[CAMARAX KINGDOM – CASTLE CAMARAX]
[The Same Day]
"My Liege, I bring dire news…the Prince and Princess…we fear they have been killed," a messenger said in a mournful voice.
"WHAT? Explain!" The King shouted in disbelief.
"Our scouts detected unusual movement along the border with Avalor. During their investigation they found the dead bodies of the knights and attendants accompanying the Princess."
"What of the Princess and the Prince? Did you find their bodies?" The King struggled to ask.
"No, my Liege…but it's likely the bodies were taken. Another possibility is that the Prince and Princess were taken hostage."
"Do we know for certain who did this?" King Isandor asked.
"There were numerous arrows and weapons left at the scene. They all bear the mark of Avalor."
The king sighed realizing that negotiations failed and that the time for words had ended.
"Summon the banners…all of them. We march for war." He whispered.
Tornell, the Chief Counselor along with the other counselors smiled with approval at the king's decision.
[...]
[RAY VILLAGE]
The defense of Ray village picked up tremendous momentum with the arrival of the Scavengers guild. Hector's healing magic restored the wounded and injured villagers back to full health which added workers to the force. In addition, Hector and Kristan's brute strength quickly helped dig the defensive trench around the village along with fortifying the defenses.
Percy joined Kay on the palisade wall as watchmen…with their combined trained and highly perceptive senses they required no additional guards to help. This freed additional workers to help with other tasks.
Wain took charge of engineering a dozen catapults along with needed training to show the villagers how to operate them.
"Wow! What do you call this invention? This is incredible." Princess Elencia said in amazement.
"Oh this…this is called a catapult. We used these on earth a long time ago." Wain replied with a smile.
"This earth…is that your home? Where you are from?" The princess asked curious to know more about these outsiders.
"Yes. Arthos, Kristan, and I have been together for a long time…we are practically family. We grew up together at the orphanage."
"You are orphans?"
Wain nodded.
"Us too…my brothers. I mean the King, myself, and Prince Luceran are orphans as well. Our parents died shortly after the beginning of the Great War."
[…]
"Mind if I give you a hand with that?" Nevariel asked politely.
"Don't worry, I got it…besides you could get a splinter in your pretty little hands." Kristan said harshly as she hoisted a giant log onto her shoulder.
"Since the moment we met, that one day at the Trainee Academy, I sensed your disdain for me. Why? You don't even know me." Nevariel said in a neutral voice.
"Let me guess. You grew up in a fancy mansion surrounded by maids and butlers. Your parents spoiled you rotten…as you grew up, you got bored of everything and decided to become a hero in Avalor to experience the adventure." Kristan said sarcastically.
Taking no offense, Nevariel replied in a calm voice.
She said, "some of that is true. I did grow up in a fancy mansion surrounded by maids and butlers. My parents did give me plenty, and I did have everything I wanted…except for a family."
"Let me guess…daddy and mommy were too busy to spend time with the little princess?" Kristan said harshly.
"Yes, that is true. My parents were gone a lot, and I did feel lonely. However, that's not what I meant. When you have as much money as my family does, the laws do not apply to you. My father had many women…sometimes up to ten at the same time at our home…in front of my mother. She was powerless to do anything about it, so she drank and lost herself in an assortment of drugs."
Nevariel continued unfazed by the old memory, "one day, it became too much. So, my mother hung herself. I was seven years old. My father didn't bother showing up to the funeral. A few months later he remarried a beautiful woman with very large breasts, like this."
She propped up her breasts in imitation of her stepmother. Kristan laughed at the funny sight…that did sound like something a rich and powerful man like her father would do.
"She was evil…she treated me poorly and made sure to send me far away from my father. After that I only saw him once a year." Nevariel said solemnly.
"What did you do?" Kristan asked curious to hear the rest of the story.
"I spent my years in boarding schools, studying and learning. When I was older, I joined the family business helping with the books, regulatory work, contracts, the whole works. When I turned 16, I joined Avalor. I did it not for the adventure. I did it to get away from the family. A new world, a real world, a fresh start…that is why I came."
"Why did you leave Eterna? To join Scavengers? A junked-up guild with a bunch of orphans?"
"On our last mission, we found Prince Luceran hiding in the woods. He looked scared and alone…I couldn't leave him. The rest of the party didn't want to bother helping him. They said the mission was more important. When the orcs attacked, none of them tried to protect the boy. I realized our core values did not align. So, I left."
Kristan nodded and remained silent for a while.
"I'm sorry I treated you harshly. I can be rude and defensive…but I do care for my guild they are special to me. All of them. We are family." Kristan said with a sincere voice.
She continued, "look…I'm not blind. You are very beautiful, attractive, and a skilled warrior too. I can see why Arthos likes you. He is very special to me…like a brother. We grew up together. If you ever do anything to hurt him, I promise you this...I will rip your heart out and crush it with my bare hands."
Nevariel smiled and said, "then in that case, we will be best friends."
"What are you standing around for then? Help me with this log…it's crushing my shoulder." Kristan said somewhat annoyed.