Chapter 42
Apollo
"There is history as old as time itself that can only be found within the Golden Castle. History that is kept hidden for the very truth could destroy us all."
The following text has been transcribed in an oath of truth by Volda Keely Darkblood of the Darkblood Witch Coven.
The original text has been destroyed upon command from the High King of Apollo, Solaire Gideon.
When every Apollon soldier had searched for the witch and found no sign of her, they immediately packed up as per the prince's command.
Leaving no room for rest and continuing the journey to the border of Apollo.
I frowned in embarrassment when I remembered the look the prince had given me when he saw my bloodied face.
How he gripped my jaw and studied the bruises and called upon the medic guard to 'fix up' the mess.
He looked disappointed. Upset. Annoyed. And I felt confused.
It felt like a slap in the face to realise this feeling is the exact feeling I got when I failed at my training in the arena, when I failed to do my missions, when I had failed Fala.
This sudden knowingness made my shoulders sink down.
Others would think it might have been the ache in my injuries or even the sweltering heat from the Apollon sun.
Red had seemed too tired to talk, he looked exhausted from the travel.
The Oakenhold Forest was a maze and to my surprise, Akiel seemed more accustomed to travelling around these parts of Terran.
He led accurately in the clear direction of where the sun shone brightest. Where the heat became nearly searing.
We tracked our way through the rocky banks of the forest, making our way down a clear path that looked like it was used often.
"Hulin, are we close?" Red groaned in exhaustion to the tracker beside him.
"We're here, boy. Look." Hulin nodded in the direction that both Red and I looked in.
"Oh my..." Red gasped in awe.
"Gods," I answered.
The bright golden flags and tents of the kingdom's army were beneath the steep bank we now crossed.
Something close to dread filled me when I saw how far the army had stretched across the land.
It seemed never ending. They filled the land with distant rough shouts and fires lit.
Creating an immense amount of smoke in the air.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers. All at the king's disposal.
.. And from far I could see it, high up in the land.
Still, a great distance to be met... It was magnificent.
Gilded. And gleaming. The Golden Castle where the king ruled with his light.
The shadows in me were silent. I gripped my reins tighter, the horse beneath me not sensing my anxiety.
It must have felt satisfaction to be back at home I suppose.
The prince was silent—stiff. Tense. His posture too upright.
He was different... He looked cruel and dangerous.
Dangerous enough to take down anyone that stood in his way.
He looked like the royal Prince of Apollo, the way he should be.
The way I had always thought he would be.
The soldier behind me sounded the royal horn, alerting all the soldiers in the vicinity of their arrival.
The soldiers were strategic and well trained when hearing the sound of the horn.
Gathering in lines to salute their royal prince who had just arrived.
Whispers travelled around. "Has he chosen his bodyguard? "
"Which one is it?"
"Look down—or he will have our heads." The voices quietened upon the arrival of their prince who made his way past them with his magnificent white stallion. The soldiers' forecasted eyes now rose to look at me. My body straightened on its own accord.
"Is that supposed to be the prince's guard?"
"No, must be his whore."
"She's wearing the armour of a warrior."
I bit the inside of my cheek and ignored the brutes.
That's what they all were, just battle heads. The group of soldiers behind me turned in another direction, to the eastern troop of the army. All that remained of us were: Akiel and Hulin, the trackers. The prince’s head guard, Inanov with Red by his side.
Colfe the royal advisor and lastly me. The bodyguard of the prince.
The prince trekked his way to the biggest tent that the land occupied.
Where a rugged stern-faced man awaited us.
He had a large old scar that must have looked grotesque when it had first marked his face, the scar stretched from his right cheekbone all the way across to his chin.
He wore strong armour and wasn't afraid to meet the prince's eye.
The very same eyes that travelled to everyone in the group and then lastly to me.
Where he looked at my armour and then frowned.
His distaste for me already known and seen.
"Welcome back from your travels, Your Highness.
" The scarred man sounded insincere and looked as if he was trying his best to hold back a spit of disrespect on the ground.
"I'd prefer you call them conquests, Cillian," the prince responded emotionlessly, looking down at the scarred man.
"Ah—yes. Why it genuinely must have been a conquest if you're counting the whore behind you.
" Cillian nodded in my direction. Rage filled me and the fire in my blades ached to be used.
The prince's jaw ticked. Cillian noticed this and smiled.
It made all the more sense why the prince kept his emotions reigned in.
"You'd have yourself beheaded for making that statement to the royal bodyguard of Apollo... even if you are the war general of the kingdom."
Cillian's eyes rose in pretended surprise. "You must forgive me, my Prince. We welcome your..." his eyes looked me up and down in open distaste, "rightfully well-chosen bodyguard."
