Kissing The Wind

The moon was big and round. It shone so bright that the stars could not be seen in the night sky. The night breeze caressed her skin. Sydnee closed her eyes and smiled.

The translucent moonlight shone on her blue dress and the tiny crystals shone when the moonlight touched them. In the middle of the night, Sydnee was like a fairy who descended into the world.

It was the scene that Anthony saw after he followed the girl. He was glad that Sydnee was granted another title, but he was unhappy to see her dancing with men.  He wanted to also dance with her, but he was being watched by both the crown prince and the second prince. He did not want to implicate Sydnee.

His foot stopped a meter away from the shining girl under the moonlight. He drew a breathe and called out her name. “Sydnee.”

When she heard Anthony’s voice, Sydnee opened her eyes and looked at the man standing before her in a daze. The moonlight shone on his suit and his eyes emitted a gentle brown light. She smiled and walked close to him.

“I knew it. You would come here,” she said.

Anthony reached out and tucked the dangling strand of her hair onto her ear. “You called my name. Of course, I’ll come to you.”

A blush appeared on Sydnee’s cheeks at what Anthony did. She looked away and cleared her throat. “I’m sick of the noises so I want to escape. I happened to see you so I called you out.”

Anthony just hummed and continued staring at her face. She bit her lips and turned around. She then drew a breathe. “Anyway, I want to ask you something. Do you plan to side one of the princes?”

He leaned forward and hugged Sydnee from behind. His lips touched the girl’s ear. “It’s not the right place to talk about it, isn’t it?” he whispered.

Sydnee shuddered at the close proximity.  Her hands immediately held Anthony’s, but before she could remove them from her waist, a rustle was heard nearby.

Her instinct told her that the people hiding behind the bushes were the spies under Catarina’s command. She pursed her lips and pat Anthony’s hand.

“Let go,” she whispered. Her body was tensed and she secretly gritted her teeth. They were brave enough to get close, huh?

It seemed like Catarina’s patience had ran out. Sydnee smirked. Good.

Anthony, who knew that a number of eyes were watching the two of them, did not let go and instead hugged Sydnee even tighter. He scanned the sorroundings in the corner of his eye. True enough, there were hidden mercenaries. Spies?

“Let’s go back inside,” Anthony said and  snaked his arms on Sydnee’s waist.

He was not afraid to confront those hidden guards, but he was afraid that Sydnee might get hurt. He tried to drag Sydnee back to where he came from, but the girl was standing firm on her ground.

Anthony looked back at Sydnee. The girl was watching him and the bright smile on her lips blinded him for a moment.

Then, a gunshot echoed in the silence of the night.

He immediately pulled Sydnee to his body. There was a hole to where the girl was standing earlier. Anthony breathe heavily and checked Sydnee. There’s no wound. She’s okay, Anthony consoled himself and hugged Sydnee.

Then he lifted her up and ran back to where he came from. Another gunshot was heard and more holes were running after Anthony. He held Sydnee tighter to his body and jumped towards the stairs.

The gunshot were loud that all the forces around the vicinity were alerted. They immediately gathered their men and ran towards the location of the gunshot.

Meanwhile, the assassins and spies hiding in the bushes were gritting their teeth in annoyance. They had received an order from the leader a while ago. Their mission was to assassinate Sydnee Mondragon, but the girl was lucky to have escaped from death.

“It’s not safe to run after them. Let’s go!” one of them said and they all ran away from the place.

But just as they turned around the corner, a group of well-dressed guards appeared from nowhere and immediately disarmed them. They also crippled them so they could not run away.

Right at that moment, the men of various forces had arrived in the area.

The mysterious group of well-dressed guards threw the caught criminals into the den of the forces.

When the assassin raised his head, he saw the royal guards and private armies. He gritted his teeth. He tried to attempt a suicide, but the captain of the guards saw his tricks and hastily stopped him.

“Running after a failed assassination?” The captain sneered. “Don’t die yet. We haven’t captured your leader, eh?”

The mysterious guards left a note to the captain. It was written that the target of this group was Sydnee Mondragon. The captain’s expression changed and he kicked the assassin.

“You tried to assassinate the First Princess?! Are you done with your life?!” He kicked the assassin again and again.

The assassin’s face was dark while he was cowering on the ground. He was not the only one who tried to assassinate the First Princess. Why was he the only one who received the beating?

INSIDE the dark room in the second floor of the building, Anthony ang Sydnee was standing face to face with each other.

Sydnee was silent while Anthony was frowning. “You knew it all along?” he asked in a low tone.

She gulped and looked away. “I-I knew it… but I have a plan. And my secret guards have locked the target,” she whispered and then bit her bottom lip.

Her expression was filled with guilt that Anthony was wondering if he would cry or laugh at her. He pressed his palm on his forehead. “Don’t do that again,” he warned.

Sydnee’s lips twitched and she took a peek at him. “If my people could catch the mastermind, then there’s no need to worry.”

“You…” Anthony touched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “You are really a trouble maker, huh?”

She beamed and faced him. “I know who is the mastermind, but I need evidence to prove that she is the one behind the assassination.”

And also, it was her life mission after she agreed with Duke Theodore’s deal. If she could catch the spy inside the Duke’s household, then it was easy to trace the spies across the kingdom. Well, Catarina was the key to find the other spies that’s why Duke Theodore agreed for Catarina to stay.

“Are you certain that they would confess?”

Sydnee looked at the open window. A smile made its way into her lips. “I have my ways to let them speak.”

THE assassins and spies where brought into a metal box intended to restrain the criminals while travelling. Because the King was still in the hall, the captain decided to bring the criminals into the dungeon first to detain them.

It was late in the evening and the crickets were loud, as if cheering for them who were locked up in a metal box. The assassin sneered when the captain looked at them who were put into a small box.

The caravan did not stop midway. Because it was rude for the group to pass through the streets of the capital while dragging the metal box, the captain decided to take a detour.

But while travelling into the depths of the darkness, a group of bandits blocked the group of royal guards.

“Bandits!” yelled the guard at the front of the caravan.

All the guards brought out their swords but they were easily disarmed by the group of bandits. Soon after, the royal guards fell and only the captain remained standing.

“Who are you!” he yelled while brandishing his sword. “You are brave to steal in the capital!”

The leader of the bandits did not exchange pleasantries with him. He disarmed the captain and walked towards the metal box.

The deeds of the bandits were seen by the criminals inside the metal box. They were in awe. Who were they?

Soon, the door of the metal box fell off and the people inside were gaping at the bandit who smacked open the metal door.

While they were still in daze, the bandit threw a set of keys into the assassin.

“Duwag at mahihina, puntahan niyo ang lider,” the bandit said. (translation: Coward and weak, stay close to the leader)

It was at that moment that the assassin woke up from his stupor. He immediately freed himself and his comrades from the shackles. When he raised his head, the five bandits were nowhere to find.

“Is it them? The experts?” one of the spies asked.

The assassin gritted his teeth. “Let’s go!”

The group then fled to a certain direction. Then the five ‘bandits’ came back the the scene wearing different clothes, and a blue insignia was in their chests.

When the captain who was in daze after waking up took a glance at the insignia, he immediately stood. “Royal Guard Captain Guerero, Sir Knight.”

The man named Knight glanced at the royal guard and nodded. “The criminals have gone away. Let’s catch them.”

Without waiting for his reply, the man named Knight and the other four were already chasing towards a certain direction.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

It took a few seconds before the captain overcame his excitement. With a serious face, he said to his royal guards, “Follow the Knight Warriors! The criminals are running away!”