Here's chapter 9 of this stor, enjoy it :)

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It was already dark outside, maybe 3 a.m. in the morning. Ever since the Crown Prince Arthit sneaked in the dungeon to visit the captivated Chan Tha and Thura, two days already passed by since then. The day of their punishment was just before the door, knocking on it to let him know they would die tomorrow morning if he didn't do something to save them. It was important for his Highness to rescue them or else he would regret it for the rest of his life if they died just because of him. Beside he needed to prove Chan Tha's something, showing him he wasn't the weak man he met 4 years ago.

Arthit looked at the golden sword with the lion crest craved on it, it was the sword the Emperor ordered to craft for him after his inauguration as the Crown Prince the day he turned fourteen years old. At that time, he thought he didn't have any use for this golden weapon since he was too young, inexperienced and trusted his guards to protect him from any harms too. But today, this sword could prove him his usefulness by helping him to save his two comrades.

The sword found its place in the sword holder, Arthit remained in front of the entrance of his chamber, he saw down to his imperial guards who were laying on the ground, they passed out from the food, containing sleeping medicine, he just offered them to eat. The eunuch Thiha stood behind him in the middle of the room, staring at the black fruit resembling a grape in his hand, thinking over his decision if he should eat it or not. He was afraid something bad could happen to him if he ate it. The royal physiscian, more loyal to the Crown Prince than to the Emperor, made them this fruit that could put them immediately to sleep. A thought dawned n Thiha's head: he should trust the royal physician right? Since he was at their side and helped them to execute their plan today.

His Highness turned back to him, waiting for him to eat the fruit before he set on his journey. The young Thiha was scared for his life but as he caught a glimpse of Arthit's little smile, his fear faded away as if it never existed before. He always loved his master's smile. Apart from wishing for his freedom, he always wanted him to maintain the cheerful man he was, he should always smile. But his Highness could lose his smile forever if this two prisoners die tomorrow. To preserve his genuine smile, he would do anything, even swallow thie filthy looking fruit. Even if he die, he wouldn't regret it since he did it for the sake of his master.

While closing his eyes, he gulped down the fruit in a go without chewing on it. It tasted bitter like the bitter medicine the Crown Prince always drank to help him be healthy since caught cold easily. At first he didn't feel anything, thinking the medicine didn't work at all. When he wanted to curse the physician for giving him a false fruit, his view suddenly blurred, his knees felt weak. He couldn't stay straight at his own feet, his last strength left him whereupon he fell onto his knees. He was trying to fight against the medicine but it didn't last long till he fell uncounscious.

After Arthit made sure he slept peacefully, he went over the unconscious guards, sneaking out of his Crown Prince eastwings, hiding behind a wall when he heard voices of guards coming toward him. He covered his mouth with the dark scarf around his neck, hiding his face from every men. The four men disappeared into another corner, he immediately ran in the other westwings of the palace that was less guarded. Fortunately only two guards were guarding the door. The older man drank something out of a claypot, was already drunk but refused to let go of the alcohol. The younger man named Ko Bright noticed Arthit lurking around in the corner, finally realizing it was time to leave their spot so the latter could sneak out the palace. He forced the older soldier to take a rest with him. They disappeared into a corner.

Arthit looked around, nobody was in the proximity so he dashed to the entrance, trying to open it but another soldier approached him. He turned back and stand in position, playing a guard.

„What're you doing here alone? Where's your partner", the soldier asked him.

This wings was the less guarded area because it was the residence of the maids and didn't need to be stricly watched like the other places in the palace. But it was law that at least two soldiers should always guard this area, changing shifts every 6 hours.

„He... We just changed the shift. My partner's on his way right now", was his reply to him.

A soft voice echoced from the other side. A man came towards them. Arthit cursed his bad luck for being cornered by two soldiers although he was short of time but he smiled in relief as he recognized the man approaching them. It was Ko Bright who just helped him by making his partner purposely drunk. The young man apologized for his late arrival, he introduced himself as the partner to guard this place tonight. The older man gave him a preach about being punctual next time, reciting him every possible danger that could arise because of his absence. Arthit felt irritated, wishing for the older man to disappear instead of playing their superior as if he was the main role of a movie. The man continued his way, finally leaving them alone.

„Be carefull, your Highness", Bright said to him, looking up to sneak a glance at him. The man standing in front of him, he was the second highest status in the country but right now he didn't look like the Crown Prince anymore. The shabby clothes he wore just made him look like a normal human being without a status. No, he resembled more like a dangerous assassin you shouldn't mess with.

The young guard asked for his permission to open him the door for him. According to himself, Arthit was the future ruler to reign over this nation so he didn't need to do trivial such thing by himself. The crown Prince nodded his head, went through the entrance then ran in a direction.

An unknown person whistling in a dark corner, made him freeze on the spot. A man in his early twenty walked to him, it was one of his most trusted guard he confied his intention for tonight to. Ko Knock! He was Arthit's shadow behind the scene, following his Highness when leaving the palace but never let himself be seen by anyone. Till now only four persons, the Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince and his eunuch, Ko Thiha saw his face once as Arthit introduced him as his shadow some months ago.

