though to defend himself. He was fairly sure that the man meant him no harm at the moment, though; he could have killed the prince a moment ago when he had the chance.

"As I said before, I have orders and my orders are to wait" then he felt his sleeve being pulled on and turned around "And even if you say that, it doesn't change what I am destined to do young prince, I will see you shortly" he spoke and then almost turned to leave once more but stopped himself and made sure the prince wouldn't forget him this time, still wearing his mask he forcefully pinned the prince to the tree with his own body and kissed him holding his head with one hand (not the one with the knife) the other was pinned on the tree. Pulling away "You will surely die"

Alaric gasped as he was suddenly pushed against the tree again. Thinking the man planned to threaten him with the knife again, he tried to struggle and break free, but found that he couldn't break the larger man's grasp. His surprise doubled when the mysterious stranger's covered lips were suddenly pressed against his; Alaric struggled again at first, but after only a few seconds his movements became less urgent, a soft heat rising to his face. He didn't like this man at all, so why did kissing him make the prince feel so good...?

When the man pulled away Alaric tried to recover his breath as he attempted to ignore his heart's heavy palpitations. But the man's words made a flash of anger flare up within him and he reached for the locket around his neck, yanking it firmly and snapping its delicate chain. It filled Alaric's heard with sadness to do it--he had treasured the locket for so long, never letting anything happen to it--but he ripped it free nonetheless and threw it down on the ground at his attacker's feet.

"I won't have any need for this, then, will I?" he responded, his face flushed with anger. How could the man kiss him like that and then threaten to kill him? "If all it contains is a picture of a murderer, I don't want it!"

"That time ago I was only a child like you are now, But go on throw it away if you can" he spoke and turned dissapearing into the night but before then he spoke "without that locket, I can not kill you so easily but" he spoke adding "if you do not wear it, like I told you in the past and I quote 'With this locket, I am your savior and without it I am your enemy' try looking through old memories, Goodbye dear prince" the man spoke and left without another word leaving the prince under the full moon light beneath the willow tree itself and the locket at his feet near him.

A few days had passed and the king told his only son the prince "I have a new guard to watch over you, his name is Alexander Kalebs, he is the captain of the knights over in the western kingdom. He is coming in later towards the evening I wish for you to show him the same respect you'd show me" he spoke and left him at that, Later that evening the man arrived, he had long raven black soft hair to his waist and tied in a black bow to match, his eyes were the color of deep crimsion just like that night with the stranger and the prince before, and he was the same hieght.

Alaric was waiting in his chambers for the man his father had assigned to protect him, sitting at his desk and trying to concentrate on the book that was open in front of him. He hadn't told anyone about what had happened that night in the palace grounds, but he had been thinking of it ever since, turning the man's words over and over in his mind, trying to remember. Secretly he was glad that his father had assigned him a new guard; he had no doubt that the mysterious man would have no trouble killing him if he wanted to. He was also looking forward to being able to go out a little more. He had stopped sneaking out since the encounter, and he was feeling more and more claustrophobic as the days passed.

Alaric took the locket in his hand and opened it, gazing down at the picture inside and the young man beside him. The prince hadn't been able to let the locket go after all; after the man left, he had retrieved it and had the chain repaired the next day. And as always, he wore it around his neck every day, knowing that for some reason it was very important to him. Of course, now he had a better idea of what that reason was. The man had said: "With this locket, I am your savior and without it I am your enemy". The prince didn't understand how the man could be his savior if he planned to kill him, but he wore the locket nevertheless.

A sudden rap at the door made Alaric jump, and he stuffed the locket back under collar of his robe. He turned just as Alexander Kalebs entered, and when he saw the new guard his blood ran cold. Alaric couldn't be sure--the man had been wearing a mask, and perhaps it was just because he'd been looking at the locket--but he thought he looked just like the man from the other night.

"Good Evening, Young Prince" Alexander spoke with the same voice as the man from that night before did. He looked just like him too as he said "Your eyes are not playing tricks on you, dear prince" Alexander looked around Alaric's room and saw it hadn't changed "same as it was before, was it not" he spoke thinking out loud mostly to himself. (sorry dinner calls)

((No worries!))

