The first thing I do is savor every last bit of sight,smell,sound and touch then I move forward focusing on my goal.

I then try to find a suitable location to train, this barren land is very safe unlike those woods since behind it are unclimbable peaks reaching heavens themselves.

Left and right sides of this land too are blocked by mountains, while in front there is the castle so any place in this barren land will do.

I see that there are massive stone boulders and ruins everywhere, it seems as though there was a stone village here before but from the look of ruins I would say these are at least thousand year old ruins.

Some trees can be seen here but I can count these trees on one hand.

I was once again deep into thought that I noticed a shadow. I didn't stop nor did I increased my pace, just like how I was, I moved in the same direction and when I got close to a ruin I climbed it and rested on its roof.

The ruin had a similar shape to a house with four walls and a roof but most of it was crumbled or already crumbling.

Some one was approaching, the person had a tattered green hood on, I tried to notice the hands but they looked very smooth and beautiful, how can a swords man have this kind of enchanting hands? I thought.

This person came to where I disappeared and was moving his head totally puzzled. This confirmed my suspicion, this person was definitely following me.

Was he an assassin? but who would want me dead? was he a bandit? I don't know.

Anyways I quickly jump down from the stone roof, with the hilt of my sword I hit him hard on the back of his head and he quickly falls down.

Seeing this I am relieved at least now I am safe, I remove the hood trying to see who it was. When I removed his hood, all color left my face.

What? How? Why? all these questions I was asking myself, I panicked and couldn't think what to do.

This person, laying in-front of me is not even a man, she is Shilfa. 'What is her motive?' no matter what, I just couldn't stop thinking like this, while she was injured and there was a small injury at the back of her head from where a little blood was coming out.

I formed a fist with my right hand and hit myself on the head, this calmed me down. Now I was trying to think, in my life up-to now, anything, anything that I learnt can help here? yes, I am a prince after all, combat classes I wasn't able to join because of my young age but politics, arts, religion and the art of medicine I was taught by various scholars.

Uncle Jefro often taught me so now I can at the very least heal this degree of wound. This is the barren land so herbs are out of question, so to stop the bleeding I will have to wrap her head tightly with something for now.

Was it because I am weak? or because my clothes were made of excellent quality, no matter how much I tried I wasn't able to tear my sleeves apart. So well I took her tattered green robe off, her beautiful face was revealed to me, unconscious she looked even more innocent, but this was not the time for all this, I reminded myself.

I tore the tattered green robe, unlike my sturdy cloth tearing this tattered robe was a child's play. Then I tightly wrapped the torn piece of cloth around her head. She wasn't in any danger to begin with but now I feel relieved, I wonder why?

I checked her for any possible weapons, She had many weapons on her only that I couldn't extract them. Other than those there were no weapons.

For now I used the rope from my bag to tie her in one of the ruins and quickly marched back to the castle, I filled my bag with some herbs, water bottles and food, as soon as I got what I needed I rushed back.

Thankfully she was still unconscious, I sprinkled some water on her face and she quickly woke up. After seeing that it was me, she was quiet and looked relieved.

I asked her 'Shilfa why were you following me?'

'Because I am master's personal maid, wherever master goes I follow' she replied cheerfully ignoring my cold tone, the fact that she was tied and was being interrogated.

'Is this some coy yet another scheme? what can it be?' no matter how hard I thought I couldn't think of any possible scheme so I released her.

'Master you know you are quite smart, you beat that brawn over brain' she suddenly said when I was untying her.

My hands stopped for a moment, I received many compliments before but her compliment, it was more like how mother encouraged me, I quickly recovered my state of mind and released her.

'So master what are you planning to do here' asked Shilfa, curiosity was obvious her pearl like face.

'I am going to train here, you can sit here if you want or go back to the castle but don't disturb me' I tried to sound cold, I don't know if it worked because what followed wasn't what I expected.

I swung the sword the same way that man in black mask chopped heads off. While I was doing so Shilfa wasn't quiet and obedient today, time after time she would strike a conversation.

Well it can't be helped I thought and focused on my training, I replied her time to time though.

Swinging the sword as hard as I could, I yelled with each strike to increase the force behind it, one hour was the limit for me.

My hands were lightly injured because of the rough sword and I was really tired but still I didn't wish to stop.

Seeing this Shilfa said this 'Master it wasn't your fault'

I replied casually 'Off course it wasn't, anyone could be under that green robe, an assassin a bandit'.

She kind of glared at me for a second I thought, she then said 'I am talking about the queen, she loved you dearly, even if she had thousand lives she would give them all over for you'.

For the first time, the first time someone said to me 'it wasn't my fault' I can't describe this feeling. I was already crying before I knew it, I was tired too so I sat down.

We ate there and then left for the castle.

Days then weeks quickly followed, for three weeks I am here most of the time. The guards don't stop me nor does my father care I think even if I sleep here I hardly doubt anyone will care.

In my training menu, I added running, climbing the tree, jumping and meditation. These basic methods, everyone would laugh at me if they saw me doing these. And meditation? this world full of warriors fully mock meditation most don't know of its existence.

After exercising my body to the limit I would meditate and then exercise again, that was how it was going. Shilfa always followed me here. Before realizing it myself, we were already talking frequently and normally, though it was annoying but it wasn't bad.

She became quite bold and would try to tease me often like by saying 'say young master, is there any girl you like?'. The only thing I could do was to act like I never heard the damn thing but I think my red face gave me away most of the time.

Now I can climb the tree easily so now I will try to climb it without using my hands, if anyone sees me doing this I will become the idiotic prince, I am glad Shilfa is amazed at my innovative methods.

I moved back to a distance and ran towards it, as soon as I stepped on its trunk I reflexively forced my foot and I fell backwards.

I failed many times so now while doing it I asked Shilfa 'Shilfa where is your family?'.

She replied quickly 'My parents are already dead, I have two twin girls who live in the Ba village' it didn't seem to be a lie.

That day I investigated her background by sending some men to the village and the next day, I pressed this matter.

'Shilfa why are you not with your kids?'

She remained quiet, she was trying to think for an answer, something was wrong here, every cell in my body was telling me that.

'Shilfa I SAID EXPLAIN IT TO ME!' I shouted coldly at her.

Her lips trembled a little but then she finally spoke, her voice contained unexplainable pain and sorrow and after hearing her something snapped inside of me.

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