To carry out the plan, his shadow gathered ten strong men who voluntered to fight alongside them for exchange of money. Arthit felt grateful towards Knock and Bright who supported him to escape the palace. At first he wasn't sure if he should tell them about his plan but as soon as he confied them about his intention to sneak out of the palace again, despite his confinement, they promised to help him without expecting reward in return from him.

Arthit wasn't liked by the court officials because he they couldn't use him as their puppet but many soldiers adored him for his bright smile, innocent soul, his nice personality and for his sweet charm. He was just different from any ruler they met till now. Not only was he lively but he listened to the people's cry too, refusing to play the deaf and blind man like most of the Emperors before him did. He wanted to change this world for the sake of the population. For him the safety of his people was more important than his own life. Those were the reasons most of the soldiers swore loyality to him, promising to never let any harm come to him. They even loved him for his beautfiul appearance but they would never admit it to him.

The strong, armed men surrounded him, waiting for his order. Of course they didn't know he was the Crown Prince or else his plan could fail. Someone of them could tell the court about his intention and assassins would sneak in the team and try to assassinate him. But Ko Knock knew who Arthit was so he tried to use a respectable tone towards him even if Arthit told him to treat him as if he was a normal man so the men wouldn't have suspicion about his identity. For Knock he was still the Crown Prince he had to treat with most respect.

„Did you make sure he was there?", his Highness asked.

„Yeah, he's hiding in his hideout", Ko Knock replied to him.

Arthit and the eleven men walked in the shedrow, climbing on the horses they prepared for this special trip in the night. They rode in a direction, Arthit in the front, closely followed by his guard, behind them were the volunteers.

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After leaving a few kilometers behind them, they arrived in a scary looking dark forest. A kilometer before their final destination, they jumped down from the horses then attached the animals to trees before going further in the dark forest. They needed to be careful, quiet like ants to not let their enemies know they were under attack. After walking for more than 20 minutes, they finally arrived at their final destination. In front of them was a shack that looked like it wasn't inhabited from the past twenty years but it wasn't deserted like it seemed to be. In this shack, there were fifteen bandits, self proclaimed „Greatest bandits of burma."

The leader of the thief was the number 5 on the list of the most wanted criminals. He only stole expensive juwelries and money from rich masters, even from the minister of the left too. He didn't kill anyone yet but according to his victims, he was a cruel, brutal man who showed no mercy to the one blocking his way to the juwelries. A head money was even set on him, the reward would be either lots of money or a wish.

Arthit needed that one wish to save Chan Tha and Thura so he let Knock following the bandits and found out about their whereabout after they robbed the minister of the left two days ago. Ko Knock found out the leader used the money for fun, like for prostituite in the red light district. If he had giving the stolen goods to poor people like Il-Ji-Mae, the phantom thief from hanguk did more than 150 years ago, Arthit would let him off and think about another plan to save Chan Tha and Thura. But since he used the money for himself to have fun, Arthit thought he wasn't better than those filthy court officials who spent their money as if it was a simple paper, just like he did 4 years ago when he didn't knew the value of money yet.

At first he refused to use another human for his own sake but when he remembered Chan Tha and Thura being beheaded because of him, he closed his eyes and decided to strike the bandits late in the night when they were sleeping. Even if he used the leader's lavish way of spending the money as excuse to attack him, he needed to do it to save those two innocent prisoners in the basement. Beside, if he didn't attack them now, anyone would do it for the head money since they were wanted from the court.

„Be careful and don't let them kill anyone of you. I want to see everyone of you alive again", Arthit said, trying to give them courage with this speech. He took his scarf down, something that Ko knock didn't appreciate because he was risking his safety by showing them his face. But the latter being disconted with him for giving his identity away, didn't seem to care him anyway. He smiled at them, „I'm sure everyone want to return back alive to his wife and kids then snuggle with them in the warm bed", was the end of his speech.

They nodded, admitting how much they missed their family already although they just left home. The youngest man of them, maybe 18 years old, revealed them he was just newly wed, his wife was already pregnant with their first child too. They gratulated him, wishing him to have a healthy beautiful girl or a strong man. They told him they wanted to see the baby if their path crossed again someday.

Arthit was talking about everyone wanting to return to their warm family after the fight but he would had to return in the cold amarapura palace that contained jealous eyes everywere he was going. Unfortunately he didn't have another home than the palace. It was the place he would always return to even if he didn't want to. It was a sad truth he himself couldn't deny.

Like they agreed while on the road to here, seven men distanced themselves from them. Two men hide behind a tree on the left side. Another two sneaked behind a tree on the right side and the three other volunteers stood behind the shack. Five men including Arthit and Ko Knock remained some meters in front of the hideout. The ten strong men drew out their arch, pouring oil on their bow then lightening it with fire. They positioned their bow in direction of the shack, waiting for the short man's further command.