Alaric's heart was slamming against his ribs. So it was the same man! His head spun as he tried to comprehend what was happening; he felt as though he was in a strange and horrible dream. How had this man gotten a position as his guard? Where did he come from? Since the man obviously wouldn't give him any information about their past together, Alaric didn't even other asking him when he had been in the prince's chambers. He merely glowered at the man...or tried to.

"You shouldn't have come here," he told Alexander. "I'll tell my father about what you told me in the garden--you'll be thrown in the dungeons for your threats!"

"I am the least of your worries, I was only a messenger at first, but if you wish to make threats" Alexander spoke moving closer as the door closed and locked "I could kill your loved one right now, but then again your father has known me for quite some time. So he won't believe you on if you tell him of the night" Alexander had a couple of feet between himself and the young prince.

Alaric glared back at the man, though his firm expression faltered when he heard what Alexander had to say. It was true that the king had seemed very familiar with Alexander, and he held the man in very high esteem; surely he wouldn't have such an opinion of a man he didn't know. It was probably true that he wouldn't believe Alaric's claims.

"Then you've come to act as my guard until you kill me?" the prince asked, crossing his arms, trying to ignore the sensation of the locket around his neck. Why wouldn't the man just tell him where and how they had met?

"I'm only here knowing you would have said something to anyone, but I must say. Your silence about our chat has made this interesting. But in a way yes about the guard thing. Everyday that passes by you can ask only one question about anything and I will answer it. That's all though" Alexander spoke (going to read mangas and get more ideas)

(hahaha)

The prince regarded the man silently for a time. He was speaking almost as though this was some sort of game. Perhaps to him it was. Alaric's head was throbbing with anger, but there was nothing he could do. He was powerless against Alexander at the moment, and he knew it.

"I can ask anything? Anything at all?" He felt his hand drifting to the locket around his neck. He knew that he should ask something about the man's plans to kill him, but he just couldn't help himself from blurting out, "How do I know you? Where and when did we meet before--how did I get this?" He pulled the locket out again, holding it up for Alexander.

Alexander saw the locket being held up by Alaric as Alaric asked the question. He was a bit thrown off, Alexander didn't expect this question to pop up soon. And he surely didn't know how to begin the answer. Alexander walked over to Alaric's bed and sat down. "It's quite a story" he began and added "When you were having your sixteenth birthday, in the middle of your party, you must have snuck out. I was there and I saw you leaving without a notice and followed you. Of course, like the night of the full moon where we met only a short while ago, we met there that night...."

***FLASHBACK BEGINS***

Music is playing, girls are giggling and whispering. The young fellows are dressed up as they should have been and were talking about the girls and whom they had each liked. Young Prince Alaric was getting quite bored with girls surrounding and swooning over him. "Excuse me ladies, I will be back shortly" the girls just stood there while he moved out of the crowd and then out of their view. Alaric moved out into the garden along the path moving towards the weeping willow tree in the back that his mother would always take him to play under and later take nap. What Alaric didn't know was the fact that another young fellow was watching his every move. The moon was high up in the sky and it was a full moon at that. "Ah, a young prince without his guards on the night of his birthday. So brave I must say, I give you credit for that" the boy spoke. He had long black hair down to his mid-back, and dark eyes that were rare in their kingdom. He was tall yet strong, easily could tell even if the boy didn't have muscles to show.

***FLASHBACK ENDS***

"Of course, that night we met. We also became friends, but even though we promised to meet up after that, things got carried away and we both lost track of time since it's been the minimal of 3 years at least" Alexander continued speaking after describing the flashback. "I left the locket that was most dear with me, to you for protection and the promise I swore for a certain reason you seem not to remember was only 'I vow to always protect you until the end' and with that I left that night. Nothing else was about it let alone I am not to say no more. You must remember the rest on your own and fill in the blanks." Alexander looked outside seeing that the sun was just about to set as the moon would soon rise once again just not as full. "Is there anything else you wish to do before it gets dark? Or may I rest now, young prince" Alexander took orders from no one except his father, but, for this reason, he had to play the part well.