"Allow me to formally introduce myself, lady knight. I am Cillian Findlay. War General to the King of Apollo." The anger in me was swelling down and there were nasty words I was holding my mouth from releasing. So I gave a simple nod instead.
"It would be wise to meet soon so that I may brief you on the expectations of being a royal bodyguard and provide an induction to your stay here." Cillian’s friendly smile reeked of bitterness and it took all my might to not recoil from the man.
"That will have to wait for a very long time, Cillian." The prince was already moving along without a goodbye to the scowling war general.
"You need my command for the scouts to open the gates," Cillian yelled out. I followed the prince, keeping my guard up, not trusting anything in this land.
"This kingdom answers to me," the prince answered coldly and pushed the golden hood of his cloak off his head.
His platinum hair reflecting the light of the Apollon sun.
I barely had time to acknowledge the large golden gates in front us that opened to let its royal prince in.
Two giant golden sculpted statues lay parallel to the gates.
The statues wore a crown on both heads with a sword in hand, looking powerful and significant with large blood rubies as eyes. My stomach had plummeted and fear clenched at my heart. The group of us entered the gates and it instantly closed behind us with a bang.
I felt like a deer trapped in the lion's den.
We were here. At last. Within the borders of the Kingdom of Light. We were officially in Apollo.
***
Hollow eyes and skeletal starved people bowed their heads down in respect upon our arrival.
The smell was nearly overbearing. The stench of rot and putrid smell of faeces lingered in the air.
I had never expected that the land of gold was occupied by poverty-stricken citizens.
I couldn't bear to look at the too small children that clung to the tattered skirts of their mothers who peered to look at us.
The prince didn't let his eyes touch his people.
His gaze stayed on the golden castle that awaited us on the top of the valley that had trees and beauty compared to the dirt sand roads and rotting stench of the village.
It was unbelievable, that the prince in front of me chose to conquer the lands in Terran before taking care of his own people within his own land.
It sickened me. Everything about this land and royals made my stomach churn in heat.
"This is Gilda. Where the poor and lowborns reside," Inanov spoke softly next to me.
He wasn't afraid to look at the people and meet their eyes.
Acknowledging them in their state. Even the small stalls where merchants were stationed had fruit that were close to rotten and flies swarming the area.
It was a sad and a heart-breaking sight.
I had faced monsters, creatures of the dark and looked death in its eyes.
And yet, it was incredibly hard to acknowledge the sight at which the poor lived.
We soon made it to the top of the valley where another set of large golden gates lay erect in thicker holdings.
This side of the land smelled fresh, clean, and pristine. Where there were people who cheered and waved their hands at the group of us. They seemed excited and happy to see the return of their prince.
"Welcome to the city of Eldoor, the capital city of Apollo.
" Inanov didn't need to explain much for me to realise that this is where the rich and nobility resided.
Where half eaten apples were tossed aside for trash and fresh water was used to wash already clean windows.
Not like Gilda, where the malnourished suffered and their best clothes were tattered scraps.
The prince showed no emotion and said no word through it all.
I had tried my best to catch his eyes and remained unsuccessful in my attempts.
I wasn't sure of what I wanted to look for in his eyes.
If it was confirmation that this was all a sick joke?
Was it confirmation that I'd be accepted as his bodyguard from the king?
Was it confirmation that he wasn't embarrassed or disappointed in me.
.. or that his father would not kill me at first sight. ..?
The last question is one I never expected the prince to truly have an answer for anyways.
The prince skilfully ignored me. Was he truly just being my superior?
Just his bodyguard now that we were back in his homeland?
He did give me the ultimatum of being with him intimately before our arrival in Apollo and yet I had no regrets.
From seeing the way in which the royals ruled over their kingdom, it was enough to make me bitter.
And yet... My heart still ached.
I ignored the inquisitive and yet judging eyes of the noble folk who made it no secret that they wondered who I was and why I was here.
The buildings in Eldoor were impressive and built with architectural taste, all leading up to something more magnificent.
We had made it to the top of the valley, and it would have been a beautiful sight if my eyes were not completely blinded by the dazzling glare of the sun's reflection on the golden castle that now came into view.
It was Apollo. In all its glory. Golden, bright, pure, and painstakingly powerful in its command.
The kingdom that now commanded most of the lands in Terran.
Apollo almost ruled the world—all save for the Corvus, perhaps never, no one has ever dared to enter it.
And now, nothing mattered. Especially when the greatness of Apollo looked down at me with dominance.
Making me feel too much like an insect ready to be exterminated.
The only aspect that made me get off my horse and move towards the castle was the promise of seeing my family again.
To be reassured by them. To feel the taste of home for just a bit.
They would be here. The entire arena would.