Arthit whistled like a little bird singing in the night. It was their signal to shoot, the volunteers shouted their bows on the house. It immediately caught fire, the flame emerged like an inferno from hellfire. Loud voices screaming „fire, fire" echoed in the room, shouting „we're under attack", „we need to rush out" or „we have to strike as soon as we meet the enemies". The volunteers, Knock and his Highness drew out their swords, preparing to fight anytime, they were waiting for the enemies to come out.

As soon as the bandits left the house one by one, they charged at them while screaming their lungs out. Arthit charged into the front, a man came towards him, running with his sword to pierce his heart. Arthit blocked the hit, kicked the man on the stomach then slashed on his chest. Blood gushed out of the wound, spreading on Arthit's cheek. It was his first kill, it was scary to kill humans for his own sake but he forced himself to leave this feelings for later. He needed to advance or he would fail with his plan. His eyes was set upon the leader who slashed one of the volunteer on the neck. It hurted to see an innocent man being killed before his own eyes but he shook his head, trying his best to remove the memories about the death man.

„Your Highness, leave here and let us handle the situation", Knocke blocked his way as he was about to leave for the leader.

„Leave like a coward and let you fight for me? Never!"

„I beg you your Highness, please be resonable. Your safety's more important than any life out here."

„I'm a human just like you, nothing particular than everyone of you out of here. I won't leave so out of my way!", there was his commanding voice again.

Ko Knock stared at him, didn't have any choice left as to listen to him, he backed off. Arthit charged for the leader who fight the youngest man in the group. But before he arrived there to his rescue, the enemy pierced through the youngest man's chest. The latter couldn't speak, he opened his mouth to speak but only blood gushed out of his mouth. He coughed blood, his vision was blurry. A few second after, he lost his strength then fell down to the ground, closing his eyes slowly while staring at the starry nightsky, still weeping for air. His breath got shallow the more he lost blood from his deadly injury. It didn't last long till he closed his eyes forever, his light of life turning off forever.

Arthit was shocked from his death, he froze on the spot but when he noticed the leader running towards him, he stepped back at first. He took a deep breath then ran towards the man, wanting to avenge the young man's death. He purposely sliped on the ground to slide between the leader's legs then grabbed at his feet, yanked him onto the ground with him. The latter fell hard with his stomach on the ground.

The shorter man quickly stood up, took his sword and wanted to pierce through his heart but he hold the weapon right above his heart. The leader's eyes widened from shock, he trembled under the shorter man. The Crown Prince just hit on his head with the gripstock of his sword, the latter passed out. As he made sure the latter was uncounscious, he turned to the youngest of them who was laying eyed closing, motionsless on the ground. The fourteen bandits were killed, six of the volunteers who managed to stay alive, adverted their attention to Arthit. Only now did they realize the youngest, more like the newly husband and the soon-father-to-be was laying on the ground, not moving an inch. They surrounded them.

Arthit laid an arm around the man's back, bending him over, leaning his head on his lap. He reached out his finger to the latter, his finger shook the more it approached the man in his arms. When he laid his finger under his nose, to feel his breath, every motion in his face disappeared as he didn't feel anything, no air nor a breathing sound. The man was still warm but he wasn't breathing. Arthit was almost to tears but he needed to contoll his emotions. Why? Because he was the Crown Prince of this nation. He was the heir, the future ruler of Burma in the Konbaung Dinasty. Like it was said in the law, a true ruler should never show emotions. Not even toward the love of his life. Just like his father teached him from his birth.

Still, he took off his scarf but before he could cover it on the dead body, Ko Knock offered his scarf to use instead of the Crown Prince's. Arthit shook his head, covered his own black scarf on the corpse of the young man. He kneeled down beside him then pressed his hands together to pray for his soul, of course for the souls of the other dead fighters too to rest in peace, just like it was saying in the buddhism teaching. The others followed his example, praying for their souls to descant to Nevada.

They carried the bodies of their four death comrades and the uncounscious leader of the bandits on their back, walking back to the place they left their horses before they entered the forest. Ko Knock offered his fabric to his Highness, saying it was just a filthy piece of fabric but he wanted him to wipe the blood on his cheek before returning to the palace. Or else the court officials and the imperial family would be shocked to see him being dirtied with blood.

He wipped the blood from his face while speaking to Knock, „Give the fighters more money than agreed... Give the dead men a proper burial and send their family a double payment. Apologize on my behalf...", he had to swallow hard the painful scream that almost escaped his mouth. The death of the fighters were a painful experience he didn't expect to happen. Even if he choose to maintain his calmness, he didn't want to be a cold person and let their death be in vain so he wanted to pay them more.

They agreed to give them ten golds coins for their help but if he doubled the payment for the families of the dead fighters, they could live peacefuly without working ever again. He knew money couldn't bring the dead back or take the place of their dead beloved husband but he hoped with the condoleance money, they wouldn't have to suffer for the rest of their life.

As they were leaving the forest, they didn't even notice a silhouette of an unknown person looking at them, watching every scenes, started from their departure to the forest, their fight with the bandits till their leaving right now. The person's lips curved into a little smile.

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How was this chapter? Did you enjoy the bloody fight? And who else did expect the other characters of SOTUS in this story? There'll be more characters in the story but I won't say which roll they would play :D